Fantom-X Tips and Tricks

Many thanks Artemiy!

Also, now I can't edit my old messages. I'd like to cancel the following now misleading phrase (this same thread, 1st page, 6th post from the top):

"GM patches are "dummy" patches just for reference, i.e. just GM patches' names attached to an initialized patch (you can't edit nor save GM patches) and sound all the same."

and replace it with this:

"GM patches are partially "dummy" patches just for reference (i.e. just GM patches' names attached to an initialized patch - you can't edit nor save GM patches) and sound all the same, and partially JV-1080-converted GM patches (thanks Craven!)"

Thank you!

Paolo

These kind of topics are always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content so I'm happy to find many good point here in the post, writing is simply great, thank you for the post.

You can "somewhat" edit the GM Patches using the offsets in a Performance set up, but you are limited to a few parameters (cutoff, resonance, attack, release et al, I think).

I wonder if it would be possible to get the parameters for each GM patch via sysex?

Once you have all of the chords you want, CURSOR up to the top, hit PATTERN NAME (F4), and name all of the chords. DON"T SKIP THIS STEP. It is good to get into naming everything.

Now, turn on the RPS, so that the light is on. Then hit SHIFT and RPS, so that you are in the RPS setup screen. Whatever pad you hit is the one you'll be assigning stuff to, so hit PAD 1. CURSOR down to PATTERN and assign ptn 001 to PAD 1. Then CURSOR down to PLAYBACK and set it to ONCE. Then CURSOR down to MUTE, and set it to mute group 1.

Do this for all of the pads... Pattern 2 to pad 2, 3 to 3... I think you get the rest. Just make sure to set them all to the same mute group, and set them to play only once.

Now all you have to do is save this as a SONG. Once you load the song, just hit the RPS botton so that it lights up (the pads that have chords assigned to them will go dark also, another request I have seen from other users... ) Now you can record these chords into the sequencer, just mess around to come up with chord changes, or just shut off the lights... Whatever.

[quote="daddio57"]2/21/09
Fantom X8 Aftertouch Attitude Adjustment

Right - I'm going to try this mod on my Fantom so thanks very much for your pioneering work daddio57.

Just 3 questions;
Firstly, I guess you used the velcro because of its self adhesion, but wouldn't a less compressible medium be better (e.g. solid plastic strip) because this could minimise the distance between the usual full key travel (before AT depression) and the sensor strip. I would think that when transmitting the stress the velcro would be largely compressed?

Secondly is it possible to move the sensor strip forwards towards the outward end of the keys - because if so greater pressure would be applied (principle of moments).

Thirdly, I've got your written tutorial - thanks. However, the zip with the associated images has been removed. Has anyone still got these images?

This forum is great - thanks to everyone posting here.
Mike

There are a lot of powerful effects in these units, and I'm sure we are all overlooking some from sticking to our favorites.

Ive been using this technique for a while when Im building a songs in performance/mixer mode. I like to layer instruments together to get a more realistic sound. Go to mixer mode select part view, then go to the external page, now from this page on the far left all the channels are numbered 1-16 vertically. In order to layer your specific channels make the Ch. # the same ie. Part 1 Ch.1 - Part 2 Ch.1 now both of those channels will be layered and triggered from Part 1. Next go over to midi filter and turn the phase lock to the ON position and the two parts will play in sync and be in phase. Now your set, Peace.

Samples load a lot faster from user memory than from card memory. I try to keep all the samples I need for a show in user memory so they load quicker before the set.
Also, Samples load about 20% faster when I use the "Mark set all" and then load selected samples with load button (F7) then when I load them using the load/save button and the load all samples command.

Not sure if anyone has run into this but my monitors input/output digital sound and while the Fantom X can also input/output digital sound, the volume control knob does not control the master control volume for the monitors/speakers, unlike analog sound speakers.

You can assign one of the four realtime control knobs under "Assignable" to control the Master Volume when plugged into digital speakers/sound output. This is done by Shift + one of the two assignable buttons. The menu list will pop-up showing the assignable controls (i.e. D-Beam, two Assignable buttons, and the four control knobs.) Here you can assign Master Volume to one of the control knobs, and then "System Write." This will also save this assignment when you turn on/off the Fantom. Make sure when you turn it back on, you select the "Assignable" button, as the default is "Filter/Env" and cutoff, reso, release, attack are the default.

Posted here in a 'sticky' thread for future need:

To switch between the various modes from an external sequencer or DAW etc you need to send System Exclusive messages from your DAW. Here are 'the codes for the modes':

Perform Mode: F0 41 10 00 6B 12 01 00 00 00 01 7E F7
Patch Mode: F0 41 10 00 6B 12 01 00 00 00 00 7F F7

GM Mode: F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7
GM2 Mode: F0 7E 7F 09 03 F7
GM Off: F0 7E 7F 09 02 F7

Thanks to Graeme at this thread for finding them in the first place.

None of the links in this, very useful thread, works. Not sure why.
Can you please re-sync them, so we can access references from
other threads in this forum ?

Thank you.

Domu, we lost a lot of the links when we moved from rolandclan.info to .com (I think). Unfortunately, the thread ID numbers don't always match up. I'll see which ones I can find and post new links here.

I've found a couple:
Fantom-X 2.0 Live Sound Switching Tutorial

XV-5080 Sounds for Fantom X

Was there something specific you were looking for?

Andy

Hi Andy,

thank you for your reply and links. As I am new to Fantom X (just got
X6) - I was reading through all posts here, learning along. So, nothing
specific that I was looking for. Just an observation that part of this
knowledge became unavailable due to expired links.

To me one of the most confusing aspects of my X6 was Track View
and relation between tracks and MIDI channels. I could not find clear
explanation in the documentation downloaded from Roland (not that
I was reading that diligently). Luckily, after some extensive googling
I found separate document from Roland, which addresses that very
issue. Quoting:

One of the more confusing aspects of the Fantom series units is the connection
between the Multi-timbral/ Mixer mode and the sequencer.

Unlike most computer based sequencers the Fantom X can have as many or as few
parts or channels recorded to one track up to a maximum of sixteen in any
combination or order required.(...)

Here is the link to full document (one pager - easy reading):
ftp://ftp.roland.co.uk/productsupport/Fantom%20X/FANTOM-X8/FANTOMX_SEQ_PHRASES.pdf
Hopefully it could help someone facing similar problem.

/domu

ah cool, thanks for that. There are still a few active Fantom X users on this board, so if you have any questions do ask them. congratulations on the X6. Despite its relative age it's still a very powerful board.

TRANCEHAK wrote:

SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION TRICK


For anyone wanting to make dance, side chain compression has become an invaluable feature of any track to get that pump between kicks.

I found the best way to get this is using the 'duck' fx.
A kick needs to play for the duck to work properly.
The kick does not have to be send through the duck.

Say you want the strings to pump. You send them through the MFX Duck. Mess about with the Duck settings until you get the desired pump.

Bit late reply but just came across this.
Was just searching on how to do a ducking / sidechain compression on my Fantom X.
But I don't see how you ducking example would work?

Kick needs to play, but not sent through the duck effect?
Then the kick has no influence on the duck effect. The duck effect (under gate compression effect) works on the amplitude of any sounds sent through the duck effect. So if I play a random melody and send it through the duck effect and play a kick on another channel and not send it to the duck effect, then the duck effect will not produce a pumping effect in sync with the kick.

Or am I missing something here?

I was thinking about producing the sidechain pumping effect with an LFO or perhaps the slicer effect or tremelo effect. Or volume automation. Still learning my Fantom, new user.