Become a synthesizer master with Roland’s workshops at Planet Synth and get an exlcusive Exploring Sound iBook for free.

Have you ever wondered how to recreate the gurgling squelch of Daft Punk’s Da Funk or the haunting staccato of Kraftwerk’s The Model? Well wonder no more! Roland is hosting a series of synthesizer masterclasses at Planet Synth stores, exposing the tricks of the trade and teaching synth aficionados how to recreate classic sounds from 15 genre-defining songs.

The workshops take place from 15–22 September at Planet Synth stores all over the UK – and everyone is welcome. Whether you’re in the market for a new synth or you’ve already got a studio full of tech at home, this is the perfect opportunity to get under the hood of some top Roland synthesizers and learn how to make a diverse collection of the best synth sounds ever.

We’ll be using three Roland Synthesizers: the GAIA SH-01, the Jupiter 50 and the Jupiter 80, and showing you how these three synths have the scope to create just about every synth sound imaginable.

The 15 sounds we’ll be making range from iconic ‘80s lead (Europe – The Final Countdown) to serious dubstep bass (Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites). We’ll also hit a few important touchstones in between.

What’s more, our experts will be on hand to answer your questions so you can leave with a solid knowledge of synthesis and sound creation. In addition to this we will give each of those who attend an exclusive Exploring Sound iBook, a series of lessons in the science of sound with hints and tips showing you how to get the best out of your hardware or soft synthesizer.

There’s no industry qualification in making cool sounds – but these workshops are definitely the next best thing.

The following Planet stores will be hosting the Planet Synth event… All you need to do is pick a couple of these fantastic tunes and contact your local Roland Planet to arrange a 1-2-1 demonstration on building the sounds from scratch. Oh, and be sure to ask about the free Exploring Sound iBook!’

Download our 15 Iconic Synth Sounds patch for free – just save it to a USB stick and load it to your Giai synth (for Giai’s only).
Glasgow          Guitar Guitar           0141 5529896 John Sweeney

Epsom            Guitar Guitar           01372 730578 Chris Ould

Edinburgh        Red Dog                 0131 2298211 Dave Gardner

Liverpool          Dawsons                0151 7091455 Mark Harley

Reading           Dawsons                01289 581320 Garry Whitehead

PMT                Leeds                     01132 426601 Dan Taman – 20^th – 22^nd only

PMT                Manchester             0161 8776262 Marc Hassall

PMT                Birmingham             0121 359 5056 Brian Hillstead

PMT                Bristol                     01179 349955 Ross Guyatt

Guildford          Andertons               01483 456777 Kevin Jubb – 17^th – 22^nd only

Brighton           GAK                       07500 186043 Craig Fenner

Portsmouth      Nevada                   02392 205100 Drew Dauriol

Dublin              X Music                 +00 353 1 4111100 Gareth McCarthy

Check out the gear we’ll be using and the full list of tracks we’ll be recreating below.

The gear

Roland GAIA SH-01
With a robust panel of knobs and sliders, this portable synth makes sound creation a tactile pleasure and harks back to classic analog models. You’ll learn to get hands-on and control its three virtual analog engines to create a massive array of sounds.

Roland Jupiter 50
Combining synthesis with the feel and playability acoustic instruments, the Jupiter 50 takes expressive synth work to new levels. It’s also loaded with an advanced sound engine and an intuitive interface, which makes it an Aladdin’s cave of cool sounds.

Roland Jupiter 80
The most advanced synth in the Jupiter dynasty, the Jupiter 80 is a live performance powerhouse, packing integrated SuperNATURAL engines capable of creating everything from vintage synth sounds to realistic organic acoustic sounds and more.

The tracks

Just to get your creative juices flowing, here are the 15 tracks we’ll be recreating in Planet Synth stores.

Europe – The Final Countdown

Gary Numan – Are Friends Electric

Van Halen – Jump

Daft Punk – Da Funk

MGMT – Kids

Jamiroquai – Deeper Underground

Deadmau5 – Ghosts N Stuff

Muse – Bliss

Faithless – Insomnia

Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

Kraftwerk – The Model

Underworld – Born Slippy

Duran Duran – Girls On Film

Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough

Owl City – Fireflies

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