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THE JUPITER-XPERT GUIDE TO ROLAND JUPITER-X AND XM SYNTHESIZERS

S YS TEM PROG RA M 1 .50 EDI T I ON

THE JUPITER-XPERT GUIDE ROBERT SAINT JOHN

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Foundation of Sound - Understanding Scenes, Parts and Tones .......................................................................... 4

Scenes .................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Parts ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Tone and Models ................................................................................................................................................... 6

2. Introducing System Program 1.50 ......................................................................................................................... 8 UI Improvements for Scenes, Parts, and Model Tones ......................................................................................... 8 Single Tone Setup ................................................................................................................................................ 10 New Step Edit and Sequencing Features ............................................................................................................. 11 System Program 1.50 Menu System ................................................................................................................... 12

3. Xpert Tips ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 Scene Templates .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Know Your Status ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Part Button Assignments ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Simple Arpeggios ................................................................................................................................................. 14 JUPITER and Beyond ............................................................................................................................................ 15

One-Page Quick Reference ...................................................................................................................................... 16

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the JUPITER-Xpert Guide to Roland JUPITER-X and Xm Synthesizers. As I write this in the Summer of 2021, System Program 1.50 for the JUPITERs is about to be released and promises to be a significant jump forward in usability and features. I've wanted to create a “beyond the manuals” guide for some time as a companion to my JUPITER-Xpert tutorials and videos. The latest firmware release has created some urgency to make this guide available as soon as possible. Therefore, consider this a first edition with a specific focus on starting with – or transitioning to – JUPITER-X/Xm 1.50. If there is enough interest, I will continue to update and expand this guide in the future.

Roland has published extensive documentation for the synthesizers with the updated Owner's Manual, Reference Manual, Parameter Guide, Sound List, MIDI Implementation, and Supplemental manuals. This guide is not intended to replace those, and the reader should still have and review this documentation. Instead, it is inspired by Roland's 1979 The Synthesizer book collection and their 2003 publication The V-Synth Book. These guides were written in a more casual, straightforward fashion supported by practical examples, a style I hope to effectively emulate here.

I would like to thank my fellow team members James K. Hiser, Paul Cotton, and Andy Iyer for their invaluable insight. I also want to acknowledge Alex van den Berg, whose work on the MIDI aspects of the JUPITER-X has been especially helpful. Very special thanks also to Paul McCabe, Brandon Ryan, and Mr. Akihiro Nagata from Roland, who have all been very gracious with their support and more than tolerant of my enthusiasm.

Finally, I dedicate this guide to Mr. Jun-ichi Miki, Roland Corporation CEO, whose vision brought us the JUPITER-X/Xm, my favorite modern synthesizer.

Getting Started

And with that out of the way, it is time to begin. If you haven't already, visit the pages below to get and install the latest System Program update to your JUPITER. While you're there, get the latest technical documentation from Roland, as this guide will reference material in those manuals as needed.

JUPITER-X

Updates and Drivers - https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_product/jupiter-x/updates_drivers/ Documentation - https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_product/jupiter-x/owners_manuals/

JUPITER-Xm

Updates and Drivers - https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_product/jupiter-xm/updates_drivers/ Documentation - https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_product/jupiter-xm/owners_manuals/

JUPITER-Xpert Online

• Website – jupiterxpert.com • On YouTube – JUPITER-Xpert Video Demos and Tutorials Playlist, including new 1.50 videos • On Facebook – @jupiterxpert • On Instagram – @jupiterxpert

The JUPITER-Xpert Guide is user generated content by Robert Saint John. It is not associated with nor endorsed by Roland Corporation. Jupiter-X and Jupiter-Xm are products and trademarks of Roland Corporation, and no infringement is intended. All content Copyright © 2021 Robert Saint John unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact robert@jupiterxpert.com.

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1. FOUNDATION OF SOUND - UNDERSTANDING SCENES, PARTS AND TONES

Before diving into the hands-on details, it is essential to clearly understand the structure and elements of sounds specific to the JUPITER-X/Xm. There is probably no other aspect of this synthesizer that has caused more confusion than the relationship between Scenes, Parts, and Tones. But this architecture is at the heart of the X/Xm and is tied to the panel controls of the synth. It is what enables the X/Xm to be a 5-part, multiple voice (multitimbral) synth with extensive features such as layering, drums, and automated I-Arp performance in what would otherwise be an entire rack or more of gear.

This structure has not changed in the latest iteration of the JUPITER-X/Xm firmware. However, its relation to the controls has been modified, resulting in a simplified navigation and menu system. As a result, it is now more important than ever to have a basic grasp of each element and how they relate to one another. If you already feel comfortable with the Scene structure, you may go ahead and skip to the next section, Introducing System Program 1.50.

Although the Roland manuals have provided charts illustrating an overview of the structure and the signal processing, it might be helpful to demonstrate the architecture in another way. Consider this box:

The box contains five unsealed envelopes, each with one or more color index cards. The index cards themselves have notations on them, written in ink. The envelopes might have some notes penciled on them about different ways to interpret the cards. There are some smaller boxes within the big box. Those in the back contain different kinds of glitter or ornamentation to modify the

appearance of the envelopes. The white box in front contains optional instructions about how the envelopes and contents might be read alone or tell a story. And outside of the big box are more index cards, each different from the other and grouped by color. You can swap these cards with those in the envelopes to change the character of the overall package.

This illustration is analogous to the JUPITER-X/Xm sound architecture. As seen in this image, a Scene is a box containing Parts (envelopes), each with a Tone (the index cards), which are modified by Scene Effects (color boxes) and can be performed through I-Arp (the white box). Preset and User Tones exist outside the box, grouped by Model or Category, as a source for the Parts.

