Have you considered putting these TH-cam Doodles on Spotify? It would make some excellent driving music. A car, that is. Well, golf clubs as well, I suppose. Wedges? I'm not sure.
What do you think about a video explaining basic components of synthesizers and showing the construction plans of them? I'd like to know what VCAs and so on are.
@@AlexBallMusic 😱😱😱new album! I so hope it’s a double gatefold including all the incidentals I requested from your films expanded into full tracks? It doesn’t matter, I know it will be excellent and I will be purchasing immediately and streaming constantly on Spotify. And as for the light ... it felt like a subtle change of approach / direction / structure, was it intentional or just a feeling?
@@user-fo3ug3cr4m I wasn't thinking of doing a video on the basics of synthesis, but I have some other tutorials in mind. There are loads of videos, websites and books that already explain all that stuff, so I didn't think it worth doing again.
When you went through the bass options at the top , I must admit I reviewed them with my face. A valuable life skill imparted by TH-cam. Mankind has a future after all.
Your demonstrations are exactly what a demonstration should truly be, and although I have seen far, far too many demonstrations in my life to really enjoy watching demonstrations, yours are an exception. Just lovely. Also, thanks for the mention! I cheered at your "paraphonic" explanation! Thank you. The music? Amazing. I have to say that I have underestimated this synth to a substantial degree! Maybe I should have tried harder to get one back when I could! Anyone who wants to argue about what "paraphonic" means can hop on over to my channel. Need an incentive? All paraphonic synths (modern usage) are polyphonic synths unless they were made by a company that decided to start using the term to mean "one o' these notes ain't articulated." :D Anyway, thank you, Alex... you rock.
Thanks for tuning in. I'm glad the description was accurate the weirdness of it, your videos are obviously a huge help there. I forgot to mention that roland called the sister Jupiter-4 "Compuphonic" meaning that it had user memory slots! They also used "Computer Interface" for CV/Gate inputs on several synths, so numerous terms are now lost in translation or time. The RS-505: yeah, worth owning if you can get one, but the rarity and price now make it a bit painful. I snagged a Crumar that's tatty, but was inexpensive and sounds absolutely amazing. That's my stringer for the time being. Maybe I'll find a Lambda at some point, someone tells me those are great...
@@AlexBallMusic I really, really can't wait for you to experience a Lambda! Three tuning-independent layers of top-octave-divide... it's the Minimoog of string synths. :D
Have had one of these since 2010..got it for $1500 online, in awesome condition. This is a really special instrument. Neither hardware nor vst will ever come close to recreating this sound in my opinion. Great video!
I absolutely admire the way you structure your end pieces with these long intros, with vocal lines seemingly unimportant somehow, like if you wanted the people to feast their ears with these lush sounds, agile harmonies and well crafted tension builders. And then all of a sudden you drop a top of the tops banger vocal line to die for, and if there is something in the world worth longer wait than this then I don't know what that is... I feel like this structure concept is totally yours, there is no band I can think of that would follow or has ever followed the same path. The long, beautiful intros of Robert Smith and the fellows would ring some pleasant bells in my head, but, man, what a indescribably great light to stand in. One hell of a talent you are, Mr. Hainbach.
My first synth in late 70's through mid 80's. Mostly used for slow attack and blended stings/brass pads through the beautiful ensemble/chorus. Paired wonderfully with ARP Odyssey back in the day. Thanks for the trip down memory lane and your song at the end is terrific - sounded progressive pop to me, a hit in any age.
I first wanted to comment that I already own two '505' roland instruments but while I was typing frantically I realized you probably were being sarcastic....
Oh God, he can sing too! Not enough that he gets all this cool vintage gear and gets to be witty and informative, then writes cool tunes on them. He sings too. PAH! (Seriously, great vid once again. Not a keyboard I'd lust after but would have in my "lottery win collection" because it just LOOKS so gorgeous, like all Rolys of the period.)
Cheers Phil. Well, I can stack up lots of vocals with lots of FX and seem like I can sing. ;) 505 - yeah I agree, I'm not dying to own one at all costs like I would be for an ARP 2500 or a Jupiter-8, but would be very happy to have it around.
These old Roland synthesizers really do have there own vintage character and sound which in my opinion can not be copied by software or reissues. I think over the decades the electronics take on a warmth all of there own. I have a few synths and one I will never sell is my Roland Juno 106 which I have owned for over 20 years. Another great video Alex thank you for all your hard work in putting these video's together for everyone to enjoy
There are some great modern synths (including digital) and some suprisingly good plugins nowadays, but playing a hand built vintage synth is always going to feel like a huge treat.
I had one these, picked up for nothing in a thrift store in Brooklyn. I played it, gigged it, toured it and it never failed. Sold it when i returned to the UK but struggled to find good bass poly/paraphonic that i was satisfied with after that.... Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Gee, thanks... really got a craving for a Korg Arse now...! Seriously, though, this synth, like all the ones you've covered recently, have one thing in common: power. I find it astonishing that in the middle of OPEC one and energy awareness in the late Seventies, Korg, Roland and Moog all think it's a good idea to make musical instruments that drain more power than your dishwasher or toaster... The upside to all this, though, is the bass. Oh, man. TH-cam cannot begin to convey this, I'm sure you'll agree. It's a score of tubas up your... well, arse!
Thanks Alex, thanks for doing this, it’s my favourite bit of kit. I really like the second touch envelope switch on it. Being able to retrigger the envelope while playing with both hands opens up all sorts of cool possibilities.
You should hear it live. Ensemble III is one of those things that recordings don't quite capture in all its glory. The psychoacoustics at play here are truly magical. Over 40 years, I've not come across the exact effect in any other product, not even Roland's contemporary RS-505 emulations match it.
★★★★★ As with most things that you demonstrate, I’ve never previously heard of them(!) but it’s always a pleasure hearing you give their history. That bass sounded so good and raw! Also, your end song was top notch, sir. Onwards, dear fellow - not long before that 100k plaque will be in your grasp! 😎⭐️
Petition to have the Contextual Demonstration at the end turned into a full song I can put on my Spotify playlists please. Wonderful video you just earned a new subscriber. Can’t wait to go through your catalogue of videos
Great video. I had this and the VP vocoder. One sat on top of the other, both looked fab (looked very similar) and sounded great. I sold the 505 for £35 and the VP for £100. Not exactly my finest decision considering their worth now! Nice video and great sound quality. Thanks.
the Roland Paraphonic RS-505 is my first analog synth I bought after the DX100 (my 1th synth) i saw it in 1990 in a shop for €200.... I listened and I was ♥ imidiately!!!! still one of my favo's!!!
Accidentally watching this with autogenerated subtitles absolutely cracked me up [Applause]. Anyway, now you explained what Roland meant by "Paraphonic", I feel we need a modern definition of "Compuphonic". Maestro?.. :)
@@AlexBallMusic Yes, that was what Roland meant it to signify, but what about the average slightly confused and misinformed millennial vst-plug collector's definition? ;)
00:33 Hahah... yeah, I kinda missed this part Alex! I DO have an MP-600... and I totally forgot it when helping you with the Roland documentary. But anyway, here it is: th-cam.com/video/QqK-0vYpNmw/w-d-xo.html 😎
Thank you. It’s always nice to see a new video on the RS 505, and you’ve given me a few ideas to follow up. As you say, you need to work with its limitations rather than against. Possibly my favourite stringer (and I love most of them). As always, the trick is layering and contrasting the sections. I usually play mine ‘orchestrally’. If you do this it sounds absolutely huge. At the time I think this is how Roland intended it to be used. The ‘strings’ section does have a characteristic timbre, but I wouldn’t have said ‘thin’. Carefully mixing the 8’ and 4’ footages available avoids this. There also seems to be a sweet spot if you tune it a minor third down… easily done with the pitch slider, but this could be just me. A feature you didn’t go into is the pitch glide. It’s a bit weird used at extremes, but is also present on the 505’s sister the VP330 (and Behringer’s fantastic clone). With careful use you can extract some sounds vaguely reminiscent of asian music but it requires careful use - a little glissando at the beginning of selected notes. I could go on but won’t. Despite its apparent simplicity the 505 has hidden depths and there are many surprises hidden away in there. One of Roland’s best. I wish their current output was more like this, but perhaps I just haven’t managed to escape from the 1970s/80s
Thanks for the additional info. I didn't cover autobend because I gave it a feature in my previous video with the VP-330, but I guess I should have mentioned it again. I should have the 505 a little while longer so I'll try some of your suggestions.
@@AlexBallMusic Thank YOU! It's playing the 5th time yet and still getting better! As a composer, Vintage-Synth-phobic and music lover i listened to every „Demo“ of you, but THIS is your biggest „socks-knocker“ so far, sittin here with a big smile every time it repeats... damn; I LOOOVE it!!! :D
Hey new to your channel after youtube algorithm recommand your video, synth test was amazing you got me subs, hell yeah the bass sound massive af ! But the end video got me fan also !!! Very nice composition man I really appreciate when vocal enter and didnt expect this, it look like completely out of a 1983 top chart with recent touch ahah !! thanks for this video mate
such an amzing synth... the one piece i will never get rid of despite it's "limitations" it does what it does very well. was lucky enough to find one in a weird little record store in milwaukee for $125 several decades ago.... great final song, Alex!
I own a jupiter 4 and this fills some blanks : no audio in, one ensemble mode only, multi waveforms possibilities. This is the best era for roland synths. I recently rediscovered the bass capabilities of the jupiter 4 and they are just amazing.
Always cool Demos Alex, I like your style doing it always in a musical context, and I am always exiting on the songs at the end, fantastic work, double dumb up is not enough for that.
@@AlexBallMusic Yes as a drummer (my main instrument) I love Simmons gear, I used to have a SDS-1, SDS-8, SDS-9, TMI but the only I kept is the SDSV. Alex please do some doc about the history of Simmons because nobody has done it and I think it there's a lot of interesting info about it and if you got an interview with Dave Simmons will be awesome, he is a very brilliant guy. I think you are the right person to do it like you did with the ARP doc.
