This guy is one of the best demonstrators for a tutorial. It’s his playing style in the way he demonstrates the keyboard that makes me interested in it.
It's 5am and I can't sleep - my very own Juno DS88 is arriving today and I feel like a kid waiting for Santa. I've been looking for weeks for a quality 88 key synth that I can busk with. I have tried and returned two other keyboards in this quest. I just found out within the last few days about this board being battery powered, and I am sold. I have an FA-08 and LOVE the keybed, and the Juno has the exact same bed. To be able to play anywhere and still have the same feel as my FA-08? Yes please! So, here I wait, probably for another 6-8 hours, for my ticket to play on a beach, in a park, or anywhere I want. Thanks for this review, it has helped me kill time waiting! :)
I bought this thing for myself years ago when I had the money as an investment into my future music aspirations. My god am I glad I did. Finally sitting down for the first time seriously with this thing. It's everything I'll ever need and more. Love my Juno 88, no matter how much space it took up while I wasn't using it hehe.
Stu is super right about the phrase pad intimidation. I never knew what to do exactly with it but once I learned how to make a simple loop I literally fell in love with it. Great review
You can absolutely set more than two zones in performance edit. 16 sounds are possible at once or divided on the keyboard in as many zones as you desire.
You have ZERO understanding of midi functionality . You also do not understanding the terminology. You should research before you come off looking like a fool!
I have the Roland Juno ds 61. I have own it for about 3 months now it sound wonderful easy to play. There is so much to this workstation that it impossible to cover in a 40 minute video It does so much and it’s gigg ready to me. I have the black edition. And for the price and all that it gives you with sounds and patching etc. I feel you get your bang for your buck. Nice Video.
Thanks Rod for your insight as I am now getting a better awareness of this equipment. It is as much a computer program as it is a keyboard. I’ll get there eventually with more jobs to play it forces me.
I own one and it is great in my studio space for my recording needs. I can use it as a midi keyboard if I want but it has so many great sounds. Also it is available to expand the sounds in the Roland library. I love the action and how it gives me hours of practice and great sound . I hook up a mic to it to create demos of tunes as well very handy.
Hey. Just fantastic. I've just bought one and was hoping to see more info and you do not disappoint. Brilliant review and I'm so happy I've bought it. you are so helpful, so honest, and so precise. Thank you so much.
I am pretty stoked, I saw one of these at Goodwill a couple days ago with a nice Road Runner Wheeled Keyboard Bag, however they wanted $500 for it... Went back today and it was dropped to $200! I got some batteries and it powered up, but they didn't have any headphones to test the audio output. After going home to grab some I returned and made sure it all worked. It was in excellent condition and with the 20% Coupon on my phone took it home for $160!!! Over the years (Beginning in the early 1980's) I have had many Yamaha Keyboards and Digital Pianos, as well as some other brands, but this Roland JUNO-DS-88 definitely is a cut above and has an excellent weighted keyboard and awesome sounds. I have been spending the afternoon checking out some of the many presets and doing some research on line to learn about it's many functions. With the sound piped through my Mackie ProFX-V2 Mixer and Alesis Monitors & Sony Powered Subwoofer it's amazing! I'm looking forward to the hours of enjoyment this Instrument will provide...
That's amazing! Congrats on scoring a truly wonderful synthesizer at a crazy good price! I am quite confident that many of our community members here are going to be quite envious of the price you paid for a DS88. ;) Thanks so much and enjoy your DS88!
Well I got a Roland EV-5 Expression Pedal today, also got a 64GB USB Thumbdrive and upgraded the System Firmware. Also installed an Expansion Pack.. Now I really want to get a Roland DP-10 Damper Pedal. I also downloaded the Roland Sound Manager Software and installed it, connected up the JUNO DS and was amazed at the MIDI Playback through my DAW. This Keyboard is amazing! The guys at the local Music Store where I bought the Expression Pedal were blown away at the $160 Price I paid for the JUNO DS-88.@@MerriamPianos
Heybstew I'm a guitar player this learning about keyboards and learn how to play I take my knowledge of guitar and transpose it to the keyboard as well as had learned to navigate on a different functions of a keyboard. Your video is very much in depth covered all that ! May I say you're a fabulous player and inspiration to learn how to play better!! Thanks man 🎉
I actually really like that super layering but I grew up in a band situation so I'm very accustomed to hearing multiple instruments playing the same part. Its why Orchestra's sound so impressive in person.
I have this model of keyboard from Roland because one of my favorite bands who use this model of keyboard said they would highly recommend this keyboard because it how high quality it is for it's technology and sound performance.
@@MerriamPianos honestly not only do I play the keyboard but I also play the trumpet and if I had to recommend a brand I would choose the Jupiter XO model over any Yamaha.
I tried out the Juno DS88 when it first came on the market. I can say that, if I didn’t already own a Roland VR-09 and a Yamaha S90XS (which I purchased in 2011 and has been my 88-note synthesizer up to 2024 when I’m commenting), I would easily have been tempted by the DS88. Its portability, the key touch and having the battery compartment on the front panel (as opposed to being on the underside of my other battery-powered synth models) combined with the vocal channel features would have made it an easy choice. I would miss the channel aftertouch of the S90XS, but it’s a game of give-and-take. One thing I instantly dug about its sound-set was how the piano section included both a new electric grand preset and one based directly on the “Piano 3” preset on the MKS-20 & RD-1000, labeled “SA Piano” here. It was excellent to play both of those sounds for comparison purposes.
Hi there! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! I certainly agree with the sentiment. The DS88 is a powerhouse instrument for the money. It plays and sounds great, while offering a very extensive catalogue of tones and features. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
I found this very interesting; however, I think it would be even more helpful if your second camera should be focused closer to the display, so that it is possible to actually see what you are doing. At the moment it is really too far away for anything to be properly visible.
Fantastic review and inspired playing! Someone might have already noted this, but the synth does have a headphone jack, so the battery option is nice for practice without an amp in any location.
If you are not using the sounds from the included EXP-02 expansion that comes with every new Juno, replace it with EXP-04 and try out the "PremierGrand" piano preset. 😉
Just played around with it at a Guitar Center. Sounds good. If you know Roland then you know the sounds. If you’re looking to gig or play live somewhere I’d recommend this board. It’s lightweight Recording with this and you’ll be alright. But if you’re going to record and produce in a studio then I’d look toward the Fantom not the FA 08 I mean the Fantom 8.
Fantom seems like it rehashes FA sounds and includes a bunch of extra stuff. I'm told by others that the Fantom's wave ROM quality is low compared to Montage and Kronos. The Fantom looks better suited to someone trying to minimize their hardware setup in a very small studio, no? Otherwise, FA-08 is more practical as part of a much larger hybrid setup.
@@Jason75913 if you can get a Korg Kronos then I’d highly recommend it. I have one. I have an Integra 7 as well. The Integra has any sound I punched into the Fantom. The Kronos is a beast. Don’t know if one will master all it can do but a very impressive keyboard.
@@baronbakkerijsnippetsYSL Modx is definitely a step up! Especially with the synth engine, 16 step sequencer and accessible touchscreen and the knob on it! But for the price the Juno DS is still a beast of a capable instrument! Pair it with a MPC one and you got a serious combo!
Absolutely! The Roland JUNO DS88 is quite the impressive synth. The fact that it is also relatively portable makes it a really appealing choice for gigging musicians. :)
@@MerriamPianos even many years later some of the older keyboards i still feel are a little better than the new ones coming out. I feel like some companies rush things out and don’t take time to think about what they’re making whereas on some older ones are built better and sound better. You may not be able to sing, i can’t, all you have to do is find the right key to your voice. Mine seems to be the key of F. Great demos sir Happy new year Stu!!!
Yes there are mamy options to hook up to portable speakers for street performance that run off either internal recharge battery, 12v external batteries. In short this can be a street performing monster!
I would like to see a video on your musical understanding for each possible combination of available sounds that just happens your way. Its inspiring if not at all daunting.
The Roland KC-220 Battery-Powered Stereo Keyboard Amplifier ($499.99), 30-Watt (15W + 15W), runs on eight AA batteries or included AC adapter. The Roland KC-220 Amplifier works with all the Roland DS keyboards. 🙂
@@jefftokich8896 Hahha- I am most definitely not gay, but if you're someone who is so insecure that you think that it IS gay to find another bro cool...ya might want to consider the integrity of your own sexuality--especially if you are taking the time to comment on it. Chances are that you, my dude, are suuuuuuuuuuper gay!
I'm interested in a head to head comparison between this instrument and the RD-88. I really like the fact that the DS has vocoder. What features make the RD more desirable? Are they the same price or is the RD-88 more expensive? I think the DS will run on batteries. Actions the same? Internal speakers on the DS? Does the RD-88 have a more versitle sequencer? Do the pads sound as good on the RD-88?
