Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Forum for the JD-XA.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

The Word file linked below, is a collection of posts with tips, tricks, reviews, etc. from various places on the internet (notably here, and Gearslutz though). In some cases, I took liberties with editing content. Most of the names have been removed to protect the innocent. Please proceed with caution before trying any of these tips.. no warranty.. do these at your own risk, yadda yadda. Many (most?) of these, may be second nature or quite obvious to folks who have been using their JD-XA for a while.. some, maybe not so much. Anyway - it's not extensive, but it's free. While I reached out to a couple of folks for permission -- I certainly didn't ask everyone. So - apologies for that too. This will probably be hosted on Cello's site soon. Putting it out there in the mean time.. feedback welcome. If you have tips/tricks you would like added - please let me know, or post them here - and I'll add them.

Cheers -

Joe

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/219 ... 0BKMs.docx
johnstimley
Posts: 23
Joined: 08:16, 7 June 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by johnstimley »

Thanks Jdoo. It's a great compendium that you have gathered.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

johnstimley wrote:Thanks Jdoo. It's a great compendium that you have gathered.
You're welcome. Agree there is a lot of great info from other folks.. (only a few are things that I wrote, and I am certain I got those tips from reading about them somewhere :) . I am finding more stuff about my 'XA every time I spend time playing it.. Still holding out hope that Ed Diaz or someone else from Roland is given some time to come up with some videos on molding sounds from the JD-XA. I have shared a couple of JD-XA programs with a couple of folks. May start posting them up, along with tips... as it's just a ton easier to understand stuff (at least I find.. for myself :)) - when there's either accompanying sounds, video, etc along with a tip/tutorial. My programming skills are basic, compared to some of the folks posting their sounds (plus I am drawn to more bread-n-butter analog stuff with my 'XA) - so they aren't scratching the surface of the art of the possible... but they might help..
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

...but wait there's more. I 'get' that a lot of folks who buy synths, are looking for presets, and don't want to delve in too deep. Not having a good foundational understanding of synth sound architecture and basics, may hold someone back from getting the most out of the JD-XA. All IMO of course. I think plenty of folks are getting lots of use just my fiddling with the controls of their JD-XA, and modifying presets. That said though -- having a good basic understanding of how synths operate, and what controls to use to create sound.. is goodness - and may lead to getting even more out of the powerhouse that is the JD-XA.

Anyway - there is a two decade old video series that Matrix Synth got permission to link up to. It is Dean Freidman / School of NY "Intro To Synthesis" 3 part series. Three hours of synth basics... and every minute of it, can be related directly to the JD-XA. For many... it will be a review. For some, it may open a whole new world. I know that I got a load of great info out of it - and it helped me understand a lot more deeply, the structure of how Roland has woven together the JD-XA's synth sound paths. Really really good stuff.

Link: http://m.matrixsynth.com/2012/01/intro- ... lding.html . All three parts are on YouTube... but the matrixsynth site hooked em up. So kudos there.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

More permanent home for this doc is on Cello's site here: http://www.jp-80.com/docs/JDXA-BKMs.pdf
OneOfManyPauls
Posts: 93
Joined: 11:41, 3 May 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by OneOfManyPauls »

Really great work with this jdoo - thank you.

If you're a member of the jd-xa facebook group, a good place for this would be in the files section there.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

OneOfManyPauls wrote:Really great work with this jdoo - thank you.

If you're a member of the jd-xa facebook group, a good place for this would be in the files section there.
Thx. If we ever get to where this is fuller or I quit adding to it regularly... absolutely will distribute it. I've added a few bits even this week, so it might end up getting out of date. As it is, the version Neil is hosting is a little different than the one in my Dropbox folder. :). Give me a day though.. I'll rev the file name, and repost it to FB files area and my Dropbox. I've been meaning to do that anyway.

Cheers
OneOfManyPauls
Posts: 93
Joined: 11:41, 3 May 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by OneOfManyPauls »

Thank you jdoo.

I think it's a brilliant resource that will help users get their bearings for how to use the jd-xa, and for what it's actually capable of.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

OneOfManyPauls wrote:Thank you jdoo.

I think it's a brilliant resource that will help users get their bearings for how to use the jd-xa, and for what it's actually capable of.
I'd like to take credit.. but the real magic in this document is the fantastic tips that have been shared by Neil Gowans, Dan Goldman, Ron Feinberg, Oscar Finch, ToneKontrol, and many many others. I tried not to honk it up too badly, in formatting it into Word and adding a few bits. I've posted a 1.0 version out to dropbox, here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ix7j5dyaant7 ... .docx?dl=0 and put a copy into the GS files area. Will work with Neil to get an update on his site. Cheers - Joe
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

A couple of updates at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/c4ln1j4r7x2xw ... .docx?dl=0 Apologies... Thought I had posted this earlier. . . BTW - there are some really great tips on the FaceBook page, that have been added by @Paul Cotton recently. Worth checking out.

Updated 03-21-2017
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lulmdbfsp2xs2 ... .docx?dl=0

Includes Paul's bits
OneOfManyPauls
Posts: 93
Joined: 11:41, 3 May 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by OneOfManyPauls »

Great work as ever - thanks Joe.

Btw, if you want to add that stuff I did about patch management and modulation into the BKMs, let me know and I'll mail you them in word format so you can add them.
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

OneOfManyPauls wrote:Great work as ever - thanks Joe.

Btw, if you want to add that stuff I did about patch management and modulation into the BKMs, let me know and I'll mail you them in word format so you can add them.
Thanks Paul. Yes - that would be great, if you could send those updates. They would be a great addition!
OneOfManyPauls
Posts: 93
Joined: 11:41, 3 May 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by OneOfManyPauls »

Thanks Joe. They're here as word docs:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wo3abb4on7o7 ... vDoMa?dl=0
Jdoo
Posts: 216
Joined: 06:19, 19 February 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by Jdoo »

Thanks Paul. Very nice addition to the list! Updated version 1.2 : https://www.dropbox.com/s/lulmdbfsp2xs2 ... .docx?dl=0
sonicgraffiti
Posts: 2
Joined: 17:42, 12 April 2016

Re: Tips & Tricks from the Internet

Post by sonicgraffiti »

Thanks for all of this. I was just asking the question on Facebook to some synth groups if anyone out there has anything like this. Though I don't have an FA 06, I do have an old XP-80 that I can use in conjunction with this - also a great sequencer for it's time. My biggest problem has been understanding the JD XA's layout. I can manage knobs and sliders all day, but navigating the analog/digital control sections is a little unclear, as well as the sequencer (I can get a pattern recorded, but have yet to get into the nuts and bolts of it to improve those patterns which has been difficult at best).

I've had far less time to just sit down and fiddle with the XA than I normally would, so I'm still getting to know it after a year of ownership.

Again, thank you for all of this. I'll be glued to this forum for a while now. Hopefully I'll have something to truly contribute over time. :)
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