Should Roland add a linear Sequencer?

It was my first issue with my beloved Fantom.
Not being able to record the song I played for just a couple of minutes was a great handicap.
It nevertheless helped me find the fun of making a whole song by just playing a short pattern, copying it, changing the instruments, looping...
But then I was hearing a great song by me that I simply could not play anymore. Just push play, forget touching a single key.

Then I extended those 32 limiting measures...
See my previous posts about it, please:

http://forums.rolandclan.com/viewtopic. ... 29#p321029

So happy I cannot tell...for a while.
Yes, as you can see I managed to resolve it under some circumstances, extending my recording time, but it was not sufficient at all: there is no way to record while changing zones, adding zones... adjusting the orchestration.
Since what I really wanted was playing the keyboard with my own hands along my feelings, activating another group of instruments via keyboard switch groups, and even going to another related sound setting trough changing scenes by just pushing S3, all while recording, I had to find a solution.
And I did: I went and connected my laptop.
Easy !!!!

And, once more, so happy I cannot tell !!!!

Not only can I record non stop, I even have the sound spectrum of my songs, the loudness of every frequency...Outstanding. I enclose a picture.

It is called SONIC VISUALIZER.
https://sonicvisualiser.org/
If you don't need that much, there is another one called Audacity.
https://www.audacityteam.org/download/

Oh yes they should!!
The patterns with 32 measures are dramatic for me. I want to record a whole song. I dont understand why Roland choose for this. Now I'm using Logic to create the songs and bought a Mac Pro. I really hope that roland is adding a linear sequencer!!

Thank you Robin and thanks FGM.

Other opinions?

I appreciate your gratitude, Krayzie.

I did not answer your question in a direct way simply because linear recording is a feature I supposed would certainly come as a basic one.

Since it didn't, I looked elsewhere.

Now, I have a great way to do what I always pretended, so it is now of no importance for me anymore, but I guess It should be a matter of concern for Roland.

If your customers are to circumnavigate the shortcomings by slowly drifting away, after patiently waiting along a whole year, they will end not needing you.
Any old keyboard, a laptop and lots of software already available out there will probably place hardware synthesizers where FM radios, sound recorders, cameras, video players and recorders, barometers, thermometers, GPSs, step counters, magnetic compasses, gyroscopes and even torches already are: in a little smartphone.

I think it would be nice to have, as would automatic length on loops (I.e. it sizes to however long you play rather than requiring you to set the length first), but less important to me than new sound engines.

I don’t think Roland will add a linear timeline on top of the pattern sequencer. This would be a massive update if they will add more time signatures, a tempo track, longer pattern, linear tracks, more edit options, import/export of whole songs.

In song mode there could be an additional screen with 16 tracks and a tempo and a time signature track. This would be perfect.

There are so many DAWS out there to record COMPLETE songs much better than sticking a Linear Sequencer in the Fantom. Things have moved on considerable since Korg introduced us to the Workstation with a linear sequencer and others followed. However it's why both Yamaha and Roland don;t see the need for them, I think the pattern sequencer could be extended and be more flexible, but Ableton Live isn't popular for anything but for introducing a pattern sequencer and a new way of working. These work better live I'd like to see more live manipulation and control of the pattern sequencer so your live performance could be more dynamic and changed on the fly.

Thank you...
I tried Cakewalk some days ago and I couldn't connect it to my Fantom 8.

Absolutely, fixing the sequencer is a must.

I'm sorry but the "Ableton" style sequencer is a throwback to 80's style pattern based sequencers. It's a method that is severely limiting and should have never been considered as the primary mode for any modern workstation.

PLEASE give us a "Pro" mode that has a tempo track, 16 linear tracks, multiple time signatures. You can look at the Fantom G sequencer as an example. You could easily make that version of a linear sequencer work with the pattern based workflow we have now quite easily.

FGM wrote:

Thank you...
I tried Cakewalk some days ago and I couldn't connect it to my Fantom 8.

Hi, I do use Cakewalk with Fantom 8 without problems. It took a lot of time, learning and checking the setup, but it worked well. BTW DAW integration from Fantom controls is not available yet... but Cakewalk "learns" a CC parameteres I want.

I use both MIDI (USB) and USB digital audio integration between Cakewalk and Fantom.
If you whish, I can sent you a config I use (Windows 10). (I´m a very amateur user)
Saludos cordiales

To be able to import a regular full song midi file straight out of the box oughta be trivial, So yes!

They call it a workstation. If that is what it is then it should have a sequencer that will render all kinds of musical compositions. Currently it cannot do this. Very disappointing to me. Why would you make a keyboard less than its predecessors.

Roland should definitely add a linear, especially for classical songwriters and composers. Not everyone composes dance music or hiphop. I would also welcome audio track recording for a full workstation-like experience. Love the Fantom and the current updates are good and well intentioned, but I want to ditch my laptop more often than not.

Coming from the Fantom G6, I just assumed I would be wanting a linear recorder in the Fantom.
After 7 months of constant use, turns out I don't need the extra bars very often but sure could use audio track recording.