New Front Panel Overlay coming for JD-XA

[richardbates1]

I hate speculating about this guy's reasoning on a public forum, but it would only take 5-10minutes to copy/paste a response to my emails. I should get a damn response for $135 after a month.

Yes you should.

[HaveIt]

Is the entire front panel product suspended because of the rumoured Roland front sticker panel option?

[blewis_13]

Well, I've sent two e-mails since I started participating and I've yet to receive any response. It's starting to really piss me off.

[Jdoo]

Well.. Even though it took three weeks to get my money back. At this point, I'm feeling lucky. PayPal dispute may be the answer. Dunno... Worked for me. Totally bad juju for Jamie, to not be communicating.

[SynthGraphics]

Hey Guys,

All the JD-XA overlays are shipping this week. I've had some personal things to take of and some issues with waiting for plotter parts that got me way behind. Sorry about the delays and thanks for your patience.

Jamie

[blewis_13]

That's good news Jamie. Looking forward to receiving. Thanks for the update.

[Jdoo]

Great timing too.. since images of the factory overlays are starting to appear in stores, and on sites. :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

[trrstrl]

Has anyone received a tracking number since this announcement?

[SynthGraphics]

Great timing too.. since images of the factory overlays are starting to appear in stores, and on sites. :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

I have a good working relationship with Roland and theirs are different than mine in they don't have 3M sticky back. So we are covering everyone's needs - mine for people wanting a permanent solutions and Roland's for people that want ones that just lay over the top like their System-1 overlays. Mine are also color with Jupiter styling, labels moved the bottom so you can read them in a sitting position, and the Shift functions are also labeled as well.

Roland US acknowledged that my efforts helped them sell units, same with the TR-8. So this is a WIN-WIN for everyone :)

[no_barcode]

Mine are also color with Jupiter styling, labels moved the bottom so you can read them in a sitting position, and the Shift functions are also labeled as well.

It really is much more ergonomic to have the labels on the bottom (for me, anyway). Just placed an order.

[SynthGraphics]

Mine are also color with Jupiter styling, labels moved the bottom so you can read them in a sitting position, and the Shift functions are also labeled as well.

It really is much more ergonomic to have the labels on the bottom (for me, anyway). Just placed an order.

Thanks! Shipped out already!

[no_barcode]

Mine are also color with Jupiter styling, labels moved the bottom so you can read them in a sitting position, and the Shift functions are also labeled as well.

It really is much more ergonomic to have the labels on the bottom (for me, anyway). Just placed an order.

Thanks! Shipped out already!

Whoa. I wasn't expecting such a quick turnaround. Very cool. Thank you!

[JDBoy]

Honestly don't know what the big deal is about the 'labels' being at the bottom. That's breaking convention. Juno and jupiter weren't at the bottom, v-synth not at bottom, jd-800 not at bottom. For me it's fine as it is namely because I don't even need to read them after the first week (yes I've said that before but if you are STILL needing to read the labels on the synth after more than a month something is seriously off in your ability to learn). I don't mind the red labels for the same reason, and looking at the new roland covers (the one I saw anyway) that white text looks trashy and untidy compared to how it is as standard, because the synth doesn't need to be shouting about every function. It looks good as it is. I hope they do a cover that retains the exact same layout and colouring of text only in matte for the lexan non glossy look should mine ever end up looking too scruffy. Gloss v Matt I can understand, but the rest? Just learn the thing, use it, twist knobs, there's not that many controls on it and it's more than obvious what all of them do after a short while (other than perhaps the p-env stuff and the aux source selector as that is multi choice and lesser used compared to the common functions) even so, the first time you use it you 'learn'.

