Virtual JV: free Roland JV-880 emulation

[Nug Wrangler]

the original video has been removed from Youtube because of a Terms and Policy violation (they didn't like the parte where I have shown how to get the firmware). Re-upping a new version without that part...

You are not in trouble are you?

[autodafe]

Well, not really, they simply removed a video an gave me a warning. I will probably loose visualizations on that video but it's not a huge pain because I am not monetized on YT....
I didn't think that violated Youtube Terms, TBH...

I have re-upped a new version without the firmware download part. (if you want to have a look at it again an leave comments/likes that would be appreciated )

[beely]

Can anyone really, without being a d*** or making stupid stuff, explain to me why this does sound better than the Roland Cloud?

It doesn't really, the Roland Cloud stuff are from a later generation of their rompler tech, so even though things like the XV-5080 could load the earlier SR-JV cards (which is what this uses), they had moved onto the higher quality/bigger SRX expansions by then, and their engines were more sophisticated.

However, there are some people who think the JV880 was a particularly good sounding unit (which may have more to do with it's analog stages possibly).

Lastly - this is free, whereas Roland Cloud isn't.

For some reason, even after the fact, I can't edit any of the patches;

It's a work-in-progress personal project from the developer. You shouldn't expect a polished, commercial-level product right now. It is what it is.

What is this? Admittedly, I haven't watched the whole video. What is happening here, how is this working, and why wouldn't Roland themselves take the same approach?

It's an emulator that runs the Roland operating system and so behaves as per the hardware. Roland don't need to make an emulator to run their original code, as they have and own the original code, and so can adapt it as necessary.

Instead, they sell each expansion as its own instrument. I am not asking for an explanation on monetization (that much is clear), I am asking why they wouldn't use a similar approach to the engine underneat

Because emulation is inherently less efficient than repurposing the code for the intended target platform. Also, they wouldn't bother with the earlier instruments because Roland would no doubt feel the later stuff they have done supercedes the earlier generation instruments (the XV/Fantom series is really the final/best version of that engine), and for probably other reasons (like they were already repurposing the XV engine for their current Zenology instruments, so they had a few reasons to port that original code.)

People that don't own the original code will use/develop emulators to run the original code as that's their only option. Also, this dev has an interest in emulation of the Roland hardware, and is doing it for a few different products, like the MKS20 and the Boss Microrack series etc. In short, he's doing it because of a personal interest in the technology.

[xhunaudio]

Just a question : the first patch of the "SR-JV80 : Dance" expansion shows a missing sync after a single key is sustained / pressed for a while (about 10 secs). The LFO-driven bassline goes out of sync to the drum loop. Is it the SAME behavior as found in the original hardware? (it should be indeed, since JV880 has no LFO tempo sync).

I think the hardware does this too, I seem to recall there were sync issues like these as there was no way to lock samples together from different tones.

I've found other weirdness in some patches too, eg some of the pianos have some very weird choking or tail weirdness on some notes...

When the SR-JV80 DANCE expansion is loaded the JV2080 unit, the first patch "Dance Again" seems not to have out of sync issues, so it could be a JV880 hardware thing or a VirtualJV emulator-related issue.

Anyway, I'm sure this developer can fix this day-one issues (also the Edit section not updating correctly when changing preset) with future updates. Again, my congrats.

[Download SOphist]

I have re-upped a new version without the firmware download part. (if you want to have a look at it again an leave comments/likes that would be appreciated )

I wonder if you can help me out here ? (obviously understand if you don´t want to or can't).

came late to the party, so no firmware part on the video for me.

so, downloaded the plugin from giuthub and some .bin files from archive.org (I think that was the intention), put them in the JV880 folder the plugin opens but the browser is still empty. the plugin itself runs fine on bitwig 5 and ableton 12, Mac OsX Sonoma.
what am I doing wrong here?
Thanks in advance!

[Sahul]

There's a new beta from yesterday. It seems to fix the green display not showing on my Windows 11 machine.

