Roland JD-08 Boutique Synthesizer

General

2021 marks the 30-year anniversary of the immense Roland JD-800 synthesizer. A revolution in its own time, this model departed from the menu-based synthesis trend, serving users with a smorgasbord of sliders and knobs that you could twist and nudge to sculpt your own custom sounds. That's not to say that this didn't already exist, but since the sheen of the Yamaha DX7 has worn off a bit, and Roland's own D-Series came loaded with a menu-based system that overwhelmed users with options, the Roland JD-800 was a breath of refreshing air. Now, to mark its 30th birthday, Roland present the JD-08: a fresh boutique synthesizer that, whether you're familiar with the JD-800 or not, is a welcome junk of joy. While there's an enormous size difference with the original, this tactile synth has all of the same functions, options, and presets, and as an added bonus, now comes with an arpeggiator and polyphonic sequencer.

The Roland JD-08

Both the JD800 and JD-08 are ROMplers, meaning that they're able to play samples back but aren't able to make samples themselves, and the samples are exactly the same as they were in the early nineties: synthetic loops. While acoustic sounds, like pianos, drums, and strings are included, the JD should be viewed primarily as a synthetic-sound machine - which is exactly what the original was a master of. Think thick and luscious pads, screaming leads, and a fat layer of effects, and you're in the right place - basically you're looking at a straight-up slice of synthesizer history; one that slotted neatly between the D50 and the JV1080. If you never met the JD-800, then you need to meet the JD-08, and if you're more-than-familiar with the JD-800, then you'll also be familiar with the faulty self-moving faders , so this ode to the legend has probably arrived just in time.