Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Roland Zenology / Zenology Pro, rethinks cloud pricing


Recommended Posts

I was a very early user of Roland Cloud.

Thought it was cool, but my original anemic MacBook Pro 2.4ghz with 4gb ram just couldn"t handle the good stuff.

 

Fast forward: now that I have my late 2018 Mac Mini with 32gb and 500gb free ssd space remaining of my 1TB, I decided to check out the latest version.

 

I signed up for Core since it gives you Ultimate access for 30 days.

I started with the Zen Core. Even though it"s not the editable version yet, it sounds great.

 

However, I"m mostly interested in the Jupiter 8 with the ACB technology.

I downloaded it and opened it with GigPerformer.

 

Wow! It sounds fantastic.

I"m controlling it with my PX-5S and my KeyLab 61. Running thru a Focusrite 18i20 Gen3 i/o

 

There"s a depth to the sound I don"t get from my other plugins.

 

My Mac Mini handles it just fine.

 

I"m loving it so far.

I"m going to play around with the D-50 next.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...


https://sonicstate.com/news/2020/07/01/roland-announces-model-expansions/

 

Kind of confused. Does it seem they may eliminate the standalone emulations and then we're stuck just with Zenology hosted versions? Not sure how I feel about that, as they might not be as authentic. Possibly cheaper for Roland to maintain? Maybe a strong reason to start buying perpetual licenses now that they're offering them again?

 

JX-8P wasn't released previously, but the upcoming titles are Zenology "models" for SH-101, JX-3P, Jupiter-8, etc.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We don't know much about these new models, really. I posted this on another thread as I just got a Jupiter-X last week and have a Fantom on the way. I don't think I will keep both under these circumstances but there's not a lot of information.

 

Will I be able to put these new model expansions into a Fantom? If so, how much will they cost for a lifetime key?

 

Do I need to be a Roland Cloud Pro customer to use Zenology to edit my sounds that I will export and import into the Jupiter? Right now I can't export out of Jupiter-X yet. And a bit annoying to have no editor tool for the Jupiter-X unless I pay $100 a year to Roland Cloud for the desktop VST product to export tones. Boo to that.

 

Will new models be available besides SH-101, JX-8P, Jupiter-8 and Juno 106 that I already have in my Jupiter-X? Does the Jupiter-X architecture even allow me to load new models into the hardware?

 

People at Roland like Ed Diaz and Paul McCabe are good people and do good work, but they should be able to tell customers what's up.

 

I was totally on board with having a Jupiter X and Fantom as they are both outstanding instruments, but since I also use Mainstage, and I have Zenology as a Mainstage plug in, this is not really upsetting the apple cart all that much to send the Jupiter-X back and run those models as a plug in through Mainstage. As I said on my other post, all that does is give me (what I paid for) a $2500 synth to by another nice piece of hardware.

 

This just closes the gap on why I felt the Fantom and Jupiter-X are different animals. Now it's just down to controls, workflow and arps, and a few other things. Fantastic instruments they are and built so well to lay your hands on, though.

 

The main reason to keep the Jupiter-X just comes down to --- it's freaking really nice to play it, but has about as much purpose as the human appendix.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do the $19.95/mo "ultimate" subscription. IT IS AMAZING! Already using a ton of sounds.

M-Audio Hammer 88, Yamaha MODX6, Yamaha ReFace CP, Korg D1

MacBook Air 13" M1 (2021) Logic Pro X 10.5, Mainstage, Roland Cloud (Ultimate), U-He DIVA, Arturia V-8

JammSammich, Peoria, Illinois

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Update on this from Roland today.

 

"Since launching ZENOLOGY earlier this year, we"ve been excited to share with you the power of the ZEN-Core Synthesis System. ZENOLOGY has seen four Model ExpansionsâJX-8P, SH-101, JUPITER-8, and JUNO-106âand dozens of ZEN-Core Sound Packs and Wave Expansions, which provide an expansive palette of starting points to craft entirely new tones and textures.

Now, we"re excited to release ZENOLOGY Proâyour instrument that takes you deeper into the ZEN-Core Synthesis System. And you can try it today for free. Find out how belowâ¦"

 

Link from their email

 

[video:youtube]

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Now through Jan 31... Register your zencore compatible Roland hardware (e.g. Fantom, Jupiter X, RD88, AX-Edge) get a bunch of free sounds plus a free year of Roland Cloud Pro. Which appears to include (or perhaps be the same thing as) Zenology Pro. (Everything Roland does involving the cloud always confuses me!)

 

https://lp.roland.com/zencore-fully-loaded

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have bad luck with the Roland driver for the Jupiter X. I' ve tried installing both the 10.14 and 10.15 versions. I have followed their directions to the letter.

 

Both times, the restart has bricked my computer. Progress bar gets all the way to the top and stays there. I've been recording with the JPX by just tracking the audio (gasp!) since the debacle with the 10.15 studio Mac, but this latest offer made me want to try the Roland driver again....so I tried the 10.14 install using a different computer.

