| Roland is one of the foremost manufacturers of | | | | control and flexibility of digital technology. |
| musical instruments, both electronic and traditional. Over | | | | One feature of the JP-8000 which sets it apart from |
| the years their innovative products have had a | | | | otherwise similar synths is the Super Saw waveform. |
| profound influence on the development of modern | | | | The Super Saw simulates seven sawtooth waves |
| music. The TB-303 programmable synthesizer and | | | | detuned against each other and has been used |
| sequencer, for example, grew to define the sound of | | | | extensively to create leads and pads in a variety of |
| Detroit and Acid Techno. More than a decade after | | | | electronic musical styles, most notably Trance, Drum |
| the release of the TB-303, Roland produced another | | | | and Bass and Industrial. This waveform was included |
| synthesizer, the JP-8000, which would have just as | | | | on later models of Roland synths as well, such as the |
| great an impact on the growing Trance scene. | | | | SH-201. It was also emulated by rival manufacturers, |
| The JP-8000 was Roland's answer to the Korg | | | | an example being the Hypersaw waveform added by |
| Prophecy and Clavia Nord Lead. These synths, along | | | | Access Music on the Virus TI. |
| with the JP-8000, Access Virus and Yamaha AN1x, | | | | The Roland JP-8000 has a multitude of sliders and |
| made up the first generation of analog modeling | | | | knobs for real-time control of its parameters. In addition |
| synthesizers. | | | | to transmitting complete MIDI information, these |
| The JP-8000 was the first virtual analog synth | | | | controllers can also be assigned to the JP-8000's |
| produced by Roland. As is the case with other analog | | | | ribbon controller for synchronized control of multiple |
| modeling synthesizers, the JP-8000 emulates | | | | parameters at once. |
| waveforms produced by analog technology digitally | | | | Besides the 49-key JP-8000, Roland also released a |
| using DSP-powered oscillators. This results in realistic | | | | rack-mount tabletop module of the JP-8000 known as |
| recreation of analog tones similar to those produced | | | | the Roland JP-8080, which featured several |
| by true analog synths of the 1970s combined with the | | | | improvements of the original keyboard version. |