How to use a Roland Juno 106 Analog Synth Complete Tutorial

[@tonelab]

Download ready-to-play vintage Drum-Machine kits for classic Hardware Samplers or Software Samplers now 💾 store.tonelab.au

[@Rhezoloution]

Went to some guys house to buy an old electronic drum set and he had one of these in his closet and said im selling it too. $150! I took it

[@tonelab]

That’s what I’d call a ‘good day’ 👏🏼😉

[@1Live2Love3Thrive]

How long ago ?

[@terrybrown106]

Wow. Considering they're going for close to 2K now. That's a great deal. I recently acquired an Ensoniq TS12 used in mint condition for $325. And those are running about 1K used in good condition.

[@murdockscott]

I had a Juno 106 for many years. It was a workhorse and I used it heavily in live shows. Still wish I had it. Thanks for the video, it was fun to remember and it will be a useful refresher if I ever get my hands on one again. :)

[@oystercatcher943]

Just got cherry audio juno 106 VST to reproduce Tribal Need sounds. Really impressed with synth design. All the controls you need right there and sounds great. I was skeptical it’d be worth it but much easier than trying to emulate in phase plant say. Thanks for filling in some gaps

[@itzikz4003]

Thank you for taking the time to explain every single thing. I learned a lot.

[@mattiasvelinov1226]

Thank you for this! I've had a Juno-106 I picked up from a pawn shop in a state of disrepair for more than seven years now, and it's finally getting properly fixed as I write this. This has been a good starting place to help me understand what I'll be doing once I get it back from the shop. Excellent quality and very thorough!

[@mbrombert]

Absolutely fantastic. Explained perfectly with no time wasting. Thank you.

[@notfunkmusic]

Thank you so much for this video. As 106 owner I didn't understand properly the polarity switch of the VCF and the KYBD taste. Now it is much clear. Thank you again!!

[@tonelab]

Oh great! ..glad it helped, thanks for the feedback 🙏🏻 🤓

[@casomado]

I've always wanted to own a juno 106 and I finally got one the other day! You really nailed the fundamentals here. Thanks so much for such quality content.

[@tonelab]

Oh congratulations 👏🏼 thanks for the generous feedback ☺️ Enjoy!

[@paxverdi_official8061]

couldn‘t be better explained, amazing Video, Thank you !!

[@tonelab]

Thank you very much for the generous words 🙏🏻🙇🏻‍♂️

[@guinnessgodfather]

that was awesome. spent a day with your video and feel really confident with my new (old) 106. such a whopper synth! many thanks from Vietnam!

[@tonelab]

Fantastic synth! ..and when you know it inside out, you can make some great sounds with it. Thanks for the feedback, have fun! 🙏🏻

[@ManCalledMif]

27:16 MIDI panic button tip very helpful. Thanks.

[@TheWarriorSongProject]

This is exactly what I was looking for. I wish you had one for the Prophet 5 and the OBX8 too.....

[@tonelab]

I've got the original Prophet 5, Rev.2 & Rev.3 in the queue, coming soon.. would love to do an OBX8, if @Oberheim (Focusrite) are watching 👍🏼

[@TheWarriorSongProject]

where are you located? if you are near LA I could loan you mine....@@tonelab

[@tonelab]

That's mighty kind of you, thanks.. but, unfortunately.. I'm across the pond.. in Australia 🙏🏻

[@Aztronouth]

Just found a juno 106 at the attic at my dads place. Revised it for 500 eu. Amazed! Total rookie but already love this synth. Will look in this complete tutorial. Thanks in advance!

[@tonelab]

They're amazing synths.. no doubt you'll have some good times with it 🙏🏻

[@LordLightheart]

Few feelings match finding an old synth abandoned in storage and bringing it back to life!

[@kyleadam2362]

This guy is literally a savior! 🤘 Thank you very very much!!!

[@MarmittDJ]

Great explanation! Thank you so much.

