Your typical session on Jupiter 80

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Macker62
Posts: 45
Joined: 18:07, 4 June 2014
Location: County Mayo, Republic of Ireland

Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macker62 »

Hi I wonder if you guys would like to share your typical session on the Jupiter 80 (step by step would be great). For example do you head straight for sound creation and did you use anything to guide you? Or maybe you layer sounds and play. Do you use anything to complement the Jupiter? The reason I'd like to know is because I struggle to find the correct sequence of events to hold my interest and help me learn. I also find there is very little literature on the Jupiter 80, ie a Jupiter 80 'how to' book. I find the manual doesn't help me in the way I'd like. I'm not familiar with sound creation either, although I tinkered briefly with the Gaia but kinda stumbled upon sounds instead of creating what I actually wanted. Thanks for reading.
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cello
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Joined: 11:47, 1 August 2011
Location: Glasgow, UK

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by cello »

Hi - that's a huge question!

I don't have a fixed JP-80 session. I improvise a lot before I hit the record button. So I could be improvising on my other keyboards and then think - Oh, the Jp-80 harp would be perfect at this bit... That's a preset of course (Super natural acoustic).

Other times, I might want a synth instead; either a preset or one of my own.

Sometimes I start playing on the JP-80 and decide I need a new sound, so I start from scratch and build it (lovely and straightforward workflow).

And again I will be playing a liveset (usually my own one) on the JP-80 and then I decide I want it to play with another liveset, so I create a new registration.

On other occasions too, I will decide I want timps in the base, so I split the keyboard to suit. I may or may not save it.

So as you can see, it is a very varied approach I have however there is one common element - the music. My sessions with the JP-80 are determined by what music I'm playing - sometimes I don't even use the JP-80!

The final exception is when I am not working on a particular piece of music, I just start from scratch and build a new sound which then usually ends up with a new musical idea being formed :)

Not sure if that helps - but it works for me!
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Macker62
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Joined: 18:07, 4 June 2014
Location: County Mayo, Republic of Ireland

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macker62 »

Thanks for the reply Cello, I see your train of thought and letting the music dictate how you approach and use the JP80. You seem happy enough with its style of workflow also. I find the concept easy to understand, I suppose it's just implementing it for the results you are looking for (something that rarely happens for me haha). I find this machine almost limitless, apart from the lack of a librarian, but I won't give up on it, it's everything I always wanted in a synthesiser. I'm just lacking direction and tuition with it. I've searched as much as I can online for step by step tutorials and books, but really only the Roland Videos exist and they don't really teach or give ideas and examples that help me. Sorry for ranting, I'm just trying to get over my thoughts. I'm ready for the backlash 'read the manual' or 'do more research'. I'll get there in time, I'm sure.
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cello
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Location: Glasgow, UK

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by cello »

I think your point is valid for most synths these days. I've never seen a manual, for example, that says if you want this type of sound do this... I guess they know their manuals would be huge due to how much more synths can do these days!

RTFM only therefore goes so far... the rest is 'noodling' - experimenting. I guess (for where you are at the moment) is to think of a sound you want to create, be it an effects sound, brass, strings, etc. Then try to do it. Many times you will fail - but that's when you can post here in forums or facebook pages (there's a great JP-80 one there). Usually someone will help out.

The rest however, is up to you ;) Good luck and shout if you need pointers. You've already recognised a key thing - how powerful the JP-80 is; enjoy the journey :)
Macska
Posts: 305
Joined: 06:34, 28 July 2013
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macska »

I have an Integra 7 and previously used a Jupiter 50, but what I'm saying can be useful with any synthesizer. Keep a notebook of your daily progress-

Divide your sessions into different categories:

1. Sound design -
This is time spent using your existing knowledge to create new sounds. Have a goal with each sound. For example, give yourself 15 minutes to create an evolving pad. Save it as a patch and move on. Then give yourself 15 minutes to create a rhythmic arpeggiated bass sound. Save it and move on. This way you have 4 sounds after an hour that are your original creations. Don't worry about using them right away, it's like building your own library of patches you can use later on in your music. Write in your notebook what you did and update how many of that type of sound you created. This way you'll be able to keep track of what you need to create more of next time.

2. Education -
Spend this session using the manual, online tutorials, and your own exploration to learn how to use the synth more. Write what you learned and what you would like to learn in your notebook. Haven't explored all of the effects and how to use them? Play around to see how they modify existing patches. What about the different PCM waveforms? Or the Supernatural Acoustic articulations? Creating layers?

3. Practice -
There is your technique of course, I recommend any well reviewed books on piano and organ technique for this. Erno Dohnanyi's finger exercises are my favorites to work on. Scales and Arpeggios along with basic music theory applied to your hands are good to practice. Also practice synthesis and quick edits. Instead of creating a patch, listen to a sound in music you like and give yourself 5 minutes to create that same sound as best you can on the Jupiter. This will push you to not fool around and explore but to make on the fly edits efficiently. Also work on quickly layering sounds or any little things you find you struggle to remember how to do with the interface. Plus you can save anything good you come up with! Keep track of your progress in that notebook!