[Examigan]

Just a question : the first patch of the "SR-JV80 : Dance" expansion shows a missing sync after a single key is sustained / pressed for a while (about 10 secs). The LFO-driven bassline goes out of sync to the drum loop. Is it the SAME behavior as found in the original hardware? (it should be indeed, since JV880 has no LFO tempo sync).

I think the hardware does this too, I seem to recall there were sync issues like these as there was no way to lock samples together from different tones.

I've found other weirdness in some patches too, eg some of the pianos have some very weird choking or tail weirdness on some notes...

When the SR-JV80 DANCE expansion is loaded the JV2080 unit, the first patch "Dance Again" seems not to have out of sync issues, so it could be a JV880 hardware thing or a VirtualJV emulator-related issue.

I don’t have that expansion for the hardware here, so I couldn’t test that. I was was thinking that patches that show the tempo, e.g. 130, would match up the beat in the DAW if its tempo is set the same way (130), but it doesn’t. Maybe I’m doing something wrong? I’m using Cakewalk here on my PC.

[mcbpete]

As this VST is based on NukeYKT's SC55 I'm wondering/hoping the rest of the SC55 range will sometime soon become 'JUCE'd as a VST i.e. emulating:

CM-300/SCC-1
SC-55mk1
SC-55mk2/SC-155mk2
SC-55st (v1.01)
SCB-55/RLP-3194
SC-155
SCC-1A
RLP-3237

[VariKusBrainZ]

Thanks Sahul

This guy's emulation stuff is super cool, you should check out the RD Piano (MKS20 emulation) and his Boss Microrack series projects too...

Got a link to the Boss stuff?
I have a few of them but not the one I really wanted. Well I do but someone tried to mod it and f**ked it, was hoping i could just resolder it and get working like the others Id snagged

https://github.com/giulioz/smol-rack

[Ah_Dziz]

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but am I missing how this doesn't violate hell out of copyright? Isn't the thing a fully sample based rompler? Is there a part of this I'm missing? Is it only accessible to owners of the original hardware (and therefore license holders)?

No skin off my bum anyhow. Just seems like it might be an issue.

[beely]

No, the project contains nothing from Roland (it’s like the DSP56k project in that regard) but Roland’s rom data is another issue, which is why the developer won’t distribute or link to that content.

For me, having bought an XV5080 from new, as well as paying for Roland Cloud which contains much of this content anyway, I think I’m reasonably covered, but everyone has to decide what they are comfortable with.

[mcbpete]

I missing how this doesn't violate hell out of copyright? Isn't the thing a fully sample based rompler? Is there a part of this I'm missing? Is it only accessible to owners of the original hardware (and therefore license holders)?

Yep, it's just like the Motorola DSP563xx range of emulators: on its own it does nothing and requires the end-user to locate the copyrighted roms at their own discretion

Basically it's the same as the video-game emulation scene. The emulators themselves are not a problem, it only becomes dodgy when it's supplied with any copyrighted firmware/bios/rom chips

edit: beely beat me to it !

[hurricaneaudiolab]

So it looks like he fixed the loading issues in Logic, however, now I can't click on anything on the interface. I get this 'ding ding' sound as I try to click on things as if something hidden is open in the background and stealing focus. I can't see anything though. Happens in standalone too.

[beely]

It works in Logic now if you follow my previous instructions…

TL;DR Put the Roms in the sandboxed location, not the folder the plugin creates, run the standalone (which creates those folders and fixes what makes the plugin crash).

[Uncle E]

It doesn't really, the Roland Cloud stuff are from a later generation of their rompler tech, so even though things like the XV-5080 could load the earlier SR-JV cards (which is what this uses), they had moved onto the higher quality/bigger SRX expansions by then, and their engines were more sophisticated.

This is a great point. When you load JV patches into an XV, the filter settings (and presumably others) are completely different. The XV's also sound brighter and more hifi in general. I used to use them side-by-side and would regularly choose them based on their completely different characters.