The Unloved Underdog - The Roland D-20

[@velonaut303]

This was my first synth and very loved. Not used as much today, but still cared for.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Yeah! Quite sad how people write off the D-5/10/110/20.

[@amonster8mymother]

I have two d110 for their ensembles.

[@synthesizernews]

Back in 1988 this was the most desirable compagnion to my just newly aquired ESQ-1. It had sampled attack transients (everybody wanted sampled stuff then) that lacked the ESQ-1 AND drums AND effects for a very good price tag.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Yeah! It's really quite a nice synth.

[@gula_rata]

Actually I prefer making songs in the internal sequencer rather than a DAW. Its the limitations themselves and how you work with it that makes it so much fun and pushes you to become creative. Long live the 80's!

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Yes! I still have to figure out how to work it. Plus, my floppy drive currently is unfortunately broken. I have to get it repaired.

[@eugenecanady5452]

i bought the D-20 when it first came out in 1988 with the PG-10 programmer. After years of not using it, i finally set it free about 2015. I used the the sequencer and 3rd party sounds quite a bit. Glad you are getting to use this. With all the SysEx sounds readily available on the net, its a great time to own one.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

That's really cool! Do you remember any of the cards for it? Thank you! It is a great little synth. Not deserving of the hate it receives today, I think.

[@eugenecanady5452]

@@tetrafoxofficial i don't. but Valhalla was a big advertiser in Keyboard magazine at the time. I bought the synth at a place called Keyboard city in Phoenix, AZ. They had a stack of floppies with 3rd party sounds and let me come in and copy them all. But those floppies are all lost to time now.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

@@eugenecanady5452 Yes! I have the Studio Series cards for the D-20. Will review those once I get to them (I'm going in alphabetical order- at least for the ones I have.). That's cool! Unfortunate how they're lost now. But thanks for the story! It's very interesting.

[@douglasw.7864]

Great review! You can never go wrong with vintage Roland’s. I use to own the JX-8P and the RS-09.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Ah, that's really cool. Thank you!

[@whatistau]

Drexciya used it very much along with Alfa Juno in the 90s. And they are cratfsmen of synth creativity, shows that its not the status of machine, but how creative you are with it.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Exactly!

[@philarican4865]

I'm so glad I ran into your video! I have one in my closet currently lol...I am a bass player but looking to compose and all. I also have a Roland SH-101. But anyway, your review has been the best for this Synth in specific. Subscribed and look forward to your future vids!

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thank you! More coming soon.

[@xan1242]

I have a D-20 as well and it has its quirks (such as slow P-ENV processing). But there were somewhat recent developments enabling to use MUNT with the D-110 ROMs, enabling us to _finally_ virtualize the beauty of these synths. I'm planning to continue the work on the D-110 MUNT myself.

[@marcump]

I have a D50.. this D20 sounds great! I wish I had known more about it.. i would have bought the D20 instead. As you mentioned, it actually has more features than it’s brother.. the sounds are very good I think-I’ve heard that in other videos.. the percussion alone makes it a huge value and bonus sequencer & floppy makes it an entire workstation.. one of the first! I bet adding external effects really polishes the sounds even more. Congrats on the great find! It’s a time capsule worthy of your creative genius.. go and create! Master it’s capabilities.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thanks so much! It is pretty great with external effects!

[@WilsonPhotography1]

I bought my D-20 brand new in ‘88. I still have it. It’s currently in storage as I’m moving. I several of the sound cards you mentioned. I did gigs with this machine at least 2 times a week from 1988 to 2021. I’ve recently hear that there’s a USB emulator you can install where the disk drive is. I need to know more about that programmer.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Awesome! Which ones do you have?

[@WilsonPhotography1]

I’ll have to pull them out of storage to remember the names.

[@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR]

Just grabbed myself a D-110, such a sweet synth, and just what I needed for gigging instead of taking a rack of keys!

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Haha awesome! Congrats!

[@funkmachine6420]

I have a D-10 (and a DX7 mk1 as well actually, spotted that in your rack!). I really like mine and it's not actually that hard to program at all

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thanks! You're right! It's a 1985 Yamaha DX7.

[@Miicrowahvei]

​@@tetrafoxofficial A DX7 video would be appreciated.

[@whatistau]

Sam Sulek in alternatative reality. Grear review!

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Hahaha thanks!

[@amonster8mymother]

Oh the d20 I thought it was a d50. 😊

[@johannilsson5829]

Nice video! I bought one used in 1995 as my first synthesizer to also be used as a keyboard for my Soundblaster AWE32. It is a great synth! I will never sell mine. I also have the D-110 and the PG-10 programmer 😊

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Awesome! Thanks so much.

[@colinhorne2437]

Thanks for a very interesting video. I think you have made a really good investment! I have a D50 and I wish it had a disc drive, sequencer and percussion patches - that is awesome! I also wish I had a programmer - the pg1000 programmer for the D50 costs a fortune (I think you can now buy 3rd party ones). I'm not an expert but from the patches you played I dont think the D20 sounds that different from the D50. I agree with you on the aesthetics of the D series - they just look great and my D50 still looks like it came out of the factory yesterday! I don't have many synths but the D50 is by far the oldest but it still has pearly white keys (no yellowing). I think these synths are becoming classics and there is a lot of love for their 80's/90's sounds.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thanks! They are a really awesome series of synthesizers.

[@patrikknoerr9777]

The D20 is currently my main "play" keyboard. Hooked up to an RA50 arranger, expanded with a Boss DS330 for leads. It is basically my "Arranger Keyboard" and I use it for simple loops sequenced by an MC50 for backings to play my Octapad 80 together with a TD5 sound module. This D20 thing has a decent to likable keyboard and sounds 80ish AF, but hey - it is so much fun and enjoyable. I have fallen in love with that cheap crap and wouldn't trade it for a D50. Maybe, if I had the D20 as a kid, I'd be over it by now. But since I got it last year, it probably will take some years before it starts to get boring.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Definitely! That's awesome!

[@DS-hp6tc]

Berape harge nye nih?

[@tetrafoxofficial]

$246.68 USD.

[@KeytarKris]

Love you channel. You have a new subscription in me

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thank you!

[@KeytarKris]

@@tetrafoxofficial you are awesome. Thanks for sharing🎹🤟 Synth is life

[@tetrafoxofficial]

@@KeytarKris You're welcome!

[@ilmostro749]

It always cracks me up that people doing audio production videos never use a decent microphone!

[@tetrafoxofficial]

So sorry my choice of microphone offends you. Unfortunately, I do not care. I make do with what I've got!

[@andrewj.682]

Who cares 😂😂

[@tetrafoxofficial]

@@andrewj.682 Haha, yeah.

[@resynthesizer4565]

Hey bud, nice vid. You may want to go next level, and learn how to do those repairs yourself.

[@tetrafoxofficial]

Thanks so much! You're right, that might be a good idea.

[@muttdiggedy]

Dude? I’m 13 minutes in and haven’t learned one useful thing about this synth. Are you gonna get to any non rambling about yourself portions? ..,You seem real nice and I love you though.

[@chloedevereaux1801]

i don't think i have ever in 50 + years seen anyone screw around opening a box with blunt scissors........