Juno-106
Analog-digital hybrid synthesizer
A popular analog synthesizer. Often used by techno/house artists, in virtue of its excellent bass sounds, creamy leads, and warm strings/pads (usually when people refer to 'Juno pad', they mean the 106).
Although based on the same architecture of the earlier Juno-60, the 106 sounds seem to be more varied, and the sonic character also seems to differ. The general consensus is that 'the Juno-60 sounds warmer', but I find that the 106 sounds roughly just as warm as the 60.
Juno Editor is a preset editor and library for the Roland Juno 106 and MKS7 Synthesizers. Save, organize and edit presets via a simple MIDI connection. Presets can be created from scratch or received from the synthesizer’s inner memory, and are stored as.jep documents or.syx files (sysex) on your hard drive. In the junorouter app that appears, select the midi port that the Juno 106 is connected to 3. Drag Juno106Edit.amxd onto a midi track in Ableton Live 4. Set the output of that track to the same port as step 2 5. Set the midi channel of Juno-106 Edit to the input channel of the Juno 106 synth Usage. Juno Editor 2 (PC) Another Windows/PC format Juno Librarian/Editor for use with a Juno-106 (HS-60). Manual Roland has made manuals for most of their products available as free PDF downloads. SysEx Basics View a helpful guide to controlling and editing the Juno in real-time from a sequencer or Midi controller using SysEx Midi data. Juno Editor is a preset editor and library for the Roland Juno 106 and MKS7 Synthesizers. Save, organize and edit presets via a simple MIDI connection. Presets can be created from scratch or received from the synthesizer's inner memory, and are stored as. Preset Editor & Librarian for The Roland Juno 106 Synthesizer.
The sounds the Juno-106 produces bring you straight back to the 1980s. If you listen hard enough, you'll recognize the Juno-106's signature sounds in many songs of the '80s.
Note the huge variety of sounds one can get out of a simple mono-osc synth like this:
Factory Preset Group A
| Preset name with audio demo | My comments |
| 11 Brass | Quintessential analog brass. Notice how harmonically rich this sound is. A staple of '80s synth-pop. |
| 12 Brass Swell | A gentler, muted variation of the brass sound. |
| 13 Trumpet | For a trumpet sound, it didn't get much better than this in 1984 (unless you owned one of the big samplers of the era, that is (Fairlight, Synclavier, Emulator...) |
| 14 Flutes | Very well-programmed flute sound. Works well as an ensemble also, 'a la 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. |
| 15 Moving Strings | Aaaaaahhhh....here we have one of the 106's signature sounds.. the string pad, where an abundant dose of the famous Roland Chorus (position II) is used. |
| 16 Brass & Strings | This one showcases the Chorus in position I (slower). |
| 17 Choir | Beautiful, haunting syn-choir sound. |
| 18 Piano I | Great programming - with some imagination, :-), this reminds of a piano. Great analog sound nonetheless. |
| 21 Organ I | The Leslie effect here is achieved with PWM, the Chorus is not on. Cool sound. |
| 22 Organ II | Variation of the above, more trebly and with Chorus I. |
| 23 Combo Organ | 'House of the Rising Sun' is a good example to use with this Farfisa/Vox type sound. |
| 24 Calliope | Circus-like. |
| 25 Donald Pluck | A play on words on the fact that this sounds like Donald Duck, and it is a plucked-type sound. Duck sounds are actually pretty easy to make on a synth, just play around with the resonance control - I remember it was super-easy to do on my old CZ-1000... |
| 26 Celeste | Beautiful, haunting sound... an arpeggiator here would help immensely... but that's on the Juno-60, not here, unfortunately. |
| 27 Elect. Piano I | A Wurlitzer-like piano sound, with obligatory tremolo. Very well programmed. |
| 28 Elect. Piano II | And here we get into Rhodes territory. A darker, mellower variation (as it was in vogue during the early eighties. |