 

Same result. :rolleyes:

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now through Jan 31... Register your zencore compatible Roland hardware (e.g. Fantom, Jupiter X, RD88, AX-Edge) get a bunch of free sounds plus a free year of Roland Cloud Pro. Which appears to include (or perhaps be the same thing as) Zenology Pro. (Everything Roland does involving the cloud always confuses me!)

 

https://lp.roland.com/zencore-fully-loaded

Wowza!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

' You receive Lifetime Keys for 'hardware formatted' SDZ Sound Packs SDZ001 though SDZ046 with this offer.'

Pretty, pretty good.

 

 

Yep, I just updated my free account to Pro. I've already used a few tweaked patches from the Zen-Core lite app in a recent LPX collaboration. Will be fun to try out the expanded package.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sweet indeed.

But it"s a once per customer thing.

So now I"m wondering if an RD-88 registration will also provide me with 'Lifetime Keys' for the Fantom.

Or should I register the Fantom under a different name to get the (same) sound packs, dedicated to the Fantom?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder how that will work on my RD-88 (with MainStage) when it arrives next week.

 

My understanding is that the RD-88 will load in any Zen-based patches. So you could load/transfer sounds from the Jupiter-X, Zenology (and Pro), Fantom, AX Keytar, etc.

Hardware:
Yamaha
: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro|
Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | 
Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB |
Novation LaunchPad Mini, |
Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy|
Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele

Software:
Recording
: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240
Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs |
IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs |

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding is that the RD-88 will load in any Zen-based patches. So you could load/transfer sounds from the Jupiter-X, Zenology (and Pro), Fantom, AX Keytar, etc.

though not all of them.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But those Roland Cloud sound packs are 'linked' to particular hardware. That"s why I wonder if I can use RD-88 sound packs on a Fantom or vice versa. If not, both instruments have to be registered, but only one registration per customer is allowed for the ZenCore Fully Loaded deal.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding is that the RD-88 will load in any Zen-based patches. So you could load/transfer sounds from the Jupiter-X, Zenology (and Pro), Fantom, AX Keytar, etc.

though not all of them.

Explain, please. I am still paying my $2.99/month for stuff I have not yet managed to port to my AX Edge; thus I am questioning the value of this subscription.

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding is that the RD-88 will load in any Zen-based patches. So you could load/transfer sounds from the Jupiter-X, Zenology (and Pro), Fantom, AX Keytar, etc.

though not all of them.

Explain, please.

You can't load ALL sounds from the Jupiter-X, Zenology (and Pro), Fantom, into RD-88, just the straight Zen-core ones.

 

Jupiter-X has Zen-Core but also ABM which is the technology that emulates specific analog models (Jupiter 8, Juno-106, JX-8P, SH-101)... those ABM patches cannot be transferred to RD-88. Besides the Zen-Core sounds, Fantom also has its V-Piano and (as of update 1.5) SuperNatural Acoustic engines, those sounds don't transfer. From Zenology, you can see which expansions can and cannot be loaded into the RD-88 on this page:

https://www.roland.com/us/support/by_product/rc_zenology/support_documents/319ed642-8e1d-4b0b-a6ec-5d730f30cd8d/

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...
I got a year of Pro free when I bought my MC-101. That was a nice bonus for a $500 instrument. Will most likely renew when the time comes. I wish it was easier to transfer sounds from the cloud into the hardware. Right now you have to save a patch from the cloud onto an SD card, then put the SD card into the MC unit and load the sound. They keep releasing nice editors for their hardware, the latest being for the TR-8S and 6S. Would love to see them release something for the MC-101, 707 and MV1 that let you construct entire sound banks on the computer and transfer it all to the device. Maybe some day.

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took on their D-50 and I'm highly pleased with it. If you set aside the obvious Fantasias and screechy 8-bit sounds, the rest is quite worthwhile. It includes the coveted PG-1000, so its a fully-formed tool. It also accepts SysEx, so I'm rolling in patches. I've begun to get the library in order, so its becoming more useful over time. It has a much better VA under the hood than I knew, until I landed one. Its holding its own with Korg's MonoPoly, Memorymode and Logic's ES2.

 

Xenology Free is amusing, but having possessed a fair number of Rolands in the past, it was the proprietary D-50 sounds I was missing. A lot of the rest is easier to recreate than buy as separate units. If you can't create a decent Juno-106 pad with almost any modern poly, you're a poseur with balls of balsa wood.

 

Roland's Cloud ecology has its quirks, but my experience has been all-positive. The D-50 marched from my older Intel Mac to the M1 world with zero issues. I'll always remain wary of the cloud for various reasons, but in this case, so far, pretty good.

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've wondered if I should bite the bullet and go for a RolandCloud membership instead of outright purchasing Zenology Pro (and maybe XV5080).

 

I thought I could only get by with Zenology Pro and the extensions, but the truth is that the technology differs somewhat. The "standalone" plug-ins do sound different (better) in my opinion.

 

Also, the XV-5080 plug-in is basically the JV-1080 with a different skin. They share the exact same waveforms although I think the XV-5080 had a few of its own presets.

