VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

22 Jan 2009, 20:42

From what I understand of the ARX boards, they can, at least theoretically, be anything (except a true analog synth or full V-Piano engine, of course). Dan, can you confirm or deny?

Out of the following possibilities, which would you prefer?

Or rather, which one or two boards would you actually pay $400 for? It's one thing to say "Oh yeah, that'd be cool"—it's another thing to say "Damn, I'd totally buy that in a second."

THE CONTENDERS ARE:

• 1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars

• 1-part SuperNatural string ensemble with similar technology as the brass board

• 1-part SuperNatural guitar with realistic strumming and performance emulation

• 4-part virtual analog synth, with an engine similar to the SH-201

• 1-part virtual analog synth, with an engine similar to the VA portion of the V-Synth

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of orchestral patches

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of electronica/urban patches and kits

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of world/ethnic patches

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of vintage keys/synth patches

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with really good acoustic piano patches

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a "Best-of-the-Missing-SRX-Waves" patches, along with the capacity to import older SRX patches

• 1-part radically scaled-down V-Piano engine

• 3-part TR-808, TR-909, and TB-303 emulation with authentic interface and TR-style step sequencer

• 4-part FM synthesis board

• 4-part wavetable synthesis board

• 4-part LA synthesis board, similar to the VC-1 card

• Voice modeling board, similar to the VC-2 card

• Something else entirely? If so, what?

I think if Roland really knew specifically what type of ARX boards we WANTED and would PAY MONEY FOR, we might see a different direction in the future of ARX. In fact, I think if Roland made a multitimbral VA board, people might buy a whole Fantom-G because of it. Or if hip hop guys heard the pitched kicks of a true 808 emulator, they'd freak out. If we infuse new blood into this beast, and people have a reason to invest in it, I honestly believe we'd get more of our feature requests realized.

Thoughts? My vote is for the 4-voice VA and... dang, the 808/909/303 modeler? Tough choice.

VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

22 Jan 2009, 20:53

• 1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars
(with Ele. Guitar too..ya know the whole FX chain thing...

)

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a "Best-of-the-Missing-SRX-Waves" patches,
along with the capacity to import older SRX patches
Could be a Huge time saver

...That String Board sounds pretty cool though...

www.songsforthemaster.com

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

22 Jan 2009, 21:00

If these were available today I'd buy them now:

• 1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of orchestral patches

• 1-part SuperNatural string ensemble with similar technology as the brass board

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

22 Jan 2009, 22:00

• 1-part SuperNatural guitar with realistic strumming and performance emulation
• 1-part radically scaled-down V-Piano engine
• 1-part SuperNatural string ensemble with similar technology as the brass board

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

22 Jan 2009, 23:08

• 1-part SuperNatural guitar with realistic strumming and performance emulation

• 1-part SuperNatural string ensemble with similar technology as the brass

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with really good acoustic piano patches

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 00:24

These are no brainer - outomatic purchase apsolutely for me if it function according to what it sopposely be without any reserves.....or atleast the closest and best of it....

1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars
1-part radically scaled-down V-Piano engine
1-part SuperNatural guitar with realistic strumming and performance emulation
16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a "Best-of-the-Missing-SRX-Waves" patches, along with the capacity to import older SRX patches

Raising the stakes......

23 Jan 2009, 00:47

I would buy Immediately, not just the following, but the Fantom G to put them in:

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of orchestral patches

• Voice modeling board, similar to the VC-2 card

What I would prefer would be a card with VP-770 Voice modeling or even just a totaly dedicated Choir card with realistic sound characteristics.

3rd choice would be,

• 1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 00:52

ARX Sequencer, made by a third party who actually cares

Whine whine everywhere and not a drop to drink

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 02:22

I can't get it why Supernatural-based expansions got to be only 1-part multitimbral. There are times when you just want more MIDI channels.

I would go for:
• 3-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars.
• 4-part Variphrase engine, with similar synthesis and controls to the V-Synth GT. Curiously I didn't see something like that mentioned in TAW's list.

Νο actual ROM expansion would be good for me, because I can use the vast sample RAM for the sampled-based sounds that are missing. For me, ARX expansions should be able to provide us sounds with alternate synthesis methods, such as modeling.

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 02:28

• 1-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars
(with Ele. Guitar too..ya know the whole FX chain thing...

)

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a "Best-of-the-Missing-SRX-Waves" patches,
along with the capacity to import older SRX patches
Could be a Huge time saver

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 04:03

cyclops:

I would go for:
• 3-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars.

Ah, upper manual, lower manual, and pedals? Gotcha. Yeah, the VK's already do this, so definitely.

• 4-part Variphrase engine, with similar synthesis and controls to the V-Synth GT. Curiously I didn't see something like that mentioned in TAW's list.

Variphrase requires a sampling engine, which I'm pretty sure is precluded by ARX technology. Not entirely sure, but it appears as if ARX/G communication is simple, bi-directional stereo audio and MIDI remote control and sync.

But if Roland can pull it off, hell yeah!

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 04:15

Well, then, if I hadn't the option for an ARX-Variphrase expansion, then I'd go for a 4-part virtual analog synth, with an engine similar to the VA portion of the V-Synth. Ah, and with a Vocoder please (I can't recall if the V-Synth sports a Vocoder at all, and if there's one there, whether it's part of the synthesis section or the effects section).

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 04:16

This would satisfy my needs:

• 1-part SuperNatural string ensemble with similar technology as the brass board

• 16-part/128-voice ROM depository with a wide variety of orchestral patches

I used the SRX-04 Strings with my Fantom FA-76 and I think Roland made some bad choices when they chose the SRX-sounds to go with the G. I miss that card!

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 04:39

• 3-part SuperNatural B3 Organ with the G's sliders as drawbars
(with Ele. Guitar too..ya know the whole FX chain thing...

)

• at least 3-part/128-voice ROM depository with a "Best-of-the-Missing-SRX-Waves" patches,
along with the capacity to import older SRX patches
Could be a Huge time saver

Re: VOTING TIME: What Future ARX Boards Do You Want?

23 Jan 2009, 04:50

I strongly believe that in order to make up with the essential sample libraries that are missing, since the Fantom-G isn't compatible with the SRX format, the following project could be adopted:

Roland could develop a DVD library that would contain all the SRX sample and patch data. The sample data would be in WAV/AIFF format. There should be the option to choose a selection of samples to load each time. For this, the library could include an extra librarian utility which would organize and compile which samples to include in our personalized collection. Then it would create a new project which would be loaded on our Fantom. They could even add the choice for Fantom-X/G project compatibility. They could give the extra option to integrate those samples/patches in an existing project. In this case, the librarian app could search the project's folder for empty sample/patch locations. Then the imported samples/patches would be dynamically allocated to the empty locations or to a selected sample/patch locations, say, the samples could all be placed after location 1000 or 1500. Then the multisamples would be automatically edited so that they'd point to the proper sample locations. The utility could have the choice for selecting how much sample RAM we have installed in our synth, so that it would automatically calculate the memory limit.

This could be a wonderful idea. It could even not include the SRX libraries in the first place, but an entirely new collection. Or this could be just a mega-pack version of smaller, individual sample libraries that would be sold separately. If they'd decide to develop this and to sell it at a reasonable price, then there should have been many of us that would go for it without any doubts.

But then, maybe I'm only dreaming, right?... :-/