Which new features introduced with Roland’s Gaia 2 have caught your eye (or ear)? Tell us in the comments what you’re excited to experience with the Gaia 2 and if you think it’s a worthy successor to the Gaia mantle. Then, be sure to stop by Sweetwater for a detailed look at the total scope of Roland’s Gaia 2’s synthesis possibilities 👉 sweetwater.sjv.io/Roland_Gaia_2
Seems the consensus is that synth consumers agree this synth sounds pretty awful. its shameful stores are pretending its not. the fact that sweetwater made Mr Fisher talk about the legacy of the first one to help sell this stinker is pretty telling. the sound design is deep and audio over usb c is a great feature but thats all its got going for it.
It’s still pretty good, from only listening to a few seconds. For the price you could play stadiums with this synth. Can it do that famous Who intro? I bet it can! Wow I like typing while listening, doesn’t seem like this guy is a keyboard player and it still sounds awesome!
I own the original Gaia, been sound designing on it for over 10 years. It is my favorite poly digital VA of all time. Make no mistake, the Gaia2 is not an update, it is a totally new synth with its own character. The greatness of the original Gaia was: 1) 3 layers, 3 of everything, like having three complete one oscillator synths in one package. 2) Giant polyphony 64 voices. 3) Panning of individual oscillators. 4) And one of the very rare digital synths with 1-2-3 listed above, plus, no menu and all surface sound design control. Sure, there are plenty of digital synths/workstations that can do what the Gaia can....except...they all need menus and 10x the effort to get the sound design job done. Full sized keys, digital VA synths with all surface control is extremely rare, we had the JD800 and JP8000 before the Gaia and that's it. The Roland Boutiques were a great addition with surface control but the first ones were only 4 voice, we later got 2 Boutiques that are wonderful the JD08 and the JX08 that have lots of polyphony. But for full sized synths with full sized keys with 24+ voices, only 3 until the Gaia2. Shout out to the System8, but with only 8 voices can't do what a Gaia can. For those of us who are keyboard masters and want to design patches on a synth for two handed play, the Gaia is the only synth that can handle us. Analog is out of the question for high polyphony count. So, now we have another rare synth the Gaia2, a digital with lots of surface control, lots of modulation, lots of polyphony, full sized keys, and a big oscillator section with wavetables and shaping. And I love the natural aluminum panel gorgeous to this geek. The oscillator pure sound has probably improved, I won't know for certain until I am sitting in front of it. But it is not a Gaia, it is by name only. It is like a digital MinilogueXD with 7x the voices, more of a conventional synth with the exception of that very kool draw your modulation XY pad. Anytime a rare digital VA synth is made I will buy it, just because it is very VERY rare and can make sounds no analog can even image, but still has the front panel of surface control like an analog. When you play a digital synth like the Gaia2 with both hands making huge two handed chords blending with each other and fast passages with sustain, and crescendos like on a piano...and... you want to sound design quickly, the Gaia is our only answer. I am buying!
@@maydaygoingdown5602 Nope, Gaia2 completely different synth, no way I am selling my Gaia original. I own a Gaia2 now, it is a very unusual synth and still with enough polyphony to do the heavy lifting of gigantic two handed chord changes with long release.
@@maydaygoingdown5602 The Gaia and Gaia2 are just completely different synths. Each does something better than the other. The Gaia2 is more of a traditional architecture with all 3 oscillators going through the same filter, amp, and filter envelope. But ads a different sounding VA oscillator and wavetable oscillator. Gaia2 with more modulation options and better effects. Roland kind of confused everyone calling it a Gaia2, when it is not an upgrade to the Gaia in any way, the whole synth architecture is changed. So what made the Gaia special still remains special, and what makes the Gaia2 special is the new engine and modulation options. Both share those wonderfully rare physical surface controls on a digital VA to make sound design very fast.
I called my Sweetwater rep and bought one of these as soon as it was announced, and I've been playing with it for a week now. I will be selling my old GAIA, this one is so much better, more capable, better sounding, better effects, better controls, better keybed. The only thing the old GAIA has over the new one is the three individual tone "engines" - very unique feature to the original GAIA, and not replicated on the GAIA 2. That said, you can definitely seem some provenance between the two. Daniel, here's hoping you do a sound pack for the GAIA 2 like you did for the original GAIA - it showed true sound design mastery!
Excellent demo as always, Daniel. 🤘 The original Roland Gaia was a cheat of sorts. It wasn't a true VA synth, since it's oscillators were sample based rather than actual DSP. If this new version is true VA, then it's potential for future updates and mods could make it a nice little synth indeed.
