disappointed in 1.3

I know we're all "just people" here ... and have a calling to treat each other with civility ...

But Fan-G users and potential owners owe Roland NOTHING in terms of nicities or polity ... And any lack or public venting of disappointment or desires should not have any inkling on the scope of future updates ... Roland employees should consider themselves DAMN LUCKY they have jobs doing what they do ...

While it's fine some of you are "appreciative" and "grateful" for these updates, it's Roland's DUTY to bring them out AND in a timely fashion ... You've already paid them (and for an OS that up to now has basically been beta imo, which you've been testing and developing for them) ... And fleshing out the OS and adding significant missing features is the only way Roland is going to keep it's workstation rep in good order -- is it? -- and continue to build sales ...

The idea that "whining" will hurt sales and curtail updates is bollocks ... And if that's the thinking, maybe Roland should just close up shop on the Fabtom right now if that's their attitude ...

Remember, YOU'VE PAID THEM ... It's YOUR satisfaction level Roland should be concerned the utmost about ...

I think Dan was tallking more about negative youtube videos doing harm than our opinions here...

I hope you tone down your message here a bit as to not scare the Roland folk away from this site...

Quote from Dan "Dragging the name of the company through the dirt on YouTube"

Thanks!

If that's all it takes ... dang ... that was a tenuous relationship at best ...

But I think they're more committed than that ...

I'm just getting impatient for V2 ... I want to buy a new, improved Fabtom, but I'm not going to be a beta tester ... An ARX card worth owning would help matters as well ... Right now I'd be buying a Fantom G with no plans ever to fill with ARX 1,2 or 3 ...

Diametro: I think you (and the rest of us) are gonna have to wait quite a lot of time for version 2.0.

Do you own the Fantom-X? Did you buy it only when version 2 came, or earlier?

Probably ...

Is there any way we can get some stimulus money to Roland for emergency work on V2 ... ???

Diametro, sure we can... just buy a Fantom-G

Or maybe do not buy now rather.
If sale stopped for good maybe Roland would understsand at last that they should make updates not only for existing owners but mostly for potential future buyers that are hesitating now seeing how we - existing users must beg for simple but important improvements.
Fantom G even in current hardware configuration could be the best workstation if only Roland would listen to the users and provide updates quicker.

i think thats my biggest beef as well, is not that it needs updated but how damn long its taking between updates. i just dont think enough is being done to justify 6 months between updates that are rather small. yes the live users have been helped but those of us who primarily use studio mode have been largely ignored. all i ask for is a solo function, less tedious or more than basic quantizing, some better synth patches, and purpose for the mouse. i would shut up. these arent over above and beyond what should be expected in this machine.

i havent seen the "viral anti-fantom video" but a hit dog will holler. is this a problem for korg or yamaha? do they have youtube videos knocking them? not saying they dont, i just dont go looking for negative videos. i would be doing my damndest as a company to make these videos obsolete.

Personally i would have been happy with 1.3 if it had fixed 2 other important flaws..

1) Switching between single and studio resets single to 001.

2) inability to pull at least 1 whole patch with its Fx intact in studio or live (ala Fantom X)

this would have completed the package..

The other thing that is annoying is that we have no Mixer in SINGLE mode even though we use Audio tracks.
The only way to get to the Audio track mixer is to go to Studio mode, but that resets all current FX to studio setup and not single mode, and of course going back to single you have just lost your single patch settings..?? where is the logic in that?

I totally agree Quinnx. There should be an audio track mixer, no matter what mode the Fantom-G is in, just as the sequencer can run in any mode.
Also, a decent automation system for Audio tracks has to be implemented. Just as there is automation in MIDI tracks, the same could be done for audio too.

Lack of automation on audio tracks IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST REASON WHY I WON'T UPGRADE TO FANTOM-G ...

It should be on Fan-X ... and it SHOULD REALLY BE on Fan-G ...

If Roland somehow fails to implement this, I will never buy an Fabtom-G ... period ... seriously ...