Nice Review ! Those pads to me always seemed very ?? . I do own it and love the feel of the weighted keys , and the sounds have some nice flexibilty with the 4 knobs. Thank you and you obviously have some nice chops .
Great thorough review. I'm debating between the Juno DS88 and the Juno DS76. Obviously action is different, but DS76 is much lighter too. Any specific reasons/advice why to choose one over the other? I already have acoustic upright piano, and mostly plan to use this for jamming with my band. Any advice much appreciated 😄
Comes down to the feel you wanna feel. I have the ds88 and feels amazing. You can also choose between 3 different weights of the keyboard. So if u need to be really fast and don´t want to get tired u can put it on "light" and it´s pretty easy to do so. I use it on "medium".
I didn't know the weights of the keyboard can be changed, I need to figure out how to do that... I would like a slightly lighter action@@stevebrian1937
Nice video. Couple minor tips: It's VOCODER, not VOCORDER. Also, consider switching windows when you're working with knobs and faders so the displays are easier for your viewers to see.
I recently got back into playing piano and synths. Picked up an Arturia Keylab 61 on the cheap to practice keys and entree into working with a DAW like Logic. But I got the chance to try out the action on the Juno DS88 today at a local used shop and just had a BLAST with it. Over an hour just sailed by. The piano sounds are incredible, the synths leave nothing to be desired and the Brass samples made my eyes water! But for the key action alone to use as a MIDI controller in a DAW the price is justified.
I have a Juno DS 88 and bought it mainly for the amazing piano sounds that I heard in video reviews like this on RUclips. Well, I don't really know how to get those beautiful accurate acoustic piano sounds, mine sounds far worse than the ones you hear on the net
I did not like the sound of the Juno DS coming through the keyboard amps I heard. I bought an EV ZLX12P powered speaker and it gives a sound like the video. It also sounded good through good studio monitors and quality headphones.
A keyboard can have the most beautiful piano samples but run through a PA can sound like utter crap, so you need to be careful what you're running it through. If you plug it into a high fidelity stereo it will sound pristine, but PA systems and even keyboard amps have a different frequency range to project in a live seeing. I'm sure your DS is fine and you can check it by plugging in a set of headphones to it. Then it's a matter of what you're running it through in the room. In my studio I run my Roland thru a mixer to decent studio monitors and it sounds gorgeous. Good luck
I have the same issue running this keyboard from the PA sounds muffle and low powered. I was able to find the output decibels were set to 0 and after that it gained a lot of volume...but still sounds awful.
@@zombee38 it's probably because this isn't a digital piano, it's a synth with some piano samples. So the main purpose of the instrument is being a synthesizer... Anyway, I bought a CP88, all good now 😬
Hey guys. I'm very new at this whole "keyboard" thing. I've written a few previous comments. Thanks for your replies. Ok, here goes. I'll try to sum up my dilemma. I have always been fascinated by/drawn to keyboards, so I took piano lessons as a young kid, but, regretfully, gave them up. I began again in my forties, but an injury put an end to that. Anyway, I recently began looking at essentially straight pianos (to purely "learn piano") and I think the Roland FP 30X is what I'd get on that level. The complicating factor is that about ten years ago, I began getting into EDM, and felt it would be great to be able to create music. So the other end of the spectrum would be getting something like Ableton Live and creating that way. But then, no "learning piano". I've watched a ton of videos, and the selection of options is staggering. Stu is so excellent with his videos...I've learned so much. So I just watched the video of the JUNO DS 88, and it looks like a rather amazing hybrid of my interests. But no onboard speakers. I know it's a very broad question with lots of variables, but would anyone have additional ideas for me as far as keyboards/workstations/synths, etc. go? My budget is flexible, but would like to stay less than about $1,500. Probably $2,000 max. Any input, or even avenues of research, would be incredibly helpful. Thanks so much for reading this!
Hi Donald! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for writing in with your question! I am happy to hear that you've restarted your piano/music journey. Sometimes, our music path is long and winding, but, when the passion is there, we always seem to find our way to the destination one way or another. In terms of an "all-in" option that would give you enough built-in sounds and features to both satisfy your piano playing and EDM production interests, my top suggestions would be the Roland FP-E50 and Roland RD88. These are both fully-loaded digital pianos that have a boatload of sounds, including EDM appropriate tones. Furthermore, they use the same PHA4 action featured in the Roland FP30X. There is some crossover between these two models, but they do offer something slightly different. I would suggest exploring them to see which one you resonate and connect with more. :)
When y’all are explaining how it functions could y’all zoom in a little bit, I liked the explanation just couldn’t really see exactly what you were pressing, but your very talented!!!
I didn't know you could import the Rhythm Pattern to the Pattern Sequencer. Tnx for that. JFYI you CAN use 16 patches on Performance Mode, not just 2. You just get limited by 3 effects/MFX to work on all the patches but that's another story. Fact is you can use more than 2
Thank you for a wonderful video! I own the ds88 but haven't really gone much beyond the basic piano setting. I must disagree with you, however, I find the battery operability very useful. Of course you can use it with headphones, but I also have the cube Street ex battery powered stereo amplifier, so the pair of them go with me anywhere I want.
Awesome review. The 61 key unit is only 12 lbs and is great for busking. Note that you can get great battery powered amps (Bose S1, JBL compact 1, etc.) that can complement this unit.
Brent here! Very nice! The DS88 is a fantastic instrument. I don't know what Stu's thoughts are on the Nord Piano 5, but I do know a bit about his live setups. He was using a Roland RD2000 for quite sometime, but has recently made the change to the Roland FANTOM-08. It is quite the powerhouse in terms of features and is much more portable.
Hello! I hope it won't seem like a pointless question: does this digital piano model have speakers? I didn't find this information anywhere. Thank you in advance for your reply!
Hi! Not a pointless question at all! The Roland DS88 does not have any built-in speakers. You will need to run the DS88 through an amp or PA system. Of course, there is also the option of using it with headphones as well. :)
This was a very helpful video... Thank you, very much for outlining the main features for me... The manual that it came with has some VERY small text that makes it a little annoying to attempt to learn anything... I believe I have, at the very least, enough ammo to begin working with the phrase pad... Thank you, once again... And, Man!! You got some "Chops"!!!!
Wonderful review! 👍🏼 Thanks a bunch! A comparison between the DS88, Yamaha MX88 and Korg Kross 88 would be great, since they are all in the same price range (at least here in Germany).
I looked at all three of these boards months ago and ended up getting the Juno DS 88 because I caught it on a sale for $800. All the prices have gone up though. Regularly it was $999.99. I liked that it had a mic input with vocoder, some what upgradeable sounds, and multitimbral. I probably would have gotten one of the other two if they were more like the Juno. I didn’t like the interface on the other two boards as far as navigating. Looks like korg added some features though. I really wanted the Korg Krome in 73 key but it didn’t have a audio interface. I have to admit though there is a ton of onboard settings that can be changed on the Juno.
MX88 has no major advantage over the other two besides better pianos than the Kross (but not better than the Juno) and far more preset rhythms for the drums or so, and Cubase AI integration. The Juno is just better at everything else, even in the front panel controls. Kross' front panel controls makes one wonder if the devs were drunk when they designed them, but otherwise its overall versatility is seriously unmatched. It's more like a "mini FA-08". Juno's kick drum samples are a little pathetic, the Kross has the edge over the other two here. The Juno can be set up to swap/add layers on the fly, a useful performance bit (among a bunch of others) that the other two cannot match. Juno can only record audio in mono through its mic input, Kross is the one that can double as a stereo input recording interface (or record vocals through its mic input), plus it can even record the audio input with processing using its onboard post effects. Kross is design tobe a full workstation, the other two are not. You can also compose a backing track on the Kross, and while this is somewhat possible on the Juno, its sequencer is a loop-based groove sequencer. Demonstration: ruclips.net/video/AUQtnybIFaQ/видео.html Kross' sequencer is continuous, but has cut, copy, paste, and delete functions and stuff. Otherwise, Kross and Juno have most of the bread and butter sounds most keyboardists will want, it's the extra features that you decide on, and if piano is most important, then you go for the Juno. Kross sounds have more "bite" in general, even if the Roland ones may occasionally sound a pinch better.
@@Jason75913 Thank you so much for your quite long and detailed response, which is very informative and helpful! Have a great day and much success with your music!
33:10 Stu starts talking about the action(I feel talking about the action is better at the beginning as for me it's the most important aspect) your other videos mentioned it sooner, I guess this is the synth vid, thank you very much for talking about your impressions of the action!