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@MichaelHeavner]

Excellent demonstration, and a well-produced video! Thanks:-)

[@tonelab]

Cheers and thank you for the kind words ☺️🙏🏻

[@swanofnutella4734]

Thanks for this. I used to know this unit back and front, but after 2 decades with it packed away, I needed a refresher. Crossing my fingers the unit works at all, though I'm sure I've probably lost all my patches. I'll have to find out later.

[@swanofnutella4734]

@@johnny_blz Noooo. waaaahhh. T.T ...It needs the typical work: new voice and filter chips. It powers up fine, but it would probably be prudent to do the typical power and chorus maintenance too. Gonna be a while before I can afford to service it.

[@SunlightOfTheSpirit]

Just like to thank you for this, subbed

[@tonelab]

Cheers 🙏🏻

[@johnghadimi]

These JUNO series and the SH-101 video was fantastic. Thank you for doing these. I unfortunately don't have the real thing, but this really helps to understand the virtual and clone versions. BTW, requesting a Korg MS-20. Pretty please. :)

[@WoiVmusic]

Great Video ! I can learn so much from it. Thanks for your work mate

[@tonelab]

You're welcome.. thanks for the kind feedback 🙏🏻

[@jackbass187]

Great Video! Finally some who can explain really well! Thank You

[@tonelab]

Hey Jack! ..you're welcome and thanks for the generous feedback 🙏🏼

[@phillipmarnik]

I have the JU-06A, this taught me heaps. Thank you.

[@tonelab]

Oh cool! I was wondering if that was the case.. because some peeps went and tried the tricks on my 909 and 808 clips... turns out they also could pop those stunts on the TR09 / TR08 too 😉 thanks for sharing that 👍🏻

[@stickfigursicide]

5 minutes in, and this video has already been hugely helpful. Thanks a ton!

[@HousePlant_Ambient]

I just bought the Juno 106 and I really thought it was shipped faulty, but then realized I didn’t fully understood the functionality of it. Although, I am familiar with Synthesizer, this was a great introduction of an essentially vintage synth.

[@jozefconor5152]

Thanks so much, mate! Great video

[@tonelab]

You're welcome, Cheers! 🙏🏻

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Great stuff man!

[@RoofLight00]

Very nice Deceptively simple but there are some hidden tips and tricks that make this a unique synth. I’d never sell mine now (mines a 1985 built model :) It can sound hard and bright but also soft and warm if you know how to do it. The negative envelope is lots of fun…

[@salimkhangoa2320]

Very nice 👌 very nice Roland 106 keyboard

[@Drumsdude123]

Outstanding review! Thanks!!

[@jami.m7074]

Great stuff. Now i understand the Juno model of my Jupiter-X much better.

[@tonelab]

oh they 'kept it real' ?? ..that's great, enjoy! thanks 🙏🏻

[@dinosirius]

Great video ! Now I feel I can unlock the full potential of my beloved baby

[@tonelab]

Cheers! 👌🏼

[@andy80sdrums]

The first sound was used on Cliché - Black Monday

[@tonelab]

oh really?! .. I don't know that track.. I'll have to look it up 👍🏻

[@mixc8]

Great video

[@tonelab]

Thanks ! 🙏🏻

[@BellaBell_]

Great Review - Thank you

[@tonelab]

You're welcome, cheers! 🙏🏻

[@ferenclucas2842]

Wow so amazing thank you that was incredibly thorough and clear

[@tonelab]

You're welcome and thanks for the generous feedback 🤓🙏🏻

[@drinkinslim]

Great video, again. To me, the 106 has a "darker" sound than the Juno 6 and 60. Hey, for some reason the chorus sounds mono @25:40 but stereo at the very start of the video.

