Mathew Jonson Presents His Synthesizer Favourites: Roland JX-3P (Electronic Beats TV)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 сен 2018
- Resident synth expert Mathew Jonson is back for his next exploration of his favourite synthesizers for Telekom Electronic Beats TV, with an underrated Roland up next for a closer look. Considered somewhat of a hidden synth treasure, the JX-3P was Roland’s first midi-equipped unit and boasts an onboard 128-step sequencer.
Subscribe to our EB.TV channel: bit.ly/1BwzEZM
www.electronicbeats.net 
Видеоклипы
Love how Telekom consistently keeps putting out these amazing features/docs/etc. I remember getting the Hawtin slices thing on DVD years ago with some magazine, watched it over and over again, and here they are, at least 10 (?!) years later still making cool things for us nerds to watch. Like to imagine them as being some marketing offshoot corporate has long forgotten about and somehow they get to do these cool items that have basically nothing to do with their business :-)
🤝
14:35 "So here I will put in some notes, something simple..." - Proceeds to program in seconds, an emotionally gripping note sequence that will dissemble your reality. Oh right I forgot, you're Mathew Jonson.
I found one in a terrible state for 200$. I had to rebuild voice 5 and 6 and get a new jack board but it was worth the 6 months of probing and analysis.
This video convinced me to buy one and it was 100% worth it. The synth is made for techno (at least that's what I make)...it is much more interesting and flexible than the Juno series. It also has a far more immediate and aggressive sound than the JX8p/10. The other advantages of the jx3p is the lack of sliders and the use of discrete components vs “80017” chips.
The only flaw in the JX design is that the CPU and digital section is close to the heat sink of the power supply and I think over time old solder joints get brittle and logic levels stop being correct leading to what I call “the drone of death”. The Jx3p turns on but drones while every LED is on. One has to then painstakingly trace the signals to and from the CPU to find the issue.
I used to have a boutique version of this and this demo is giving me similar vibes 😀
I have the boutique...it was the least expensive one I got, and yet in a blind test I voted it as my favorite as far as overall tones.
Such a cool synth 😊
that poly sequence he build, around min. 16:40 (by "simply adding some notes" ^^) is very beautiful! Big up, MJ.
i don't know why these synths aren't more popular.
they're powerhouses.
What a coincidence I'm waiting for mine to arrive and flooded my recommendation list with endless jx3p videos cause I can't handle the anticipation. This is so targeted but in a good way! Thank you for sharing, it is a gorgeous machine.
Aww. My first Roland synthesizer. It's beautiful
The pitch lfo on the 3p is so unique sounding. Total tape speed feel
This was the 1st synthesizer I cut my teeth on. Happy to have a JX-03 Boutique, even though only 4 voice polyphony.
Really enjoy this series, particularly as have the JX-3P / PG200 and he filled in a couple of gaps of little things I've overlooked. Thanks!
Thank you for your deep dive into this very underrated gem! I enjoyed every second 😉
I bought the Boutique version of it amongst others (01, 06, 08) and I like this Roland vintage synth very much ... the cool thing of the Boutique version is, you have already the programmer in it ... without all the knobs it doesn‘t shine that much and I think this was one of the points that this synth was so underrated ...
So fun to watch. I'd be up for Mathews favourite, eq, drum machine, reverb etc. He explains what he's doing very well and even if it's things you know, it's inspiring.
Yes I did enjoy it. And you opened my eyes to several great ideas of how to use the wonderful synth. Thank you.
Wow, this is a series? Thank you so much, Matt!
3 other episodes are online, Pro One is coming next
Great demonstration. I love my JX3P!
Thanks for taking me back in time - this was the synth I learned programming on. Also, the implementation of the polyphonic step sequencer was great for us non-keyboardists, and has yet to be replicated anywhere. I used a TR-606 trigger to advance the sequence in whatever rhythm I wanted, so there wasn't even a need to enter ties or rests, so you could really stretch the limited number of sequence steps.
So many detuned oscillators! This is awesome. Thank you!