You're very welcome! We're glad that you enjoyed the video! Every piano shoppers priorities are different, so we try to change things up in terms of the order in which we cover material. We will be tagging the starting points of certain discussion topics in all future videos, which should help with navigating to the particular material that you find relevant. :)
@@MerriamPianos Good idea re tagging, you usually do-this way people can jump to what they need. But all Stu's videos are well presented, his playing is so natural and fluid, too! You are lucky to have someone onboard who is both so articulate and artistic !
Great video, awesome playing, congrats! I´ve been thinking on getting a Juno ds or a Yamanha ck. I know that the Juno has way more features but I guess the ck sounds much better. I´m kinda stuck on this, what do you think? Which one would bw a better choice? Thanks!
Thank you kindly! At the end of the day, it really comes down to a matter of musical preference. They both have very different feeling actions and tones of course. For me, I give a slight edge to the Roland because of my preferences for the action. But, it is a subjective matter. :)
Great info and tutorials on DS features! It would be nice to see the keyboard full screen when you make the selections as we don't need to see your face as much as the keyboard not that you are not a handsome guy! Was I nice there? Great playing too!
Seems like all of these guys that demo a sampler sequencer or workstation are into jazz. The whole videos about a piano. I want to hear what different kind of bass guitars and drum kits you've got. I want to see how easy it is to link your sequences together on a particular machine. How much memory does it have to store songs into a song Bank and how easy is it to bring up a song to play in real time. I just want to know how easy it is to turn this machine into a backup band.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for the feedback! We appreciate it. This video is focused more on the core "piano experience" (i.e. piano action, piano tone, etc.). With that said, it would be fun to revisit this model as well as other synths or workstations to explore the other features like you've mentioned. I'll pass the feedback along to our production team. :)
Definitely! I'm still amazed I got it. Been spending all morning checking out more sounds and experimenting with the phrase pad/rhythm pattern and pattern sequencer. I would like to find a user group that might have some pattern sequences made up and to download into it. I'm also going to find an expression pedal to use with it. I have a sustain pedal to use. I'm curious about the Nord 3-pedal sustain unit. Does it only work with Nord Synthesizers? It would be cool to have a pedal that independently controls separate zones on the keyboard. I'm also curious about using a Trutone I-Spot 9V power supply with the Roland DS, I have one and have been using to power it instead of batteries all morning, and it seems to work fine. I just don't want to damage the keyboard... the I Spot 9V center negative and is used for powering all sorts of Guitar pedals and other gear. I have several powering pedals and my Digitech RP-360 Guitar Processor on my pedal board. Years ago, I had a Yamaha CS-1 Control Synthesizer in my recording studio. I always wanted another one, but they are really hard to find now... I also had 2 Yamaha Electone Double Deck Organs with MIDI and an M-Audio Keyboard Controller in the studio. A massive MIDI Drum Kit, Behringer VAmp Pro and Bass VAmp Pro, with FCB1010 Floorboard MIDI Controller, and a Line-6 Rack Mount Guitar Processor with it's Floorboard Controller. A lot of Analog processing gear for Vocals. Many string instruments like guitars, (electric and acoustic with pickups), basses, mandolin, ukulele, autoharp... I really miss having all that equipment accessible any time I wanted and the interaction with the musicians who came to record tracks...
That's awesome! It sounds like you have quite the studio setup with the impressive gear arsenal! Congrats. :) In terms of pedals, it is not recommended to use non-approved or recommended Roland pedal systems with Roland products. Also, I'm sure you can find a forum with other DS88/synth users to share programmed sequences and such.
@MerriamPianos I don't have my studio anymore 😪 I am currently living in a tiny 25ft 5th-Wheel! I do have 2 Alesis Q49 and QX49 MIDI Keyboard Controllers. I just downsized and sold a couple of electric guitars and a bass, guitar amp, 2 bass, and guitar Floorboard Processors. I also sold a Launchpad controller which I regret... I upgraded from a Digitech VX300 to a VX400 Vocal effects processor/usb interface. I built up a Floorboard with the Digitech RP-360XP and it's 3 button switch accessory, separate tuner, and a MXR Talkbox. Also bought a newer Fender G-DEC 3 Guitar amp, that's also a usb interface and has software to control it like the RP360XP. I use a Mackie PROFX-12 Mixer/usb interface to channel sound into my computer and DAWs, and channel sound out from it to a pair of Alesis Powered Monitors, and a Sony Powered Subwoofer if I want more bass. I also use a ZOOM H5 Recorder to record 4 tracks simultaneously as the Mackie only Outputs stereo to the speakers and computer. I also use a 42" TV as my monitor. Needless to say, things are pretty cramped! I thought I was was crazy to buy such a large synth as the Roland DS88! But I really like it! The weighted keyboard and 88keys are awesome. Unfortunately, I had to put the rolling keyboard bag in storage as it's way to big to keep in here. I did make room to store the keyboard next to my bed when I'm not using it, but it is a pain moving it around in such a tiny space! Oh well, doing the best I can with what I got.
@MerriamPianos I did have another Question. I downloaded all the expansion packs from the Roland site, also all the manuals. I checked the firmware/system version of the JUNO DS which is 1.06. I saw there is a much newer version available, and downloaded the instructions to update it in the Keyboard. I am leary of messing with it, the last thing I want to do is mess it up! Are you familiar with updating the system? Is it an easy process? Do you feel it's safe to do? I still need to get a 32GB thumb drive and format it for the Roland to do an update, and to transfer some expansion pack files. I also went on Reverb and downloaded tons of Audio and Drum Machine Sample Packs, which were available free.
Glad you made this! I am purchasing one of these by the end of the month. Do you happen to know if "pizzagogo" is a optional sound on that keyboard? It was on the Roland D50.
no, but you can definitely program that into the Juno as a new sound, you get a couple hundred slots for custom sounds I'm checking "pizzagogo" out on my D-05, it is a synth pluck layered with a percussive sound and a string pizzicato, the percussive sound's waveform is called "Agogo", but the Juno's agogo sound is radically different, more bell-like, while the D-50/D-05 agogo sound is like something in between a woodblock and a xylophone to get the timbre closer to D-50's, an alternative waveform could be used, the Juno has close to 2000 waveforms to design all-new sounds with
@@KingTriton1837 I don't mind doing you the favor of figuring it out. No, there's no way to download it. This will be practice for me, duplicating the patch on my own Juno-DS, then I'll share the patch settings via text for you to copy into your Juno.
@@Jason75913 Hey my friend! I hope everything went well in finding out how to duplicate the patches. I am FINALLY purchasing one this Saturday (February 27th)
@@KingTriton1837 Oops, forgot about that. I'll do that soon, I also want to make a more accurate Soundtrack patch and see if I can make an interesting ambient pad out of it, too. I got caught up in other matters, and working on some retrowave/outrun bass patches.
What are some good speakers to pair with it? I'm a classical piano player, deepest I've gone into digital pianos is a Yamaha p125 so stage Pianos are foreign to me.
I just bought this however I can't get it to read my iPad app. I have an app called Sunday Sounds and I have all the cables hooked up. Can you help me? I've tried to hook up thru the USB port.
Hi there! Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with that app, so I wouldn't be able to assist in troubleshooting. Is the app only compatible with specific models or any MIDI compatible instrument? Perhaps, one of our helpful community members here can chime in and assist.
I just bought the DS 88 and I love the way the piano keys feel… HOWEVER it is so HEAVY. I can’t be asking my husband to be moving it back and forth for me to different rooms. I’m still within 30 days of purchase and so considering to exchange for the DS 76….. but it’s not on display so I won’t know if I hate the way the keys feel. Also, anxious about Guitar Center dudes being jerks. Anyone have a comment about the DS 76? … p.S. good video :)
Congrats on your Roland DS88! They're amazing synths! The DS76 has a very different synth-style action, so I definitely would advise taking it for a test drive at a showroom before committing to making the change. Best of luck in your decision making process!
Looks like the Juno DS is now discontinued... I really like this keyboard, I'm torn between buying the 76 model with a clearance discount and waiting to see if Roland releases a successor, maybe with ZenCore? Unless the Juno-X is supposed to be the replacement, I'm not sure.
Hi! Brent here! I am not sure if there are plans to release a direct successor to the JUNO DS line. With that said, they are excellent synths that offer amazing value in my opinion (especially at their current discounted prices).
OK... so thought this was a demo of the DS88 functionality... but the inset window - which actually SHOWS what's being selected is SMALL and I'm staring at him LARGE so a bit hard to lock in on what he's doin as opposed to what he's saying. The video is awesome in concept - but flip the windows so he's small and the functionality is large and it suddenly becomes a much more valuable tutorial video... just sayin....