[@tonelab]

Thank you, thank you! 🙇🏻‍♂️ I find there's a slight difference in sound between the 6 and the 60 as well! .. not by much, to me ..there's a slightly 'clearer' presence on the 6.. and it appears to be a little more noticeable when comparing the 'Sawtooth' OSC.. 🤔 yeah that's an interesting find re: 'stereo chorus' .. upon first impression, it doesn't sound as 'spread' as the other demo.. but, I'm on my laptop at the moment, so it's a little hard to analyze what's going on.. but perhaps I should check the original audio.. hopefully it's not some youtube encoding glitch 🙏🏻 thanks for pointing that out ! 👍🏻

[@WoiVmusic]

Hello mate, awesome work :) How did you get rid of the Noise created by the chorus? In your recording it seems you dont have the noise. Or did you work around it somehow? Thanks Greetings

[@tonelab]

Hey cheers! 👍🏼 ..yeah, they do let off quite a bit of "ffffffff" hissy noise don't they?!.. but, I don't think I was too fussed about it for the demo... sometimes I might 'notch out' a bit of the problem area with EQ, but most of the time I'll just record it as loud as I can, before clipping, then bring the level down as a means to lower it in a mix 🙏🏻

[@WoiVmusic]

@@tonelab Thank you for the Information :)

[@velikuu]

Awesome and helpful video, thank you. I don't have a Juno yet but I hope I could afford one some day :)

[@MickaLuna]

Very complete and informative video. Wouldn’t it be more accurate if defined as digital instead of analog? Best

[@tonelab]

Thanks for the generous feedback 🤓 Good question, it does have digital elements on board, but at the heart.. the tone generation is done from an analog source. The DCO is 'controlling' the oscillator, rather than generating it more or less.. and that's so they don't go out of tune.. opposed to VCO's that were notorious for going out of tune (or not as stable). Then the filter is 'Voltage Controlled' as is the amplifier. Moog does this on their modern synths too.. but still market their synths as 'Analogue' (ie. the Sub37 / Little Phatty). 👍🏻

[@MickaLuna]

@@tonelab Sub37 and Phatty are not what we consider DCO, as the Juno 60 is. Different digital implementation and effect on the sound core. Voyager has also digital implementation and you wouldn’t tag it as DCO, as Juno 60 shouldn’t be really tagged as what we understand when we say ‘analog synth’, if you know what I mean. Anyhow, good video!

[@tonelab]

@@MickaLuna Thank you, however.. I wasn't implying the Sub37 & Little Phatty had DCO's I was merely pointing out that they too are also marketed as 'Analog Synths'. 🙏🏻

[@katemdempsey]

Thank you for this amazing tutorial video! I didn't even notice that 41 minutes went by it was so well done!! Quick question, how would you play the standardized MIDI sounds from it? Would you have to hook it up with MIDI cables first in order to have the catalog of instruments play? I'm just a bit confused as to figuring out the MIDI portion of it. I dug my family's Juno 106 out of our attic and have been trying to learn how to use it.

[@tonelab]

Hi Kate.. thank you so much for the generous feedback 🙏🏻 glad you enjoyed it! .. well, I'm not sure if the 106 would be the greatest MIDI controller.. because the keys are not velocity sensitive... if you don't need pressure sensitivity then it should be fine. I love that your family has a Juno 106 in the attic 😂 what a cool family ! You connect the MIDI cables in & out from your computer / sequencer interface.. and then by default when you turn the 106 on.. it has a MIDI channel of 1. Go to your sequencer and configure your MIDI in / out to send / receive on Channel 1.. and you should be good to go (but plug the audio in or some headphones to the Juno too!) 👍🏼

[@Aztronouth]

Haha! Also found it at the attic of my dad. Cool! In love with the Juno

[@katemdempsey]

@@tonelab Thank you so much for the help! I really appreciate it.

[@katemdempsey]

@@Aztronouth Haha that's such a funny coincidence! Yeah I'm very lucky to have it in my possession, the sounds are incredible

[@AJOLDMUSI]

@@Aztronouth need one! haha sorry

[@TonyoPet]

That patch at 25:25 tho! DANG!

