Roland ZENOLOGY Pro on sale on Roland's website!

[Oberheim 8000]

Thanks all for explanations. I know that model expansions are mostly VA, but I am interesting into sample content. For example in this topic is mentioned XV-5080 (which I assume it contains a some samples). Does Zenology Pro contain samples from XV-5080 and similar like their products? Someone said that the patches between Zenology and XV-5080 are different. Different can be anything, from samples to using different FX. I assume that when have same patches between Zenology and XV-5080, it has use (and have) same samples?

Where Zenology really shines is in making patches that mix and match bits and pieces from multiple different things into something new, or for live use in one of the Zenology Core based hardware synths as you get a bunch of synths in one package with good polyphony

This is what I am looking for.

As for being online, the Roland Cloud products need to be authorized with the Roland Cloud Manager software. In theory it needs to connect once every 30 days to some server somewhere to keep it authorized even when you own it outright. In reality this causes all kinds of issues and is very buggy

Hmm, this "connect once every 30 days" is done automatically (by RCM) or I have to do a "connect" manually? (if my PC is allways online)

It's a real shame also as I really like a lot of the actual instruments and have a very very long relationship with Rolands hardware synths. I walked away from anything to do with the cloud when one Saturday afternoon I logged into Roland Cloud to "authorize" the software I own and a few hours later at the Gig which was at a Wedding Venue in a rural mountain area with no WiFi or cell service it locked me out of my software and I couldn't use it. Thank God I have alternative plugins and sounds on my Montage that I could use

It's frustrating to say the least

I see that for live it cant be good. What about for home composing / producing? Are there some problems on Windows? I am not impressed with "connect once every 30 days" system, but Reason have it done well. I don't know that I have it. BFD3 drums with new licensing system have 90 days (except 3.5version), but it have to be done manually and that was annoying.

[Oberheim 8000]

I will try and answer your questions. Zenology does not have all the samples from the Roland Library. It has a lot of them though.

Zenology does not sound like the original hardware models of Roland synthesizers. Roland did not put all of the effects into the factory sounds that many of us were expecting. I for one, can hear a big change in the character of the JV, XV, JX, and other synths because to my ears Zenology does not have a good tone as the hardware or plug in versions. To me, if I play a Zenology patch and then play the same patch on a plug out version, the tone of the non Zenology does not compare at all.
No, you don't have to be online all the time to use Roland Cloud, but there are many stories from many of us when we tried to use Roland Cloud instruments where there was no internet. The Roland instruments are not trustable at all if you are playing in the mountains, the desert, the beach, remote villages, etc.

Thanks. If I understand, problem is only when there is no internet and it need to connect after 30 days?

[beely]

For example in this topic is mentioned XV-5080 (which I assume it contains a some samples). Does Zenology Pro contain samples from XV-5080 and similar like their products?

Yes, it contains the XV-5080/Fantom engine, including all of the sample content, otherwise you wouldn't be able to include the factory patches which use them.

Someone said that the patches between Zenology and XV-5080 are different. Different can be anything, from samples to using different FX. I assume that when have same patches between Zenology and XV-5080, it has use (and have) same samples?

The differences have been well explained if you read back the past page or two of the thread. The differences are in the FX setup.

Hmm, this "connect once every 30 days" is done automatically (by RCM) or I have to do a "connect" manually? (if my PC is allways online)

Automatically.

[PAK]

I assume that when have same patches between Zenology and XV-5080, it has use (and have) same samples?

Yes.
Regarding FX, since adding reverb in Zenology 2, the main thing preventing Zenology replicating XV / SRX presets properly is it lacks the XV’s additional “Patch Chorus” setting. Though it’s 2 very basic chorus types, and a delay, a lot of presets used these in addition to their MFX and Reverb settings.

The MFX section is implemented in Zenology. The reverb, on Zenology 2, defaults to the SRV-2000. So it’s not a simple case of just turning the send up. The 5080 has 5 reverbs, but 3 of these are SRV based. Zenology has 8 reverb types, and its implementation of the SRV-2000 has 15 different modes, not counting non-linear. So it should be possible to replicate reverb settings when you figure out the equivalent reverb. The main exception being Zenology still doesn’t seem to include direct options for base XV5080 reverb settings like Stage 1 & 2.

It’s disappointing that Roland have failed to remove these artificial barriers. They’re effectively tying one hand behind Zenology’s back (by preventing it from fully replicating classic Roland sounds). I’d suggest the way to get more people using / buying these products might not be to fragment things for subscription justification purposes. Rather, perhaps it might be wiser to create the best product possible?

[IvyBirds]

I see that for live it cant be good. What about for home composing / producing? Are there some problems on Windows? I am not impressed with "connect once every 30 days" system, but Reason have it done well. I don't know that I have it. BFD3 drums with new licensing system have 90 days (except 3.5version), but it have to be done manually and that was annoying.

If Roland Cloud Manager is working properly and you are always connected the net in theory it's a seamless process

In my experience and that of many others it's been very very buggy which causes issues, on my Windows machine it was always running and likes to insert itself in the start menu and is constantly using CPU cycles even when you are not using it, and you can be in the middle of typing a word document and not doing anything music related and you get popups telling you "Roland Cloud Manager Cannot Connect to the Internet", and that was the issue for me on my home computer. It was connected and I do all kinds of things online but RCM wouldn't connect

[Examigan]

I see that for live it cant be good. What about for home composing / producing? Are there some problems on Windows? I am not impressed with "connect once every 30 days" system, but Reason have it done well. I don't know that I have it. BFD3 drums with new licensing system have 90 days (except 3.5version), but it have to be done manually and that was annoying.

