INTRODUCTON
I’d like to introduce this section focusing on the old glories, unique machines which are nowadays almost out of reach, in terms of price and / or availability. I wanted to share my studies and researches on the keyboards that made the history: Rhodes, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, Pianet, Mellotron, string machine, Hammond, Farfisa Compact, Vox Continental and the most famous synthesizers of the time. I will publish an article for each machine, trying to give a general and complete overview of all one should know about the subject which will be discussed.
That said, let's start with a synthesizer, relatively simple to understand and use (compared with some of his peers): the
Roland Juno 60.
ROLAND JUNO 60
Specifications:
Date: 1982
Type: Analogue
Polyphony: 6 voices
Oscillators: DCO (with Pulse Square, Sawtooth, Square, Square/Sub-Osc and Noise waveforms)
LFO: Rate and Delay
Filter: High Pass (static, non-resonant); Low Pass (dynamic; resonant)
Amp: Level; Envelope
ADSR and
Gate
Arpeggiator: yes: Up, Down and Up&Down
FX: Stereo Chorus (two switches)
Keybed: 61 keys (without Velocity nor Aftertouch)
Unlike the VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), in the DCO (Digital Controlled Oscillator) the pitch is not controlled by the (analog) input voltage but digitally, thus having a stable intonation which is not subject to changes with temperature and humidity but, at the same time, losing that slight imperfection which is a distinctive feature of an analog synth. Certainly the DCO choice contributed to the street price reduction (the Juno 60 was relatively cheap at the time).
The sound generations started with a Master Oscillator which then digitally generates the various frequencies corresponding to 6 voice polyphony. The available waveforms are Sawtooth, Square, Pulse Square, Square one octave lower (Sub-Oscillator) and a white noise generator (Noise), all selectable simultaneously, which then end up in the filter section: firstly there is a High Pass (without resonance and not controllable through envelope) with four preset cuts, then a Low Pass (with resonance and controlled by envelope - of which you can reverse the action - LFO and keyboard tracking). The low-frequency oscillator can control the frequency and the Pulse Width of the OSC and the filter frequency. The amplifier has a Volume parameter adjustable via slider and a switch to change its behavior from ADSR to Gate (i.e. a "rectangular" envelope with instant Attack and Release and maximum Decay and Sustain).
Cool facts:
The Roland Juno 60 has 56 patches, which can become 76 through a key combination; to access patches 80-96 (dead-patch), you have to connect a cable to the PATCH SHIFT jack. You can also use the machine in MONO MODE, turning it on by holding down the button KEYTRANSPOSE and with the switch for arpeggio mode UP: all 6 polyphonic voices will be assigned to the last key played.
Software counterparts:
The most faithful reproduction in software comes undoubtedly from
Togu Audio Line, with its
U-NO-LX (
https://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-lx), which also has some useful additions such as a 12-voice polyphony, or the lack of preset cuts in the High Pass filter, to control HP Filter more freely.
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