[@derekholland3328]

great overview..thank you.

[@tonelab]

Hope it helped 👍🏼

[@AJStudios18]

fantastic video!

[@tonelab]

Cheers! and thanks for checking it out 🤓🙏🏼

[@TPBass1224]

This was beyond helpful!! Thanks so much. Quick question: Would it be possible to SAVE the stored presets to an iPhone, using the Voice Memo App, and saving it as an MP3?? Again, thanks so much for your help!!

[@tonelab]

Heya, thanks for that and thanks for watching. 🙏🏻 So, you could entirely record to an iPhone, as you might've seen in this clip I record into a DAW with a certain level.. if you can hit that same amount of gain/volume in your Voice Memo app, then there's no reason why you can't.. however, I would not advise to record this to any app that only does MP3, if you can.. use an app that does WAV or AIFF or FLAC.. reason being, if it's a low-quality form of compression used.. then it might mess with the signal and potentially make it difficult for the Juno to 'read' on the way back in 👍🏻

[@AJOLDMUSI]

i want one😋😍

[@forgivemeforihavesynthed]

brilliant thank you !!!

[@tonelab]

You're welcome 👍🏻

[@helisoma]

i got a Juno-6 recently and watched your 6/60 tutorials which are great but this gave me even more great info thanks! 👍🏻 do you know why they went to a stepped instead of continuous HPF slider for the Juno-60/106?

[@tonelab]

You're welcome 🙏🏻 yeah, no idea why they did that.. i prefer the 'un-notched', myself 👍🏼

[@Skiroy]

Hello. If I wanted to record a mono bass or lead can I record it in stereo and sum to mono without issues? As long as the Chorus is on of coarse? Or would you always record just the mono jack for this?

[@tonelab]

No, the chorus kinda oscillates itself across Left & Right channels. So, merging them back to mono would definitely capture some sort of phaze issue 👍🏼

[@Skiroy]

@@tonelab Im sorry. I meant to say the CHorus should be OFF of coarse. SO if Chorus is off is there any issues with recording basslines in stereo and summing it to Mono?

[@tonelab]

Unfortunately, that's still a 'yes'. If this is purely so you can avoid 'pulling out the jacks'.. then force your DAW to record only the Left or the Right signal. Phase issues can cancel out the frequencies where they overlap.. so, not sure about you.. but, I definitely wouldn't want any frequencies down in the bass register being cancelled out. You should be able to route the mono bass to the stereo 'mains' of your DAW and let the DAW do the 'mono split' to stereo for you 👍🏼

[@phoenixrising1576]

This was really helpful to understand the theory behind everything. The flipping VCF and VCA switch always confused me. The Juno lay out for me has taught me so much about synthesisers. Could u recommend a kool seq/Arp I could use with my Juno? Like something quite intuitive and authentic to use?

[@tonelab]

Hey, thanks for the generous feedback! ..inspiring to hear the clips have helped peeps out! 🙏🏻 🤓 hmmmm.. good question, I'd probably start by asking a few questions first.. that way I can suggest a well tailored suit.. if you're up for it, come for a chat over at the Tonelab facebook group?! facebook.com/groups/tonelab 🤙🏼

[@phoenixrising1576]

@@tonelab Hey thanks for the reply I appreciate it. Lots of people never reply lol. It means when you get a heart it appears in the notifications which inspires interaction. Yes it is a helpful tutorial. The 106 is a beautiful synth to learn on. Id say the deepmind 6 would also be a wonderful first synth due to a similar layout. Im not on facebook but i may have to join now. Thanks man, il check your other vids out 2. Hope to upload my own Jams soon.

