Version 2.0 Official Release

Dan,
Just responding to the tutorial part of your post.
Thanks, that was good. How much of that could the Juno do prior to the update?
I don't spend as much time with my juno as I would like. I use it as a sound source and drum machine for scratch ideas.
That tutorial made me look at my Juno G in the same way you might look at your docile buddy after he beats-up some loud mouth at a bar. Like, I didn't know he could do that.
I think tutorials are always good. Ecspecially with the menu based interfaces. But I am curious how much of that is new version only - just the pad assign?
More tutorials whenever you get a chance. Calling out button names are good if there is not going to be a close up. I'm not suggesting an overly-produced thing, just something that shows the nooks and cranies.

I think this is really dodgy behaviour. Rave about button (cus they're not really pads now, are they?!) assignments. Make the tutorial to show how they can be used to quickly create a track. Inspired. Top skills. That's all good. But to say the Juno G has had a sampling expansion is outright false advertising!

Like I've said before, it baffles me who Roland think this will dupe. The vast majority of potential buyers must surely be intelligent people who make considered purchases, taking time to check out what's on the market. It's a high involvement/ high value product that reqiures intelligence to use it! How many buyers are going to go from being oblivious to the existance of the Juno G to suddenly thinking it's and un-missable product now it's been 'expanded'. Oh, and who can buy it at the drop of a hat like it was a chocolate bar?!

I really don't see the button feature as being as 'professional' as triggering samples from the keyboard from within a rhythm patch... making use of velocity for starters, with all the real-time expression that can draw from the filters, amplifier and pitch parameters and envelopes. Then there's the fact a key can have upto 8 samples assigned to it! With all manner of crossfades, mute groups, etc.

For the people who ask about this, when an upgrade happens.
Yes you can use the juno as a card reader, as this is how I generally do the upgrades. Just make sure you have backed up all data before you go ahead.

RobJuno,

I don't know why you are dissing on the Juno-G so hard. Even without version 2.0 the Juno-G can out spec many features on other, more recent releases by our competition. (Not that I'm knocking the competition 'cause that's not my MO. I respect everyone and everything out there.)

And nope, it is not false advertising regarding the sample expansion. There's more then one way to sample into an electronic instrument. And I think Roland would know that better then any manufacturer given that we make the SP series, the MV series, sampling guitar pedals, sampling drum pads, etc. Let's also add the V-Synth GT in there and the MC's. Yeah, I think we know what's sampling and what isn't.

You're hung up on how the sounds are triggered. Fine, if you don't dig it, then hook up a pad controller to it. Also, I've heard some ridiculous claims that, "it will wear out the functions buttons". The function buttons get way more wear and tear from selecting patches then they would triggering instrument hits or loops.





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Dan Krisher...

I make a simple point that you cannot possibly refute... (but seem to be trying to)... no SAMPLING CAPABILITY has been ADDED to the G! It was always there! All that has been added is the ability to trigger samples from the function buttoms, and as I have pointed out, the better way of triggering samples is to use the velocity sensitive keyboard and rhythm patches!

I have stated in the pages of this forum that the Juno G, as far as I am concerned, is 99% of what a Fantom X was, at a fraction of the price. Especially if the synth engine and waveform set is the focus. I'm well aware it holds up in sound quality to the Fantom G, and that a Sonic Cell could similarly give you the same quality synth for all of £429 in the UK until a few months back! The Juno G is an amazing sound creation source. (A bit thin on low end bass definition compared to what my softsynths seem to produce though!)

I have also pointed out many serious flaws with the device, the predominant one being the awful quality LCD screen, which I have already had replaced to no improvement, along with a service doccument which states 'no difference to stock LCD'. I mkae one prediction... my Juno G will not be usable in the future, simply and sadly because the LCD gives out and Roland have none left to replace it! And I will argue the toss for a free replacement if EVER needed, because this is simply not fit for purpose!

We'll I agree with RobJ's second paragraph completely. In a crummy economy we've managed to keep the Juno-G in the US below a grand. A pretty amazing feat if you ask me.

I'm sorry to hear about RobJ's experiences in the UK. In the US, where I work, we don't abandon products after they are no longer available. That's not our MO. And I don't think that's the MO of most of our other divisions across the world. (I recently helped get an Alpha Juno 1 overhauled at RUS.) So it's not a fair prediction to say that parts, etc., would not be available for the Juno-G.

What I would like to know is what I can do in terms of video support for this forum. I do a lot of video support for the Fantom-G forum and would like to do more here.





