NEW FANTOM-G, PLEASE TALK HERE

Sorry , forgot to give you the website.

http://www.roland.com/synth/fantom/artists.html

Enjoy !

Radek wrote:

Per patch effects, vastly improved sequencer, dramatically better user
interface - F-G looks excellent. Much better than MotifXS or Korg M3.
Actually perhaps even better than Oasys in many regards.



Per-patch effects is excellent. I've been hoping for that for some time.

What is bad? Polyphony - indeed. It could be bigger.

128 Poly? Yeah, I agree.

256MB of PCM - not that bad. Don't compare it with softsamplers where
developers just waste gigabytes of memory.

Well, maybe. But some of the software of which you speak does more than simply stream off of a hard drive. Kontakt, in particular, has a ton of other features, such as waveshaping that isn't available on hardware synths.

128 midi tracks - fantastic! Even if you not use more than 16 timbres it
will allow to make arrangements more conveniently. Doesn't MV series has 128
already?

Yes, and that always baffled me. If you only have two output ports, then you can only have 16x16 channels. You may be right about arrangement convenience, but I wouldn't have much use for 8 times the same channel. Or four times the same channel on two different ports...

Better surface controls - big LCD, buttons and faders - perfect.

Did you notice that there is a mouse port? I like that, but I don't understand why they don't give you a VGA out (like the VS2000/2400).

Only one audio input and lack of multitrack recording - again I'd expect
something like 4x2 inputs but oh well...

Yeah -- it ain't an Oasys, that's fer sure...

Overall OSes usability - yet to be determined... but by just looking at F-G's
pictures it's clear Roland has much more sense than other newest workstations.

This keyboard is definitely aimed at the live-music crowd. It is a "workstation," but most people these days use hardware sequencers as sketch pads, or to control external equipment. I would consider a keyboard like this if I were playing in a GB band. Or a wedding band. Or if I were, say, 16 years old and wanted to impress a girl. (Not being sarcastic! When I was 16, my ESQ1 got me more dates than an AMC Pacer could have.)

- Sammy

ok, here goes my first opinion to the facts: ( I wont make any oppinion to how it sounds since I only do that with "my hears"and not my eyes)

-The Fantom-G looks absolutely AMAZING.
- In spite of what many guys say, I don't think that it's a bad thing to keep the same soundwave set of the X plus SRX. The raw waves are already too good and I don't believe that the exact Patch and Performances were kept. See the Artist page on the dedicated site. These guys sure did their job on the G. More this will aloud everyone to keep their projects HAS IS.
-The display is more then I could ask for. Even not beeing a "touchscreen" I believe,from what I see in the pics, that you hardly be lost.
- The "Ivory Feel" keyboard on the G8 is a dream come true. I've tested this keyboard on some already available Roland pianos (like the RG-7/3 and HPI6s) and its absolutely awsome.
- I was never an "effects" guy. My XP only had 1 MFX and I could live with it. My X8 has 3 and I though it was cool. Now 1 PFX for EACH part plus 2 MFX plus Chorus plus Rev plus Mastering .... what can I say ....
-Well, ok, we could ask for 256 voices but, personally, I never had an issue with the 128 on the X. Again, my XP only had 64.
- From what Jim already said, the G has a new file system. What ever that is, it can only be better
- The Audio interface can finally stream audio and MIDI - time to get rid of my EDIROL UA-25 and ... 24 Audio track??? WOW!!! how many years have passed since I used a 4 track tape recorder...

OTHER GOODIES

If you go to Roland US and zoom the images you'll find a lot more of interesting things:

from left to right:
- the S1 and S2 are now placed near the bender.
- The STOP, PLAY, REC buttons now take a better focus
- We cleary have a STUDIO, LIVE and SINGLE MODES/buttons and dedicated Favorites button.
- We now have a LED display for TEMPO
- The F buttons under the display are now perfectly alined with the display "functions".
- Cursor and dial are now integrated in a single space "á lá" GT
- dedicated buttons for the Expansions
- the SAVE/LOAD button disapeared. I always considered confusing having a SAVE/LOAD and a WRITE button. We'll see how they manage to deal with these functions
- The PADS now take a lot more functions.

