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Krapod « A good synth underestimated »
Published on 03/06/12 at 05:37
Audience:
Beginners
ALPHA JUNO-series, released in 1985/86, comes in five units: the Juno-2, the Juno-1 (the same keyboard with four octaves without momentum or velocity), the MKS-50 (Version expander) The HS-80 (Juno-2 with speakers), and HS-10 (a slightly restyled Juno-1).
ALPHA JUNO-2 is an analog synthesizer with 6 voices of polyphony, monotimbral.
His memory is organized into 3 groups of 8 banks of 8 tones is: 64 preset sounds in (ROM), 64 in internal memory (RAM), and 64 on M-64C cartridge or optional M-16C (RAM).
The outputs (mono) and R, headphones, jack 6.35
Pedal inputs:
-Volume pedal
-Sustain Pedal / hold
Pedal-switch: Assignable to incrementing programs (1 to 8> 1 ... within the same bank), activation of portamento or memorandum of understanding.
MIDI IN, OUT and THRU. Fairly comprehensive MIDI implementation.
LCD 16 alphanumeric characters.
Dimensions: 972x246x85 mm - Weight: 7.5 Kg
The synth has a very simple line. The construction is solid. It is narrow, so no question of preparing its PG-300 controller above, unlike the series of JX.
The keyboard responds to the dynamic (velocity) and aftertouch. It is very soft, but a bit noisy, and may generate spurious notes when releasing a button dryly.
UTILIZATION
The JUNO is easy to use once gained control of the alpha dial. It has few parameters: 5 for the general settings for MIDI 11, 36 for audio, and data transfer functions. The addition of a PG-300 makes programming and editing sounds, but with practice, you can control the JUNO live by its commands Tone Modify (speed and modulation depth, brilliance and envelope) and menus (see this video:
In terms of game features, there is a button tuning memory, an activation button portamento, octave -1 command, a button for transposition (-12 / +12 semitones) and the traditional pitch lever bend / modulation. I find it unfortunate that the pitch bend value is part of the parameters of sounds, rather than the general settings. A cursor near the lever as the JX-10 would have been ideal. There is no single player mode (but you can compensate by scheduling an agreement "with a note" or the octave), or unison mode.
The manual is clear and detailed. It explains quite clearly how the parameters affect the sound. It lacks only the factory reset procedure (turn while pressing Portamento and Data Transfer), as well as figures on the LFO or envelope times for example.
Failures on the most common identified mainly concern the keyboard (some keys on maximum velocity, aftertouch), but also, more troublesome and fortunately rare, the failure of components which produce a much higher rating than the other or absent.
SOUNDS
Architecture
COD
The basic wave is produced by the addition of a square wave PULSE (2 types PW + / PWM), a sawtooth wave SAWTOOTH (4 types PW + / PWM), a square wave sub SUB (6 types -1 or -2 octaves on four levels), and a noise generator to 4 levels. The PW / PWM modulation (pulse width) is common to two waves, and can be controlled by the LFO.
Section COD is modulated by the LFO, envelope (normal or inverted, with or without dynamic), and aftertouch.
VCF
In this section, there are three types of filters, low-pass and high-pass 1 and 2, and the settings of cutoff frequency and resonance.
Section VCF can be modulated by LFO, envelope with or without dynamic envelope reversed dynamics and aftertouch.
ENVELOPE
The envelope generator is atypical. Its seven parameters are used, for example, a soft attack followed by a "second attack" faster as the "famous" Hoover's. This envelope generator thus enables particular forms: ADDSR, ADASR, AADSR, and even if AAASR sustain level is above the levels of attack. But we can find a classic ADSR envelope by adjusting three parameters to 0 or 127.
The attack is fast. The maximum values of times are about 30 seconds.
The envelope is modulated by the key follow. It is assignable to the DCO, VCF and VCA, the latter having in addition a form with or without dynamic gate.