[@tonelab]

​@@phoenixrising1576 Yeah, no worries.. if you're on instagram?! .. check out @tonelab3000 .. the messenger is a little nicer and not as laggy as this thing 🙏🏻

[@phoenixrising1576]

@@tonelab Positive Vibes : )

[@tonelab]

​@@phoenixrising1576 Positive vibes!! ..and synths put out positive vibes ∿ 🤩 sooo, in answer to your original question.. I'm guessing you're looking at an external MIDI sequencer?! .. because you could go down the Digital-Audio-Workstation road.. like Logic Pro or Ableton Live, etc.. they have built-in arpeggiators that are fairly comprehensive, Logic Pro is probably the cheaper one.. but if you're looking for an external hardware sequencer (with a nice arpeggiator) then I'd suggest an MPC.. but then it comes down to what kind of budget and whether or not you're happy with old-school or new school 🤔

[@michaelpierce3264]

great tutorial going through a Juno obsession right now!

[@tonelab]

Thanks! ..yes, I 'juno' what that's like 😆

[@ennokarr]

Hi. Super useful info. Best I've seen yet. I have a question: What is the Level switch at the back next to the outputs used for. I find that when recording or going into a mixer there is a lot of distortion. Thanks. Best regards, E.

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much 🙏🏻 The 'level' switch provides 3 different volume ceilings.. Low, Medium or High. Try 'Low' if it's outputting too much level and try adjusting your VCA level, perhaps some of your 'Patch' VCA settings have been saved 'hot'.. so, you can tone it down a little there too, which I recommend trying your VCA at 50%.. particularly on 'bass heavy' patches. The 106 does throw out quite a hot signal, so 'taming it' to fit, particularly when pairing it up with other devices, was something I had to do.. quite often 👍🏻

[@ennokarr]

@@tonelab Thanks so much for the advice and explanation. Appreciated.

[@michaelpurcell3561]

This is a great video. Thank you! Is there a repository somewhere of Juno 106 settings to sound like XYZ song? Mostly interested in Van Halen sounds, but really anything from the 80s would be of interest. Thank you!

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much 👍🏼 ..y'know, I haven't heard of it.. but, the original manual for the Juno-6 (and many other synths that don't have the ability to 'save patches' for that matter) came with 'Patch maps', usually found in the back of the manuals that were printed panels and placement of where the knobs and sliders go.. maybe some die-hard fan out there has gone to the trouble of creating some.. but when it comes to Van Halen 'Jump'.. Eddie used an Oberheim OB-Xa (which I used to have), different beast of course.. but the major difference, for that particular 'Jump' patch is that the Oscillators on the Juno don't allow for 'detuning' like the Oberheim does.. so you could get closer perhaps with the Juno-Chorus: ON.. but, it's a little bit like trying to get a cat to bark 🙊

[@MarcosRochaUDESC]

where do i get the chart with all the 32 factory patches parameters? (sound synthesis memo)

[@waterbell693]

Great video.

[@AJOLDMUSI]

This is so so amazing thanks Want to buy one you selling any by chance

[@tonelab]

Thanks 🙏🏻..but, sorry.. none for sale. You could check the re-vamped version from Roland the Juno-X?! ..it's only a few months old now 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3uzcpJ3bct9o5I

[@patsalty]

Regarding the tape backup, do you need to trim out any silence before and after recording, or does the Juno disregard it?

[@tonelab]

The audible pilot tone + pulse code is all that is needed. You could trim the silence, if it bothers you.. just be sure to leave the signal, undisturbed, in it's entirety 👍🏼

[@jamespatient7438]

Hi, thanks so much for this! Is there any way of saving custom patches (edited presets) onto the Juno’s banks without replacing the original patch that you modified? For example, if I don’t like or need patch 81, could I save an edited version of patch 21 as patch 81, instead of replacing the original 21 default patch? Thanks again🤝🫶🏼

[@tonelab]

Cheers 👍🏼 ..yep, there's a little trick, if I remember correctly.. you select the Bank + Patch you want to copy.. then 'holding down the Write button'.. you select the Bank + Patch you want to copy it too.. but if the destination-memory-slot you want to save is outside the current 'Bank Group'.. you have to press Bank-Group, then Bank and Patch (while holding down Write)..to paste it in the other Bank Group 👍🏼

[@spektrum8740]

Thnx very much !!!

