Roland J-6 Unboxing and First Impressions!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Roland J-6 Unboxing and First Impressions!
Welcome to my unboxing and first impressions video for the Roland J-6! The J-6 is part of the Aira Compact Series, alongside the E-4 and T-8. The J-6 is a chord focused synthesizer and sequencer, featuring many classic Roland Juno 60 sounds, numerous banks of chords to play with (and the ability to make your own), rhythmic styles and variations, and a powerful chord sequencer to create progressions with. I can already tell it's going to become a pretty key device in my studio! Enjoy the video :)
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GEAR IN THIS VIDEO
Roland J-6: amzn.to/3JjLksC
Zoom Livetrak L-12 (audio recorder): amzn.to/3IVDm7j
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There is something about that Roland sound that immediately makes me happy on the first chord you play. Must be good times coming back from memory. Thanks mate.
Yeah this one box has so much 80's nostalgia in it!
Absolutely love the j-6. Might be the best device for $200. I also use it to control my bass station 2 via MIDI Arpeggios.
That's awesome!
I am so pleased you have got this. I have one and a T-8 but I already haven’t explored it as much as you have in 20 minutes or so. Some Freebeat tutorials on this would be great!
Time to bust it out!
Nice!!
Can't wait for your t8 review, i got my eyes on it since a while 😍
Thanks for watching!
Sounds great! Thanks for the demo.
Thanks for watching!
Great that you get this one ! Having the J-6 (and the T-8) since their inotial release, they are my on-the-go minimalist setup that i take everywhere ! From my experience, the J-6 sequencer is really great to find quickly music ideas thanks to its style/genre options and the "beat" parameter. And of course if you are fed up with the J-6 presets it can sequence external gear.
Yeah I'm already loving the J-6 even more as a controller!
Great video, can't wait to see what you figure out with it. This was already more in-depth than most reviewers on youtube. I've been playing with mine but I use it to make up for the lack of music knowledge I have as it's SO approachable and really hard to make something sound bad. You should keep that one for yourself, maybe the whole lineup if you don't already have an 808 style drum machine. Then make an all aira jam, or heck, aira week!
I see that you're an Apex Twin fan. How well does the J-6 do for electronic music do you think? From what I've heard it sounds a bit too bright and cheery to me but I'm sure there must some darker chords and sounds on there that are suited to techno/house etc. I think Free Beat did briefly touch on some nice sounding chords. Not that chords get used that much I guess in these genres but the option to turn the chords off is also nice. I think it's one of those purchases I'll either love or find I have no use for! I love the T-8 so I'm used to the workflow. Cheers.
Yeah it's awesome! Thanks for watching :)
Oh yeah the Aira Series is finally complete :)
You can also use the j6 to control the e4 like on the keystep. But you have to turn down the intern volume in the menu of the j6.
Looking forward for more tutorials! Especielly the menu diving. That's one thing i'm always struggling.
Yeah the menu diving on the T-8 is pretty rough, but the J-6 is amazing!
Cant wait, I seem to have most if everything you review.
That's awesome haha, this one's a winner!
Hi,
Thanks for this review. I really like your new outro. Much better than the old one!
Thank you! This definitely wasn't a review though haha, just an unboxing!
This is the first time I had a piece of gear before you! Looking forward to see what you do with it and what I can learn from that.
How have you been using yours so far, I'm looking for video ideas haha. Thanks for watching!
@@FreeBeat I sit on the couch with headphones on sequencing bullshit for my own amusement haha! Not sure that would make for a good video tho.
What a coincidence, i've just busted mine out again this past week after sleeping on IT for a good while, digging into the Dreadbox Nymphes.... Now i'm fully in J6 Land! i feel bad for all the folks that won't ever really experiment with this fantastic little box, just because of the presets boogaboo.... So many great and fairly tweakable sounds in there, so many harmonic options with varying arpeggios, progression setups, ambient exploration, house stabs, bass grooves, on and on for days with this little thing! In one box for $200!! Haters be sleeping 😄🤙🤙🤙🌌
Yeah this thing is really something else for the price, I can see it getting HEAVY use in my music.
It's a brilliant device. Perfect travel companion to use multi samples on the black box. I wish the display would show the name of the chord is.
Oh I bet it's outstanding in that setup!
Thanks for the demo.....while I don't think the J-6 is for me, have the S-1 and the form factor is frustrating and a bit silly. This has inspired me to save a bit more and get the JU-06a and cheekily use the J-6 chord progressions in the manual ( which are nicely laid out for you ).
Just wondering, is it possible to have the Chord Sequencer running while playing the keys on the J-6? So you can play a melody with a chord accompaniment. Thank you!
The J-6 was my first one from the Aira compact collection. Then I got the T-8 and finally, after you comvinced me how cool it was, I got the E-4. 😂
Which is your favorite?
@@FreeBeat the J-6 still, then the E-4. The E-4 was the last one I bought.
Ooh, new outro tune. Groovy.
Thanks for noticing, glad you like it!
