Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Forum for the JD-XA.
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HenrikErlandsson
Posts: 22
Joined: 01:22, 20 August 2017

Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Post by HenrikErlandsson »

I think the best way to make a great synth even better is to suggest improvements. Smaller synthesizer companies like Elektron and Teenage Engineering are good at listening to feedback; more agile. I think it is necessary for Roland to adapt to this new thinking as well; just keep with the times.

My only suggestion for the JD-Xa is that the limit of a pattern length of 4 is strange: current memory and storage sizes should allow more. As I see it, a longer pattern length option would not affect anything at all during performance, recording or playback, and keeping compatibility with backup and program transfer is a challenge, but as I see it as just checking for stored pattern size and it will load correctly. (I'm a developer with experience in software synthesis and sequencing.)

The problem I personally am having is that the JD-Xa has a lot of strings and pads. With the current limit, you can't record anything with them, even if you artificially lower the tempo, because your idea is cut off after a few seconds when the sequencer loops! With a length of 4, only 2 chord changes fit!

This limit is sort of strange, because it's sort of saying, "don't use the pads and strings we provided".

For the synth to be used for pop, rock, ambient, or any developing or backing music on stage, any artist would need more than a few seconds before looping.

On behalf of myself and others who have asked before me, I therefore ask you, Roland, to please let us record the pads and string provided, and use them on stage or for backing.

The only way that this is possible, as I see it, is to increase the Part Length limit.

It's strange, because you can see 16 buttons in the sequencer, but when you press Shift, only the first 4 buttons light green. It seems that it would be possible to implement all the current button combinations with a maximum Pattern Length of 16 option!

The JD-Xa has already put a smile on my face several times :) but I think it would be even better with this limit removed!

Thank you from Sweden!
Henrik.
OneOfManyPauls
Posts: 93
Joined: 11:41, 3 May 2016

Re: Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Post by OneOfManyPauls »

Elektron and TE both have a tiny number of products that they try to keep fluffing, to maximise returns from their initial R & D investment - Roland is at the opposite end of the spectrum, constantly bringing out new stuff across a wide range of product types.

It seems Roland have moved on from the jd-xa, so don't hold your breath for them adding anything new to the jd-xa, except for the occasional sound set - a cheap way give the impression of still caring for a product they are still selling.
horisonten

Re: Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Post by horisonten »

Many of the JD-XAs power users have tried to explain that the sequencer should be seen more as a modulation sequencer rather than a regular sequencer. I can accept that it is supposed to be a modulation sequencer, because at this point I have other gear that does the sequencing. But still. 4 bars of sequenced modulation is too short. It quickly gets repetitive and mostly feels like something they just threw in in the end of the process just so it would appeal to more potential customers.
horisonten

Re: Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Post by horisonten »

I think we can forget about a longer sequencer. I have heard about users who are getting "Memory Full" on the sequencer already at 4 bars. Some of us thought the CPU couldn't be maxed out but it actually seems like it is.
HenrikErlandsson
Posts: 22
Joined: 01:22, 20 August 2017

Re: Open Letter to Roland: Pattern Length: 16

Post by HenrikErlandsson »

Oh. So they have a way of handling to many overdubs. This must be a niche group of users, though. I'm a dev and I know there's not many bytes per CC, even with recorded knob twists you'd have to work to run out of memory.

So that means that since they handle it there's even less of a reason for the artificial limit. Which is good news.

So the limit can be extended and normal users can record a normal beat and a chord sequence without having to set the tempo to something very low and strange.
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