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Dan, Thanks for the interest in doing some video support for the Juno-G.
A video I would *really* appreciate would be something on patch creation. Like maybe doing a short video prepping someone to be able to use Artemiy's "Phantom Tweakbook" for the Juno-G. I bought the book, and can tell it's very well written but, as the introduction states, you need to be familiar with the patch effects and sampling editing modes of your synthesizer.. Which I am, slowly, figuring out, but a video would a huge help. I've been very pleased with the Juno-G and am anxious to learn how to create sounds from scratch.

Morgai - I'm just curious, I've tried about a week to perform this update without the card reader. Am I missing something? Your help or assistance would be appreciated. Thanks

Ok everybody... I've been experimenting with multisampling using the Rhythm Sets... after spending hours upon hours digging through Sysex commands, tweaking code, finding errors in the midi implementation charts, figuring out alternatives, and figuring out which of the Juno's processes are exposed as Sysex and which aren't, I've got a prototype app working....

Basically it brings up a clickable image of a keyboard on your PC... you can attach samples (AIF or WAV) one at a time, or you can import a whole collection (if they're named properly)... It will also pitch scale for missing samples if you like. This process creates a set of files properly named for import. Then you stick your Juno's PC Card into your PC and select "Load PC Card"... After the card is loaded up, you pop it in your Juno G, run the import process, and then navigate to the Card Rhythm sets. Then you click a button in the tool, and it streams a bunch of Sysex data to map the imported samples to the Rhythm set (takes about 5 seconds -- way faster than doing it manually, which takes hours)... finally click "Write" on your Juno to write the Rhythm Set to your card and voila... multisampled patch (technically a Rhythm Set)... I've got a Steinway piano I've been messing with.... sounds pretty good.

This thing isn't ready for public consumption yet, I've probably got a couple weeks of refactoring to do, but I did want to share the good news that it _is_ quite possible to use up your Juno G as a multisampler, with a little software help.

Now, what I'd REALLY like to see would be Roland to do something even more seemless than this thing I've designed. It's ok, but it sure would be nice to be able to do this in one step. The stumbling block seems to be that you can't initiate a sample import through sysex, and you're not allowed to write samples directly onto the card in the samples directory. It seems that the import process can only be done from the control surface -- no sysex. If someone can find an alternative, I'd love to know about it.

I'll try to get something for public consumption put together in the next few weeks. Any volunteers for alpha/beta testers?
(It's Windows code... sorry Mac guys... I don't know how to code for a Mac.)

I might be interested... I made couple of multisampled instruments... but it doesn't take hours I guess... if you're doing it via Juno-G itself (not with Juno-G Editor)! There you can copy key settings faster, and then you can change waveforms for all 4 layers with one button (you just select them with holding shift button).. like that I made piano with 3 layers (sampled every 5 semitones) and it was maybe 0,5 - 1 h of work But if you have something, please mail me: krzysztof.babul@gmail.com cheers :}

chaps,
just for fun I connected one of these CDs full of sampling loops to the Juno, set up the sampling on the Juno on Auto Divide and Trim Switch on, adjusted the input levels, pressed play on the CD and start on the Juno, I left it and went for a coffee.
I came back and found hundreds of perfect samples, all assigned individually, no trimming required, ready to be forward looped. Just press save.
That's awesome! and surely you couldn't do that before.
There is indeed a subtle difference between audio recording and sampling, and I am happy to have both now.

I don't know if the new procedures enable a streamlinde way of working as you suggest, but there was always autochop.

I don't even know how it works! Yay horray... I was recording electric guitar with my friend (but it sounds 'good' only on AMP! Via headphones it sucks), but we recorded each sample separate... guess I'll have to get into this autochop Feat!

I'm starting to think with all the effort that Rob Juno takes to complain about problems with the Juno-G, he could have probably used that energy enough to buy a Fantom G and the world would be at Peace again, well then maybe not.. Regardless it's really getting tiring...

Anyway Dan, as for your request for ideas for training video, I'd like to see something on the Sonar LE, probably I'm having with Juno is getting it working with the Sonar LE, I'm assuming it's a fix with the audio card, but seeing as I'm a bit slow in setting up Midi, perhaps a simple "troubleshoot on setting up Sonar with LE" when things like Audio setup go wrong, where should you go, video.

Say mate, if you need help with Sonar LE make a post describing what's happening. It should be really easy to get MIDI running with USB.

Audio cards, that's a different story.