Very, very inspiring! Keep 'em coming!
Great video!
I was lucky enough to chat with Mathew in Watergate, Berlin, about 8 or 9 years ago... remember him telling me he had two of these JX3Ps, and that those epic Decompression synth lines were played, no, not on an SH101, as I thought, but on a JX3P...and I was very happy to hear, since I had the use of one (w Organix MIDI mod) at the time.
Told him about the Organix mod, which he seemed to be unaware of back then... I wonder did he ever have either of his JX3Ps modded?
Then the KiwiTechnics mod appeared a few years later, adding some juicy options, but way pricier.
Great video! I knew nothing about the JX-3P so this was really helpful. Keep 'em coming!
Thanks for a cool demo. I love my 3p/pg200 but.....there are no Curtis filters in this or ANY Roland synth. Roland has their own filters named IRXXXX the most desired being the IR3109. The 3p uses the IR3109. Older Roland synths use custom/discrete OTA filter designs as well as some "famous copies..."
Florian Anwander has an amazing page about the JX3P if anyone is interested.
Yeah, I was surprised he said Curtis?
excellent, pls. continue this. well done and informative.
jx love! was my first synth, traded my guitar for it 20 years ago and its still being used alllll the time in our productions :) did you know that there is a hidden pink noise lfo waveform? just set the waveform selector between random and square (you have to fiddle around and find the exact point) or do it via the edit map and choose "D"
Kept waiting for a drumbeat to kick in!
Just picked one up from the original owner with less than 6 hours of play time on it... Was floored by the gain output on this beast, friggin huge!
JX-3p was my 1st synth... i learnt on that thing... i still have it and it is still my favourite poly.... its my go to.
its also the same age as me, so i feel a special connection there haha
ive had it kiwi'd, and that really brought it up to date..... love it.
its like the middle ground between a juno 106 and a jupiter 6... with a few of its own things going on.
these were overlooked for so long... but the prices have sky-rocketed in recent years.
17 min and on.. love thees sounds.. matt is the man
awesome, best series on synth on the internet
Thank you, very deep demonstration!
Very nice synthesiser and some incredible sounds
Best synth review ever
It's 2020 and I just acquired a pristine Roland Jx-3p with pg-200 for $700 USD off craigslist. It was an estate auction from Ron Isley holdings.
What city?
Such a deal! And from Isley! So cool!
Sounds glorious.
Excellent! The jx3p rocks.
WOW trying to play guitar at moment. But the sounds archived from keyboard is amazing.
JX3P is one of my favorites of all time.
I am going to be selling mine soon...Has been sitting in the closet for too long....However, I don't have the PG 200, but there is a way to still make the adjustments without it by just using the JX3P, but obviously the PG makes it much more real time...But hey, these things are from like 1983 so the fact we can still play these at all is pretty cool
@@jkapp374 got rid of mine before I knew anything about synthesis, got it back built in the System-8. The JX engine alone is enough to buy the S8 it’s the only VA that actually nails it’s predecessor
WOW! I had no idea about the sequencer overdub feature! Excuse me while I go get lost in my JX-3P again ...
I purchased the Roland JX3P with the PG200 programmer in 1983 along with the Roland 707 and 727 drum/percussion machines. I also purchased the Peavy KB300 amp too. I still have the JX3P and PG200 and the Peavy amp, but sadly friends destroyed my 707 and 727. I don't know if I'll ever get rid of it, I love it!
The JX-03 boutique version of this synth is really underestimated. If you like the sound of this, check that out. Beats spending a lot on vintage gear.
Yeah, the ACB emulation is very good.
4 voices..... 4 voices...
Good Lord this synth sounds lush. Amazing. Thanks Mathew and Electronic Beats!
JX-03 Boutique is awesome little synth totally underrated like its farther!
very good video. Thank you!
Really enjoyed watching this, as it brought back all kinds of memories & feelings.
