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Forum for boutique synths
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tbeltrans
Posts: 39
Joined: 17:58, 1 December 2017

new member of forum

Post by tbeltrans »

Hi everybody...this is my first post here. I thought it appropriate to do this in the Boutique forum, since I have purchased several modules over the past few weeks. I have several Roland products besides these modules such as the Integra 7, BK-7m, the V-Grand digital piano, and a few other smaller items. Guitar is my main instrument, and I have the Roland SY-300, GR-55, and GR-33 for that.

To me, living in a condo, the Boutique series allows a person with limited spaces to have a decent synth setup. I have 5 of the synth modules (SE-02, JX-03, JP-08, SH-01A, and D-05). The JU-06 seems to be discontinued for some reason. I also have the TR-09 and TB-03.

I do hope to someday find a JU-06, though from various videos I have watched, the JX-03 seems to be similar but more capable with its two oscillators and cross modulation. I saw several references to the JX-3P as being Roland's "hidden gem", largely passed over by the consumer, and have seen similar comments about the JX-03. I find the JX-03 to have a big sound that can be quite warm and is very versatile, and don't understand why it isn't as popular as some of the other modules. The original product, JX-3P, didn't have all the knobs. You had to buy a separate programmer. The JX-03 has all that built in. The Juno 106 had analog filters, so it probably has a warmer sound overall. I wanted one back then, but couldn't afford it. I am not willing to pay the high prices being asked for the JU-06 these days either.

Currently, I am working through a video course on analog synths, using the SE-02 to start with. I plan to work with each of my modules, one at a time until I really know them well enough to create my own music. For a sequencer, I have the Yamaha QY-700 - big, capable, and rock solid. The D-05, being digital and much more complex, is something I will have to work with in bits and pieces over time. I see these modules as a painter might see the different colors on a palette.

One thing that I did, that I would suggest some others here might want to do (if you haven't already), is to download the original product manuals for each of the modules you have. I have found all of the user manuals online, and they seem to go into much greater detail about the product, giving you a lot more to work with than the sheet that comes with the Boutique models. Most of the manuals can be found in the Roland archives on their site. For the SE-02, I grabbed the Moog Model D manual. A quick google search yields all of these manuals.

Tony
tbeltrans
Posts: 39
Joined: 17:58, 1 December 2017

Re: new member of forum

Post by tbeltrans »

Well, I will reply to myself. :)

I decided that since the JU-06 is SO EXPENSIVE on the used market, and I am really taken with the JP-08 now that I have spent a bit of time with it, I got a second JP-08 so I can chain them together. I tried that and it works really well. I got both JP-08s used, but like new in their boxes with everything packaged like new, at one of the local Music-Go-Round stores. These are apparently not selling for the premium that the JU-06 commands. I think having two JP-08s will give me much more flexibility and these really do sound very good. I had heard of the Jupiter 8, but it was "before my time" in that the Juno-106 was new and common when I first got interested in this stuff. So it was quite a pleasant surprise, how good the JP-08 really is, once I spent time with it.

To chain these two, I ran the midi out of the main JP-08 into the midi in of the slave JP-08, the audio out of the slave JP-08 into the audio input of the main JP-08, and had each on a separate USB power supply because I found that if I ran them both on the same supply, I get a digital "hash" in the background. The manual sheet tells you how to get into chain mode, which does not require powering off and on again. You will want to set the volume controls on each the same to get continuity across the extra 4 voices. It is really simple and well worthwhile to do, especially with something like the JP-08. I can't see doing that with the other modules I have, even if they could.

Tony
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