SCENES

Understanding this architecture is important because, in the X/Xm, nearly everything that makes up the current status of the synthesizer is grouped in a Scene. A Scene is the combination of sound, mix, effects, sequencing, and other settings encapsulated into a single manageable unit. The concept of Scenes has a long history with Roland and the multitimbral synths and workstations of other manufacturers. They have also been called Programs, Performances, Projects, or Registrations. Scenes are a convenient way to manage, save, and recall these complex structures.

Nevertheless, Scenes often frustrate users. "But why," many ask, "do we have to have Scenes at all? I just want to play or edit a single Tone!" It's a fair question, but the JUPITER-X/Xm was always designed and marketed as a 5-Part multitimbral synthesizer with performance features and effects. A structure like a Scene was always going to be necessary for what is essentially up to four independent synthesizers and a drum machine to be performed simultaneously. Let's consider a few of the advantages and disadvantages of the Scene format.

Advantages

• Enables Splits and Layers of up to four independent Tones, along with backing rhythms.

• Enables enhanced performances using I-Arp, Step Edit patterns, and external sequencing,

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• Each Scene can act as a collection of four versions of the same Tone, applying basic adjustments to the sound’s filter, envelopes, and tuning, as well as arps, MIDI, control assignment, and more. This way, the user does not always have to save individual User Tones (essential on a synth with only 256 user slots).

• Allows the independent application of Scene Effects like Chorus, Reverb, and Delay to Tones in the Scene.

• The framework of one Scene can be saved, repurposed, and applied to other performances by swapping Tones.

• Enables the creation of many and varied Scene Presets as already found on the JUPITER-X/Xm.

Challenges

• Presents additional layers of complexity and is arguably harder to learn.

• Requires extra steps to set up and play a single Tone.

• Results in more menu-diving. • Tone parameters are generally at a higher

resolution (1024 values) as opposed to similar Scene Part parameters (128 values), making the real-time adjustment to Part settings "steppy" and often unsuitable for live performance.

• Users sometimes find that they were editing Scene Part parameters when they thought they were editing Tone parameters. This is more common with partial-based Tones (XV-5080, ZEN-Core, etc.) than the ABM-based classic Models (JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, SH-101, etc.), for reasons that will be detailed later.

The challenges, however, are nothing that cannot be dealt with through familiarity and taking steps to maximize your workflow. For example, a user can create a "Split Template" in which the Upper Part 1 synth can be played as pad chords, and the Lower Part 2 synth can be an arpeggiated bassline. Once written as a new User Scene, the user can easily swap different synth Models and Tones in and out of the Parts (like index cards!) for later use in a completely different performance or tune. The Scene format allows the user to do anything they would with a simple monotimbral synth but still manage the more complex performances of the JUPITER-X/Xm. It is the best of both worlds.

Scene data is specified in the SCENE COMMON EDIT menu. Most of it relates to mapping to the hardware

panel controls, such as the assignment of the S1-S3 button and SL1-SL2 slider functions, pedals, aftertouch, tempo, and so on.

PARTS

Within the Scene are the five Parts, the "sleeves" that contain a Tone (one of four synthesizers or a drum kit). A Part specifies data external to the Tone itself and the Part's relation to other Parts and the Effects in the Scene. Some of the settings are used to map the Tone's response to the hardware, such as pitch bend wheel range, velocity, legato/portamento, and per-Part MIDI parameters. Other settings adjust panning, EQ, tuning, or whether the Part is on and audible at all. These settings affect the performance of the Tone but are not part of the Tone itself.

There are some settings in the Part, however, that one would usually associate with a Tone such as ADSR envelopes for Pitch, Filter, and Amp. There are also settings for LFO and modifiers for Cutoff and Resonance. To further complicate matters, the availability of these Part settings may vary depending on which Model is assigned to the Part (see the section on Tones which follows).

Despite the shared labels, changes made here do not directly change the Tone file itself. These parameters are external modifiers known as Offsets. Offsets shift the base starting point of Tone parameters without altering those parameters in the Tone itself. As noted previously, Tone parameters are generally high-resolution (0 to 1023, 1024 values), but Offsets are at a lower resolution (-64 to +63, 128 values). Offsets are a helpful way to change the audible presentation of a Tone in a Scene without changing the Tone itself.

For example, you might have found a nearly perfect JUNO-106 Preset Tone to use in a performance. But suppose it's just a little too bright (Cutoff), and it fades a little too quickly (Release)? You could make direct edits to the Tone itself, like changing Cutoff from 1000 to 800 and bumping up the Envelope Release from 300 to 600. Once you do that, though, you'll need to Write that as a

Direct edit of a Tone Partial Cutoff vs. a Scene Part Offset

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new User Tone into one of the 256 user slots. That might be desirable, especially if you think you're going to use that exact new Tone again elsewhere.

If this is just a modification needed for this particular Scene, a better alternative would be to use Offsets at the Part level. Too bright? Apply an Offset of -10 to Part Cutoff. Need more of a fadeout once you let go of the keys? Apply an Offset of +20 to Part Release. These changes will be saved with the Scene when you Write it and won't require creating a new User Tone.

To draw another analogy, a Tone is like a chocolate cake mix, and a Part is like a pan you would pour the mixture into for baking. The pan might be square, rectangular, or a round fluted bundt cake pan. The pan you choose will change the shape and the texture of the cake, but the ingredients didn't change. It's still a chocolate cake. If you want a vanilla cake, you will need to change the ingredients of the cake. The icing and sprinkles that are applied at the end, by the way, are the effects.

That's it, no more strained analogies. Hopefully, these different ways of visualizing the architecture of Scenes and Parts will be helpful when it comes to navigating both the controls and the menus of the JUPITER-X/Xm, covered in more detail later.

Part data is specified in the SCENE PART EDIT menu. As outlined above, this page consists primarily of modifiers specific to the Tone contained within the Part.

TONE AND MODELS

The most essential element of the sound architecture of the JUPITER-X/Xm is the Tone. Most synthesizers, analog or digital, have but a single sound engine to create Tones. The X/Xm essentially has its own engine, known as ZEN-Core. However, ZEN-Core is different as it is both a type of Tone as well as a foundation for simulating the characteristics of other synthesizers. Roland's method encapsulates ZEN-Core with specialized interface wrappers and combines them with advanced scaling and translation techniques -- behavior modeling -- to create specific synthesizer Models.

Models have been designed based on the JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, JX-8P, and SH-101 analog synthesizers; the XV-5080 and JD-800 digital synths; and a special "RD Piano" exclusive to the X/Xm. The X/Xm also includes a Vocoder mode and a set of dozens of drum kits to be used to provide a rhythm track. Models can be assigned

to a Bank of Models associated with the 1-16 buttons for easy recall, and each Bank can hold up to eight Model assignments. Bank assignments can alternately be organized by Tone Category (for example, Synth PolyKey, Synth Bass, Solo Strings), Wave Expansions, or User Tones.

Each Model has its own interface with its unique set of high-resolution parameters mapped to the controls and displayed in the Tone menu system. Models include dozens (sometimes hundreds) of Preset Tones, which the user can assign to a Part like an index card slipped into an envelope (the Part) inside a box (the Scene). Preset Tones cannot be overwritten nor deleted, but the user can directly edit a Preset or Init Tone and save (Write) the modified version as a new User Tone.

To summarize, a Tone is the fundamental element assigned to a Part, and Tones are grouped according to the Model on which they're based. The control panel assignments and menus of the JUPITER-X/Xm contextually adjust based on the Tone of the currently selected Part.

There remains an important distinction to outline regarding Tones. Based on the associated Model, there are two types of Tone structures that need to be understood by the user. The Roland documentation does not clearly distinguish between these two Tone types but often cites exceptions such as, "For some models, pages are not divided by partial," or footnotes like, "There are valid when the model of tone JUNO-106, JX-8P, SH-101, RD-PIANO, or VOCODER." As a result, there has been a great deal of confusion about how a control might apply to an Offset for one Tone but directly edit a parameter of another. To clearly contrast the two structures in this guide, we will refer to them with unofficial terminology: Classic Models and Partial-based Models.

CLASSIC MODELS are the JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, JX-8P, and SH-101. These Models and their Tones are distinguished by a single TONE EDIT page in the menu that lists all the high-resolution parameters, which, for the most part, map directly to the control panel knobs and sliders. Even for the Models with multiple Oscillators and Envelopes, it is relatively easy to directly modify the Tone parameters of Classic Models with barely a glance toward the display menu. And because the controls map to the Tone parameters, the user would rarely find that they were editing the Part Offsets by mistake.

PARTIAL-BASED MODELS are ZEN-Core, XV-5080, RD-PIANO, and the PR and COMMON Presets. These Tones

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are made up of multiple (up to four) Partials. It's tempting to think of Partials as oscillators, but they're much more than that. Each Partial in a Tone is a discrete synthesizer voice with its own oscillator, filter, LFOs, extended envelopes, and many more parameters. Layering these individual voices is what enables the Partial-based Models to achieve such complex sounds.

Partial-based Tones have a set of parameters grouped as Common such as overall Level, Panning, Tuning, and Portamento, and settings for interaction between the Partials like Unison, Ring Mod, and Cross Mod. But these Tones do not have a single "wrapper" with overall parameters for Cutoff, Resonance, ADSR, and so on. This is where the Part structure comes in and why Offsets are so important. And this is why panel adjustments for Partial-based Tones are, by default, applied as Offsets to the Part containing the Tone. As cited in an example earlier, if the Tone is too bright, it is much more efficient to use the Cutoff control to apply an Offset than adjust each discrete Partial (though that option still exists with the Partial selectors).

One recent exception to these two categories worth noting is the JD-800 Model Expansion. Although it is a Partial-based Model (based on one of the earliest synthesizers to use Partials), control adjustments are applied directly to the currently selected Partial(s), not the Part. In this way, it more closely resembles the use of controls with the Classic Models.

In addition, the JD-800 Model introduced the Palette Mode that allows the user to call up a panel that enables the simultaneous adjustment of specific parameters across multiple Partials. Overall, it has been a convenient approach to the challenge of designing with Partial-based Tones on the JUPITER-X/Xm, and perhaps it will be expanded to the ZEN-Core and XV Models in the future.

Tone data is specified in the TONE EDIT menu(s). As detailed above this may be one page, or multiple pages for the Partials.

Other elements include I-ARP, Scene Effects, Tone MFX effects, Keyboard Ranges, and more. For the moment, it is more important to have a solid grasp on the interrelationship of a Scene, Parts, and their Tones as detailed above.

It's worth noting again that this was the sound structure of the JUPITER-X/Xm when it was introduced, and it is no different now in System Program 1.50. What has changed is the correlation between this architecture and the physical controls of the synthesizer. And that's what we're going to dig into in the next section.

The original “flat” menu and navigation system of JUPITER-X/Xm from 1.00 – 1.43 used to represent and access Scenes, Parts, and Tones. Although the SCENE, PART, MODEL BANK, and (on the Xm) FUNCTION buttons changed the functionality of the controls, the changing context was not represented well on the display itself. This led to a lot of scrolling and confusion as to whether the user was editing Tone data or Scene and Part data such as offsets.

