The Dub-Techno Machine

Fat synth, fat filters, fat sound. Nevertheless, the J-60 is not just a clone of the analog classic Roland Juno-60, but has the original, in addition to the numerous filter models and a powerful sequencer, with which the finest grooves can be conjured. What we are about to do ...

1 Installation

To register the J-60, use IK Multimedia‘s Product Manager, which is included with the booklet downloads. We have also already included the installers, both for the „Sound Content“of the synth and Syntronik Free, which is needed as a player, unless you are already using SampleTank anyway. And here we go ... ⠕

2 Groove monster

Even in their lifetime, the Jupiter synths were a pretty fat thing and have lost nothing of their magic to this day. So it comes as a call that not only sounds of the original slumber in the J-60, but also a sequencer that can deliver rich grooves. With the preset „House Rules“we want to create a proper playback. ⠕

3 Sequencer

Switch to the arpeggiator with the third icon to the right of the preset dropdown (the pyramid-like steps) and press the Play icon. Drag the orange bar below the steps to the right to extend the sequence to twelve steps and draw in a velocity progression to make the pattern less rigid. ⠕

4 Swing!

In step two, we transpose a semitone, step eight three semitones and then comes the most important part: With Swing at 55%, we create the actual groove. To ensure that the sound doesn‘t lose its punch when we play with filters later on, we load a second preset right away. But first we switch to the effects section. ⠕

5 Effects for it

On the one hand, we install the Lo-Fi effect, set BANDWIDTH to 2 kHz, STEREO to full blast and Lo-Fi to 40. Behind it, we set the Vintage EQ-1A and free the sound from bass with the upper ATTEN(uate) control. We set the CPS control to 60 Hertz. In Layer B, we load the same preset, but turn the filter halfway down. ⠕

6 Layer B

We take away the resonance, set VELOCITY at AMPLITUDE ENV to maximum and set the sequence as shown in the picture above: Each step on a quarter has 0 as velocity, leaving air for the kick. This way the sound sounds nice and bassy and is the perfect complement to Layer A. Using LFO, we add some movement. ⠶

Sounds Full Sound tweakers will be pleased: With more than 100 presets, the J-60 comes with a decent base of basic material that can be expanded almost infinitely thanks to the sequencer, effects and layering. Many more filters Sure, the sound source of the J-60 are multisamples, recorded from the original. But thanks to the powerful SampleTank engine under the hood, there are many more features, starting with the filters: Instead of just high and low pass, there are four models to choose from: the Moog-like Ladder Filter, the Roland IR3109 chip of the Jupiter, the Curtis CEM3320 chip, and an Oberheim State Variable Filter. Even phaser and format filter effects are possible. Effects In the effects section, which can be accessed via the pedal icon in the header, you can load up to five of a whopping 38 effects for each layer. Tape delays, limiters, compressors, high-end reverb... simply everything is there! More than just a Juno The J-60 is not only a copy of the Roland Juno-60, but houses four of the classics under one hood. Using layers A to D, you can load up to four presets simultaneously and map them to the keyboard as desired.