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jarrydn
Oh hey guys. Well...this is my page of stuff. Enjoy, or something.

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RetroRespective: Roland JX-3P (1983)

Posted by jarrydn - June 3rd, 2009


Welcome to my first vintage gear review! I hope you find it informative and enjoyable :P

What is it?
The Roland JX-3P is a 6 voice analog synthesizer. It has two Digitally controlled analog oscillators per voice, a basic step sequencer, onboard chorus, and was the first Roland synthesizer to come equipped with MIDI. As such, the MIDI implementation is not the best.

Other features include 32 preset patches, 32 user patches, several different oscillator sync modes, and tape backup.

How does it sound?
The sound of the JX-3P has been compared to several of Rolands flagship synthesizers, including the Jupiter and the Juno 106, though I find this to be highly debatable. It does contain the same filter and VCA chips as the JP-8, but is much less flexible in terms of programming. Also, unlike the Juno, it doesn't have dedicated controls for PWM, and as far as I'm aware, the envelopes are computer controlled, which makes them a little less snappy.

However, there is a trick for fooling the JX-3P to do PWM, and having two oscillators per voice means you can achieve sounds that the Juno series of keyboards can't.

The JX-3P is a fantastic machine for analog strings, brass, leads, percussion and SFX. It's main downfall is it's bass sounds, which you would definitely want a Juno 6/60 for.

What's it like to program?
At first, the one slider and two button interface seems a bit daunting, and many people claim that it is impossible to program without the PG-200 editor (featured in the video below), but after spending a couple of days playing with it, I can program most patches I need in under a minute using just the slider and buttons.

I would at some point like to purchase a PG-200 for it, just so I can manipulate several parameters at the same time, but they are horrendously expensive.

Video demo:
Here is a fantastic demo of what kind of sounds can be achieved with this board. This dude is basically the king of synthesizers. He has heaps of demo videos on Youtube...I suggest you check them out.

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Additional samples:
Here's a quick and dirty demo I hacked together today. I'm not exactly a keyboard player, so please don't kill me :P

Clicky!!!

First patch: Jupiter-style strings
Second patch: Pretty epic pad, with sample and hold LFO controlling filter cutoff
Third patch: Awful rendition of the Terminator theme
Forth patch: Synth stabs out of a track I'm working on, opening up the filter

RetroRespective: Roland JX-3P (1983)


Comments

wow,thats awesome :D nice review man! also, i was wondering, when do you release the word pack from the speak n spell? im planing to make a song with it, yo will ofcource be linked and credited for ripping :D

Ahhh, sorry, I've been pre-occupied :)

I've sampled it, I just need to go in and chop it all up, and make sure I have all the words there :).

Tell you what, I'll see if I can get it done today.

Old synths make me wet!

Me too! Let's be friends D:

I almost bought one a year ago, but having the AX-60 and Andromeda A6, i figured i dont need anymore polyphonic analog synths, except maybe a Jupiter 8, but thats a pipedream until they come down in price.

Jupiter 8? Come down in price?

Ohhhhhhh man, if only :]

Wheres the metal at???????