I'm surprised any of you who complain about the text/looks ever got any use out of it all, seems you focus so much on that instead of just twisting knobs and listening to sound no wonder so many seem to have trouble learning synths. You just got to go for it! It won't bite. I program this beast in complete darkness, inc the menu / cursor buttons. You can too if you start using it in earnest instead of nitpicking trivial issues and always putting sound creation on hold till 'perfection' is reached (I think once some of you get those covers you'll find yet more issues preventing you from making sounds on it - sounds like avoidance technique to me! if it really is that hard for you to read and learn maybe stick a light on for a while until you have learned. SELF. START.). If you've had an XA for more than a month and are not getting good sounds out of it already, it has NOTHING to do with the looks/text/covers it's all about you!

[SynthGraphics]

Honestly don't know what the big deal is about the 'labels' being at the bottom. That's breaking convention. Juno and jupiter weren't at the bottom, v-synth not at bottom, jd-800 not at bottom. For me it's fine as it is namely because I don't even need to read them after the first week (yes I've said that before but if you are STILL needing to read the labels on the synth after more than a month something is seriously off in your ability to learn). I don't mind the red labels for the same reason, and looking at the new roland covers (the one I saw anyway) that white text looks trashy and untidy compared to how it is as standard, because the synth doesn't need to be shouting about every function. It looks good as it is. I hope they do a cover that retains the exact same layout and colouring of text only in matte for the lexan non glossy look should mine ever end up looking too scruffy. Gloss v Matt I can understand, but the rest? Just learn the thing, use it, twist knobs, there's not that many controls on it and it's more than obvious what all of them do after a short while (other than perhaps the p-env stuff and the aux source selector as that is multi choice and lesser used compared to the common functions) even so, the first time you use it you 'learn'.

I'm surprised any of you who complain about the text/looks ever got any use out of it all, seems you focus so much on that instead of just twisting knobs and listening to sound no wonder so many seem to have trouble learning synths. You just got to go for it! It won't bite. I program this beast in complete darkness, inc the menu / cursor buttons. You can too if you start using it in earnest instead of nitpicking trivial issues and always putting sound creation on hold till 'perfection' is reached (I think once some of you get those covers you'll find yet more issues preventing you from making sounds on it - sounds like avoidance technique to me! if it really is that hard for you to read and learn maybe stick a light on for a while until you have learned. SELF. START.). If you've had an XA for more than a month and are not getting good sounds out of it already, it has NOTHING to do with the looks/text/covers it's all about you!

Well, it's a personal preference more than anything but I can also tell you that you are correct that in the past Roland has put the labels at the top. Why? Because in the past Roland used 90% sliders for everything so you could read them until slider cap was at the top so it was never a problem on those synths. Traditionally synths with knobs (Prophet, moog, korg, etc) usually have the labels below the knob.

I don't think it's very fair to say people that complain about not being able to read labels are lesser of a knob twister than yourself. Use a JD-XA live with lots of lights (reflecting off the shiny surface) or in a dark studio and you would understand - and is why I starting making these. I totally baby my gear and after several months of standard studio use the factory surface looked horrible even after cleaned. Having the shift functions labeled and things readable just increases work flow while writing music. Serious programmers need labels.

My products are not for everyone. But are exactly what some have asked for their own reasoning that they require. :)

[blewis_13]

I think you can take a look at Axel Hartmann's work: http://www.design-box.de/english/music-electronics/

He's designed more synth user interfaces than any of us. :-)

I think what you see here is on synths that are flat slabs, the labeling typically is below the knobs. If the main panel goes about 30-40 degrees, or is at 90 degrees like a rack, the labeling goes on top. I'm sure there are exceptions on that page alone, but there does seem to be an unwritten design rule at play.

I don't see this as tradition... well I don't see that it should be based on tradition, it should be based on common ergonomic design rules. I think Axel sets the bar here.

The JD-XA has a number of breaks from traditional synth UI design. I'll leave it at that. :-) But most of the feedback I've heard when mentioning my complaints in any forum seem to be of the "you should have every knob location memorized in the first two days of using any synth" vein. I simply don't agree. That's fine.

This is why I've paid Jamie for his overlays and why it's important to me.

Brandon