We got a look at the new JD-Xi synth from Roland at the NAMM show today. Watch our short video for a quick run-down of the features and demo. We also had a sneak peek at a early model of the new flagship Analogue/Digital crossover synth the JD-XA. Sadly, we weren't allowed to film it, but suffice to say it's rather bigger than the JD-Xi, in terms of dimensions, features and sound. We'll bring you more details when it's formally released at Musikmesse in April.
So here's more about the smaller synth for now, the JD-Xi:
Roland have announced the JD-Xi Interactive Analog/Digital Crossover Synthesizer, a new compact keyboard, that packs a surprising amount of punch for size. Equipped with 37 mini keys, the JD-Xi features a true analogue synth engine along with a wide selection of Roland’s acclaimed SuperNATURAL digital sounds. It also comes packed with many great extras for self-contained music creation, including built-in drum kits (all the Roland kits you'd expect), a four-track pattern sequencer, and a gooseneck mic for using the synth’s vocoder and AutoPitch effects.
Thanks to its unique crossover sound engine, the JD-Xi offers musicians the best of both analogue and digital worlds. Roland have designed the synth to give you the warm, smooth response of classic analogue, and the clarity and versatility of modern digital. This means, according to Roland, players can enjoy fat, warm analogue bass and lead tones with ample controls for hands-on tweaking, plus polyphonic PCM essentials like electric piano, brass, guitar, and many others.
The newly developed analogue synth section in the JD-Xi features saw, triangle, and square waveforms with pulse-width modulation and an analogue filter, plus an independent sub oscillator for low-end power. Two digital synth sections offer 128-voice polyphony and a wide range of SuperNATURAL-based PCM tones for playing any style of music. Sounds can be enhanced with the JD-Xi’s effects section, which includes delay, reverb, and processing options such as Bit Crusher, Slicer, Ring Mod, and others.
Here's a demo from Roland made entirely on the JD-Xi.
The JD-Xi comes with a sturdy gooseneck mic and onboard vocal effects. With the Vocoder, users can sing into the mic and control the tone and pitch via sounds played on the keyboard. AutoPitch makes it simple to achieve the robotic vocal sounds common in today’s pop and electronic music styles, while the Auto Note function provides the ability to 'sing' JD-Xi synth sounds without touching the keyboard.
Using the built-in pattern sequencer, it’s possible to create and perform sophisticated music with only the JD-Xi. Four separate tracks—two digital synth parts, analog synth, and drums—make it easy to build rich-sounding loops. Real-time and step recording modes are provided, along with a special TR-REC mode for programming in the style of Roland’s classic TR-series beatboxes. Patterns can be queued up and manipulated while playing the keyboard, and many preset patterns are included for jamming right out of the box.
The dynamic drum kits in the JD-Xi offer high-quality rhythm tones to support any groove. Included are many types of electronic and acoustic kits, and the drum instrument assignments are conveniently labeled above the keys for quick identification. Users can modify the sound of the kits with filter, envelope, pitch, and pan parameters.
Supporting both MIDI and audio over USB, musicians can use the JD-Xi with their favourite computer music applications. USB also provides the ability to access a growing collection of free JD-Xi patches programmed by top engineers and artists, which are available at Roland’s Axial sound library site.
Featuring red and black styling to match the synth, the optional CB-JDXi gig bag provides a convenient way to carry the JD-Xi and its gooseneck mic along with cables and other accessories.