I've started to like the paraphonic aesthetics for 10 years now. Most likely I started to grow up. Thank you, Alex!! You've made understanding of this paraphonic transparent for me in such a short time. + This summer shirt with flowers suits you. 😉
Thanks Serge, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and the shirt :) Yes, there's some great sounds to be found in those old paraphonic polys, if you can work around the problems.
I agree that the bass sounds on this thing are surprisingly thick. I had an ARP Omni 2 for a while and that had some really meaty bass as well. I was working on a record at the time, and, though I also had access to a Micromoog and an Odyssey, I ended up relying mostly on the Omni for all the synth bass parts. There's something about those old ensemble circuits that add this really subtle but beautiful "rolling" texture to everything and I found that transferred nicely into the overall mix of the songs and gave everything a bit more dimension. Also I loved your song at the end of the video! Really cool bass groove!
The Omni is wonderful, as is the Solina and Solina String Synthesizer. As you say, suprising bass! The ensembles are magical, definitely. Really syrupy.
Back in the day, I was stuck between the 505 and the ARP Omni 2, both awesome in their own way. The 505 was extremely underrated and brilliant for it's time.
This is tastier than i thought it'd be. It's not just that classic ensemble chorus that roland used for a number of years (it sounds like multiple units, akin to the BOSS guitar units of the time, with separate audio paths), but their definition of paraphonic, which is actually more akin to Multi-Timbrality. I think this might have been used on more records than most people know. For example, The Warriors soundtrack sounds like (ahem) it has this all over it. Thank you for sharing this👍
@@AlexBallMusic yeah, that bass was completely unexpected. I've got a system 100 (the full set, inc speakers) and it sounds similar to that, rather than the smoother filter Roland used in the 80s.
The song at the end, and especially the beginning of it, reminds me of early (late 1970:s, pre "Don't you want me") Human League. "Being boiled" with that bass sound and the percussive sounds (that snare "splash"/"whip")
I love this stuff; in a you-tube world where increasingly a 'tabloid' video title barely disguises a slap-dash conglomeration of stock footage, and research that would make the back of a cigarette packet blush, there's this. Niche? - hell yes! We old farts, need content to fill our increasing sense of emptiness too.😉
Still one of my favorite Rolands and your demo only enhances that Alex. :) If I did more games- or tv work (which is pretty much non existent) at the moment, I would get one. ;-)
Yes, a lovely thing for sure. Funny that it was quite a functional instrument at the time, aimed at live players (mostly cover bands). It's an old dreamy sound now.
@@AlexBallMusic Exactly, you just said the magic word "dreamy". That's how I would describe the overall sound of the 505. With some lush reverb this is a dream(y) machine. ;-)
I love some of those bass sounds. Actually a great synth. Some day, you'll have to go through the SK-30... Or maybe you already have and I missed it. That's massively possible. I'd lend you mine, but, that wouldn't work out too well with shipping.
Hello Alex: The 505 sounds really wonderful. In Australian vernacular, RS is shorthand for rats excrement, as in "My car is RS." Keep up the wonderful work.
And to add insult to injury Technics had something they called a "harmonizer" on their SX-3800B organ. It was using the polyphonic tone generator from the organ, with polyphonic VCAs, but only one filter.
Why don't we just say that paraphonic is something that plays a lot of voices at the same time but where the "not so polyphonic thingie" is that there are things that there is just one of that are shared among all the voices and that makes it less pleasant.
@@Magnus_Loov Isn't "something that plays a lot of voices at the same time" called "multi-timbral"? I remember that was suddenly a big thing in the late 1980s.
@@organfairy In a polyphonic Synth, some things (like a filter) have multiple copies of themselves. In a multitimbral Synth, "all the things" have multiple copies of themselves...
Nice. I am proud to have owned a Jupiter 4 in the 90’s - only paid £80 for it too. Sold unfortunately a few years later. Nice video demo & track at the end.
Mmmmmmmm the sound of analogue goodness. Synthesizing the soul for as long as I can remember 💖 Edit: That outro track.... 1st class feel good movie grade quality.
I've never understood why Roland pushed so many units that tried to emulate real instruments with a complete lack of proper filtering on board. Some sawtooths and a lowpass, yay? Imagine if they had something akin to the Polymoog resonator to pair with the Ensemble. Bliss. As an aside, first two notes of the "Cello" demo made me think you were about to play Little Fugue in Gm.
It was designed for live players to have access to a bunch of different sounds quickly. Largely cover bands I believe, so it makes perfect sense for the time. A bit weird now, but the sounds can be adapted for more modern fun.
Another solid from Alex - thank you 🙏 If only Roland stayed also true to analog and did not shift completely to digital (exception being the System-500). There is still a huge market out there (Korg is very clever to revive key models) but there is nothing like sculpting sounds on Roland ‘meaty’ analog oscillators and filters (notable exception the Moogs). I would gladly pay >4K on an analog release but it will never happen on models like Jupiter-X and Fantom. Even a refresh of JD-Xa would go a long way... (it seriously needs repackaging and polishing). So to Roland’s point, we are not asking them to ‘chase ghosts’ but to revisit its unique electronic (not just digital) roots in sound synthesis.
