Roland J-6 User manual

J-6 (Version 1.02)
Owner’s Manual

Table of contents
2
Table of contents
Panel Descriptions ....................................................................3
Top Panel.................................................................................. 3
Rear Panel ................................................................................ 5
Selecting Patterns .....................................................................6
Selecting Sounds.......................................................................8
Using the Sequencer................................................................9
Using Chord Mode................................................................. 14
Using the Phrase Function.................................................. 16
Functions and Menus ........................................................... 17
Connecting to a Computer or Mobile Device..............20
Factory Reset and Backup/Restore ..................................21
Main Specifications ................................................................22
Signal Flow ................................................................................23
Chord Set List ...........................................................................24
Phrase List..................................................................................31
MIDI Implementation Chart................................................32

Panel Descriptions
3
Panel Descriptions
Top Panel
1. Jacks
Controller
Explanation
CHARGE
indicator
When charging via USB port:
Orange (lit): Charging.
Green (lit): Charging is completed.
Green and orange (blinking): A charging error occurred. Please contact your dealer or a Roland customer
service center.
https://roland.cm/service
When not charging via USB port:
Red (lit): The remaining battery power is low. Charge the battery.
*The unit powers down within 30 minutes.
SYNC IN jack
Use this jack to input synchronization signals from an external device.
SYNC OUT jack
Use this jack to output synchronization signals to an external device.
MIX IN jack
This is the audio input jack.
The sound from connected devices is output from the MIX OUT jack.
MIX OUT jack
This is the audio output jack.
You can plug a pair of headphones into this jack.
[VOLUME] knob
Adjusts the volume of audio coming from the MIX OUT jack.
*Use cables with monaural mini phone type plugs to connect to/from the SYNC IN/OUT jacks. Do not use cables with stereo
mini phone type plugs, as these cables do not work.
*Do not connect an audio device to the SYNC OUT jack. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
*If an external device is connected to the SYNC IN jack, the unit synchronizes with the clocks inputted to the SYNC IN jack,
regardless of the MIDI Clock Sync setting.
*Use cables with stereo miniature phone type plugs to connect to/from the MIX IN/OUT jacks. Do not use cables with
monaural mini phone type plugs, as these cables do not work.

Panel Descriptions
4
2. Common
Controller
Explanation
Display
This is a four-digit, seven-segment LED display.
[TEMPO/VALUE] knob
Changes the values shown in the display.
[SHIFT] button
Use this in combination with other controllers.
[SOUND] button
Switches the unit to sound selection mode.
[PATTERN] button
Switches the unit to pattern selection mode.
3. Sequencer
Controller
Explanation
[ø] (PLAY) button
Plays the pattern.
Press the button again to stop playback.
[ó] (REC) button
Switches the unit to recording standby.
Press the play button to begin recording.
Step [1]–[8] buttons
You can record chord data by holding down these buttons and pressing a keyboard button.
4. Filter/effect/phrase functions
Controller
Explanation
[FILTER] knob
Adjusts the filter’s cutoff frequency.
Adjust the filter resonance by turning the [FILTER] knob while holding down the [SHIFT] button.
[ENVELOPE]
knob
Adjusts the envelope release.
Adjust the envelope attack by turning the [ENVELOPE] knob while holding down the [SHIFT] button.
[DELAY] knob
Adjusts the delay volume.
Adjust the delay time by turning the [DELAY] knob while holding down the [SHIFT] button.
[REVERB] knob
Adjusts the reverb volume.
Adjust the reverb time by turning the [REVERB] knob while holding down the [SHIFT] button.
[STYLE] knob
Selects the phrase style. The chords play differently depending on the style that you select.
Hold down the [SHIFT] button and turn the [STYLE] knob to show the style and variation that are currently set in
the display.
[VARIATION]
knob
Selects the phrase style variation.
Hold down the [SHIFT] button and turn the [VARIATION] knob to show the style and variation that are currently
set in the display.
STYLE [ON]
button
Turns the phrase function on/off.
The phrase function automatically generates various phrases based on the chords you input.
[HOLD] button
When this is turned on (lit), the last buttons you pressed stay pressed even after you take your finger off the
keyboard.
Turn this off (unlit) to cancel.
[CHORD]
button
Switches the keyboard to chord mode. When you press a keyboard button in this mode, the chord registered to
that button plays. To switch between registered chord sets, hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the
[CHORD] button.
Refer to “Using Chord Mode(P.14)” for details.
5. Keyboard
Controller
Explanation
Keyboard buttons
Use these buttons to play or to input notes into the sequencer.
Press the buttons in combination with the [SHIFT] button to access a variety of functions.

