first person ever, to advise turning self tapping screws backwards, to find original grooves. well done, on another fine video

Really missed these keyboard tear downs and fixes-so a real treat from Markus and Roland

Nice video Markus -- as always. I've been working with electronics (mostly tape recorders) for over 40 years, and I see this problem all the time on record/play switches in vintage tape recorders and their volume/tone controls. Makes no difference, reel to reel, 8-track, or cassette -- they all get taken down eventually by this issue. The issue is the air around us. 40-50 years ago -- when the machines were new - no problem. But within a year, many of the machines were in for service - basically cleaning of the contacts! Of course, in those days, air pollution was much worse - at least in the US. And even today, there are really polluted areas where some people are living. My chemistry professor explained in one university lecture, how it works. I'm not as eloquent as he was, but I'll try to be... We live with air pollution from vehicles and other sources that we never think of as pollution (i.e. cooking - have you ever burnt toast?) Heating systems (like forced hot air and even steam radiators) can also contribute to the pollution because hot air rises, and carried particulate with it. Think of the oceans teeming with plankton (enough to keep giant whales alive!) and you get the picture. The atmosphere is basically an ocean of gas -- and gas can go anywhere that is NOT hermetically sealed. The atmosphere itself brings the pollution with it until it comes to rest on the metal contacts and carbon pads and gets attached through a type of molecular bonding. Over time, this forms a coating that insulates the components! Since there is not much current in any of these electronic systems at the switching level, there isn't enough electrical power (as you know, current, not voltage is power) to "arc" through this "film" and close the contacts. To make matters worse, if the machine (or keyboard) is in a smoker's environment, that smoke can be very sticky, so the problem is made worse. And even cooking smoke and grease can be carried in the air into the keyboard (or tape recorder). It's actually "fluid dynamics" at work. Our natural world that we take for granted. I have even seen where the pollution is so bad (smog laden areas, smoker environment, cooking in a one room apartment or even an "open" - loft-style apt. layout (where the kitchen is exposed to the rest of the living space) that the "ink" resistor track on potentiometers can get eaten away and the control is useless. I have a video about a Wollensak tape recorder where I had to replace the resistive track boards in the volume controls because the original tracks were simply GONE! When I worked on pipe organs, I saw how this same problem ate tiny pinholes right through the delicate leather membranes used in elector-pneumatic systems, (tracker systems, which are completely mechanical, didn't have this problem), causing massive repair problems, and in some cases, churches sold off their old pipe organs and bought electronic replacements because it was cheaper than the cost of pipe organ repairs! That's my experience, anyway. Sorry for the overly long comment.

This video is a very valuable resource to anyone facing such issues with their instrument. Thanks for making it!

You are a lifesaver!!! I bought my Roland Juno D with my first paycheck in 2005. It sounds amazing but several keys stopped working about five years ago. I’m so glad you made this video! Thanks!!!

Thank you for a great, helpful video. I just experienced this issue with a few keys on my Roland Gaia SH-01 that I had just taken out of a case after about 2 years of non-use. I tested your method with one key first and it worked first time, so I took the time to clean all of the keys as I figured I had already taken out the many screws so why not invest a bit more time cleaning them all for good measure! Everything is working fine now. It was much easier to do once I had watched your informative video that include step-by-step deconstruction and reconstruction of a similar item, including your tips. It saved me a heap of cash, time and heartache an I am immensely relieved as well so thank you heaps!

Thanks for a wonderful video. Just bought this used keyboard and it had 3 dead keys. Cleaning them helped. Editing and attention to details are amazing!

when a was a teen I've bought this synth on the internet, and it was broken. I've even played gigs with it lol) But now, I have the new rubber set for it, and what I'm saying is: I've been waiting for this tutorial for ages (literally)

Hello Markus, I have to tell you that with me being somewhat of a perfectionist (although far from being perfect, as none are) and having nearly 4 decades of hands on skilled trades experience, you have thoroughly impressed me with your ability to convey instructional information! Your demeanor and voice deflection, along with the knowledge of your skill set, makes it quite easy for people (me included) who may not possess the skills or ability that you offer. Additionally, your visual tutorial was exceptional! I will continue to view your videos in the hope of enhancing my desired knowledge of your craft (Proverbs 9:9). God speed to you and your family. Billy

dude, my juno has this exact issue. this video rocks... saved me SO MUCH time. thanks

This helped me fix a dead key on my Roland FP-30. It had good chunk of gunk between the keybed and contact surfaces. Thanks a bunch mate! You saved me a bunch of money and huge amount of nerves!