If Roland Cloud Manager is working properly and you are always connected the net in theory it's a seamless process

I turn off my PC if I’m not going to use it for a couple days. After booting up and starting a new project, sometimes when I add a RC instrument it will ask me to login with my RC account from within my DAW, a small pop up window opens for that. That’s probably just the 30 day limit that kicked in, so I have to login to use whichever plugin.

For me, I guess it would be seamless if I just didn’t switch off the PC.

[N 4 LIFE]

I saw there was an update to Zenology in RC today so I downloaded it. Does anyone know if there are any release notes?

[telecharge]

I saw there was an update to Zenology in RC today so I downloaded it. Does anyone know if there are any release notes?

I'm not seeing an update for Windows. RCM says latest version is 2.0.4, which is what I installed as a new user 2 weeks ago. Windows Programs & Features shows version 2.0.4.22001.

[Rastkovic]

Nice demo by @NatLife, forgot it's also a synth. Bought the Zeno Pro plugin yesterday.

Roland Zen Core - True Trance Sounds V3 (Supersaw Edition) [NatLife Sounds]

[N 4 LIFE]

Nice demo by @NatLife, forgot it's also a synth. Bought the Zeno Pro plugin yesterday.

Roland Zen Core - True Trance Sounds V3 (Supersaw Edition) [NatLife Sounds]

kept waiting for the drums to kick in.

[Examigan]

I just noticed they extended the sale for one more week.
https://www.roland.com/cloud/promos/pro ... enologypro

[Rastkovic]

I'm currently very happy with my decision to purchase Zenology Pro. I like the sound of the Zeno synth engine and the rompler sounds.

I also signed up for a Cloud Ultimate test month and tried out the model expansions. Personally I don't need it, so it was actually a great deal for me.

[Examigan]

What I counted up today...

182  PRST_A Factory Presets
482  PRST_B AX Collection
128  PRST_C Synth Legend (seeing a lot of tones from my FA06 in these) 
                    Spoiler alert:  What i tested out sound identical to what spits out of my FA and XA synths...
1109 PRST_D Basic Synth ( same as above.  Overlap to my hardware, and same timbres/sounds)
 896 PRST_E XV Collection
 838 PRST_F Essential
   75 PRST_G Essential Drum
=======
3710 or so from the basic Zenology Pro

these addition tones are now included in the Zenology Pro.

  65 PRST_H Stellar Black
  68 PRST_I Sun Gate
  63 PRST_J Nebulous Forms
  66 PRST_K Volatile Memories
274 PRST_L Essential 2
========
536 additions to what was in the original Zenology package

I am not as familiar with newer synths from Roland. Does FA stand for Fantom?
Also where are the AX sounds from? I found some keytars with AX in their names, not sure if that’s where they originated..

Last but not least: “Essential” ? Were those in any hardware synths?

EDIT: I wrote to their support asking about the different categories.

[jdoo]

...
                    Spoiler alert:  What i tested out sound identical to what spits out of my FA and XA synths...
...

I am not as familiar with newer synths from Roland. Does FA stand for Fantom?
Also where are the AX sounds from? I found some keytars with AX in their names, not sure if that’s where they originated..

Last but not least: “Essential” ? Were those in any hardware synths?

EDIT: I wrote to their support asking about the different categories.

I was referencing some tones I was hoping to get out of Zenology Pro plug-in to replace a few patches I still use in a couple of hardware synths I lug around. Roland FA06 and Roland JDXA. There are a handful of patches on those workstations that I need on the go, and was hoping to replace them with software / Zenology Pro's stuff. I did. There was a couple of more bread and butter tones that I was looking for, and I got those off Roland Cloud. They were not the full model expansions, but Sound Packs ($5 and $10) that I added to Zenology Pro through Roland Cloud Manager. THAT (RCM)... is some software in serious need of being re-writen/simplified - but in the end, I was able to get what I needed, and have the stuff synced to a desktop, and portable mac. So.. very happy with what Im getting out of the Zenology Pro lifetime key.

Re: Dialing home / sync?? Ive had zero issues with that.

I DID have an issue getting RCM to sync up, and provide the files for these updates. Here is what worked for me..
Roland Cloud Manager
Settings / Preferences / Advanced Options
[x] Show Plug-in Installer. <--- this had to be checked, or everything happened in the background (I wanted to control the updates to Zenology Pro)
Restart Roland Cloud services <--- THIS had to be done, before things worked (and I could see the downloaded Sound package files)

Anyway - restarting the Roland Cloud Services, in the Advanced options screen.. seems like a brute force way of getting things in sync and ready to go. Especially if you're doing what I was doing, and trying to keep two separate computer systems in sync with the Roland Cloud stuff.. hth

[Rastkovic]

Regarding the SuperSAW oscillator type, it doesn't seem to be free-running? At first, I recorded the output and looked at the waveform. Then I performed a null test, they are identical. This is somewhat surprising.

VA oscillator type is free-running, at least if click type on the pro edit page is set to natural (= default).