Roland Juno-6. Still worth it?

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

Your skill for both playing and sound design could make any synth seem worth it.

[@kenmartinez945]

could make a paper and comb sound like a million bucks

[@adamfuckindrover]

And tracksuits

[@squirrelorama]

ESPECIALLY tracksuits!

[@halcyo]

Yea, "it's limited" and "it's basic", but I'll be damned if this isn't basically what you hear in your head when you're imagining the word "polysynth". It's just 100% made of sounds you'd actually use to make ACTUAL MUSIC.

[@rachelar]

Nah, coz I wanted Midi so I got a 106

[@proteus1]

My mate started a trainee job at a military base in a kitchen. The first month his salary was mixed up with an admirals, he got paid over £1500, and went right out and bout a synth. He knew his wage wasn't meant to be such a large amount, but his dream was always to have this synth. He was asked to return the money but he said he couldn't because you're already spent it. They had to keep him employed until we could pay off the amount of money back. Still cracks me up when I think about it. Good old 80's times. I'm sure it was a Juno.🤣

[@TonyAndersonMusic]

Dude you are UNREAL!!!! Plugging my Juno 60 in tonight to have some fun. Thank you.

[@antonbriggs5680]

How many synths do you have?

[@thetooth]

@@antonbriggs5680 you can't just ask someone that 👀

[@bobzmuda3940]

@@thetooth 😭😭😭

[@lundsweden]

The Juno 6 not only sounds good, it is probably the best looking Juno. So clean and simple, black finish (better than the 106's grey finish) no screen or memory buttons, classic red and blue "Pepsi" style color scheme.

[@westbethkid]

Totally. The Juno 106 looks like ass

[@gazcbm]

Just finished repairing a 6. It actually shares the same voice board with the 60. Also the HPF slider on the 60 has positions whereas on the 6 it’s continuous so slightly more controllable across the range. The Panasonic chorus chips are no longer manufactured but you can buy 1:1 clones (Xvive MN3009). If you don’t need memory then the 6 is WAY more affordable than the 60, add a tubbutec mod and it unleashes a monster

[@flopasen]

yeah i very much prefer the linear HPF rather than the switched high passes because you can really dial it in. These models are so out of the price range of casuals that having presets doesn't even justify the price difference

[@indrseta]

nice information

[@lo-firobotboy7112]

My first analog synth and still my favorite instrument. I bought it used for $200 in 1989 from a local music shop that was trying to get rid of their trade-ins and make space for M1s and Prophecys . You can never go wrong with a JUNO.

[@delatronics3257]

As the ex Roland UK senior engineer, I can tell you that the Juno-106 has very similar DCO, VCA and VCF as the circuits were modelled on the JU-6 but put into a hybrid chip using Surface mount equivalents. My favourite analogue Roland synths are Jupiter 6, JX-3P, SH-101 (my first synth bought new in the 80s). The Juno 6/60/106 create some nice sounds, but if you don't have other synths, they can get boring; I preferred the JX-3P because it's also got cross mod and a sequencer, and once you delve into programming it, you can get a lot of sound variations (the JX-8P is similar but let down by its flimsy plastic side panels and poor presets.). The JX-10 is a beast and capable of much, but the presets are mostly terrible.

[@ExOceann]

Hello have you heard of the new juno X ? Do you think it will become valuable like the 106 and the 60 did ?

[@delatronics3257]

@@ExOceann Probably not; it is a digital simulation of the real thing.

[@dachiklangmusik]

Thx 4 this information. Love to hear that from the JX-3P.. I have to learn to dive deeper in it 🙏

[@rachelar]

​@@ExOceannI have the chance to get one second hand at a quarter the shop price. That's a red flag right there tho I guess if you don't have a Juno this is one modern reliable way

[@djmastergroove946]

Beautiful sounds! Literally soothing my soul 😌 some incredible songs have been made through the 80's and 90's using the Juno 6. And still sounds fresh to use in electronic music today! Great demo, your sounds are awesome. 👌🏻

[@magicknight8412]

What a wonderful lush warm sound

[@coreyreynolds01]

I just bought a Juno-6 because I've always loved the tone. If anyone is worried about a synth without MIDI, a German company Tubbutec makes a MIDI-retrofit (that also adds a ton of functionality like Portamento) called the Juno-66. I added it and aside from patch memory, it's like having a Juno-60 for half the price and all the modern MIDI convenience. Definitely worth it.

