By the end of the 1970s, Roland established itself as a major manufacturer, and in 1981 Mr. Ikutaro Kakehashi opened four new companies in three months. Roland UK, Roland GmbH and Musitronic AG in Switzerland. He also established a new Japanese division called AMDEK (Analogue Music Digital Electronics Kits)
Back to the early 80’s, the Prophet 5 and Oberheim OB series dominated the polyphonic synthesizer market. Having that in mind the Jupiter-8’s success, initiated in 1981, took every one by storm.
But what made the Jupiter-8 so successful? Well, in terms of sonic possibilities, it complemented its competition by bringing something different. The Jupiter-8 was capable of creating very versatile sounds. You could easily make “fat” or “crystal” sounds with it. In fact, the Jupiter-8 sounded the way it looked, ‘sleek and polished’. Offering oscillator sync, cross modulation, a switchable 12dB/24dB filter and polyphonic portamento, the sound design opportunities were endless. You could easily save and load patches via its cassette interface. Even a superb arpeggiator was included. And last but not least, the Jupiter 8 was more reliable than its competition, and the sound was more consistent from model to model. Therefore it was very attractive for stage and studio use. In 1982, Roland released an upgraded Jupiter-8, the JP8A. It upgraded the Jupiter-8 with a number of enhancements including an improved DAC with a higher resolution of the auto-tuning system from 12- to 14-bit, plus a brighter LED screen. The Jupiter-8 has become one of the most revered of all synthesizers.
The electro-pop community became quickly convinced by the qualities of the Jupiter-8. “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was produced incorporating a Jupiter 8, and players such Vince Clarke, Howard Jones, John Foxx, and Martyn Ware were also using it. The path to classic status of the Jupiter started there.
Other artists that have used The Jupiter-8 include: Tangerine Dream, Underworld, Jean Michel Jarre, Depeche Mode, Prince, Gary Wright, Adrian Lee, Heaven 17, Kitaro, Elvis
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