Have Fantom X8 and considering move to G8....performance set

1. Memory restrictions when it comes to audio recording depend on the size of installed RAM. All records are done into Ram. Then you decide what you want to save permanently onto usb memory. Recording to usb memory is not possible directly.

2. Transferring your X performances is not possible to the G model. The most simple reason is that the patches are different and so your performances wouldn't point to the same patches on the G as they do on the X. You have to create them from start.

3. Yes, there are 8 parts in the performance mode (called live mode) instead of 16 as on the X model. The reason is probably that the G can seamless switch to another setup without interrupting the sound. Since each part has one effect, they limited it to 8 parts: there are 8 effects active and 8 new effects (from the next setup) are cached when you switch to a new setup. That's the benefit on the G model. Another is that you have 500 memory places instead of just 64, a number which is more appropriate for a nineties keyboard, not a present one.
If you want to use 16 parts for your live performances, you can use the studio mode. There you can use 16 parts, but you loose the ability to switch seamless and there are only 128 memory locations.

Thanks for those answers. Regarding the RAM....what is the max one can put in?

I read 512MB but some in the forums have been saying 1GB....So when recording you only have 512MB of audio recording available during a session? I am curious how one can record say a full three minute guitar part and try to sing two versus, two choruses, a bridge and ending and make the 512MB ram limitation? How would one go about doing this.

168 pin DIMM, PC133 at 3.3V...40MM or less but is says up to 512MB...

I wonder why they have such a limitation since I believe many were saying this limitation was not good (I agree)...with memory been relatively inexpensive these days.

I wonder if some software upgrade would take care of this in the future?

The other question I have is this: let's say in live mode one of the patches you choose had great effects on it and sounded great in patch mode...when you add that patch to one of the parts...will that sound be the same in tonality/quality?

Regarding your first question:
there was a software update and you can put a 1 GB Ram module into the FG. Is it enough or not? I don't know. I belong to the group which uses computers and software sequencer for recording purposes.

Regarding your second question:
that is a little more complex. Fact is that your patch will be carried over to the live setup, together with its insert effect. What will not be carried over are the send effects. Since up to 8 parts share the same two send effects, your patch will not sound exactly as it does in single mode. The more complex things start to appear when you blend/layer more parts together. What sounded great solo in single setup, doesn't necessarily sound as great when blended with other sounds in the live setup. You'll maybe have to adjust the sound a little and save it as a new patch. But there is no general answer. It all depends on what you like and how/what you hear.

sbrinaz: The maximum amount of DIMM memory that the Fantom G can employ is 1 Gb - starting with OS version 1.20. So if you install the latest version (wich is 1.50) you can benefit of 1Gb of memory. If you load a project from the USB memory, when you save samples, they are saved right on the USB stick in the SMPL folder of that project. As for the patches, when you assign a patch to a certain part in multitimbral mode, it comes with it's own PFX (patch effect) automatically. However, the sound of a patch depends also on the Chorus and Reverb settings, wich are global effects - 1 processor for each. So, if you want to have a patch that sounds exactly like it does in Single Mode (Patch Mode), you might need to make the appropriate settings for these effects.

If you want to use 16 parts for your live performances, you can use the studio mode. There you can use 16 parts, but you loose the ability to switch seamless and there are only 128 memory locations.

Just to clarify, it is possible to switch seamlessly from one patch to another in STUDIO mode, from one 'Part' to the next. Patch-changing strategies should be considered when setting-up your Parts. I use this method often when performing.

Cheers!
PiaKnowGuy
Please feel free to listen to Pirates

PiaKnow

Okay..great on the ram question and thank you in advance.

Regarding that second question:

The challenge I ran into on the X8 was taking say patch D52 (SuperSaw I believe) and adding to a part on performance mode...or some B3 sound and same thing. The Rotary effects on the B3 (assuming insert side?) when you put that part in the performance.....it basically was missing. You then had to go to the single mode patch setting and look at all the effects settings and recreate from scratch in the performance mode.

In considering upgrading to the G8...one thing that would be important is knowing that patches listened to in single mode when you move them over to a performance...it would retain the effects settings (or at least the main ones that were created by Roland with that patch). I am not a sound guru/designed for sure....just a performing musician that if you like a particular sound Roland created for a patch...at least when moving that to a performance channel....it would be the same (or very close). I saw the thread where someone wrote out differences between the X8 and G8 and highlighting what is important to my needs to see if worth it.

