Roland AlphaJuno-01

Editing patches is easy, alpha dial is a little 'fast' when scrolling through settings.

Roland has finally come out of the dark ages and now posts all their heritage manuals.

2/8/8 style patch banks Preset-Programable/Bank/Patch

Preset banks are properly arranged, ie all piano sounds in one bank of 8, all strings in another. Not strewn all over the place like some other synths. Presets are a throwback to 80s, but a lot are pleasantly familiar and well written. Good starting points.

You can get the PG-300 for it but there are tons of free editors for pc patch editing. Most of the what you would do with the PG-300 live you can do with the Tone Modify buttons (mod rate/mod depth/brilliance/env time) and the Alpha wheel.

The Alpha 1 only has note ON/OFF internally, can recieve and react to remote MIDI aftertouch and velocity.

BUT

This is the only keyboard that i know of that can send velocity (roland called it dynamics at the time) or aftertouch data from an expression pedal. I checked this out with MidiOX. When you have the pedal half-way all notes played have that velocity, both externally and internally. With no pedal all notes are played at full.

This alone makes it a unique controller.

It also sends an All Notes Off message when the last key is let go along with the individual note off messages, good if you are using it with a flakey module.

A bit of a pain to do sysex dumps with it though, must use an undocumented procedure (press and hold all --> DATA TRANSFER/WRITE/DUMP or LOAD until the dump is finished)

Plays notes with remote input well beyond its 4-oct keyboard. (midi 12 to 108)

You can set the pedal switch to step through any bank of 8. So you can set up a bank of 8 with progressively bigger sounds and ramp it up every bar or two. Outputs patch changes via midi with this feature as well, handy for using the same technique with other modules.

All around, very good midi implementation, every change you make on this synth is output via MIDI.

Cord function - Nice thing about it is that you can write a chord even with memory protect on, stays in memory till restart. So i save a "chord" with all 5 C-notes as my default (a massive mono sound), and can drop in temporary ones. Or save a chord with only one note, and it plays like an old school mono synth.

Also outputs all chord notes to midi.

Portamento works in chord mode.

Modulation output on the joystick is rather drastic, sort of all or nothing. Hard to output middle ranges, and can't be parked like a wheel.

Bomb-proof internals, you will probably need to clean the volume slider as it is exposed, but most of the other switches are the membrane style so they stay pretty clean and glitch free. It is 2008 as i write this and still running the original internal battery, outrageous!

Mine was in really rough shape when i got it (no case screws at all, everything loose inside) but cleaned up perfectly.

Hardware inside is all top notch, good caps, good switches. Output, pedal, and midi connections are on separate case mounted boards so you don't have to worry about damaging the main board if you bash a connector sideways.

This thing wasn't just made in Japan, it was made in Tokyo.

No upgrades other than getting pedals for it.

Takes the Roland/Yamaha style normally closed type footswitches.

Needs a roland EV-5 pedal as an expression pedal, other makes can work but the range is out of whack (little change till at the end of range of motion).

Clean outputs, well built, metal base and internal frame.

Make your own REAL hoover sound.

It's a real analogue synth without all the analogue headaches. Stays in tune, MIDI, looks deceptively like a toy but can be tweaked into a beast.

Square and sawtooth pulsewidth modulation is unique as well, does things other synths just don't do.

A real sleeper.

I got this brand new when I was in 6th grade about 20 years or so ago. I still gig with it once a in awhile and surprisingly has never let me down.

Presets are very 80s but still very usable pads and electronic sounds to this date.

Very easy to use, use the jog wheel or the number pads and select and edit as need be.

Keyboard is synth weighted but has a good feel, not like newer ones these day with the flimsy cheap feel. It's rock solid!

It has mc64 cards which i received with the synth ages ago never really had to use it much.

Midi wise, this thing is solid, i've used it as controller, or as slave and no problems whatsoever.

If you can get your hands on a PG-300, it's well worth it!

Well, this thing was made mid 80's so very Roland mid 80s type feel. I use this for all types of music, live and in studio, from reggae to rock, to electronica and hiphop.

It's 61 notes with velocity and aftertouch.

Can I depend on it? That's a understatement.

I've had this brand spanking new since 1986, and it has NEVER failed me yet. Everything functions, keys, jog wheel, etc. Never crashed, midi is rock solid, i have no complaints.

It's rock solid little synth. I have and still gig with this thing with and without other boards without any problems.