[@jdtorian]

Any buzzing or new weirdness from the mod? (as opposed to the old weirdness, which is why I bought mine)

[@MattJohnsonJamiroquai]

interesting!

[@asdfasdf-jx7sm]

Yeah as well as midi, it adds microtuning, chord memory, general oscillator detune (to make it sound a bit more old and organic, portamento, extra LFOs and env filter (I think), unison, duophonic, and er triophonic (it's hard to remember it all)

[@asdfasdf-jx7sm]

@@jdtorian no new weirdness on mine

[@coreyreynolds01]

@@jdtorian Didn't notice any sonic differences from before and after. Just added functionality.

[@sofam84]

Love hearing and watching you play. You’re such an inspiration for me when I’m trying to learn.

[@austenmack]

Absolutely badass musicality. You play what each patch needs to say and it brings life to the instruments. Plus your time feel and execution just don't miss. It must be a real treat to play in a band with you! Please keep making these videos!

[@martattacks]

Matt, I'm so thankful for each and every one of your videos. Because no one else ever got me as excited about just having a go and trying stuff out on my own. You inspire me. You make me want to become a better player. Thank you.

[@MattJohnsonJamiroquai]

Great to hear!

[@NigelCruickshank]

Agreed.

[@nik_elektrik]

Love my Juno-60. It absolutely is one giant sweetspot. Instant 80s? I couldn’t agree more. And it surely is one of the fastest sound programming experiences ever. The ARP clock in and VCF control in jacks are very useful and make sequencing this thing great fun.

[@regnifelrub]

It is so much fun listening to your playing and to your knowledge. It is the third time in my Iife I own a Juno 60. Finally I don't have to sell it anymore. Thank you! 🙂

[@jjaffee]

Wow Matt! You’ve done it again. In my eyes, you just drove up the stock of this synth and in Roland; and you did it in one little video. I was a teenager in the 80s and a friend of mine had a Juno 106. Another friend of mine had a different Juno. I was pretty blown away and I felt a little left out back then. But, you just made me want one, THAT much more.

[@epicon6]

This is my favorite synth demo ever by the way. Really awesome nostalgic patches but even more your playing.

[@shayeasy]

this was my first analog synth, bought about 14 years ago. it was perfect for learning the beauty and simplicity of analog synthesis and the arpeggiator is a lot of fun. love the filter at full resonance with keyboard tracking as it’s own sound source, too.

[@alistairsteadman3765]

Worth noting that although you can’t store patches like the 60, the 6 benefits from much smoother filter sweeps (no stepping on the VCF) because there’s less processing required. Plus the HPF filter isn’t limited to 4 settings as it is on the 60, 106 and HS-60. You can position it where you like! 😀. Thanks for the video Matt. 👍🏻

[@julianpratt9616]

OMG what a classic piece of kit - that arpeggiator, wowzers sounds utterly epic! Cheers for sharing Matt!

[@philippezsiga1125]

Great pick Matt! I have one also and a 106 too and i love them as much as my Obx-a. I bought my 106 when i was student for 150 euros!!!!!! Thanks a lot for all the wonderful videos. The best gets always better! Cheers. Philippe from France

[@project-95]

On sound alone, the Juno-6 has so much character it's worth it considering what people are paying for Sequential / Moog. For the keyboard and other modern features then perhaps not.

[@horder2344]

Love these synths - Thanks for the keyboard tracking explanation too....never really got a layman's answer to what that actually does and now I finally know 😅

[@oliveruecker4919]

Thank you very much for introducing this amazing synth. Great work!!! I recently bought the Juno 60 VST from Roland. No problems with sliders.......or chorus noise.

[@bartosz_staszkiewicz]

Wow, just wow. I've got a Juno 60 for maybe 12 years now, and of course I know all that sounds, but still the way you're combining patches and notes being played is fresh and inspiring. To be honest, I planned to sell my old Roland synths, but now have to think it over again.

[@julianpratt9616]

Just been listening to you on the J gig in Paris 2017 - Space Cowboy on the Prophet 6. My god, that's how to totally boss it. Absolutely mind-blowing - never heard a Sequential P6 sound so epic. Bloody brilliant Matt, just awesome.

[@MattJohnsonJamiroquai]

Thanks!

[@PK-ct1bm]

You made me smile more than once. ☺ "One big sweet spot". Great demo by someone who really knows his gear..

[@mirr1984]

I have the TAL Juno 6 and it's still probably my favourite synth. Got TAL Jupiter 8 which is nice too!

[@1881Gordon]

As mentioned below. The stock price of this 'Baby ' Roland Gem has just gone up after this video released... Another superb upload for us to enjoy. Fantastic content.

[@claytonnorris8132]

Love my noisy Juno 6, it tells me when the channel is live by giving me ocean waves constantly.

[@klinkske]

New chorus chips and the sea is gone.

[@rickymangum8977]

Thanks for explaining all the things we could read but would rather push buttons to find out what they do. Keep up the good work and thanks again for sharing your passion with us.

[@Indalomusic]

You’re absolutely amazing

[@Da-Freaks]

Hey Matt, great video. I also love my Juno 6. I also have the Arturia VST, but for some sounds the brilliance is unbeatable to the original.

[@biosfearmag]

Great demo. No joke about the prices going up. I bought a Juno 60 at a thrift shop for $80 back in the late 90s and sold it a couple of years ago locally to a KZbin employee for $1200. Miss it sometimes, but for my skill level, I'd be more than happy with the newer JU-06 module.

[@proaudiorestore8926]

Yeah I had a similar experience, great synth, wish I hadn’t sold it but such is life. The JU-06 fills in the gaps for me.

[@macdaddybender]

That sounded fantastic Matt. It was a great demonstration. I love the sound of the Junos. Pretty much every sound made me think of 80s horror or sci-fi films. It's just so iconic

[@user-JM1967]

So old, so new, great sounds, great video!

[@tommytranquil]

LOVE your videos! This has inspired the synth programming I am doing this evening! And thank you so much for your video on 11th chords! It completely changed my approach on how I want to and do play synth!

[@morphoice]

I love mine to bits. Got it just a couple of weeks ago.

[@analogsystem8015]

Great sound, simply the best video for the Juno 6 !

[@iansunderland117]

ah memory lane! my first ever poly synth. I had 2 fav tricks first was to drive the filter into self oscillation and with a bit of tweaking you could get it to track the keyboard for nice sudo Rhodes type sounds. Next was to set the Arp to play octaves then feed the clock in from a boss DR55 (hihat) with beats on 1, 3 & 4...instant St Elmos Fire!

[@aidanknight]

I love the filter self oscillation trick with the Juno. Haunting sound.

[@joshjamesuk]

Absolutely loving the new single Matt!

[@kiko1935]

"like a big electronic burp" - never thought of it like that, you have a way with words Johnson

[@jeffoff7795]

That inverse filter is lovely. More synths should incorporate that feature. Great video as always.

[@johnskerlec9663]

Excellent Matt. I'm thrilled this synth is still popular. I've had someone make an offer for mine, and find it hard to get my head around the idea. I've had it 40 plus years and while I use a whole bunch of software vst instruments for my recordings, I have just got it out to have a play and see how well it's holding up and still works nice. Thanks for the demo Sir. Cheers. I wish I could like this more than once.

[@maxborosiuk3570]

you really inspire to put real synths into production! thank you for that!

[@calyx93]

My first synthesizer - sigh. I was a lucky kid - got it at eleven years old. I had saved money from allowance and odd jobs in our neighborhood - mowing grass, painting, etc. Anyway, my folks met me a halfway with the discounted (floor model) purchase cost of $900. I was thrilled because I loved Duran Duran and idolized Nick Rhodes with his Jupiters 4 and 8. Now I had part of the Roland family of polysynths. So easy to learn basic synthesis with - perfect for a because you have to create each sound from scratch. Such a solid and reliable keyboard - had it up until the late 90s. Would love to have another

[@Songwirer]

Wow such a simple synth and beautiful sounds. Well done Matt, great video as usual!