The original Gaia had 3 osc with 3 filters, 3 pan, etc... the original.concept has gone. Its a different thing with cool features, but Im dissapointed. It would be sooo cool with the original structure, with the new ideas
As someone who has embraced "plugins", I think keyboards like the Gaia 2 are interesting because of the knobs/sliders and how much more fun it is to program than a virtual keyboard. That said, if I were to buy another hardware synth, I think I'd prefer to go actual analog. Even though I'm not a snob, it'd be nice to have at least one analog synth...
You will lose the voice count when going analog, 22 voice analogs don't exist. IF you don't play two handed and use gigantic chords or fast fingering with release, then analog will be okay for you. Polyphony is why I buy digital, and mono is why I buy analog. (4 voice analog I consider a mono synth since blending single notes, legato play, needs four voices).
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSereneits why people like when there are desktop versions available but then your chaining them together and its not feasible outside of the studio
@@devinthierault Yes a few will accept Poly chaining for increased polyphony, but most will not. Behringer is the most consistent at offering the poly chaining. But I think only on their monosynths.
I would watch Daniel Fisher demonstrate dry roasted peanuts or demonstrating farting in a bottle. I always look for him. His Hydrasynth, Matriarch, 2600 demos are good to listen to as music pieces.
I am interested but I wish it was REAL ANALOG. It does sound fantastic, especially in your hands, Daniel! BTW I just bought your Behringer Solina demo!
Real question, know very little about synths but interested. You say wish it was real analog, I came across a vid of the dsi mopho x4 and they said that was all analog. Is that what you are meaning or would go for instead, something like the mopho x4?
Hmm, with all those options the synth has a flat sound image. After a while my ears don't like it. Hard to explain in words, it sounds like a cheesy VST plugin? I like the vast options tough.
Agree that it does sound rather "flat" in most videos; thought looppop's video sounded the best, and it did sound good there. I wonder what effect having such a narrow octave range of keys is having on our perceived range of sound, or lack of. A full sized keyboard might give us a little more umph..
I don't like these sounds either, but I'm guessing I'd Virus-like sounds if I played with it? The Virus TI2 Polar is a good choice but much more expensive and not well-supported by Access (and its new owners), for example, no Windows 11 drivers for the USB connection.
I am probably in my own world but to me this sounds so much like the sounds coming from the Synclavier Regen. Obviously that digital beast in a tiny box is much more versatile and you could get much more grandiose sounds out of it, but I can't help but think that if you put out a sound demo of each and switch the audio tracks only someone who worked on it's development would notice.
If I ever got into producing melodic techno/progressive house, I would start with Roland. 1st Gaia didn't sound so good to me, especially up high if I recall. This one sounds much nicer and the modulations are great. Not into the zencore business. At least they give you sh101. I'm focusing on analogs these days, so all the digitals have to wait. My logic is that next gen digitals will be insane, and in the meantime I can console myself with the yummy sounds of the analogs I have. (speaking of sh101, Behr ms1 is a really creamy sounding synth with fun architecture, so I am sh101 fan. They sound special.) PS, I can mention analogs because they are all from sweetwater.
Yes, maybe, but that natural aluminum contrasted with black knobs is fantastic. Glad Roland copied it, one of the reasons I bought it. IF black then you could say everyone copied everyone else.
Seems to be a natural law that Japanese 3-octave keybeds must not have aftertouch, see also Korg. On the other hand, a simple Behringer Poly D does have AT.
Sometimes its desired if you have other machines. I ordered one to try. I can tell that the character of this machine made me think if this is really the sound i need.
Apples and oranges. The very VERY rare idea of a digital poly VA synths with full sized keys and little menu use is why. Super-fast sound design and polyphony is why you buy a Gaia. I would like a Modwave too, but for very different reasons, and now that it is in a module, the WaveState and Opsix too!
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene it does have a full featured voice architecture and great workflow. With the $200 price drop and used Modwaves going for close to $600 now this thing is a lot more attractive. No aftertouch is typical Korg/Roland/Yamaha BS, but what can you do? Good news is it responds to polyAT. Too bad you cannot load your own samples/tables. If they add that and make it a module like Korg did I could see myself maybe pulling out the wallet after all...
I don't know if we can hold you to that 3 oscillators per one voice of polyphony? I think there are some limitations due to limit of the DSP for some patches.
