I opened the box, sat down, and turned on this video for my first lesson. You have helped me get a real nice kick start to learning on my first piece of hardware. Combining this with an RC 505MKII and my TD-17 kit for home grown beats
I bought one. Have owned many synths going back 15 years. It's pleasant to play, and can produce some very beautiful sounds. I'm loving it with an external keyboard (fantom 06). Andy's bass sound was monster, have to copy that.
I like it, I'm more interested in the non-wavetable sounds myself, I'm not a fan of the digital sound of wavetables, but being able to mix them In with the others is nice.
Being able to mix non-wavetable sounds with common saws, squares, etc., is also an option on every other wavetable synth. If you get this Gaia2, it needs to be because you like the controls, factory patches, and/or "Roland house sound". The Korg Modwave is the better alternative and for less money for most folks. The Roland is much better built, though. But then why did they reuse the tiny pitch and mod wheels of the JD-Xi? Wheels meant for toddlers too young to make any use of this synth.
This was awesome! What an incredible synth! Also, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding howler monkey voice drop by my man, Oz behind the camera! Love'n this channel from the middle of America fellas!
There’s no one commenting negatively on here, which is nice to see. I don’t understand the hate for Roland and particularly for the original Gaia or for this one. I think this looks and sounds amazing and I wish I could justify buying one right now.
I don't mind what other people buy, for me, it's a Zenology VST in a box. Some people like that, some don't. Both positive & negative opinions are valid here IMO. I don't see why being critical should be something that people are glad not to see. I've got a JX-08 and an MC-101, and very much enjoy them both. But I also think Roland are incredibly lazy as of late and have little to offer outside of Zenology/ZenCore repackaging and emulations of their gear from 30-40 years ago.
Told you it was a blind buy for me and I don’t care what people think I’m happy with mine. I love it and I’m learning something every day and it compliments my Akai MPC gear wonderfully.
Personally, it seems cool, but at that price, no! This should be competing with Hydrasynth Explorer and Minifreak, and even Minilogue XD, but not at that price!!
I’m silly, but not a Roland hater :) so, I’m owning GAIA 2 for a couple of weeks and going to return it today. For me- just the sound quality is not enough. It’s too weak and flat. I’m not talking about the tone but the sound quality. Even virtual synthesizers have more fat and juice sound. I think $900+tax for this unit is too much.
Ive had mine eight months now and use it more often than I ever thought I would. Have the original Gaia as well and really like the pattern sequencer and effects on this which are light years ahead.
It's pretty cool. I don't think I'll buy one, but I'm interested to see how it finds its way into modern music. UDO Super Gemini stole my synth money for the next year. Andy is awesome, and does a great job of making you excited about a piece of gear. I'm waiting for another version of a trance/psytrance instrument from roland! JP-8000 and V-Synth GT were so sick and could use a modern iteration.
Roland's presets are always inventive and useful. Would be nice, if they release a 61 version of it. Like Korg did with its "SE" series Wavestate and Opsix. By doing so Roland would also secure some of the market share from the (hopefully) forthcoming Modwave SE.
Man, that's such a great synth! Love seeing Andy back, I know when he shows up, we are going to see something interesting =) I really want a GAIA2 now =P
Solid synth! Love the modulation idea with the recordable pad movement! Andy mentioned that it is ABM on the SH101 model. Is that also true for the Juno 106? And if yes, how many voices are on the Juno?
Great video, this synth have a lot of features. Next video another review on the Access Virus please, it’s been around for a long time, is it still worth it in 2023
Virus is still one of the ultimate VA synths around. The only VST that nails the sound of the Virus oscillators (and is inspired by the Virus) is Synapse Dune3.
@@Music-Gear I actually have Dune3, love its sound to death and love using it. Plus it is very cheap. I don't really care for freeware stuff (ignoring U-He freebies, TAL, Dexed, and Vital) as it all tends to sound like complete sh1t without "fixing in post", which Dune3 doesn't ever need. There are emulations of plenty of other synths, even the Yamaha AN1x, and they all don't sound half-way as good as the hardware. I've got other plugins and hardware that sound awesome.
I'm fascinated that Roland has no clear design language. This thing looks nothing like a Phantom which looks nothing like the SH4d which only somewhat resembles the Aira stuff. Not sure if that is good or bad, but it feels bad-ish?
Gaia2 resembles the SH-201, but with a modern look. SH-4D resembles the tasteless looks of some of their oldest synths. Aira stuff looks nothing like anything they've made before, just weird attempts at looking sci-fi. However, the D-05 Boutique and original D-50 look like they came straight out of an '80s sci-fi movie (the one thing I love to death about them).
So confused. I recently bought the Jupiter-Xm, which sounds amazing, but i hate the complexity of the UI and that the presets typically come as a 2-4 part setup. I really just wanted the Boutiques in one package, with battery feature. This looks like a simpler way to get those classic Roland sounds. Plus, full-size keys. Christ. There's never just THE ONE thing that is right.
Roland's classic sounds are all over _all_ their products. System-8 is the way to go if you want the sounds of the Boutiques with more polyphony and bigger controls. If ACB doesn't matter, Juno-DS61 runs on batteries and has full-size keys and a great looper sequencer. Jupiter-Xm can be simple. Just ignore the deeper parameters and done. oscillators = _Partials_ filter and filter EG = _TVF_ and _TVF EG_ amp and amp EG = _TVA_ and _TVA EG_ mod matrix = _Matrix Control_ Their silly naming scheme for the parameters goes back to their earliest digital synths. That WMT stuff? Just ignore, you don't need that to make patches that mimic antique synths. The piano and e.piano patches are mainly what use that. _Tone Common_ settings is mostly for Unison and Portamento settings. Then always crank up _Analog Feel_ , that is oscillator drift. I always use it in my custom patches, 15 or more. You don't need the Pitch EG or PENV for anything. Old school synths didn't have that to begin with. It is mainly a situational thing for modern sound design.
Yeah, Korg Modwave clone, pretty surprising, but no ability to import user wavetables and mod options are much more limited. They could have thrown in a mod matrix. Then they reuse the JD-Xi miniature pitch and mod wheels when they clearly could have used normal, full-sized controls or their classic joystick. The build quality is much better than the Modwave, at least, but overall $200 too expensive for what it is.
Shame about the lack of aftertouch and teensy wheels but otherwise it sounds interesting. Any idea if the envelopes are rtz behaviour like the original Giaia? (Hope not)
It's not a workstation or groovebox, just pure synth. You can synthesize drum sounds, but you will need external gear to sample them and use them together with the leads and basses and stuff.
JD-Xi is the VA with tiny keys, not this. The pitch and mod wheels are stupid tiny, though. Looks like Roland bizarrely gave this thing the tiny wheels of the JD-Xi mini-synth.
Whoever calls this synth "simple" must be a genius. This is way, way more powerful than the old Gaia. But as always, Roland gear is either misunderstood or underestimated until it's not in years to come.
🤣🤣🤣 This looks like a botched clone of the Korg Modwave, but with better build quality and more of a VST look to its front panel. The not-Kaoss pad in the middle can double as a mouse pad to help you manage settings, which is a neat feature, at least. Gaia1 sounds like ass, and it's one of Roland's poorest ROMplers. Consider the Juno-DS a Gaia1 on steroids with 16-part multi-timbrality, 8-part looping sequencer, better keybed, and much more FX types and you have up to three at once, not including the dedicated master bus with EQ, chorus, and reverb. 4-layer engine instead of 3 like the Gaia1, mod matrices, optional velocity layers, more filter types, and hundreds more waveforms for the oscillators (a large chunk are for the percussion kits).
This synth looks great, but not sure if I'd ever buy from Anderson music again, still waiting a month later for my speakers to arrive. Seems Anderson doesn't stock gear it has advertised. I didn't realise this until AFTER they took my money. They messaged to say delivery a few days later and then on that day a email to let me know it will be dispatched to then in a month. I can get next day delivery from other UK shops so they lost a customer and Mt next buy is the moog subsequent 37, then mixer, then possibly this synth.
Roland is trash and so is there customer services and warranties they ruined so much by going strictly digital and what the ceo said was” customers don’t know what they are talking about and that roland will never chase the analog ghosts of the past “ they are doomed they couldn’t have made an analog filter at least horrible synth horrible company
Synthesizers you need to pay extra for digital modules plugin style is the most horrifying thing I’ve seen so far, that’s a no go for me sorry better to buy the plugins then
Why? The only difference between that and Roland's old physical plugins for JV1080 et al. decades ago is the lack of physical expansion boards containing the plugins themselves. This is far more convenient.
@ it’s just the price that I think is too much, I get the ease of use and for each their own but those lifetime keys should be probably half the price… just my take
@@Pulse2AM Wavetable.. VA.. whatever the case, it sounds boring and uninspiring to me… just like the recent SH-4d did. The best thing they’ve released in ages was the little S1… 😂
You have not even once reviewed KAWAI pianos? Are you just restricted to promote CASIO, ROLAND, KORG, YAMAHA, KURZWEIL? -> KAWAI has to digital pianos like MP7SE. You could do some review or compare with Yamaha or Roland digital pianos? ;)
Andertons is a music tech shop. This is a promotional video, not a review. Roland and Andertons main goal is to shift units. You'll notice nothing negative has been said about the synth. The Andertons presenter seems overjoyed by anything that has a plug and a keyboard on it. I also just had quick look at the Andertons website and it appears (and I might be wrong) that they don't stock Kawai keyboards. Hence they don't promote them.
I've had the GAIA 2 for almost a month now, and I STILL learned a couple of things from this video that I didn't know about! Great video!
Happy with it?
Andy is Roland's best demo guy!
Kudos to Roland for some real innovations! Decided to order it… many thanks!
Just bought the Gaia 2 and it is a game changer! Thank you for this demo!
Andy and Jack are always fun to watch and there's always a lot to learn.
I opened the box, sat down, and turned on this video for my first lesson. You have helped me get a real nice kick start to learning on my first piece of hardware. Combining this with an RC 505MKII and my TD-17 kit for home grown beats
Is It better than the Arturia mini freak?
Always good to see Andy on the channel!
I bought one. Have owned many synths going back 15 years. It's pleasant to play, and can produce some very beautiful sounds. I'm loving it with an external keyboard (fantom 06).
Andy's bass sound was monster, have to copy that.
I like it, I'm more interested in the non-wavetable sounds myself, I'm not a fan of the digital sound of wavetables, but being able to mix them In with the others is nice.
Being able to mix non-wavetable sounds with common saws, squares, etc., is also an option on every other wavetable synth. If you get this Gaia2, it needs to be because you like the controls, factory patches, and/or "Roland house sound".
The Korg Modwave is the better alternative and for less money for most folks. The Roland is much better built, though. But then why did they reuse the tiny pitch and mod wheels of the JD-Xi? Wheels meant for toddlers too young to make any use of this synth.
This was awesome! What an incredible synth! Also, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding howler monkey voice drop by my man, Oz behind the camera! Love'n this channel from the middle of America fellas!
Good knowledge shown of a decent product....well done both
There’s no one commenting negatively on here, which is nice to see. I don’t understand the hate for Roland and particularly for the original Gaia or for this one. I think this looks and sounds amazing and I wish I could justify buying one right now.
I don't mind what other people buy, for me, it's a Zenology VST in a box. Some people like that, some don't. Both positive & negative opinions are valid here IMO.
I don't see why being critical should be something that people are glad not to see. I've got a JX-08 and an MC-101, and very much enjoy them both. But I also think Roland are incredibly lazy as of late and have little to offer outside of Zenology/ZenCore repackaging and emulations of their gear from 30-40 years ago.
You don't like it enough to buy it. That says it all.
@@_mickmccarthythis one isn’t zenology compatible though.
This was a very exciting review!!!
15:27 One of Jack‘s most sophisticated statements. 😆
🤣🤣🤣
The bass made him poop.
Told you it was a blind buy for me and I don’t care what people think I’m happy with mine. I love it and I’m learning something every day and it compliments my Akai MPC gear wonderfully.
It's only silly Roland-haters who would write this off
Personally, it seems cool, but at that price, no! This should be competing with Hydrasynth Explorer and Minifreak, and even Minilogue XD, but not at that price!!
@@SixteenVoice "Minilogue XD"
With an analogue synth that it has nothing in common with? Seriously?
@@SixteenVoice I agree, I wouldnt pay more than £600 for this personally
I’m silly, but not a Roland hater :) so, I’m owning GAIA 2 for a couple of weeks and going to return it today. For me- just the sound quality is not enough. It’s too weak and flat. I’m not talking about the tone but the sound quality. Even virtual synthesizers have more fat and juice sound. I think $900+tax for this unit is too much.
Ive had mine eight months now and use it more often than I ever thought I would. Have the original Gaia as well and really like the pattern sequencer and effects on this which are light years ahead.
I have quite a few synths. I bought this and it is totally different from what I have, and I have waldorf,sequential, korg, roland, etc.
It's pretty cool. I don't think I'll buy one, but I'm interested to see how it finds its way into modern music. UDO Super Gemini stole my synth money for the next year. Andy is awesome, and does a great job of making you excited about a piece of gear. I'm waiting for another version of a trance/psytrance instrument from roland! JP-8000 and V-Synth GT were so sick and could use a modern iteration.
Gemini is otherworldly! 💯
Roland's presets are always inventive and useful. Would be nice, if they release a 61 version of it. Like Korg did with its "SE" series Wavestate and Opsix. By doing so Roland would also secure some of the market share from the (hopefully) forthcoming Modwave SE.
Man, that's such a great synth! Love seeing Andy back, I know when he shows up, we are going to see something interesting =) I really want a GAIA2 now =P
Tempting, tempting, very very tempting!
Love the sound this thing makes
That random pattern generator is Awesome!
Awesome! Thank You!
That Organ!!!! Insta thumbs up!! 👍🏾
I’m thinking about getting this as my first synth. Seems more straightforward than the minifreak and has more depth than the minilogue
Solid synth! Love the modulation idea with the recordable pad movement! Andy mentioned that it is ABM on the SH101 model. Is that also true for the Juno 106? And if yes, how many voices are on the Juno?
Definitely getting this. Kinda wish they made a 61key version
Great video, this synth have a lot of features. Next video another review on the Access Virus please, it’s been around for a long time, is it still worth it in 2023
Virus is still one of the ultimate VA synths around. The only VST that nails the sound of the Virus oscillators (and is inspired by the Virus) is Synapse Dune3.
There’s actually a free emulator of the virus online worth checking out,
@@Music-Gear I actually have Dune3, love its sound to death and love using it. Plus it is very cheap. I don't really care for freeware stuff (ignoring U-He freebies, TAL, Dexed, and Vital) as it all tends to sound like complete sh1t without "fixing in post", which Dune3 doesn't ever need. There are emulations of plenty of other synths, even the Yamaha AN1x, and they all don't sound half-way as good as the hardware. I've got other plugins and hardware that sound awesome.
It's probably just me, I would gladly have a larger OLED
I'm fascinated that Roland has no clear design language. This thing looks nothing like a Phantom which looks nothing like the SH4d which only somewhat resembles the Aira stuff. Not sure if that is good or bad, but it feels bad-ish?
Gaia2 resembles the SH-201, but with a modern look. SH-4D resembles the tasteless looks of some of their oldest synths. Aira stuff looks nothing like anything they've made before, just weird attempts at looking sci-fi. However, the D-05 Boutique and original D-50 look like they came straight out of an '80s sci-fi movie (the one thing I love to death about them).
I’m fascinated that this looks more like the big brother of the Minilogue than the Prologue does.
Does GAIA2 has smooth transition feature between the presets?
Yes
So confused. I recently bought the Jupiter-Xm, which sounds amazing, but i hate the complexity of the UI and that the presets typically come as a 2-4 part setup. I really just wanted the Boutiques in one package, with battery feature. This looks like a simpler way to get those classic Roland sounds. Plus, full-size keys. Christ. There's never just THE ONE thing that is right.
Roland's classic sounds are all over _all_ their products. System-8 is the way to go if you want the sounds of the Boutiques with more polyphony and bigger controls.
If ACB doesn't matter, Juno-DS61 runs on batteries and has full-size keys and a great looper sequencer.
Jupiter-Xm can be simple. Just ignore the deeper parameters and done.
oscillators = _Partials_
filter and filter EG = _TVF_ and _TVF EG_
amp and amp EG = _TVA_ and _TVA EG_
mod matrix = _Matrix Control_
Their silly naming scheme for the parameters goes back to their earliest digital synths.
That WMT stuff? Just ignore, you don't need that to make patches that mimic antique synths. The piano and e.piano patches are mainly what use that.
_Tone Common_ settings is mostly for Unison and Portamento settings. Then always crank up _Analog Feel_ , that is oscillator drift. I always use it in my custom patches, 15 or more.
You don't need the Pitch EG or PENV for anything. Old school synths didn't have that to begin with. It is mainly a situational thing for modern sound design.
Feels like they've been inspired by korg lately eh?
Yeah, Korg Modwave clone, pretty surprising, but no ability to import user wavetables and mod options are much more limited. They could have thrown in a mod matrix. Then they reuse the JD-Xi miniature pitch and mod wheels when they clearly could have used normal, full-sized controls or their classic joystick.
The build quality is much better than the Modwave, at least, but overall $200 too expensive for what it is.
He said “additional sound packs” at the end.
What sound packs? Just the three models or can you get others?
Shame about the lack of aftertouch and teensy wheels but otherwise it sounds interesting. Any idea if the envelopes are rtz behaviour like the original Giaia? (Hope not)
QUESTION: Can you pair this with the MPC ONE PLUS & what's the easiest way?
Simplest is with a small mixer like the Yamaha MG06, I'm guessing. 5 pin MIDI DIN cable for tempo sync, if desired.
Does it have drum sounds and is it possible to create a track from scratch?
It's not a workstation or groovebox, just pure synth. You can synthesize drum sounds, but you will need external gear to sample them and use them together with the leads and basses and stuff.
AFAIR Jupiter X and Juno X do NOT have ACB but Zencore models. Unlike the System 8. So this info is a bit weird.
While I can believe some might go with this over the Modwave (particularly mkII which just announced) I do not personally understand why.
Roland ABM emulations and better overall build quality
Is modwave still in production? I own one and still might buy this…lol.
@@dracul74 lots of overlap between those two. Were it me adding a used opsix (around $400) would be more interesting.
@@dracul74 yes, and it may get a v2/mk2 with increased polyphony soon like the Wavestate and Opsix have
Witch is cool 😃😉
Very cool little synth. It’s a shame that it’s so fully featured and has that tiny keybed.
Great demo.
JD-Xi is the VA with tiny keys, not this. The pitch and mod wheels are stupid tiny, though. Looks like Roland bizarrely gave this thing the tiny wheels of the JD-Xi mini-synth.
Whoever calls this synth "simple" must be a genius. This is way, way more powerful than the old Gaia. But as always, Roland gear is either misunderstood or underestimated until it's not in years to come.
😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
This looks like a botched clone of the Korg Modwave, but with better build quality and more of a VST look to its front panel. The not-Kaoss pad in the middle can double as a mouse pad to help you manage settings, which is a neat feature, at least.
Gaia1 sounds like ass, and it's one of Roland's poorest ROMplers. Consider the Juno-DS a Gaia1 on steroids with 16-part multi-timbrality, 8-part looping sequencer, better keybed, and much more FX types and you have up to three at once, not including the dedicated master bus with EQ, chorus, and reverb. 4-layer engine instead of 3 like the Gaia1, mod matrices, optional velocity layers, more filter types, and hundreds more waveforms for the oscillators (a large chunk are for the percussion kits).
They should give us the ability to play samples across the keys
If Arturia did it with the Microfreak I see no reason why Roland cant
They want you to get a Fantom-0 for that.
Okay
I’ve been in this biz for 25 years and have yet to run across someone who graduated from full sale. The ad kinda discredits your channel
Full size keys but dwarf pitch bend/modulation wheels !!!!
Why ?
I love Roland but hate some of there design choices .
I would have preferred their classic pitch bend/mod stick on this unit.
This unit needs the joystick, but they instead reuse the JD-Xi pitch and mod wheels.
No D-Beam? 😅
I hate when people use there instead of their but hey, that's life! 😁
@@SpeccyMan Nice story bro.
This synth looks great, but not sure if I'd ever buy from Anderson music again, still waiting a month later for my speakers to arrive.
Seems Anderson doesn't stock gear it has advertised.
I didn't realise this until AFTER they took my money. They messaged to say delivery a few days later and then on that day a email to let me know it will be dispatched to then in a month.
I can get next day delivery from other UK shops so they lost a customer and Mt next buy is the moog subsequent 37, then mixer, then possibly this synth.
I really like the look of the Gaia 2 but for what is basically a VST with knobs and no aftertouch 900 Euros hurt my wallet too much.
At least it's not ZEN-zore 😅
Yet another new £700 synth with a crappy dot matrix B&W screen, what is going on with this?
Synths are all about the SOUND and not the VISUALS!
I have and am underestimating it, it’s overpriced and extremely underwhelming.
Roland is trash and so is there customer services and warranties they ruined so much by going strictly digital and what the ceo said was” customers don’t know what they are talking about and that roland will never chase the analog ghosts of the past “ they are doomed they couldn’t have made an analog filter at least horrible synth horrible company
For god's sake, no-one look at this week's Bad Gear.
😂 too late lol
Truly a "straight to Bad Gear" release. Roland speed run any%
Synthesizers you need to pay extra for digital modules plugin style is the most horrifying thing I’ve seen so far, that’s a no go for me sorry better to buy the plugins then
Why?
The only difference between that and Roland's old physical plugins for JV1080 et al. decades ago is the lack of physical expansion boards containing the plugins themselves. This is far more convenient.
@ it’s just the price that I think is too much, I get the ease of use and for each their own but those lifetime keys should be probably half the price… just my take
This synth just isn’t grabbing me. I’ve tried to love it but I just find it unremarkable.
All I've heard is mostly wavetable sound which I don't care for. I'd like to hear more of the analogue sounds.
@@Pulse2AM Wavetable.. VA.. whatever the case, it sounds boring and uninspiring to me… just like the recent SH-4d did. The best thing they’ve released in ages was the little S1… 😂
You have not even once reviewed KAWAI pianos? Are you just restricted to promote CASIO, ROLAND, KORG, YAMAHA, KURZWEIL? -> KAWAI has to digital pianos like MP7SE. You could do some review or compare with Yamaha or Roland digital pianos? ;)
Andertons is a music tech shop. This is a promotional video, not a review. Roland and Andertons main goal is to shift units. You'll notice nothing negative has been said about the synth. The Andertons presenter seems overjoyed by anything that has a plug and a keyboard on it. I also just had quick look at the Andertons website and it appears (and I might be wrong) that they don't stock Kawai keyboards. Hence they don't promote them.
Not a single tone i find i would like to use.
There's Behringer monos if you want non-wavetable sounds.
Talk too much
Not a fan. Dated sound from an also-ran synth.
That g2 sounds horrible
Whats Andy's IG?