[@epicon6]

1:48 Roland has made a Juno-60 Chorus VST (99$ on Roland Cloud). Arturia has one too but i went for the official Roland vst. I just thought if the physical chorus is busted or in the meanwhile before it gets fixed and if the Juno 6 gets recorded into a DAW that's an option too. It has a slider/knob to set the level of noise for the classic feel and it's possible to slide it all the way to zero.

[@davidkieltyka9]

Also, TC Electronic makes a hardware analog clone of the Juno chorus in pedal form called the June-60. Retails for ~US$70.

[@computationalerror69]

it's like the Fender Precision. sits in the mix and has one great sound. rest is up to you

[@Uoldd]

Lovely instrument

[@ohheyitskevinc]

Great walkthrough and sounds awesome! I have an MKS-70 and an MKS-80 and was looking at the Junos to kind of finish off my Roland collection (since the Jupiters are too far out of my price range (unless I sell my house)). I’d have expected the 6 to be far cheaper than the 60, but they’re still around the same price oddly enough. Similar with the JX-10 vs JX-8P prices even though the JX-10 has two 8P boards and more features. Thankfully, Roland have done a pretty good job replicating the Junos with ACB on the cloud/System 8. Wish the latter had aftertouch.

[@CuriousMarc]

Such a great tour of the Juno 6!

[@marvel_83]

Great vid! Love this machine ♥

[@ScottAdair]

Pure love for the music in that smile. Rock on.

[@ewwitsantonio]

Nice video!! Great work on making the sound pack! That's awesome. Great way to make these sounds accessible with your tasteful programming touch. It's hard to accept how expensive these things have become :( I feel very luck I bought a Juno 106 in 2008 for about $400. Never thought the prices would get where they are at right now! The junos are truly my favorite hardware analog synths.

[@glennanderson9947]

Matt you read my mind as I have been researching the Juno due to it being cited as a big part of the sound of early '90s ambient and electronic artist's such as William Orbit and Global Communications. As a result I picked up the JU-06A module and it has made me want to get the real thing. Thanks

[@thesrabbit]

Wonderful sounds and great vid. I got the Tubbetec-66 mod installed in my Juno-6, which is amazing and adds a lot of versatility, though it’s not really necessary (unless you need midi), as a Juno always sounds beautiful as is. I love arps and bass on it. It reminds me of old Roland modulars for those types of sounds, but with chorus. Layering Juno arps with my System-500 it just fits in perfectly.

[@DomSigalas]

I’ve been wondering if I should get one for ages- it’s going to be harder to resist now- thanks Matt!

[@jackispax1633]

In 1996 I bought a Jupiter 8 for $400 and my friend found a Juno 6 for $200. We liked them but all we really wanted was a TB-303!😅 I still have them both and now think differently thank goodness!

[@MattJohnsonJamiroquai]

nice!

[@MrThecarrott]

You are just the world Master of keyboards, synths and sound design! Every company of the synths you are testing should seriously just give you 1% of their sales!

[@robertwillson9921]

Many years ago I saw a Roland Juno 6 on top of a cupboard in a house I surveyed, caked in dust (so probably would have needed a service) Obviously not used for a long long time. I never asked about it, it was not my business to, but watching you play that I wondered what happened to it and wish I had enquired. It was about 20 years ago so probably dirt cheap back then. Like you say a good investment now. Great playing as always.

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

No matter what slider you move it sounds great,impressive for a single DCO (one per voice) synth. The wooden side panels make it sound vintage 😉

[@midnightantelopes]

12:25 is so dreamy!

[@MartinBarreby]

Sounds fantastic! Great demonstration!

[@Pablo668]

Awesome awesome synth. It's a pity that Roland absolutely refuses to re-issue their classic synths. It would be the easiest money they ever made. Well, easy-ish. Oh, and great playing as always!

[@muzikman2008]

"We don't chase ghosts..." was Roland's response 😉👍

[@XanderEwald]

They have been re-issuing them for years in various forms, haven’t they? ACB, Zen, boutiques, plugins…

[@fabYT2]

@@muzikman2008 now they change their mind

[@fender1000100]

Are you gonna be ready to drop 5k for an authentic analogue Juno?

