NAMM 2013 Rumours - new Roland Workstation?

Bereal wrote:

Or a Super-Fantom (like the Super-JV1080) with new banks of SuperNatural sounds and all the SRX loaded and availaible on RAM + 1 To for sampling + Karma fonction + New touch screen high definition with output video to PC or TV + USB 3.0 + a new 32 zones midi controller fonction + 2 midi IN + Internal Midi Merge fonction + Wifi integrated

The day when Roland incorporates KARMA would end my love for Roland.

Haha. I concur. If you want KARMA go buy a Korg!

I like the D60/30 idea! I think Roland has several issues to address.

I think the Marketing of the JP series is wrong. The name Integra however sounds new and inspiring. They need to find a better word than Supernatural. It may be what it says on the tin, but all these "live sets", "registrations", tones really confuse. I think they need to pull the best from the past, so a new product could have all the filter algorithms going back to the D series, plus all their new ones. A choice of synth engine would be great, I don't mean VA / SN, I mean I want the JD990 envelopes with a JP8000 Oscillator, that kind of thing, or the D50 pulse width modulation with a SN tone. They need to break down their heritage and use it effectively. They need to have modern synth features like parameter smoothing on filters as an option. This way you get the retro sound or a modern one. They also need to move their development methods away from proprietary chips and processors. I have studied the service notes of alot of their digital synths and they are all custom built with a dedicated function. I totally understand this, and back in the day that was the only way to do it. Now there is no way in hell they can design a chip which has the power of an Intel I7 or something. This has improved in recent instruments a bit but I think they use up alot of R&D building this stuff where they should do what Korg have done and use an intel chip and concentrate on the coding. I believe this is why alot of their products suffer from a fixed framework which is hard to update/fix and introduce new functionality.

Their workstations/synths need to embrace the computer more, all of them having VST/AU plugins which brings me to my next thought. Though Roland are a hardware company, they could do themselves a big favour and build some plugins ala KLC or even iPad apps. No these won't replace a Fantom or whatever, but it would help them break into the youth market and make them more in vogue again.

They need a new VA, a JP9000/9090. It has to have TI like a virus with a similar build quality rather than the plasticy feel of a 201 Gaia. It's been 15 or so years since the JPs, surely they could produce a monster of a synth now.

I've rambled on a bit here, my apologies!!

The Roland Fantom was an outstanding workstation, but Roland did leave it unfinished, and more so, failed to address the user complaints with better OS versions..........

I held on as long as I could for Roland to come with a new Fantom, but I gave up after Musikmasse 2012. I went out an bought the Korg Kronos 88. It's stellar.........but I won't lie, it's just keeping the seat warm. If Roland comes with a new Fantom, I won't hesitate to buy the Roland and offload the Kronos.

Roland always knows, when they want to lead by example, they show everyone else how it should be done.

Motif has great sounds, and so does my Kronos, but one thing's for certain. When Roland brings it, they really bring it......... they always come with that "it" factor. Their synth sounds are so PHATT, from the analog basses, to the leads, and really ballsy street sounds. They always come with the most dynamic, ass kickin', bangin' drums......and I LOVE THE MPC Style Pads for making beats and tuning samples........I used the roll button so much that it was all beat up...LOL !! I loved the MPC style sequencer as well. My only complaint is the sounds started to get stale in comparison to what I was hearing off the new Motif XF and the Kronos, both of which sound great. They just leave room to be desired in the PHATT department, if you will.

If Roland decides to come with something new, I have all the confidence that it will trump all others. I know from experience. I've worked over 25 years now in NYC studios, on countless hit records, along side many of the current, and former, famous producers and engineers, and have recently had much debate about Roland and whether they're coming with a new Workstation OR NOT.

Among all that discussion, there's been one constant. If Roland were to come with a new Workstation, it would instantly become the 1st choice workstation amongst all my peers, juyst as the Fantom was before it.

I can testify that in my 25+ years experience, Roland has dominated in the studio, as the go to choice, dating all the way back to the D50 days. There was a brief 1 year exception where the Korg Triton seemed to be the "weapon of choice" amongst the pros, but aside from that, Roland has always been the #1 most requested Workstation on sessions, and followed by the Motif.

That's really interesting input Jazzyswan - thanks for posting!

Doesn't surprise me however. I have of late been tempted by the (comparatively) lowly JV-1080 which has been used in countless albums and soundtracks; and still is, despite its age. However, I'm not a rack fan :(

I have the JP-80 and the V-Synth and I truly adore a) playing them and b) creating sounds with them. I also have an OASYS which is not as immediate as far as sound creation is concerned.

I'm with you - if Roland releases a new workstation, I'll be getting it. Timing would be great - the Kronos has been stealing the show (largely due to the lack of anything else that's new - it is after all, simply a cheap OASYS with a tech refresh) and if Roland wants to be considered a player in the workstation market, now would be a good time to reinforce that message - and I have no doubt that a new 'Fantom' would be the new market leader.

I guess we'll find out during the next couple of music expos in 2013. Here's hoping!

Welcome to RC, BTW! :)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!!!

On the "simply a cheap OASYS with a tech refresh" .... I beg to differ. I thought that as well, until I did my research. I had already given up on Roland coming with a new Workstation. My Kronos 88 is amazing, and it has some really super modern new sounding Pianos, Elec Pianos, Pads, Guitars..... great great sound. The weighted action feels perfect. The Seq is great too, but I miss my Fantom MPC Pads. I went and bought the Maschine, to replace my Drumpad vice HA HA HA....The Maschine i's also great, especially the Drum Kits right out the box, like I would expect from Roland if they came with something new....... but like I said when Roland does come with it, which I hope they do, I'll be back on with them as soon as I can get it.