Well, I partly agree, but then some of the modern Rolands do sound really nice. I tried the Jupiter-X last year and it's really great. Have you played it? Analogue is always special of course and I hear your point about unique electronic.
@@AlexBallMusic I haven’t tried the Jupiter-X yet so eager for the lockdown to conclude and have a go at a display unit, though I am convinced of its craftsmanship, sound quality, and the potential of Zenology Pro (though I find some features superficial, such as the aging simulation, or iArpegio). But at this price bracket I find the Super-6 to be a more original and comprehensive package and will purchase it - very different beast [of course] appealing to extreme sound programming rather than sound-layering, using top-notch materials, and a design reminiscent of that golden Roland era. This could well be a digital space that Roland explores, maybe with an analog twist like George Hearn did with the filters, and I will be amongst the first in line to invest in such a gear. That is, if they do not want to go all the way analog...shame though, given their legacy and the market demand for this...
![[Gegagedigedagedago] NEW Help Gegagedigedagedago Nugget escape from Nikocado Avocado Challenge](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hJWnwRC2Fz8/mqdefault.jpg)
If you like the end song and want to support me: alexball.bandcamp.com/track/roland-paraphonic-505-the-light
Cheers!
Have you considered putting these TH-cam Doodles on Spotify? It would make some excellent driving music. A car, that is. Well, golf clubs as well, I suppose. Wedges? I'm not sure.
@@roy.jacobs My next album will be on Spotify very soon but not all the little TH-cam doodles and jams. They live on bandcamp.
What do you think about a video explaining basic components of synthesizers and showing the construction plans of them? I'd like to know what VCAs and so on are.
@@AlexBallMusic 😱😱😱new album! I so hope it’s a double gatefold including all the incidentals I requested from your films expanded into full tracks? It doesn’t matter, I know it will be excellent and I will be purchasing immediately and streaming constantly on Spotify. And as for the light ... it felt like a subtle change of approach / direction / structure, was it intentional or just a feeling?
@@user-fo3ug3cr4m I wasn't thinking of doing a video on the basics of synthesis, but I have some other tutorials in mind. There are loads of videos, websites and books that already explain all that stuff, so I didn't think it worth doing again.
Fun fact: Giorgio Moroder had thirty four of these as his alarm clock back in 1978.
Haha!
🤣
… and they were perfectly synchronized to wake him up with a driving rhythm.
The part about the “arse” being a Volca product made me laugh so much!
Little nod to synth memes. ;)
When you went through the bass options at the top , I must admit I reviewed them with my face. A valuable life skill imparted by TH-cam. Mankind has a future after all.
Excellent. I'm proud of you.
My eyebrows got raised a few times myself
I found myself repeating "It is pretty fat!" I found myself repeating "It is pretty fat!"
Your demonstrations are exactly what a demonstration should truly be, and although I have seen far, far too many demonstrations in my life to really enjoy watching demonstrations, yours are an exception. Just lovely. Also, thanks for the mention! I cheered at your "paraphonic" explanation! Thank you. The music? Amazing.
I have to say that I have underestimated this synth to a substantial degree! Maybe I should have tried harder to get one back when I could!
Anyone who wants to argue about what "paraphonic" means can hop on over to my channel. Need an incentive? All paraphonic synths (modern usage) are polyphonic synths unless they were made by a company that decided to start using the term to mean "one o' these notes ain't articulated." :D
Anyway, thank you, Alex... you rock.
Thanks for tuning in. I'm glad the description was accurate the weirdness of it, your videos are obviously a huge help there.
I forgot to mention that roland called the sister Jupiter-4 "Compuphonic" meaning that it had user memory slots! They also used "Computer Interface" for CV/Gate inputs on several synths, so numerous terms are now lost in translation or time.
The RS-505: yeah, worth owning if you can get one, but the rarity and price now make it a bit painful. I snagged a Crumar that's tatty, but was inexpensive and sounds absolutely amazing. That's my stringer for the time being. Maybe I'll find a Lambda at some point, someone tells me those are great...
@@AlexBallMusic I really, really can't wait for you to experience a Lambda! Three tuning-independent layers of top-octave-divide... it's the Minimoog of string synths. :D
Have had one of these since 2010..got it for $1500 online, in awesome condition. This is a really special instrument. Neither hardware nor vst will ever come close to recreating this sound in my opinion. Great video!
Nice, before they got really expensive. Vsts - I think the ensemble is very difficult to model or recreate, I don't know why.
I absolutely admire the way you structure your end pieces with these long intros, with vocal lines seemingly unimportant somehow, like if you wanted the people to feast their ears with these lush sounds, agile harmonies and well crafted tension builders. And then all of a sudden you drop a top of the tops banger vocal line to die for, and if there is something in the world worth longer wait than this then I don't know what that is... I feel like this structure concept is totally yours, there is no band I can think of that would follow or has ever followed the same path. The long, beautiful intros of Robert Smith and the fellows would ring some pleasant bells in my head, but, man, what a indescribably great light to stand in. One hell of a talent you are, Mr. Hainbach.
Thanks very much!
