While Roland's early Juno synths have attained classic status in the electronic music production community, some of the more recent keyboards to bear the Juno name have been targeted more at performers and songwriters.
This looks to be the case with the new Juno-DS, a portable keyboard that runs on mains power or batteries and comes in 61- and 88-note configurations. There's talk of an improved line-up of acoustic/electric piano and organ sounds - though the 1,000-plus soundset from the Juno-Di has also been retained - and internal waveform expansion via USB.
The number of adjustable parameters and real-time controls has also been increased in comparison to previous generation Junos, while the eight Phrase Pads enable players to fire off samples or music clips. There's a mic input, plus a dedicated vocal reverb, a built-in vocoder and an Auto Pitch effect.
Recording can be done using the eight-track sequencer, though if you want to hook the Juno-DS up to a computer there's a built-in USB audio/MIDI interface. The keyboard's controls can also be used to adjust those in your DAW.
Find out more about the Roland Juno-DS on the Roland website. Prices for the two models are still to be confirmed.
