Musikmesse 2012: Roland Jupiter-50 synth announced

MUSIKMESSE 2012: It's been a year since Roland launched the Jupiter-80 at Musikmesse 2011, and now this synth behemoth has a lighter, more portable brother in the shape of the Jupiter-50.

Designed to combine "the supreme expression of the Jupiter-80 with the portability of the Juno series," this 76-note keyboard promises all the SuperNatural acoustic sounds from the Jupiter-80, 1,500 SuperNatural synthesizer tones, a fast user-interface, performance controllers and lots more besides

Read on for all the details…

Roland Jupiter-50 official information

With its unprecedented fusion of synthesis and acoustic instruments, the new-generation Roland JUPITER has changed the way we play, react to, andfeela keyboard. By combining the supreme expression of the JUPITER-80 with the portability of the JUNO series, the new JUPITER-50 brings SuperNATURAL sound and pro performance to every stage and studio.

  • Stunning SuperNATURAL sounds powered by Roland's most advanced sound engine
  • Portable design, 76-note weighted keyboard
  • Fast, friendly user interface with intuitive colour-coded buttons and sliders
  • Registration function for saving and selecting sounds instantly
  • Pro-quality multi-effects and high-quality reverb
  • Expressive performance controllers, including D-Beam, pitch/mod lever, and control input jacks
  • USB Song Player/Recorder
  • USB audio/MIDI functionality; bundled with SONAR LE and JUPITER-50 Control Surface plug-in for SONAR

SuperNATURAL Power

The JUPITER-50 houses all of the SuperNATURAL acoustic sounds found in the flagship JUPITER-80 (with Behaviour Modelling) as well as many of the JUPITER-80's SuperNATURAL synthesizer tones and Live Sets. You can conveniently import the JUPITER-80's Live Sets and Synth Tones into the JUPITER-50 via USB memory key. To achieve the same supreme quality as the JUPITER-80, the JUPITER-50 employs the identical analogue components as its big brother, including the D/A converter.

Essential Sounds Onboard

The JUPITER-50 is packed with over 1,500 SuperNATURAL synthesizer tones, plus over 70 SuperNATURAL acoustic instruments, each with its own dedicated sound engine. Chose, stack, and edit any combination of four Tones to create custom Live Sets.

• For stage performers — A treasure trove of essential stage sounds is packed into the JUPITER-50, anchored by Roland's famous SuperNATURAL piano and electric pianos. Authentic organs are included as well, derived from the acclaimed VK organ sound engine. A dedicated button provides instant access to rotary effects.

• For synth lovers — Choose from over 1,500 SuperNATURALsynthesizer tones and stack four of them to create a powerful Live Set. Classic synthesizer tones are onboard the JUPITER-50, including analoguefavourites such as the Roland SH and JUPITER brass, plus digital sounds from the D-50, JD-800, and the Fantom. Combine these synthesizer tones with the SuperNATURAL acoustic instruments to create your own expressive, modern sounds.

• For film composers — Expressive classical and ethnic instruments are at your immediate access including erhu, sitar, flamenco guitar, timpani and oboe. Thanks to the BehaviourModelling technology, the JUPITER-50 translates your keyboard performance into the unique musical nuances of each modelled instrument.

Easy Sound Creation

Complex sounds don't have to be complicated to program. The JUPITER-50 simplifies the sound-design process with its colour-coded front panel, fast-access buttons and sliders, and Registration/Live Set architecture (128 Registrations, 2,560 Live Sets) logically categorised and instantly available.

Travel Friendly

Tipping the scales at just 11 kg (24 lbs 5 oz), the JUPITER-50 is one of the lightest professional instruments in its class while still offering a top-quality 76-note weighted keyboard. With its powerhouse features and sounds, and its travel-friendly design, the JUPITER-50 is a dream for gigging musicians on the go.

USB Functionality

The JUPITER-50's built-in audio recorder lets you capture your phrase sketches or performances instantly to USB memory. Conversely, you can pre-load a USB stick with WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files and control them from the JUPITER-50 as live backing tracks onstage. You can even record your performances on the JUPITER-50 simultaneously with audio-file playback from USB.

High-Performance Effects

The JUPITER-50 boasts an advanced effects engine that will take your sounds into another dimension. There are five types of pro-grade reverb algorithms onboard, plus dozens of other special effects (MFX). And we're only scratching the surface, as many other expressive performance tools are built into this powerful synth. You can select MFX structures that let you place up to four effects in parallel and/or serial paths. By using these five MFX structures, you can take full advantage of the JUPITER-50's powerful collection of effects to create intense electro synth sounds, intricate ambient synth textures, and beyond.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.