The Roland Plot Thickens!

[Dude163]

SH 101

[Siem]

Roland has been releasing a lot of synths / rompler-ish things over the last 20 years.
So it's time for something more up-to-date:

It will be like the DJ-70 sampler, but instead of the scratch-pad there is room for an iPad.


the original DJ-70, released in '92, it read s750 disks.

The iPad runs an App* which allows you to control parameters and - more importantly - it allows you to scratch, a feature that's been on the minds eye of one the more creative seniors in the Roland company.

This iPad is also the gateway to the new Roland Social Network, called Roland Echo, and the Roland Sound-Store (RSS).
You can upload / buy sounds / samples / patches there and perhaps even share some of your sounds with friends.

If you don't have an iPad, you can use your PC with Windows 7 or later for this. Sorry Mac, PC only.
*App is not compatible with iPhone, since the screen-size would not allow for optimal scratching.

[groundbass]

@ Eric J,

Sorry to be flogging this one again, but - who are US, and when did Roland make stuff just for 'US'?

Remember by the time techno and house got going, it was being made on machines that were chucked in a skip. So that cant be your definition of stuff made for US can it?

[modularjack]

Sorry dude, but I <3 roland and I don't know why there is so much hate for them. We would not have the electronic music we know and love today if not for many of their signature pieces. However, they are a business and must pursue profitable niches as opposed to narrow/limited niches. Around these parts, that is called common sense. It's a basic, self evident business 101 type of thing. Anyways. Yeah it'd be cool if they came out with a new analog, but if you think they aren't innovating still have you ever used a V-synth or their new-ish virtual vocal ensemble FX units? That shit is insane. I would honestly consider making an analog synth as de-innovating compared to some of the cutting edge stuff they are coming up with. Sure, d-beams are gay, but for me anyways that's not much of a reason to hate on a company that enabled hip hop, acid, house, trance and techno to be born and flourish.

[cresshead]

Originally Posted by bitleyTM

Roland Sverige

okay lookin at that photo of the box

it's either a TR based product - a drum machine
or a TB based product...anaalog bass synth/sequencer

also on their page just above is a tb 303 inspired can of drink.


so....recent cool things...mini brute, tempest drums mophox4...

my prediction:

analogue drum synth that can handle drum/percussion as well as bass sequences.

think of melding together a minibrute and the korg monotron but....and it's a BIG but...make it playable like a REAL instrument..no ribbon crap please!

product name?

easy>>>

TR2012

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by groundbass

@ Eric J,

Sorry to be flogging this one again, but - who are US, and when did Roland make
stuff just for 'US'?

US = Synth enthusiasts, Regulars on this forum, people who are looking for more than just a ROMpler with piano and string presets. Not US as in United States.

Originally Posted by groundbass

Remember by the time techno and house got going, it was being made on machines that were chucked in a skip. So that cant be your definition of stuff made for US can it?

I was around for those days, and no it was not just a revolution in the US, it was all over Europe as well. Again, US means people here, not United States.

Sorry for the confusion.

[bitleyTM]

Well even if Korg has successfully re-entered the analog realm, I doubt Korg will release a more 'pro'-oriented analog gizmo, like a new Mono/Poly or so. Even though the world would salute that of course. If the fascination for analog continues, perhaps it will happen. As for Roland though, they have already made statements years ago about that analog polyphonic synthesizers are nearly impossible to make today without having to make them ultra expensive. I don't know if the supply for analog components is getting better but given that this is something for enthusiasts (modular users) and so on I don't know. I know DSI and others are using analog filter chips but I don't know if that manufacturer would be able to sell the amounts a company like Roland would need. Then again, I don't know and it might become possible for them to create VCFs again. VCOs would be harder I think. This time around though, what we can hope for is an aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced rack / tabletop Jupiter 50/80 version. I personally hope it has a smaller display and thus a larger amount of space for knobs. And yes I do hope it looks similar to the JP8080. But that's just me... :-)

[groundbass]

Eric J - I never thought you meant the U.S.

My point was that the stuff that people enthuse over on here, was not made for the people that made it popular - it was made for musicians in general - use them as you will. As people moved on through digital technology, the start of Techno and House picked up on the 'rejected' technology - old analog technology - and I guess sort of 'abused' it.

It goes without saying that the 303 was never made for acid house heads, or the 808 for electro enthusiasts. So my point being that Roland never made things for 'US' - except in the 90's when they bent to public demand and started making MC303's or whatever. A mistake.

I suppose its a but like poor old George Lucas. He wants to play with modern computers and see what the cutting edge of digital technology can do, but everywhere grown men start crying 'but i wanted a rubber Yoda...'

And they do it everyhwere, all over the net, just like everytime there is a film of a Jupiter 80, someone goes 'meh - its not analog - man they have no right...'

[bitleyTM]

Originally Posted by groundbass

just like everytime there is a film of a Jupiter 80, someone goes 'meh - its not analog - man they have no right...'

+1 ... I mean where is the

[ChristianRock]

Ahhhh look at you guys.

Getting your hopes up high on Roland again. After 25 years you'd think you'd have learned your lesson... but no...

Then the boring truth will come out and you will be angry once again... and I'll bring my "Jupiter Widows" pic out yet again and I'll have a good laugh... you'll be mad at me but hey, I'll be having fun...

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by groundbass

Eric J - I never thought you meant the U.S.

My point was that the stuff that people enthuse over on here, was not made for the people that made it popular - it was made for musicians in general - use them as you will. As people moved on through digital technology, the start of Techno and House picked up on the 'rejected' technology - old analog technology - and I guess sort of 'abused' it.