I've owned the jx3p three times . First time without the programmer (back in the early 90s & it was dirt cheap) , second time with the programmer in the 00s and a third time as the rackmount mks30, which had velocity and afyertouch assignable to filter , vca etc. You also lost the sequencer on the rackmount but could use the pg200 programmer.
What I found was that the LFO never went fast enough for me on either incarnation, so eventually started looking for a Jupiter 6 or 8, which was what (unfairly in my opinion) the consensus was at the time, were the better synths. The jx3p was seen as a poor relative by comparison due to the DCOS, slower lfo and thinner sounding filter. I don't think it's a CURITS filter but a custom Roland I.C. , which would explain it's midrange sweetness compared to the junos, which were thicker sounding yet had an oscillator less.
The jx3p is a classic because it packs so much in and delivers with finesse. The programmer is a MUST for real programming & the sequencer, whilst not syncable via the early midi at the rear (it's VERY early midi..some models didn't even allow you to switch midi channel and it was basic note on & off. It's one of the earliest midi synths , along with the Jupiter 6 and prophet 600), it's great for coming up with stuff on the fly and letting it flow.
There are upgrade kits available via third parties (e.g. KIWI do a full-on kit with all kinds of fun and frolics) if you need to turbo charge it. But I think with the programmer , it's good to go as it is.
Thank you for putting this up, ladies & gents 👍
Aaaaand, I immediately regret selling my jx3p
Thanks a lot again Mathew and TEB for a fantastic series. I've had a JX-3P and know it pretty well. Installing the Organix mod is mandatory if you have a PG-200, otherwise you have to choose between MIDI and programmer (not fun). Yes the filter (no, it's not Curtis but Roland's own IR3109 ;) does self-oscillate with no problem and you can even slightly increase the resonance response with an oscilloscope and adjusting the trimmers a bit further from what the service manual states. The result is really fantastic as you can hear: clyp.it/rvqvnibl getting really close to the Juno filter response. In all I'd say it's a capable synth, much harder to tweak right than it appears and more flexible than it seems. Definitely different flavor from a Juno to which is often compared to, unfairly I think.
Great series, MJ is a dab hand, good to see him working! I hope he does Arp 2600 soon.
Inspiring stuff !!
Great video! I think it's fine-tuned to the point where it sounds like Boards Of Canada, especially with the pitch modulation. My only criticism is I wish he played more with the sounds he made earlier in the video instead of constantly turning knobs. Although later in the video, I hear more of the sounds and they sound absolutely sci-fi.
what a legend
Same filters as the Jupiter 8, Juno series and SH101 but they are made by Roland not Curtis. The SH101 used a Curtis VCO chip (3340)
Thank you, Math, for your complete review... really enlightening... Last october I sold mine jx3p to collect enough bucks to purchase a CP70... but I had to buy another onelast week... I was missing It so much 😉
I'm sold....
Great!
I really love this series. MJ for the win!
Nice synth. Nice shirt.
Nice sequencer! Wish the JX-03 had something similar... the overdubbing is great. Would be nice with even 4 JX-03 voices
Yeah Roland really missed the boat with the sequencer on the original Boutique synths.
lucky to have one
The guy's a genius
glad I kept the one I bought new in 1985
The video sound is pretty good, beyond my imagination
Uhm, Roland never used Curtis filters, the JX3P has an OTA filter (Roland IR3109)
👍
If you wouldn't use the word 'uhm' it would way more nice you know
If you wouldn't use the word 'uhm' it would way more nice you know
I have 1 JX-3P with the PG-200, and 1 JX-3P with the Retroaktiv PG2K. You've given me some great ideas. Thanks!
Great review for aspiring electronic musicians and a great synth. I have a JX03 and many if the tips apply as well thank u!
Cool.
19:10 LOVELY
ao minuto 17 o mahew jonson fex uma sequencia majika!thanks sr jonson.
Had a JX3P, sadly it was stolen.. Loved ..it
Nice APB!
Same as the SH-101, ok... Curtis filter? not so much... Great synth btw, nice tunes too!
everything mj touched becomes magic...
