Scott's Synth Stuff Episode 4: Roland JD-Xi Review 

As a relatively new owner of the JD-XI, I really appreciate that there is still quality content being produced about this synth. Coming from absolutely no knowledge about synthesis, I basically hit the ground running with this thing. The manual is garbage, the keybed is absolute crap, but man, I love this thing to bits. I cannot explain the joy I feel when I learn or discover something new via playing this synth. The best term I can use to explain is... rewarding. I have virtually become obsessed with synths because of the JD-XI. To this day, There are new aspects about it that I learn, usually completely by accident. The synth has also inspired me to look into other hardware synths, I now own a Korg MS-2000 and dx7 as well. To avoid using the terrible analog channel on it, it is possible to daisy chain another synthesizer with better tones, link it to the analog channel via midi, turn the volume knob down and voila! Your analog channel is now playing and recording sounds from another synth. Great video! Very informative and passionate. The gripes you have addressed are definitely shared by the majority of JD owners, but there is no denying this little thing is a powerhouse waiting to be unlocked. I look forward to binging the rest of your content!

The JD-Xi editor is incredible- I’m going to have to try this ASAP

Just got one of these. You really opened my eyes as to the potential. I got it secondhand from my local Gear shop mainly for creating backing arrangements. Good demo 👍

Oh man, you had me rolling with laughter when you talked about the crap preset sequences and then turned it on, it's like Disco circa 1976. You are spot on man, you either love this thing or you hate it. I've had my JDXI for 3 years now, I keep thinking I want to get rid of it, but frankly it doesn't take up much room, and I get on the thing and ideas just keep popping into my head with rhythms like no other synth I own. After you learn the shortcuts of the menu it ain't bad, and yeah I can work around the crap keyboard. Plus it has just around the right number of presets to not get lost unlike the newer Jupiter XM with it's thousands of presets. Yeah, I do love this ugly little duckling. BTW, I also have the same HydraSynth in my lineup, and it ain't never goin anywhere. thx for the reviews.

nice one. ive been making about 2 tracks a week for a year on the JD-Xi. great little beast!

it's cool to see what people have done with this little synth everything from ambient music to space berlin style music to house and Jazz

Great vid. Most useful and generous JDxi review on tube without a doubt. Thanks for helping me unlock my JDxi with the software review. Yo🏖

I'm with you on the jdxi; for everything I hate about it, there's something I love about it. The 4 bar limit in the sequencer drives me mad(yes, I know you can get to 8 bars with the fudge) and you need the freeware editor to get to the voice editing, but time and time again this is my go-to for getting ideas down quickly. It's supposed to sit on my desk, but it spends a lot of it's time on the bedside table for when those early morning tracks pop into my head from a waking dream. I'm glad I didn't buy it new though, 500 planetary credits is a bit too much. I wish Roland would release one more software update for this to address a few of the short comings, but I fear their attention is now on the SH4D.

I just love your truth! These companies are really trippin with the design of their synths these days. I literally only want it for the vocoder n drums. Seems to be all it’s really good for.

Thanks for the video! I liked our JD-Xi alot but even more so,now! Added/sync'd one to our Arturia Impact Noir thinga ma jig. Easy to transport hardware workstation w modern sounds. Excellent channel,thanks

This is a really useful and nuanced review, thanks!

Thank you for you explanation of the Roland JDXi !

this is the best vid on yt for this synth.i have a Gaia on gumtree ,if that goes then it's a jdxi for me, solely for the cr78. I wish somebody would just go a little more in depth on that particular kit.

WOW! Thanks!!! Totally agree with you in the review. 🙏🏾

The chord feature is amazing too. I like to play JMJ like tracks with many chords and easy melodies. For sessions like this I only need the JD Xi and a Reface CS.

Hi and Happy New Year from Germany :) . God and very informativ Videos.

