Questions about Jx8p

[jx8p]

Im new in this forum. I recently bought a Roland Jx-8p and im happy with it, it has some very nice presets.
But i have lots of doubts about it because it's my first synthesizer (im 18, so im new in this).

It's hard for me to understand the analog synthesis, i don't have the pg800 programmer, i just use the hpf, resonance, and i edit the DCO's waveform, range and tone, because they're easy to notice in the sound.

I do not have any memory catridge (this things are really expensive in my country because they're hard to get).


My questions are:
¿Is there a way to save the synth's default samples or restore the presets and internal memory?.
¿Can you give me any advice or tip about jx8p's synthesis?, i would love to get some analog pads with thicker sound than the soundtrack preset (duran duran kind of things), some better basses, something like JP8 or Juno 106 kind of retro new wave sounds (or even cheap poly 800 sounds).
¿How can i make it work with my computer GB800 soft?, i doesn't work for me, im just able to make the keys sound (playing them on my pc) or using it as a midi controller, but i can't edit patches (note: i use a midi-usb interface).
And my last question, ¿How can i sequence it?, ¿do i need an old sequencer or a special kind of sequencer and can i use my computer to sequence it?.

Lots of thanks and congratulations to all vintage synthesizers proud owners.

[Yoozer]

1) You need to reload the original system exclusive files. I've checked my cartridge but don't have 'm anymore.

2) Get a JX10. No, sorry, no useful advice there .

3) Try http://www.synthzone.com/mschreier/html/pcjx8p.htm ?

4) No, you don't need anything special at all. If you want to get the thickness of the JX-10, you might want to get a sequencer that allows you to record audio so you can record your parts twice (one slightly detuned, perhaps) - and then layer 'm.

As for the cartridge, you're not missing out that much. It's mostly handy if you don't have the computer hooked up to it.

[jx8p]

1) You need to reload the original system exclusive files. I've checked my cartridge but don't have 'm anymore.

2) Get a JX10. No, sorry, no useful advice there .

3) Try http://www.synthzone.com/mschreier/html/pcjx8p.htm ?

4) No, you don't need anything special at all. If you want to get the thickness of the JX-10, you might want to get a sequencer that allows you to record audio so you can record your parts twice (one slightly detuned, perhaps) - and then layer 'm.

As for the cartridge, you're not missing out that much. It's mostly handy if you don't have the computer hooked up to it.

Thanks for your answer.

How could i load the original system exclusive files?, i don't really know much about synths, i've bought this one last month.

Im afraid of writing over the internal banks because i don't know how to restore the sounds and i might delete an interesting editable sound.

I just wanted a few tips about editing sounds, i know it is capable of sounding very well (and i know it's not the best synth for basslines), but i've heard some quite good pads/brasses on youtube.

About the JX10, i've heard it's too big, it would be difficult to transport, in my country synths are much more expensive than on Europe or Usa and i even couldn't find a jx10.

[Pro5]

Ok on the software make sure it's channel is set to the same channel as your JX-8P (you can check this on the 8P by pressing the Midi button and using parameter 11 to change the channel with the edit slider - any will do just make sure whatever software you use knows what channel to 'look for' and use - both transmit and receive - this applies to editors and sequencers - unless in 'any' or 'omni' mode).

Download the FREE JX-8P software editors (there's a couple out there - google again is your friend), this will allow you to edit much easier over midi with a full overview (just like a PG-800 but with a mouse). With this you can make a patch and save it to your PC, transmit it to the 8P and 'get' a patch or bank FROM the 8P.

To save you 'having to search' try these:

http://www.synthzone.com/mschreier/html/pcjx8p.htm

http://members.iquest.net/~twilight/utils.html

The 2nd one will allow you to 'get' patches from the 8P with minimum fuss so you can back them up to your PC. I prefer the first one myself though.

The preset sounds on the 8P (that is bank P1 and P2 - by pressing Preset button twice) are not overwritable so don't worry about those, they will always be there. The internal bank (only one) IS overwritable so dump this bank to your PC for future use/back up.

press the 'midi' button on the 8P, type in parameter 26 and make sure 'exclusive' is set to ON (so you can edit it via midi)

For your needs use 2 midi cables, put midi out to midi in on your PC and midi in to midi out on your PC. With the above software, correct channel set and 'exclusive' on you should have no reason to not achieve what you want.

As for sequencer, no special sequencer is needed.. any modern DAW or even cheap old sequencer will work just hook it up as above and go! (Again making sure you select the right channel or 'omni'/all).

HTH.