The 505 is one of the best string synths ever made👍
Pretty tasty. Go well on toast.
My first synth in late 70's through mid 80's. Mostly used for slow attack and blended stings/brass pads through the beautiful ensemble/chorus. Paired wonderfully with ARP Odyssey back in the day. Thanks for the trip down memory lane and your song at the end is terrific - sounded progressive pop to me, a hit in any age.
Roland are so innovative in their numbering systems. Amazing that they never manage to use the same number twice
I first wanted to comment that I already own two '505' roland instruments but while I was typing frantically I realized you probably were being sarcastic....
Roland synths are just something else
They are indeed.
I just wish their modern ones did need custom midi/ audio drivers that they stop supporting after 5years ( looking at you V-Synth )
They were, not so sure about today's efforts from them....
That's weird, my 505 sounds like drums. Must be an error in the chips.
Take it to the tech, I'm sure they'll get the strings going. Probably next to the hand clap or something.
Your videos are always a treat and your ending songs are always astonishingly beautiful. I love your channel so much. Much love!
Thank you, that's most kind.
You have some of the best vocal hooks I've ever heard - which is odd for a synth focused channel. They put most pop musicians and writers to shame.
I thought I had gotten away from volca jokes when I left all my synth meme groups. I just can't escape.
You can never escape!
Much like a Volca in a rectum.
@@AlexBallMusic 🤣🤣🤣
Same.
Oh God, he can sing too! Not enough that he gets all this cool vintage gear and gets to be witty and informative, then writes cool tunes on them. He sings too. PAH!
(Seriously, great vid once again. Not a keyboard I'd lust after but would have in my "lottery win collection" because it just LOOKS so gorgeous, like all Rolys of the period.)
Cheers Phil. Well, I can stack up lots of vocals with lots of FX and seem like I can sing. ;)
505 - yeah I agree, I'm not dying to own one at all costs like I would be for an ARP 2500 or a Jupiter-8, but would be very happy to have it around.
These old Roland synthesizers really do have there own vintage character and sound which in my opinion can not be copied by software or reissues.
I think over the decades the electronics take on a warmth all of there own.
I have a few synths and one I will never sell is my Roland Juno 106 which I have owned for over 20 years.
Another great video Alex thank you for all your hard work in putting these video's together for everyone to enjoy
There are some great modern synths (including digital) and some suprisingly good plugins nowadays, but playing a hand built vintage synth is always going to feel like a huge treat.
Alex, your musical skills and creativity are soooo top-notch, that you could make an accordion, kazoo, and recorder sound good.
That's my next video funnily enough.
I had one these, picked up for nothing in a thrift store in Brooklyn. I played it, gigged it, toured it and it never failed. Sold it when i returned to the UK but struggled to find good bass poly/paraphonic that i was satisfied with after that.... Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Those vocals always swoop in right on time.
My M.O. Thanks!
@@AlexBallMusic Certainly better than those volcas swooping in right on time ...
Gee, thanks... really got a craving for a Korg Arse now...! Seriously, though, this synth, like all the ones you've covered recently, have one thing in common: power. I find it astonishing that in the middle of OPEC one and energy awareness in the late Seventies, Korg, Roland and Moog all think it's a good idea to make musical instruments that drain more power than your dishwasher or toaster... The upside to all this, though, is the bass. Oh, man. TH-cam cannot begin to convey this, I'm sure you'll agree. It's a score of tubas up your... well, arse!
Yes, you moved beyond the inherent limitations of this instrument to compose/craft a lovely tune - thank you!
Thanks Michael, much appreciated.
Thanks Alex, thanks for doing this, it’s my favourite bit of kit. I really like the second touch envelope switch on it. Being able to retrigger the envelope while playing with both hands opens up all sorts of cool possibilities.
I love that Ensemble III. It's got a real Gary Numan or John Foxx feel to it.
You should hear it live. Ensemble III is one of those things that recordings don't quite capture in all its glory. The psychoacoustics at play here are truly magical. Over 40 years, I've not come across the exact effect in any other product, not even Roland's contemporary RS-505 emulations match it.
★★★★★ As with most things that you demonstrate, I’ve never previously heard of them(!) but it’s always a pleasure hearing you give their history. That bass sounded so good and raw! Also, your end song was top notch, sir. Onwards, dear fellow - not long before that 100k plaque will be in your grasp! 😎⭐️
Thanks my good man.
Petition to have the Contextual Demonstration at the end turned into a full song I can put on my Spotify playlists please. Wonderful video you just earned a new subscriber. Can’t wait to go through your catalogue of videos
Great video. I had this and the VP vocoder. One sat on top of the other, both looked fab (looked very similar) and sounded great. I sold the 505 for £35 and the VP for £100. Not exactly my finest decision considering their worth now! Nice video and great sound quality. Thanks.
Wow, that is cheap. Or was it a long time ago?
@@AlexBallMusic - mid 90s. It all made sense at the time! Uggghhhh...
Another informative and entertaining video. Keep up the excellent work!
Cheers!
I usched thisch schynth on Jurasschic Pork.
