Vintage Synth Explorer

Roland • JX-3P

The JX-3P is a pretty good synth, best known for a good string sound. It came about at the same time as the Juno series but represents a shift towards digital circuitry, push-buttons and (for the JX-3P) simplified programming. Compared with a Juno, the JX-3P sounds inferior however it is analog and capable of decent synth sounds for cheap. You will need the PG-200 programmer if you want real control of it. It's a six voice polyphonic with two DCO's per voice which means analog oscillators and sounds with digital stability and control. The typical assortment of filter, envelope, LFO and oscillator sections are here with easy and straight-forward programming.

Surprisingly, the JX-3P is MIDI equipped, in fact it was Roland's first MIDI synth but was very limited to basic note on/off information only. Synths like the Juno 106 have far better MIDI implementation and sounds. Although the JX-3P may not be as nice or professional as a Juno, it makes a great entry level Vintage synth capable of creating some useful classic analog sounds. The JX-3P also came in a rack-mount version called the MKS-30. It has beenused by The Future Sound of London, Astral Projection, Vince Clarke, Orbital, Luke Vibert, Stevie Nicks, and Thomas Dolby.

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phobik

Posted 22 days ago

@ Dender, how do you use it? I mean BCR send MIDI CC, but there's no feedback from the synth. How do you go on sequencing and recording the notes and changes and then playing them back - notes and changes - to the synth, if you are already using the MIDI in on the JX-3P for the BCR input?

Gazdatronik

Posted 31 days ago

I have no idea what the big deal about it not having sliders is. I use mine just fine without it, and get better sounds than those people with programmers. Just shut up and work with it!

Also, comparing it to a Juno is silly. Juno's were the cheap entry level budget synths. Juno's had a frozen sound, and while they sounded just fine for their price point, they can't compete with the expensive polysynths of the time. The JX, however, can. For it's price, it can bring most of the guts needed to gt the job done.

I have had them both apart, and it does have the JP-8 filter chips in them, and the same sound engine (master oscillator, triple interval divider clocks) as the juno line, just twice as many.

DenDer @ The Acid Cult

Posted 33 days ago

Charles....the PG200 isn't midi but Roland's own DCB communication system....it has a DCB connector on the back to connect the PG200.
BTW if you upgrade the JX3P with this http://organix.inque.org/index.php?page= jx-3p-upgrade midi upgrade you can control the JX with a normal midi controller like a BCR. I did this with mine JX and it is easy as pussy....

charles

Posted 36 days ago

how does it communicate with the pg 200 if it only recieves basic note on and note off information , that needs corrected i feel
i probally accepts sys ex communicate too!

heads up !!!!!
charles

Pro5

Posted 41 days ago

@errol > you can only use the PG-200 for programming a JX-3P *UNLESS* you fit the modchip (google JX-3P midi mod). This will allow you to use a standard (supplied) midi editor (from your PC) software. Alternatively use a BCR-2000 control box (I have one set up for a JX-3P but haven't got the mod chip yet). You can get a 2nd hand BCR for far cheaper than a genuine PG programmer AND you can use it on virtually ANY synth (it's programmable) I use mine as a PG-800 substitute for my JX-8P, Soft Synths, Daw controller etc.. great device and looks very funky - it actually works better than the PG-200 as it has endless rotary controls and uses LEDS to mark it's position so it's never out of sync with the preset / voice you call up on the Synth. With a real programmer when you change patches you then still start editing (say resonance) from where the control was left NOT from where it is in the patch.. BCR sets it automatically to the patch's value :)

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