Dang, he really does look like Andrew McCarthy! 64.media.tumblr.com/6e19571d49258732430ae8045e4c7aff/b33f5c26d4f3c367-cc/s400x600/14f651f2d058c01f2e86fbbcf6cfc0ce612a3806.gifv
Never understood properly what’s the use of pattern sequencer. I wished we can create a rhythm, store it and play as a background while playing ,say, with a piano
I think I heard you say something about storing patch settings for easy access. I like to feel that when playing on stage I can change patches/registrations with one or two touches. Can this be done on this keyboard, easily?
I think I'm going to get one of these soon. Been eyeballing if for a while now. Seems like one of the better options for an 88 key weighted keybed board in that price range. Been considering the MX88 too, but the DS seems more user friendly to me. Not to mention I've already got a Roland synth so some of the sounds/ setup type stuff seems similar.
@@JustARegularRUclipsrBTTF I did end up getting the Juno. It is a pretty killer keyboard IMO. Has a lot of greats sounds in it, very versatile, and not too tough to figure out. A buddy of mine has the MX66, and I've played around on it some, and honestly, I'm glad I went with the Juno.
Congrats on your Roland Juno DS88! There are a multitude of excellent DAWs to experiment with. GarageBand and Ableton are quite user friendly, while still being extremely robust in terms of their capabilities. ProTools and Logic are both heavily used industry standards too. :)
It does, at least according to the Roland rep I'm regularly in contact with. Back when that action first came out manufacturers were not making as big a deal on the whole triple / dual sensor stuff. -stu
Hi! Brent here! Due to how many sounds are on the DS88, I can't say specifically what those patches are. I will pass on the feedback to our production team to include what the name of the patches being used are for future videos though. Thanks for the idea! :)
The Ivory Feel G and PHA-4 actions are fairly similar in terms of their touch and feel, but there are some tiny nuances that may be meaningful to some discerning players. The word I would use to describe the keybed on the DS88's Ivory Feel G feel in comparison to the PHA-4's is "softer". It serves the instrument quite well especially if you are exploring all of the different tones it offers, which have drastically different attack envelopes that create a different sound to touch connectivity to the player.
Hi there! The Roland DS88 is a fantastic synth, but it is quite a different offering than the RD700NX, which is intended to be used as a stage piano. From that perspective, you may find the RD2000 an upgrade that is a bit more of an apples-to-apples comparison in terms of function and intended use.
No mention of how many “favorites” and or “performances” can be stored on this device? Nothing mentioned in the manual either, boxing mine back up and returning it this morning.
You have 10 banks with 10 favorites by bank, so you can save up to 100 favorites patch/performances. You can save up to 128 user performances and 255 user patchs.
hello, I don't speak english svery well, but your chanel is the best for to get info about piano and keyboard ingeneral, thank you very much for your job, is very very useful. it strikes me that you have never made a review about Kurzweil keyboards, I don't know if it is because you have no connection with the brand or maybe definitely because you find it less interesting than Roland or Yamaha, I would be interested to know, because I think there is the kurzweil sp 6 which is very similar to this keyboard, it would be interesting a comparison, all this as a small observation no more, thank you again for your effort and your honesty in your opinions about keyboards, and again apologies for my English.
I see what you're saying buddy, but actually this keyboard should have a headphone jack to compensate for the lack of speakers. 🤔 What do you guys think?🙂
Thanks for the great review! I'm still looking for a gigging Piano which has the split option where I can split the bass in the left hand BUT with a dual voice in the right hand Piano+strings . My current Roland FP 30 does not have this option - it will allow me to do a split Bass in the left hand and Piano in the right hand but without the dual voice option in the right hand, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! Also, thanks for the question. I have not actually explored that functionality on any pianos to be honest. With that said, I believe there are some stage pianos and workstations that should be able to accomplish this. I don't know any off hand, but, perhaps, one of our helpful community members can chime in and fill in some gaps here.
You simply need a multipart sound module. Traditional home pianos usually allows only two parts (patches or sounds) to be split or layered. With all workstation type keyboards you can layer and split up to 16 parts as you wish, but here comes a block on the road as keyboards usually has limited polyphony meaning with wave/sample data heavy setups you may experience note dropouts while playing. Many arranger keyboards allows to use splits and layers of multiple patches too. Roland's own RD-88 and Yamaha's CK series has three parts, but I'm not familiar with these keyboards to say firmly it allows what you want. Significantly more expensive pro keyboards such as RD 2000 or Nord keyboards features multipart engines.
I'm looking for a keyboard with a fair amount of different functions, that also has that weighted key, grand piano fell. I'm also looking for textured keys that won't get sticky or wet after a good amount of playing. I'm not playing in a stadium or anything, but Id like the ability to both play nice classical pieces in my living room, or jump in a band set and have a good time. What you can you recommend for $1500 or less? My son is also player, only into it about year, so Id like something that will last that hey can continue to play for a long time to come. Much appreciated!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Yes, I believe that anything being played through the sequencer will be able to be recorded and captured via the MIDI output in order to be recorded into a DAW. :)
This was great but what happened to that synth solo? When you played it back it sounded like it got transposed! 😆. When you que in the tracks do they start exactly when you hit the pad or does it wait until the the phrase restarts? Kind of an important distinction. Well done tho 👍
This guy is one of the best demonstrators for a tutorial. It’s his playing style in the way he demonstrates the keyboard that makes me interested in it.
Thanks so much for tuning in! We're glad that you enjoyed Stu's playing and approach. :)
It's 5am and I can't sleep - my very own Juno DS88 is arriving today and I feel like a kid waiting for Santa. I've been looking for weeks for a quality 88 key synth that I can busk with. I have tried and returned two other keyboards in this quest. I just found out within the last few days about this board being battery powered, and I am sold. I have an FA-08 and LOVE the keybed, and the Juno has the exact same bed. To be able to play anywhere and still have the same feel as my FA-08? Yes please! So, here I wait, probably for another 6-8 hours, for my ticket to play on a beach, in a park, or anywhere I want. Thanks for this review, it has helped me kill time waiting! :)
Hey man how’s the keyboard treating you? 😃
@@zeuskyst man, I love it so much. I’ve been street performing every weekend, made a bunch of money, I’m a very happy camper!!!!
@@BillVincent oh man. That's awesome. Glad to hear that.
Hey Bill, what do you use to amplify the sound for busking?
@@kroqceja hi Ricardo, I use a Roland Street EX. It is a good battery powered amp.
I bought this thing for myself years ago when I had the money as an investment into my future music aspirations. My god am I glad I did. Finally sitting down for the first time seriously with this thing. It's everything I'll ever need and more. Love my Juno 88, no matter how much space it took up while I wasn't using it hehe.
I'm so happy to hear that you made the investment! They're super powerful synthesizers! I know it will serve you well for many years to come. :)
I bought one on a whim. I was worried it wouldn't be anything special considering the price. I fuuuuucking LOVE it.
That's amazing to hear! The Roland Juno DS88 is quite the powerhouse! It really is packed with sounds and features. :)
Stu is super right about the phrase pad intimidation. I never knew what to do exactly with it but once I learned how to make a simple loop I literally fell in love with it. Great review
Absolutely! It is a liberating and empowering feeling once you figure it out. Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
You can absolutely set more than two zones in performance edit. 16 sounds are possible at once or divided on the keyboard in as many zones as you desire.
Yes. What he said was just absurd.
Thanks!
You have ZERO understanding of midi functionality . You also do not understanding the terminology. You should research before you come off looking like a fool!
I have the Roland Juno ds 61. I have own it for about 3 months now it sound wonderful easy to play. There is so much to this workstation that it impossible to cover in a 40 minute video It does so much and it’s gigg ready to me. I have the black edition. And for the price and all that it gives you with sounds and patching etc. I feel you get your bang for your buck. Nice Video.
Thanks Rod for your insight as I am now getting a better awareness of this equipment. It is as much a computer program as it is a keyboard. I’ll get there eventually with more jobs to play it forces me.
I own one and it is great in my studio space for my recording needs. I can use it as a midi keyboard if I want but it has so many great sounds. Also it is available to expand the sounds in the Roland library. I love the action and how it gives me hours of practice and great sound . I hook up a mic to it to create demos of tunes as well very handy.
Do you think it can be used for professional recording?
@@andyalvac yes definitely it has great sounds and also midi of course so you can use the midi of your daw. I love it.
@@musicofstephenkirwin-mphstudio is it better for recording than the fp10? like worth paying up for this over thr fp10?
How did you make yours midi
I tried one, bought one, love it, full sound, very load. I recommend stereo speakers. Eq adjustments are infinite.
Hey. Just fantastic. I've just bought one and was hoping to see more info and you do not disappoint. Brilliant review and I'm so happy I've bought it. you are so helpful, so honest, and so precise. Thank you so much.