[@tonelab]

Cheers 🤓

[@spektrum8740]

@@tonelab i subbed to yur channel ❤️

[@tonelab]

@@spektrum8740 legend 🍻

[@26mrwalker]

Hey, great video. I've managed to get my hands on a 106S (looks identical to yours in video, just with two in built speakers). im looking to send midi from ableton to the juno, and not having any luck. I have a roland midi interface cable but its not showing up in ableton preferences (or in logic for that matter). Is there a driver needed?

[@tonelab]

Hey thanks for that! in my clip, just look up the MIDI button.. and make sure you configure your Ableton MIDI track to match the same Channel your 106S is on (by default, when you turn them on.. it'll be #1). There's no driver with MIDI.. but you will need 2 MIDI cables connected simultaneously at all times.. Juno's-MIDI-input (from your MIDI interface's MIDI-output) and vice versa 🙏🏻

[@26mrwalker]

@@tonelab thanks for such a fast reply. I have set the midi ch to 1 on the juno. the issue is that I dont see the juno as a midi driver in ableton. re connection Im using a roland midi interface um-one cable. this has both in and out connected to juno, with the other side USB connected to my mac. i downloaded a max for live fuction that is juno specific but that so far doesnt seem to work either

[@lundsweden]

I owned a Juno 106 for many years, wish I still had it! Its a bit of a limited synth in many ways, but that made it easy to learn synthesis on. It may of only had one oscillator, but with the sub bass on (always an octave down) it's almost as if you have two (plus you can have square/pulse and saw on at the same time, but no control over them individually). Honestly the synth doesn't sound that good without chorus, thankfully it's such a great chorus though. The sub bass always sounds like distorted, is part of the sound of the synth but not always something I wanted. For example using a proper 2 DCO synth, you can pitch the square down one octave to get a similar sound to the Juno sub... but it sounds different (IMO better).

[@Jim_KYB]

It sounds so bassy, makes sense that the HPF is a bass boost, never knew that.

[@tonelab]

Same here.. that was a recent 'Easter Egg' I learned too 👍🏻

[@roggyo]

Please make the same video about Jupiter 8. Maybe you could use digital Jupiter X for demonstration if you don’t own the one. And some video about subtractive synthesis would be great as well, you could use any poly synth for it. Thanks for all your videos! :))

[@tonelab]

My Jupiter 6 will be up before too long.. but "Shh!" don't tell anyone 😉👌🏻

[@clauscombat418]

Why bother with the tape backup? You can backup and recover your presets via Midi...🤫

[@tonelab]

Yeah, that would definitely be easier.. but I don’t recall that ever being an available option on the 106.. mind you, it is pretty early MIDI implementation.. but if you know a trick to ‘send as SysEx’ please feel free to share 🙏🏼

[@clauscombat418]

@@tonelab "j106 - Juno Librarian" allows sending & receiving patches via Midi. But, if i remember correctly, the Juno 106 does not send full banks. So you need to switch through all your patches for "j106" to catch them.

[@tonelab]

Yeah, it’s weird.. you can move sliders and capture the sysex of the slider values.. but by default there’s no ‘dump’ commands in the MIDI implementation.. so that librarian you mentioned must be doing some sorcery 🙊 thanks for sharing 👍🏼

[@chuless01]

I want to like this video but fear I may anger the "420 vape lords"

[@tonelab]

Maybe they need an offering first?! 🤔..an unopened pack of Pringles ought to do it 🤤

[@9uidin9li9ht2]

Excellent video!

[@tonelab]

Thank you! 😋