BOOcast - Synth of the Month: Roland Promars

This is taken from BOO-cast episode 10 (bit.ly/boocast10).
To celebrate ten years of BOO we are streaming live on KZbin, 7pm UK time on the first Monday of every month. Answering your questions, playing songs, meeting guests, talking synths and sharing stories.
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[@joeajbeaumont]

I’ve played this (Simon’s) actual Promars. It’s a beaut.

[@BOOelectric]

It's lovely. Simon is selling it btw.

[@graysynther2169]

Had the Jupiter Four, sounded great for the time Especially through a cheap micro verb !

[@BOOelectric]

Ah the J4! It's basically a poly Promars, isn't it? We could all use a time machine now, it would probably work out less expensive than buying these old Rolands now!

[@Mokkers_stuff]

Ah...Spacedust....remember my friend's expression when they first tried it! Lol. Great review, lovely synth...thanks for uploading!

[@solitaryswordsman]

Rescued one that a friend had in storage, had mold all over it. Got it serviced and it's a beast, the lfo is it's highlight for sure.

[@BOOelectric]

The poor thing. Good to hear it has a good home now!

[@Freakydile]

Bought this one before I could afford a JP-4 a few years ago. Did not regret it. The JP-4 is it's predeseccor, but the MRS-2 is not simply a monophonic JP-4... It's instant 80's yeah. It can sound fat as a whale when you add the sub, and then the detune of the 2nd oscilator. They had to remove the "The Force" preset, because it got too fat...

[@BOOelectric]

Haha! They should have left the force in!! Beautiful synth, and congratulations on being the proud owner of one!

[@user-sk7sm1wm2t]

Интересный синтезатор. Спасибо за качественное видео!👍

[@BOOelectric]

Добро пожаловать!!

[@brettlemmings]

i wasn't aware of those cutoff steps - everything is usable! 😉nice demo, thank you!

[@BOOelectric]

Thank you! Yes, apparently its the same with the JP4 and the JP6, which surprised me.

[@brettlemmings]

and the JP8 too! i don't know if it got any better in JP8A with it's 14 bit upgrade or if it was for the DCB only? Howard sure must know! 🤭

[@BOOelectric]

@@brettlemmings that's very surprising! And here I was thinking 8 bits meant 256 steps, but it's 64 steps right up to the 8!? Still, at least that's better than the korg poly 800 which has 30 something steps (or am I being too unkind?)

[@brettlemmings]

the poly 800 is a strange thing . . . that's what make it unique and cool i guess!? i just know it is not one of my favourite synths!! 🤭

[@RetroDan16]

I was lucky enough to get a really nice Promars last year - 20 years ago I stupidly sold my JP4, and the Promars was an affordable way for me to scratch that Jupiter itch. I adore its sound, love the look of it (the obvious similarities to its older brother!) and how easy it is to program. Makes some awesome sounds and can be extremely fat! Add some reverb and it’s a beautiful monosynth, I really enjoyed your overview! (Synth 2 is the same as the Force preset on the 4, just renamed - use the bender and it actually really sounds like a lightsaber!)

[@BOOelectric]

Ooof!! I'm gonna have to go check that lightsabre sound! Sorry bout your JP4, but congrats for your Promars (my secret favourite!)

[@PaulBoos]

What is it with 1979 that a lot of great synths were produced. All sorts of experimental things that often are not as approachable in modern synths (buried in a mod matrix). Thanks for showing it off…

[@MrTimcoronel]

can hear plenty of pre-Dare Human League sounds

[@BOOelectric]

I think Martin Ware picks one up and runs it up and down the keyboard ofa second one in the video for Empire State Human. But I might have hallucinated the whole thing...

[@kvfive]

I have the System-1 plug-out, my fave of them all. How I wish for a ProMars / Jupiter 4 Boutique. ACB 4 voice poly it’s a no brainier for a JUP4 :-)

[@BOOelectric]

Yes. Once I inevitably have to return the promars, that would be an acceptable replacement... Much prefer acb to zen, from what I've tried...

[@JayKaufman]

Channeling some Goldfrapp there at 9:43 there Chris. Nick Batt would be proud! ;)

[@BOOelectric]

Oops! Hope he doesn't come round an copyright-strike me!!

[@JayKaufman]

@@BOOelectric it's the main riff from 'Ooh La La' - which if I'm not mistaken is one of their biggest hits and I'm pretty sure was done using a Promars based upon the patch you play that riff with. It seems like it would be a very Will Gregory-like synth to use for Goldfrapp. I'm sure Nick would know because that's his era of production for Goldfrapp. I get it though. As a player you'll be naturally inclined to play riffs that you've heard over the years - whether it's overtly or inadvertently. I find myself doing this a lot when I think I come up with a riff for my productions, and it turns out that it's a well known hit that's been ringing around my head for days that is a note-for-note rip off of someone else's idea - which then leads me to change it slightly to make it mine. Haha.

[@BOOelectric]

@@JayKaufman Always a good plan: imitate, then mangle! Yes, when I'm doing these demos, I never plan what to play, I just let my fingers go where they want to while I'm talking. I'm amazed there haven't been any content strikes yet as all the tunes in my head will inevitably pop out at some point.

[@bullynator]

I still got one at home but unfortunately I don’t know how to use.

[@BOOelectric]

The best way to learn is to have fun and play, so we're wishing you a happy play day with your synth!!

[@bullynator]

@@BOOelectric You're right, thanks!

[@TheDavidPoole]

At around 5 1\2 mins in you start flipping the osc 2 switch off and on, and I'm clenching thinking "Stop it! That thing's 45 years old! It's only got a finite number of operations before it fails!" Then I realized what a dick I was being😂😂

[@BOOelectric]

Sorry to cause you anxiety sir! I will add a warning to any future scenes of synth abuse!!

[@JayKaufman]

What's interesting to see is how this is basically the direct predecessor to the Jupiter-4 and you get follow that lineage all the way upwards through the mid-1980s.

[@Freakydile]

The Promars came after the JP-4.