See examples of envelopes at the end of the view
LFO
The sinusoidal LFO with adjustable delay may be applied in the DCO and VCF. Values range from a period of almost a minute at a frequency of 10 to 20Hz (I have not been able to accurately measure it), including of course by the usual approximate values of tempos. But this LFO has a bad thing: it does not work in a mode "key-retrig" (clock reset at each start of a note). This makes it difficult to synchronize the LFO with other devices or DAW, unless you play the stopwatch and the calculator, or tap tempo.
Surprisingly, willful default or when the LFO is set to its highest values, and assigned only to the VCF, some notes on the keyboard (especially in the bass) have values of different LFO frequency. This produces effects "of arpeggiation" unexpected and nice.
CHORUS
The chorus is adjustable from 0 to 127.
On the Juno-2, Roland pushed up this simple synthesis, directly after that of Juno 6, 60 and 106, with the additional possibilities offered by different types of waveforms and PULSE SAWTOOTH, chorus adjustable ( allowing more shades than the 2-position of the previous JUNO), the 7-parameter envelope, pitch modulation by the envelope, dynamics and aftertouch keyboard.
Subjective opinion on sounds
Acoustic sounds and electro-acoustic:
The acoustic pianos, plucked violins (except possibly the cello), brass, winds are useless, except for parodies (but this is generally true for many analos). Electric basses are averages. However, the boundary between these sounds and other more interesting is tenuous: changing some parameters on a preset, and you get a sound worthy of interest.
I like some EP in the reworking. The melodic percussive sounds (xylophones, marimbas ...) are pretty good. I quite like the organ, pipe or electrical. Sets of strings, although lacking a bit of realism, are good, including its Long Strings, which I used as the basis for many sounds.
Synthetic sounds:
This is where the Juno is the most comfortable. He excels in the pads, tablecloths, sweeps, bass. For leads, I do not really judging this kind of sounds does not interest me much. Some FX are ridiculous, others are taking full advantage of the complex envelope.
By combining the PWM and high values of LFO and chorus, you can get sounds pretty "dirty". On the other hand, involve a slow LFO, the envelope times higher, an envelope follower, produces sounds evolving over several minutes.
Percussive sounds:
The few presets (ElectroDrum, Kick, SynthTom) are usable. You have to play equalizer to give a little more strength to kick. A little research, we can approximate the sounds of Charley. on the other hand, it is difficult to produce a snare sound acceptable.
Apart from the chorus, which is part of its synthesis, the Juno-2 has no effect. I would usually add a touch of reverb or some delay. The sounds take full advantage of keyboard velocity.
Confined to the use of electro / dance / techno would be simplistic in view of its synthetic. This is a fairly versatile synth.
OVERALL OPINION
What can he fail to be "perfect" in its category (analog to a DCO, monotimbral polyphonic memory)?
-Lack of knobs, yet easily circumvented with a PG-300, a control surface, or a software publisher
-At the LFO waveforms and random square in addition to the sinusoid, an external clock synchronization and operation in "key re-trig"
-An arpeggiator, functionality abandoned by Roland JX series on JUNO and MIDI (106 and Alpha)
-Memories of patches (including the memoirs of agreement, the value of portamento) as the MKS-50
-Control of the filter expression pedal (present on the JUNO-1) without using the MIDI
Purchased 1988 with a PG-300, it is my first synth after I made my weapons on Casio and Yamaha arrangers. I could try different synths in store: digital (DX Yamaha, Korg DW-8000 and DS-8, Roland D-10 and D-50) and analog (Korg Poly-800, Roland JX-10). Cooled by the sound of digital, I finally bought the Juno mail, without trying, my opinion based on the few that were found in the music press and on the strong impression I had made the JX- 10, unaffordable.