At this stage i dont see or expect that to happen even in V 2.0
I mean by then if V2 becomes a reality the G will already be in the relm of passing over in to history and Roland will be getting ready to launch something else.
The best way to deal with it is.. get use to working without it then you wont miss it to begin with.
Diametro:
As Long as you can work with the X and still make good tracks
I would stick with it:
I still have to hold on to mine for legacy tracks and it adds to the G too.
All you gota do now is think what the G can ADD to X and if you want all the extra and not how it will replace it.
Because the G is now where it should have been from day one, for me its..
*USB Audio
*Faster load/save time with usb
*Near zero audio latency for virtual instruments
more studio setups
*Dedicated External midi mixer making a total of 32 parts
*Faster sample processing(editor)
*8 extra slider controllers.

Of course the things that let it down are (see above previous post)
And a few more that need improving like pfx distribution etc..

I have to mention this because I think it is very important for everyone to understand. We are in a recession, a global recession to be more precise. That includes Japan too by the way. Japan is in one of its worst recessions in decades and the light at the end of the tunnel has only now just begun to appear on the horizon - maybe. That goes for the United States, Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Canada, Russia, you name it. The Global economy is in the tank and it could get worse before it gets better. In the United States people aren't really buying non-essential big ticket items like they did a mere two years ago. People are hoarding money and putting it away rather than splurging on things that are considered luxury items or non-essentials. In fact, Roland Corporation has lost 44% of its overall sales from just two years ago. So obviously Roland is struggling just like most other companies are throughout the entire world. If Roland is generating revenue at a much slower, reduced rate, it leaves less cash on hand for R&D and/or company expansion, etc. If they have less R&D to utilize guess who suffers? Yep, we do. And they do too, of course, because they have to cut back and tighten their belts on what they spend and produce. I believe that is why the Fantom G got off to a rough start at its initial inception i.e. without a complete OS initially, etc. And that is why, in my opinion, we are waiting around for 6 months at a time for an OS update to our beloved Fantom G. Because Roland simply doesn't have the necessary abundance of cash flow available right now that they would like, to be able to do all the things that they would like to do; for themselves as a company and for their customers on the whole in my opinion. When sales tumble to almost half of what they were just two years ago or so, Roland has now apparently chosen to hunker down and cut back and unfortunately R&D seems to be one of those things that has been trimmed significantly if you ask me. If the economy improves (which there are signs that it is easing up somewhat already) and people start to spend again, and in addition, Roland's overall sales improve significantly as a result, then and only then will R&D have its proper place once again at the halls of Roland Japan.

PS: If I'm wrong in my perception about Roland's current economic state then possibly Dan or some other senior Roland executive could set the record straight. As it stands now though, I don't expect much from Roland at summer NAMM, although if the economy improves significantly by the end of this year I expect big things in store for Roland at winter NAMM '10.

Another PS: I am certainly trying to do my part to help shore up and boost Roland's otherwise meager overall sales output. I know it sounds kind of corny but if we could all step up to the plate and give Roland some additional financial support during these economic lean times it will undoubtedly reap us many rewards down the road in the way of improved customer and product support from Roland and company. I am still hoping to fill my two Fantom G ARX slots with ARX cards soon. Hopefully Roland's next offerings will be more suitable to my liking and I can finally fill 'em up.

And maybe, just maybe.. the next OS update for our Fantom G will also include some much welcome Sequencer and Mixer enhancements too? Like a hint.. hint.. Solo Button = in Studio and Song Play mode perhaps?? I always say DREAM BIG!

Keysme

your opinion makes sense but I personally believe the reason for the lack of updates can be directly attributed to the development of the SONAR 700 system.

Keysme ... You could very well be right ...

Quinxx ... Why do you think automation (at least volume and panning and at least for maybe eight tracks) won't happen in V2OS of Fan-G ... ??? I'm still holding out hope because it's the single most important missing feature for me ... (If it was on Fan-X, I probably wouldn't even think of upgrading ... )