[@lundsweden]

They should do a joint ventre with Behringer IMO. A lot of synth companies already use Behringer components, Roland probably don't yet, as they're mostly digital these days.

[@TROGULAR10000]

Shiiit, I believe I was looking at that very listing with the LFO trig broken, which I could not afford and now it goes to the Jamiroquai man who has two of them. This particular unit is sounding so sweet

[@MIDERA]

Funny - I just picked one of these up this weekend (April 2nd) and have just been loving it. I had a Juno 106 (HS-60) in my studio in 2011 and just did not get on with it at all. I sold it, and kept my Matrix 1000 -_- Then I borrowed a friend's Juno 60, but I didn't really like it either for some reason (I had just gotten a JX3P and Polaris that I think I just preferred at the time). But having gotten the Juno 6 - it's just so good. I just made a comparison of this with the System 8 Juno 60 plug out that I'll be uploading soon. Awesome demo of the Juno 6. If you haven't checked it out yet - the Tubbutec mod is pretty sweet, you can detune voices to add a little extra dimension, as well as a sequencer.

[@spazkong]

The video hasn't even started yet and I have to say yes Mr Johnson. It's worth it!

[@fannydad6123]

Hey .... i have a Juno-6 here and i love this crazy thing with his sounds. And its easy to use.

[@maurumsynthwave618]

I love Juno 6

[@westbethkid]

I've had a Juno 60 for YEARS-and I never knew what the fuck the "KYBD" slider did!!!! THANK YOU! LIKED, COMMENTED, AND SUBSCRIBED!

[@dacat101]

The Juno 6 was my first synth back in the early 80’s when it came out, what a great synth wish I still had mine. I now have a System 8 with the Juno 60 plug out installed.

[@thaexception3406]

That second sound in the performance section - niiice

[@markfennah4322]

Brilliant Juno video - thank you for posting 😊

[@DerrickMckenzieOfficial]

Brilliant Matt!! I want to get one and the sounds are great also the way it’s all demonstrated is amazing!!! Thanks for sharing and will get those sounds!!!

[@Screaming-Trees]

Brilliant mate. You've been killing it lately. Keep up the great work please :).

[@eugeniomeza2886]

I think the warmth and special sound from vintage electronics can be emulated, but still has something missing. Kudos and thank you for sharing another video with us. Cheers!

[@Goettel]

Just be wary of the warm, irrational glow the word "vintage" instills. Your wallet will thank you : - )

[@eugeniomeza2886]

@@Goettel I know, that is why I use VST's, Roland Zenbeats is quite good.

[@monsterjazzlicks]

I have a Juno 6 (bought it for £550 ten years ago from a second-hand [eBay] shop in South Wales). I just can't keep my hands off it, I love it so much. I wish I could afford the stupid price of the '60' (purely for it's 'memory') but I just can justify it.

[@Goettel]

Don't feel too bad, being able to see at a glance what sound is setup is a huge advantage over having memories. Both have their place. Keep keeping your hands on it playing : - )

[@monsterjazzlicks]

@@Goettel Playing left hand bass and right hand Juno basically means I'm not able to switch programs, only make subtle adjustments if time and space permit me.

[@thefrankly]

In the masters hands, a classic

[@junostrecords4036]

The thing is that you need to tweak some knob after hitting each chord while it sustained. This is the juno way. Thanks for the inverse envelope sound will try this position maybe the first time in my life)) Thank you for sharing it soo much!!!

[@funkmachine6420]

Love how "electric" the Juno 6 sounds. I get the same from my kArp Odyssey, don't get that feeling from every analog synth myself tbh. Great playing as always man! Wish I could afford one of these beauties!

[@bigdrums9905]

Such a great synth, really enjoyed this, thanks.

[@salaciouscrumb]

Great watching a master at work. (Or play)

[@solesurvivorinthenewmillen787]

Nice grooves going on there kudos and cheers mate!😊

[@timhughes4698]

Fantastic! My first synth x

[@patriziopolcri995]

Oh...what cool sounds the juno's...great job Matt!!