Hi Wildernessmusic1068. I agree. Roland was counting polyphony the way they did for the original GAIA. But, if I were shooting the video today, I would say that it has 22 notes of polyphony with all three oscillators going. -_Daniel_
I'm also missing something, which is odd because I usually feel the other way around. I love Roland's sounds, but deep sound design requires too much menu diving for me. Now they finally make a synth with a ton of controls and even a touchpad that can second as a mousepad, and then I'm not sold on the sounds. It has all the staple Roland architecture and FX. I'm gonna listen to some preset packs on youtube to see if maybe I'm wrong and it's just the presets that are bad, but usually Roland also delivers in that regard.
Hi macks2025. It's a throwback to how the original GAIA counted polyphony. There are 22 notes of polyphony for each of the three oscillators. Thanks for watching! -_Daniel_
Yes, very rare VA poly digital synths that use analog like controls to design music. Sound and oscillators, no, not the same. JP8000, JD800, and Gaia's very rare in synth history.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Neva Play (feat. RM) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TpYTyAaTRts/mqdefault.jpg)
Which new features introduced with Roland’s Gaia 2 have caught your eye (or ear)? Tell us in the comments what you’re excited to experience with the Gaia 2 and if you think it’s a worthy successor to the Gaia mantle. Then, be sure to stop by Sweetwater for a detailed look at the total scope of Roland’s Gaia 2’s synthesis possibilities 👉 sweetwater.sjv.io/Roland_Gaia_2
Seems the consensus is that synth consumers agree this synth sounds pretty awful. its shameful stores are pretending its not. the fact that sweetwater made Mr Fisher talk about the legacy of the first one to help sell this stinker is pretty telling. the sound design is deep and
audio over usb c is a great feature but thats all its got going for it.
It’s still pretty good, from only listening to a few seconds. For the price you could play stadiums with this synth. Can it do that famous Who intro? I bet it can! Wow I like typing while listening, doesn’t seem like this guy is a keyboard player and it still sounds awesome!
I own the original Gaia, been sound designing on it for over 10 years. It is my favorite poly digital VA of all time. Make no mistake, the Gaia2 is not an update, it is a totally new synth with its own character. The greatness of the original Gaia was: 1) 3 layers, 3 of everything, like having three complete one oscillator synths in one package. 2) Giant polyphony 64 voices. 3) Panning of individual oscillators. 4) And one of the very rare digital synths with 1-2-3 listed above, plus, no menu and all surface sound design control. Sure, there are plenty of digital synths/workstations that can do what the Gaia can....except...they all need menus and 10x the effort to get the sound design job done.
Full sized keys, digital VA synths with all surface control is extremely rare, we had the JD800 and JP8000 before the Gaia and that's it. The Roland Boutiques were a great addition with surface control but the first ones were only 4 voice, we later got 2 Boutiques that are wonderful the JD08 and the JX08 that have lots of polyphony. But for full sized synths with full sized keys with 24+ voices, only 3 until the Gaia2. Shout out to the System8, but with only 8 voices can't do what a Gaia can. For those of us who are keyboard masters and want to design patches on a synth for two handed play, the Gaia is the only synth that can handle us. Analog is out of the question for high polyphony count.
So, now we have another rare synth the Gaia2, a digital with lots of surface control, lots of modulation, lots of polyphony, full sized keys, and a big oscillator section with wavetables and shaping. And I love the natural aluminum panel gorgeous to this geek. The oscillator pure sound has probably improved, I won't know for certain until I am sitting in front of it. But it is not a Gaia, it is by name only. It is like a digital MinilogueXD with 7x the voices, more of a conventional synth with the exception of that very kool draw your modulation XY pad. Anytime a rare digital VA synth is made I will buy it, just because it is very VERY rare and can make sounds no analog can even image, but still has the front panel of surface control like an analog. When you play a digital synth like the Gaia2 with both hands making huge two handed chords blending with each other and fast passages with sustain, and crescendos like on a piano...and... you want to sound design quickly, the Gaia is our only answer. I am buying!
Only, it doesn't have the 3 tone engines as the original does, which is a real bumber.
No 3 Oscillators with 3 Filters either.
@@maydaygoingdown5602 Nope, Gaia2 completely different synth, no way I am selling my Gaia original. I own a Gaia2 now, it is a very unusual synth and still with enough polyphony to do the heavy lifting of gigantic two handed chord changes with long release.
@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene
Interesting to heat you won't get rid of the original Gaia?
So do you prefer the Original?
