Roland JD-Xi Analogue/Digital Crossover Synthesiser

The Roland JD-Xi is a compact yet highly powerful synthesiser that comes with an onboard pattern sequencer, vocal effects and Roland’s supernatural synth sounds as well as a true analogue synth engine all into one might unit. This synthesiser comes fitted with 37 velocity-sensitive mini keys and can deliver warm, fat analogue basses and lead sounds with versatile controls for hands-on tweaking alongside PCM essentials such as pads, strings, brass instruments, and more. You can produce intricate loops in an instant thanks to the pattern sequencer with built-in drum kits as well as cool vocal textures with the addition of a gooseneck microphone, vocoder, and auto-pitch.

The JD-Xi features a unique crossover sound engine, providing you with the warm, soothing sounds of classic analogue alongside the clarity and versatility of modern digital synths. A newly developed monophonic analogue synth section comes with saw, triangle, and square waveforms with pulse-width modulation and an analogue filter as well as an independent sub-oscillator for a booming low-end. There are also two digital synth sections that give you a broad range of high-quality supernatural synth tones with sounds including pads, strings, electric pianos, sound effects, and loads more. This combination of both analogue and digital sound sources means you get the best of both worlds and can utilise the clarity of digital with the warmth of analogue.

Supplied with the JD-Xi is a super-sturdy, high-quality gooseneck microphone that allows you to take full control over the built-in vocoder, this lets you sing into the microphone and control the pitch and tones of the synthesiser. There is also an auto-pitch mode which works to give you the perfect robotic vocal sounds heard in today’s pop and electronic music genres; the auto-note function lets you sing the synthesiser sounds without the need to touch the keyboard which is perfect for live performances where you need hands-free control over the synth while working with other units.

There is an intuitive onboard pattern sequencer with loads of pre-programmed sounds that allow you to create and perform sophisticated sounds using only the JD-Xi. The pattern sequencer gives you four separate tracks to program, two digital synth parts, an analogue synth part, and a drum track giving you the ability to create intricate sounding loops for any music style or genre. There are both real-time and step recording modes so you can easily punch in new sounds while a special TR-REC mode allows you to program with the style of Roland’s classic TR range of beatboxes. You can easily play patterns and tweak sounds as you go while the onboard pre-programmed sounds let you get playing straight out of the box.

Also onboard the JD-Xi is a wide variety of dynamic drum kits that give you the perfect backing rhythms for any groove and includes a plethora of electronic and acoustic drum kits with the drum instrument assignments conveniently labeled above the keys for quickly identifying the right drum sound. You can also completely personalise the drum kits by altering the filter, envelope, pitch, and pan parameters on separate drum sounds.

The JD-Xi is also equipped with an extensive effects section that lets you use four effects simultaneously to enhance any sound. Effects 1 and 2 give you selectable processing options and include a bit crusher, slicer, and ring modulation while a separate, dedicated delay and reverb section allows you to give your sounds a spacious ambiance. All effects sections can be individually turned on/off for the three synthesiser sections and drums so you can shape your sounds and performances to create plenty of creative combinations.

If you require some fresh inspiration or even just a sound for a specific genre, then you can visit the Axial sound library website where you’ll find a massive selection of free new sounds and patterns for your synth. Axial also features plenty of sounds and patterns for other Roland instruments as well, created by top engineers and leading electronic music artists.