In this video, we're going to look
at the JD-JD-800 Model Expansion.
Released in 1991,
the JD-JD-800 brought the
synthesizer world back to its roots
with a massive control laden panel
and an aggressively electronic sound
palette.
It soon became a favorite of music
producers throughout the 90s and
beyond, combining the
original JD-JD-800 waveforms
with advanced modeling techniques,
the JD-JD-800 brings, the gleaming
tone and monster sound shaping
potential of this vintage digital
icon to your DAW and compatible
Roland Hardware.
During this overview, we'll take a
look at the JD-800's powerful
synth architecture that makes it so
great for pads and other complex
textures.
We'll also look at its flexible
filter and envelope controls
and how you can use the JD-800
in both software and hardware.
Let's hear what it can do.
The JD-800's huge complex
sound comes from it's unique
four layer architecture.
Mixing D-50 style sampled
waveforms with resonant
multimode filters, a
formidable multi-stage effects
section, multiple LFO's
and deep modulation capabilities.
The JD-800 has a two-stage
effect section that is integral to
its sound and it's carefully
recreated here.
And well, the MFX Group B section
lives only within the JD-800
Model Expansion, the JD-800
multi-effects are available
throughout ZENOLOGY Pro and with
other Model Expansions.
You can even drag and rearrange
the order of effects within each
section for more sonic
possibilities.
The JD-800 Model Expansion
includes all 64 presets
from the original hardware plus
64 all-new presets that
imagine the JD in a modern context.
And of course you can dig in and
customize these sounds or
make something from scratch.
Let's take a look at this preset
"Killer Pad".
Now, the JD-800 is legendary
for its pads because that four
layer structure allows
you to have different oscillators
and different filters and different
envelopes and essentially a
different synthesizer on each of
the four layers.
Now, in the structure section, we
can select which layer is active,
that is, which is being edited,
or we can even select shift
and select multiple
at once.
Let's run a sequence and we'll turn
off the layers to see how this is
put together.
We take a look at layer four,
it's got a fat saw waveform,
but layer three and
layer two also
have the same waveform.
But if we look closely, there's
slight changes.
We've got a little bit different
tuning on one.
We've got random tuning.
Every new note has a little bit of
random tuning on another.
And the
other is just straight up.
So this is essentially
building a kind of classic
style analog kind
of pad, but if we turn on
layer one,
and take a look, we've got this
vocal, breathy kind of waveform.
And
that's adding a whole other vibe
kind of floating over top.
Now, if we take a look at the
envelopes on the JD-800,
you'll notice they're way more than
your traditional ADSR.
Now, I'm going to go ahead and
select all four layers at once
and turn down the
filter cutoff.
And we'll have a play with this
filter envelope.
So as opposed to a regular ADSR,
what we can do is change the level
of each stage as well
for much more advanced types of
modulations.
And if we want to be a little
bit more surgical, instead of
using the graphic editor, we can
change our time and level settings
down here.
And we've really changed that part
up quite a bit from where it was at
the beginning.
Let's check out another one.
This pad "Iceman"
also uses all four layers,
but as opposed to the previous pad,
we can see that there's actually
different waveforms on each of
the layers and some pretty different
settings overall in terms of
envelopes and modulation,
it might seem daunting to be
managing what is essentially four
synthesizers within one plugin, but
we've got some tools to make that
easier.
If we click utility over here,
we can copy any tone
partial and we can paste it
to another.
What that means is if you put in the
work to make a wonderful sound on
partial one, you can just
copy paste it to the next and
then edit from there, making subtle
changes or extreme changes,
that's up to you.
Also, in terms of navigating
and editing in realtime.
The original JD-800 hardware
had four pallette sliders
and on the JD-800 Model Expansion,
we're using knobs in the
pallette section over here.
So what you see is a partial one,
two, three and four knob, which
will allow us to change our selected
parameter over here
on each of the partials individually
without needing to cycle
through and move with these
active buttons over here.
So if I wanted to change the cutoff
on just partial three,
I can do that.
Partial four.
Also, this bottom section
here will allow you to select
a parameter on the graphic editor
and then edit it across the
partials.
For example, if we wanted to change
LFO rate, we see LFO
two rate now available
here and we can edit it on each
partial individually using these
knobs. Moving
on from pads, let's check out this
bass sound.
So we've got three layers going on
and layer one
and three are doing
a pretty traditional subtractive
kind of sound. Really fat bass
sound.
Layer two, however, is
adding a very kind of subtle but
present punchiness from
this funk bass sampled waveform.
Let's turn it up a bit.
Add in the other parts.
Cool, now let's try to change up the
waveform on layer two.
Lets try "Wave Scan".
That's a lot brighter.
So remember, this isn't just a
sampled attack that we're adding in.
This is an oscillator.
So we can change just
the cutoff
for that second layer. Lets add a bit of
resonance.
Add a little LFO to that.
Slow down that LFO a bit.
Its almost like a cool auto-wah
sound now.
Let's try one more waveform
"Clack Wave".
Cool.
So that's adding a certain kind of
presence to the bass sound and it'll
actually cut through in a mix in a
pretty interesting way, taking up a
lot more space.
Another great thing about the JD
architecture is further than
just detuning and having different
oscillator shapes per layer, you can
really tune each partial to
a completely different note,
creating chords that can be played
with just one key on your keyboard.
Let's take a listen to a couple of
these.
Nice.
Couple more.
All
right. This is a great way to get
song ideas together quick just by
playing a couple of notes on your
keyboard, but you got those chords
going already.
Now let's add a couple other parts
from the patches that we looked at
before.
Lets add some drums in.
The JD-800 Model Expansion
also works in compatible ZEN-Core
hardware like the JUPITER-X and
XM.
Here you can use the JD-800
in stand-alone hardware with an
array of physical controls.
You can also use it in splits and
layers and incorporate on-board
creative tools like the inspiring
I-Arpeggio.
From rare and sought after classics
to exciting new designs, Model
Expansions put world-class Roland
synthesizers in your DAW
and compatible ZEN-Core hardware.
Model Expansions, transform
ZENOLOGY into entirely different
instruments with their own sonic
personalities, features and
preset tones.
The JD-800 and other Model
Expansions are available now at
roland.com.