Juno GI Editor Software?

Forum for JUNO-Gi
mgmg4871
Posts: 92
Joined: 04:54, 29 January 2011

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by mgmg4871 »

I believe the engine is based on the Fantom G, and if that's the case why not pull that editor out and adapt it to the Juno Gi.
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

Exactly. I don't believe there is a sensible reason why the Juno Gi should not have an editor available...unless of course it's the turkey in the Roland range and the developers hadn't quite thought it through so we ended up with a "closed box" keyboard. In other words a complete dead end. Maybe we should have saved some cash and bought the older Juno G or the Juno Di. Is that what Roland want, for us to buy the older and/or cheaper gear because it's actually better?

Maybe they "started" off with the idea of producing an "upgrade" to the Juno G and for some reason, costs, timescales etc they had to put out a product that was not quite what they has first intended?
mgmg4871
Posts: 92
Joined: 04:54, 29 January 2011

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by mgmg4871 »

The thing is that all of the missing elements of this keyboard are fixable through software upgrades. It's not as though all of the keyboards sold have to be recalled. It just makes good business sense to complete this keyboard. How many sales will be lost because of all of the negative feedback and lack of customer service. Unless Roland (Japan) really think that we are all idiots. The Jupiter 80 and all keyboards they produce from this point will be met with great scrutiny. Most buyers will wait until all issues are addressed, and editors are shipped with the keyboard. Some will purchase when the keyboard hits the market, but thats good, they will give honest reviews of the product unlike these hired reviewers. I must agree that it appears the Juno Gi was rushed to the market. The only update has been for something I had heard no one complain about. Funny, when I heard of the update, and what it allegedly fixed, I checked it before updating and found no problem. I think it was just to say we updated, however useless it was. Of course there will be nay sayers who say it is what it is. Truthfully though, it is not. It should have all the features of the Juno G if it's billed as it's successor or they just deceived buyers into thinking so with the play on the name. They went from Juno G to Juno Di to Juno Gi. Cmon wake up buyers.
Mystic38
Posts: 1105
Joined: 14:04, 24 August 2009

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by Mystic38 »

Well, the Gi is certainly the replacement to the Juno g, but it is certainly not an upgrade...that is a sad statement

The Juno G was the perfect home studio synth/workstation... The Gi has been "dumbed down" to target the GarageBand folks.. Those that think all recording is audio.. So despite it's great sounds it simply will never sell at the rate of the Juno G
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

I don't think it's selling very well anyway. Most people by now can see it's not a viable replacement for the Juno G as the whole thing has gone backwards not forward. Yes it has great sounds but there is more to a good keyboard than just the sounds. For me the biggest letdown is no software editor. I can live without the midi sequencer but to be told there will also be no software editor is just a massive slap in the face from Roland.

As far as I can see there really wasn't much wrong with the Juno G. All Roland had to do was replace that problematic display, bring the sound set up to date and give it a proper audio/midi interface. I mean the thing even had an expansion slot for SRX cards!

It's funny. Quoting from Roland themselves when talking about the features of the Juno G "For songwriters and performers, the JUNO-G’s 16-part MIDI sequencer is a must." So when exactly did that "must have" feature become so completely unimportant as to be left out of the Juno Gi?

I thought the mix of four audio tracks and a 16 part midi sequencers was a great combination but I am confused as to why the addition of four audio tracks compensates for the removal of, let's not forget, that "must have" sequencer?

Roland, you made a big mistake with the Juno Gi and it's about time you admitted it!
Mystic38
Posts: 1105
Joined: 14:04, 24 August 2009

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by Mystic38 »

i couldnt agree more..

GI sound engine, waveforms, larger version of its display, its keybed, but Juno G structure (16 part performances), FX, SRX slots, sequencer and editor.. audio in for sampling/vocoder/pc interface would have been nice but more complex onboard audio recording a la Gi isnt necessary..the G was fine ..

Given the upgrade that os2.0 did for the GW8 there is some slim hope that a sequencer may appear as may an editor, but i fear that all of this cries out for a new board instead..

oh..on a separate topic.. i had tried the MOX8 at GC and i thought it was a cheap ass build quality.. although quoted as the same keybed as the motif and S70/90 it is not.. keys are cheap and plasticky..
yamahaforums wrote:I don't think it's selling very well anyway. Most people by now can see it's not a viable replacement for the Juno G as the whole thing has gone backwards not forward. Yes it has great sounds but there is more to a good keyboard than just the sounds. For me the biggest letdown is no software editor. I can live without the midi sequencer but to be told there will also be no software editor is just a massive slap in the face from Roland.

As far as I can see there really wasn't much wrong with the Juno G. All Roland had to do was replace that problematic display, bring the sound set up to date and give it a proper audio/midi interface. I mean the thing even had an expansion slot for SRX cards!

It's funny. Quoting from Roland themselves when talking about the features of the Juno G "For songwriters and performers, the JUNO-G’s 16-part MIDI sequencer is a must." So when exactly did that "must have" feature become so completely unimportant as to be left out of the Juno Gi?

I thought the mix of four audio tracks and a 16 part midi sequencers was a great combination but I am confused as to why the addition of four audio tracks compensates for the removal of, let's not forget, that "must have" sequencer?

Roland, you made a big mistake with the Juno Gi and it's about time you admitted it!
mgmg4871
Posts: 92
Joined: 04:54, 29 January 2011

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by mgmg4871 »

Roland and the rest of the pro keyboard manufacturers better wake up. Here's a $500 dollar 76 key board designed with customers in mind. I demoed one and had to have it. Before you make judgements go and demo this thing. Casio is gonna change the game. I know everyone thinks of Casio as a toy maker, but they have upped the game with this one. It's a true workstation and i would say 50% more useful than the Juno Gi. You'll be surprised by all thats in this board. For starters 32 track sequencing. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItTdzP_09ag
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

Casio have always been underrated in my opinion. I had the VZ-1 when everyone else was buying the DX7. The VZ was a much better keyboard in almost every respect but it had "CASIO" emblazoned on it and people associated that with calculators and toys so it just never took off.

