SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Forum for the JD-Xi Keyboard.
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pedro89
Posts: 37
Joined: 15:53, 20 June 2015

SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by pedro89 »

well, at least for me.

hi everyone,

i got a question i could use some input on. i´m currently contemplating to purchase two jd-xi´s as my “8-track-sequencer-workstation”, master-clocked by the sbx-1 sync box (via its two midi out jacks), which would add shuffle to the jd-xi´s patterns. now here´s the make-or-break-question: inside the programs, almost all factory preset drum patterns are two measures long – way too short imo. i´d like to use some of them as a basis for my melody tracks. can i max one 2-measure-preset-program to 4 measures, by copying it into another program slot, in order to double the content? is that possible? in roland´s jd-xi manual errata, it says, i quote:

Corrections to “Changing the Number of Measures” Procedure:
3. Use the Value [-] [+] buttons to choose the number of measures and then press the [Enter] button.
The screen asks “With Copying?”
[Exit] button: Add blank measures.
[Enter] button: If increasing the number of measures, copy the original pattern for the additional measures.

what does that mean? am i able to stretch (meaninig: to double) the content of a 2 measure pattern to 4 measures by copying the content of an extisting 2 measure pattern to a new 4 measure one?

thanks a lot. roland clan rulez.
techie
Posts: 46
Joined: 09:44, 3 January 2007

Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by techie »

what does that mean? am i able to stretch (meaninig: to double) the content of a 2 measure pattern to 4 measures by copying the content of an extisting 2 measure pattern to a new 4 measure one?
If i got your question correctly then answer is - Yes, it's how it worked for me. When i increase number of measures in pattern from 2 to 4 - i see a question if i need to copy content and i can decide yes or not. If i pick yes, it is copied.

P.S. Keep in mind that JD-Xi pattern sequencer is still not a full-blown workstation sequencer you could find in Juno-G, FA, Fantom. JD-Xi sequencer is cool because it's intuitive and simple - i like it, i like button interface because it's immediate, but it has it's constraints.

If your music will consist of many composing parts (like classical music for example), having lot rhythmic and melodic changes - then probably instead of getting 2 Jd-Xi's it makes more sense to buy 1 Roland FA-06 for the same price (it should be even less money in fact). In Roland FA-06 you'll get 16 tracks sequencer with more tools for editing and without pattern length limitation.
pedro89
Posts: 37
Joined: 15:53, 20 June 2015

Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by pedro89 »

wow, that means one can copy a whole pattern/program (with everything that goes along with it) to a new empty slot, repeat this procedure a few times, make some variations on the copied patterns/programs, switch between them manually to kinda make a complete track. as much as it pains me to say this, being a big electribe fan, the jd-xi is to me the more appealing of the two. with one exception: the saving procedure on the jd-xi seems rather odd and annoying to me. in sharp contrast: the electribes have sd cards as external storage devices! kudos to korg for that! from what i know, the jd-xi sounds better than the electribes. but maybe i´m wrong. what really suckz big time is the following: just like the jd-xi the jd-xa has NO SWING! wtf? what are they thinking? on the back of the expensive jd-xa they want us to purchase the £300 sbx sync box which gives control over shuffle. okay, i would do that, but -- hey -- the jd-x has NO SONG MODE, too! epic fail! so how am i able to chain my patterns together on the jd-xi´s big brother? WHO DO THESE STUPID JAPANESE ENGINEERS THINK I AM??? the roland people should be ashamed of themselves imho. regarding the fa-06: yeah, 16 tracks, the big screen and onboard shuffle make it a good board. still miss the 71 different groove templates of the mc-909 and mc-808, though. anyway. thank you very much for your feedback and expertise!
techie
Posts: 46
Joined: 09:44, 3 January 2007

Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by techie »

To be more precise - these are 2 operations we are talking about

1) Pattern extension from 2 measures to 4. It allows to copy content of already entered measures into newly added
2) Pattern copying into other program. It is also possible, you can pick pattern, select other program as destination, select to what part it should be copied. E.g. from program A1, part D1 you can copy to program A2, part D1

Quote from manual:
The pattern data and tones are copied. Programs and effect settings
are not copied.
3) Program copying - i think you can simply re-save whole program to another slot

here are good videos to understand how everything works - Synthbug made a series of videos explaining Roland JD-Xi internals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azQguV_iu9A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYwWym1wMHI

P.S. I agree, missing song mode is a minus, apart from that it's a great digital/analog sound source - especially if you use it with software editor - also it's a great tool to record your ideas. So it's something in between a powerful sound module and portable groovebox with simple capabilities. I like it :)
pedro89
Posts: 37
Joined: 15:53, 20 June 2015

Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by pedro89 »

yea, regarding pattern copy one can choose between three options:

"Pattern+Sound" (explanation: copies the pattern and the sound)
"Sound Only" (copies only sound), and
"Pattern Only" (copies only the pattern)

the following conversation is from the jd-xi facebook group.

Jonathan Sauceda:
"Can the FA06 and the upcoming JDXA be linked to the mx-1 mix performer and transfer audio via the usb ports or is it just strictly Roland AIRA equipment?"

Joseph Morrison:"
"The JDXA does work with the Aira usb link sending midi & Audio just like the JDXi does already."
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rsaintjohn
Posts: 265
Joined: 02:56, 23 May 2015
Location: Cleveland, OH USA

Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by rsaintjohn »

I occasionally get frustrated with my JD-Xi, but I have absolutely no regrets over the purchase. I've not been able to stop playing it nearly everyday for a month now. I absolutely love the sounds and the pattern creation and editing is fantastic -- once you get the hang of it, along with the crazy library system and the nutty (but necessary) keyboard shortcuts. I feel like the JD-Xi is first synth I've ever had in which I could do an entire piece, with no other equipment whatsoever. A song mode would undoubtedly let me do more live playing and/or knob twisting, but I spent the weekend combining it with the iPad Genome sequencer and the results were all I'd hoped for.

It's my first Roland product, and I'm already scheming on what to buy next: Aira products, or to combine the Xi with the XA. I suspect I'll be buying them all over the next year. Just waiting on detailed XA reviews to figure out my priorities.
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funktree
Posts: 115
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Re: SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT JD-XI QUESTION OF ALL TIME!

Post by funktree »

rsaintjohn wrote:I occasionally get frustrated with my JD-Xi, but I have absolutely no regrets over the purchase. I've not been able to stop playing it nearly everyday for a month now. I absolutely love the sounds and the pattern creation and editing is fantastic -- once you get the hang of it, along with the crazy library system and the nutty (but necessary) keyboard shortcuts. I feel like the JD-Xi is first synth I've ever had in which I could do an entire piece, with no other equipment whatsoever. A song mode would undoubtedly let me do more live playing and/or knob twisting, but I spent the weekend combining it with the iPad Genome sequencer and the results were all I'd hoped for.

It's my first Roland product, and I'm already scheming on what to buy next: Aira products, or to combine the Xi with the XA. I suspect I'll be buying them all over the next year. Just waiting on detailed XA reviews to figure out my priorities.
I cannot agree more, finally somebody said it very nice !!!!
My second instrument that has similar quality is electribe 2, more tracks but less musical as I posted on korgforums.
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