TONE EDIT Partial 1 of the ZEN-Core Partial-based Tone in Part 3. Note the 3 of 4 active Partials (OSC at bottom).

Palette Mode of a JD-800 Tone, editing multiple Partial filters

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2. INTRODUCING SYSTEM PROGRAM 1.50

The JUPITER-X/Xm is obviously a very important synthesizer in Roland's product line-up. Since its introduction, Roland have been noting user comments through Support and they have maintained an active presence on various community forums like the X/Xm Users Facebook Groups.

Based on what’s new in 1.50, it appears that they took that feedback and focused on designing new workflow solutions in three key areas:

• Improving navigation for both controls and menus, and more clearly delineating between Scene and Tone.

• Implementing a "Single Tone" mode. • Adding new functions in Step Edit to more easily

create and record pattern sequences.

The result is System Program 1.50, the most significant update to the X/Xm to date. Newer users and those who have had difficulty with the previous methods will find these changes immediately helpful. More experienced users will ultimately welcome the improvements but may find unlearning the old workflow is required before they reach the “Aha!” moment.

This section summarizes each of the new features, details the specific functions, and sums up any new shortcuts. The number of changes might appear intimidating. But users will find that there is now more consistency and that learning one new method often carries over to other tasks. Readers will find a One-Page Quick Reference of most of the changes and shortcuts at the back of this guide. Again, this guide is meant to enhance Roland's documentation for 1.50, so please review it as well.

UI IMPROVEMENTS FOR SCENES, PARTS, AND MODEL TONES

Summary: The navigational structure for Scenes, Parts, Models, and Tones has been reorganized for both the panel controls and the menu system, resulting in significant usability improvements and consistency. The flat 17-page menu structure (I-ARP > SCENE/PART > TONE) has now been segregated into two distinct sets: Scene and Part management, and Model and Tone.

FUNCTIONAL CHANGES

• Before 1.50, there were three states: Scene, Part, or Model Bank button lit. In 1.50, only SCENE or MODEL BANK can be active at a time.

• The PART button is now a toggle and modifies functions available in SCENE or MODEL BANK.

• On the JUPITER-Xm, the FUNCTION button is now a toggle. Only FUNCTION or PART can be active at a time, though both may be inactive.

• MENU and WRITE are now toggles.

Scene Button - Use to browse, select and modify Scene level parameters, including Scene Effects.

• Scene and Part menus are exclusive to this state. • A new SCENE TOP view features the Scene Bank-

Number and Name. Change Bank with SCENE+ or SHIFT+ [1]-[16], followed by Number. Select the active Scene through Knobs 1 and 2 or Buttons [1]-[16].

• Left and Right arrows from SCENE TOP navigate through the current Scene and Part structure pages, including the Arp pages.

• The ENTER button from SCENE TOP brings up the SCENE SELECT list. The user can view and select from a vertical Scene List view, using Knobs or Page Up/Down arrows, and tap ENTER to select and load a new Scene.

The new SCENE TOP view

The SCENE SELECT list

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• Repeated EXIT taps will always return the user to SCENE TOP with Scene selected., regardless position in the menu system.

• When Scene is lit, panel control edits apply to currently selected Part(s). Adjustments are applied directly to the Tone in the case of the ABM Classic Tones (JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, JD-800, etc.). For Partial-based Tones (ZEN-Core, XV-5080), adjustments are applied to the Scene Part as Offsets.

• When Scene is selected, SHIFT+ENTER takes the user directly to WRITE/SCENE INITIALIZE.

Scene+Part - Use to browse, select and modify Parts and Part-level parameters. Scene-level pages are still accessible.

• When Scene and Part are both selected (Scene+Part), the menu presents the Part List view. This page shows which Tones are assigned to the 5 Parts.

• Each Part in the List is also labeled with status indicators: K for Keyboard Switch ON, A for ARP PART EDIT Switch ON (if ARP COMMON EDIT Switch is ON for Scene), S for STEP MODE ON or KEYSHIFT, or – indicating that the Part is not active either Keyboard or Arp Switch.

• User can use the Up/Down arrows to move the cursor, which sets the active Part. They can also navigate to the top where the Scene is listed.

• User can move the cursor and use Knob 1 (+/-10) and Knob 2 (+/-1) to browse and select the active Scene, or Tone for the selected Part (based on Model/Category assignments).

• From Scene Part List view, tapping ENTER brings up a vertical Tone List view. Knobs and Page Up/Down arrows allow selection of a new Tone for the current Part. Left/Right arrows allow the user to change the Model associated with the Part. Press ENTER to select the new Tone.

• Left and Right arrows navigate through the Scene and Part pages, including the Arp pages.

• The Part and OSC status bar is still displayed at the bottom as it was previously.

• Buttons [1]-[10] change to Part selection and management (no change from the previous Part Mode).

• Panel controls apply to currently selected Part(s) (no change).

• System menu PART BUTTON ASSIGNMENTS using Shift+ still apply (no change).

• On JUPITER-Xm in this state, Buttons [11]-[16] apply to their alternate functions as labeled.

• On JUPITER-Xm, FUNCTION is now a toggle and steps out of Scene+Part to allow OSC and Partial selection and edits using Buttons [1]-[10] for the currently selected Part. FUNCTION+Button [1]~[4] will display TONE EDIT for the Tone or Partial.

Model Bank Button - Use to create custom assignments of Models or Categories for Buttons [1]-[16] (MODEL BANK+Button #, no change). Also, use to apply assignments to the currently selected Part (no change).

