Roland has announced its latest addition to the Legendary instrument series available through Roland Cloud. Released in 1978, the JUPITER-4 was Roland’s first polyphonic synthesizer and the first to carry the JUPITER name. With the JUPITER-4 Software Synthesizer, the authentic sound of this trendsetting icon is now available as a computer-based plugin and a PLUG-OUT for the SYSTEM-8 synthesizer keyboard.

Roland products with the JUPITER name represent the current pinnacle of the company’s synthesizer development, a benchmark started over four decades ago with the JUPITER-4. In addition to incredible analog synthesis power, it brought then-revolutionary digital voltage control and the ability to store eight presets with technological wizardry dubbed “Compuphonic.” But the JUPITER-4’s real appeal was its warm, fat voice and inviting hands-on panel, which inspired synth pioneers to create the defining sounds of synth-pop, new wave, and other emerging styles of the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Roland’s evolving Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) technology brings the JUPITER-4 to life through careful analysis of original hardware units, circuit diagrams, and other historical data. This information is then used to recreate the authentic circuit behaviors of the vintage instrument—including all the beloved quirks and instabilities—giving the JUPITER-4 Software Synthesizer a breathtakingly accurate sound that buzzes with unique character.

JUPITER-4 Software Synthesizer features

  • Authentic recreation of the JUPITER-4 synthesizer using enhanced ACB technology.
  • Detailed interface gives the feel of working with the vintage hardware.
  • Double the polyphony of the original hardware (selectable from two to eight notes).
  • Circuit Mod function lets you tweak the sonic character in real time.
  • Extended parameters, advanced arpeggiator, onboard effects, and more.
  • Lush Ensemble chorus effect, plus classic reverb, flanger, delay, overdrive, and more.
  • PLUG-OUT compatibility with the SYSTEM-8 hardware synth.
  • All the original patches plus new sounds for contemporary music.
  • VST3, AU, and AAX compatibility and native support for Apple silicon.

The JUPITER-4 Software Synthesizer is available to users with Roland Cloud Pro or Ultimate membership ($99 USD and $199 USD/year, respectively).

Additionally, any Roland Account holder can purchase Lifetime Keys for individual Legendary series titles. The JUPITER-4 is also part of the Analog Polysynth Collection, a new Legendary series bundle that also includes the JUPITER-8, JUNO-60, JX-3P, and JUNO-106 software plugins.

More information: Roland