Countdown to Winter Namm

[madAhorn]

Mid January 2009 is coming quickly.

What are your Fantom G update hopes for Winter Namm?

Mine are probably a bit of a stretch.

1. I really hope for New samples, similar to the way Korg updated the M3.
Brass and Acoustic Guitars are at the top of my list.
From the X to the G we have lost ground in these areas if you include SRX. I know others will bring up other categories.

2. Totally usable Sequencer. Cut, Copy, Paste, Splice, etc with the mouse preferably.

Would this make it version 2.0?

Art's Organics will help some with new samples!
Thanks Art!

[billw]

My wish list:

1) VK-8 engine on an ARX board
2) Virtual Analog engine on an ARX board
3) Fix the external transpose/mapping screens in the G!!

[chicks]

these things would make the Fantom far and away the best workstation on the market...

1. ARX plans
2. Solo Button in Studio and Live Mode
3. Mouse functionality in sequencer like Madahorn said

[Pharlopez]

Omnisphere ARX board?? just kidding

Sequencer and Arpeggiator revisions should be a must!
Fx routing, locking and presets, drum pattern editor, non destructive playback quantizing, better file management, copy live sets into studio sets

...but I'm a hopeless man

At least, now that i own an Omnisphere, i can wait two years more for that to come god, what a Synth!!!

[jessej]

I think Roland will be all about SuperNatural at the January NAMM show.

My bets:

ARX-03 Virtual Analog / Roland Legacy Collection
ARX-04 World Instruments
ARX-05 Orchestral Instruments
ARX-06 Vocal Designer

The release of Fantom G OS 1.30 with significant updates to the Effects sections and to the Sequencer and multi-sampling section + updates to the VST Editor.

I'm also expecting Roland to release new TD-drums with Supernatural technology as seen in the ARX-01 card.

[keysme]

New high-end Arranger to replace the G-70 perhaps???

My guess (and Roland's own words) is that there will be new ARX boards at winter NAMM, or if not at NAMM then "soon", or so they say. I take "soon" to mean "soon" so that is why I favor winter NAMM as the announcement date for new ARX boards. If not NAMM then Musikmesse for sure I would think. I'm hoping NAMM though. I also hope the new ARX boards will do the FG justice too, instead of the lackadaisical reception the first two got. The ARX concept is right on track i.e. the ability to tweak them to your hearts delight. The problem with the first two, in my opinion, was that they were lacking in the sound category, which should be the boards main emphasis I feel. In other words, let them have "excellent" ROM samples that are a cut above the rest that are currently on the market e.g. Motif XS, Kurzweil PC3/X, etc. They each cost a pretty penny, so Roland should make "every" effort to do the ARX boards proud in my opinion. ARX-01 & 02 are okay but nothing unusual or out of the ordinary in my opinion, except in their ability to be tweaked extensively. At almost $500.00 a pop they NEED to be better than just 'okay'. And it looks like that is the current sentiment of a majority of Fantom G owners too. At least most of the ones on this forum anyway; who have apparently chosen NOT to fork over the dough for either the ARX-01 or 02.

But I will try and keep a positive attitude regarding the next batch. Hopefully I (We) won't be disappointed eh? >> Eventually there will be two ARX boards with my name on them. Filling the slots sooner rather than later would be a blessing though... C'mon Roland! You can DO IT!

[cyclops]

For me, a major Fantom-G update, that would probably come with the winter NAMM, should be focused in two areas:

1. Soundware: since the ARX technology is essentially modelling-based, the upcoming ARX expansions should carry non-sample-based sounds, like Variphrase, Organ modelling, Virtual Acoustic/Analog and so on. I'd like to see CDs/DVDs with sampled libraries available for free or for a really low cost, and in Fantom-G format of course (complete projects).

2. New OS/firmware update: of course it should address all of the issues we've pointed out concerning the overall sound engine, FX section and the Sequencer. The rest is for Roland to choose. Let them surprise us, pleasantly that is...

[ac]

AN ARX world collection would be apreciated. And please can roland create an arx with the basic sounds like sax, accordeon,organ, etc? Cos the present sounds are rubbish!
I had a G-70 and the sax on that is amazing. Why did not Roland use some of the good sounds from previsouse models, G70, xp60?


Cheers
AC

[r4uz]

ORGAN ARX BOARD!!!!!!

