Wikipedia

Roland JP-8000

TheRoland JP-8000is ananalog modeling synthesizerreleased by theRoland Corporationin 1996.

JP-8000
ManufacturerRoland
Dates1996 - 2001
Price$2,295USD
Technical specifications
Polyphony8 voices
Timbrality2
Oscillator2 oscillators per voice / sync OSC1 types: Super Saw / Triangle mod / noise / Feedback / Square / Saw / Triangle. OSC2 types: Square / Saw / Triangle
LFO2 sawtooth/square/triangle/sh
Synthesis typeVirtual analogSubtractive
Filter1 12dB / 24dB resonant lowpass/highpass/bandpass
Attenuator2 ADSR
AftertouchexpressionNo
Velocity expressionYes
Storagememory128 presets/128 user patches
64 preset performances/64 user performances
EffectsChorus, delay, 2 band EQ / ring modulator
Input/output
Keyboard49 keys
External controlMIDI

Overview

edit

The Roland JP-8000 was released in early 1997 as part of the first wave of virtual analog modeling synthesizers (VA synths). Others from that period included theClavia Nord Lead(1995),Korg Prophecy(1995),Access Virus(1997) andYamaha AN1x(1997). VA synths had the goal of recreating the sound, functionality and user interface of classic analog synthesizers. The JP-8000 was viewed at the time as the modern digital incarnation of the classicRoland Jupiter-8,from 1981. The programming interface, synthesis options and general tone is very similar to Roland'sJupiter-6as well. The JP-8000 sought to digitally reproduce the warm analog tonalities and sheer power of its analog predecessors. Although it lacked somewhat in analog warmth due to its early digital architecture, it added many new features, such as RPS (Realtime Phrase Sequencing), which allowed short sequenced phrases to be assigned to keys, and such as motion control. It also featured the unique Supersaw oscillators and analog-style controllers such as an arpeggiator and an assignable touch response ribbon control.

The JP-8000 had several features that differed from other analog modeling synthesizers of the time. Most notably, Roland's unique oscillator types ( "Feedback" and "Supersaw" ) and the use of sliders instead of rotary encoders (knobs) to editpatchparameters. The Supersaw in particular was the reason why the JP-8000 was particularly successful as a main keyboard (along with the Virus) in the dance music market, especially fortrance music.Just like what theRoland TB-303had done foracid houseandacid techno,the JP-8000's Supersaw leads became characteristic of a certain type of trance music that can be roughly called "Anthem Trance",where a melodic, powerful lead based on a Supersaw patch provided the hook and melody throughout the song. The sound processor is 16 bit.

Roland JP-8080
The 'modulator' section exclusive to the JP-8080

In 1998, Roland released a 6U, 19 "rack version of JP-8000 called the JP-8080.[1]The JP-8080 combined the analog modeling sound engine of the JP-8000 with additional features such as an internalvocoder.The JP-8080 also had three times the number of patches and performances, an additional Noise waveform on Osc 2 and a distortion effect. Due to these changes all JP-8000 patches are compatible with the JP-8080 but not all JP-8080 patches are compatible with the JP-8000. In popular usage however the two synthesizers are usually thought of as identical in regard to sound architecture (often referred to collectively as JP-80x0).

The JP-8080 is prominent on theDarudesingleSandstorm.The song is named for the pad patch loaded on boot up of JP-8080.[2]

Supersaw

edit

Thesupersawis awaveformcreated byRolandfor its JP-8000 andJP-8080line ofanalog modeling synthesizers.It emulates the sound of multiple detunedsawtoothoscillators. The waveform is described as a free-run oscillator whose shape resembles 7 sawtooth oscillators detuned against each other over a period of time.[3][4]The Supersaw became a genre defining aspect oftranceandhardcore.The Supersaw and supersaw-inspired copies eventually found their way into many early 21st centuryelectronic dance musicgenres as well as the pop-charts viaelectronic dance musicremixes of pop songs.

A simple arpeggiated "Super Saw" waveform pattern from the JP-8000, demonstrating its typical usage in trance music

Since production of the JP-8000 ceased, several companies have incorporated "supersaw-like" oscillator algorithms into their hardware and software synthesizers.SUPERWAVE P8is an example of asoftware synthesizerinspired by the architecture of the JP-8000, with its multiplesawtoothoscillators.Another is the Supersaw Plus, which has a JP-8000-style interface and a variation on the supersaw waveform that provides 2, 4, 6 or 10 oscillators. In 2005,Access Musicreleased theTI-line of synthesizers, which feature an oscillator type calledHypersawthat is similar to Roland's supersaw oscillator. Roland also continues to produce othersynthesizers,such as theSH-201,theSH-01,theRoland V-Synth,and theRoland V-Synth XTthat have the supersaw oscillator type. The supersaw gained popularity inelectronic dance music,especially with its use inhardcore,tranceandfuture bassmusic.

References

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^"Roland JP8080 review by Paul Ward".Sound On Sound.November 1998. Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2014.
  2. ^VICE (2017-12-26),The Story of 'Sandstorm' by Darude,retrieved2019-04-29
  3. ^Shore, Alex (2013-05-13)."An Analysis of Roland's Super Saw Oscillator and its Relation to Pads within Trance Music"(PDF).
  4. ^Szabo, Adam (2010)."How to Emulate the Super Saw"(PDF).

Further reading

edit
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roland_JP-8000&oldid=1208882012"