| 31 Clock Chimes | Hypnotic... but ideally you need FM to do these types of sounds |
| 32 Steel Drums | Awesome. Well programmed. Standard Jamaica/Calipso sound. |
| 33 Xylophone | Ok. |
| 34 Brass III | Works well as pad. |
| 35 Fanfare | Outstanding, analog, full-bodied... |
| 36 Strings III | Again, the classic 'Juno Strings' are here. A+. |
| 37 Pizzicato | The envelope is too short. |
| 38 High Strings | These are surprisingly realistic strings. |
| 41 Bass Clarinet | Fantastic! The programming here is good in every detail - embouchure, vibrato, envelope... |
| 42 English Horn | Typical nasal horn sound. |
| 43 Brass Ensemble | Mellow. Useful sound. |
| 44 Guitar | Definitely a good emulation. |
| 45 Koto | Beautiful rendition of this famous Japanese instrument. |
| 46 Dark Pluck | Marvelous, mysterious synthesizer sound! |
| 47 Funky I | Check out how powerful and full the Juno-106 basses are.. |
| 48 Synth Bass I | Typical '80s synth bass sound. When the 106 is in unison mode, it sounds like this: Synth Bass I unison |
| 51 Lead I | Typical Minimoog-style solo sound |
| 52 Lead II | Brassier version of the above. |
| 53 Lead III | Yet another version of the above. Check out the portamento effect. |
| 54 Funky II | Solid, funky bass. |
| 55 Synth Bass II | FAT! synth bass sound. |
| 56 Funky III | This would work well for Techno |
| 57 Thud Wah | Nice effect synth. |
| 58 Going Up | The obligatory sci-fi synth effects... |
| 61 Piano II | Brighter variation of the piano sound - good for Rock 'N' Roll. |
| 62 Clav. | Outstanding emulation of a Hohner Clavinet! |
| 63 Frontier Organ | Nice reproduction of a Farfisa organ. Why Frontier? Maybe meaning 'California' organ, a la Ray Manzarek? |
| 64 Snare Drum | Classic example of analog percussion. Reminds me of the beginning of 'Decades' by Joy Division. Works well in unison mode. |
| 65 Tom Toms | Simmons-style toms. |
| 66 Timpani | Great sound, powerful, with a lot of body.. |
| 67 Shaker | Very good emulation. |
| 68 Synth Pad | Beautiful sound! Pads are one of the three things (with bass and strings) that the Juno does best. |
| 71 Sweep I | Standard resonating synth sweep. |
| 72 Pluck Sweep | Very '80s, dark. |
| 73 Repeater | Cool envelope shaping. |
| 74 Sweep II | Rich, powerful synthesizer sound. |
| 75 Pluck Bell | Beauty. |
| 76 Dark Synth Piano | Another typical '80s sound - this will fit perfectly in a mix. |
| 77 Sustainer | This is pure analog... interesting use of the PWM that resembles a Leslie. |
| 78 Wah Release | Comical sound, with reso-release. |
| 81 Gong | Ok.. |
| 82 Resonance Funk | Typical example of analog bass drum - the same technique used (and taken to perfection) in the TR-808 and 909. |
| 83 Drum Booms | Powerful. |
| 84 Dust Storm | Another special effect, the wind in the desert dunes. |
| 85 Rocket Men | More wind for everybody. |
| 86 Hand Claps | Bravo, bravo! |
| 87 FX Sweep | Awesome U.F.O. SFX |
| 88 Caverns | Drips in a cavern |
Factory Preset Group B
| Preset name with audio demo | My comments |
| 11 Strings | Beautiful, dreaming synth strings. |
| 12 Violin | Well programmed emulation of a violin, with natural vibrato |
| 13 Chorus Vibes | Beautiful synth sound |
| 14 Organ I | Nice Hammond with key-click, good for jazz. Works for pop-dance too. |
| 15 Harpsichord I | Realistic and usable classical sound. |
| 16 Recorder | A bit static without vibrato - add it manually. |
| 17 Perc. Pluck | These are the 1980's!!! These types of sounds were heard all over the place in 1985. |
| 18 Noise Sweep | Powerful noise-based synth effect. |
| 21 Space Chimes | Very interesting synth sound, sounds almost like a dose of ring modulation were applied - but the Juno doesn't have it. |
| 22 Nylon Guitar | Very bright guitar sound. |
| 23 Orchestral Pad | Marvelous and full synthesizer orchestra. |
| 24 Bright Pluck | Very analog-sounding plucky sound. |
| 25 Organ Bell | Another organ variation. |
| 26 Accordion | Fantastic, realistic emulation of the real instrument. |
| 27 FX Rise 1 | This type of effect is still widely used. |