[@nonsuch]

I've had my Juno-6 for about 32 years now and still love every bit of it. I added a simple MIDI input to it about 10 years ago which it desperately needed for sequencing. And then last year I did the Tubbutec "Juno-66" upgrade which is an absolute MUST for all Juno-6 and Juno-60 owners that really turns it into a whole new synth. You lose none of the old functionality and gain a ton of stuff like Midi I/O, portamento, monophonic and duophonic stacking modes, a second ADSR for the filter, 2 additional filter LFOs (triangular and S/H), detuning and alternative tuning capabilities, an additional mode for the arpeggiator making it a sequencer, and more. It's really so much more fun now.

[@bobzmuda3940]

you lose a whoole bunch of value thats one thing you lose lmao. not everyone wants a whole new synth if you have a juno. theres other synths lmao

[@nonsuch]

​@@bobzmuda3940 Yeah, I've owned the Juno for 32 years and now that I've modded it, I'm gonna sell it 🤦. Get real dude! Oh, I guess I failed to mention that these mods are for people who ACTUALLY play their synths that they buy. It seems you're the kind of person who buys synths just to resell later for a profit and never actually play them "LMAO". So sadly pathetic. 😂

[@bobzmuda3940]

@@nonsuch No, i just own a few synths, and a juno 60 is one of them. and I bought it because its a juno 60. if i want 2 oscillators i’ll use my JX-3p, if i want midi, i’ll use something with midi. the last thing i’d do is take a 58’ cherry burst and refinish it “LMAO”.. it’s not my fault these things are valuable. the only thing your juno 60 “desperately needs” is a new home 😭😭 you can go play with the deepmind or something more “capable” 😂😂

[@nonsuch]

@@bobzmuda3940 Since you can't read, it's a Juno-6 dum dum. And my Prophet 5 with MIDI is LIAO at you. So, go cry to your mama!

[@nonsuch]

@@bobzmuda3940 ...and your new mini Juno and JX aren't going to make you any real money in the future. 😂🤣

[@CatmanJimbo]

Would love to see what you could do with a Prologue 16! It’s not got the most features or the nicest keybed, but since they fixed the tuning issues in a firmware update, it’s a really unique sounding 16 voice synth crying out for a demo from a true keyboardist like yourself. Can do bi-timbral sounds and split keyboard, I would love to hear what you get out of it if you’re able to borrow one from a friend (I know you’re drowning in keyboards already lol!)

[@viktordugandzic]

Yeah, this is a masterclass.

[@Wang_jyuan]

Amazing sounds!

[@marcusdekker]

a "still worth it" video by Matt Johnson!!!! Hahaha. With all the virtual instruments that i own, i don't own a real synthesiser.....for good reason!! Synthesisers embody and personify the decline of musical creativity and the rise of soulless mass produced excrements by businessmen. I grew up in the 80's, music was a nightmare, the sound of Duran Duran and the likes, made the hairs on your neck stand up straight. This is an 80's synth. Great to see, by one of the greatest, that it can still rock, even though some of the sounds still make my skin crawl....probably a youth trauma :)

[@remynettheim4918]

Juno 6/60 is the best polysynth ever. Something about its sound is magical. The oscillators just sound maximally pleasing to the ear, and you can play clusters of low notes without the usual muddiness

[@Maximal94]

Wonderful 😍 can you please sell preset’s for the Juno 6 with photos of your settings or something like that 🙏🏼

[@TotallyNuss]

Yes! Very much so.

[@RubiconRecordings]

Thanks for explaining keyboard tracking, I have one on my poly6, and never really understood what it did.

[@planetmullins]

you get some really great sounds out of it man!

[@jimharris6389]

Matt, posting here as this is your latest video. It'd be interesting to see you chat about the drum machines and drum programming that supports your music. I've noticed you have at least a Tempest and an Octatrack. I can never seem to arrive at a good solution for just having some drums to jam along to. If you get too involved in programming then you're no longer jamming, but if you just repeat a loop, it gets boring. What's your approach to "dial-a-drums", as it were?

[@idontmindatall]

TopNotch, as always. Thx Matt!

[@Riktenstein]

this was my second synth I bought in the 90s for £120.