Roland Cloud

[joeyluck]

All I really want from Roland in VST format, is a JP-8000/8080!
Surely someday they'll do this?

It's interesting a company with such popular analogue hardware synths, makes digital hardware and software emulations of the analogue gear, and won't bother making analogue recreations of the analogue synths.
Yet, with one of the most popular digital synths, they don't make a software version? Isn't that choice and process easier?

And speaking of—and not to get off topic—but when will we have a Prophecy/Z1 VST from Korg?

I feel like so much of what I want in hardware and software are things companies would rather sit on.

[fotizimo]

Fotizimo, if you're going to buy just one, I'd say the SH-2, then maybe the Promars. I'd love the System-100M, but maybe another day. I'm also looking to pick up the D-05 having played a friend's D-50.

I just spent the last two hours playing with the SH-101, SH-2, System-100, and Promars... and I really am not sure what these provide beyond my System-1m. I can recreate almost everything the SH-101, SH-2, and Promars can do with the System-1m, or at least come very very close.

I wonder if the various OSCs, LFOs, or filters of the individual synths really sound all that different, but I will leave that question to those with better ears than mine. I do think the SH-2 is the best of the SH-2, SH-101, and Promars options.

[groggy1]

No, you can't. The Plug-Outs listed in the content store are the only ones you can buy straight away, the Roland Cloud ones take a year, and are about £180/$240.

The TR-8 TR-707 expansion only works with the hardware, but the SH-101, SH-2, Promars, System-1 etc. work as VST/AU instruments. The Promars also works as a standalone, and weirdly, is the only one that does.

I had a real SH-101 and Juno-6 back in the early '80s, working two jobs before and after school to buy them. The Plug-Outs of the SH-101 and Juno-106 are faultless, but I was lucky enough to get a free SH-2 Plug-Out and it's the business for analogue bass. The Promars is excellent as well.

The System-1 has the SH-101 for free (although I still bought the SH-01A). The System-8 ships with a Jupiter-8, Juno-106 and JX-3P (again, I bought the Boutique units), and you can add all the Content Store Plug-Outs in place of the 3 that are factory installed. The System-8 is also the default controller for Roland Cloud. It gets complicated if you own a Plug-Out and try to use the Cloud version, as the Authoriser wigs out trying to process two separate licences.

Fotizimo, if you're going to buy just one, I'd say the SH-2, then maybe the Promars. I'd love the System-100M, but maybe another day. I'm also looking to pick up the D-05 having played a friend's D-50.

Your explanation is exactly what I was looking for, thank you. I was hoping I could just by the System-8 and get the Roland D-50 on it immediately as a VST, without having to wait 1 year to own it. But sounds like the matrix of what I can get is complicated, and alas I need Roland Cloud to really get Roland D-50.

I was hoping that System-8 was an alternative to permanently owning Roland VSTs without having to wait a year.

[mooseharris]

I was hoping that System-8 was an alternative to permanently owning Roland VSTs without having to wait a year.

Well, it is, but only the Jupiter-8, Juno-106 and JX-3P. I say only, those are some f***ing awesome synths. You can then add SH-2, SH-101, System-100M and Promars to the collection via content store, at a discount. As I mentioned before, the System-100M is the only one I don't have. Unfortunately, the D-50 is Cloud only at present, but who knows? They gave away the JX-3P as part of the firmware update back in August.

I'll also point out the System-8 is far better than just some shell for mounting Plug-Outs. The latest firmware patch has added 10 variants of FM oscillators, and JP-08, JU-106, harmonic and formant filters to what was an already amazing sounding synth. If I'm totally honest, I use the System-8's built in synth engine far more than I use any of the Plug-Outs, because it's so good.

FM Osc demo here:

Filter demo here:

and the pre-update sounds are here:

[mooseharris]

I have found they give a one-time discount for a VST purchase of around $50 USD.

That discount extends to all Content Store Plug-Outs, which also work as VST/AU devices in most DAWs (except Reason). I currently use Ableton Live Lite (free from Roland) to host the VSTs, using Ableton to access the Library features of each VST for loading onto my hardware synths, and then either run Reason in ReWire mode or use the hardware synths as external midi devices..

[mooseharris]

Your explanation is exactly what I was looking for, thank you.

You're most welcome.

I was hoping I could just by the System-8 and get the Roland D-50 on it immediately as a VST, without having to wait 1 year to own it. But sounds like the matrix of what I can get is complicated, and alas I need Roland Cloud to really get Roland D-50.

Unfortunately, yes.

I was hoping that System-8 was an alternative to permanently owning Roland VSTs without having to wait a year.

See the posts above. You get 3 Plug-Outs with the System-8, but not the VST versions. This is where the hardware is useful as an external midi device, as you get 4 brilliant synths for the price of the System-8.

I sound like I should probably start work advertising Roland products, but I've used them across 4 decades and love them despite their, and Roland's, perceived flaws. It's probably why I have Reason despite better DAWS being available; I still love it despite everyone constantly slating it and slagging off the Props for not rebuilding it from scratch.