I am pretty stoked, I saw one of these at Goodwill a couple days ago with a nice Road Runner Wheeled Keyboard Bag, however they wanted $500 for it... Went back today and it was dropped to $200! I got some batteries and it powered up, but they didn't have any headphones to test the audio output. After going home to grab some I returned and made sure it all worked. It was in excellent condition and with the 20% Coupon on my phone took it home for $160!!!
Over the years (Beginning in the early 1980's) I have had many Yamaha Keyboards and Digital Pianos, as well as some other brands, but this Roland JUNO-DS-88 definitely is a cut above and has an excellent weighted keyboard and awesome sounds. I have been spending the afternoon checking out some of the many presets and doing some research on line to learn about it's many functions. With the sound piped through my Mackie ProFX-V2 Mixer and Alesis Monitors & Sony Powered Subwoofer it's amazing! I'm looking forward to the hours of enjoyment this Instrument will provide...
That's amazing! Congrats on scoring a truly wonderful synthesizer at a crazy good price! I am quite confident that many of our community members here are going to be quite envious of the price you paid for a DS88. ;)
Thanks so much and enjoy your DS88!
Well I got a Roland EV-5 Expression Pedal today, also got a 64GB USB Thumbdrive and upgraded the System Firmware. Also installed an Expansion Pack.. Now I really want to get a Roland DP-10 Damper Pedal. I also downloaded the Roland Sound Manager Software and installed it, connected up the JUNO DS and was amazed at the MIDI Playback through my DAW. This Keyboard is amazing! The guys at the local Music Store where I bought the Expression Pedal were blown away at the $160 Price I paid for the JUNO DS-88.@@MerriamPianos
Heybstew I'm a guitar player this learning about keyboards and learn how to play I take my knowledge of guitar and transpose it to the keyboard as well as had learned to navigate on a different functions of a keyboard. Your video is very much in depth covered all that ! May I say you're a fabulous player and inspiration to learn how to play better!! Thanks man 🎉
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning into our channel! We appreciate it. I will be happy to pass along your kind words and thanks to Stu for you. :)
this channel needs at least 1mil subs
this realy helped me. im 13 years old and im gonna have it in 2021 summer
How yo keys ???
You sold me with your piano playing! I'd love to be able to play a demo like that. :D
Need a video tutorial course from this guy--- would love to study music theory and chord progressions with this guy!
I actually really like that super layering but I grew up in a band situation so I'm very accustomed to hearing multiple instruments playing the same part. Its why Orchestra's sound so impressive in person.
Thanks for the opinion, it's always nice to see a person who knows his business and loves to do it.
You're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to tune in! :)
I have this model of keyboard from Roland because one of my favorite bands who use this model of keyboard said they would highly recommend this keyboard because it how high quality it is for it's technology and sound performance.
It's a ton of fun for the price - I really enjoyed this one, glad you did too.
@@MerriamPianos honestly not only do I play the keyboard but I also play the trumpet and if I had to recommend a brand I would choose the Jupiter XO model over any Yamaha.
Loved The vocoder bit. Been saving up for this board. You are Legit a great Pianist. big fan!
I tried out the Juno DS88 when it first came on the market. I can say that, if I didn’t already own a Roland VR-09 and a Yamaha S90XS (which I purchased in 2011 and has been my 88-note synthesizer up to 2024 when I’m commenting), I would easily have been tempted by the DS88. Its portability, the key touch and having the battery compartment on the front panel (as opposed to being on the underside of my other battery-powered synth models) combined with the vocal channel features would have made it an easy choice. I would miss the channel aftertouch of the S90XS, but it’s a game of give-and-take.
One thing I instantly dug about its sound-set was how the piano section included both a new electric grand preset and one based directly on the “Piano 3” preset on the MKS-20 & RD-1000, labeled “SA Piano” here. It was excellent to play both of those sounds for comparison purposes.
Hi there! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! I certainly agree with the sentiment. The DS88 is a powerhouse instrument for the money. It plays and sounds great, while offering a very extensive catalogue of tones and features. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
Superb demo, and very talented to boot. Sold!!
I found this very interesting; however, I think it would be even more helpful if your second camera should be focused closer to the display, so that it is possible to actually see what you are doing. At the moment it is really too far away for anything to be properly visible.
Fantastic review and inspired playing! Someone might have already noted this, but the synth does have a headphone jack, so the battery option is nice for practice without an amp in any location.
Thank you so much for tuning in! And absolutely - it is definitely quite convenient! :)
This was really good. I just bought a Juno DS88 and this was a pretty good overview of things I wasn't aware of. Thanks!
If you are not using the sounds from the included EXP-02 expansion that comes with every new Juno, replace it with EXP-04 and try out the "PremierGrand" piano preset. 😉
Just bought this and I think it is really satisfying instrument for beginners
Congrats on your DS88! They are fantastic synths! I know it will serve you well musically. :)
Thanks Stu! You're great! This has been very helpful.
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning into the channel! Glad to hear you found the video helpful! :)
Just played around with it at a Guitar Center. Sounds good. If you know Roland then you know the sounds. If you’re looking to gig or play live somewhere I’d recommend this board. It’s lightweight Recording with this and you’ll be alright. But if you’re going to record and produce in a studio then I’d look toward the Fantom not the FA 08 I mean the Fantom 8.
Fantom seems like it rehashes FA sounds and includes a bunch of extra stuff. I'm told by others that the Fantom's wave ROM quality is low compared to Montage and Kronos.
The Fantom looks better suited to someone trying to minimize their hardware setup in a very small studio, no? Otherwise, FA-08 is more practical as part of a much larger hybrid setup.
@@Jason75913 if you can get a Korg Kronos then I’d highly recommend it. I have one. I have an Integra 7 as well. The Integra has any sound I punched into the Fantom. The Kronos is a beast. Don’t know if one will master all it can do but a very impressive keyboard.
1.5 speed makes this video amazing.
I had one for 2 years and loved it. Never failed although it dosent have the supernatural pianos. Sold it for a modx8. Kinda miss it now.
Which you like better?
@@baronbakkerijsnippetsYSL modx
@@baronbakkerijsnippetsYSL
Modx is definitely a step up! Especially with the synth engine, 16 step sequencer and accessible touchscreen and the knob on it! But for the price the Juno DS is still a beast of a capable instrument! Pair it with a MPC one and you got a serious combo!
@@elyad67 what is mpc1?
This keyboard really looks awesome and the piano sound great.
Absolutely! The Roland JUNO DS88 is quite the impressive synth. The fact that it is also relatively portable makes it a really appealing choice for gigging musicians. :)
@@MerriamPianos even many years later some of the older keyboards i still feel are a little better than the new ones coming out. I feel like some companies rush things out and don’t take time to think about what they’re making whereas on some older ones are built better and sound better. You may not be able to sing, i can’t, all you have to do is find the right key to your voice. Mine seems to be the key of F. Great demos sir
Happy new year Stu!!!
Looks like you had lot of fun reviewing Juno DS.. on other reviews you look bit serious and straight to the point..
Yes there are mamy options to hook up to portable speakers for street performance that run off either internal recharge battery, 12v external batteries. In short this can be a street performing monster!
Absolutely! It is a super versatile instrument that is ideal for performance situations. :)
I would like to see a video on your musical understanding for each possible combination of available sounds that just happens your way. Its inspiring if not at all daunting.
The Roland KC-220 Battery-Powered Stereo Keyboard Amplifier ($499.99), 30-Watt (15W + 15W), runs on eight AA batteries or included AC adapter. The Roland KC-220 Amplifier works with all the Roland DS keyboards. 🙂
Yup! The Roland KC series amps are excellent! They sound great in conjunction with Roland digital pianos. :)
super cool🥰. Man i love you and the DS
Thank you so much for tuning in! The DS88 is an awesome synth! :)
Love your reviews! Thanks so much. On a personal note, you seem like you'd be so much fun to hang out and jam with.
Crushing much??
This isn't POF or Grindr or what have you
@@jefftokich8896 Hahha- I am most definitely not gay, but if you're someone who is so insecure that you think that it IS gay to find another bro cool...ya might want to consider the integrity of your own sexuality--especially if you are taking the time to comment on it. Chances are that you, my dude, are suuuuuuuuuuper gay!
lmfao
I really enjoyed this review!!! Thank you.
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
I'm interested in a head to head comparison between this instrument and the RD-88. I really like the fact that the DS has vocoder. What features make the RD more desirable? Are they the same price or is the RD-88 more expensive? I think the DS will run on batteries. Actions the same? Internal speakers on the DS? Does the RD-88 have a more versitle sequencer? Do the pads sound as good on the RD-88?