Surprising, since RS-play wasn't so popular back then.
the Roland Paraphonic RS-505 is my first analog synth I bought after the DX100 (my 1th synth) i saw it in 1990 in a shop for €200.... I listened and I was ♥ imidiately!!!! still one of my favo's!!!
Ça fleure bon le vintage !!!
Your videos are real nuggets to watch without modération !!!
C'est un compliment.
Merci!
Thanks Alex, a fantastic introduction to a unit that I've never met.
Regards
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, hard to come by sadly.
Accidentally watching this with autogenerated subtitles absolutely cracked me up [Applause]. Anyway, now you explained what Roland meant by "Paraphonic", I feel we need a modern definition of "Compuphonic". Maestro?.. :)
...because it had a digital memory that could store and recall a few user patches. COMPUPHONIC!
@@AlexBallMusic Yes, that was what Roland meant it to signify, but what about the average slightly confused and misinformed millennial vst-plug collector's definition? ;)
@@OscarRhling Haha!
Is it just me or is this synths' bass section, one funky mother!
Yeah, it's fantastic.
00:33 Hahah... yeah, I kinda missed this part Alex! I DO have an MP-600... and I totally forgot it when helping you with the Roland documentary. But anyway, here it is: th-cam.com/video/QqK-0vYpNmw/w-d-xo.html 😎
Thank you. It’s always nice to see a new video on the RS 505, and you’ve given me a few ideas to follow up. As you say, you need to work with its limitations rather than against.
Possibly my favourite stringer (and I love most of them). As always, the trick is layering and contrasting the sections. I usually play mine ‘orchestrally’. If you do this it sounds absolutely huge. At the time I think this is how Roland intended it to be used. The ‘strings’ section does have a characteristic timbre, but I wouldn’t have said ‘thin’. Carefully mixing the 8’ and 4’ footages available avoids this. There also seems to be a sweet spot if you tune it a minor third down… easily done with the pitch slider, but this could be just me.
A feature you didn’t go into is the pitch glide. It’s a bit weird used at extremes, but is also present on the 505’s sister the VP330 (and Behringer’s fantastic clone). With careful use you can extract some sounds vaguely reminiscent of asian music but it requires careful use - a little glissando at the beginning of selected notes.
I could go on but won’t. Despite its apparent simplicity the 505 has hidden depths and there are many surprises hidden away in there. One of Roland’s best. I wish their current output was more like this, but perhaps I just haven’t managed to escape from the 1970s/80s
Thanks for the additional info.
I didn't cover autobend because I gave it a feature in my previous video with the VP-330, but I guess I should have mentioned it again.
I should have the 505 a little while longer so I'll try some of your suggestions.
@@AlexBallMusic Ah. Apologies. I hadn't spotted the VP330 review (doh 🙄).
No worries at all, it's a totally different video after all.
That end song! Your channel is incredible, Alex.
Damn, what a great Demo-Song at the end, fantastic, one of your best!!!
AND i just bought it from you at Bandcamp so i can listen to it on repeat! Cheers! :D
Thank you so much!
@@AlexBallMusic Thank YOU! It's playing the 5th time yet and still getting better! As a composer, Vintage-Synth-phobic and music lover i listened to every „Demo“ of you, but THIS is your biggest „socks-knocker“ so far, sittin here with a big smile every time it repeats... damn; I LOOOVE it!!! :D
Ah, that's put a big smile on my face. Many thanks!
The bass section is killing it. Massive!
Yes!
What a beautiful piece at the end!
Love these videos on these weird pieces of history I've never heard of. Enlightening and entertaining!
You're the best, cheers.
Thank you. Yes, synth archeology is always fun.
Hey new to your channel after youtube algorithm recommand your video, synth test was amazing you got me subs, hell yeah the bass sound massive af ! But the end video got me fan also !!! Very nice composition man I really appreciate when vocal enter and didnt expect this, it look like completely out of a 1983 top chart with recent touch ahah !! thanks for this video mate
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it.
Yes, the bass is the surprise when it comes to 505. I hit than sawtooth and couldn't believe it.
I bloomin lovin your channel Alex. Keep them coming buddy. This is good Stuff.
Thanks Peter!
such an amzing synth... the one piece i will never get rid of despite it's "limitations" it does what it does very well. was lucky enough to find one in a weird little record store in milwaukee for $125 several decades ago.... great final song, Alex!
That's a great find! Yes, wonderful sounds with some compromises.
Can't wait for a video on the Volca Ass 505. Must be super rare, I can't find it anywhere online :)
That Ensemble is NICE! I wonder if they made some pedal or something with that circuitry.
They did do pedals and rack mount ensembles, yep.
Alex you are truly a wonderful resource for the synth community. And your pop stylings always brighten my day!
Thanks Daniel, much appreciated.
Thank you for more great videos
Thanks for tuning in Lucas.
I own a jupiter 4 and this fills some blanks : no audio in, one ensemble mode only, multi waveforms possibilities. This is the best era for roland synths. I recently rediscovered the bass capabilities of the jupiter 4 and they are just amazing.
Love the JP-4, have played one a few times. Hopefully I'll snag one for a demo at some point.
@@AlexBallMusic I would have gladly lended mine, but I am in the north of France. They are not that rare anyway.