Great review video 👍😊 Im on my way to buy a Roland system-8 and also a Jd-xi for its supernatural engine (which is close to Jd-xa) to get a killer combo 🤩

The JD-Xi works great with a Midi Solutions thru 1-4 box as a sequencer to trigger external synths along with it's drums.

I’m mainly a guitar player and bought this unit about 3 years ago. I’m still figuring out how to use it. :)

Muy bien very good..animo con alegrias...

Great review Scott, it led me to get mine and I really like it so far. Did somebody manage to get the editor running on MacOS 10.15? Thx so much for your help!

Found a decent deal on one of these today and was on the fence till I saw Timothy Olyphant review it, picking it up Friday!

Great demo!

Thanks for the review, I ordered this today earlier before your review, and you basically confirm my use case with it, so that makes me kind of happy with my decision. I have a Yamaha Montage (and as you said about the MODX which is essentially the same synth) The vocoder sucks on it. And I needed a proper drum machine next to it (yes, the Yamaha has very capable drums, but the built in sequencer...well...sucks), I like to do stuff on the fly, and this little thing (Roland JD-Xi) will help me make easy rythms on the fly while playing. Not only that, but as you said, it's an excellent SOUND MODULE, and since Midi Functionality is a bit on the limiting side on the MODX and MONTAGE, this is good for a DAWLESS setup. I have an external 3-keybed setup with a Yamaha HS-6 (it's an FM organ sort of, but with Bass pedals, 2 keybeds with touch AND aftertouch) which I plan to interface the JD-Xi with, I already do that with the Montage, but I need to set up each Midi channel for each voice inside a part, which is...cumbersome to say the least, but it works. For what you get tho, 500 bucks for this thing is a STEAL, nevermind the toy keyboard, that's just well...for simple access I'd say.

Excellent presentation! I feel the same way you do. I hate it, and I love it, but I love it enough to have justified buying it. I am amazed by its versatility. It can even be fantastic for ambient music. The editor is something I think I will get, thanks to your presentation.

HI Scott....I loved this video, thank you very much...I have the JD-XA and it's an amazing synth but I've always been curious about the XD...I love that simplicity it has....but also because it's an quick device to make full sons....do you recommend to buy it? I love synth gear.... :)

Love this series! What’s next? I can’t wait till you get to the Wavestate!

Love it

Fantastic review! Learned many new things! Love that little monster. Another horrible thing, mine has the red graphics overlay, impossible to see in dark!

If you hook it up to a midi keyboard and figure how to use sysex you can get at all the hidden parameters with knobs and it does support aftertouch even though its own kb doesnt. It's also a pretty good mono guitar synth. The manual is more of a quickstart guide. The parameter guide is really the manual but the documentation is good.

Cool vid! Just wondering, is the JD XI a stand alone instrument, as in it can make sound on its own? Or does it need a computer software or smthn to make it play?

Paired with a controller like the arturia essential and you got a 2 board rig that is super good. Use the jdxi as a mono synth on top and the arturia to play pads, brass, saw lead or whatever. It's a pain to set up with 3 sounds being tied together in a patch but it's doable and the sound is Roland goodness.

For me, that was a perfect review. I am 68, I can't play piano and I have wanted a synth since I was 16. I have seen this synth on Amazon and it looks perfect for a complete beginner like me - and your added bonus of showing me the JD-Xi Manager has just clinched it. I have a full size keyboard with a 5-pin MIDI out and I hope this will plug straight into the JD-Xi (will it?) as I don't think my clunky fingers will work with the native keyboard.

Thanks for being there for us who want to know what the board is like before we buy one or choose not to since you said it is that the keyboard is delicate fragile and one could break off the keys simply by glissandos (among other sucky things-that is enough to tell me to fuhget about it!

Hey Scott, congrats and thank you for this great and clarifying video. I was just wondering if the JD-Xi would effectively respond to CC and sysex commands so that I could control it from an external sliders and pots controler?

if im not mistaken the jdxi does have tempo sync for LFO

How do you feel about the quality of the drums? May have to pull the trigger on this little bad boy soon just for the classic drum kits. Couldn’t justify buying a standalone drum machine (I would miss the keys and synth sounds too much).

