so is G dead already or in agony?

Quinnx, I chose to sell the Fantom X7, as I don't use it. I chose to keep the M3 as I play with it all the time.

Maybe after I've had the Kronos for a while I consider selling the M3.

Of course the real agony come after you sell your old unused equipment, and then miss it.

@Atlas5 - "I love my Virus Snow, wish I could afford upgrading to a TI Virus Keyboard." - Me too buddy - I got the TI desktop, the only thing that bugs me - is the very slight 'time-lag' while playing fast-phrases 'integrated' into my DAW work-flow. But when I think about the ~1K difference between the two - I'll take a 10ms delay any day, and teach myself to cope with it, you know?

If Korg/Stephen released their KARMA technology as a VST/AU plugin, its bye-bye M3 ;). I'd rather pay Jobs and his cronies ;) - than being hopelessly reliant on the fickle mindsets of synth manufacturers.

Still love my X though - and continues to be my work-horse live synth. There are only 2 others that could fill it's shoes IMHO:

1. The venerable Fantom G
2. Mainstage ;). Needs a lot of work though.

;) Manish.

I simply find the synth sounds from the Virus TI Snow to be exceptional. I have not experienced any time delay problems, but I only use my Snow as a single timbre device, usually lead synth.

Maybe I'm fickle, working on the computer is a different mindset for me. Great for editing, lousy for music creation.

I actually gave up MIDI sequencing about 15 years ago and have evolved into a "Play, Record and Edit" workflow. Not so much editing of loops but entire song editing. I'll record upto an hours worth of music, maybe with some over dubbing. Then slice in up into single songs using Peak. I then upload the AIFF into iTunes for tracking and burning the best onto a CD, (using iTunes keeps everything sync 'ed to my iPad and iPod.)

I currently record on a Korg D3200 or Roland BR800. The computer is an iMac 27".

I had the chance to play a Kronos. Great piano, but the rest was not that great.

rat race.

guys I own a Fantom G and I'm a computer programmer. If it is true that the Fantom G is no longer being developed they should at least open up soem limited development to 3rd parties that want to add new features to the firmware, and fix any outstanding software glitches. Anyone out there hear of or know of programmers that have successfully been able to mod the firmware?

This will never happen
if roland ever opened there firmware for 3rd party dev it would kill any of there future re-cycling maketing tactics and products.


the way i see it..
the G is about the best your gonna get from roland for an all in one board..
The future after this is Fantom-G and or Controller+ Laptop/pc + softsynths/software/DAW

Forget waiting for the next workstation.. it will never fill the gap completely

Now go make some real music..

Quinnx. wrote:

Forget waiting for the next workstation.. it will never fill the gap completely

I'm not sure about that, G actually with that big like laptop screen could have potential
to do this if they put the guts in it capable of handling DAW software. Why to reinvent the wheel?
They should make possible to run within workstation such software like Cubase etc and forget about writing their own. It's just a matter of putting in some more powerful hardware which should not be that expensive since now even mobile devices can run complicated apps and simple laptop cost like 300$.

Quinnx. wrote:

Now go make some real music..

but how???

but how???

Using the methods mention above :)

G actually with that big like laptop screen could have potential

I agree.. but the idea that we have to be beholding to roland for the next latest and greatest is just wasting time effort and money..
They move too slowly for the market pace.. just look at what they managed across a 10 year period
fantom x then G??
Is that realy!!?? 10 years of innovation for a workstation???
Mann! at this rate we will all be dead before they produce what we know to be possible and even then it will already be outdated..
Its way to backward to be locking onto this path any longer..
In order for us all to move forward, we need to Look at the G for what it is now and not hang on for any future potential that will never be realized and start to build around it as mention above..
I have been playing with a pc/DAW and softsynth setup and i have to say it has way more potential
right now than any vaporware for the G that will never happen.

I could now just as easily sell the G and x and move forward with a controller and pc/daw softsynth.
However.. I like the G for all its potential and flexibility so its a perfect marriage to the pc/Daw/softsynth setup..
so much so.. that for me Im officially out of the future workstation market now for good as its all now just expensive hype.

I know we should purchase keyboards for what they are advertised to do...but as a long time Roland user..somethings such as further support/development is implied.

I previously owned JV-80, XV-5080, Fantom X, Fantom XR, MV-8000...plenty of JV and SRX expansion boards available and OS updates for improvements...but after three years, only 3 ARX boards for the Fantom G? Very little improvements to the OS? Sigh.....

Havent played the kronos but can't say I'm that impressed by the demos. It sounds like another run of the mill Korg to me. Nothing wrong with Korg's but they are too thin sounding for my tastes. The G has hands down the best action and weighted keys ive played.

Given what kronos is.. a collection of soft synths
Check out www.tone2.com Gladiator..
this synth has some interesting possibilities and is quite inspiring

Quinnx. wrote:

Given what kronos is.. a collection of soft synths

The kronos is not more ore less a soft synth as any other keyboard, including the Fantom G.

Ouch!
Okay lets rephrase..

Its a collection of synth engines that are software based..

Anyhow.. back to the subject at hand the TONE2 Gladiator..
you can download the demo which is fully functional..
Seems to have potential..

I got now a Fantom-X7 and a M3-61.
Both have things that I love and things that I hate.
From sound to controllers, from specifications to functions, both have and don't have what I want.
I don't understand why it's called "low tech" when it's only one generation old ?
Fantom-X is one generation old , M3 the same.
Not to mention that M3 was until THIS year, the last generation workstation from Korg.
Yes , Motif XF is new, have Flash for sampler, have ...
Do I have to remind you all that faimous bands are STILL looking for OLD "VINTAGE" keyboards?
How many hits are made on keyboards that doesn't have MIDI (samplers are even fantasy) ?
So, the "hi/new/hyper/ultra/mega tech" is only a bunch of lies to ourselfs to ignore the lack of muse...
If we don't have "musical ideas" , we say "the keyboard is toooooo old" !
Take a look at the 2011 hits, from any kind of music, from electronic, to dance, trance, country, pop, rock, ANY !
I takes a good line , a good verse , and a lot of luck to have a hit !
Not a hi/new/hyper/ultra/mega tech workstation".
If I am wrong, I am willing to pay 10 years at the bank , a credit to buy "the hit workstation/keyboard" !!!