The Next Fantom (Roland) Workstation?

I can understand FantomX has its flaws and deficiencies but I can not get why its sounds are "outdated"?

What it makes to sound "outdated"?

If we try to look some years back we could say there are very little improvements in any new synthesis types and so forth. I know there are some very big sample libraries but how many layers of velocity it takes to make it not important anymore? Because so far when I'm looking at current "cutting edge soft synths" I see the same old "S+S" all the place.

I'd prefer rather usability improvements in next Roland's workstation like VGA output, better sequencer, better I/O options than some more fancy synthesis. But looking at the very "new" MV8800 I'm starting to doubt there will any bigger improvements.
What the hell - Roland could improve many things in current Fantoms just by firmware update if it wanted to.

I think people make the mistake of looking at the presets thinking this is its limits..

They are presets and very poor ones (on the synth side)

make you own..


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They are presets and very poor ones (on the synth side)


Quinnx. That's all i have benn trying to say all along. I hate the fact you have to buy SRX cards when the pass their synth sounded great out the box. Again i see the pateintial power of the fantom X when i watched the DVD manuel and thats what
i like about it, just not the presets.

Quinnx. That's all i have benn trying to say all along. I hate the fact you have to buy SRX cards when the pass their synth sounded great out the box. Again i see the pateintial power of the fantom X when i watched the DVD manuel and thats what
i like about it, just not the presets.

Sounds like you are not getting it, and you & QuinnX are on opposite sides of the argument.

As far as Q's opinion that the preset sounds suck..... it's just that, and opinion. Someone like me, who is into more mainstream music may find them inspiring.

Besides, if you can view/listen to the demos, and you can see the potential, if you are inspired to get a Fantom, and create..... then the presets did exactly what they were supposed to do(for you creative (sound designer types) bunch that is).

The SRX cards are just another bunch of presets based(usually) on totally new waveforms, and not necessarily a requirement for you to make your Fantom sound cutting edge.

Check out what Artemio has been doing with his FantomS from day one with his planet X, and other sound libraries. For people like you & me, who are either too lazy or technically challenged, Art's patches(and others that were readily available on this site from other users) are a cost effective way of keeping the Fantom on the cutting edge.

&, think about it, it's a sampler, with a very powerful synth engine, and some great effects...... there are no limits to what this machine can sound like.... well, other than your own creativity.

FantomX8
FantomS
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Now all I need is talent.
Anyone selling any talent??
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>>>there are no limits to what this machine can sound like.... well, >>>other than your own creativity.

Maybe I don't get something and somebody explain this, what can you do with rompler sound, except of tweaking sound by adding very limited anyway insert effects. If you don't have very good waveform to start with of e.g. violin or guitar you will not be able to
do much.

everybody talks about bad fantom presets and what they can do with the sound by themselves, so give us some example to listen to.

Funny, when I think of Roland's new flagship workstation, I don't think soundset first, I think what the board can do.
I agree the Fantom X stock sounds are awful.
XV-5080 stock is much better (that's why I'll keep mine)
And I do think Roland will have to improve their stock soundset to maintain their numbers.
However...
SRX boards (unfortuneately) will continue to be where Roland keeps all it's good Sounds.
That's why I hope Roland makes room for 6-8 SRX boards in the new Flagship.
Also, I'd like to see a wider selection of SRX boards, borrowing from the best sample companies as needed.
Especially on diverse Acoustic/Electric instruments with lots of character out the box, ideal for songwriters.
A few Ideas:

SRX-13 Guitars of the 60's and 70's (Rock'n'Roll, Surf/Pop, Psych)
SRX-14 Guitars of the 80's and 90's (Punk, Metal, Grunge)

On the spec side of things:

Roland Fantom XL / Fantom Z:

USB Host
192 Polyphony @ 44.1k
96 polyphony @ 96k
Improved sequencer resolution & audio trackcount
6-8 SRX slots
Eric Persing worthy stock soundset
Slot for DVD-RW
More favorites
256 User-written arpegg. preset assign to dynamic pad banks(A-P)
32 part Multi-timbral
JV80 patch & FX compatability
Improved Delay/Echo
3-4 Motif XS-style Plug-in FX per part
High quality Plug-in FX expansion cards
3-band EQ per part (hi-quality)
Output expander/expansion board
8 MFX