Never had to deal with Roland and I doubt after 20 years they'll support this synth..lol

If this were lost or broken, ya, for sentimental values i'd replace or repair it.

I've been playing for about 20 sum years and have gone through much gear. This baby is my first every synth i owned so it'll always be a keeper.

I do wish it had knobs for real time editing, so i do suggest to get a PG-300.

It was my first synth, and I loved it. Things could be faster, but it's a fairly simple synth, so you'll be coming up with your own sounds in no time. Never needed a manual or patch editor.

Polyphony is six, which can cut out if you play with two hands. Keyboard action is synth, plastic, but it will respond to velocity information, this is a good synth for sequencing with. Portamento rules, Chord function is ripe for abuse, the filter doesn't self-oscillate like a Juno106, but sounds squelchy and very organic....it's a very nice filter. This synth is great for ebm, synthpop, heavily sequenced electronic styles, and it's very versatile....lush pads, skittering blips, synth bass from hell. Alot of the presets sound like Klinik made them.

Realism? Maybe if you live on the planet Nebulor in the third spiral of the Hyphaxion galaxy. I heard once that the Alphas were made with people like Herbie Hancock in mind. I don't know if that's true, but it can't be all that bad. There are no onboard effects as this is 20 something years old. Well, there is chorus, but it ain't the best. I thought the Juno106 chorus was better. But a good synth doesn't need all that crap. The Alphas can be a little noisy, but they can cover alot of ground, and the complex envelopes make up for the Juno106 type things it CAN'T do.

Once of the most reliable "vintage" synths out there. Got an Alpha 2 from a pawnshop once that REEKED of cigarette smoke and had nicotine resin all inside...it worked perfectly as is. Wish other old timers like the Juno106 were this reliable.

They're good for a few things, but Cmon. Roland don't support stuff that's TWO YEARS old, much less 20 years old.

If it were stolen, I'd be sad as it was my first synth. Not sure if I'd get another one, it can be dupliclated easily with other newer synths, VA and otherwise. At the 2nd hand prices though, it's a very cheap yet excellent sounding piece of gear to have around. If it was your only synth, you could still make some killer tracks with it.

Completly idiot proof!! I just turn it on and within seconds, I find the right sound! The presets are very good. Brass Strings Pianos are OK, Organs and Basses are great, Synth Pads and Leads are great, SFX are really cool. I don't have the patch editor or the manual but it works just as good without it.

Polyphony is 6 notes. Keyboard action is very plastic but that's my favourite type of key, believe it or not. The effects are good, you just need to know where to find them. Portamento is great, there's also pitch bends, vibrato, sustain, brilliance. No disc drive, doesn't need it, presets are good enough. There is MIDI, but I don't use it. No sequencer, there is a sound called Arpeggiator that works LIKE a sequencer, but you still have to play the part yourself.

The best sounds are the Organs (church and jazz), Basses (electric and disco), and Synths (pads and leads). Works great for prog rock leads (Genesis, Yes, Rush). There is no touch sensitivity, volume pedal can make up for that. No aftertouch, but some presets have a built in aftertouch.

I would trust it with my life! No backups necessary, it will never break.

Never dealt with Roland, probably never will.

I will be buried with this keyboard by my side. I love old-school keyboards, and this is my favourite out of any that I've ever seen or played. The new Roland Juno D may have great sounds and easy access presets, but the keys feel like crap. A bunch of us just played Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and this was my lead, did the job of Banks's ARP Pro-Soloist and then some. If you ever have the opportunity to purchase this keyboard, do not hesitate in the slightest. A+++++!!!

The presets on this arent that bad at all. quite a few of them are usable. of course you can make better sounds yourself once you get used to editing them. the alpha dial really does suck at first, but after a day or 2 youll notice the available memory banks dwindling. havent tried the PG-300 or patch editors like the EZalpha, though im sure they can make things easier. i dont have the manual but found the .pdf file here- http://www.synthesized-dreams.com/reframe_dl_.html. it isnt needed, though. this is my first synth and i only glanced at the manual maybe once or twice.

havent messed around with the chord memory, but from what i read, it seems like a pretty sick function. only effect it has is chorus, which is pretty useful. i do wish this thing had a sequencer, though. right now ive been using my mc-50 to sequence this thing so it isnt that big of a drawback. it isnt pressure senstive, but i, personally, dont care about that. you can store up to 64 of your own sounds, which sounds like alot, but as i said, youll be filling them in no time once you get used to the editing.