[jessej]

Keysme, what are you basing the statement that the ARX-01 and ARX-02 do not sound good? Do you have them or used or tried them or downloaded some sound samples somewhere? If you have some sound samples somewhere, I am very interested to hear.

In a thread a week ago, I asked some questions and got some answers and saw some videos that made the ARX-01 look very convincing to me.

The only reason I haven't bought the ARX-01 card myself is because I am waiting for the announcements of the other cards, as there is only 2 ARX slots in the G. I have the money ready, but I am waiting to after NAMM.

If there would exist ARX-01 Drums, ARX-n VA and ARX-n World Instruments, I would have a really hard time to choose which two I should get.

[cyclops]

ac:

Back to Basics!!! SOUNDS!!!!
AN ARX world collection would be apreciated. And please can roland create an arx with the basic sounds like sax, accordeon,organ, etc?

Concerning the sound categories you mention, did you even try to program some patches before complaining? Maybe the preset patches aren't the best, but the preset samples are of the highest quality in the Fantom-G's category.
The concept behind a workstation/synthesizer is all about programming, not just dialing presets and play.

[Diametro]

Hmm ... While the ability to program/edit is a given on flagship workstations, I think most people buy them to have great sounds out of the box and at the ready ...

Unless you have a great dedicated control surface, editing is a chore ... I don't think there's ever been a workstation with a control surface that approaches even a decent synth with dedicated controls ...

[cyclops]

In most cases, the current line of hardware workstations can't be compared to a computer DAW, concerning the ability to edit sounds right away in a straightforward GUI. In most DAWS you'll have to use a dedicated hardware controller for VSTi editing, something that isn't always that obvious. The workflow won't come even close to the smoothness you can reach with the Fantom-G or with a similar instrument.

That's why I wonder why people who buy something like the Fantom-G won't even try and dedicate some time to make their own sounds. I like to have a great array of presets to start, but I was never much of a preset-guy. When I first auditioned the Fantom-G I was a bit frustrated about many of the preset sounds. But in order to find out if it was the right choice for me, I searched through the raw samples for a while. I new that most of what I needed was there, and the only thing to do was to give the instrument some quality time to unleash its magic. If I have so much editing potential, I want to use it, and I always do.

[Jimknopf]

I belong to those, who prefer tweaked or self-progarmmed sounds in nearly each and every case over anything the presets have to offer. Still I am sure that a good choice of wave material and especially convincing presets are THE key feature for selling a big workstation for the majority of buyers. Simple as that.

This is my only explanation why in the selling ranks of a major German seller (which are not representative but give you a clue about dimensions) among the first 10 units called "workstations", while cheaper devices like the new Korg M50-61 dominate these ranks, only two major workstations rank in the top ten: Yamaha XS 8 (rank 4, with Yamaha XS 7 at rank 7), and Korg M3-61 expanded (rank 5). The first Roland G in the list is the G6 at rank 12 (G8 at 21, G7 at 22). This is not bad at all, but it tells something.

My interpretation of the list may sound daring to some, but after talking with musicians it seems crystal clear to me that it mainly mirrors the priority key feature of the broad majority:
- the number of as good as possible ready-to-use out of the box sounds.
Nothing else seems to be comparably important to the majority of buyers, though the G impresses many with it's leading live usability. To me the majority of these Yamaha and Korg sounds don't sound half as attractive as to many, just because I don't like those "middle of the road" audio industry sounds reminding me of jingles and third class mass market music industry hits most of the time. But the fact should be acknowledged anyway.

Even I, though I like to program sounds and find a lot of good stuff in the wav material, still miss some fundamental up to date quality stuff there, and also my personal choice from SRX material would have been a lot(!) other than what I find. The wav ROM still contains too much totally outdated and useless fill material while missing really relevant quality essentials (example areas: drums, brass, guitars, vintage synths; I don't name organs because an ARX board would be the better solution).

I don't believe Roland will surprise us with really relevant new sounds at Winter Namm, just because I don't see anyone there working as profilic as Eric Persing did in his days, or making this a real priority (too much backward "what we have" stuff in the G makes that point very clear). But still I think Roland should use the year 2009 for a relevant sound update. Same for ARX: either some essential things happen here, or people will resign about the ARX side of their device and no longer regard the feature as a buying argument for the G.

[Hi, I have been fantomized]

I would reaaly love to see an ARX expansion of acoustic pianos (if its even possible to make something like that)

Of course, also orchestral ARX