My first Synth: the Roland JUNO-106

Is had to happen sooner or later, it was time to buy a synth and do more MIDI exploration. So I started to pay extra attention to the synths that where used in my favourite music. And discovered that there where hundreds of options, from basic to exotic. My budget was basic, my taste was exotic. I'm sure there are people who know that feeling.

And the challenge began, find the most Basic exotic thing out there.

Once a week dropped by the local music store and PA rental 'store', as store was a big word for a room with hardly any lighting where all kinds of stage gear was stacked as if it was just dumped off a truck 5 minutes ago.

The gear at the PA store was always battered stage life is harsh on equipment. So over there I only looked for bargains. There where always a few synths for sale, but never anything exiting, most battered, scratches, broken keys, no manuals. And I needed all the MIDI info I could get. As I discovered that very expensive new Korg synth had a manual with many pages of MIDI info.

Weeks went by and then at the local music store the owner said 'come back next week' I have a Juno-106 in store and it will be cheap. As it has a few flaws, but it will be a real bargain.

So a week long I was digging up info about the JUNO-106. And yes, I was going to need that 'filter box', as it had a range of control faders that could send out 'control changes'.
MIDI madness!!

At the music store I found a beauty of a JUNO-106! Fell in love, then I 'plugged it in' and boy what a surprise. This thing was pure evil on the inside! Some notes didn't even produce sound, Lets ask if it has a manual, and if the price-tag has a negative value.
Yes I really thought i should get money for the energy to drag this beast home. However that was not the case. But it was a real bargain, looked like new on the outside and it even had a manual. What more do you want as a guy! I emptied my wallet and dragged her home. And a new journey began.

MIDI all worked fine, I could record and playback control changes, so the mind was working like a dream but the speech was pure filth. What to do, what to do...

So I went to the electronics store for some health care advice.

The guy was a bit baffled when I told him of the symptoms. But he said 'this sounds interesting', let's have a look! So on a Saturday I brought her in, screws went out, probes went in, and we discovered 3 of the 6 voices where broken. Will not be cheap to get that fixed, but it was fixable. Then it daunted on me that PA stores have lots of battered crap... So I had a look if I could find a JUNO-106, and to my surprise I found one, a bargain, and it even worked. This one was just as cheap, just as heavy and almost fell apart. Dragged her home as well and it was time for a brain transplant.

I swapped the entire inner workings out powered it up and within a month I had a new friend with 6 voices and and filters to play with.

JUNO-106 was here to stay.

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Technical specifications
Polyphony	6 voices
Timbrality	Monotimbral
Oscillator	1 DCO per voice (pulse, saw, square and noise)
LFO	triangle with delay and rate
Synthesis type	Analog subtractive
Filter	Analog 24dB/oct resonant low-pass, non-resonant high-pass
Attenuator	ADSR envelope generator
Aftertouch expression	No
Velocity expression	No
Storage memory	128 patches
Effects	Chorus
Keyboard	61 keys
External control	MIDI

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The JUNO-106 was not really that special on the grander scale, but this was the perfect choice for me.

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Previous articles in this series:

My First Drum Machine [Alesis HR-16:B]
MIDI that 5 pin mystery
Editing on a cassettedeck
When belt wow and tape flutter where just part of the music
Turntables
What was so special about the Atari 1024ST? MIDI on board!
My first Synth: the Roland JUNO-106