Speakers looking lovely, what are those?
They are ATC's, probably SCM 100 or SCM 50
what does this have to do with t-mobile?
I just bought one of these yesterday and I’m kinda a noob when it comes to synth set ups. Can someone please dumb down what is is using to control the sequencer. Would any drum machine work? and how does it plug in to the Jx-3p. Is it through midi? Thanks!
You need an external trigger signal. 909, 808 or the new TR8s for example have a trigger output which is mostly a rimshot signal. But you can also use a sample from your DAW, you just need a seperate output and experiment a bit with the level.
You can also try with a drummachine and the Rimshot on a seperate output.
Telekom Electronic Beats or a gate out from any sequencer
Are you using external clock sync through midi thru? (In the sequencer demonstration)
No, the sequencer has external trigger sync, works with any drum machine with trigger outs.
Use to own the JX3P,,,but i had no programmer,,,i was told by the shop where i bought it,,,you needed the programmer,,,eventually i got rid,,,then found out after you can program with the keyboard parameters...so the shop did me a dis-service there...
😬
Yes it's better with the programmer, but this is still one of the easiest one-slider synths to program of all. It's a cakewalk compared to something like a Poly-800.
@@infindebula or a Matrix-6 ;)
17:15 oh yeah...
Is it possible to send midi while using the programmer at the same time?
The Jupiter 6 was Roland’s first MIDI synth, the 3P the second.
3P was first . The Jupiter series came out afterwards. I bought mine when it was brand new. I still have it. It’s a great synth.
If you do, give me a holler. I never had the programmer. My synth is still in magnificent condition.
I recently sold mine, with the PG-200 controller. Lovely synth, had it for years but wanted other synths.
what a gr8 tutorial😏👍
At 23:39 Mathew says there are only 16 steps per parameter. This is actually not true - the 16 LEDs do give you an indication of the value of the parameter you're editing, but are actually more "steps" between what the LEDs show. I'm not totally sure if this is the case for every parameter, but it's definitely true for oscillator tuning.
He's an idiot.
He’s not an idiot, he just made a mistake. There are 16 steps in the LED row but there are more clues in between. I remember this being the case for filter cutoff as well as tuning at least.
this is the strings in "Marionette"
Top
naize👌🏻
Is the jxo3 the boutique version of this?
yes
Yes, but only with 4 voices
Yes, but with a few extras:
DC01 now has an extended range from 64' to 2' (originally 16' to 4') and adds sine and triangle waves, plus pink noise to the original's saw and two pulse wave variations (50% and 10% width options).
DCO2 also has the same extended oscillator range and adds the same additional waveforms alongside white noise.
Of all my boutiques, I love the JX-03 the most! (have the JP-03, JU-06, VP-03, SH-01a, TB-03, TR-08 and TR-09) :)
Downside is: 4 voice, number of patches
A very good remake it is too without the rip off prices and unreliable issues of vintage
True, but the JX-3P is pretty bullet-proof. They almost never break.
Which one do you prefer: JX-3P or JX-8P?
I’ve had both but today I only have the 3p and 10...the 3p and 8p has sounds that are unique on their own. But the 8p definitely has more fatness to it.
I have two JX-8Ps and one JX-3P. They are quite different machines. I tend to use the 8Ps more often but I'd not part with any of them.
The 8P is a beast and far more depth but the 3P has a lot of sweet sounding spots, a lot more fluid sounding and snappier too. 8P is better for brass pads, bass and has more complex pads but the simpler sounds of the 3P are great.
Is that a PPG below the 808/909 to the left?
Well spotted
Cannot mood the PPG- blue and those buttons. Another classic!
La única review del jx3p en la que no veo en mi cabeza la cara de Axell Foley. Gracias
Dude, you've got the sync thing completely backwards. Your modulating the pitch of the main pitch of OSC1 which is vibrato. You want to modulate the pitch of OSC2, preferably with the EG to get that classic sync sound.