I have never regretted this purchase. Before the recent acquisition of a Super JX, I feared that my JUNO-2 would not suffer the comparison. On the contrary, the JUNO-2 lot of sounds that the JX-10 can not occur. It is a simple and efficient synthetic, ideal for beginners. With its multiple waveforms, its modulations, one can easily draw sounds very interesting, still valid.
ALPHA JUNO-2 is an analog synthesizer with 6 voices of polyphony, monotimbral.
His memory is organized into 3 groups of 8 banks of 8 tones is: 64 preset sounds in (ROM), 64 in internal memory (RAM), and 64 on M-64C cartridge or optional M-16C (RAM).
The outputs (mono) and R, headphones, jack 6.35
Pedal inputs:
-Volume pedal
-Sustain Pedal / hold
Pedal-switch: Assignable to incrementing programs (1 to 8> 1 ... within the same bank), activation of portamento or memorandum of understanding.
MIDI IN, OUT and THRU. Fairly comprehensive MIDI implementation.
LCD 16 alphanumeric characters.
Dimensions: 972x246x85 mm - Weight: 7.5 Kg
The synth has a very simple line. The construction is solid. It is narrow, so no question of preparing its PG-300 controller above, unlike the series of JX.
The keyboard responds to the dynamic (velocity) and aftertouch. It is very soft, but a bit noisy, and may generate spurious notes when releasing a button dryly.
UTILIZATION
The JUNO is easy to use once gained control of the alpha dial. It has few parameters: 5 for the general settings for MIDI 11, 36 for audio, and data transfer functions. The addition of a PG-300 makes programming and editing sounds, but with practice, you can control the JUNO live by its commands Tone Modify (speed and modulation depth, brilliance and envelope) and menus (see this video:
In terms of game features, there is a button tuning memory, an activation button portamento, octave -1 command, a button for transposition (-12 / +12 semitones) and the traditional pitch lever bend / modulation. I find it unfortunate that the pitch bend value is part of the parameters of sounds, rather than the general settings. A cursor near the lever as the JX-10 would have been ideal. There is no single player mode (but you can compensate by scheduling an agreement "with a note" or the octave), or unison mode.
The manual is clear and detailed. It explains quite clearly how the parameters affect the sound. It lacks only the factory reset procedure (turn while pressing Portamento and Data Transfer), as well as figures on the LFO or envelope times for example.
Failures on the most common identified mainly concern the keyboard (some keys on maximum velocity, aftertouch), but also, more troublesome and fortunately rare, the failure of components which produce a much higher rating than the other or absent.
SOUNDS
Architecture
COD
The basic wave is produced by the addition of a square wave PULSE (2 types PW + / PWM), a sawtooth wave SAWTOOTH (4 types PW + / PWM), a square wave sub SUB (6 types -1 or -2 octaves on four levels), and a noise generator to 4 levels. The PW / PWM modulation (pulse width) is common to two waves, and can be controlled by the LFO.
Section COD is modulated by the LFO, envelope (normal or inverted, with or without dynamic), and aftertouch.
VCF
In this section, there are three types of filters, low-pass and high-pass 1 and 2, and the settings of cutoff frequency and resonance.
Section VCF can be modulated by LFO, envelope with or without dynamic envelope reversed dynamics and aftertouch.
ENVELOPE
The envelope generator is atypical. Its seven parameters are used, for example, a soft attack followed by a "second attack" faster as the "famous" Hoover's. This envelope generator thus enables particular forms: ADDSR, ADASR, AADSR, and even if AAASR sustain level is above the levels of attack. But we can find a classic ADSR envelope by adjusting three parameters to 0 or 127.
The attack is fast. The maximum values of times are about 30 seconds.
The envelope is modulated by the key follow. It is assignable to the DCO, VCF and VCA, the latter having in addition a form with or without dynamic gate.