 

The biggest problem is that all the Roland plugs are really CPU-heavy, still, though. Even Zenology.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've wondered if I should bite the bullet and go for a RolandCloud membership instead of outright purchasing Zenology Pro (and maybe XV5080).

 

I thought I could only get by with Zenology Pro and the extensions, but the truth is that the technology differs somewhat. The "standalone" plug-ins do sound different (better) in my opinion.

 

Also, the XV-5080 plug-in is basically the JV-1080 with a different skin. They share the exact same waveforms although I think the XV-5080 had a few of its own presets.

 

The biggest problem is that all the Roland plugs are really CPU-heavy, still, though. Even Zenology.

 

 

So did you move from the purchased license to a cloud subscription? Did they give you a discount on the subcription because you already had a license for Zenology Pro?

 

I don't know about the plugins, but the hardware XV5080 had all the presets of the 1080 plus 2 or 3 extra banks with new stuff, and more MFX, iirc. I assumed the plugin would be identical, which would make it a no-brainer over the 1080 plugin at the same price.

 

I've heard more people comment on the CPU-hunger of Roland's VI's. If this is gonna happen, it will coincide with the purchase of a new MBP, which I hope will be up to the challenge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So did you move from the purchased license to a cloud subscription? Did they give you a discount on the subcription because you already had a license for Zenology Pro?

 

No I've only had the Ultimate subscription tier, but I considered the option of only getting Zenology.

 

I don't know about the plugins, but the hardware XV5080 had all the presets of the 1080 plus 2 or 3 extra banks with new stuff, and more MFX, iirc. I assumed the plugin would be identical, which would make it a no-brainer over the 1080 plugin at the same price.

 

Exactly, the -hardware- 5080 is indeed a completely different beast (in fact, I have one in my rack, with several expansions boards) but the 1080 plugin that was released a while back actually already was a "5080". It had all the waveforms (1083) of the HW unit, versus only 448 on the 1080. So yes, the software version is basically only a reskin job.

 

I've heard more people comment on the CPU-hunger of Roland's VI's. If this is gonna happen, it will coincide with the purchase of a new MBP, which I hope will be up to the challenge.

 

Well, I have a 16" MBP with plenty of juice from 2020 and I can tell you it still struggles with Roland's plugs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lifetime keys are a good step, but the lack of an offline mode is unappealing.

So I'd have to be connected to the internet during a live gig?

 

No thanks. I have to connect to the mixer for my monitor mix.

 

~ vonnor

Gear:

Hardware: Nord Stage3, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit

Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Well, I have a 16" MBP with plenty of juice from 2020 and I can tell you it still struggles with Roland's plugs.

 

:freak:

 

Yikes! Definitely something to consider. Maybe the new CPU"s will make a diff but with the extra translation layer I seriously doubt that. The Cloud states their plugins are currently being tested with Big Sur :facepalm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Lifetime keys are a good step, but the lack of an offline mode is unappealing.

So I'd have to be connected to the internet during a live gig?

 

No thanks. I have to connect to the mixer for my monitor mix.

I could be wrong (because I still find Roland's cloud offerings confusing), but I don't think it needs constant connection, but rather periodic authorization. How long activation "lasts" after the last online connection, and whether that automatically resets every time you use the stuff with an online connection, I don't know.

 

But I don't think it's a good choice for gigging anyway, because (as I recently learned), there's no way to change patches except from the computer itself, which I wouldn't want to be doing at a gig. So for gigging, to me, it seems like it's maybe good for up to 16 sounds for the night, assuming you can at least leave one sound assigned to each MIDI channel, and your rig allows for easy patch selection via addressing different MIDI channels.

 

Discussed at http://forums.rolandclan.com/viewtopic.php?p=329367

 

If someone sees something I'm missing here, I'd be glad to know...

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the value would be in downloading and exporting to a Zen compatible keyboard. I had hoped that Zenology would provide me a good PC-based editor for my AX-Edge, but now it turns out that the full editor (and that's just for individual voices) is over $200 per year.

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the value would be in downloading and exporting to a Zen compatible keyboard. I had hoped that Zenology would provide me a good PC-based editor for my AX-Edge, but now it turns out that the full editor (and that's just for individual voices) is over $200 per year.

 

If you have the Pro Membership you get Zenology Pro for $9.99/month which is all you need. As far as I can tell you don't need Ultimate to edit and transfer patches to your Zen Core compatible synths like the AX-Edge. However, if that's all you are going to use Zenology for then even $99 per year is a lot.

 

One new feature available with Pro membership is Pro Access Selector. This gives you access to 2 Legendary Instruments, for example TR909 and JUNO106. This was a good option for me as I only wanted access to a couple of the Legendary Instruments.

 

As for authorization - it's a pain. I probably get this error about once a week "Authorization Error - RCM Service not connected". So I have to reboot the computer - that usually works. No way could you use this for gigs and might even be a problem doing a studio session.

 

[EDIT] And having just written that post I decided to load Zenology Pro and guess what? I had to reboot my computer because I got a authorisation error!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...