Excellent tutorial, followed instruction and repaired my Juno -D thank you

Thanks for the video! I repaired our Juno D yesterday based on this! Thank You very much! I did 2 mistakes. When picking off the springs, I had keyboard turned upside down. So I noticed the keys just fall apart by themself. ;) but I can manage to move them as a group.

Hello Markus, thank you for the simple and clear instructions which fixed the dead keys for my Casio CTK-4000.

Thank you so much man!! I accidentally spilled juice all over my Blofeld Keyboard and this really helped fixing it!

Thanks sooooo much. I just followed your video and fully restored my korg triton LE. May God bless you sir.

Thanks for this. Great guide. I had an issue where for whatever reason my keys wouldnt sit right and they would pull keys down beside them. You have to break it back down and play with how they sit to remedy that. Just something to be aware of for anyone doing this. As you put the springs on test each key and make sure it is working mechanically sound before you put it al back together.

Same keyboard, same problem, and now same solution I hope! Will try this over the weekend for sure. Another 20 years of fun in sight! I'll only be 75 when I'll have to do this again ;)

im here cause i had this problem with all my notes and all i had to do (other that watch this awesome video to give me some basic knowledge and hope☺️) was to open it like that and just clean the dust. im saing that to anyone case it may be that easy to fix also just saying.. video like this makes me apreciate and love so much internet, its so nice that people spead theire knowledge on something they love And help everyone for free

Thanks! Just had to do this to mine for the second time and your video was a great refresher!

Super excellent video! You reminded me I must clean my Juno 60 and JD-800. It takes me way more than 2 hours though. You are amazing at it! I wish you lived closer. I'd have you do it for me and I'd be happy to pay for your time. Take care, Sam.

Thank you very much. This is the only video I could find about this problem---the same problem that has plagued my Roland HP-100 piano--same key design, same troublesome rubber contact switches. On the piano, the main issue hasn't been that many completely dead keys, as on your Juno--it's been the loss of dynamics, or velocity sensitivity, resulting in certain notes sounding at full volume regardless of how hard the key was struck. And it will do that intermittently and unpredictably, in a most annoying manner, in the middle of a piece. For years, I was ordering new rubber key strips and replacing them, which would fix the problem temporarily until a different key would start doing the same thing. But now the strips are no longer available, so I have tried the contact cleaning method, with temporary and mixed results. Too bad, because it's an otherwise pretty nice old piano....

Yes Sir, this will surely help for some dead keys on my M audio Axiom. It gave a kind of confidence to open the keyboard.

Some of these Juno D's had an issue with rubbish rubber contacts. I replaced ours with new upgraded ones years ago. It hasn't been used in a whole , but still works. Great synths especially the way you can combine patches.

This is great info!! Required viewing for synth owners and collectors.

Brilliant. I have a different keyboard I have to repair and I learned exactly what to do. Thank you. Bravo.

Hey , man thanks for posting this video it helped me alot i have the same keyboard and also some of the keys were not working , i dissasambled mine in july of this year and left it like that for months, now i didn't know how to put it back together but thanks to your video it worked for me

Great vid. Did exactly as you said and stripped, cleaned and reassembled my Roland E15 to working order after 5 keys went dead. Did it 4 times to check correct orientation of the carbon silicon pads!! 😂

Such a wonderful video (and person!). Greetings from Chile, you've saved my days in Quarantine.

Thanks for the great video, Markus! I love your keyboard tear down and repair videos! Anything to do with synths and keyboards and digital music is appreciated.