• It may be helpful to consider the Model Bank as "Tone Mode," as all Tone-related menu pages are exclusive to this state.

• With Model Bank selected, the display shows MODEL BANK TOP, the Tone page for the currently selected Part. LFO Editor and ENV Editor graphs are now only on the MODEL BANK TOP page.

• Use Knobs 1 and 2 to change the Tone selection. • Left/Right arrows navigate through TONE

COMMON, EDIT, and MFX pages. • From MODEL BANK TOP, tapping ENTER brings

up a vertical TONE LIST view. Knobs and Page Up/Down arrows allow the selection of a new Tone for the current Part. Left/Right arrows allow the user to change the Model associated

Scene Part List. Note correspondence between indicators, the selected Part, and the status bar at the bottom.

MODEL BANK TOP, showing the Tone and its envelopes for the currently selected Part.

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with the Part. Press ENTER to select new Tone.

• On JUPITER-Xm, Buttons [11]-[16] apply to their alternate functions as shown (no change).

• On JUPITER-Xm, FUNCTION allows OSC and Partial selection and edits using Buttons [1]-[10] for the Tone (see below).

• Panel control edits made when Model Bank is selected are applied directly to the Tone, whether it is a Classic or Partial-based Tone.

• When Model Bank is lit, SHIFT+ENTER takes the user directly to WRITE/TONE INITIALIZE for the Tone in the current Part.

• As previously noted, repeated taps of EXIT will always return the user to this SCENE TOP with Scene selected.

Model+Part - Use this state to switch to and select the active Part(s) and Tone within. • When Model Bank and Part are both selected

(Model+Part), Buttons [1]-[10] change to Part selection and on/off switch. The display continues to show which Tone is assigned to the selected Part.

• As above, on JUPITER-Xm, FUNCTION is a toggle. It steps out of Model+Part to allow OSC and Partial selection and edits using Buttons [1]-[10] for the Tone. FUNCTION+ Button [1]~[4] will display TONE EDIT for the Tone or Partial.

SHORTCUT SUMMARY

ENTER

• If Scene: brings up Scene Select page (no change)

• If Scene+Part: brings up selection List for highlighted item

• If Model Bank: From MODEL BANK TOP, opens Tone List

SHIFT+ENTER

• Scene lit: brings up SCENE INITIALIZE • Model Bank lit: brings up TONE INITIALIZE

SHIFT+MODEL BANK

• Single Tone Setup (see below)

SHIFT+Other Controls or Buttons

• No change from previous functions or assignment control

SINGLE TONE SETUP

Summary: At any time, SHIFT+MODEL BANK brings up SINGLE SETUP to create a Scene with exclusive focus on the Tone in Part 1. SINGLE SETUP is also available from the MENU button.

FUNCTIONAL CHANGES

• SINGLE SETUP is basically an automation that saves the user the multiple steps otherwise required to disable other Parts and navigate directly to the Part 1 Tone.

• Tapping OK from the SINGLE SETUP page modifies the current Scene so that only Part 1 and its Tone are active. Keyboard and Arp Switch for all other Parts are disabled.

• Model Bank is automatically engaged, and MODEL BANK TOP (the Tone) is displayed. Press ENTER to bring up TONE LIST.

• Scene Effect Sends are zeroed out. • Panel control edits are applied directly to the

Tone, not Scene Part Offsets, whether it is a Classic or Partial-based Tone.

• Manually engaging other Parts or selection of functions such as Dual will essentially override Single Tone.

• Single Tone Setup modifies the current Scene, which will show as [Edited] during the WRITE function. If starting from an existing Preset or User Scene, take caution to not mistakenly overwrite the Scene.

The TONE LIST view

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NEW STEP EDIT AND SEQUENCING FEATURES

Summary: New features and navigation now make Step Edit a more fully featured, easier to use onboard sequencer. Step note input is significantly easier, much like the classic SH-101 method. Real-time recording is now possible. A Step Edit Menu enables new functionality, including copying patterns from other Scenes. Erase functions make it easier to clear patterns for the Part or all Parts. New control assignments for the S1-S3 buttons while in Step Edit provide much of this new functionality.

FUNCTIONAL CHANGES

• S1 erases all Grid Steps for the selected Part(s). • S2 (toggle) enables STEP RECORD mode and

note-by-note input with auto-advance. • S3 (toggle) plays and loops through patterns for

all Parts. • S2+S3 starts REAL-TIME RECORD of note input. • Page Left/Right and Up/Down buttons move the

cursor from cell-to-cell. SHIFT+Left/Right advances from page-to-page.

• The STEP EDIT: PART EDIT page precedes the Grid pages, with settings for the Part such as Grid Length, Duration, Shuffle, Key Ranges, etc.

• SHIFT+Knob 1 changes the Grid Length (2-64) for the current Part

• MENU brings up the STEP EDIT MENU: o SETTING: Opens STEP EDIT: PART EDIT page o COPY from I-ARP: Same function as previous

versions that commits a recent I-Arp loop to the Grid.

o COPY from SCENE: Copies existing pattern data from an external Scene and Part into the current Grid.

o ERASE CURRENT PART: Erases Steps for current Part

o ERASE ALL PART: Erases all Steps for all Parts

• A blinking Button [1]~[16] reflects the cursor position in the Grid

• Toggle PART to change Part selection and the displayed Grid with Buttons [1]~[5]

• Use STEP RECORD (S2) to enter successive notes (even chords) from the keyboard into the Grid. Cursor position will advance to next cell (and Page). Use Page Right button to skip a cell.

• Enter Ties by holding the note(s) and pressing the Page Right button (Parts 1-4 only).