Well, it seems that Roland listens to their users after all. At least they listened to me
For myself, and this is a first for me since I NEVER bought a keyboard without listening to it, I'll be looking for a buyer for my X8 and wait for the G8 arrival.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=920&ParentId=72

check out the video

Does an yone know the price yet?

Hey Jim you just beat me to it, I was just going to post that link. I'll be down to see you tomorrow, I'll looking forward to all the new toys and taking some photos and video to share with all here at the Clan.
Here's a clickable link: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=920&ParentId=83
See ya tomorrow.
Dan

Jim Stout,

I prefer Roland sounds but currently own a Motif XS6 because of its live performance capabilities for my electonic dance music--e.g. the Motif lets you choose 4 simulatenous arps available out of over 6600 choices, which can also be changed and mixed into 5 combinations of 4 different arps each, for verses, chorus, bridges, etc. This is why I went with the Motif over the Fantom-X despite liking many of the other features of the Fantom-X better. So my question is how has the Fantom-G improved the arps for live performance use? Are more than two (more than simply one arp plus one rhythm) available simultaneously? and can they be changed with the push of a single button to alternate through different arp setups--e.g. verse-->chorus-->bridge-->back to verse, etc.? Sort of like an arranger does it (e.g. a-->b-->c-->d, etc.)? If so, I can see myself switching to the Fantom-G, otherwise in all likelihood not.

Also, the specs on the ARX boards are vague. Are these full synthesizer engines or merely ROM samples like the SRX boards, or a combination of the two? What is the polyphony of the ARX boards? Are they multimbral? Can both ARX boards be played simultaneously? And if they are new synth engines, is there a *synthesizer* ARX board coming out soon that will have VA and FM synthesis?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Fantom-G is wacker than I thought it would be.

It's no upgrade from the Fantom X like the Motif XS was for the ES models. I think I'll keep my X because upgrading might eliminate some of my SRX card sounds. I don't think they put every single SRX card sound in the unit.

Who the hell care to pay all that money for a slightly better interface? I sure the heck wouldn't.

Highly disappointed at Roland for the ripoff. Yeah Thanks Roland for nothing.

I was thinking for the extra money and evolution of the product we would get better sampling features. Maybe some new innovative ARP engine like everybody else and stop being left off the bandwagon. Maybe something new, something innovative. I guess my money will be going to an XS after all for high quality sounds plus 6000 + new ARPs to get the creative ball rolling and a nice enough big screen and USB ports for drives.

Haven't read all the posts yet, or watched the video on Roland's website, so forgive me if this has been addressed. The question I have is the song files from the FX. Will the Fantom G read the files, or can they be converted to the FG, or do you have to save them as MIDI files to port them over?

That would be a major deciding factor for me to consider moving over to the G.

Well so far from what has been reported I'm well impressed.The USB 2 inclusion will make my life much easier and I like the fact that they have taken live users into such account,its where i earn my most money from as a musician.I'm with you V-CeeOh my X8 will be replaced but due to weight issues and i'm reluctant to say this but I will have to opt for the G7. I will wait until I hear one but I'm happy with the X8's sound so I think its a no brainer really.Well done Roland,cant wait to see how the sequencer works.

Just would like to point, after seeing the video, at the beggining I cleary hear that there are NEW SAMPLES along with the X and SRX waves.

Yeah!!!

Thats whats up Jim stout thanks for posting the link.

respect

ctimmerman I second that.

I don't mind having to do a little work like recreating a drum kit. But It would be nice with a list of what they did and didn't include from the srx boards as I use them quite a bit.

Will it recognise for example that a song uses "bigger brass" from srx in part 7. I suspect not. Although considering the huge jump in song file size from my xp to my fantom-S you would have hoped that data was stored. (Don't answer these Jim, You're busy enough already)

Not optimistic. I'm gonna have lots of work to do I fear.

On the bright side:

MFX per part.

Thankyou Roland. Thankyou very much.

And thankyou Jim Stout for making his already busy day harder by providing updates.

The Arps are all updaded and the RPS mode is more detailed for sure. The ARX boards are like complete synth additions w/ there own user interface.


kday, please buy a motif xs.

Kday why so negative man, things are never going to be perfect but this is a great leap for Roland.