Roland Juno-60
Encyclopedia
The Roland Juno-60 is a popular analogue 61-key polyphonic synthesizer
produced by Roland Corporation
in the early 1980s and a successor to the slightly earlier Juno-6. Like its predecessor, the Juno-60 has some digital enhancements, used only for clocking the oscillators and for saving and loading patches. This instrument was succeeded by the Roland Juno-106
in 1984.
Roland was losing market share with the Juno-6 in competition against the Korg Polysix
. Related in features and price-class, the Polysix featured external control and patch memory, which the Juno-6 lacked. These features were quickly added to the Juno-6's design, which sonically and architecturally did not change notably between the two versions, and then released as the Juno-60.
s) of the time would tend to drift in pitch and require re-tuning of the oscillator. The DCO provides sawtooth and square/pulse waveforms as a sound source, in addition to white noise and a square-wave suboscillator pitched one octave beneath the key played. Both of these additional sources can be mixed in with dedicated sliders.
The filters and envelope on the Juno-60 rely on control voltages sent by depressing the keys on the keyboard and were thus analogue. The Juno-60 features a rather distinctive-sounding 24 dB/octave lowpass filter with resonance. Unlike other VCF's of the day, the Juno-60's is capable of self-oscillation and thus could be used to some degree as a tone generator in and of itself. The filter section also features controls for envelope amount and polarity, LFO
modulation, and keyboard tracking. In addition, a three-position non-resonant highpass filter is provided to thin out lower frequencies.
The signal is then sent through a voltage-controlled amplifier (or VCA
) and a simple four-stage ADSR filter envelope.
The Juno-60 provides limited options for modulating the audio signal. A single triangle-wave variable-rate LFO is provided as a modulation source; this can be mixed into the DCO to create vibrato
or into the lowpass filter to generate a tremolo
effect. The LFO can either be triggered manually by the left hand using a large button above the pitch bend lever or set to engage automatically whenever a key was pressed.
which, while noticeably noisy, adds a rather distinctive character to the sound of the instrument.
In addition, the Juno-60, like the Juno 6 but not the Juno 106, features an on-board up/down/up-down arpeggiator capable of spanning three octaves. The arpeggio speed can be controlled by either using a slider or an external trigger source. It is possible to improvise a trigger for the arpeggio by sending a short duration loud audio signal (for example a Roland TR-808
Rimshot
sound) into this input.
The Juno-60 also contains 56 memory slots to retain and instantly recall patch settings. The Juno-60's memory can be dumped to (or loaded from) a magnetic cassette tape simply by plugging a tape recorder into the appropriate jack in the instrument's rear. Patch information is being transmitted as an audio signal similar in quality to that produced by a computer modem.
The Juno-60 is controllable with sequencers
using proprietary DCB
protocol, similar to MIDI. Roland produced several DCB-enabled sequencers, or, alternatively, MIDI-to-DCB converters can be used to drive DCB-enabled synths. In the Juno-106, DCB support was dropped in favor of MIDI.
Finally, there is the test mode (only explained in the service manual):
To access the test mode, power up the Juno with the KEY-TRANSPOSE button pressed.
You have three different key-assign modes while in test mode. You can select a key-assign mode with the arpeggio
mode-switch (the switch has to be in the preferred position before powering up the Juno in test mode).
Arpeggio mode-switch:
UP - All 6 voices are assigned to the last key pressed. This puts the Juno in unison
mode (also transforming it into a monosynth
).
UP/DOWN - The first key pressed might use voice 1, the next key pressed will use the next voice in the number order, and so on. If you keep 4 keys pressed and then release 3 of them, the next key will be assigned to voice 5. The available voices are always assigned in number order to the next key pressed, but the first key pressed does not necessarily assign voice 1.
DOWN - The first key pressed will use voice 1, the next key will use voice 2 and so on. However, if you keep 4 keys pressed and then release 3 of them in this mode, the next key will be assigned to voice 1 (except when it's unavailable). The available voice with the smallest number will always be assigned to the next key pressed.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
produced by Roland Corporation
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
in the early 1980s and a successor to the slightly earlier Juno-6. Like its predecessor, the Juno-60 has some digital enhancements, used only for clocking the oscillators and for saving and loading patches. This instrument was succeeded by the Roland Juno-106
Roland Juno-106
The Roland Juno-106 was a hybrid digital/analogue polyphonic synth manufactured by Roland Corporation in 1984. It featured Digitally controlled oscillators for tuning stability and digital envelope generation along with analog filters and signal path....
in 1984.
Roland was losing market share with the Juno-6 in competition against the Korg Polysix
Korg Polysix
The Korg Polysix is a six voice programmable polyphonic synthesizer released by Korg in 1981.- Features :The synthesizer's main features are six-voice polyphony , 32 memory slots for patches and cassette port for backing up patches, and an arpeggiator.On its release it was, along with the Roland...
. Related in features and price-class, the Polysix featured external control and patch memory, which the Juno-6 lacked. These features were quickly added to the Juno-6's design, which sonically and architecturally did not change notably between the two versions, and then released as the Juno-60.