• Erase all instances of note by holding the note on keyboard, then S1

• Clear a column of notes (such as a chord) by holding a Button [1]~[16], then S1.

• Knob 1 still advances to the next cell. Knob 2 still adjusts velocity and manually sets ties.

• Use Knob 2 while holding a chord to change the velocity of all held notes in that step.

• Users may still use the TR-REC method of note entry, whether nor not S2 is active.

• Use REAL-TIME RECORD (S2+S3) to play through the Grid and enter notes or chords from the keyboard for currently selected Parts. Toggle S2 to disable recording while the patterns still play.

• For long chord runs, don’t forget to adjust Duration to 100% in STEP EDIT: PART EDIT.

• S1 or Menu Erase can be used while S2+S3 is running.

• Scene Initialize in Step Edit resets Grid Length to 16 (one page) for all Parts.

SHORTCUT SUMMARY

SHIFT+PAGE LEFT or RIGHT

• Navigate between Grid pages

SHIFT+KNOB 1

• Changes Grid Length for selected Part(s)

NOTES+PAGE RIGHT (in S2 mode)

• Advances and enters Tie for held notes

NOTES+KNOB 2 (in S2 mode)

• Changes Velocity for held notes

HOLD NOTE+S1

• Erases all instances of that note in Grid

HOLD BUTTON [1]~[16]+S1

• Clear a Grid column of notes (such as chords)

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SYSTEM PROGRAM 1.50 MENU SYSTEM

JUPITER-X/XM SYSTEM PROGRAM 1.50 MENU SYSTEM

When SCENE button is lit

When SCENE+PART buttons are lit

When MODEL BANK button is lit (Classic Model Tone)

When MODEL BANK button is lit (Partial-based Model Tone)

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3. XPERT TIPS

As I expand the JUPITER-Xpert Guide in the future, I plan to dive deeper into other features of the JUPITER-X/Xm such as I-ARP and Effects (both Scene Effects and Tone MFX). As of System Program 1.50, there have been no significant changes to these features, but there has not been much material written about them, and they remain a source of mystery to many.

In the meantime, I have detailed methods below that have made my own user experience much more satisfying and efficient. Readers may have seen some of these demonstrated in my series of JUPITER-Xpert video tutorials and demos on YouTube. I have updated them here to reflect the latest system program changes.

SCENE TEMPLATES

Whenever you set up a specialized, possibly complex Scene – for instance, a Split where the Part 1 Upper zone is a Pad, and the Part 2 Lower is an arpeggiated Bass – consider saving it as a template for use in the future. This way, you can recall the Scene and quickly swap in new Tones when working on a similar piece.

On my own JUPITER-X and Xm, I reserve Bank 8 for personal templates like that above, one with a basic arpeggio, one with percussion assigned to different keys, a basic starter synthwave Scene, and others. And at 08-01, I keep an Init Scene with Parts of initialized Classic Model Tones. I have it set in System as my Startup Scene so that I can turn on the synth and immediately start playing or designing new sounds.

KNOW YOUR STATUS

Every user has undoubtedly noticed the symbols at the bottom of the display intended to give information about the Parts in the Scene and OSC/Partial information for the current Part. Few users reference this status bar, let alone comprehend it. And it's no wonder because the documentation is minimal, and the illustration and legend provided are contradictory. The Buttons [1]-[10] and OSC lights of the X tell part of the story – Part On/Off, Selected, Partial On/Off – and the 1.50 new Part List view with 'K A S —' tags tell a little more. But the status bar tells it all at a glance, if you can translate it.

The illustration in the manual is confusing because it tries to explain three things at once. Also, the black text on white is the reverse of what users see on the display. Here, then, are the symbols and what parameter they represent, based on context.

These are the possible symbols for each of the five Parts in a Scene. KeySw is Keyboard Switch in SCENE ZONE EDIT, indicating whether the Part will respond to play on the keyboard. PartSw corresponds to Part Switch in SCENE PART EDIT and indicates if the Part is audible. Arpeggio Part means that I-ARP is on (ARP COMMON EDIT Switch) and that ARP PART EDIT Switch for the Part is set to KEYSW or ON. That is, the Part is attached to I-ARP for how it plays. An underline designates the currently selected Part, and an underdot indicates other Parts that are also selected and subject to control panel edits.

So, for example, a Part status line that reads + ■ □ – + tells the user that Part 1 is selected; that it along with Part 5 drums are set to I-ARP; Part 2 is also on and will respond to the keyboard; Part 3 is on but won't play keyboard notes, and Part 4 is muted completely.

The OSC section of the status line is different when the Tone in the Part is a Classic Model Tone than a Partial-based Tone. If it is a Classic Model, the squares represent the number of Oscillators, and which is selected. Oscillators are always "on."

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For Partial-based Tones, the squares represent the Tone Partials and if they're selected and on (TONE EDIT PARTIAL Tone PMT Ptl Sw). As indicated, the user can choose multiple Partials but cannot choose multiple Oscillators.

PART BUTTON ASSIGNMENTS

An often-overlooked feature buried at the bottom of the System menu is Part Button Assign. For most users, the default assignments in the table below are satisfactory. There may, however, be workflows and personal performance styles that benefit from customizing this line-up.

For instance, users who often mute and unmute looping Parts while performing might find the SHIFT+[6]~[10] action challenging since the SHIFT button is separated from the keys and the action requires two fingers (or hands, on the X!). By resetting PART Btn Asgn 6-10 to PartSw, the user can simplify muting to a quick tap of a single button. Similarly, changing PART Btn Asgn 1-5 to Part+KeySw makes it very easy to switch to and solo a Part. Experiment and see if there are assignments you prefer, and you can even Write them to System to make them part of your regular workflow.

