Synth Site |  Roland | JP-8000 |
JP-8000 At a Glance |
|
Released: 1997
| Specifications
User rating: 4.5/5 | Read reviews (128) Roland News(751) Streaming Video (123) |
|
Vance Pitman writes: |
Some keyboards beg to be programmed and >played< to their full extent, while some just sit there, ready to play back whatever sounds they've got. There are so many knobs for so many things, you just can't keep your hands off of them, even if its just punching up the bass or rolling off the treble, or adjusting the tempo for the arpeggiator. But when you start playing with the feedback oscillator and the filter, you'll be hooked. In addition, everything is mapped to a continuous controller, so if you have sequncer memory to burn, turn the data filters off and get crazy with the knobs, 'cause you can sequence all those moves, too. The machine also has a set of four utilities Roland calls Motion Control, and they can be used to make a set of changes to the controls. You record your moves and rather than try to play and fiddle, you tap one of the buttons, and the keyboard makes your changes for you. Make no mistake, this is not a sample playback machine, and it has no full-blown sequencer, plus it's not designed for a lot of expansion options. It was made to play and program. Make your own call about the sounds and capabilities of the 'board, but I think this machine has the fire a lot of the newer gear lacks. It holds its own side-by-side with the analog 'boards I've got then goes beyond what they can do. If you're lolking for a synth to do a lot of programming on, this one invites it. If you're looking for analog that's reliable, stable, and doesn't produce as much noise when it's not being played as when it is, examine this machine closely. Comments About the Sounds: If you haven't seen this synth, you won't understand. I played old Roland (JPs and Junos), Korg, Oberheim, and Moog, and this thing will do all of them and more (it has waveforms that they never did, plus it sounds analog to the nth degree). IMHO, it makes the Waldorf Pulse sound skinny, and the Clavia Nord Lead, by comparison, sounds as thin as FM sounded when it came out. The Prophecy is close competition, though a bit weedy, until you think about the polyphony. The sounds themselves beg to be played and tweaked. There are just too many knobs, buttons and sliders not to start fiddling. I played four presets and started messing with things. Also, the Super Saw and Feedback Oscillators add some new sounds that put this thing beyond any almost any analog I've ever played. Crank up the harmonics and feedback amount and lay into the ribbon controller, and your hair will stand up, especially if you're running through a big sound system (the guitar players in the shop came runnin! g to find out what the hell >that< was!). |
Links for the Roland JP-8000
Try the Roland links page for more..
|