Piano sounds on Jupiter X

I understand your question.

As I was not there with you while trying the Jupiter X/Xm piano(s), I do not know how you have tested them. So, please make sure you take an empty Scene, Initialise it, and place the "Expressive Grand" on the 1st track. Although it is possible to play the piano on the Jupiter X key bed, you will get definitely a different "result" while playing on a 88 weighted keys. However, even on the 88 keys you will have to set the right velocity curve for your playing style. And surely use a good set of headphones or good monitors.

Please be with me for the next sections - it will be a bit long. Perhaps - after reading them - you will look at differently the "quality" of the piano(s) in the Jupiter X/Xm.

I was very fortunate that I could start to play piano 50+ years ago on a concert wing piano - thanks to my parents. Since that time I played 100+ pianos, some good, some bad. One thing is very much true, namely that every piano sounds different (even the very expensive ones from the same production series). However, I can tell you that only a very few of them could speak to me.

As far as I remember the last ~30 yers or so I have played also many digital/sampled pianos - even on numerous concerts - unfortuntely not every concert hall has a Fazioli piano ;-). Are they (sampled pianos) the real thing? Some are close, some not. Still, a real piano is a real piano and for me it is a "must" to be able to transfer my feelings to the public.

Now, in my orchestral templates - I write film/movie/orchestral music - I have several sampled pianos. They all sound different. Are they the real thing? Some are very close some not. However, I look at them how can I use them? And believe or not, even a "plinky-plonky" piano can sound "fantastic" in an orchestral content. Of course, depending on it's role in a musical context.

Now, did I buy my Jupiter Xm for the piano? No. See the reasons above. I have bought my Jupiter Xm as I wanted to have "one" poly synth and "one" mono synth in my studio and the Jupiter Xm has not only both of them but much more :-). However, in my opinion, the "Expressive Grand" is a very much playable piano (with 88 keys, correct velocity curve, headphones/studio monitors and correct pedalling). Personally I will definitely use it in one of my future composition(s).

Additional note: Chris, I have been thinking about your question a bit more. If I would use the "Expressive Grand" as my "main" piano, I would apply a bit of EQing on it and I would adjust the "Symreso Dept" and "Cabinet Reso" parameters too.

In my studio my master keyboard is the A-88 from Roland but I have a Kawai as well. Both are very different from each other and I have "fine-tuned" both of them for my liking.

I use the RD piano on the Jupiter X and made a little modifications on them for my taste. Its ok for piano sounds but its not great. The other option is looking at the Expansion software on Roland Cloud that you can download on the Jupiter which includes Stage 1, Stage 2, and Grand Piano. I am curious how much better it is?

With that being said, I also use the Ivory II software in my DAW when I want very authentic piano in my home studio. Nothing will beat that.

Stoffel.s wrote:

Hi all,

Of course this machine has been build to be used as a simulator of analog synths in the first place, but I tried this beauty in a music store and was completely disappointed in the quality of the piano sounds.

I had the feeling that when you turn off all fx (reverb, chorus, etc) and you play a note till it fades out, you can clearly hear when it starts to sound completely unnatural. In these days where memory just doesn't cost a lot of money I would have expected from Roland to at least have a decent piano sound based on full fadeout samples instead of some synthesis based or looped sound. Especially when you buy a synth of this price category where you do add piano sounds as a manufacturer, then you should also do it properly or else leave it behind completely.

I was really hesitating to buy it but since it didn't convince me, I stepped back and left it in the shop.

I'm really wondering how are other Jupiter X players looking at this and am looking forward to hear your experiences about this.

Cheers,

Chris

There are plenty of great piano sounds, just explore other categories
Cheers

Revelation wrote:

I use the RD piano on the Jupiter X and made a little modifications on them for my taste. Its ok for piano sounds but its not great. The other option is looking at the Expansion software on Roland Cloud that you can download on the Jupiter which includes Stage 1, Stage 2, and Grand Piano. I am curious how much better it is?

With that being said, I also use the Ivory II software in my DAW when I want very authentic piano in my home studio. Nothing will beat that.

Hi,

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts, as I also said it's indeed not a machine that you buy in order to use it mainly for piano sounds, but the answer from 'Relevation' gathers it all. He uses Ivory in his DAW and that's exactly what I still do not understand that synth builders are not able to write such kind of software and incorporate this into a machine like the Jupiter X. Memory, SSD's and CPU's are really cheap these days so that shouldn't be the reason.

A great sounding piano and some electrical pianos are mostly very useful in a synth and I really don't understand why Roland did not put more effort into the Jupiter and just added sole basic pianos into it. I repeat, turn off all fx and listen how horrible the they sound, you'll perfectly understand what I mean.

Still didn't buy it as it could really convince me, maybe some of you can convince me why I should get one ?

Thanks and musical regards !

Chris

The Jupiter X sounds amazing which is why I have it. A lot of cool sounds that can be used in any type of music. It enhances the songs and adds more flavor to the overall mix. But I agree having better pianos on it would help. But with the Jupiter X not being a weighted keyboard, I plan to buy the RD-88 next year.

My opinion is that Roland made a critical mistake when they decided to make the Jupiter-X/Xm series anything besides purely a synthesizer.

This thread appears to bear out my opinion as valid.

My opinion is that Roland made a critical mistake when they decided to make the Jupiter-X/Xm series anything besides purely a synthesizer.

Not following this - as the pianos are _only_ outputs of the ZEN-Core synthesizer engine. They did not include any of their more specific piano engines.

So they actually did as you said, kept it a pure synthesizer, with synthesizer based piano patches.

DesertBoat wrote:

...Not following this - as the pianos are _only_ outputs of the ZEN-Core synthesizer engine. They did not include any of their more specific piano engines.

So they actually did as you said, kept it a pure synthesizer, with synthesizer based piano patches.

It has the entire XV-5080 engine in there, which by definition makes it also a Rompler.

It also has the RD-series (modeled) piano engine.

My personal preference would have been for a ABM-only instrument.

re:

It also has the RD-series (modeled) piano engine.

I don't believe it has any modeled piano engine. The pianos appear to be ZEN-Core PCM patches - which really means the XV-5080. You can go in and edit all of them.

And I also do not believe it is not an ABM engine - really just a modified XV-5080 under everything.
- mostly additions to the base XV-5080 model
- but there are some subtractions:
- the more complicated XV-5080 tone routings
- and I suspect the PCM samples are 1x88 max, not the 4x88 avail in the XV-5080
- and of course the XV-5080 ability to import and edit the PCMs

The analog models are implemented with macros that drive the underlying XV-5080, aka ZEN-Core.

AFAIK it's the modelled RD piano. Why would they call it RD then?

A review with some remarks...makes me even more hesitate to buy it.

https://youtu.be/g9sbw9vjB_Y

Feel free to comment

Duplobaustein wrote:

AFAIK it's the modelled RD piano. Why would they call it RD then?

It's a ZEN-Core piano patch (i.e. using multisamples, not modeled) with a specific MFX emulating sympathetic resonance.

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-and-electronic-music-production/1277989-new-roland-jupiter-x-xm-137.html#post14572775