Panel Descriptions
5
Rear Panel
A. [POWER] switch
Turns the power on/off.
B. USB port (USB Type-C®)
Use a commercially available USB 2.0 cable (Type-A to C, or Type-C to C) to connect this port to your computer.
This is used to transfer USB MIDI and USB audio data.
*Do not use a USB cable that is designed only for charging. Cables used for charging only cannot transmit data.
C. MIDI IN/MIDI OUT jacks
Use TRS/TRS connecting cables (BCC-1-3535 or BCC-2-3535, sold separately) or TRS/MIDI connecting cables (BMIDI-5-35, BMIDI-1-
35 or BMIDI-2-35, sold separately) to connect this unit to an external MIDI device.
You can make this unit play in sync with a MIDI device by connecting the devices with a commercially available MIDI cable.
*Do not connect audio devices to these jacks. Doing so may cause a malfunction.

Selecting Patterns
6
Selecting Patterns
Switching between patterns
1. Press the [PATTERN] button.
Pattern mode is activated for the step buttons.
2. Press the step [1]–[8] buttons to switch between patterns.
Switching between banks
1. Hold down the [PATTERN] button and press a step [1]–[8] button.
The bank switches to the bank in the display.
* Performance data is already stored in patterns 1–1 through 2–8 by factory default.

Selecting Patterns
7
Saving a pattern
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [C (WRITE)] button on the right side of the keyboard.
Up to 64 patterns (8 patterns × 8 banks) can be saved.
2. Use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to select what to save.
Ptn: Saves the currently selected pattern.
ALL: Saves all patterns.
3. Press the [D (ENTER)] button.
This saves the pattern(s).
*Once the power is turned off, any unsaved patterns are reset to their last saved state.

Selecting Sounds
8
Selecting Sounds
Switching between sounds
1. Press the [SOUND] button.
The unit enters sound select mode.
2. Press the step [1]–[8] buttons to switch between sounds.
You can also use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to switch between sounds.
3. Press the [SOUND] button once again.
The unit returns to the previous screen.
You can also hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [C (EXIT)] button on the left side of the keyboard to go back to the
previous screen.
Switching between banks
1. Hold down the [SOUND] button and press the step [1]–[8] buttons.
The selected bank lights up while you press the [SOUND] button.
2. Take your finger off the [SOUND] button.
Once you take your finger off the [SOUND] button, the unit enters sound select mode.

Using the Sequencer
9
Using the Sequencer
Basic operations (basic steps for inputting notes)
1. Press the step [1]–[8] buttons.
The [SHIFT] button blinks, and the note you pressed on the keyboard is displayed.
2. Press the keyboard buttons.
This adds note data to the step.
If the [CHORD] button is on, the notes in the chord are inputted (this overwrites any existing data).
If the [CHORD] button is off, a single note is added. If there are already four notes in the step, you can’t input any more.
By pressing the STYLE [ON] button to make it light up, you can use the [STYLE] knob and [VARIATION] knob to play notes and
chords for the selected phrase.
On steps for which the STYLE [ON] button is unlit (STYLE: OFF), the phrase selected in the previous step continues to be used.
When the STYLE: OFF steps continue from the step at which playback begins, the phrase selected in the pattern is applied.
3. Press the step [1]–[8] buttons again.
Step editing ends, and the keyboard goes dark.
The display returns to showing the tempo.
Deleting the contents of a step
1. Press the step [1]–[8] buttons.
2. Press the note or chord’s keyboard button to delete from the keyboard buttons that are lit.
The note for the selected key button is deleted.
In the case of chords, all of the chord’s notes are deleted.
*If there is a note or chord outside of the octave range shown by the keyboard buttons, the keyboard buttons light up dimly.

Using the Sequencer
10
Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [C# (OCTAVE-)] or [D# (OCTAVE+)] buttons on the keyboard to switch octaves,
and when the keyboard button turns lit, you can delete it.
*Press the [G (CLEAR)] button on the keyboard while holding down the [SHIFT] button to delete all note and phrase data at
once.
Ø Using the Phrase Function(P.16)
Setting the tempo
The tempo is always shown on the display.
1. Turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob.
2. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to fine-tune the value in decimal
points.
You can set a different tempo for each pattern.
Switching between pages indicated on the panel
You can record sequences in eight pages of eight steps for each pattern, for a maximum of 64 steps.
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the step [1]–[8] buttons.
Doing so switches to the respective page.
While you hold down the [SHIFT] button, the displayed page lights up, and the buttons blink as they play back.
If you select a page that’s past the last step, the last step of the page you selected is automatically set as the last step.