Roland’s iconic ‘90s digital synth, the JD-800, is now available exclusively through Roland Cloud as an authentic software recreation. As the latest addition to the series of software-based Roland instruments available through Roland Cloud, the JD-800 Software Synthesizer is crafted to sound and behave exactly like the original hardware. Keep reading for more. 

In the early 1990s, preset-driven digital synths with limited hands-on controls dominated the landscape. The JD-800 changed all that in 1991, bringing the synthesizer world back to its roots with a massive control-filled panel and an unapologetically electronic sound palette. An instant hit among the world’s top keyboard players, this innovative instrument found its way onto classic albums and numerous film and television scores, and it remains highly sought after to this day.

Now 30 years after the debut of the original JD-800 hardware synth comes the release of this digital version of the instrument as a dedicated DAW plug-in. The JD-800 Software Synthesizer delivers a recreation of the original’s unique sound and control-focused interface, along with new features and enhancements for today’s music producers.

Rather than simply combining a bunch of JD-800 samples, Roland used the original waveform data along with advanced modeling techniques to perfectly recreate the big, bright, spacious sound that only the JD-800 can deliver.

Key features include:

• Authentic sound and behavior with advanced modeling and original JD-800 waveforms
• 64 presets from the original JD-800, plus 64 new presets crafted by top sound designers
• Detailed recreation of the JD-800’s two-stage multi-effects section with drag and drop reordering
• Seven effects including chorus, phaser, enhancer, distortion, spectrum, delay, and reverb
• Detailed, realistic interface that’s resizable and includes alternate views
• Expanded polyphony versus the original hardware
• VST3, AAX, and AU with support for Apple silicon

The JD-800 Software Synthesizer is available through an Ultimate membership level of Roland Cloud, along with plug-in versions of other Roland classics like the JUNO-60, JUPITER-8, TR-808, TR-909, D-50, and more. To learn more about a Roland Cloud membership or to get a free 30-day trial for new users, visit Roland’s website.