Roland jx3p sequencer issues

[mr.blisset]

Hi this is my first post here Thought I might finally make an account and try and figure out this problem I've been having with my jx3p.

I'm having a problem where the sequencer wont play a full sequence, just the first note or just the first few notes of the sequence together as a chord even though I play the notes in the sequence apart.

Sometimes the LEDs in the silver square buttons also come and go or even flicker on and off, the sound bank or patch of the button pressed still changes and makes sound however, so thinking it's not a battery issue?

I'm not sure if these issues are interrelated but they started happening around the same time. The jx3p still has all its voices and sound great, selects patches etc. . . to be clear I've just I've got no sequencer and random lights coming and going on the buttons themselves.

I'm pretty handy with soldering iron so popped it open but I can't see any obvious damage anywhere. I'm thinking I will replace the battery and fuses but not sure this will change anything as it seems to have no problems storing my patches.

I've found some good quality schematics here: http://www.florian-anwander.de/roland_j ... _schem.htm

Any ideas on where to start looking?

Thanks for the help!

[belltones]

does it ever spit out the notes of the sequence sort of erratically, as if the tempo is changing, and/or with pauses in between them?

what you describe could potentially be another manifestation of the same problem that causes those symptoms, which I have seen being caused by noisiness where the sequencer receives its clock signal.

[mr.blisset]

No it plays them simultaneously. So the sequence always sounds like a chord.

The LEDs on the square silver buttons wont advance to the next step in the sequence after I play a note. I can only advance the sequencer and get it play notes separately by using the rest buttons. However when using the rest buttons it will advance two steps instead of one.

Sometimes after doing this, the sequencer will start working perfectly again all of a sudden.

Do you think replacing the internal 3v battery could be a good idea?

Thanks from replying!

[belltones]

The internal battery is only used to keep the RAM "awake" so that your saved patches stick around after the synth has been turned off. Though, I would replace the battery in any case, as it is surely near the end of it's life if it hasn't failed entirely already.

Try cleaning the Rate slider.

Something else to test: see if you can have the sequencer triggered by an external clock source. It can receive analog clock through a dedicated jack, but not MIDI clock. You can do a quick Google search for an explanation on how you can do that with your computer if you don't already have something that can send an analog clock signal.

[mr.blisset]

Well the problem seems to have gotten worse.

Now occasionally it will go for working, to working without the sequencer operating properly. To not working at all, making a noise as though every key was been played simultaneously and all LEDs lighting up.

I've checked the battery which is good. Checked the power supply which also seems to be putting out the correct voltages.

I've tapped around with a wooden rod to see if there were any glitches or bad solder joints that might reveal themselves. No luck.

What seems strange to me now is how the synth can go from working to everything gone haywire back to working again.

What does it generally mean when it sounds like every note is being played and all the LEDs are coming on simultaneously? Is there anything I could test in particular with my multimeter to narrow things down a little here?

Thanks