[EnochLight]

System-8 is pretty much the first time I’ve wanted to drop bank on a “hardware synth” in like 20 years. I’m seriously considering getting one at some point.

[EnochLight]

Thread Resurrection time!

Roland's "Play 2-4 Life" promo just began for the holidays! Offer ends December 31, 2018...

So apparently if you buy 1 year of Roland Cloud up front for $199 USD, you get two (2) instruments to keep for life! That's less than $100 USD for each plugin, which is actually very tempting deal now.

I could score an actual Roland Juno 106 as well as a Jupiter 8 with actual Roland analog modelling for what I consider a reasonable price for an authentic emulation. Seriously might consider doing this...

https://www.rolandcloud.com/Promo-Details

Anyone else considering this?

[eusti]

Thread Resurrection time!

Roland's "Play 2-4 Life" promo just began for the holidays! Offer ends December 31, 2018...

So apparently if you buy 1 year of Roland Cloud up front for $199 USD, you get two (2) instruments to keep for life! That's less than $100 USD for each plugin, which is actually very tempting deal now.

I could score an actual Roland Juno 106 as well as a Jupiter 8 with actual Roland analog modelling for what I consider a reasonable price for an authentic emulation. Seriously might consider doing this...

https://www.rolandcloud.com/Promo-Details

Anyone else considering this?

Damn! That seems to be a good offer. Hate subscriptions, but this might work for me. Thinking...

D.

[LarsK]

Thread Resurrection time!

Roland's "Play 2-4 Life" promo just began for the holidays! Offer ends December 31, 2018...

So apparently if you buy 1 year of Roland Cloud up front for $199 USD, you get two (2) instruments to keep for life! That's less than $100 USD for each plugin, which is actually very tempting deal now.

I could score an actual Roland Juno 106 as well as a Jupiter 8 with actual Roland analog modelling for what I consider a reasonable price for an authentic emulation. Seriously might consider doing this...

https://www.rolandcloud.com/Promo-Details

Anyone else considering this?

I am now!

[raymondh]

System-8 is pretty much the first time I’ve wanted to drop bank on a “hardware synth” in like 20 years. I’m seriously considering getting one at some point.

It really is awesome - you need it!

The user experience is fantastic, hardly any menu diving, it' all right there in real time controls. Such a fun synth, and it can sound very digital, and very analog.

Sure it doesn't have four LFOs per voice or semi-modular capabilities, but for that programming depth, we have amazing soft synths.

[raymondh]

Thread Resurrection time!

Roland's "Play 2-4 Life" promo just began for the holidays! Offer ends December 31, 2018...

So apparently if you buy 1 year of Roland Cloud up front for $199 USD, you get two (2) instruments to keep for life! That's less than $100 USD for each plugin, which is actually very tempting deal now.

I could score an actual Roland Juno 106 as well as a Jupiter 8 with actual Roland analog modelling for what I consider a reasonable price for an authentic emulation. Seriously might consider doing this...

https://www.rolandcloud.com/Promo-Details

Anyone else considering this?

I am now!

The bit I don't like: "keep using TWO instruments* for as long as they’re available in the catalog."
Does that mean if Roland abandon their cloud one day, or they decide to rationalise the Cloud, that we could lose the instruments we thought we'd permanently bought?
hmm...

[LarsK]

I am now!

The bit I don't like: "keep using TWO instruments* for as long as they’re available in the catalog."
Does that mean if Roland abandon their cloud one day, or they decide to rationalise the Cloud, that we could lose the instruments we thought we'd permanently bought?
hmm...

It surely does seems like it. From the full terms of their Holiday promotion:

"You will maintain access to the selected entitlements only for as long as Roland Cloud continues to offer and support that entitlement."

[EnochLight]

System-8 is pretty much the first time I’ve wanted to drop bank on a “hardware synth” in like 20 years. I’m seriously considering getting one at some point.

It really is awesome - you need it!

The user experience is fantastic, hardly any menu diving, it' all right there in real time controls. Such a fun synth, and it can sound very digital, and very analog.

Sure it doesn't have four LFOs per voice or semi-modular capabilities, but for that programming depth, we have amazing soft synths.

Is it multitimbral? Can I access/play multiple presets at the same time? Having been inside DAW/plugins for so long, I have a fundamental issue with dropping bank on hardware that can only play one sound at a time.

The bit I don't like: "keep using TWO instruments* for as long as they’re available in the catalog."
Does that mean if Roland abandon their cloud one day, or they decide to rationalize the Cloud, that we could lose the instruments we thought we'd permanently bought?
hmm...

I take it to mean that if Roland Cloud eliminates a "product" (instrument) at any time from the catalog, then you may lose that one even if it was part of the 2 you chose to keep, or if Roland Cloud shuts down (as in their sub business model fails entirely and they retire their servers), you lose them as well.

In other words, nothing new these days.

[raymondh]

Is it multitimbral? Can I access/play multiple presets at the same time? Having been inside DAW/plugins for so long, I have a fundamental issue with dropping bank on hardware that can only play one sound at a time.

It's bi-timbral. Apparently, because I've never done it. (https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/roland-system-8).