Juno DS61 upgrade recommendations plz?

[dayxh]

Hi!
Keyboard player in a sometimes touring band here. Been using the Juno DS61 and love it, but now we're writing songs that require 3 or more instruments at once, and the Juno can only split into two (as far as I know? Please correct me if I'm wrong!) but I don't need all the bells and whistles of the Fantom
Any recommendations?

Budget: 1-2k (trying to buy used for less than 1k though)
Required Samples: church organ, piano, harpsichord, strings, tubular bell, rain noises (representing Raincouver LOL)
Key bed: velocity sensitive plastic is totally cool (honestly, similar to the Juno would be great)
Other requirements:

• can split into 3-4 instruments
• can layer 2-3 instruments
• can layer and split simultaneously
• 73-76 keys
• programmable onboard
  • can save/favourite said programs to recall quickly
• less than 30lbs plz (am weak )

Nice to have but not required:

• can add/replace sounds
• programmable by computer (hopefully faster!)
• can split and use different transpositions
• can use a midi foot pedal to change to the next program/play the bell sounds (this is new to me but seems super duper useful!)

Thanks for tolerating yet another "what keyboard should I get?" post!

 

[happyrat1]

You're looking at Nautilus, Fantom OX, Montage, Kurz PC4 territory.

Start visiting local music shoppes to get a hands on feel after scouring Youtube and online manuals to pick the right one for you.

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, you're not saving a lot by buying used these days.

Everyone out there is trying to get top dollar for 10 year old boards, and anything more recent; people are practically asking list.

And pickings are slim. You can't just post a list of specs and the seller will contact you.

Someone may try to answer this thread 10 years from now with a used Kawabunga Deluxe

 

[Biggles]

Nautilus is just over 32lbs

Roland Fantom 0 series, the 07 is 15 1/2lbs and $1900 USD at Sweetwater, I am assuming you are in the USA

Read up and watch the tutorial videos to max out in store testing.

 

[anotherscott]

Hi!
Keyboard player in a sometimes touring band here. Been using the Juno DS61 and love it, but now we're writing songs that require 3 or more instruments at once, and the Juno can only split into two (as far as I know? Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

Juno DS can layer/split up to 16 of its sounds at once (though only up to three can have their own independent effects). Check the bottom of the post for a screen shot from the manual showing how it is set up.

but I don't need all the bells and whistles of the Fantom
Any recommendations?

Budget: 1-2k (trying to buy used for less than 1k though)
Required Samples: church organ, piano, harpsichord, strings, tubular bell, rain noises (representing Raincouver LOL)
Key bed: velocity sensitive plastic is totally cool (honestly, similar to the Juno would be great)
Other requirements:

• can split into 3-4 instruments
• can layer 2-3 instruments
• can layer and split simultaneously
• 73-76 keys
• programmable onboard
  • can save/favourite said programs to recall quickly
• less than 30lbs plz (am weak )

If you're happy with the sounds of your DS61 (which does everything you list except for having only 61 keys) then the DS76 is probably your least expensive option unless you can indicate some other ways the DS61 falls short or isn't sufficiently meeting your listed needs.

Nice to have but not required:

• can add/replace sounds

As you may or may not know, you can load additional sounds into the Juno DS, downloadable from https://axial.roland.com/category/juno-ds61_juno-ds76_juno-ds88_xps-30/ (but you can only have one EXP loaded at a time). You can also load additional sampled sounds into the user memory. IIRC, there's about 50 mb available for that, assuming you have the most recent OS installed.

• programmable by computer (hopefully faster!)

If you haven't, download the Tone Manager software from the Roland web site.

• can split and use different transpositions

It does that.

• can use a midi foot pedal to change to the next program/play the bell sounds (this is new to me but seems super duper useful!)

Juno DS lets you use a footswitch to advance to the next program. On any keyboards, using a MIDI pedal is a bit tricker since there is no standard MIDI command for "next program" but there are ways to do it. Check out the MIDI Mouse from Tech 21.

 

[dayxh]

Juno DS can layer/split up to 16 of its sounds at once (though only up to three can have their own independent effects). Check the bottom of the post for a screen shot from the manual showing how it is set up.


If you're happy with the sounds of your DS61 (which does everything you list except for having only 61 keys) then the DS76 is probably your least expensive option unless you can indicate some other ways the DS61 falls short or isn't sufficiently meeting your listed needs.


As you may or may not know, you can load additional sounds into the Juno DS, downloadable from https://axial.roland.com/category/juno-ds61_juno-ds76_juno-ds88_xps-30/ (but you can only have one EXP loaded at a time). You can also load additional sampled sounds into the user memory. IIRC, there's about 50 mb available for that, assuming you have the most recent OS installed.


If you haven't, download the Tone Manager software from the Roland web site.


It does that.


Juno DS lets you use a footswitch to advance to the next program. On any keyboards, using a MIDI pedal is a bit tricker since there is no standard MIDI command for "next program" but there are ways to do it. Check out the MIDI Mouse from Tech 21.

View attachment 3312

OMG you're absolutely right! I feel dumb ahaha THANK YOU

I think the only thing I need is to just add a midi foot controller to the Juno DS61 for program changes, but I'd love if it can also do a few other things like:

• octave up
• octave down
• last program
• next program

nice to have:

• sustain (basically, replace the pedal)
• play a pre-recorded midi lick
• volume control
• play 2 notes (separately)

I did some research (idk where my research went earlier LOL but better late than never) and it all seems possible! (just a lot of programming for my 1 braincell)
Would you or anyone be willing to share your experience? (I'm also searching other threads on this forum

 

[dayxh]

BTW, you're not saving a lot by buying used these days.