As for sound editing, 8P is what it is but be sure to check out the Unison mode (mode 2 esp is thicker - remember each mode button poly/unison/solo has two modes - press the button TWICE to use mode 2)... in unison you can then press the 'Master Tune' button which changes from a tuning function to a UNISON DETUNE function- adjust this to 'fatten up' the sound to taste.

As for DD sounds, well.. there is one patch that sounds a bit similar to the save a prayer 'lead' sound ( Jupiter 8 ) but put it in SOLO 2 mode to thicken it and give it a more organic feel... download all the patches on the net (from the above 2 sites and more!) and send them one by one until you find something workable and then tweak/use the various modes and see if it sounds good.

Basses? Well it can sound very bassy (got quite a big bottom end imo) but it won't be as natural at basses as the Juno/JP8 - the 8P's envelopes are software and 'slow' compared to the Juno60/Jupiter8.. pads and 2 osc strangeness is where it excells.. you can get bassy patches of course but Juno prob does it better. Jupiter 8 has VCOs not DCOs and sounds very warm, so you can only ever get 'close' to certain Jupiter sounds (My JX-3P seems to get closer sometimes due to it sharing the same filter as the Jupiter 8 - and that's mainly for slow pad sounds rather than fast attack/rhytmic sounds). I'm not sure if it's a JP8 on the intro to 'lonely in your nightmare' (the held D note IIRC) but I made a sound on the 3P that sounds very close to it, also on the 8P but the 8Ps version sounds less accurate.

I have a cart btw, very useful for expanding immediate 'at hand' patches by a bank of 32.. but not essential for just storage when a PC can work wonders.

as usual I re-read your post AFTER posting and realised you had a midi interface and one of the editors - but grab both/all and use google - and most of all make sure you are on the same channel and 'exclusive' is on in the midi menu of the 8P.

BTW congrats on the 8P, I love mine

[Yoozer]

How could i load the original system exclusive files?

The problem lies mostly in getting hold of a .syx (MIDI System Exclusive) file that contains these patches.

When you have that, you connect the JX8P to your computer using an USB MIDI interface. You then get MIDI-OX : http://www.midiox.com/ (click Download, then scroll down - you don't need the Windows Installer updates). After setting this up so that it knows that you want to use your MIDI-interface, you can send the Sysex file to the JX8P. It'll briefly show "RECEIVING MIDI DUMP" or something like it on its display, and when it's done, you're done. Just make sure that the memory protection is off.

Likewise, MIDI OX can also be used to -receive- the sysex info from the JX8P so you can always back up your patches. I'll see if I can work out a tutorial of sorts with screenshots so you can be sure everything went correctly.

About the JX10, i've heard it's too big, it would be difficult to transport, in my country synths are much more expensive than on Europe or Usa and i even couldn't find a jx10.

Then recording twice is the solution to get a pseudo-JX10 .

[Pro5]

I used midi-ox for a lot of these tasks too.

However there is a specific JX10/8P sysex tool on the link posted above:

http://members.iquest.net/~twilight/utils.html

CPJXWin is the utility and is underneath the editor link.

[Murderhausen]

Join the Yahoo 'rolandjxanalogs' user group. They have sysex files with factory patches and a lot of useful information pertaining solely to these instruments. Also, the LPF is going to give you much better results than the HPF alone. Check it out.

[jx8p]

Lots of thanks!!!, your information is very useful.

I managed to use the PC-JX8P as sequencer but im still trying to edit tones with it.

[wingedwhale]

Hey,

You might want to ask this guy



about programming the JX-8P. His patches are...so good. *drool*

[jx8p]

Hey,

You might want to ask this guy



about programming the JX-8P. His patches are...so good. *drool*

Yeah, i've seen his videos lots of times, he's brilliant, i didn't ask him because he probably gets lots of messages.

Right now im trying to discover the Sysex thing, and try to download some patches and see how they're made.

[Bitexion]

If you're confused by all the synth terms like LFO, oscillators, envelopes and all that, look up "subtractive synthesis tutorial" or similar in google. There are loads of great articles on how to do basic programming on any synth.

Usually the synth's manual has a chapter in the beginning that teach basic synthesis too. And all the old Roland synth manuals are available from their website.

[jx8p]

-EDITED PART-
What i really can't understand is how to use the sysex thing, i've been able to upload some individual patches to my synth, but i dk how to do a backup of my own patches because some of the downloadable patches need ALL the internal banks, and i couldn't use some of the patches i downloaded.

sysex is complex.

Greetings!

EDIT: Yes!!!!, im able to use PC-JX8P, i can't believe, thank you so much guys!!!.