Video: A couple of reasons why I still love my Roland JD800 after owning one for nearly 34 years

A very nice  demo of the JD-800 in action. 

Thanks to Tony Drake!

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A look at Tony Banks' Roland JD-800

Tony Banks with the JD-800.

Genesis - The Way We Walk Live In Concert - 1992.

This was posted by Alex Ball at Youtube in a recent work posted September, 13, 2023. 

Thank you! 

This JD-800 now is with Andrew Ward who gently allowed this video. 

Sorry, no Sysex is available nor is there a possibility of getting it. This is explained in the video. 

Citing Akex's words: 

"Here's a look at Tony Banks' Roland JD-800 that he used live throughout the 1990s.

In this video, we have a listen to the tour patches stored on the instrument and get a little glimpse into how Genesis did things in front of stadiums full of adoring fans.

Huge thank you to Andrew Ward for the loan of this historic instrument.

Andrew Ward: https://www.instagram.com/arpquadra  "

A very good video and Alex comments about some parameters for the patches and the music they were used. 

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Roland JD-800 SE Especial Edition - A rare Brazilian exclusive version

JD-800 SE. This is mine. 

What is the JD-800 SE? 

As a JD-800 lover, maybe you perceive I really love this synth, I was after this for a long, long, long time. To be clear, since 2002 when I got the JD-800 and created this site. 

In short, the JD-800 SE is a Brazilian edition with the Strings Card plus exclusive patches but the same original factory presets. 

In practice, the JD-800 SE included all 5 cards. 

In the early 1991-92 years, people from Roland's Brazil asked for a group of very experimented Brazilian musicians to help create new patches for the JD-800. 

This version received an entirely new set of patches that were not included in the factory presets. 

But this was a problem too because almost all users forgot to save the internal memory into a memory card (not included), so those patches become lost for a long time. 

So, if you have a JD-800 SE and restore factory presents, you will lose the SE version patches! This happened to most of them sadly. 

My first contact with the JD-800 SE was in 2005 with Elberto Ronald Manske who had a very nice studio and with all cards.  

After nearly two decades, I found someone who still has the patches saved plus the original prints included with that special model. 

And yes, I have the JD-800 SE, but I was after such patches for a long time, and still, sadly I do have not the String Card (a really fantastic one). 

The new patches were created due to the great work of: 

• Eric Persing
• Adrian Scott
• Paulot Roberto T. A. de Oliveira
• Lucas K. Shirahata
• Carlos Alberto F. Merussi (Pardal)

The patches: 

After finding this, I commented in local groups and then another colleague made a simple video about it, and for sure the JD-800 SE deserves a better one, but he has not the String Cards and his machine sadly is in bad shape, using another keyboard as a controller. 

The original credits to these great guys:

On this page below you can download this rare set of patches. Copyright @Roland Co. 

Software and Patches

Also, watch this video made after we got the material to get a very simple idea. Tiago is using a controller without the Strings Card.

Anyways, no matter who made what, I give thanks to this beloved great friend who gifted me with the original material after decades so we solved the mystery of the JD-800 SE! 

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Again the Gandalf in a great performance!

This is the famous Gandalf The White - The Roland JD-800 Custom White Synth.

It is really a nice white custom mod by Customsynth.
So, another great performance with it and its great sound! 

Turn up the volume!

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And here with other great synths:

 

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Roland JD-800 Demo & Review by Katsunori UJIIE

Mr Katsunori is a well know musician and his reviews are always great!

In his words:

"The Roland JD-800 was an epoch-making synth that combined the operability of a digital sound source and an analog feel. The character that is clear and has a strong presence is wonderful even if you listen to it now! .. The famous no.53 piano is still very nice! Katsunori UJIIE"

 

Roland JD-800 Factory Demos HQ

 Thanks to Alex Van Den Berg for this video showing the JD-800's factory demos. 

See also how to hear the demos and our recording in mp3 of Factory Sound Demos here.

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Nice patches from the Roland JD-800 by MeX

Great selection! 

Nice patches from the Roland JD-800 by MeX.

 

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Roland JD800 SL-JD80-04 Strings Ensemble Sound Card preset patches

Strings Card!

The white head fly.

Sensational demos of the most famous Card of all for the JD-800 and JD-990.

The unanimous opinion is that you have a new synth with this card.

Our colleague Kozo Tsuji from Osaka, Japan made a series of fantastic videos about all JD cards, highly recommended and great quality material.

Here, the two videos showing why the Card Strings is something everyone wants very much.

Card: Roland JD800 SL-JD80-04 Strings Ensemble Sound Card preset.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Thanks to Kozo Tsuji from Osaka, Japan.

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Sound demo! Roland JD800 SL-JD80-07 Guitar Collection preset patches

Another great demo from Kozo Tsuji.

All this cards have a lot of patches really interesting. 

Card: Roland JD800 SL-JD80-07 Guitar Collection.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Thanks to Kozo Tsuji from Osaka, Japan.

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Sound demo! Roland JD800 SL-JD80-06 Grand Piano preset patches

Is not every day we find good demos, and this one is a very nice one. 

Here, you find the famous JD-800 pianos and a lot more. Fantastic sounds!

Card: Roland JD800 SL-JD80-06 Grand Piano.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Thanks to Kozo Tsuji from Osaka, Japan.

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A really good demo of real-time use

This is a really good demo by Espen Kraft!
Nice show of real-time editing and some fantastic patches.

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Demo - Real Time Sound Editing on the JD-800

Interesting example of some editings.

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Wailing Guitar Keyboard Solo

This was posted by the nice people at Synthopia.


Another video showing some wailing guitar solo on the Roland JD-800.

The videos was performed by Leonardo (Space4Keys).

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Live Editing a Modified JD-800

Image: Suono & Computer

Another example of the modified JD-800 turned into a module showing live editing while playing.

That give a nice idea about some possibilites.

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Using the Four Palletes in Real Time

A new great video from Marko Ettlich of RetroSound.




A note about: starting at 0:09 we can see the real time use of the four pallete sliders.
Each patch can have up to four individual tones.
This is a resource many new synths like to show at their demos but this often go unforgotten on the JD-800.
So it is possible to create a path with four different tones and choose what you want play in real time.
But just to remember, the effects are unique for all. Because this the only I miss at the JD are a set of sliders to real time control of the effects area (one of the best for decades).

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Power guitars

The JD-800 have some very nice guitars to play with that become classics.
 
Here, two nice examples.


MidnightHabit from Texas, USA, sent this solo with the velo crunch guitar voice 



And here, recorded by Kemodesh, Italy, the keyboard solo from Dream Theater album Awake (1994) with Roland JD-800.
This is the same sound as the original used by Kevin Moore for recording session!

90's movie attack!

Very good comments from Jexus from syntezatory.net.pl about the JD-800, the pros and cons.

For sure we have lacks and problems with the project, and such ideas helps to make better use and creation of new machines.
The mp3 demo (link at page) are really very good.

Click the image or here: http://syntezatory.net.pl/roland_jd800.htm 

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The first 40 factory presets and small review

Paul Baraka, composer and sound designer recorded the first 40 factory presets in a nice point of view.

It's always nice to see and listen how the same presets sounds great for diferent minds!

60 very nice users presets

Great user presets done from scratch using only the internal waveforms and the beast sound generator and effects of the JD800.

User:  Default Corporation - Piemonte, Italy

Volume up and enjoy!

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Playing the Gandalf

I don´t know if there is another Gandalf - The Roland JD-800 Custom White Synth.
It is really a nice white custom mod.
So, just see this:

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