Roland Fantom XL / Fantom Z:

USB Host
192 Polyphony @ 44.1k
96 polyphony @ 96k
Improved sequencer resolution & audio trackcount
6-8 SRX slots
Eric Persing worthy stock soundset
Slot for DVD-RW
More favorites
256 User-written arpegg. preset assign to dynamic pad banks(A-P)
32 part Multi-timbral
JV80 patch & FX compatability
Improved Delay/Echo
3-4 Motif XS-style Plug-in FX per part
High quality Plug-in FX expansion cards
3-band EQ per part (hi-quality)
Output expander/expansion board
8 MFX



That'll be 12 THOUSAND dollars Please.....


LOL

Keep Makin Music!!!!!
T.R.I.C.K.M.A. Entertainment 2007
http://www.myspace.com/trickmaseang

cuborg:

Fantom is not a rompler with inserts

The fantom has rom based waves but also has VA architecture and! Inserts
plus its a sampler, so your not stuck with only what is in rom, you can create and manipulate your own custom waves.
If you think the fantom is just another rompler then you have not yet discovered its fullest potential.
and on a scale of 1 to 10 your not even geting past 1.


X-Bugs.org

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Quinnx,
so you expect me to resample each key for e.g. guitar sounds or violin....? come on. I think I'm slowly getting what are you guys talking about, you're talking about synth sounds or rather sound effects like broken glass or something which are no interest to me any way. And where is that VA architecture? I mean does fantom has any oscillators in it?

cuborg

An Analog synth architecture basically means you get:
(signal path ») Wave Generator (or Oscilator) » a VCF (Voltage Controled Filter) » VCA (Voltage Controled Amplifier) » LFO » ADSR Envelope.

This is very rough but I think you can get the ideia. So if you look at it , you have a "Virtual Analog" synthesizer in your Fantom since it simulates these elements. On an analog synth the Wave Generator or Oscilator can only produce basic waves like Sine, Square or Sawtooth. On your Fantom the Wave Generator uses the ROM waves that are processed by the following elements in the signal path (the filters, the LFOs, the Envelope generators , the effects etc). But instead of just using the ROM waves you can sample any sound and use it in the Wave Generator and this one will also be processed in the same signal path. Thus, in fact, you have limiteless sonic possibilities.

And no, you don't have to resample EACH key. It depends on what you're working with. Sometimes just a sample or two are enough. As far as the sample editing itself may not be very powerfull (and I may agree with that) since you use that sample in the Wave Generator you will get more then enough power. For example: like you mention, you cannot ajust the attack/ decay of the sample but you can ajust this at Patch level. More, since it does not affect the sample itself, you can use the same sample in diferent ways in diferent patches.

As I said cuborg..
You still have not passed GO
Come back to me when you reach level 3 )


X-Bugs.org

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My Setup


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V-CeeOh,
thanks for clarification, I'm rather musician type then technician so I just want to sit, pick a patch and play. Spending hours on tweaking sounds is not for me.


>>>Come back to me when you reach level 3 )
Quinnx,
I don't have that much time...

no, no, no, no

This has nothing to do with beeing a technician. I consider myself just a experienced user, not a technician. Imagine a guitar player experimenting different guitars, amps and cabinets to get a different sound.
Half of the fun of beeing a musician is to be able to "play with sounds" cause sometimes you need a sound to fit a song and other times you start a song just by listening to a sound. It's why I think you should spend just a few minutes of your limited time to get to know your Fantom better

Cuborg ... since you mention it ... could you post a link to some of your music ... I'd love to hear what you've done with your Fantom ...

or any other synths, for that matter ...

Gracias.



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Roland Fantom X7, Alesis Fusion 6HD, Novation X/A-Station 25, Alesis Micron

some tunes and whatnot ...
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=405125