| 28 FX Rise 2 | And this one too, in sci-fi movies. |
| 31 Brass | Phenomenal syn-brass, up there with the best synthesizers of the era. |
| 32 Helicopter | It's better in its predecessor, the Juno-60. |
| 33 Lute | The lute is a wonderful, wonderful Medieval string instrument that derives from the Arab 'Ud', another fantastic instrument. It would be very nice to have the real thing, but the 106 does a good job in recreating the hypnotic feel of this instrument. |
| 34 Chorus Funk | Powerful!!! This is analog bass at its best, my friends. |
| 35 Tomita | Uncanny recreation of a particular synth sound used by Tomita. |
| 36 FX Sweep 1 | Sounds like a dentist drill |
| 37 Sharp Reed | Happy sound. |
| 38 Bass Pluck | This preset has been heard in many '80s songs. |
| 41 Resonant Rise | Showcases the richness of the Juno's VCF. |
| 42 Harpsichord 2 | Even better variation of Harpsichord I. |
| 43 Dark Ensemble | Great as a pad, dark, ominous.. |
| 44 Contact Wah | Very cool funky sound, expressive. |
| 45 Noise Sweep 2 | Clean, useful FX type sound. |
| 46 Glassy Wah | Reminds of the sounds used by Wendy Carlos. |
| 47 Phase Ensemble | Classy, beautiful phased strings. |
| 48 Chorused Bell | Bread and butter bell sound. |
| 51 Clav | Nice emulation. |
| 52 Organ 2 | Cool rendition of a Hammond mic'ed at the cabinet. |
| 53 Bassoon | This also was better rendered in the Juno-60 |
| 54 Auto Release Noise Sweep | Another standard FX. |
| 55 Brass Ensemble | Again, very '80s. |
| 56 Ethereal | Beautiful, evolving, haunting synth pad!!! Add quality reverb and make some great ambient music. |
| 57 Chorus Bell 2 | Great to score mystery movie soundtracks. |
| 58 Blizzard | Very, very good programming, uncanny recreation. |
| 61 E. Piano with Tremolo | Beautiful tremolo. |
| 62 Clarinet | Realistic synthesis of this staple orchestral instrument. |
| 63 Thunder | Mix it with the 'Blizzard' preset above, and you have the recipe for a perfect storm |
| 64 Reedy Organ | Variety sound. |
| 65 Flute - Horn | Warm, full analog ensemble! |
| 66 Toy Rhodes | Different. |
| 67 Surf's Up | On a beach, at night. |
| 68 OW Bass | Outstanding!!! This is an excellent ARP Odyssey emulation. |
| 71 Piccolo | Very good. |
| 72 Melodic Taps | OK for sound fx. |
| 73 Meow Bass | For this example I'm playing the theme for a cartoon with cats made of clay that I used to watch as a child - it was called 'Mio Mao'. But this is in effect a good '70s early poly-synthesizer sound. |
| 74 Violin (high) | Spot-on rendition. |
| 75 High Bells | Again, slap in quality reverb, and you are set for ambient/soundtrack work. |
| 76 Rolling Wah | Beautiful, hypnotic LFO synth. |
| 77 Ping Bell | Cross between organ and bell. |
| 78 Brassy Organ | Powerful ensemble. |
| 81 Low Dark Strings | A classy preset. Analog. |
| 82 Piccolo Trumpet | Surprisingly rich and powerful. |
| 83 Cello | Well-programmed. |
| 84 HIgh Strings | Ok. |
| 85 Rocket Men | More SFX. |
| 86 Forbidden Planet | Beautiful, unique synth sound! |
| 87 Froggy | This really sounds like an old frog! |
| 88 Owgan | Awesome all-purpose techno synth. |
Björn Nordström wrote a free Java based editor librarian for the Juno-106:
can be found here: The Juno-106 Connection
- great analog sound - many classic '80s sounds
- super-easy to use, thanks to the front panel sliders;
- plenty of patch storage space;
- the famous Roland chorus effect
Bottom line: Great for synth-pop and techno.
| Year of release: | 1984 |
| Polyphony: | 6 |
| Sound generation method: | analog |
| Preset memories | 2 banks of 128 |
| MIDI: | in, out, thru |
| Sound expansion capabilities: | cassette tape |
| Sequencer | no |
| Arpeggiator | no |
| Effects | chorus (two types) |
| Velocity | no |
| Aftertouch | no |
| Portamento | yes |
Juno 106 Midi
Resources:
- Review in 'Keyboard magazine' janfebmarch, 198____
Roland Juno 60 Factory Presets
| SITE | Type of resource | DESCRIPTION |
| The Juno-106 Connection | dedicated info | One of the best Juno-106 sites on the Internet |