Since Roland has begun the online, unfortunately subscription service cloud the possibilities aren’t endless but definitely intriguing. I too have a major interest in chords and scales which modular is becoming a huge contributor of let alone IPad. My IPad is a bunch of modules all in one place. We both have the makings of a J6 without buying one, although the size, price and convenience helps! The SPx404mk 2 will do every the whole set of these Arias will do but to be honest the size surprised me, it’s way bigger than I expected. With Zen Core in Cloud and the Integra 7 there’s is nothing thosese three modules do that I can’t! For a tad cheaper if you combine the total prices. If you want to really get in a new beginning the Behringer Brains is going to put everything to shame with just a few modules.they’ve just just released 5 more oscillators in an update and I expect it’s going to be the future of gadgets like the J6. Don’t get me wrong, the J6 is totally awesome, at an awesome price! For two hundred it’s hard to go wrong! You have Model D, for 156 dollars and you a power source, you’ll be able to do more than anyone else without them. The reason I mention the Model D is the VVCAAnd VCF mixer, etc… is already there. Having pocket operators is the compact writing solution. I just feel the J6 maybe redundant gear in the very near future. I normally loved these kind of videos, I just feel it’s going backwards from the big picture. Great video, great explanation of features, hopefully you guys and gals don’t think I’m a dick for my perspective of this one. I feel the same way about the Orba one and Korg mini Kaos, I threw my money away. Just my opinion. I guess it depends a lot on the direction the individual wants to go. Peace
This thing is an absolute monster, I'm determined to change your mind hahaha. Thanks as always!
nice video, might look into the j-6
It's pretty sweet!
Interesting. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how this compares to the J6 Osc on the NTS-1. I imagine the experience is not as good as on the Roland and the sounds won't be as authentic. Tempted to get both at some point.
I haven't actually used the NTS-1 version that much, but the Roland seems to be quite a bit more practical and usable. That being said, Tweeeeaak! is a legend for bringing us all that lovely NTS-1 version!
I have the original Roland JU-06 sound module. I like the capabilities of this Aira J-6 module with the built-in chords and many accessible arpeggios. I was wondering your feeling about if it’s worth getting it already owning the JU-06.
I'd say it depends on your knowledge of chord theory, and if you struggle to break out of the same progressions.
I'm not into synth sounds much but I am curious about using the j6 as a controller to make chords for acoustic sounds. Maybe I can suggest a video using the j6 to control an instrument track in the sonicware smpltrek. I was considering doing this but since you Already have one and do videos daily but if it's no interest to you I understand. Peace man 🙏
Yes it definitely can, and there will be videos about that :)
@Free Beat awesome man! Look forward to it. 🙏
New end theme music I see… created on the J-6?
Yeah haha it's the J-6 controlling the Minifreak V VST, Arturia's Minimoog on the bass, and then some Linndrum samples. Thanks for making it all the way to the end!
I enjoy using it with other gear, microfreak, op-z and lots of fun with the Gameboy Advance. Sequencer is a little limited.
Yeah I bet you can get some great progressions out of that setup!
The J-6 is my favorite of the three Aira compacts.
It's pretty awesome! Also not sure if I've said this to you before but great username, Rush is the best.
@@FreeBeat thanks. I thought about it for a while. I turned 16 in 1982, the year the Signals album came out, and got my first computer that year too, so I went from an analog kid to a digital man. 😜 I think that because of the impressionable age I was that it makes that album more special for me than others, though I love all Rush albums. The thing about that album is that it has lyrics that meant something to me then and now but from different ends of the age spectrum (Subdivisions). And songs I loved then, but I didn’t understand the meaning of until later (Losing It) Such great depth to their music and lyrics.
@@akdm82 That's awesome, what a fantastic album to be able to hold so close. Some of Alex's best solos are on Signals IMO, "Chemistry" has always been one of my absolute favorites!
hello, I have a very important question... Doesn't it have the ability to memorize the parameters of the buttons when you change the sound?
I'm actually not sure, that's not really a feature I've looked for. I bet you could check out the manual though!
MC-101 has an awesome chord designer + the insane sound engine, makes it 1000 times better.
Does it have all the preset chords and rhythmic variations built in?
@@FreeBeat It has all kind's of preset chords and you can make your won per button, but no rhythmic variations as far as I know.
'Mike Pounder' has to be the best name ever. I hope he's a vocalist!
Love mine. I wonder if some of these features will end up in the new Roland SH4
Hopefully these chord features show up on a lot of new Roland gear!
Hi, Great video. I think for the money this is a really useful device.
I'm a bit late to the party but I've just ordered one of these.
I bought a 404 mk2 in January and while I was in the shop I had a play on one of these and knew I would get one as I don't know enough about chords and wanted something to use with the 404. How easy it was to get something nice playing out of it blew me away.
Does anyone know if it does midi over USB C and if it can link to the 404 that way. I'm very new to music equipment and don't really know much about connecting them. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
I don't have a lot of money I can dedicate to gear so I like gear that can serve multiple purposes. I had originally been set on the Keystep Pro as a midi controller and sequencer. However, I'm super interested in this J6 as I struggle greatly on chords (and music knowledge in general) and you mentioned using the J6 as a sequencer for other gear. At half the price of the KP, that's very tempting! Would you say it's a comparable sequencer? I'd assume the additional keys on the KP would make it a better midi controller, but enough to justify the additional cost and lack of chords the J6 brings?