Great suggestion, we'll get an RD-88 and DS-88 comparison lined up over next couple weeks!~
I second this !
@@MerriamPianos I "third" this head to head feature & sound comparison! How about first week in Jan 2021 ;-)
Nice Review ! Those pads to me always seemed very ?? . I do own it and love the feel of the weighted keys , and the sounds have some nice flexibilty with the 4 knobs. Thank you and you obviously have some nice chops .
Great thorough review. I'm debating between the Juno DS88 and the Juno DS76. Obviously action is different, but DS76 is much lighter too. Any specific reasons/advice why to choose one over the other? I already have acoustic upright piano, and mostly plan to use this for jamming with my band. Any advice much appreciated 😄
Comes down to the feel you wanna feel. I have the ds88 and feels amazing.
You can also choose between 3 different weights of the keyboard. So if u need to be really fast and don´t want to get tired u can put it on "light" and it´s pretty easy to do so. I use it on "medium".
I didn't know the weights of the keyboard can be changed, I need to figure out how to do that... I would like a slightly lighter action@@stevebrian1937
Nice video. Couple minor tips: It's VOCODER, not VOCORDER. Also, consider switching windows when you're working with knobs and faders so the displays are easier for your viewers to see.
I recently got back into playing piano and synths. Picked up an Arturia Keylab 61 on the cheap to practice keys and entree into working with a DAW like Logic. But I got the chance to try out the action on the Juno DS88 today at a local used shop and just had a BLAST with it. Over an hour just sailed by. The piano sounds are incredible, the synths leave nothing to be desired and the Brass samples made my eyes water! But for the key action alone to use as a MIDI controller in a DAW the price is justified.
I have a Juno DS 88 and bought it mainly for the amazing piano sounds that I heard in video reviews like this on RUclips. Well, I don't really know how to get those beautiful accurate acoustic piano sounds, mine sounds far worse than the ones you hear on the net
I did not like the sound of the Juno DS coming through the keyboard amps I heard. I bought an EV ZLX12P powered speaker and it gives a sound like the video. It also sounded good through good studio monitors and quality headphones.
A keyboard can have the most beautiful piano samples but run through a PA can sound like utter crap, so you need to be careful what you're running it through. If you plug it into a high fidelity stereo it will sound pristine, but PA systems and even keyboard amps have a different frequency range to project in a live seeing. I'm sure your DS is fine and you can check it by plugging in a set of headphones to it. Then it's a matter of what you're running it through in the room. In my studio I run my Roland thru a mixer to decent studio monitors and it sounds gorgeous. Good luck
I have the same issue running this keyboard from the PA sounds muffle and low powered. I was able to find the output decibels were set to 0 and after that it gained a lot of volume...but still sounds awful.
@@zombee38 it's probably because this isn't a digital piano, it's a synth with some piano samples. So the main purpose of the instrument is being a synthesizer... Anyway, I bought a CP88, all good now 😬
Hey guys. I'm very new at this whole "keyboard" thing. I've written a few previous comments. Thanks for your replies. Ok, here goes. I'll try to sum up my dilemma. I have always been fascinated by/drawn to keyboards, so I took piano lessons as a young kid, but, regretfully, gave them up. I began again in my forties, but an injury put an end to that. Anyway, I recently began looking at essentially straight pianos (to purely "learn piano") and I think the Roland FP 30X is what I'd get on that level. The complicating factor is that about ten years ago, I began getting into EDM, and felt it would be great to be able to create music. So the other end of the spectrum would be getting something like Ableton Live and creating that way. But then, no "learning piano". I've watched a ton of videos, and the selection of options is staggering. Stu is so excellent with his videos...I've learned so much. So I just watched the video of the JUNO DS 88, and it looks like a rather amazing hybrid of my interests. But no onboard speakers. I know it's a very broad question with lots of variables, but would anyone have additional ideas for me as far as keyboards/workstations/synths, etc. go? My budget is flexible, but would like to stay less than about $1,500. Probably $2,000 max. Any input, or even avenues of research, would be incredibly helpful. Thanks so much for reading this!
Hi Donald! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for writing in with your question! I am happy to hear that you've restarted your piano/music journey. Sometimes, our music path is long and winding, but, when the passion is there, we always seem to find our way to the destination one way or another. In terms of an "all-in" option that would give you enough built-in sounds and features to both satisfy your piano playing and EDM production interests, my top suggestions would be the Roland FP-E50 and Roland RD88. These are both fully-loaded digital pianos that have a boatload of sounds, including EDM appropriate tones. Furthermore, they use the same PHA4 action featured in the Roland FP30X. There is some crossover between these two models, but they do offer something slightly different. I would suggest exploring them to see which one you resonate and connect with more. :)
Thank you !!! This video was very helpful!!😎🎶🎹🎶
When y’all are explaining how it functions could y’all zoom in a little bit, I liked the explanation just couldn’t really see exactly what you were pressing, but your very talented!!!
Great introduction. 💕 it! Thanks.
amazing demonstration!
Thanks! We appreciate you tuning in! :)
I didn't know you could import the Rhythm Pattern to the Pattern Sequencer. Tnx for that.
JFYI you CAN use 16 patches on Performance Mode, not just 2. You just get limited by 3 effects/MFX to work on all the patches but that's another story. Fact is you can use more than 2
You're very welcome! And thank you for sharing your insight and tip as well! We appreciate it. :)
I already got one, but this is just a pleasantly entertaining video to watch.
I don't, but I want one XD
Thank you for a wonderful video! I own the ds88 but haven't really gone much beyond the basic piano setting. I must disagree with you, however, I find the battery operability very useful. Of course you can use it with headphones, but I also have the cube Street ex battery powered stereo amplifier, so the pair of them go with me anywhere I want.
Can’t wait to get this board!!
Did you?
@ no not yet
Awesome review. The 61 key unit is only 12 lbs and is great for busking. Note that you can get great battery powered amps (Bose S1, JBL compact 1, etc.) that can complement this unit.
Great review - thanks.
Helped a lot! Thanks. 🎶
You're very welcome! :)
This guy is really musical with his playing. Bravo.
That song you recorded was awesome. Could be a hit. lol
I'll pass on your kind words to Stu! :)
I use this one already for a few years now … still my favorite key action. What do you think about the Nord piano 5 ? & … what is your live setup?
Brent here! Very nice! The DS88 is a fantastic instrument. I don't know what Stu's thoughts are on the Nord Piano 5, but I do know a bit about his live setups. He was using a Roland RD2000 for quite sometime, but has recently made the change to the Roland FANTOM-08. It is quite the powerhouse in terms of features and is much more portable.
Hello! I hope it won't seem like a pointless question: does this digital piano model have speakers? I didn't find this information anywhere. Thank you in advance for your reply!
Hi! Not a pointless question at all! The Roland DS88 does not have any built-in speakers. You will need to run the DS88 through an amp or PA system. Of course, there is also the option of using it with headphones as well. :)
This was a very helpful video... Thank you, very much for outlining the main features for me... The manual that it came with has some VERY small text that makes it a little annoying to attempt to learn anything... I believe I have, at the very least, enough ammo to begin working with the phrase pad... Thank you, once again... And, Man!! You got some "Chops"!!!!
Wonderful review! 👍🏼 Thanks a bunch! A comparison between the DS88, Yamaha MX88 and Korg Kross 88 would be great, since they are all in the same price range (at least here in Germany).
I looked at all three of these boards months ago and ended up getting the Juno DS 88 because I caught it on a sale for $800. All the prices have gone up though. Regularly it was $999.99. I liked that it had a mic input with vocoder, some what upgradeable sounds, and multitimbral. I probably would have gotten one of the other two if they were more like the Juno. I didn’t like the interface on the other two boards as far as navigating. Looks like korg added some features though. I really wanted the Korg Krome in 73 key but it didn’t have a audio interface. I have to admit though there is a ton of onboard settings that can be changed on the Juno.
@@GospelMusic4Life Thanks for your valuable input and information! I really appreciate it! Have a joyful, successful and blessed 2021!
MX88 has no major advantage over the other two besides better pianos than the Kross (but not better than the Juno) and far more preset rhythms for the drums or so, and Cubase AI integration. The Juno is just better at everything else, even in the front panel controls. Kross' front panel controls makes one wonder if the devs were drunk when they designed them, but otherwise its overall versatility is seriously unmatched. It's more like a "mini FA-08". Juno's kick drum samples are a little pathetic, the Kross has the edge over the other two here. The Juno can be set up to swap/add layers on the fly, a useful performance bit (among a bunch of others) that the other two cannot match.