See examples of envelopes at the end of the view
LFO
The sinusoidal LFO with adjustable delay may be applied in the DCO and VCF. Values range from a period of almost a minute at a frequency of 10 to 20Hz (I have not been able to accurately measure it), including of course by the usual approximate values of tempos. But this LFO has a bad thing: it does not work in a mode "key-retrig" (clock reset at each start of a note). This makes it difficult to synchronize the LFO with other devices or DAW, unless you play the stopwatch and the calculator, or tap tempo.
Surprisingly, willful default or when the LFO is set to its highest values, and assigned only to the VCF, some notes on the keyboard (especially in the bass) have values of different LFO frequency. This produces effects "of arpeggiation" unexpected and nice.
CHORUS
The chorus is adjustable from 0 to 127.
On the Juno-2, Roland pushed up this simple synthesis, directly after that of Juno 6, 60 and 106, with the additional possibilities offered by different types of waveforms and PULSE SAWTOOTH, chorus adjustable ( allowing more shades than the 2-position of the previous JUNO), the 7-parameter envelope, pitch modulation by the envelope, dynamics and aftertouch keyboard.
Subjective opinion on sounds
Acoustic sounds and electro-acoustic:
The acoustic pianos, plucked violins (except possibly the cello), brass, winds are useless, except for parodies (but this is generally true for many analos). Electric basses are averages. However, the boundary between these sounds and other more interesting is tenuous: changing some parameters on a preset, and you get a sound worthy of interest.
I like some EP in the reworking. The melodic percussive sounds (xylophones, marimbas ...) are pretty good. I quite like the organ, pipe or electrical. Sets of strings, although lacking a bit of realism, are good, including its Long Strings, which I used as the basis for many sounds.
Synthetic sounds:
This is where the Juno is the most comfortable. He excels in the pads, tablecloths, sweeps, bass. For leads, I do not really judging this kind of sounds does not interest me much. Some FX are ridiculous, others are taking full advantage of the complex envelope.
By combining the PWM and high values of LFO and chorus, you can get sounds pretty "dirty". On the other hand, involve a slow LFO, the envelope times higher, an envelope follower, produces sounds evolving over several minutes.
Percussive sounds:
The few presets (ElectroDrum, Kick, SynthTom) are usable. You have to play equalizer to give a little more strength to kick. A little research, we can approximate the sounds of Charley. on the other hand, it is difficult to produce a snare sound acceptable.
Apart from the chorus, which is part of its synthesis, the Juno-2 has no effect. I would usually add a touch of reverb or some delay. The sounds take full advantage of keyboard velocity.
Confined to the use of electro / dance / techno would be simplistic in view of its synthetic. This is a fairly versatile synth.
OVERALL OPINION
What can he fail to be "perfect" in its category (analog to a DCO, monotimbral polyphonic memory)?
-Lack of knobs, yet easily circumvented with a PG-300, a control surface, or a software publisher
-At the LFO waveforms and random square in addition to the sinusoid, an external clock synchronization and operation in "key re-trig"
-An arpeggiator, functionality abandoned by Roland JX series on JUNO and MIDI (106 and Alpha)
-Memories of patches (including the memoirs of agreement, the value of portamento) as the MKS-50
-Control of the filter expression pedal (present on the JUNO-1) without using the MIDI
Purchased 1988 with a PG-300, it is my first synth after I made my weapons on Casio and Yamaha arrangers. I could try different synths in store: digital (DX Yamaha, Korg DW-8000 and DS-8, Roland D-10 and D-50) and analog (Korg Poly-800, Roland JX-10). Cooled by the sound of digital, I finally bought the Juno mail, without trying, my opinion based on the few that were found in the music press and on the strong impression I had made the JX- 10, unaffordable.
I have never regretted this purchase. Before the recent acquisition of a Super JX, I feared that my JUNO-2 would not suffer the comparison. On the contrary, the JUNO-2 lot of sounds that the JX-10 can not occur. It is a simple and efficient synthetic, ideal for beginners. With its multiple waveforms, its modulations, one can easily draw sounds very interesting, still valid.