4. Fun/Jamming -
This is a combination of everything, because it's also important to let loose and have a good time. Partake in your favorite creative substance (if any), crank the volume, turn on your audio triggered disco lights, and noodle around! Record your session, sometimes good ideas can be revisited later on when the midi and audio is remembered by your computer instead of your in the moment mind! Having fun with the synth is a big end goal, and all of the other sessions should add up to making this part that much more enjoyable in the end.

Hope that's useful to you. I learned the importance of dividing your practice into different categories of goals while working for my degree in music. I only wish my teachers had remembered to remind me about the fun part more often... I had to re-learn that one myself after a few months of feeling burnt out after graduating.
Devnor
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Joined: 20:22, 27 September 2010

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Devnor »

I always start with a blank registration and my DAW. When writing, I use many of the same sounds. So if I need a pad, I'll press one of the colored buttons and use that pad (I have reprogrammed all the colored preset buttons to my most used sounds). Once ideas are formed, then I go back and begin to create different sounds for those parts. When putting ideas down it's important to work quickly and not get stuck scrolling thru sounds searching looking for inspiration and/or sound design mode. I know it's uncool to say this but between all my hardware & software instruments, I have 10s of thousands of sounds available. More often than not, I spend my time creating unique sounds thru layering different instruments, using effects and small tweaks.

In the end, it's very important not to overthink this.
marctronixx
Posts: 187
Joined: 01:39, 16 September 2007
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by marctronixx »

i play by ear and i lack formal piano training (i took lessons when i was a young cuss back in the 80s for a spell), and i would LOVE to see some videos on how to get your head around the jupiter-80.

i have had this synth nearly a year and im intimidated by it. for reference, i have a juno 60 (i have had it since 86) and i can get that going no problem , thanks to the real time knobs and sliders, but the j80 is so advanced for my pea sized brain,,, :)

i feel if i can get some tutorials on the guts of this beast i would be better equipped to design sounds on it. all the videos on the tube don;t spend a lot of time on this. i wish someone would produce a series that goes in depth on these things. id pay for it if the price is right...
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Macker62
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Location: County Mayo, Republic of Ireland

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macker62 »

Some great replies here, I'll be trying all the ideas mentioned. The only tutorial based site I found that really goes into depth with Roland equipment etc is proaudiodvds.com. The guy, David goes into perfect detail with kit but unfortunately he hasn't covered the Jupiter 80 (yet), despite emails from me pestering him! I'd say he might sway if a few of us pushed him enough, I suppose it's all based on demand. Off the topic slightly, I own the Maschine Studio and although this is not as complex as a synth, the learning curve is pretty steep but the company adopts a step by step approach in their literature and tutorials. I like this idea, as once I get an idea of how to 'get going' my imagination and new found skills take over. The Gaia had a superb download explaining the concepts of synthesis, but as Cello mentioned, the literature was huge and I couldn't really integrate it with the Jupiter. I suppose if one of the 'expert' Jupiter 80 clan members sat with a camera on their Jp operating screen and gave a few examples, that would be well received. No need for commentary on it. I would sit and follow what I see, pausing the film now and again if I fell behind or didn't catch something. To be honest I'd get nowhere if it wasn't for this Clan, I've read other forums full of insults and going way off the main topic. Thank you all of you.
Macska
Posts: 305
Joined: 06:34, 28 July 2013
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macska »

A saw wave is a saw wave and a delay effect is a delay effect no matter what synthesizer you're using. Who says you need Jupiter specific tutorials to learn these things? Follow a tutorial for another subtractive synth with your JP 80 in front of you and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)

As for the navigation and layering functions, I know the JP50's manual covered that adequately and imagine the 80's did just as well.
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Macker62
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Joined: 18:07, 4 June 2014
Location: County Mayo, Republic of Ireland

Re: Your typical session on Jupiter 80

Post by Macker62 »

Hi guys, I really made some progress today with the Jupiter 80 thanks to Cello, Devnor and Macska's invaluable help and advice!. I 'wrote' my own bass line for a lower Liveset then I coupled it with a nice piano sound for the Upper Liveset. There were a few hiccups along the way trying to make the waveform sound better, but I got there in the end and I felt satisfied that I conquered the mind blocks that were holding me back. I've heard many times about that reading about how to control the Jupiter is actually harder to understand than physically using it, I finally see what that means now. Any beginners or people on the edge of giving up/selling their Jupiter, please hang in there and keep trying. Obviously I've much more to learn, but my point here is 'if I can do it, you can do it', good luck. Thanks Andy
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