Juno can only record audio in mono through its mic input, Kross is the one that can double as a stereo input recording interface (or record vocals through its mic input), plus it can even record the audio input with processing using its onboard post effects. Kross is design tobe a full workstation, the other two are not. You can also compose a backing track on the Kross, and while this is somewhat possible on the Juno, its sequencer is a loop-based groove sequencer. Demonstration: ruclips.net/video/AUQtnybIFaQ/видео.html
Kross' sequencer is continuous, but has cut, copy, paste, and delete functions and stuff.
Otherwise, Kross and Juno have most of the bread and butter sounds most keyboardists will want, it's the extra features that you decide on, and if piano is most important, then you go for the Juno. Kross sounds have more "bite" in general, even if the Roland ones may occasionally sound a pinch better.
@@Jason75913 Thank you so much for your quite long and detailed response, which is very informative and helpful! Have a great day and much success with your music!
33:10 Stu starts talking about the action(I feel talking about the action is better at the beginning as for me it's the most important aspect) your other videos mentioned it sooner, I guess this is the synth vid, thank you very much for talking about your impressions of the action!
You're very welcome! We're glad that you enjoyed the video! Every piano shoppers priorities are different, so we try to change things up in terms of the order in which we cover material. We will be tagging the starting points of certain discussion topics in all future videos, which should help with navigating to the particular material that you find relevant. :)
@@MerriamPianos Good idea re tagging, you usually do-this way people can jump to what they need. But all Stu's videos are well presented, his playing is so natural and fluid, too! You are lucky to have someone onboard who is both so articulate and artistic !
Thanks you
Hi, can you please compare the key actions of the Juno DS 61, 76 & 88?
Great rewiev thanks🎉
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)
Great video, awesome playing, congrats! I´ve been thinking on getting a Juno ds or a Yamanha ck. I know that the Juno has way more features but I guess the ck sounds much better. I´m kinda stuck on this, what do you think? Which one would bw a better choice? Thanks!
Thank you kindly! At the end of the day, it really comes down to a matter of musical preference. They both have very different feeling actions and tones of course. For me, I give a slight edge to the Roland because of my preferences for the action. But, it is a subjective matter. :)
@@MerriamPianosthank you very much!
Great info and tutorials on DS features! It would be nice to see the keyboard full screen when you make the selections as we don't need to see your face as much as the keyboard not that you are not a handsome guy! Was I nice there? Great playing too!
Seems like all of these guys that demo a sampler sequencer or workstation are into jazz. The whole videos about a piano. I want to hear what different kind of bass guitars and drum kits you've got. I want to see how easy it is to link your sequences together on a particular machine. How much memory does it have to store songs into a song Bank and how easy is it to bring up a song to play in real time. I just want to know how easy it is to turn this machine into a backup band.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for the feedback! We appreciate it. This video is focused more on the core "piano experience" (i.e. piano action, piano tone, etc.). With that said, it would be fun to revisit this model as well as other synths or workstations to explore the other features like you've mentioned. I'll pass the feedback along to our production team. :)
Definitely! I'm still amazed I got it. Been spending all morning checking out more sounds and experimenting with the phrase pad/rhythm pattern and pattern sequencer. I would like to find a user group that might have some pattern sequences made up and to download into it.
I'm also going to find an expression pedal to use with it. I have a sustain pedal to use. I'm curious about the Nord 3-pedal sustain unit. Does it only work with Nord Synthesizers? It would be cool to have a pedal that independently controls separate zones on the keyboard.
I'm also curious about using a Trutone I-Spot 9V power supply with the Roland DS, I have one and have been using to power it instead of batteries all morning, and it seems to work fine. I just don't want to damage the keyboard... the I Spot 9V center negative and is used for powering all sorts of Guitar pedals and other gear. I have several powering pedals and my Digitech RP-360 Guitar Processor on my pedal board.
Years ago, I had a Yamaha CS-1 Control Synthesizer in my recording studio. I always wanted another one, but they are really hard to find now... I also had 2 Yamaha Electone Double Deck Organs with MIDI and an M-Audio Keyboard Controller in the studio. A massive MIDI Drum Kit, Behringer VAmp Pro and Bass VAmp Pro, with FCB1010 Floorboard MIDI Controller, and a Line-6 Rack Mount Guitar Processor with it's Floorboard Controller. A lot of Analog processing gear for Vocals. Many string instruments like guitars, (electric and acoustic with pickups), basses, mandolin, ukulele, autoharp... I really miss having all that equipment accessible any time I wanted and the interaction with the musicians who came to record tracks...
That's awesome! It sounds like you have quite the studio setup with the impressive gear arsenal! Congrats. :)
In terms of pedals, it is not recommended to use non-approved or recommended Roland pedal systems with Roland products. Also, I'm sure you can find a forum with other DS88/synth users to share programmed sequences and such.
@MerriamPianos I don't have my studio anymore 😪 I am currently living in a tiny 25ft 5th-Wheel! I do have 2 Alesis Q49 and QX49 MIDI Keyboard Controllers. I just downsized and sold a couple of electric guitars and a bass, guitar amp, 2 bass, and guitar Floorboard Processors. I also sold a Launchpad controller which I regret... I upgraded from a Digitech VX300 to a VX400 Vocal effects processor/usb interface. I built up a Floorboard with the Digitech RP-360XP and it's 3 button switch accessory, separate tuner, and a MXR Talkbox. Also bought a newer Fender G-DEC 3 Guitar amp, that's also a usb interface and has software to control it like the RP360XP.
I use a Mackie PROFX-12 Mixer/usb interface to channel sound into my computer and DAWs, and channel sound out from it to a pair of Alesis Powered Monitors, and a Sony Powered Subwoofer if I want more bass. I also use a ZOOM H5 Recorder to record 4 tracks simultaneously as the Mackie only Outputs stereo to the speakers and computer. I also use a 42" TV as my monitor. Needless to say, things are pretty cramped! I thought I was was crazy to buy such a large synth as the Roland DS88! But I really like it! The weighted keyboard and 88keys are awesome. Unfortunately, I had to put the rolling keyboard bag in storage as it's way to big to keep in here. I did make room to store the keyboard next to my bed when I'm not using it, but it is a pain moving it around in such a tiny space! Oh well, doing the best I can with what I got.
@MerriamPianos I did have another Question. I downloaded all the expansion packs from the Roland site, also all the manuals. I checked the firmware/system version of the JUNO DS which is 1.06. I saw there is a much newer version available, and downloaded the instructions to update it in the Keyboard. I am leary of messing with it, the last thing I want to do is mess it up! Are you familiar with updating the system? Is it an easy process? Do you feel it's safe to do? I still need to get a 32GB thumb drive and format it for the Roland to do an update, and to transfer some expansion pack files.
I also went on Reverb and downloaded tons of Audio and Drum Machine Sample Packs, which were available free.
Glad you made this! I am purchasing one of these by the end of the month.
Do you happen to know if "pizzagogo" is a optional sound on that keyboard? It was on the Roland D50.
no, but you can definitely program that into the Juno as a new sound, you get a couple hundred slots for custom sounds
I'm checking "pizzagogo" out on my D-05, it is a synth pluck layered with a percussive sound and a string pizzicato, the percussive sound's waveform is called "Agogo", but the Juno's agogo sound is radically different, more bell-like, while the D-50/D-05 agogo sound is like something in between a woodblock and a xylophone
to get the timbre closer to D-50's, an alternative waveform could be used, the Juno has close to 2000 waveforms to design all-new sounds with
@@Jason75913 thank for this! You'll have to tell me how to get it on the DS88. I have no idea where to even download the sound from!
@@KingTriton1837 I don't mind doing you the favor of figuring it out. No, there's no way to download it. This will be practice for me, duplicating the patch on my own Juno-DS, then I'll share the patch settings via text for you to copy into your Juno.
@@Jason75913 Hey my friend! I hope everything went well in finding out how to duplicate the patches. I am FINALLY purchasing one this Saturday (February 27th)
@@KingTriton1837 Oops, forgot about that. I'll do that soon, I also want to make a more accurate Soundtrack patch and see if I can make an interesting ambient pad out of it, too. I got caught up in other matters, and working on some retrowave/outrun bass patches.
What are some good speakers to pair with it? I'm a classical piano player, deepest I've gone into digital pianos is a Yamaha p125 so stage Pianos are foreign to me.
P-125 is great, get Yamaha HS7 speakers or Adam T7V speakers to go with for best sound.
@@Jason75913 ended up going with the Roland FA-08 and JBL MKII 08 and it's pretty great
That was excellent
Thanks so much! We appreciate it! :)
I just bought this however I can't get it to read my iPad app. I have an app called Sunday Sounds and I have all the cables hooked up. Can you help me? I've tried to hook up thru the USB port.
Hi there! Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with that app, so I wouldn't be able to assist in troubleshooting. Is the app only compatible with specific models or any MIDI compatible instrument? Perhaps, one of our helpful community members here can chime in and assist.
I just bought the DS 88 and I love the way the piano keys feel… HOWEVER it is so HEAVY. I can’t be asking my husband to be moving it back and forth for me to different rooms. I’m still within 30 days of purchase and so considering to exchange for the DS 76….. but it’s not on display so I won’t know if I hate the way the keys feel. Also, anxious about Guitar Center dudes being jerks. Anyone have a comment about the DS 76? … p.S. good video :)
Congrats on your Roland DS88! They're amazing synths! The DS76 has a very different synth-style action, so I definitely would advise taking it for a test drive at a showroom before committing to making the change. Best of luck in your decision making process!
Looks like the Juno DS is now discontinued... I really like this keyboard, I'm torn between buying the 76 model with a clearance discount and waiting to see if Roland releases a successor, maybe with ZenCore? Unless the Juno-X is supposed to be the replacement, I'm not sure.
Hi! Brent here! I am not sure if there are plans to release a direct successor to the JUNO DS line. With that said, they are excellent synths that offer amazing value in my opinion (especially at their current discounted prices).
OK... so thought this was a demo of the DS88 functionality... but the inset window - which actually SHOWS what's being selected is SMALL and I'm staring at him LARGE so a bit hard to lock in on what he's doin as opposed to what he's saying. The video is awesome in concept - but flip the windows so he's small and the functionality is large and it suddenly becomes a much more valuable tutorial video... just sayin....
A little let down that Andrew McCarthy didn't use the Phrase Pad to produce a Juno version of Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now.
Dang, he really does look like Andrew McCarthy! 64.media.tumblr.com/6e19571d49258732430ae8045e4c7aff/b33f5c26d4f3c367-cc/s400x600/14f651f2d058c01f2e86fbbcf6cfc0ce612a3806.gifv
@@algallego LOL! That gif response is so perfect.
Never understood properly what’s the use of pattern sequencer. I wished we can create a rhythm, store it and play as a background while playing ,say, with a piano
Hi there! The Pattern Sequencer lets you record your performance and knob movements and then loop them back.
I think I heard you say something about storing patch settings for easy access. I like to feel that when playing on stage I can change patches/registrations with one or two touches.
Can this be done on this keyboard, easily?
I think I'm going to get one of these soon. Been eyeballing if for a while now. Seems like one of the better options for an 88 key weighted keybed board in that price range. Been considering the MX88 too, but the DS seems more user friendly to me. Not to mention I've already got a Roland synth so some of the sounds/ setup type stuff seems similar.
Did you end up getting it? How is it?
@@JustARegularRUclipsrBTTF I did end up getting the Juno. It is a pretty killer keyboard IMO. Has a lot of greats sounds in it, very versatile, and not too tough to figure out. A buddy of mine has the MX66, and I've played around on it some, and honestly, I'm glad I went with the Juno.
@@RyanWright thanks for the response!! Mines coming in the mail now I’m so excited. Have an awesome day good sir
I have a Rolando Juno DS88 myself. What are some good music creation softwares to use with this keyboard?
Congrats on your Roland Juno DS88! There are a multitude of excellent DAWs to experiment with. GarageBand and Ableton are quite user friendly, while still being extremely robust in terms of their capabilities. ProTools and Logic are both heavily used industry standards too. :)
Is the Ivory Feel G contain a triple sensor? I can't seem to find any clear info regarding this aspect of the keybed?
It does, at least according to the Roland rep I'm regularly in contact with. Back when that action first came out manufacturers were not making as big a deal on the whole triple / dual sensor stuff. -stu
8:17. What’s the name of that pad? Follow up question what’s the sound on 15: 11?
Hi! Brent here! Due to how many sounds are on the DS88, I can't say specifically what those patches are. I will pass on the feedback to our production team to include what the name of the patches being used are for future videos though. Thanks for the idea! :)
How is the Keybed compared to the pha 4? Do they feel similar?
The Ivory Feel G and PHA-4 actions are fairly similar in terms of their touch and feel, but there are some tiny nuances that may be meaningful to some discerning players. The word I would use to describe the keybed on the DS88's Ivory Feel G feel in comparison to the PHA-4's is "softer". It serves the instrument quite well especially if you are exploring all of the different tones it offers, which have drastically different attack envelopes that create a different sound to touch connectivity to the player.
@@MerriamPianos thank you for the reply.
I have Roland RD 700 nx , I'm thinking about switching to this Keyboard. Your thoughts on the difference of the 2 ???
Hi there! The Roland DS88 is a fantastic synth, but it is quite a different offering than the RD700NX, which is intended to be used as a stage piano. From that perspective, you may find the RD2000 an upgrade that is a bit more of an apples-to-apples comparison in terms of function and intended use.
Thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
This one or fp 30 for 18.birthday of my kid?🎵🍀sve najbolje
No mention of how many “favorites” and or “performances” can be stored on this device? Nothing mentioned in the manual either, boxing mine back up and returning it this morning.
Why did you return it?
😂😂😂
You have 10 banks with 10 favorites by bank, so you can save up to 100 favorites patch/performances. You can save up to 128 user performances and 255 user patchs.
hello, I don't speak english svery well, but your chanel is the best for to get info about piano and keyboard ingeneral, thank you very much for your job, is very very useful. it strikes me that you have never made a review about Kurzweil keyboards, I don't know if it is because you have no connection with the brand or maybe definitely because you find it less interesting than Roland or Yamaha, I would be interested to know, because I think there is the kurzweil sp 6 which is very similar to this keyboard, it would be interesting a comparison, all this as a small observation no more, thank you again for your effort and your honesty in your opinions about keyboards, and again apologies for my English.
I see what you're saying buddy, but actually this keyboard should have a headphone jack to compensate for the lack of speakers. 🤔 What do you guys think?🙂
it does
Thanks for the great review! I'm still looking for a gigging Piano which has the split option where I can split the bass in the left hand BUT with a dual voice in the right hand Piano+strings . My current Roland FP 30 does not have this option - it will allow me to do a split Bass in the left hand and Piano in the right hand but without the dual voice option in the right hand, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! Also, thanks for the question. I have not actually explored that functionality on any pianos to be honest. With that said, I believe there are some stage pianos and workstations that should be able to accomplish this. I don't know any off hand, but, perhaps, one of our helpful community members can chime in and fill in some gaps here.
You simply need a multipart sound module. Traditional home pianos usually allows only two parts (patches or sounds) to be split or layered. With all workstation type keyboards you can layer and split up to 16 parts as you wish, but here comes a block on the road as keyboards usually has limited polyphony meaning with wave/sample data heavy setups you may experience note dropouts while playing. Many arranger keyboards allows to use splits and layers of multiple patches too. Roland's own RD-88 and Yamaha's CK series has three parts, but I'm not familiar with these keyboards to say firmly it allows what you want. Significantly more expensive pro keyboards such as RD 2000 or Nord keyboards features multipart engines.
are these weighted keys? Do you get that grand piano feel with them? Thanks
Need a lighter 88 key synth for Live work. Alwasy been a Yamaha fan. My old Yamaha S90 is just too heavy. Thinking of this or the MX88??
The Roland Juno DS88 is quite the powerhouse! I definitely recommend taking one for a test drive if you haven't already done so. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks!
I'm looking for a keyboard with a fair amount of different functions, that also has that weighted key, grand piano fell. I'm also looking for textured keys that won't get sticky or wet after a good amount of playing. I'm not playing in a stadium or anything, but Id like the ability to both play nice classical pieces in my living room, or jump in a band set and have a good time. What you can you recommend for $1500 or less? My son is also player, only into it about year, so Id like something that will last that hey can continue to play for a long time to come. Much appreciated!
I wish you would’ve showed the performance mode recording with 16 channels, but thanks!
This one or Arturia keylab mkii 88 ?.
How does the sound of this Roland compare with the Roland FP-60X? Thanks!
no match for the FP as far as acoustic piano, but the FP is heavier and not as versatile, plus cannot run on batteries
Tu é muito fera!!!!
:)
hey!! loved your video! just a question, what pad or sound is being used at the 15:12 timestamp? thanks!
You can layer more than 2 sounds and adjust the volume
For sure! It is a very versatile instruments with lots of features. :)
Great review!excuse me,one question, the sequencer recorde you can import in DAW?thank you
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Yes, I believe that anything being played through the sequencer will be able to be recorded and captured via the MIDI output in order to be recorded into a DAW. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you very much for your answer
@@MerriamPianos thank you very much
This was great but what happened to that synth solo? When you played it back it sounded like it got transposed! 😆. When you que in the tracks do they start exactly when you hit the pad or does it wait until the the phrase restarts? Kind of an important distinction. Well done tho 👍