Roland Cloud

[Spirit2020]

Can somebody now program the D-70 Space Dream Pad in Zenology Pro.

[the.new.me]

I have installed Roland cloud as as the last time (5 months ago) i still get the same message "Starting Up...please wait". I have contacted support at the time and sent them the logs, no one has returned or fixed the program.

[phreaque]

If someones buys a perpetual (lifetime key) then it would make sense there's no need to install the cloud manager.

[electro]

If someones buys a perpetual (lifetime key) then it would make sense there's no need to install the cloud manager.

Without a dongle, nothing is lifetime. What will you do when the cloud servers are gone?

[WatchTheGuitar]

It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

[phreaque]

If someones buys a perpetual (lifetime key) then it would make sense there's no need to install the cloud manager.

Without a dongle, nothing is lifetime. What will you do when the cloud servers are gone?

A simpler, more convenient CP method, like serial # , challenge & response. Besides, the (lifetime key) is what mentioned on Roland's cloud website.

[SonicDimension]

If someones buys a perpetual (lifetime key) then it would make sense there's no need to install the cloud manager.

Yeah, I can understand the convenience of using the Cloud Manager if you have half of the Roland instruments installed, but if I only want one or two, it's kind of pointless. I dislike these plugin managers in general. If they could contain all of my plugins under one program and keep them all updated, then it would be cool, but having a bunch of different managers is annoying.

The Zenology Pro plugin is tempting to me, even at $229. It gives you the full engine of Roland's latest flagship hardware instruments, with an interface that should let you edit everything.

I understand the ROMpler aspect of this engine, but how does the VA part work? It seems that there are actual VA oscillators (as opposed to PCM samples of analog waveforms), but what about the filters, envelopes, etc.? Do they model old Roland synths too? And what is the difference between the Zenology Model Expansions and the older ACB versions? I assume that the Model Expansions are built with the Zen Core engine, but do they have customized models for the oscillators, filters, etc.?

[WatchTheGuitar]

I assume that the Model Expansions are built with the Zen Core engine, but do they have customized models for the oscillators, filters, etc.?

They're a black box really. The Juno or Jupiter style oscillator controls we are presented are obviously mapping on to some other stuff behind the scenes and it's hard to know if they are just using the same options we have in the Pro editor and using a kind of avatar knob to control that 'range of settings' underneath or if there's a level of stuff we aren't seeing exposed in the Pro editor for our creations.
I would guess the latter.

[phreaque]

If someones buys a perpetual (lifetime key) then it would make sense there's no need to install the cloud manager.

The Zenology Pro plugin is tempting to me, even at $229. It gives you the full engine of Roland's latest flagship hardware instruments, with an interface that should let you edit everything.

That's what triggered me to post, Zenology Pro looks a total single plugin, which I'd love to buy for $229, but... No strings attached, be it, a manager, a need for regular internet connection or additional app running in background, etc.

[WatchTheGuitar]

What I'd say about the cloud situation is that Roland obviously felt a need to change things up recently. We don't know anything about whether they saw the cloud as a success or failure up until then, but they did add new lower subscription levels, all the Zen Core stuff and introduce direct lifetime sales for the first time (without needing to subscribe for years as per their original and later abandoned rent-to-own subscription model).
So that indicates they aren't completely set on the current situation continuing forever. Perhaps they will add in some other options later on, but presume they've built it the way they have to limit piracy or make it easier to support users/enable updates etc or make it so there can be no resellers so cloud seems pretty intrinsic to their business right now.

[Gamma-UT]

It's lasted longer than most of Roland's forays into software, so the situation is more hopeful than usual. I'm still inclined to be paranoid and print all audio that uses RC stuff just in case.

[trusampler]

So is Zen Pro, Multi timbral, anyone know?? Can u layer their synths, within the app?

[Gamma-UT]

It's not multitimbral in the way the JV1080 hardware is: there's no performance mode. It's one patch per instance, though like the JV1080/XV5080 plugins you have four partials to play with to do layered sounds.

[trusampler]

Thanks for the response.

[WatchTheGuitar]

So is Zen Pro, Multi timbral, anyone know?? Can u layer their synths, within the app?

It can layer up to four partials which you can either stack or place on different splits.
It doesn't seem to have the capability though for separate outs so you're stuck with stereo and you can't set each partial to receive on different midi channels either.