ROLAND SYNTH WORKSHOP
Learn more about the iconic sounds of the past, and find out how to recreate them in software
It all started with a drum machine. No, not
that drum machine, but rather a quirky contraption called the TR-77, and its siblings, the TR-55 and TR-33. These boxes were co-developed with Pioneer and released in 1972 by a new R&D company called Roland. This new company – like the TR-77 – was the brainchild of Ikutaru Kakehashi, formerly of Ace-Tone – whose Rhythm Ace FR-8L served as the basis for Roland's new rhythm machine.
Roland (whose name was chosen from a phone book for its sound, rather than being inspired by Chanson de Roland as per popular myth) pumped out a few more musical accessories such as the Bee Baa fuzzbox, the AS1 Sustainer, and the RE-100 tape echo before launching Japan’s very first synthesisers, the SH-1000 and SH-3 in 1973. Like ARP before them, Roland had, in the SH-3, ventured a little too close to Moog’s patented four-pole filter, resulting in a hurriedly redesigned reissue the following year.
The SH-branded monosynths were successful, and would eventually culminate in one of the signature synthesisers of the 1980s.
In the meantime – and like nearly every other synth manufacturer in the 70s – Roland were keen to cash in on the success of Sequential Circuits’ groundbreaking, programmable polyphonic Prophet-5, first with the Jupiter-4 in 1978, followed by the legendary Jupiter-8 in 1981.
The budget-breaking Jupiter series was much loved by musicians of means and has rightfully earned ‘classic’ status among analogue aficionados. Yet it may be that Roland’s greatest legacy comes courtesy of the cut-priced polysynths released under the Juno moniker. These instruments helped to shape the sounds of the post-punk era thanks in no small part to their reduced prices, which put them into the hands of so many would-be pop stars of the day.
Over the next few pages, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the classic synthesisers that bore the Roland badge, describing exactly what it was that set each apart. More importantly, we’ll put those features into practice in step-by-step tutorials using the best virtual recreations available. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get these Rolands rollin’!