@@maydaygoingdown5602 The Gaia and Gaia2 are just completely different synths. Each does something better than the other. The Gaia2 is more of a traditional architecture with all 3 oscillators going through the same filter, amp, and filter envelope. But ads a different sounding VA oscillator and wavetable oscillator. Gaia2 with more modulation options and better effects. Roland kind of confused everyone calling it a Gaia2, when it is not an upgrade to the Gaia in any way, the whole synth architecture is changed. So what made the Gaia special still remains special, and what makes the Gaia2 special is the new engine and modulation options. Both share those wonderfully rare physical surface controls on a digital VA to make sound design very fast.
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene Ahh, like the Korg Radias.
Daniel could take a tin in his hand, and make it sound awesome.
I called my Sweetwater rep and bought one of these as soon as it was announced, and I've been playing with it for a week now. I will be selling my old GAIA, this one is so much better, more capable, better sounding, better effects, better controls, better keybed. The only thing the old GAIA has over the new one is the three individual tone "engines" - very unique feature to the original GAIA, and not replicated on the GAIA 2. That said, you can definitely seem some provenance between the two.
Daniel, here's hoping you do a sound pack for the GAIA 2 like you did for the original GAIA - it showed true sound design mastery!
Probably the best review of this synth, dude played some funky music! But i have a hunch that synth will not sell well.
Excellent demo as always, Daniel. 🤘
The original Roland Gaia was a cheat of sorts. It wasn't a true VA synth, since it's oscillators were sample based rather than actual DSP. If this new version is true VA, then it's potential for future updates and mods could make it a nice little synth indeed.
Ok I'm buying today
The original Gaia had 3 osc with 3 filters, 3 pan, etc... the original.concept has gone. Its a different thing with cool features, but Im dissapointed. It would be sooo cool with the original structure, with the new ideas
Great review:)!
Wow! What a punch
Good-looking synth.
As someone who has embraced "plugins", I think keyboards like the Gaia 2 are interesting because of the knobs/sliders and how much more fun it is to program than a virtual keyboard. That said, if I were to buy another hardware synth, I think I'd prefer to go actual analog. Even though I'm not a snob, it'd be nice to have at least one analog synth...
You will lose the voice count when going analog, 22 voice analogs don't exist. IF you don't play two handed and use gigantic chords or fast fingering with release, then analog will be okay for you. Polyphony is why I buy digital, and mono is why I buy analog. (4 voice analog I consider a mono synth since blending single notes, legato play, needs four voices).
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSereneits why people like when there are desktop versions available but then your chaining them together and its not feasible outside of the studio
@@devinthierault Yes a few will accept Poly chaining for increased polyphony, but most will not. Behringer is the most consistent at offering the poly chaining. But I think only on their monosynths.
I would watch Daniel Fisher demonstrate dry roasted peanuts or demonstrating farting in a bottle. I always look for him. His Hydrasynth, Matriarch, 2600 demos are good to listen to as music pieces.
I would love to attend his training sessions!
Thanks, Dwayne! Here are 38 Synth Tricks videos:
ruclips.net/p/PLlczpwSXEOybYYaBCTcjxxKz1QmxytbIf
-_Daniel_
@@sweetwater Thank you Sir! That is extremely generous of you. 😎
@@sweetwater very generous of you sir! Thank you.
I am interested but I wish it was REAL ANALOG. It does sound fantastic, especially in your hands, Daniel! BTW I just bought your Behringer Solina demo!
Real question, know very little about synths but interested. You say wish it was real analog, I came across a vid of the dsi mopho x4 and they said that was all analog. Is that what you are meaning or would go for instead, something like the mopho x4?
@Mike_Jones68 Yes, the mopho x4 is all analog. It's electrical circuits versus digital programming
No 22 voice analogs, 12 or 16 voice analog will cost thousands more. Polyphony and fast sound design is why you would buy this.
Awesome!!!🌟🌟💯💯
Hmm, with all those options the synth has a flat sound image. After a while my ears don't like it.
Hard to explain in words, it sounds like a cheesy VST plugin? I like the vast options tough.
Well it is kinda plugin, everything with ZenCore in it is a VST in a box
Agree that it does sound rather "flat" in most videos; thought looppop's video sounded the best, and it did sound good there. I wonder what effect having such a narrow octave range of keys is having on our perceived range of sound, or lack of. A full sized keyboard might give us a little more umph..
I don't like these sounds either, but I'm guessing I'd Virus-like sounds if I played with it? The Virus TI2 Polar is a good choice but much more expensive and not well-supported by Access (and its new owners), for example, no Windows 11 drivers for the USB connection.