Casios's latest arrangers are fantastic bit's of kit and much better than the PSR's. I really do think they need a rebranding exercise though because not matter what you or I think of their keyboards, the general public will always associate that name with "toy" and not pro or semi-pro audio equipment.

By the way we have a few WK-7500 users over on my forum. In fact one just joined yesterday! You should drop in and have a chat. We also have a user who comes up with some amazing music on Casio keyboards, his name is Sweep so you may want to look out for him :)
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

We'll get back to the Roland Juno Gi soon but,jJust been watching the Casio video all the way through and was pretty taken aback by the mention of how it records? Seems it ONLY records to a proprietary "casio" format. This means you can't use the file as it is, you need to first go to the Casio web site and upload the file for conversion! This is one of the daftest things I have ever heard of!! Why does it not record direct to .wav in the first place?

The other thing is the guys seem far more impressed with the sound quality of the GarageBand app than the sound of the Casio itself. Given that GarageBand for the iPad only costs a few dollars that doesn't say much for the Casio. Not the best way to advertise your new keyboard I think ?
mgmg4871
Posts: 92
Joined: 04:54, 29 January 2011

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by mgmg4871 »

I guess after that video was made Casio came out with a downloadable version of the converter. If you noticed that ipad video was spliced into the original video. But you're right thats not good advertisement. However, that keyboard is selling itself. I was really impressed with the sounds. The Gi has 1300 sounds but many are not useful or repetitious. Sweetwater can't keep them on the shelves and I hear the price may be going up because of the demand. I'm having fun with this keyboard. Took a break from the Gi. Roland has really disappointed me.
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

Well I'm not knocking the WK itself. I think it's a fantastic keyboard. It's just the way they went about that particular demo and also the need to convert anything at all. This day and age you should not need to convert anything. It should record straight to wav or mp3. I understand there are licensing costs involved with mp3 but there are no such restrictions on the .wav file format as far as I am aware?

Yes your right about the the number of sounds in the Juno Gi and the amount of repetition. Funny thing is I have been playing the sounds in GarageBand this afternoon and that didn't cost me the best part of £900!

Would be interested to hear more of your thoughts on the Casio when you have had time to give it a good workout:)
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

Latest response from Roland UK
Dear Mr Hudson

Thank you for your email.

Alun has now left Roland UK; therefore your email has been forwarded to me.

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the points you have raised:

Roland has never indicated that a software editor would be made available for the Juno Gi; I appreciate that this has been discussed on forums and on the web, however, we have never advertised that this software has been produced.

The Juno Gi is quite a different instrument to the Juno G. The original Juno G was more of a synth with the ability to edit all of the synth parameters. It therefore required a software editor to enable you to access all these parameters. The Gi does not have quite the same level of editing as it is more a combination of recorder and keyboard and aimed at those that want to create songs. As such, it does not need full editing software.

I trust I have now clarified this for and I would like to thank you for your patience.

Kind regards

Alita

Alita Walters
Customer Support Manager
Roland (UK) Ltd
Office: 01792 702701
Fax: 01792 600521
Web: www.roland.co.uk
I replied on the 22nd as follows :
Hi Alita

Thank you for taking time to respond to my query regarding the Roland Juno Gi

I don't think any of us has aaluded to the fact that Roland ever advertised a software editor for the Juno Gi, but that does not mean it should not have one. Many keyboards have come to market without editors and yet these have followed on soon afterwards. Are we to also assume there will be no software editor for the Jupiter 80 as none has been advertised?

Indeed, the Juno Gi is a very different instrument to the Juno G however this is not how it was marketed. It has been portrayed as a successor and replacement for the Juno G which it very clearly is not. We are also left with the question as to why there is a software editor for the Juno Di which is essentially the same keyboard minus the audio recorder facility and yet there is none for the more expensive Juno Gi? Are these two keyboards so fundamentally different that one can have a software editor and the other cannot? Can the Juno Di editor not be converted for use on the Gi? Should we perhaps have bought the cheaper keyboard in the first place?

So, essentially we need to confirm the following;

The Juno Gi and Juno Di are so different that the existing Di's editor cannot be ported to the Gi?

There will categorically NEVER be an editor produced by Roland for the Juno Gi ?

The Jupiter 80 will not have a software editor?



Once again I thank you for your time and patience. These may seem like minor issues in the scheme of things but they do affect many people's buying decisions when looking for a new keyboard.


Best regards

Saul hudson
www.yamahaforums.co.uk
I have yet to receive a reply.
Mystic38
Posts: 1105
Joined: 14:04, 24 August 2009

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by Mystic38 »

I think that horse has been successfully flogged to death.. perhaps you should consider selling your Gi and moving on.
yamahaforums
Posts: 149
Joined: 16:09, 8 October 2005

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by yamahaforums »

Mystic38 wrote:I think that horse has been successfully flogged to death.. perhaps you should consider selling your Gi and moving on.
Yours might have but mine certainly hasn't. Just because you can't be bothered doesn't mean I should give up. I want an answer to my questions and I will get them!
Mystic38
Posts: 1105
Joined: 14:04, 24 August 2009

Re: Juno GI Editor Software?

Post by Mystic38 »

lol...i wouldnt be surprised if the next email you receive is "what part of NO don't you understand"!...lol :D
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