Another great informative and fun vid. Another great song! Top channel thank you so much Alex
Thanks very much!
thank you for the music!! great joy!!
Always cool Demos Alex, I like your style doing it always in a musical context, and I am always exiting on the songs at the end, fantastic work, double dumb up is not enough for that.
Yay new video 😀 the RS-505 sounds lovely!
It does indeed. :)
Love the end song with the Simmons SDS-III, another great video!
Thanks, gotta love that Simmons.
@@AlexBallMusic Yes as a drummer (my main instrument) I love Simmons gear, I used to have a SDS-1, SDS-8, SDS-9, TMI but the only I kept is the SDSV.
Alex please do some doc about the history of Simmons because nobody has done it and I think it there's a lot of interesting info about it and if you got an interview with Dave Simmons will be awesome, he is a very brilliant guy.
I think you are the right person to do it like you did with the ARP doc.
I love the jam at the end Alex. You went in on it. Bravo!!
Thank you!
I've started to like the paraphonic aesthetics for 10 years now. Most likely I started to grow up. Thank you, Alex!! You've made understanding of this paraphonic transparent for me in such a short time. + This summer shirt with flowers suits you. 😉
Thanks Serge, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and the shirt :)
Yes, there's some great sounds to be found in those old paraphonic polys, if you can work around the problems.
@@AlexBallMusic About these problems:)) He that would eat the fruit must climb the tree.
Love that outtro tune! Great video.
Great review, loved the song at the end. I do miss the Alex Ball making strange faces rating system for sounds though.
I save the face reviews for special occassions.
Lol!
Love the track at the end! Utopia vibes!
Cheers buddy!
the vocals in the track at the end are amazing
Thanks for this review! The song at the end has a definite Kraftwerk/Human League flavour to it. Me like very much! Thanks for sharing, Alex!
I agree that the bass sounds on this thing are surprisingly thick. I had an ARP Omni 2 for a while and that had some really meaty bass as well. I was working on a record at the time, and, though I also had access to a Micromoog and an Odyssey, I ended up relying mostly on the Omni for all the synth bass parts. There's something about those old ensemble circuits that add this really subtle but beautiful "rolling" texture to everything and I found that transferred nicely into the overall mix of the songs and gave everything a bit more dimension.
Also I loved your song at the end of the video! Really cool bass groove!
The Omni is wonderful, as is the Solina and Solina String Synthesizer. As you say, suprising bass!
The ensembles are magical, definitely. Really syrupy.
great vid as usual, nice tones
love the Volca meme callback :-)
The wood veneer and the big switches remind me of the home organs of that period, but the 505 on the whole sounds fantastic. Another great vid Alex.
Definitely looks like an organ! Got another synth with deceptive rocker switches for a video soon...
Great job 👏🏾 loved the outro tune too!
I really think Alex has the best demo jams.
Back in the day, I was stuck between the 505 and the ARP Omni 2, both awesome in their own way.
The 505 was extremely underrated and brilliant for it's time.
This is tastier than i thought it'd be. It's not just that classic ensemble chorus that roland used for a number of years (it sounds like multiple units, akin to the BOSS guitar units of the time, with separate audio paths), but their definition of paraphonic, which is actually more akin to Multi-Timbrality.
I think this might have been used on more records than most people know. For example, The Warriors soundtrack sounds like (ahem) it has this all over it.
Thank you for sharing this👍
Thanks. Yes, has the syrupy ensemble you'd expect, but then _that_ bass is the big surprise. Wow.
@@AlexBallMusic yeah, that bass was completely unexpected. I've got a system 100 (the full set, inc speakers) and it sounds similar to that, rather than the smoother filter Roland used in the 80s.
The song at the end, and especially the beginning of it, reminds me of early (late 1970:s, pre "Don't you want me") Human League. "Being boiled" with that bass sound and the percussive sounds (that snare "splash"/"whip")
I was definitely boiling a little there. ;)
This makes me wants to watch Land of the Rising Sound again... See you in a little over an hour.
Thanks!
Yeah me too. That was an excellent documentary.
Apart from the sounds, I love the image quality. It's like watching an 80's TV show.
I love this stuff; in a you-tube world where increasingly a 'tabloid' video title barely disguises a slap-dash conglomeration of stock footage, and research that would make the back of a cigarette packet blush, there's this. Niche? - hell yes!
We old farts, need content to fill our increasing sense of emptiness too.😉
Nice! Song reminded me of Erasure. Thanks.
Cheers!
Still one of my favorite Rolands and your demo only enhances that Alex. :) If I did more games- or tv work (which is pretty much non existent) at the moment, I would get one. ;-)
Yes, a lovely thing for sure. Funny that it was quite a functional instrument at the time, aimed at live players (mostly cover bands).
It's an old dreamy sound now.
@@AlexBallMusic Exactly, you just said the magic word "dreamy". That's how I would describe the overall sound of the 505. With some lush reverb this is a dream(y) machine. ;-)
That end song is fantastic, great work!
Cheers!
In your opinion, how does the 505 stack up against the Omni? Am I mistaken thinking that the Omni includes synonymous features with the 505?