They are completely different devices, I don't even think it's worth comparing them honestly. The Keystep Pro is a multi track device for jamming/recording/performing with multiple pieces of gear, whereas the J-6 is just all about chords. If you need something other than chords, the J-6's sequencer suddenly becomes incredibly limited. Hope that helps!
I have it. You need it, Bro.😎👍🐸
I've literally got it hahaha
@@FreeBeat If you like this, have a look at the Modal Craft Synth 2.O Wavetable Synthesizer. It's a sleeper, but sounds great! Somewhat in the experimental range but very approachable. I think you might dig it.
This is a good look at it: th-cam.com/video/b7Uh9Glp9eI/w-d-xo.html
I thought you would get a kick out of this, told you I have apps and devices like Misha and NDLR and that’s all true. I just saw a price on the j6 and I had to get. I have the rest of the set and I have GAS OCD! Sounds like a joke, but these were designed to work together and while you’re saving for the next piece of the set, you can use it! A perfect example is Make noises Strega, it by itself has the noise generator that is completely unique too it! Now get this it has no MIDI, ahhh but it does! You need all three pieces of the set to update or use a controller, which in itself is MIDI, I learned this from Radical Technologies Delta CEP A, it’s possible to update with a wav file! I am pretty sure that’s how the Strega works, they don’t tell you ahead of time which is the update connection, there’s no usb b on the Strega but there is on there on one of the other two I believe the other two pieces of the puzzle both have built in midi! But in all honesty the Strega is one unique and just like me the one you want! It comes with the power source for all three and Strega is $599 the others are $499 and$399. Do I need another sequencer,no! Do I need more oscillators, sure I’ll take them but there’s other ways to do it! It is semi-modular after all. How this relates to the J 6? I discovered to really get the most out of it, I needed two! More voices and more arp ability with chords at the same time! I also got the Behringer 4000, and if done in Bluetooth they can all controlled From a MIDI app! I will do a video with this combo, because it’s a price point friendly and with the entire set plus one, anything is possible! I hope that wasn’t too long! My health is almost there! We’re finishing the studio room today (that’s the big stuff) and a few days to get organized and I’ll be up! Great video my friend! Peace!
what if I want this to be a controller for a mono synth? do chords still work?
Nope, the synth itself has the be polyphonic.
Hi, can it control synth plugins or other hardware synths?
Can you use the J-6 to play chords using sounds from other gear? Like piano from your favorite keyboard, or piano sound from MPC ONE? 🤔
Yes, you can control other gear via the j6 midi out.
As mentioned at 11:08, yes you can! :)
Can you control filter, envelope etc via MIDI CC?
Looking at the MIDI implementation chart, I don't think so :(
@@FreeBeat that’s a shame, it would be great to control filter etc from a midi controller
what cord you using to plug in mix out?
just a little 3.5mm trs splitter, since my board takes separate left and right ins.
Mooore pls. Gr8 review!
Don't worry, more on the way!
Part of me wants to buy this thing, part of me wonders if there's a software solution out there that does the chord part on its own.
Yeah I'm not sure. I'll have a video coming up using this with VST's soon(ish) though!
It would have been nice if the pads that are in key would be lit up.
They are predetermined cord sets, so every key is "in key" with how it was designed. Pretty neat!
most feel its limitations after a while if you're into sound design
Yeah I can definitely understand that, however the sounds are super solid for what I'm after haha. Even if I didn't like the internal sounds, the sequencer alone is super powerful with external gear/software!
@@FreeBeat I like presets sometimes so I’m not complaining I’d like one to use with my volca sample be handy kinda has a Juno sound to it I like 👍 and has the syncing already now ya just need the beat bass one to complete the set
It's nice... I'm just not loving the sounds, the more I hear it the less I seem to like it. I think maybe it all just sounds too normal, which probably should be expected considering what it is. I really don't know why i'm surprised by this or what I was expecting from it.
Still be interested to see it used as midi controller for the e4.
What's great is that if you don't like the sounds, the sequencer is great for controlling just about anything else!
@@FreeBeat I thought it might be. Look forward to see what you do with it.
could you show this working with the Circuit Tracks in a future video?
Sadly I don't have the Circuit Tracks anymore :(
@@FreeBeat sorry, I even watched the video several times where you said you were returning it, but somehow forgot.
Midi in and out?
4:06
@@FreeBeat thank you bro, no midi unfortunately.
@@yokelectronic What? I literally point out the MIDI in and out haha. It definitely has them.
👍
Thanks for watching!
Ya know, unless something comes with a TON of materials that have to be sifted through in order to use it, we don't need an unboxing video for everything. Aira products are simple and just require short tutorials. What is this child-like fascination with watching a stranger open a box? Just show me how to use the damned thing inside.
I hope someone has changed your diaper by now. Baby a lil cranky!
@@isocarboxazid :D Hehe. I bought the S-1 and put the synth to the side and played with the box for a bit...