{"id":543,"date":"2015-03-17T16:40:17","date_gmt":"2015-03-17T16:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jimalfredson.com\/?p=543"},"modified":"2015-03-17T16:46:26","modified_gmt":"2015-03-17T16:46:26","slug":"shoe-gate-and-the-roland-jd-xi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimalfredson.com\/?p=543","title":{"rendered":"Shoe-gate! (…and the Roland JD-Xi)"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m honored that Keyboard Magazine<\/a> asked me to review the new Roland JD-Xi<\/a> synthesizer. The written review will appear in the upcoming May 2015 issue.<\/p>\n

\"jd-xi_top_main\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Roland is marketing this mini-key synth as a “Crossover Synthesizer”. This double entendre refers to the combination\u00a0of a\u00a0two-part digital synth engine with\u00a0a monophonic analog synth engine\u00a0that’s reminiscent of the SH-101<\/a> and that the synth is supposed to appeal to both synth enthusiasts\u00a0\/\u00a0keyboard players, and non-keyboard playing musicians \/ producers\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n

Keyboard Magazine posted a video I made in my humble home studio detailing the main features of the instrument. The enthusiast site Synthtopia<\/a> posted it as well and some of the comments are funny! Several people complained that the video didn’t go in depth enough (that’s because it is an overview, not a review). Other people claimed a vast conspiracy headed by Roland to dissuade any negative press. And about a half dozen people commented on my shoes and the “poor production quality” of the video.\u00a0I’m now officially referring to this as Shoe-gate!<\/p>\n

To ‘clear the air’ about my funky footwear\u00a0in the video; they are a pair of 15 year old New Balance sneakers that are my “bum around the house” shoes. I had forgotten I had them on when I recorded the video but other than the faux pas about the filter (which is obviously a 4-pole\/24db filter and not a 24 pole filter;\u00a0I simply misspoke) I thought the video did what Keyboard asked; that is, give a brief overview of the features. It is not intended as an in-depth review, which again is being printed in the May 2015 issue.<\/p>\n

I’m thinking that quirky kicks\u00a0will be my trademark from here on out! What will I wear next?<\/p>\n

\"Get<\/a>

Get ready, Synthtopia nerds! I’m coming for you!<\/p><\/div>\n

Here’s the video. Avert your eyes if you are offended by loathsome loafers!!!<\/p>\n