Ratings
| Control of Omnisphere |  |
|---|---|
| Panel Layout | |
| Ease of Use | |
| Keyboard Feel | |
| Build Quality |  |
The Roland JP-8000 is a virtual analog synth made in the mid-‘90s. It has become a modern classic, mostly because it introduced the Supersaw sound, which pretty much defined Trance music. The panel is really good, you have a lot of hands-on control — 2 Oscillators, access to multiple Filter types, 3 Envelopes, and a nice FX section. It can also record the motion of the knobs and short sequences that can be assigned to individual keys, which can all be sent via MIDI to Omnisphere. They can be found at reasonable prices on the used market, although we noticed it’s tricky to find them in pristine shape — in some cases the controls, the Ribbon, or Bender are broken. That said, if you find one that works well, it’s a very good choice as an Omnisphere controller.
Roland JP-8000 Strengths:
- Intuitive Layout
- Parameter Sequencing
- Multiple Filter Types
- Effects Controls
Roland JP-8000 Details:
| Used Price | Around $900 |
|---|---|
| Number of Keys | 49 |
| Keyboard Type | Unweighted |
| Size of Controls | Medium |
| Special Features | Parameter Sequencing |
| Dimensions | 37.44” × 13.75” × 4.5” |
| Weight | 17.68 lbs |
| USB Powered | No |
| Pitch Bender | Yes, Roland-style |
| Mod Wheel | No, Roland-style |
| Sends Aftertouch | No |
| Sustain Pedal Input | Yes |
| Expression Pedal Input | Yes |
| Ribbon | Yes |
| Non-Functional Controls | Volume |
| Arpeggiator | Yes |
| Sequencer | Yes |
| MIDI Messages | CC, Sysex |
Omnisphere Sections Controlled by the Roland JP-8000:
| Independent Layer Control | No |
|---|---|
| Number of Oscillators | 2 |
| Number of Wavetables | 6 |
| Number of Envelopes | 3 |
| Number of LFOs | 2 |
| Filter Types | LPF Juicy 12dB LPF Juicy 24dB HPF Juicy 12dB HPF Juicy 24dB BPF Power 12dB BPF Power 24dB |
| FX Units | Analog Chorus Analog Flanger Analog Phaser Chorus Echo Formant Filter PRO-Verb RetroPhaser Retroplex Stompbox Modeler Studio EQ |
| Soundsources | No |
| Mod Matrix | No |
| FM | Yes |
| Ring Mod | Yes |
| Waveshaper | No |
| Unison | Yes |
| Harmonia | No |
| Granular | No |
| ORB | No |
| Arpeggiator | No |
