Jarre Has One

[christof1971]

I see Jarre is using a JDXA in his set up on his new tour

https://www.facebook.com/jeanmicheljarr ... 653834096/

[len73]

I saw it also in the trailer of his last album (in his studio).

Not especially surprised. JMJ has always been a big fan of roland (D50, JD800, etc...)

[OneOfManyPauls]

Hope he's not just using it as a midi controller like Gary Numan - pretty embarrassing how Roland kept promoting Numan's usage like it was testament to how good the synth was.

[christof1971]

In the video I linked to, it does seem to be the main keyboard he's using, but just the same he could just be using it to control other synths. We'll see if any "Jarre" Patches appear for it, I'm sure there is someone out there in the know :)

[FirstAxis]

Nick Rhodes also uses four of them as a controllers ...
http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1236 ... -rig/57585

[CesarsoundOne]

Nick Rhodes also uses four of them as a controllers ...
http://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/1236 ... -rig/57585

No one sound from the JD-XA...what a pit.

"A Few Words with… Nick Rhodes’ Keyboard Tech Ozzie Henderson
“We have four Roland JD-XA’s triggering samples in Ableton Live,” keyboard tech Oswald “Ozzie” Henderson tells me while on-tour with Duran Duran. “We also have a Roland JD-Xi acting as a vocoder. The setup was designed to replicate Nick’s previous keyboard rig. Essentially, each keyboard triggers samples from Nick’s classic keyboard collection—keyboards that are just too valuable to have on tour. So in Ableton, each MIDI input is assigned a keyboard/MIDI channel with a keyboard instrument/rack. We spent many weeks in the studio sampling the original keyboard patches created by Nick, recreating the original sounds used on the records. We also recreated the effects that we used live on the previous rig using Native Instruments plug-ins.”

[len73]

I had the chance to see JMJ concert's live in Montreux on monday's night.

Beautiful... Light/laser show was just amazing and the sound..my god...

I confirm the fact that he must be using the JDxa as a controller.

It was his main keyboard during the show.

[zombietactics]

The JD-XA is surprisingly effective as a controller. I am liking how well I can integrate it with some of the Arturia VSTs. The fact that you have SO MANY controls available to map makes a difference. I have the Akai Advance/VIP setup, which is pretty decent, but being able to map every single control of the MiniMoog V (for instance) to a physical control having the same label on the panel is a very big deal.

[JDBoy]

Lets be honest here, the reason Numan, Rhodes and Jarre have these is because ROLAND send them to them for free. Even much lesser known artists get sent these products for free (in fact I bought my JD-XA off one such guy for VERY cheap due to having not cost him a penny ;) am talking less than half the retail price and it wasn't even used just left in its box! :)

So I don't see it as a testament in itself. The question is will they use them as more than controllers? If they don't it's there loss frankly as it's a great sounding synth with a lot of unique potential.

NR did say he was looking fwd to using his XA's own SOUND on the next album, and had used a little of one on Paper Gods somewhere.. but frankly even as a DD fan that album isn't great to me so you can't really spot great synth use, just tons of synths (and not enough guitars!)

Also some say the XA can sound a bit like the Andromeda (less powerful but possibly warmer/nicer sounding), as NR has an Andromeda it would interesting to see if he could be bothered to use the XA with its 4 voices of analog, over the Andromeda with its 16 (VCO). Of course his Andromeda could die any moment so that may rule itself out ;)