as every other reviewer has written, if you are looking for realistic sounds, go elsewhere. i guess it may be possible to make a sound that would vaugely resemble a real instrument, but itll take alot of work and youll never be satisfied with the results. just about any other sound seems possible. if you can dream it, you can probably create it. definatly alot of fun just messing around with it and going through the parameters, adjusting them and seeing what comes out at the end.

seems reliable enough for me. only problem i have is with the volume slider. when i adjust it while its playing, i get a staticy sound and sometimes the voulme will drop out. not too much of a problem. i just keep the volume slider all the way up and adjust the volume in the editing menu.

dealt with roland before. i think it was over my old mc-50 sequencer. they helped me alot, but i keep reading bad things about there support. maybe i just got lucky that time.

if it were lost, stolen or broken, i would definatly try to get another one. this is my fist real synth (i was using a mc-303 for synth sounds before this). i decided i needed some more synth sounds but i was on a tight budget. i found this synth for sale along with a m-dc1 for about 300. seemed like a good deal to me. i thought id mostly be using the m-dc1, but after learning what this synth can do, i pretty much only use this. sure, id love to have a PG-300, but concidering how much they go for, i can definatly deal with out it. the dial really aint that bad once ya get the hang of it. concidering the price these things go for, everyone should pick one up. especially if you got a sampler and some effects to add to it.

Couldn't be easier. I'm no synthesis expert, but within 5 minutes of turning it on for the first time I was getting the sounds I wanted. The presets give a nice representation of what the synth is capable of. Editing them couldn't be easier.

3 Oscillators (Saw, Pulse, Sub), a white noise generator, PWM + PWM Speed control. ADSR Envelope is rather annoying to use but it's clearly explained on the front panel of the synth. The only built in effect is Chorus. For how old this synth is, it's got a lot of features.

If you're looking for realism - forget it. However if you're making Techno or even Drum 'n' Bass you'll have a place for it in just about all your songs. It's a lot more versatile than it first appears. I've even managed to get a modern "German" Trance style sound out of it with little effort. It sounds great! Then, of course; Hoovers! On top of that it's capable of some nice 303 type squelches.

I haven't had a single problem with it yet. It appears to be built very solidly indeed.

Never had to deal with them. Thankfully.

I would certainly replace it. I feel I got a great machine at a great price. One thing I feel could have been added is delay/reverb, for when I play it standalone. I also own a Novation K-Station, and I love both of these babies equally!

I've used it in most of my tracks since buying it!

If you're considering buying one of these, DO IT! While they're still at a reasonable price. If you don't like it; sell it on. But I doubt you won't like it once you lay eyes on it.

The alpha dial is kind of lame until you get the hang of it, but then its not to bad. I've heard a PG 300 makes things a whole lot easier.
The presets are pretty good, a wide variety of traditional sounds and a few sound effects.

The keyboard action feels kind of cheap and plasticy but its not to bad. The effects are pretty good. As far as expansions go you can get the optional PG 300 controller for it. The midi implementation is kinda sketchy, it cant do aftertouch and velocity but it will still accept them from an outside midi source. There is no sequencer.

The sounds are great!

This thing is a work horse. I've had some issues with the pitch bender breaking but its an easy fix. This thing is built pretty tuff

No idea.

I love my Alpha Juno!!!!

very easy to use. sure, i'd love to have knobs to tweak, but really it is quite easy to program with the alpha dial. all the parameters are arranged in a logical fashion. true, you can only edit one parameter at a time, so this methos may not be the best for live use, but it works fine in the studio. there are also several software editors available for mac/pc for free as well, and they seem to work reasonably well, with minor glitches from time to time. but, this is only a minor annoyance and is to be expected as they are freeware.

you could get the PG-300 if you wanted, but it will cost nearly three times as much as the synth, so you will have to decide how bad you really want it. ;)

i have worked with one of these for years, and i can say that i have been able to come up with all sorts of very useable patches without and editor.

the manual is typical roland fare, sparse and poorly translated. however it can still be referenced to jog memory.

polyphony- six voices, can be stacked through a "hidden" feature of chord memory for monophonic action. i am unable to determine whether this stacks all the voices or just puts the board in a mode when only one key can be played at a time. the sound doesn't seem to be noticeably thicker or fatter in this mode, so who knows.

