Roland Alpha Juno 1 In-Depth Demo

This video, via LektroiD, takes an in-depth look at the Roland Alpha Juno 1 synthesizer. 

The Alpha Juno 1 is a fairly limited synth, by today’s standards, with just one DCO per voice and a clunky editing interface.

But, while the Alpha Juno is best known for its iconic Hoover rave sound, it’s also capable of fantastic pad sounds, thanks to clever design choices by Roland.

If you’ve used the Alpha Juno 1 – aka the ‘Juno Uno’ – let us know what you think of it!

19 thoughts on “Roland Alpha Juno 1 In-Depth Demo

  1. My first synth and still one of my favorites. Bought it for $150 and later found the pg-300 for $200. You need the controller or similar to keep the workflow but it lands on every song one way or another. I do occasionally get a latched note from a midi setup but it’s easy to send an all notes off msg and keep going. There is also noticeable stepping on the filter and other parameters from the pg-300 but I simply set the lfo to sweep it when desired. I.e. Set the patch, save it then play the part. The chorus is also superb as most people know.

  2. Love the sounds that these Juno boxes. Lack of a second envelope generate, more mod options, stepping, and their noisiness is what separates them from today’s analog synths.

      1. Ok you want me to elaborate so this is a “useful” comment? This is a pitiful demo of a mediocre synth. There are a number of better instruments and I would suggest that newcomers consider instead a JX3p, a JX8P, a Bit One, an Ensoniq or a Casio for heaven’s sake.

        1. I think there are a lot of people, including myself, who are absolutely not “newcomers” and love the Alpha Juno. If you don’t like it, fine. Other people do. Some of my favourite pads come from an Alpha Juno.

          1. I have a nice selection of vintage and modern synths and my Alpha Juno 2 (same engine) is a favorite. The simplicity of the synth engine makes for some very useful sounds that are unmistakably Juno / Roland DCO. Run it through some reverb and delay and get lost for days…

            This is a very underrated synth that can still be had for quite cheap if your lucky. I got mine in pristine condition for $250. You can’t beat that with a baseball bat…

  3. I love my MKS-50!!! The PWM has it’s own character. I literally can not make certain PWM patches sound as good on other hardware. Also rules with my MIDI Club JunoCTRL controller for it!

  4. Yes, this synth could benefit from more env/lfo mod options, yet it has features not found else where like the fact it does actually have a second lfo dedicated to the pwm ( labeled as pwm level and pwm rate) and the fact that the env is time variant adjustable. BTW I have not experienced any line noise with mine… Ever.
    I love that it is a different cut from the subtractive poly’s..and compliments them.
    The video above does not definitively tell all, though it was a nice effort. Not sure why haters got to hate but I’ll be going back to enjoying my Juno making songs so I can’t hear you.

  5. I remember walking into a music shop when I was about 12, putting on the headphones and trying the Juno out. I loved it.
    About 5 years ago, a buddy of mine who had a studio full of analogue synth, used his Juno 1 for the bass… and I loved what I heard! The Juno sounds so snappy and dry, right in your face. After that, I found a juno 2 on ebay that looked like new! Lucky me.
    I also have the VST virtual version which comes 90% close to the real thing. You also need a programmer that you can use within your daw.
    The Juno is easy to program and I use it in just about all my tracks (together with my Bass Station2)!

  6. I bought an Alpha Juno 5 years ago. Is an amazing synthesizer, it has the spirit of 106 which also only has one oscillator. I’ve had a lot synthesizers and the Alpha Juno it’s one that I always want to keep in my setup. There are a couple of iPad Apps with a fantastic editor, avoiding spending a lot of money in a hardware editor. It sounds sweet for a pads, strings and some ambiets sounds but it has a powerfull basses and strong leads.

  7. I’m on the verge of getting a JX8p. I asked someone if they considered it a sort of Jupiter crossed with a DX, and they replied that it’s more of an Alpha Juno kind of thing.
    Make sense?

  8. I think it’s important to place this synth in context: sure it’s nothing much compared to what you might expect in 2016, but back in 1985 it was Roland’s most affordable offering, cheaper than KORG’s offerings, and samplers were the preserve of the ultra-rich (think SynClavier & EMU Emulator).

    The Roland Alpha Juno 2 was my first synth, I gigged with it all over Paris, most people had never even seen a synth before, and had a great time!

  9. The Alpha Juno is not too beauty as the Juno 60 or 6, but it have the same spirit in sound, with a lovely an amazing pads, stings, bases and more, but you can get it for a ridiculous price.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *