No linear sequencer

[9blackoranges]

Remember the days you could record a whole continuous song, or import a whole song on midi, or have a continuous sequence/session view etc.

Sad its again omitted.

[Tiguspca]

Agreed. It looks like manufacturers are opting to simplify the integration with a DAW however this means that we are all stuck to go around with computers which is not practical for all.
GP

[hephiroth]

So with the Fantom’s pattern sequencer, is there no way to record a single pass melody line over a combination of patterns? I think the Ableton-style approach is neat for experimenting with song building blocks, but then I feel like I’d sometimes want to lay down a full-length lead/solo track.

[Tiguspca]

You're limited to 64 bars

[anotherscott]

I wouldn't expect the Fantom-0 to have a better/different sequencer than the high end Fantom it is derived from... so I'm actually surprised to see it's 64 bars instead of 32. Maybe that upgrade is forthcoming for the Fantom. (Or did it happen and I missed it?)

[Tiguspca]

Here are the latest changes with Fantom the V3.0 Firmware update:

The EXM007 n/zyme Model Expansion is now supported.
Three types of effects have been added to MFX.
[ Functionality Improvements ]
A pattern can now contain up to 64 measures.
The beat can now be set in combination.

I took this info from a Youtube video done by Ed Diaz...

Cheers
GP

[HappyK]

Hi everybody,
No linear sequencer, I could live with it if we could have a tempo track and the possibility to insert different time signature ...

[FGM]

Hi everybody,
No linear sequencer, I could live with it if we could have a tempo track and the possibility to insert different time signature ...

The only way to change time signature for the time being and for recording externally is assigning NEXT SCENE to S1, S2 (and S3 if Fantom, not Fantom 0) or to a pedal.

Increase and decrease also will work if under a scene chain and will move to the adjacent scene regardless of name or number.

I use this technique when the orchestration overcomes the zones and partials capabilities...

😀😀😀😀

[Tiguspca]

This confirms that I will stick with my FA08. I cover old prog and changing time signature is a must... Thanks for the info.

GP

[franc.weber]

An attempt to explain why I need linear sequencing;

Playing in a band, I’m the only keyboard player. To create a full sound I create midi’s (using Cubase) with the extra keys tracks that I cannot play live (I mostly play the piano tracks live). These midi tracks trigger some of the 16 available zone’s in a patch. The problem is HOW I play the midi’s, it’s externally via Cantabile, running on a notebook PC, connected via USB to the fantom. This all works but why do I need a notebook to get midi’s played?

What I tried before switching to Cantabile.
I “solved” the pattern length limit (shorter than the midi songs I create) by simply splitting a midi song into patterns of exactly 32 bars (64 is possible since 3.0) with a last pattern for the rest of the bars exceeding a multiple of 32 bars. Then import these patterns to fantom and assemble the song via the fantom interface (sequentially line up the patterns to a song). This allready is a huge bottleneck in effiency of my workflow. Added to this comes a timing problem. Especially in rock songs there will be note’s that are triggerd just before the beat. In a pattern sequencer this is a problem when such a note is just before the 1st beat. You can never split a full midi song at a bar with notes just before the 1st beat because they will start (get triggered) at the end of pattern X and will be cut of at the start of pattern X+1 (since the note “started” in the previous pattern). To solve this you need to figure out what is the best way to split a song into patterns avoiding this problem. However, I’m a musician, not a mathematician.

Due to the timing issues in the rock songs I introduced Cantablie running on a notebook to my setup to play the midi’s. So, a state of art Fantom (best ever) that I need to accompany with a notebook and Cantabile, just to be able to play a midi song…..

It just doesn’t feel good, I wanna press play to activate the Fantom onboard sequencer to play the extra tracks and get rid of the notebook!

[tchelomgf]

Could you just record your midi as audio and play as sample on Fantom-0?

[HappyK]

Hi everybody,
To franc.weber, about the sequencer on the Roland Fantom, I agree totally and there's a lot much to say.
Especialy when you register or play a pattern or a song, you cannot play it since the 3rd measure or from another point, it always starts from the beginning !!!!! So, if you make a correction at the measure 30, you will listen all the pattern...
-Insert different time signature in a song ...
-Tempo track ...
- etc
I'd really like to have comments from Roland (after 2 1/2 years) (I posted this comment on the Roland's Facebook)
1. Tell us you're gonna do something we are asking for OR
2. you will never do ...
So we will know what to do with our keyboard ...

[franc.weber]

Could you just record your midi as audio and play as sample on Fantom-0?

It is a possibility, but at a cost; in my current solution I can (un)mute any track on demand, I would loose that when switching to audio. In my current midi’s I also have drums, bass and guitars. Normally mute (played live by the band members) but when one of the band members cannot be present at weekly rehearsal, I can unmute that channel so the rest of the band can do a good rehearsal.

[anotherscott]

An attempt to explain why I need linear sequencing;

Certainly, there are people who do need linear sequencing, and would like it to be built in to the keyboard. Fantom just isn't the right tool for that task. Currently available alternatives could be Kurzweil PC4 series and K2700, Roland FA, Yamaha MOXF6 (and Genos, I think, but that's in a very different price range), Korg Kross, Krome, Nautilus, Kronos, and I think PA700, PA1000, and Pa4X, maybe others. I think there are some Casios as well, e.g. the PX-560.

So, a state of art Fantom (best ever) that I need to accompany with a notebook and Cantabile, just to be able to play a midi song…..

Well Roland called the older Fantom series (and the FA) workstations, they don't describe the new ones that way. It may in some ways be the best Fantom ever, but the design focus is a bit different from the old ones. Each has advantages over the other.

I'd really like to have comments from Roland (after 2 1/2 years) (I posted this comment on the Roland's Facebook)
1. Tell us you're gonna do something we are asking for OR
2. you will never do ...
So we will know what to do with our keyboard ...

Roland is unlikely to release information about future plans, for competitive reasons. But what if Roland said they were working on it? There's still no assurance that it will do the exact things you're hoping for, or when it will come; in fact, there's never any guarantee something will be released until it is. (It is not impossible for a company to say they are working on an enhancement, only to have it never appear, for one reason or another.) On the flip side, what if Roland said they had no plans to do so, but plans changed and they subsequently came out with it anyway?

In short, there is no good answer to your query. You should just assume it will not be forthcoming. It's always best to buy for what a board does today, rather than hoping for something that may or may not come in the future. If you need something a board doesn't do, buy a different board.

[HappyK]

Hi everybody

Following the post of "anotherscott » 09:51, 8 April 2022"

Especially " It's always best to buy for what a board does today, rather than hoping for something that may or may not come in the future. If you need something a board doesn't do, buy a different board."

You're right and ... you may be wrong:

You buy a board with sequencer, based on what you know about sequencers and Roland. I can live with the pattern-way but I think it is normal to expect having a tempo track and the possibility to have different time signatures in a same song.

I'm curious, to read what you wrote, are you from Roland or do you have great relations with them ?

Have a nice day !