Roland JUPITER-4: Legendary synth now as a plug-in/plug-out emulation
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Roland has announced the latest Legendary Series software synthesizer is the classically chunky and Compuphonic JUPITER-4. Plug it in as a VST or plug it out on your SYSTEM-8.
JUPITER-4
The JUPITER-4 was one solid-looking synthesizer. It was Roland’s first polyphonic synthesizer, released in 1978 and kicked off the usage of the word “Jupiter”. It has that organ crossover vibe going on with those preset buttons set below the keyboard, and the console-style control panel surrounded by heavy wood.
Anyway, we don’t need to worry about the physicality, because Roland has captured the soul of the machine via its ACB Analog Circuit Behaviour technology. Roland analysed many original hardware units, circuit diagrams and historical data to pull together the most authentic, warts and all, playing and sound design experience possible.
JUPITER-4 runs a single oscillator for each of the 4-voices with triangle, square and variable pulse waveforms. It has a fabulous unison mode which gives the JUPITER-4 its massive sound. There’s also a switchable sub-oscillator. The filter offers high pass and low pass resonant modes and has its own ADSR invertible envelope. You’ve also got a single LFO, VCA and Ensemble/Chorus effects. The arpeggiator was, apparently, used by Duran Duran on Rio. The buttons gave you 10 preset sounds and 8 memory locations for your own sounds.
Also available as part of the new Analog Polysynth Collection
Roland has made a few tweaks for the software emulation. Circuit Mod and Condition controls allow you see dial in the dirt and decrepitude for extra character. There are adjustments to the oscillator range, you now have level control over the sub and noise generator and the arpeggiator has been expanded. You also get a load more effects.
In the Cloud
JUPITER-4 is available in VST3, AAX and AU formats or as a Plug-Out for the SYSTEM-8 synthesizer. You’ll need a RolandCloud account and have to navigate the convoluted ways of accessing the right to use the synth. If you have Ultimate membership ($19.99 pcm) then you already have it. With Pro ($9.99 pcm) membership you can use two Legendary titles at a time. Core ($2.99 pcm) membership doesn’t get you anywhere, but if you’re a new user, you get 30 days free of the Ultimate membership. Alternatively, you can buy a lifetime key of JUPITER-4 for $149.
It is a totally classic synthesizer that has got to be on everyone’s wish list. If you don’t fancy the subscription then the Analog Polysynth Collection looks promising. I don’t have an official price yet but Roland says it will save you 40% off the price of buying them individually which would pitch it around the $300 mark.
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- Roland JUPITER-4 box: Roland
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2 responses to “Roland JUPITER-4: Legendary synth now as a plug-in/plug-out emulation”
Yo trabaje y grabe para discos promusa de Orfeon, Con el:SH1000 y el SH2000, en los que sonaba unicamente una nota. Y el Jupiter 4 que, fue el 1er. sintetizafor en sonar 4 notas a la vez, con Mar y espuma, pionero de la era grupera en el estado de Hgo.
Quero testar