Hi thank you very much for such a thorough tutorial. I have an 93 yrs old neighbor. He has a roland kr 4500. 2 problems 1 the middle C does not bounce back. One has to lift it to back each time 2 it sometimes make strange echoy sound when played as it the sustain paddle was down played upon starting.ig has to be turned off then on again and this phenomenondisappears. I very much want to repairthis for him as this is the only entertaiment he has...

Nice video! My keyboard is a different brand but being like 20 years old (though without much use at all until now) I noticed some keys require a bit more force to register nowadays, and "touch sensitivity" especially can require quite some "hammering" so as to get the note properly audible. This should help me along the right path for getting it cleaned up :)

Really keyed up about this video! ;) I've seen that keyboard a very long time ago, in a shop. Rolland always did make a great keyboard. Thanks for the video.

Hi Markus, thank you for the video. I see it requires some patience to do this surgery. I have a Roland Juno-D and guess what, most keys are not working anymore. Surprise, surprise. I dont like these carbon contacts in rubber. Up to now i am using a midi keyboard connected to the Juno D. Sooner or later i need to do it. On the display board the switches to change the sounds aren't working well either. Well this synthesizer is old and has seen better days. But i like what we can do with this old thing and i would never give it away.

Thank you Markus for this video I have the same keyboard like this Roland Juno-D and three (3) keys are dead now I know what to do. Thank you

A few years back I did the same on a Roland JD-800. The rubber pads look a bit different. The plungers are thicker at the top to keep them in place, like a hook. However in my case cleaning them was not good enough because the velocity of the keys was not uniform, very noticeable. I ended up replacing all rubber strips. They can be ordered online from Roland and were reasonably priced. Just a few quid each.

Ohhhhhhhh dude! You chuffing LIFE SAVER!! My Juno suffers the same problem, I lost several of my keys to this issue. Cleaning solved some of it bu a few are still tetchy. The software for it for PC will save all your work via a midi dump. I use it to save my performance presets like a song dump, so if I wanted it to be part of a song I do I save all the preset work, settings etc then save out the performance data to the software and save that as a file on pc. The reverse is true for dumping back to the Juno for 'Loading' your song presets. The software lets you do live changes like preset, volume, effects etc while the keyboard is playing although as it is Midi, it can lag a little if there is a lot going on. You ever find out what the spare places on the board are for where LEDs and switches would go? I imagine another version or type maybe had a sequencer built in..? The Patches I use most on it are the Drum Kits as they are great and its orchestral sounds like Piano and and Brass make great additions to songs. Yes, taking the keys off is a pain as they are individual and sprung. I like how the silver springs are for the white keys and gold springs for the black keys, but the keys HAVE to go back on in the right order ( they have little letters and numbers embossed into them underneath ) Thank you soooo much for getting a JUNO D and sharing this experience.

I did the same fix on a D50, and it worked. It's a shame that things made even after 1986 will fail, and imagine pulling that rubber strip off in another 10, 20 years! Ohh, Roland.

Very,very THANK YOU for this interesting and helpful video.Greetings from Poland.kris

Thanks Markus. Great video. I have some issues with my key bed on my JD800. ( 2 keys sticking down) I will hope to find some info on this issue to repair. Thanks for your time and Vidoes. Merry Christmas

I was not aware you had a video on cleaning the Juno D ! I actually purchased one last year for 60 $, with the same issue, but also with many dead tact switches. I’ve cleaned up the keyboard with isopropyl alcohol. For the switches, I spread a drop of Deoxit, and then spin them with a rubber coated piece of wood and a drill. Very efficient. By the way, a pretty good keyboard; I originally planned selling it after repair, but once fixed I was impressed by the sounds and I finally kept it.

I read somewhere that the problem with the rubber is that in order to keep it soft the factories under cook it and it causes the silicone to sweat out after some time, it's similar to what happens with rubber buttons from remote controllers, but people think that it's the oils in their hands and it could be but silicone oils are also the problem.

the best part of each Markus's video is the music in the end :-)

woo Hoo! New Markus video!

