[JUNO DS-88] How do you transfer your saved "Patterns" from the keyboard to a computer?

[Sceio]

Hey guys, new to the forum and was hoping you could help because I can't find an answer anywhere. I imagine that this is a reasonable expectation...? I have been making beats on my keyboard for years now using the Pattern Sequencer and have never figured out how to upload them anywhere, which blows because they're pretty fire. USBs only transfer the patterns as SMFs so they show up on your computer as 1kb files with no instrument, tempo or editing data anywhere. All that surfaces is a bunch of pianos erratically playing over one another at 120bpm. Please tell me I'm missing something really obvious, because the relief would offset any embarrassment really quickly. I can't imagine why a company as revered and seasoned as Roland would manufacture a $1000 instrument, integrate an entire beat-making feature and then fail to program an "export loop" option.


A current solution I have is to buy an audio interface and plug that into my board, hit record and then just playback the beat but I feel like there's gotta be a simpler, more direct way that won't sacrifice any audio quality. Thank's y'all.

 

[happyrat1]

Roland really did drop the ball when it came to exporting the step sequencer on the Juno DS.

They only released a patch librarian and editor software and no beat software for it either.

My guess is they wanted to give you a reason to spend more on the FA series.

All we can do is cross our fingers and hope for a firmware and software release that supports beat files exports.

Gary

 

[Sceio]

Roland really did drop the ball when it came to exporting the step sequencer on the Juno DS.

They only released a patch librarian and editor software and no beat software for it either.

My guess is they wanted to give you a reason to spend more on the FA series.

All we can do is cross our fingers and hope for a firmware and software release that supports beat files exports.

Gary

Wow, that's pretty lame. Thanks your help though, I guess I'm buying an audio interface.

 

[happyrat1]

Actually you'd probably be better off designing your beats on a DAW and playing them back on the Roland.

That's my own personal workaround ayway.

Gary

 

[Sceio]

I guess I could recreate everything using the same notes at the same tempo but I've got dozens of beats with unique effects and I'd have to learn how to use a DAW, download plugins, and then try and arrange everything with similar instruments and editing. It's definitely worth it but if I just want to upload what I already have onto somewhere then I'm guessing the interface is the best route. Cheers!

 

[happyrat1]

Like I said. Exporting beats from a DS88 is like nailing Jello to a tree. Cannot be done. Roland did not build that feature into any version of the firmware so far.

Your options are to do your beats in a DAW or else write your own firmware for the DS88.

Learning to use a DAW is the simplest solution.

I recommend Cakewalk By Bandlab. FREE as in Beer and powerful enough to score a $50 million movie.

BandLab - Make Music Online

The cloud platform where musicians and fans create music, collaborate, and engage with each other across the globe

www.bandlab.com

https://bandlab.github.io/cakewalk/docs/Cakewalk%20Reference%20Guide.pdf

Cakewalk Discuss | The Official Cakewalk by BandLab Forum

discuss.cakewalk.com

Easiest way to get started is to look up Cakewalk Tutorials on Youtube.

Go with the simplified install instead of the advanced install ad you'll be OK.

I can point you at an instrument definition file for the Juno DS if you go ahead with it.

Good luck

Gary

 

[ocomobock]

Let me know if you found a decent solution! I made 128 patterns (the limit) and I wanna make more, but I can't figure out how to get them off my keyboard... Any help appreciated. From what I hear, it cannot be done.

 

[Sceio]

Let me know if you found a decent solution! I made 128 patterns (the limit) and I wanna make more, but I can't figure out how to get them off my keyboard... Any help appreciated. From what I hear, it cannot be done.

I'm in the same boat. I keep erasing patterns to make new ones, the goal is to make 128 beats that I'm satisfied with! What kind of music do you make?

The best solution that my friend gave me was to hook up your Juno to an audio interface and then hook the interface up to a DAW and try to record in the DAW through the interface. Record one instrument (launchpad track) at a time, otherwise the sound will get muddled. Then do that for every pattern. The advice I got on here was to just recreate everything in a DAW but that doesn't make any sense because the instruments on the Juno are so unique and have such idiosyncratic effects that are tied to them so the end product will never be the same anywhere else. It's like trying to achieve the same taste using completely different ingredients.

I've been making beats for three years and I'm really curious why Roland made the executive decision to trap all our creations within the keyboard. Like, the guys at Roland had to know exactly what they were doing. They had to consciously ship the keyboard in its current state. From a business standpoint, why would you spend so much time and money designing and manufacturing such a sophisticated product and then actively neuter it by omitting such a basic feature? It's like selling a Les Paul without a jack.

Great keyboard, terrible foresight. What the ****, Roland

 

[happyrat1]

Roland's thinking on this is probably "why compete with our own products?" Why sell you an exportable step sequencer in the Juno DS when they can also be selling you a TB-3 Bass Synth or TR-8s Drum Synth along with it?

Sadly, sometimes companies sabotage their own products to help promote the premium models.

Gary

 

[Sceio]

That was actually my best guess, I assumed the designers included the export option in the blueprints but an executive axed it to try and milk cash. **** for-profits.

I guess imma have a really unique sound using a piano that's noteven supposed to be recorded lmao. Thanks for all your help, man.