Everyone out there is trying to get top dollar for 10 year old boards, and anything more recent; people are practically asking list.

And pickings are slim. You can't just post a list of specs and the seller will contact you.

Someone may try to answer this thread 10 years from now with a used Kawabunga Deluxe

ahaha I have noticed prices have gone back up! the cycle of synth costs :') XD thanks for the advice!

 

[anotherscott]

I think the only thing I need is to just add a midi foot controller to the Juno DS61 for program changes, but I'd love if it can also do a few other things like:

• octave up
• octave down
• last program
• next program

There are no standard MIDI commands for those functions, The MIDI Mouse I mentioned does do program up and program down, but with a little trickery, since there are no such MIDI CCs... it depends on the MIDI Mouse "knowing" which patch you are currently on. So for example, for the pedal to move you from program 5 to program 6, it doesn't actually send a command to go the next program, rather it sends a command to go to program 6. So it only works as long as you make sure the pedal and the keyboard are in sync. If you're on Program 5 (in sync with MIDI Mouse), and you hit a button on the keyboard to move you to program 23, and then you hit the button for MIDI Mouse to go to the next program, it's still going to to program 6, not program 24, again because a standard MIDI "next program" command does not exist for a pedal to send. The pedal is "fooling you" into thinking it is sending up and down program commands, but it's actually sending absolute values, which only works as long as the pedal and the keyboard are kept in sync.

Similarly, since there is no standard MIDI CC for octave up, it can be simulated using a MIDI processor, which takes every incoming MIDI note, adds 12 (for the 12 semitones in an octave), and sends that MIDI note out instead.

So I'm not saying there's no way to implement foot controlled commands for these things, but they don't exist as standard MIDI commands that can simply be done with any MIDI foot controller.

nice to have:

• sustain (basically, replace the pedal)
• play a pre-recorded midi lick
• volume control
• play 2 notes (separately)

Sustain is a standard MIDI CC, so that shouldn't be a problem. Volume as well, though you'd want a continuous pedal for that and not an on/off switch. Playing specified notes are also standard MIDI commands. So something like a behinger FCB1010 will let you do any of this, on pretty much any keyboard (with 5-pin MIDI connectors). Playing a pre-recorded MIDI lick would probably depend on whether a board stores MIDI sequences which can be triggered by MIDI CC.

 

[sevn_music]

Hi!
Keyboard player in a sometimes touring band here. Been using the Juno DS61 and love it, but now we're writing songs that require 3 or more instruments at once, and the Juno can only split into two (as far as I know? Please correct me if I'm wrong!) but I don't need all the bells and whistles of the Fantom
Any recommendations?

Budget: 1-2k (trying to buy used for less than 1k though)
Required Samples: church organ, piano, harpsichord, strings, tubular bell, rain noises (representing Raincouver LOL)
Key bed: velocity sensitive plastic is totally cool (honestly, similar to the Juno would be great)
Other requirements:

• can split into 3-4 instruments
• can layer 2-3 instruments
• can layer and split simultaneously
• 73-76 keys
• programmable onboard
  • can save/favourite said programs to recall quickly
• less than 30lbs plz (am weak )

Nice to have but not required:

• can add/replace sounds
• programmable by computer (hopefully faster!)
• can split and use different transpositions
• can use a midi foot pedal to change to the next program/play the bell sounds (this is new to me but seems super duper useful!)

Thanks for tolerating yet another "what keyboard should I get?" post!

Juno DS can layer/split up to 16 of its sounds at once (though only up to three can have their own independent effects). Check the bottom of the post for a screen shot from the manual showing how it is set up.


If you're happy with the sounds of your DS61 (which does everything you list except for having only 61 keys) then the DS76 is probably your least expensive option unless you can indicate some other ways the DS61 falls short or isn't sufficiently meeting your listed needs.


As you may or may not know, you can load additional sounds into the Juno DS, downloadable from https://axial.roland.com/category/juno-ds61_juno-ds76_juno-ds88_xps-30/ (but you can only have one EXP loaded at a time). You can also load additional sampled sounds into the user memory. IIRC, there's about 50 mb available for that, assuming you have the most recent OS installed.


If you haven't, download the Tone Manager software from the Roland web site.


It does that.


Juno DS lets you use a footswitch to advance to the next program. On any keyboards, using a MIDI pedal is a bit tricker since there is no standard MIDI command for "next program" but there are ways to do it. Check out the MIDI Mouse from Tech 21.

View attachment 3312

This is a feature I haven't looked into on the DS88, I'll have to check what this is all about. thanks

 

[GigMan]

You're looking at Nautilus, Fantom OX, Montage, Kurz PC4 territory.

Start visiting local music shoppes to get a hands on feel after scouring Youtube and online manuals to pick the right one for you.

I have a Kurzweil PC4 - for about 1.5 yrs. now. Love it! Extremely lightweight for an 88 key machine, 28.7 lbs. - lots of useable sounds. I think it will do all things you are looking to do.

They are a bit pricey - but has come down about $500 recently: MAP price is now $2,000: Manufacturer's Advertised Price - lowest amount stores/websites are allowed to advertise... but if you ask for a quote, you'll pay less.

I don't know anything about switching sounds with a pedal but it probably can do that too.