Nice fix! In the USA we have these Pink Pearl brand pencil eraser bars. You can use those to remove oxidation and shine up the metal contacts on the PCB... Just DO NOT use that if they are black carbon contacts on the PCB. Once rubbed, wipe away any eraser dust and clean with the Isopropyl Alcohol. Some of these older rubber bits are silicone rubber and will leach out the oil, causing problems. Looks like the Juno didn't have those, which is a bit of a Godsend.

Excellent video! Thank you very much!

Thank you ! I have a Roland Fa06. One of these keys high D is not working. I will try this on my own. Thank you very much. Freddy. Miami. Fl Usa. Very similar to the Juno...

Here's a tip for pushing the rubber nipples back through the printed circuit board: use a plastic "soft-pick" meant for cleaning between teeth. This is less likely to tear the rubber than a micro screwdriver or a paper clip. That said, cleaning the contacts did not fix my problem. What did was trimming the rubber bumper (this is a rubber ring on the end of the keybed support for each key) for the too-quiet keys, allowing them to travel down a fraction of a millimeter farther with each press so they make better contact with the sensor.

Loving the music today.

BRAVO!!!!! Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2023!

Excellent job sir

Super helpful. Thanks for sharing.

THANK YOU, thank you for this very helpful RECORDING. Regards.

1:28 is proof Marcus is a synth god!

Muy bien explicado Saludos desde Barcelona José Movilandia 😎💥💥👍

Picked mine up within the last year with the same issues, 're-painted' the rubber contacts with a kit off ebay and it's been fine. Great little keyboard, not sure it deserves the Juno moniker though :D

Really educative🌻thanks

Enlightening as ever. Thanks for the video. :)

Love your videos!

Quite the overhaul, I've had to do the same thing in spot areas on my Roland Piano for years and over time fluff and dust and crap does this and unless you keep it covered (which I did) it will happen to most keyboards and they all seem to have the same rubber pads.

haha use it like a soundsbank with a midi keyboard, that problem i had with mine some of my keys are like these but wehat does that mather when you dont had any sounds on it at all even with a midikeyboard why didnt you found my synth you maby are the man to fix it for me ;D

Funny, Yesterday for the first time i have exchaned one strip of rubber contacts in my Nord Lead 2, and it went pretty well.Technique was the same as in Juno. It was worth it cause in the repair shop they wanted to charge me ca 120 dollars ( 90 euro) for that !!! Rubber strip (12 notes) cost me 15 dollars so that was the whole cost of repair.

I have a problem in the roland juno g regarding the keys when disarming all the keys were mixed and I have several F1 c1 g1 and repeated and I do not know how to reassemble. there are always 3 keys 2 white and one black without being able to work when everything was ok before disarming thank you very much for your help

Thanks for this!

Thanks from France :) (one dead key on a Roland EM-55)

good video - with good zoom parts

I've missed your repair videos so it was great to see this. I guess it's been slim pickings lately at the car boot sales?

Very good tutiriyal sir thanks from mumbai

Hi! Thanks so much for this. I am currently cleaning the contacts. One further question though, as someone who only really takes apart computers usually, did you find quite a bit of grease on the front and back contact point of the keys as you took them off? Should I be replacing this grease after I am done? A lot of it seems to have worn away. Or can I just clean it off, as it seems quite dusty and hairy at this point. Thanks again, so helpful!

I did the same with my Roland U-20 and changed the battery while diving in there. Took me around 5 hours.

going over the carbon pads with a pencil or some caikote44 in addition to the alcohol works well. My keys died with almost no use, so they must just die with time.

Very nice man.. Thank u soooooooo MUCH!

Thnx for making this video...

Hi markus, I'm having a similar issue with my Juno D and that led me to your video. First of all thank you so much for your time, I watched the whole thing and I'm almost ready to perform this surgery on my keyboard, but I need to ask a question first. Instead of completely dead keys, I got only two "dead" keys but they're only dead when one is played while holding another. They're working fine on their own and they're also fine when I play them at the same time, but when I hold either, the other one will produce no sound, it's very strange and specific. Do you think that I will benefit from doing the procedure shown in the video or am I dealing with something completely different? Once again thank you so much.

Thank you so much. This was very helpful. Save me from taking to the shop[.

