Roland announced the JD-800 Software Synthesizer, the latest edition to the Legendary series of software-based Roland instruments available through Roland Cloud.
In early 2021 – 30 years after the debut of the original JD-800 hardware synth – Roland introduced the JD-800 Model Expansion for the ZENOLOGY software synthesizer and select ZEN-CORE hardware instruments.
The JD-800 is an authentic software recreation of the iconic ‘90s digital synth, available exclusively through Roland Cloud.
The anniversary celebration continues with the release of this iconic digital instrument as a dedicated DAW plug-in. The JD-800 Software Synthesizer delivers a virtual recreation of the original’s unique sound and inviting control-laden interface, along with a host of new features and enhancements for today’s music producers.
In the early 1990s, preset-driven digital synths with limited hands-on controls dominated the landscape. The JD-800 changed all that in 1991, bringing the synthesizer world back to its roots with a massive control-filled panel and an unapologetically electronic sound palette. An instant hit among the world’s top keyboard players, this innovative instrument found its way onto classic albums and numerous film and television scores, and it remains highly sought after to this day.
The JD-800 Software Synthesizer is painstakingly crafted to sound and behave exactly like the original hardware. Rather than simply combining a bunch of JD-800 samples, Roland used the original waveform data along with advanced modeling techniques to perfectly recreate the big, bright, spacious sound that only the JD-800 can deliver.
A key ingredient of the JD-800’s sound was its formidable multistage effects section. It’s been carefully recreated in the plug-in and enhanced with an expanded view for real-time tweaking. In addition to a master EQ, there are seven effects with adjustable controls and the ability to change the signal flow with drag-and-drop actions.
The JD-800 Sofware Synthesizer includes 64 newly crafted presets that show how inspiring and evocative the synth can be in a modern context.
And with the plug-in’s extensive array of top-level controls, users can easily create all-new sounds to make their music stand out from the crowd.