💙💙💙
I am probably in my own world but to me this sounds so much like the sounds coming from the Synclavier Regen. Obviously that digital beast in a tiny box is much more versatile and you could get much more grandiose sounds out of it, but I can't help but think that if you put out a sound demo of each and switch the audio tracks only someone who worked on it's development would notice.
GÖZEL SESLER 🤘
If I ever got into producing melodic techno/progressive house, I would start with Roland.
1st Gaia didn't sound so good to me, especially up high if I recall. This one sounds much nicer and the modulations are great. Not into the zencore business. At least they give you sh101.
I'm focusing on analogs these days, so all the digitals have to wait. My logic is that next gen digitals will be insane, and in the meantime I can console myself with the yummy sounds of the analogs I have. (speaking of sh101, Behr ms1 is a really creamy sounding synth with fun architecture, so I am sh101 fan. They sound special.) PS, I can mention analogs because they are all from sweetwater.
Looks like they stole the UI from Korg 😅
and improved it like Korg should have done with the SE series.
Yes, maybe, but that natural aluminum contrasted with black knobs is fantastic. Glad Roland copied it, one of the reasons I bought it. IF black then you could say everyone copied everyone else.
Is virtual analogye wavetable like virtual analogue from Nord Synthesizers? Is diferent?
No aftertouch BIG MISS
Seriously, that's absolutely a deal-breaker.
Seems to be a natural law that Japanese 3-octave keybeds must not have aftertouch, see also Korg. On the other hand, a simple Behringer Poly D does have AT.
No aftertouch. Roland hates their costumers.
I want to like it, but in every review i've seen it sounds so sibilant.
Sometimes its desired if you have other machines. I ordered one to try. I can tell that the character of this machine made me think if this is really the sound i need.
Good demo but not a fan of the sounds.
Personally I think the Modwave is a significantly more desirable synth of this general type for half the price.
Apples and oranges. The very VERY rare idea of a digital poly VA synths with full sized keys and little menu use is why. Super-fast sound design and polyphony is why you buy a Gaia. I would like a Modwave too, but for very different reasons, and now that it is in a module, the WaveState and Opsix too!
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene it does have a full featured voice architecture and great workflow. With the $200 price drop and used Modwaves going for close to $600 now this thing is a lot more attractive. No aftertouch is typical Korg/Roland/Yamaha BS, but what can you do? Good news is it responds to polyAT. Too bad you cannot load your own samples/tables. If they add that and make it a module like Korg did I could see myself maybe pulling out the wallet after all...
@@klstay I guess we should all own a HydraSynth just so we can MIDI out to responding AT keyboards.
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene I use an ERAE touch.
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene
Have you not tried a Korg Radias?
I don't know if we can hold you to that 3 oscillators per one voice of polyphony? I think there are some limitations due to limit of the DSP for some patches.
Hi Wildernessmusic1068. I agree. Roland was counting polyphony the way they did for the original GAIA. But, if I were shooting the video today, I would say that it has 22 notes of polyphony with all three oscillators going.
-_Daniel_
I like mine just fine. It's like a modern ms2000, but with roland flavors.
Perhaps if this is/was a great controller for the Cloud ecosystem it might be worth my attention.??😁🎶🎹🎶Play On
Sounds like it might be okay layered with richer sounds from another synth and using better, external effects, but it's really not doing it for me.
I'm also missing something, which is odd because I usually feel the other way around. I love Roland's sounds, but deep sound design requires too much menu diving for me. Now they finally make a synth with a ton of controls and even a touchpad that can second as a mousepad, and then I'm not sold on the sounds. It has all the staple Roland architecture and FX. I'm gonna listen to some preset packs on youtube to see if maybe I'm wrong and it's just the presets that are bad, but usually Roland also delivers in that regard.
It's a Korg Modwave innit?
1:46 - "66 note polyphony" What! Where did that come from?? 😕
Hi macks2025. It's a throwback to how the original GAIA counted polyphony. There are 22 notes of polyphony for each of the three oscillators. Thanks for watching! -_Daniel_
Hi did you say you can bluetooth to headphones? Also do you need a separate audio interface?
What up with that top end? A bit sharp at times.
Not much in common with the SH-01 that I can see…
Questions: it seemed like the Gaia was pretty cool imo, wasn’t it kind of riding in the wind of the jp8000?
are these connected in any way?
Yes, very rare VA poly digital synths that use analog like controls to design music. Sound and oscillators, no, not the same. JP8000, JD800, and Gaia's very rare in synth history.
Limitless Virtual Potential. Uh, sure man.
...would it be limitless with analog?