Hopefully that makes sense....I am reading all the manuals Roland has for the G8 and doing my due diligence on this. I really like the action on the G8 versus the X8 and the 1GB is handy along with USB now.....I have been reading folks displeasure on the piano sounds though....

From the thread:
Regarding your second question:
that is a little more complex. Fact is that your patch will be carried over to the live setup, together with its insert effect. What will not be carried over are the send effects. Since up to 8 parts share the same two send effects, your patch will not sound exactly as it does in single mode. The more complex things start to appear when you blend/layer more parts together. What sounded great solo in single setup, doesn't necessarily sound as great when blended with other sounds in the live setup. You'll maybe have to adjust the sound a little and save it as a new patch. But there is no general answer. It all depends on what you like and how/what you hear.

In the X series keyboards, you have 16 parts sharing 3 multi-structural MFX as well as a global Chorus/Delay and Reverb.

In the Fantom X Effects Routing screen, you can easily copy effects using the 'MFX Src' settings, keeping in mind the previous statement. You do not have to go back to 'single patch mode'.

In the G series keyboards, you have 16 parts, each with it's own PFX which is part of each 'Patch' as well as 2 global MFX which cannot be assigned simultaneously to a single part, as well as a global Chorus/Delay and Reverb.

This is an important difference between the 2 boards - When choosing a Patch in the Fantom G, the main effect that characterizes that particular patch is retained for all 16 parts. (Dist. Guitar in STUDIO mode continues to sound like Dist. Guitar in PATCH mode, thanks to the individual PFX)

Hope that helps.
PiaKnowGuy
Please feel free to listen to Pirates

PiaKnow

i tend to believe that patches used in live/studio mode don't have the same chorus&reverb settings in the signal mode. As the pfx also carries max level out towards chorus/reverb/output, there is no way to adjust this level higher as in single mode... . Strange for me !

also the fantom g has not the same waveformlist as in the x. Some are missing, some more and no srx

Like Piaknowguy said,
Just to clarify, it is possible to switch seamlessly from one patch to another in STUDIO mode, from one 'Part' to the next. Patch-changing strategies should be considered when setting-up your Parts. I use this method often when performing.

I do exactly the same with my Xa. I just use Performance Mode, and I switch Parts inside the same Performance. As I use the Fantom Keyboard+ 3 MIDI Keyboard Controllers that can control 2 MIDI channels each in any Split/Layer combination, the possibilities are endless.
In fact I use several Performances that are almost similar, but with just a few different bits and pieces, like when the 3x MFXs are needed for some Parts, for example.

Cheers
Paulo

Everybody has its own way how to work on stage. Switching sounds inside the studio mode (part switch) is certainly possible. But this requires you to know which sound is on which part, and switching between them by pressing the pads.
For me, it's easier to program a live setup for each song or even a couple of setups for the same song (chorus, verse, solo, intro, and so on) and then I can switch between the setups by just pressing the switch pedal. The hands remain free for playing. 500 user live setups are more then enough for any concert/show/gig. If I have more than one setup for a song, they are memorized in a successive way, and the only thing I need to do is pressing the switch pedal at the right moment to get to the next setup.
Since the user memory is so big, I can use more than one setup per song. 8 parts in the live setup are usually enough to cover all the sounds needed in the part (chorus, verse) of the song.

Mojkarma,
That will be the ideal situation with the G, but in case we need to change setups in several instruments, that will be a little more complicated. In my particular case sometimes I have to use 4/5 synths at the same time, and switching all that to match the next setup, it requires some careful planing...

Hi PauloF,
it depends how much you are ready to work at home and how complex all the stuff you do really is.
First,
your situation will not be better if you use the studio mode.
Second,
the live setup also functions as a master mode. Up to a certain point, you could connect all your keyboards via midi and program your control change data within a live setup on the FG. By switching a live setup on the FG, regardless if you do it with a switch pedal or manually, your new live setup would send the program change data to your other keyboards.
Maybe I overlooked something, but I don't really see a problem here.

Hi Mojkarma and PauloF.

First,
your situation will not be better if you use the studio mode.

If I may - The disclaimer to the above statement would be -

'if you don't mind giving up the use of MFX 1 and MFX 2 in your effects routing strategy'.

This is an important consideration for me, as I sequence a song first in it's entirety, often making extensive use of the effects, and then choose the part(s) I am playing 'live'.

Cheers!
PiaKnowGuy
Please feel free to listen to Pirates

PiaKnow