has the built in chorus, with an adjustable rate. good enough...

no expansion.

responds to velocity only over midi- use a controller with this guy.

no sequencer.

no realism. sounds like an analogue synth that just always stays in tune. probably best suited to electronic music, as the filter has a really resonant character to it. i don't know; i suppose one could find a use for it in any type of music- the synth is only going to be as good as it's programmer.

i don't think the chorus is as good as the one on my JX10, but it does have an adjustable rate, so it is a bit more versatile.

once again- use a controller with this guy.

as far as tonal characteristics go, i think this is a great sounding synth. i LOVE the filter, and it can make some deep tones if you like. bass is no problem whatsoever; many different possibilities in this aspect. strings are okay, pads can be good if you are going for that "juno" pad sound.

303ish sounds are quite possible with the squelchy filter as well.

me likes

yeah well it is 18 years old, so i imagine it will die someday, but it seems to be working well for now.

i don't play live, so...

huh huh....

"an alpha juno wuit?"

"so sorry, end-of-life"

incredible value. great sounds, versatility, and loads of patches available on the net, which make for great starting points. many are quite useable on their own. freeware editors, the works. a lot of synth for very little money. i am very pleased!

Very easy. Can't see what everyone is bitching about. Ok so you can't edit more than one parameter at once. So what? The presets are ok, but I don't use them at all. Tweek tweek for a few days and you have 64 patches of your own to work with.

6-note polyphony, keyboard has no velocity or aftertouch. I do miss velocity sometimes..no built in effects except the chorus. The juno2 i think has a memory card slot? But not this one. Full midi control, but no sequencer. Very nice and very affordable if compared to other junos or moogs and stuff.

This isn't something you recreate instruments on. It's an instrument on it's own. I think you could use this in pretty much any kind of music..except maybe classical cuz it doesn't reproduce pianos too good. That is, if you can live without velocity response. Best suited for electronic dance music. Just gotta love them basses you get out of this little thing.

Very reliable, hasn't malfunctioned on me at all. Well, except once i managed to blow a fuse, but nothing worse. Mine has had quite a beating, but still works perfectly. Plastic breaks, unfortunately :( I use it on gigs without backups.

Haven't had to deal with Roland..i did get a new fuse for it tho, from the tv repair shop next door :)

If it were stolen, i'd find the thief and beat him with a very large stick till he would give it back. When i bought it, i was discussing buying a sequential circuits six-track for much more..then one day i was surfing round vintagesynth.org and saw this, and placed and ad in harmonycentral classifieds. A few weeks later it was here, and i fell in love :) 10 outta 10. check www.angelfire.com/or/tokyo3/juno.html for pictures.

If you can walk and talk atthe same time you are already more than able to work this thing. The ONLY drawback is scrolling through the menus while looking at a tiny screen but no option is more than a buttonpush away. The Alpha dial makes changing values a doddle.

For live use the Alpha Dial kicks it - create a decent sound, run you riff and tweak the filter etc in real time - it really doesn't get more fun than this.

The majority of the presets are pretty poor but don't forget this baby is 16/17 years old. They do serve as a useful basis for programming your own sounds though. Want a pukka bass? Pick a preset and modify to your hearts content.

I have to mention the Hoover sound (Patch 8.1 - What The...).

The only reason I bought this synth was for that one heart-stopping sound - it still gets me everytime I hear it. I now realise the Juno is capable of sooo much more... buy one today.

Manual is alright and can be found as a PDF (hell, I'll send you my copy).

Chord Memory - worth it's weight in gold. Hell will freeze over before you get bored of this function. An external FX box is essential to really bring the sounds alive, and with the right settings (overdrive) you can also get 303 leads!!

GENUINE analog and full MIDI - how much would you pay for that in a modern synth? You can't go wrong.

Only 6 note polyphony but then that's not what this machine is about but it does mean you can line up all 6 notes over several octaves with the Chord Memory and creative a truly evil leads

Bass.

Pads,

FX.


303 squelch.


THIS MACHINE GAVE BIRTH TO THE HOOVER SOUND!!!!
I cannot over emphasise that enough - until you are able to play one yourself you will never know how gorgeous it is.... sigh.

Like I said, 17 years old and going on strong.

There was never any alternative. If I lost mine I'd find the person responsible and break their legs. Then I'd go and buy another. For the money people are asking you cannot say no.