Software clones and emulators
The popularity of the Juno 60 is such that many companies have seen fit to cater to a significant market of musicians who want the sound of the Juno 60 but are not able to pay for one. This has led to a rise in clones— hardware and software devices designed to emulate the Juno 60 for a much lower price, or in some cases free of charge. The sound of these virtual emulations—while close to the real thing—is not identical to the original hardware.Tone generation
The Juno-60 synthesizer is a six-voice polyphonic synthesizer. The single digitally controlled oscillator (or DCO for short) per voice gave the Juno-60 a high degree of stability in maintaining tune; most analogue voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOVoltage-controlled oscillator
A voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO is an electronic oscillator designed to be controlled in oscillation frequency by a voltage input. The frequency of oscillation is varied by the applied DC voltage, while modulating signals may also be fed into the VCO to cause frequency modulation or phase...
s) of the time would tend to drift in pitch and require re-tuning of the oscillator. The DCO provides sawtooth and square/pulse waveforms as a sound source, in addition to white noise and a square-wave suboscillator pitched one octave beneath the key played. Both of these additional sources can be mixed in with dedicated sliders.
The filters and envelope on the Juno-60 rely on control voltages sent by depressing the keys on the keyboard and were thus analogue. The Juno-60 features a rather distinctive-sounding 24 dB/octave lowpass filter with resonance. Unlike other VCF's of the day, the Juno-60's is capable of self-oscillation and thus could be used to some degree as a tone generator in and of itself. The filter section also features controls for envelope amount and polarity, LFO
LFO
LFO may refer to:* LFO , an English techno act* LFO , an American three-man pop/rap group** LFO , an album released by the American pop group LFO* Light Finding Operation, a form of mecha from the anime TV series Eureka Seven...
modulation, and keyboard tracking. In addition, a three-position non-resonant highpass filter is provided to thin out lower frequencies.
The signal is then sent through a voltage-controlled amplifier (or VCA
Variable-gain amplifier
A variable-gain or voltage-controlled amplifier is an electronic amplifier that varies its gain depending on a control voltage .VCAs have many applications, including audio level compression, synthesizers and amplitude modulation....
) and a simple four-stage ADSR filter envelope.
The Juno-60 provides limited options for modulating the audio signal. A single triangle-wave variable-rate LFO is provided as a modulation source; this can be mixed into the DCO to create vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
or into the lowpass filter to generate a tremolo
Tremolo
Tremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
effect. The LFO can either be triggered manually by the left hand using a large button above the pitch bend lever or set to engage automatically whenever a key was pressed.
Other features
The Juno-60, like the other Juno synthesizers, carries an on-board stereo chorus effectChorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
which, while noticeably noisy, adds a rather distinctive character to the sound of the instrument.
In addition, the Juno-60, like the Juno 6 but not the Juno 106, features an on-board up/down/up-down arpeggiator capable of spanning three octaves. The arpeggio speed can be controlled by either using a slider or an external trigger source. It is possible to improvise a trigger for the arpeggio by sending a short duration loud audio signal (for example a Roland TR-808
Roland TR-808
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was one of the first programmable drum machines . Introduced by the Roland Corporation in early 1980, it was originally manufactured for use as a tool for studio musicians to create demos. Like earlier Roland drum machines, it does not sound very much like a real...
Rimshot
Rimshot
A rimshot is the sound produced by hitting the rim and the head of a drum simultaneously, with a drum stick. Rimshots are usually played to produce a more accented note, and are typically played loudly. However, soft rim shots are possible....
sound) into this input.
The Juno-60 also contains 56 memory slots to retain and instantly recall patch settings. The Juno-60's memory can be dumped to (or loaded from) a magnetic cassette tape simply by plugging a tape recorder into the appropriate jack in the instrument's rear. Patch information is being transmitted as an audio signal similar in quality to that produced by a computer modem.
The Juno-60 is controllable with sequencers
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
using proprietary DCB
Digital Control Bus
DCB was a proprietary data interchange interface by Roland Corporation, developed in 1981 and introduced in 1982 in their Roland Juno-60 and Roland Jupiter-8 products...
protocol, similar to MIDI. Roland produced several DCB-enabled sequencers, or, alternatively, MIDI-to-DCB converters can be used to drive DCB-enabled synths. In the Juno-106, DCB support was dropped in favor of MIDI.
Finally, there is the test mode (only explained in the service manual):
To access the test mode, power up the Juno with the KEY-TRANSPOSE button pressed.
You have three different key-assign modes while in test mode. You can select a key-assign mode with the arpeggio
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
mode-switch (the switch has to be in the preferred position before powering up the Juno in test mode).
Arpeggio mode-switch:
UP - All 6 voices are assigned to the last key pressed. This puts the Juno in unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
mode (also transforming it into a monosynth
Monosynth
A monophonic synthesizer or monosynth is a synthesizer that produces only one note at a time, making it smaller and cheaper than a polysynth, a synthesizer which can play multiple notes at once; most later synthesizers are polysynths....
).
UP/DOWN - The first key pressed might use voice 1, the next key pressed will use the next voice in the number order, and so on. If you keep 4 keys pressed and then release 3 of them, the next key will be assigned to voice 5. The available voices are always assigned in number order to the next key pressed, but the first key pressed does not necessarily assign voice 1.
DOWN - The first key pressed will use voice 1, the next key will use voice 2 and so on. However, if you keep 4 keys pressed and then release 3 of them in this mode, the next key will be assigned to voice 1 (except when it's unavailable). The available voice with the smallest number will always be assigned to the next key pressed.
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