SIMPLE ARPEGGIOS

Many musicians love arpeggios, and many synths have a single button or dial to generate them. But despite the "I-

ARPEGGIO" section on the X/Xm, that's not what you want to use to play simple arps.

The first thing to note is that I-Arpeggio is not a basic arpeggio function. I-Arp is a feature that combines arp settings, keyboard notes, rhythms, and velocity and orchestrates parts and patterns on the fly. It can create many impressive performances, but that's not what I'm talking about here.

The easiest way to see how to set up a simple arp is to start with a simple Scene with one active Part and Tone. Using the new SINGLE SETUP feature, we can do that with a simple SHIFT+MODEL BANK. Whenever possible, start with your own Init Scene to ensure that factors like unique settings in keyboard ranges, Parts, or Effects don't impact what you first hear.

The most important thing is to ensure that I-Arp is off. Press SCENE to exit from MODEL BANK. Use the Page Left button to step back to ARP COMMON EDIT and change Type to 00:OFF.

The other thing you immediately want to do is disable the switch for Beat Detection, either in the same menu or with the Beat PLAY DETECTOR button. Even with I-Arp off, Beat Detector will modify an arpeggio based on your velocity and rhythm. In fact, the only buttons you want lit are HOLD (optionally), ON/OFF, and KEYS.

Now use Page Left to page back to ARP PART EDIT for our Part. This menu is where you turn the arpeggio on and customize it to your liking using traditional settings found on many synths:

• Set Switch to ON • Choose whether to Hold • Grid Note is what we might call the Arp Step or

Scale, the timing in relation to the Tempo like 16th Note or Triplet

• Oct Range is where you set how many Octaves up or down to play the arp

• Motif is to set the arp style such as DOWN, UP, UP/DOWN, RANDOM, NOTE ORDER

You can experiment with the other settings. Many are related to I-ARP and documented in the official Parameter Guide. But at this point, you can press your keys, hear your basic arp, and change and compare the various settings available in ARP PART EDIT.

As pointed out above, you can WRITE this Scene and save it as a template. Now you'll have it set up and can easily

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change the Tone assigned to the Part as desired in the future. And as the X/Xm is a multi-part synthesizer, you can set up a Scene with several independent arpeggios.

JUPITER AND BEYOND

Even with Roland's tremendous improvements in 1.50, the advanced remain challenging on the JUPITER-X and Xm. Just the subject of the ZEN-Core Model – a Tone with four Partials, each with around 200 parameters apiece – could take up an entire guide like this one. Therefore, any power tips list like this would not be complete without mentioning Roland's "in the box" solutions available through their Roland Cloud service.

The free JUPITER-X Editor is a standalone application for Windows and macOS that extends the hardware in several ways:

• It is a librarian for both Tones and Scenes that is virtually unlimited compared to the 256 user slots available on the hardware and easier to manage than storage on a USB drive.

• It provides an excellent visual interface for creating and editing Scenes.

• The same graphical UI provides users a much better "big picture" view of complex Tones than could be squeezed into the X/Xm display.

Best of all, the Editor interfaces directly with the synthesizer over USB, retrieving and exchanging the data in real-time. Even users who are not fond of mixing hardware and software should give it a look, as it has already opened sound design for many X/Xm owners.

Also worthy of a look is the ZENOLOGY Pro software synthesizer. It fully supports the ZEN-Core format as well as the Model and Wave Expansions available for the X/Xm. It has a sophisticated interface that makes diving into Partial-based Tones a breeze. ZENOLOGY is supported by the extensive ZEN-Core and Model Expansion Sound Packs, making it a comprehensive learning tool for the advanced sound design heard in those Tones. And its import and export features mean you can readily share these Tones with the X/Xm (and vice versa) on a USB stick.

Finally, if the expanded Step Edit sequencing of 1.50 still isn't enough for you, check out Roland Zenbeats, available for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Touted as a "music creation app," Zenbeats is a digital audio

workstation (DAW) in disguise. But compared to many other DAWs, it has a low barrier to entry in both usability and cost.

Zenbeats' MIDI sequencing and audio capture facilities make it an excellent option for those looking to get their performances to and from the X/Xm. It can seamlessly share projects between devices (such as PC and iPhone), making it a very portable advanced sequencer for the synth. It is also an outstanding host for ZENOLOGY on the PC, and the two together are a great pair and valuable companions to your JUPITER hardware.

FINAL NOTES

I hope readers have found this guide useful and easy to absorb. As I mentioned in the introduction, if there is enough interest, I will continue expanding and revising it into the future. My goal, as always, is to help other users have as much fun and as satisfying a musical experience with the JUPITER-X/Xm as I have.

If you haven't already, look up and join the JUPITER-X/Xm User Groups on Facebook, where many enthusiasts like me explore this synth almost every day. We're always happy to help find solutions and inspiration in each other's work. This guide simply wouldn't exist if it weren't for the support and encouragement of these online communities.

Be sure to look up and follow @jupiterxpert on most social media and subscribe to my ongoing series of tutorials and demos on YouTube. With all that’s happening in the JUPITER-X/Xm universe, I’m just getting started.

Be seeing you!

Robert July 2021

UI AND NAVIGATION CHANGES: The structure for Scenes, Parts, Models, and Tones has been reorganized for both the panel controls and the menu system.

• Only SCENE or MODEL BANK can be active at a time. • PART, MENU, WRITE, and FUNCTION buttons are toggles.

Scene Button - Select and modify Scene-level parameters. • New SCENE TOP view with Scene Bank-Number and Name.