Brilliant! Oozing with talent...
I have no clue why, but when I clicked on this I was expecting LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER. I have never been so shell-shocked.
Less furbies on my channel.
Man you can write one helluva tune. Every. Single. Time. Nice work mate!
Thanks Joshua!
I love some of those bass sounds. Actually a great synth. Some day, you'll have to go through the SK-30... Or maybe you already have and I missed it. That's massively possible. I'd lend you mine, but, that wouldn't work out too well with shipping.
Gorgeous Alex!
Thanks!
I love these Roland string machines. I have a like new RS-09, and the Boutique VP-03. Both are great in their own way.
Well done! Loved every minute of it
Thank you!
Another entertaing video... Putting in a request for you to whip up some synth goodness with a Roland sh3a...
Hello Alex: The 505 sounds really wonderful. In Australian vernacular, RS is shorthand for rats excrement, as in "My car is RS." Keep up the wonderful work.
as in an "Audi RS"?
Haha, that's great!
Oh no... The Polyphony Definition Wars will heat up again now that you revealed what Roland actually meant by Paraphonic.
Haha. Part of why it's confusing.
And to add insult to injury Technics had something they called a "harmonizer" on their SX-3800B organ. It was using the polyphonic tone generator from the organ, with polyphonic VCAs, but only one filter.
Why don't we just say that paraphonic is something that plays a lot of voices at the same time but where the "not so polyphonic thingie" is that there are things that there is just one of that are shared among all the voices and that makes it less pleasant.
@@Magnus_Loov Isn't "something that plays a lot of voices at the same time" called "multi-timbral"? I remember that was suddenly a big thing in the late 1980s.
@@organfairy
In a polyphonic Synth, some things (like a filter) have multiple copies of themselves.
In a multitimbral Synth, "all the things" have multiple copies of themselves...
Nice. I am proud to have owned a Jupiter 4 in the 90’s - only paid £80 for it too. Sold unfortunately a few years later. Nice video demo & track at the end.
Score! I have the 100m with the 4CV keyboard, so I can't complain, but the Jupiter-4 is a lovely thing.
So brilliant!
Good job man, I am going to buy one of these Rolands :)
Mmmmmmmm the sound of analogue goodness. Synthesizing the soul for as long as I can remember 💖
Edit: That outro track.... 1st class feel good movie grade quality.
That beautiful 70s sound. :)
Thanks ! Great video as always :)
I've never understood why Roland pushed so many units that tried to emulate real instruments with a complete lack of proper filtering on board. Some sawtooths and a lowpass, yay? Imagine if they had something akin to the Polymoog resonator to pair with the Ensemble. Bliss.
As an aside, first two notes of the "Cello" demo made me think you were about to play Little Fugue in Gm.
It was designed for live players to have access to a bunch of different sounds quickly. Largely cover bands I believe, so it makes perfect sense for the time.
A bit weird now, but the sounds can be adapted for more modern fun.
Thanks! And thanks for sharin polyphony history series!
Thanks for tuning in.
I'm completly fallen in love with the Roland Paraphonic 505
Another solid from Alex - thank you 🙏
If only Roland stayed also true to analog and did not shift completely to digital (exception being the System-500).
There is still a huge market out there (Korg is very clever to revive key models) but there is nothing like sculpting sounds on Roland ‘meaty’ analog oscillators and filters (notable exception the Moogs).
I would gladly pay >4K on an analog release but it will never happen on models like Jupiter-X and Fantom.
Even a refresh of JD-Xa would go a long way... (it seriously needs repackaging and polishing).
So to Roland’s point, we are not asking them to ‘chase ghosts’ but to revisit its unique electronic (not just digital) roots in sound synthesis.
Well, I partly agree, but then some of the modern Rolands do sound really nice. I tried the Jupiter-X last year and it's really great. Have you played it?
Analogue is always special of course and I hear your point about unique electronic.
@@AlexBallMusic I haven’t tried the Jupiter-X yet so eager for the lockdown to conclude and have a go at a display unit, though I am convinced of its craftsmanship, sound quality, and the potential of Zenology Pro (though I find some features superficial, such as the aging simulation, or iArpegio).
But at this price bracket I find the Super-6 to be a more original and comprehensive package and will purchase it - very different beast [of course] appealing to extreme sound programming rather than sound-layering, using top-notch materials, and a design reminiscent of that golden Roland era.
This could well be a digital space that Roland explores, maybe with an analog twist like George Hearn did with the filters, and I will be amongst the first in line to invest in such a gear.
That is, if they do not want to go all the way analog...shame though, given their legacy and the market demand for this...
Those Omnisphere Roland Paraphonic soundsources had me looking more into this instrument.
Omnisphere has helped me in many tight spots over the years.
Great looking synth! I missed you judging all the sounds with your facial expressions..
Got to save those for special occasions.
I have the XILS 505 software. A fantastic sound. I don't know how close it is to the sound of a RS-505. The XILS has a great buzz.
Volca range... ha. Love the videos man! Need to do more reviews with your face.
Nod to synth memes. 😉
this thing oozes good tone from every angle