For those who don’t know, the Roland Boutique JX-03 can replace the PG200 as a controller for the JX3P. Much cheaper, easier to come by, battery powered and has another 4 ACB voices if you plug in the audio.
But who wants to work with this tiny knobs and faders? The D-Tronics DT-200 would be a hardware controller option
No polyphonic sequencing/overdubbing and a paltry four voices. Completely misses the point of the original.
Jesus Gallego I think you missed my point. My comment was the JX03 can be used to control the JX3P parameters over MIDI. sequencing and voicing are still happening on the JX3P which is demonstrated on this video. Please read carefully and educate yourself before making ignorant comments
Telekom Electronic Beats oh I didn’t realise there were other options as well but honestly I personally don’t have problems with the size of the JX03 knob size and spacing as opposed to the JP08 which is a nightmare.
Telekom Electronic Beats, but maybe it works in parallel with midi too? The one problem with this synth is that you either have the programmer on or it receives midi, not both, which can be a major pain
hahaha! sounds like an old 80's B-grade afternoon movie! ;-)
🤔
I say that with the upmost respect. I recognise those type of sounds from that Synth and remind me of my childhood ;-)
I suppose this overview also holds for the JX8P?
not really
(Except for the sequencer ofc)
i hate frantic knob turning
13:20 i don´t get it. he´s sending triggers from what?
He say's right then. A Cirklon
I had one between 1986 (?) and 1990 without a PG200 but, as my other synth was a Juno-60, the JX-3P always sounded cheap by comparison to my ears at least despite its 2-oscillator structure so I never really tried to get any decent sounds out of it, unlike the JX-8P I owned later. With hindsight, I wish I'd kept the 3P as it's definitely got character. It also lacked proper MIDI (it is stuck in omni on mode) and MIDI filters weren't cheap at the time. I used to trigger the JX-3P from the rim shot output of a Korg DDM-110.
Jupiter 8 pleeeeease!;)
Not on his favs list yet. Next one will be the Pro-One
@@ElectronicBeatsTV Thanks anyway. You do a great quality work! Big Up;)
What's after the Pro-One? Will he be doing one for the JP-6?
If you use the programmer you lose MIDI and the MIDI was only omni.
Why should you lose Midi?
On an unmodified JX-3P, you can't use MIDI and the programmer at the same time (look at the switch on the back and you'll see what I mean). The "Organix" mod (and probably the Kiwi mod) installs additional hardware in the synth to overcome this hardware limitation.
The CPU in the JX-3P is an Intel 8031/8051 which has a single serial port. The programmer is serial as is MIDI so you can choose only one at a time. Upgrades that switch the CPU out for another chip can elect to include another serial port so you can use them concurrently.
Exactly, same with my Oberheim Matrix-6 that I use with a Stereoping controller... shame you can not send MIDI notes and turn the knobs at the same time.
So you can not have it synced while using the controller?
Those knobs on the programmer look awfully cheap. I like the sound of this synth, though. Pretty digital sounding, could get some cold digital type sounds out of it.
nonedescriptivepresence. It can go either way, warm, or cold. She’s one of my favorite synths! She sits alongside many greats, yet I always come back to her for the intricate pads and textures!
Welp, you sound like you have no idea what you're talking about and are trying to mimic things you've read about synthesizers. And how the hell do polished metal knobs look cheap, would you have preferred plastic?
@@_EightySix i have one, the knobs on the programmer are plastic actually. and they do feel cheap. i still like it, though.
Good synth, but wouldnt pay that price for what they go nowadays. With a deepmind 6 you get more for the money.
You can‘t really compare these two.
And there must be a reason why many deepminds are available 2nd hand now for much cheaper than the original price.
Actually there are similiarities, analog 6 voice, juno filter..
the deepmind is still in production and doesnt have any vintage value as a JX-3P i own both if i had to keep one i go for the deepmind 6
but let's be real. the reason is because people enjoy the classic, recognizable Roland sounds and there are many fan boys (including myself). People are having trouble getting a good price for their used DredBox synths also but that doesn't mean they aren't good. They're just not collectors items