"Roland Demos are unlistenable." Made me laugh because it's so true!!!

Would you consider a Roland MC 101 instead of this Roland JD XI? Thanks for the awesome content!

This synth is not meant to play well with an existing studio. I'm returning it after a week. I really wanted it for the vocoder which was a joke. It also takes up 4 MIDI channels for one crap synth. My biggest issue is that the Arpeggiator would not send to my Keylab . Junk. I'll try the Minifreak.

Can you assign an electric bass waveform to multiple keys in the drum kit so you don't have to use up a precious synth track for bass lines?

I'm late to the party but I'm considering getting this. I just need a sound module and it seems they don't sell those anymore.

cool.

I have one but I find the Vocoder in the Novation Mini Synth much better to use. Also by pressing the shift button with one hand held on it and play the presets with the other hand then you can chord progress with one finger

Thanks for the deep and honest review!! .. what is the most you'd pay for one on the second hand market?

Today.... i bet Roland would charge a grand minimum for this set of features! Drum machine, sequencer, analog voice, Super Natural - all in one... I wish there was a module version! It would be a masterpiece.

I'm thinking about getting a korg minilogue/xd for my first proper synth. This one also seems to have some really good stuff but also alot of downsides too so I'm not sure

I hear Roland and Korg have problems with clock sync because each company uses a different resolution. Is this true of the JD-Xi? I ask because I plan to sync with a Monologue.

This machine never gets old, and the fun factor is what makes it, along with all the drum kits, which is crazy. The sounds that are great, are great, but there are some sounds that I don't see why Roland would even put on this machine. See, nobody wants to dive deep into the menu. That's where you get the extra touch that you need, and there are way more capabilities then what people think there is. I always make better music when I am limited. This machine screams the less is more concept. I would buy the Roland JD-XI again if something happened to it, and I will never get rid of it...SBN RESONATE

it is possible to create a beat 3/4 sequence? thanks.

Totally agree about the keyboard. Sucks so bad that I use a controller keyboard and the jdxi as basically a module.

M A J O R C O O L REVIEW !

Been eying this thing for it's drum sequencer for some time and would like to use a midi keyboard with it to avoid that kid's keybed. But does it at least support sustain over midi to use a sustain pedal with an external keyboard? The lack of a sustain jack is a real afterthought for me, considering all the piano sounds inside.

😊👍

Is there a librarian to manage presets?

I actually enjoy the keybed a lot more than the jupiter xm. Lol

Say Scott's Synth Stuff 5 times as quick as you can. I dare ya...SBN RESONATE

How do you stop your keyboards sliding off? I can see you have put boards on an onstage a frame keyboard stand

I know it is almost 1,5 years old vid. You told about a software update you thought never would come for this, at 20:40. Where you right about that?

Seems you are also wrong about the sound engine, i did some research and JD-XA and JD-XI do have the same sound engines the Roland SSC (sound system chip) ROLAND R8A02021ABG

22:42 deep

how do i use all 64 steps ?

23:43 Digital

The drums are not samples i think. it is "pcm",or not?

11:51

5:16 Analog

That synth has great preset sounds it's not meant for squares😂

‘Portable’ … but it can’t be powered with batteries, can it?

😂🤣

mine as no piano

I love it as well, and hate it a little. Bad front panel, bad keybed, too much menu diving, not enough Shift shortcuts for its usability limitations, odd post FX routing limitations.

8:20 never do it guys

Someone doesn't like EDM ! LoL

I just got one of these keyboards. Quite disappointed. Seems like I am fighting it and disgruntled every time I mess with it. It will be for sale VERY SOON! Not very user friendly.....

Hi! JD Xi Manager does not save presets. "The error cannot be saved to a file. Check the file system permissions."Why? What does this mean?

The Jordan Peterson of synths.