Maybe they will maybe they wont..
if you have as much experience with roland gear as you say.. then you should be able to see that they have reached their peak on sound architecture.. there is`nt realy any more room for much else..
I think currently what thier offering is as advanced as its going to get..
its a bit of a waist of money to be chopping and changing gear for next best thing..
I find it a better option to build on what you have than keep changing..
The fantom G has the build to be the central part of that and if I was to offer a build around it now i would say your best build would be

Fantom G + Integra + V-synth XT
You basically got you an entire arsenal at your finger tips right there..
that should keep you going until the next century.
There would want to be some major leap in sound creation to get past all of that

All shop talk aside....

As long as you have that person or kid that has the DRIVE and DESIRE to learn everything there is to know about the particular keyboard he or she has,and has their face buried in the owners manual every single moment you see them,it really doesn't matter what synth/workstation you have...

I should know...I WAS that kid,first learning to play in the early 90's in high school. I had for christmas one year to my sheer delight a brand new shiny 49 mini key Casio thingamajig with the rhythm patterns,sequencer...WOOHOO....I dove head first,and before long,there wasn't a key or button on there that I didn't know about,and how to work it. I did things with that keyboard that weren't even listed as things you could do in the manual,and as a result,came up with 90's cheesy material,but it was MY 90's cheesy material...People in my high school music class were amazed at the little ditties on friday afternoon music show and tell.I was a proud papa.

In the meantime,I started going to auditions for bands with that little monster,I got a chuckle or two from the other musicians,but more often than not,they would compliment me on getting sounds out of that Casio that fit the song very closely,only cause I knew it so very well,each and every sound(Forget about the editing capabilities...you were stuck with the PCM sounds) They would tell me of the people who auditioned before me who came in with these massive shiny powersynths,and sit there and plunk buttons,and scratch heads while the rest of the bandmembers waited for them to get their **** together to start the song...Not having a clue of the power that was underneath their fingertips. It's a sad story.


I have a lot of respect for those musicians who buy what they get,and GET what they buy...they understand it to it's maximum potential,and show it through their music. Why not use something to it's full potential? I've heard some material from quite a few folks on this site...AMAZING musical stuff. Love it.

On the other hand,there are countless other folks that I run into even now on my music gigs that have the latest and greatest gear,but NOT A CLUE on how to use it. Just pressing buttons,going through the motions,and letting the CPU be the writer,producer,and composer...But they are strutting in full peacock style cause it's a bad mutha of a keyboard. In my opinion,That's not what music should be about...It's always been about human personal feeling and confidence,no matter what you got.

In closing,and the morale of my story is...


Study and understand your gear completely and fully,and LOVE what you do....You'll be able to show up anyone with a more expensive powersynth,cause you got something on your side that they don't....DESIRE and CONFIDENCE to be the best you can be...It's not about what you have,it's what you can DO with what you have now.


Have a great day everyone,and always continue the musical HUMAN condition.


Sequenzzer

Yupe! what he said.. :)
That was me too and im still there with the Fantom G
as you say its the human condition that makes the music not the technology..

Roland could simply add the guts of the Integra-7 to the Fantom G, increase the polyphony to 256, add an SSD and call it their flagship WS. I'd buy in a heartbeat.

I agree musicians should really make the most of existing gear (I'm practising on my G6 right now, ready for rehearsals this week). There's a lot of life left in the FG6 BUT It is time for a refreshed one. More in the sound engine area and some OS updates. Roland and the user of the G have been pretty good. 5 years since a refresh is a long time, and yes for some people the G is fine as it is. Sure I could add the integra and a v-synth, would love too, but as it stands the all in one approach is what I need for live, hence my choice of the G. So if they update it to do what it does now, but with the latest multi sound engine, I will be taking a look, as I think many players will. If not, I'm sticking with what I have. Upgrading for the sake of it is silly, but a proper upgrade is a good. Remember too some peoples FG's may be worn out by now too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_8aNiaMcQ


Check out from 5'40'

I know that a lot of people rave about the V-Synth, but honestly, with a Kronos and a Jupiter as a second keyboard, or an Integra module, I'm not sure what else you would need but some kind of Kurzweil VAST synth. A Kronos and Integra would be quite a universe of synthesis and juicy sonic power.

Anyone check out the Roland Connect 2013 graphics. Seems to show a Jupiter (don't know if it is a new one or just the old ones). Keyboards of some time will be introduced for sure. Guitar stuff. Daw stuff. Likely another Cakewalk HW device. And the obligatory other stuff (digital pianos, accordians most likely).

As we learned from the teaser prior to the Synth Legend release, we can read nothing into that graphic!

Yes, a JP-80 is there. That could as much mean something FOR the current JP-80 as much as it could mean a NEW JP-80 - and it could also mean it simply remains on the current production list - or it could mean Vol2 of the Synth Legends gets released!

This would be a great Roland NAMM (for me!) if

1. A JP-80 librarian was released
2. A new workstation was released

I can but dream... :D

(Not that I NEED either - but the librarian would make life a little easier and somehow I think a new Roland workstation would be something worth having! In the meantime, I'm having a ball with what I've got :)