TAL-Pha Released! Alpha Juno II Emulation from TAL-Software

[osofaux]

are there sysex files to download maybe? or good/recommendable ones to buy?

I'm not sure how good they are, but this website has quite a few patches:

http://llamamusic.com/mks50/mks-50_patches.html

[osofaux]

I think the "why do we need another slavish recreation of a limited architecture vintage synthesizer" arguments would be fair if we weren't so spoiled for choice these days across the board. There are some really amazing modern software synthesizers that go well beyond the limits of hardware, with more on the way, so while I can understand why some people might find hardware synth emulations unimaginative, I don't believe the time that certain developers invest in making them is robbing anyone of incredible options for unique, innovative, and nearly limitless modern softsynths.

There are valid reasons why a person might want a recreation of a hardware synth though, even if it doesn't expand on the original in a ton of ways. Some people might have dreamed of having them at the time but couldn't afford them, so it's a bit of a dream come true to have them in this form now. Or maybe they did own them and want it again for nostalgic reasons. Other people may feel more creative when a synth's architecture is more simple and focused. And for others still, there may be some aspect of the synth's sound that they feel no other synth can quite capture - which is the case for me.

Personally, I'm thrilled that this has arrived. I've been waiting for a definitive Alpha Juno emulation for ages now, so to me, today is like Christmas to the power of Christmas.

[Nug Wrangler]

Anyone who owns Redominator compare to TAL-PHA ?

[Sinisterbr]

I think the "why do we need another slavish recreation of a limited architecture vintage synthesizer" arguments would be fair if we weren't so spoiled for choice these days across the board. There are some really amazing modern software synthesizers that go well beyond the limits of hardware, with more on the way, so while I can understand why some people might find hardware synth emulations unimaginative, I don't believe the time that certain developers invest in making them is robbing anyone of incredible options for unique, innovative, and nearly limitless modern softsynths.

There are valid reasons why a person might want a recreation of a hardware synth though, even if it doesn't expand on the original in a ton of ways. Some people might have dreamed of having them at the time but couldn't afford them, so it's a bit of a dream come true to have them in this form now. Or maybe they did own them and want it again for nostalgic reasons. Other people may feel more creative when a synth's architecture is more simple and focused. And for others still, there may be some aspect of the synth's sound that they feel no other synth can quite capture - which is the case for me.

Personally, I'm thrilled that this has arrived. I've been waiting for a definitive Alpha Juno emulation for ages now, so to me, today is like Christmas to the power of Christmas.

Well said.

[egbert101]

Such a shame that TAL couldn't get Tim Shoebridge to do his version of the Top Ten Greatest Hoover Hits video. Oh well, our loss, maybe next time.

[sacer]

Anyone who owns Redominator compare to TAL-PHA ?

I have redominator, but havern't compared - Redominator hasn't pleased me as analog emulation, i remember it as worse emulation. The new Tal realy sounds great - so i don't have to compare them.
Ok i 've opened up redominator and listened some presets, it sounds like refx vanguard or other 20 year old VST - not comparable to Tal pha - and no need to rebuild a redominator preset in Tal, it's a big difference. If you compare Tal to roland cloud, they sound very very close, but there is no comparison

[machinesworking]

While I understand the sentiment of watching yet another emulation roll out, this is hitting some serious bullet points for me. SysEx patches from the hardware and extra features compared to the hardware is the type of thing I really wish Arturia had done with the Matrix 12 emulation. I would love to see TAL tackle the Memorymoog and Xpander. Arturia did an OK job on the Matrix/Xpander emu but the Memorymoog has never had a decent version.

[_leras]

This was a post on vicontrol which was either removed or moved because I can't find it anymore.

Basically, The Unfinished (https://twitter.com/MattBowdler) has some demos up of a new synth to be released tomorrow.

Hi, you've updated the title, but please now edit your first post with some links to the product on TAL website. Thank you.

[_leras]

Overpriced and underspec'd IMHO.
Why add all the modern extra's, without adding more oscillators, envs and lfo's etc.
I'm so bored of 80's emulations, i'd love to see TAL come out with a modern, original release, they always sound great.

+1
Yeah, what a waste of talent, time, and resources.. Unfortunately, there are still so many developers who are obsessed with converting relics from a bygone era into software, just to put their own stamp on it. Instead of introducing something truly contemporary and innovative

You both must be tons of fun at party.

TAL can work on what they like and $64 seems pretty reasonable for such a good product.

You do know all the 'contemporary and innovative' software synths lack character...

[pdxindy]

You do know all the 'contemporary and innovative' software synths lack character...

Them's fightin' words! Bazille doesn't!!

[kmonkey]

+1
Yeah, what a waste of talent, time, and resources.. Unfortunately, there are still so many developers who are obsessed with converting relics from a bygone era into software, just to put their own stamp on it.

So teach them and open your own company and show us your talent. Oh, I can hear crickets in the background of your talent...

[noiseboyuk]

Okay, here's a question for y'all. Can you point to an example sound on this thing that we haven't really heard before? I'm not asking for the moon on a stick, it can be relatively subtle (though not to the point of being imperceptably subtle), but something uniquely Alpha Junoish that is done here notably better than anywhere else?

I love 80s analogue (even with DCOs). I adore it. It's home. If I had a billion dollars I'd have a room with every analogue hardware synth in it, and maybe a token one or two digtial ones. But blimey crikey I've got a lot of fantastic soft synths now.

I don't begrudge this - it sounds terrific to me. But with the best will in the world, I'm deluding myself if I think I actually need it.

[zvenx]

There are quite a few youtube videos that try to state why the alpha juno was special.

I myself was not a fan of the hardware though I might have played a huge part convincing Patrick to model this a year or more ago.
Why? In most roland cloud threads I have read, to me this and the jx-8p have been the most requested ones.

I have been traveling so havent heard the final version. The version I have didn't have eletric himalaya's presets but I am sure I would love his the best based on every other synth I have heard his work on.

rsp

[AdvancedFollower]

Okay, here's a question for y'all. Can you point to an example sound on this thing that we haven't really heard before? I'm not asking for the moon on a stick, it can be relatively subtle (though not to the point of being imperceptably subtle), but something uniquely Alpha Junoish that is done here notably better than anywhere else?

I mean, it's a pretty simple synth, there's no ancient lost knowledge in there that modern technology has been unable to replicate for the past ~40 years. The original Alpha Juno was a simple budget analog synth designed to tide Roland over until they got their shiny new digital tech (D-50 etc.) ready. Over the Juno-106, it added velocity and aftertouch, some additional waveforms, a more complex EG and freely adjustable chorus rate as well as a slightly different filter chip with less aggressive resonance.

The biggest thing would be the waveforms ("PWM" Sawtooth), but they're available in Diva and there are probably dozens of other synths that do something similar even if they don't strictly emulate the Alpha. Lots of synths let you shape and morph the oscillator waveforms in different ways.

The main thing with these vintage emulations is that they replicate many of the limitations of the original, which forces you to work in a certain way, leading to a certain character in the sounds you design.

[jamcat]

I myself was not a fan of the hardware though I might have played a huge part convincing Patrick to model this a year or more ago.
Why? In most roland cloud threads I have read, to me this and the jx-8p have been the most requested ones.

Well then, it looks like you have some more work to do, and a wrong to make right.