Select with Knobs 1 and 2 or Buttons [1]-[16]. Change Bank with SCENE+ or SHIFT+ [1]-[16], followed by Number. Page L/R from SCENE TOP for Arp, Scene and Part pages.

• ENTER from SCENE TOP opens SCENE SELECT list view. Use Knobs or Page Up/Down, tap ENTER to select new Scene.

• Repeated EXIT taps will return the user to SCENE TOP. • As previously, panel control edits apply to currently selected

Part(s). Adjustments are applied directly to classic Tones or as Scene Part Offsets for multi-partial Tones.

• When Scene is lit, SHIFT+ENTER opens SCENE INITIALIZE.

Scene+Part Buttons - Use to browse, select and modify Parts. • When Scene and Part are lit, the menu opens Part List view,

showing which Tones are assigned to the 5 Parts. • Each Part labeled: K for Keyboard Switch ON, A for ARP PART

EDIT Switch ON, S for STEP MODE ON or KEYSHIFT, or – indicating the Part is inactive.

• Use Page Up/Down to move cursor and set active Part. • Navigate to top to select Scene. • Knob 1 (+/-10) and Knob 2 (+/-1) to select the active Scene, or

Tone for the highlighted Part. • ENTER opens Tone List view. Use Knobs and Page Up/Down to

select Tone for highlighted Part. Page L/R to change Model for the Part. ENTER to select Tone.

• Page L/R from Part List view for Arp, Scene and Part pages. • Buttons [1]-[10] change Part selection. • System PART BUTTON ASSIGNMENTS (SHIFT+) still apply. • JUPITER-Xm Buttons [11]-[16] for labeled functions. • JUPITER-Xm FUNCTION is a toggle from PART to allow OSC and

Partial selection. FUNCTION+Button [1]~[4] opens TONE EDIT for the Tone or Partial.

Model Bank Button – Assign Models/Categories for Buttons [1]-[16] (MODEL BANK+Button #). Apply assignments to currently selected Part. • It may be helpful to consider this as "Tone Mode," as all Tone-

related items are exclusively available when selected. • When lit, opens MODEL BANK TOP, the Tone page for selected

Part, with LFO Editor and ENV Editor graphs. • Knobs 1 and 2 change the Tone selection. • Page L/R moves through TONE COMMON, EDIT, and MFX. • ENTER opens Tone List view. Knobs and Page Up/Down to

select Tone for current Part. Page L/R to change the Model. Press ENTER to select the new Tone.

• JUPITER-Xm Buttons [11]-[16] for labeled functions. • JUPITER-Xm FUNCTION for OSC and Partial selection. • When Model is lit, panel edits are applied directly to Tone. • When Model is lit, SHIFT+ENTER opens TONE INITIALIZE. • Repeated EXIT taps will return the user to SCENE and SCENE

TOP.

Model+Part - Use this state to switch to and select the active Part(s) and Tone within. • When Model Bank and Part are lit, Buttons [1]-[10] change to

Part select and on/off switch. • JUPITER-Xm FUNCTION is a toggle from PART to allow OSC and

Partial selection. FUNCTION+Button [1]~[4] opens TONE EDIT for the Tone or Partial.

SINGLE TONE SETUP: SHIFT+MODEL BANK opens SINGLE SETUP to modify Scene with exclusive focus on the Tone in Part 1.

• SINGLE SETUP saves steps required to disable other Parts. • OK modifies current Scene so that only the Part 1 Tone is

active. Keyboard and Arp Switch for other Parts disabled. • Model is lit and MODEL BANK TOP (the Tone) displayed. • Scene Effect Sends are zeroed out. • Panel edits are applied directly to Tone.

NEW STEP EDIT SEQUENCING: Step Edit is now a fully featured sequencer, with easier note input and real-time recording.

• S1 erases all Steps in the Grid for the selected Part(s). • S2 enables STEP RECORD for note input with auto-advance. • S3 plays and loops through patterns for all Parts. • S2+S3 activates REAL-TIME RECORD of note input. • Page L/R and Up/Down moves cursor from cell-to-cell.

SHIFT+Left/Right changes page. • STEP EDIT: PART EDIT precedes Grid pages for Part, with

settings such as Grid Length, Duration, Shuffle, etc. • SHIFT+Knob 1 changes Grid Length (2-64) for current Part. • MENU brings up the STEP EDIT MENU:

§ SETTING: STEP EDIT: PART EDIT page § COPY from I-ARP: Copy I-Arp menu from previous versions § COPY from SCENE: Copy pattern data from external Scene

and Part into the current Grid § ERASE CURRENT PART: Erases Grid data for current Part § ERASE ALL PART: Erases all Steps for all Parts

• Blinking Button [1]~[16] reflects cursor position in the Grid. • Toggle PART to change Part selection. • STEP RECORD (S2) to enter notes/chords from the keyboard.

Cursor will auto-advance. Use the Page R to skip a cell. TR-REC method of note entry is still available.

• Enter Ties by holding note(s) then Page R (Parts 1-4 only). • Erase all instances of note by holding the note on keyboard,

then S1 • Clear a column of notes (such as a chord) by holding a Button

[1]~[16], then S1. • Knob 1 advances cell. Knob 2 adjusts velocity and sets ties. • Knob 2 and hold notes to change velocity of all held. • REAL-TIME RECORD (S2+S3) to play and enter notes from

keyboard. S2 toggle disables recording while looping. • S1 or Menu Erase can be used while S2+S3 continues to run. • For chord runs, set Duration to 100% in STEP EDIT: PART EDIT. • Scene Initialize in Step Edit resets Grid Length to 16 (one page)

for all Parts.

JUPITER-X/Xm System Program 1.50 Quick Reference Guide