It goes without saying that the 303 was never made for acid house heads, or the 808 for electro enthusiasts. So my point being that Roland never made things for 'US' - except in the 90's when they bent to public demand and started making MC303's or whatever. A mistake.

I suppose its a but like poor old George Lucas. He wants to play with modern computers and see what the cutting edge of digital technology can do, but everywhere grown men start crying 'but i wanted a rubber Yoda...'

And they do it everyhwere, all over the net, just like everytime there is a film of a Jupiter 80, someone goes 'meh - its not analog - man they have no right...'

Thanks but you just basically reworded my exact post.

What I said was "a majority of people on here, who are synth enthusiasts, should not be excited about new products from Roland, Korg, etc because they are not targeting products at US, the synth enthusiasts".

Originally Posted by ChristianRock

Ahhhh look at you guys.

Getting your hopes up high on Roland again. After 25 years you'd think you'd have learned your lesson... but no...
.

..aaannndd exactly. See, someone else is saying the same thing I said a few posts ago. Hopefully he worded it better for people.

Thanks.

[fuse]

That box looks like it's a rack thingie.
MKS-50 perhaps because it's Roland we're talking about?

[ZardozMusic]

Originally Posted by modularjack

Well they are due for a new groovebox.. maybe that, or a drum machine? Remember roland likes jumping on trends and hardware drum machines seem to be the latest trend. Who knows though... I'd love an updated groovebox they kind of went off the rails a bit with their MV stuff... Bring back the MC line, bitches!

I have an MC-505 in my closet if you're interested
...seriously though I'm really looking to sell it

[ChristianRock]

Originally Posted by fuse

That box looks like it's a rack thingie.
MKS-50 perhaps because it's Roland we're talking about?

Well they're putting "i" after the names of some of their romplers these days, so maybe the MKS-50i

[groundbass]

Well I have no beef with them, they have brought so much fun to my musical table over the years - they can do what hey want as far as I am concerned.

[flat earth]

My guess (and thinking it may just be a coincidence that that lead is drooping down from the keyboard, as if pointing to the box),

..is a PG style programmer for the JP80/50

[ChristianRock]

Originally Posted by flat earth

My guess (and thinking it may just be a coincidence that that lead is drooping down from the keyboard, as if pointing to the box),

..is a PG style programmer for the JP80/50

....which will sell for 1,599



(the aforementioned information is certainly not true at all, it's just me having fun with Roland and their habit of overpricing their products)

[UltimateOutsider]

Originally Posted by xanderbeanz

It's a new MT32 - D Beam Edition! Sierra fanboys will be happy...

Oh man, memories!

I went into music-making hibernation in 1998 or so, and was completely out of the loop until early 2010. When I started getting back into it, I was sad to find that none of Roland's current products looked compelling to me in any way. 50% of my gear in the 80s and 90s was Roland stuff. (Couldn't afford the D50 back then though.)

EDIT: Also, RIP Ensoniq. :(

[robot gigante]

TB-303i, with the capability to stack over 30 shakuhachi, flute and sax sounds, yep yep. With dbeam controllable marimba roll mode, other than that sequencing is only possible with a connected ipad.

[ZardozMusic]

We already have the:
Gaia SH-01, Juno line, Jupiter line...

So following suit this one will be either:

TR-xxx something
Alpha Juno xxx
MKS-xxx
JX-xxx (forgetting the JX-305 groovebox)
D-xxx

me thinks the TR is the best known line of Rolands ever made but this might just be another time where we see a price hike on the vintage counterpart the modern units are paying respect to

[mike vee]

jupiter 80 rack or SH101 reissue (which would be awesome)

[Reptil]

acoustic modelling - combined with V-synth technology?
(a slut can dream...)

[ksandvik]

Long time ago Roland used to be for me a company that made somewhat conventional HW with unexpected features that pushed the envelope for music: Jupiter, TR line of drum machines, Roland Space Echo et rest et rest. Those were the fun times.

Nowadays, Roland is for me a tiring company with high end me-too workstations that has little inspiration for anything new to happen. These are not fun times.

[ChristianRock]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

These are not fun times.

...for those who are stuck on Roland.

It's fun times for everybody else

[supersuper]

Screw Roland; hype machine won't work anymore. Don't expect an analogue from them just want a native supported d50 and jd style rompler soft synth. They failed to do this and now omnisphere has filled the void so who needs them?

[FullCount]

Starts with a "T"



from Matrixsynth

[vstace]

TR-ombone?

[scottrod]

My guess is a rack-mount Jupiter-80 type of unit.

V-Synth > V-Synth GT > V-Synth XT
Jupiter-50 > Jupiter-80 >

It's not cronologically or equivalent capability ordered, just pointing out a hole in the product line. Personally I'd welcome it, I think the J-80 sounds great!

And yes, I have analog synths too.

[flat earth]

Originally Posted by scottrod

My guess is a rack-mount Jupiter-80 type of unit.

V-Synth > V-Synth GT > V-Synth XT
Jupiter-50 > Jupiter-80 >

It's not cronologically or equivalent capability ordered, just pointing out a hole in the product line. Personally I'd welcome it, I think the J-80 sounds great!

And yes, I have analog synths too.

I'm not sure they'd do a rack. Thought they were a thing of the past. The whole point of the JP80/50 is performance afaik.

It would perhaps work better as a desktop module.

I still say its a PG style programmer for the 80/50.

[bitleyTM]

Exactly, scottrod. When I tried JP80 I thought it sounded very good (albeit not 'crazy inspiring and new' like the D-50 once did) but I thought it had a cumbersome interface with the Jupiter 4-placed buttons, here's hoping they've done an awesome module with the technology instead.