Well done, cheerio.

yararlı bilgiler,bizimle paylaştığın için tesekkürler.

thank you! Now I can fix my roland keyboard!

thanks you so much

good job.

The carbon always seems to breakdown in those types of switches. I've seen them get completely wet with oxidized goo. Sometimes the contacts on each end of the ribbon need cleaning too.

Sounds like the keystop felt may have hardened over time too - whenever I open a keybed I usually check it out and either try to fix it or even just replace it. Playing a keyboard with a hard keystop is hard on the joints!

Great, used the contact cleaning info and fixed my JX1. Woohoo!

The other mistake I noticed when the keyboard was assembled, ready. The middle A moved the neighbor black keys too. So I needed to disassemble the synth again. I found out a soft material on the upper and bottom part where the keys hit. To make the hut soft. So the top part consist of 2 stripes, they fall apart and a part fall to bottom making pull of the other keys. I needed to stick this back.

PERFECT - thanks

Nice treatment, I have also the same problem in my Roland EX30 which has midoctave key no sounding problem, please solve my problem , my keyboard is 4 month older,

I love tear downs. 👍

Marc, Wonderful video!! Thank you! Will this contact-cleaning work on a Roland KR 360 as well?

Hello Markus. Firstly, thank you for posting this insighful video on repairing faulty keys in a syntheziser. I am trying to fix my own vintage 1978 Roland RS09 Musical Keyboard. I am the original owner. The issue is with it the 3 push buttons (sound selectors) - 1 for the Organ and other 2 for Strings. They work off and on, sometimes with a mild press / wiggle / nudge. Except for this issue, all other functions work perfectly. I have now opened the keyboard and have access to the selector buttons but do not see how they can be detached or cleaned. Apperciate any advice on what needs to be done to rectify this issue.Thank you.

I have an old synth with similar key contacts that I was about to open up and clean it so much appreciated. There was another repair youtuber I ran across (sorry can't recall where I found the video) who showed a similar repair along the lines of this and similar to the SH-101 keyboard repair you did with a pencil. In that video the repair guy mentioned repainting the tips of the graphite spots with a graphite paint. Have you heard of this/had any success with this method/encourage or discourage this procedure? Do you think it would hold up over time?

Nice music 😎

The better way of cleaning the contacts is not with isopropyl alcohol but putting kitchen surface cleaner white past. Both on the rubber contacts and the contact circuit boards. Apply the soap at neat strength. Rinse well in running water. I worked for a keyboard manufacturer abroad and water is absolutely used in the cleaning of electronic components. (Google cleaning of electronic circuits using water) Dry the washed circuit boards and rubber contacts using a slightly warm hair dryer. The first contact tells the cpu count backwards from 127. The 2nd contract stops the count down reads the count value and converts to a velocity reading. If the first contact is dirty the count won't start and the 2nd contact will read 127 always. Which is why the volume of the key will be very loud If the 2nd contract is dirty the STOP and READ THE VALUE will not happen and the volume will be Zero.

1:30 EPIC CHROMATIC KEY SOLO IN 10/8

great

My Alesis QX49 had one, single key stop working. I took it apart, cleaned everything just like you did yours in the video; put it all back together and the same darn key still did not work. Any ideas?

markus helolo great video. im looking for some advice. ive placed my new contacts on my digital piano but after a few minutes of playing some of them seem to be popping out of there place. the feet dont stay in to well with certain keys. any tips on keeping them down? a tape? glue? although i cant imagine that would be good. just looking for anything from anybody whos delt with this issue thanks much in advance!

Unfortunately my several 'dead keys' still won't sound after cleaning all contacts, could there be issues with circuitry? I appreciate you showing me this as it did save me paying someone else to do it but it seems it may require more $ fixing it than its worth.

roland keyboards cabinet changes is possible??roland jv-35

Awesome video! Save them, don’t bin them!

The other 30% of 70% isopropyl alcohol is indeed water. The reason that 99% is better is some residues are hydrophobic and will not go into solution if there is water present (solder flux residue is particularly troublesome in this regard).