GEAR REVIEW
ROLAND JUNO-DS88 | Bruce Adolph
KEY FEATURES
• Maximum polyphony – 128 voices
• Over 1,200 patches / Over 30 drum kits
• Multi-effects : 3 systems , 80 types
• 8 Track Sequencer
• Just under 36 lbs
My journey into synthesizers started a long time ago ( in the 1970 ’ s ) when electronic music had just begun to be used in pop and rock music ( progressive rock was born from these advancements ). I took a college course in Electronic Music and cut my teeth on the same large format Emu synths that you heard on records by the Who , Emerson Lake & Palmer and also standing outside at the Mainstreet Parade at Disneyland . As the years rolled on analog keyboards became much more stable and portable at the same time . Then they became more affordable . The basics that I learned about analog ( LFO ’ s , VCO ’ s etc .) are still a part of modern synths today , but as the 80 ’ s rolled on analog technology was joined by digital breakthroughs and sampling products were also born . I managed a music store in Los Angeles and the popular Roland JUNO-60 was a very good seller at the time .
As things grew from there FM ( Frequency Modulation ) technology arrived and there was a general free for all of keyboard technology leaping forward every 6 months or so .
Now what I see culminating in this JUNO-DS88 is many of those elements being employed in a powerful but affordable Roland synth . You used to get excited about four-note polyphony and now you have 128 ! You were excited when the synth had 64 sounds on board and then you could use a ROM cartridge to add another 64 patches . This board has over 1,200 of them . Are you kidding me ?
I am not a keyboard player , but I am a guitarist that wants to add keyboard parts to my recorded music . I learned basic keyboard theory in college as a music major ( check out the book Harmony by Walter Piston – it is a music theory boot camp ).
I want the same sounds and capabilities for my recorded music at home that you want and need as a worship keyboard player . Lots of atmospheric synth pads with movement aided
by the on-board digital effects , great acoustic piano sounds with layered strings or vocals when you want them , lead synths galore , phat bass patches , vibe setting B-3 organs and popelectric Rhodes sounds . I sat down at the JUNO- DS88 for two hours and scrolled through almost 900 of the 1,200 patches . When I came across usable ones ( and there are scores of them left and right ) I would try and play a little segment of music to demo for myself how I would use that particular sound . I had a blast . And of course , Roland designed this board to store your own personal favorites , so they are easy to find .
Now these were the stock sounds before you started to tweak them . I am capable of diving in and changing parameters but honestly there are so many usable patches the way they are , I wouldn ’ t mess with them much . I might add a little more reverb or delay in the effects part of the programmability , but I would rather pull up a great patch and just start recording with it rather than tinker too much . This board allows you to take either approach .
The real time controls on this board are easy to navigate . Faders / sliders , knobs and buttons all over the place but actually laid out in a smart way . The several pre-set split modes and layered