That's all for the G??? Roland can't be serious!

[cyclops]

Parsifal:

[...]but I think a WORKSTATION needs a completely-featured sequencer on top of the list. If there are so many G users not using the sequencer they might have skipped it entirely and call it a SOUNDSTATION... ^^[...]

Agreed 100000%.
The Sequencer section is the one that most desperately needs a total facelift, not that other aspects of the synth don't need to be fixed.

[lordelix]

Well so far I can honestly say my expectations from Roland are right on track. Of course I dont expect anything from them so anything is good lol !
Seriously tho, the main reason I never bought the G is really one of need. My X is the swiss army knife of the synth world. It may not excell perfectly at any one thing but with SRX cards it will do miracles for anything involving live performance. The G cannot do these things yet. I do still hold out hope that the ARX format will evolve into something broader in spectrum but I am not going to hold my breath .
I have no loyalty to any synth company ( last I checked I wasnt endorsed by any ). You should always find what works best for what you need and then go for it. Do I love my X hell yes!! Am I going to cut off my options to what is best for my situation... hell no! Am I going to stop buying Roland gear just because of lack of updates.....no! Just my 0.02 cents .

[maximizer]

It all depends on the expectation of the user. Workstation is now such a complex beast and different people will definitely use it for different purposes. e.g., Roland says G has a sequencer, there'll be some people who will use it to the max and find its limitation, OTOH, there'll be people who use it for live and will never use the sequencer and will have no problem at all.

IMHO, workstation is meant to be a scratch pad for idea and then for further editing, you'll move to a PC based sequencers; however, there are people who said 'over their dead bodies' when forced to use computer to edit their stuff. I also felt like the flagship workstation from each of the big 3 is not good enough to be a studio-in-a-box solution at the moment, not even sure such day would come.

But then again, there's no perfect workstation and some people are hard to please (especially after shelling out big bucks). The world is not perfect, that's why eBay and Craiglist exist =)

[Chuck SL]

Hey, Chuck here.
Well said. To anyone that's an X owner. Keep that baby cuz the G is horrible. Its awesome too though so I cant say that completely. There's features that are dynamite about the G but right now, its just too limited. At least I have a Fantom-S on top of it.

I use both now to do my songs, that fun.

X is definitely the way to go right now.

[spybar]

I see that V-Synth GT just got today OS Version 2.0

http://www.roland.com/products/en/V-Synth_GT/index.html

I guess Fantom G will have one too (Like Fantom X had)...

[cyclops]

Yes, but when? Both V-Synth's and Fantom-X's 2.0 versions were overdue. The Fantom-G is only a year or so on the market. Who knows when they'll provide a version 2.0 software update...

Now that I saw again the new V-Synth's features, I've noticed that they provide new effects (I assume that means algorithms) and a new IMPORT function (for Patches/Tones/Samples etc). So, it seems that when they want, they can do more for their instruments. I suppose the same can be done for Fantom-G as well, therefore some of the effects algorithms could be improved or replaced or extra could be added, like Organ-specific effects combinations (Leslie/Overdrive anyone?) or guitar or synth specific combi effects, like Overdrive/wah for Guitar FX or a Vocoder that's got to be added on the effects section . And maybe the import function is what we all need for our Fantom-Gs, namely being able to access/copy/move sounds from a project to another. Who knows, maybe sometime we'll see stuff like that in the Fantom-G as well - even better if they give us something like that before the end of the NAMM show.

[West]

I don't know why so many people complain about the G, I've found it to fit every single scenario and do it very well. Yes, it has some things that need improvement, and I do miss some items from previous synths I've used (In particular, there are still some EP's on the JV-1010 that I wish were still around!), but to call it a horrible workstation or that the sequencer is just bad is unfair. They broke new ground with this and there are growing pains when you do that. I personally enjoy the fact that each patch has it's own effect channel... this is incredible for live performances and backing tracks. However, I'm still finding the phrase based sampling a bit difficult on the G -- it's just a little better using a mouse, but without a mouse it would be better to treat the sequencer as a linear sequencer and discard the notion of doing phrases. When I have done that with my sequences, I have had solid performances and they sound really good. I just wish my sound man knew how to EQ a keyboard to make them sound better!

[Quinnx.]

I think if we step back a bit..

The G has everything to allow you to create IF! you ignore the sequencer.

But then It should never be called a Workstation.

Everything else seems to be working
but now we are forced to Add a PC and something like cubase to complete the package.

However there are things that keep haunting people..

The under developed ARX
and a few more extras that have yet to make it from the X

At this point people need to make a decision,

1) Keep the G and build around it and forget waiting for roland, and learn your lesson for the next time roland start touting the next so called Workstation or product and ignore it for up to 3 years utill all updates have expired.

2) Sell it quickly and find another path but still keep in mind this lesson and just move forward..

Im happy where i am right now since I already had this expectation all along and lesson is learned. (roll on 2020)

[fismoll7]

I don´t use the sequencer and I am also unsatisfied with a lot of things.

for Example:

- You can´t store a tempo per Live-Set
- and You can´t copy a Live Set into a studio set to fix the first problem
- there are no useful Controller-Setting per sound. You have to do everything on your own.
- no 2 Insert-Effects in a row
- No EQ per part
- the poor Usability (despite the big screen)
- the bad organs (poor leslie simulation)
- the brass sounds

an so on.

[2TIM316]

With all due respect, remember Artemiy is now more or less a Roland rep, so he's not going to bad mouth the situation in any way. That being said, let me also soften this statement by again mentioning what a fantastic resource he's created, maintained, and updated here over the years since its inception in 2003. This includes the patch sets which he sells, and which from the beginning I encouraged him to not give away, but to sell. Thanks for everything here, Art!

Now, I totally agree with the tone of this thread. Is this it? Well, remember folks, you chose a hardware workstation. Don't expect constant OS updates. It is what it is.

My disappointment is 1) Not seeing a rack version, and 2) Seeing the ARX format be relegated to what appears to be nothing more than a rehash of the SRX line, and 3) Not seeing some type of kick-ass analog or virtual analog hardware replacement for the V-Synth. Although I haven't heard v2.0 of the V-Synth, so I'm not really qualified to comment.

To echo what's already been said, since supposedly the ARX technlogy offers the possibility of many types of synthesis and sound choices, it seems ridiculous to offer something so pedestrian as a brass expansion. Don't get me wrong, I love brass as much as the next person. But it's never going to sound like a real brass section anyway, so why not just use samples? Use the ARX technology for some type of kick-butt virtual analog or something similar.

Very disappointing offering this year, Roland.

Heck, they didn't even bother to update www.rolandus.com. Pretty lame if you ask me.

[jessej]

The fact still remains that the "engine" itself sounds good.

But yeah, the fismoll list + a lot of other quirks and bugs are still on the to-do list for Roland, and it's been a YEAR.

If I'd be in charge of the Fantom G OS developement team, I would be firing people (and possibly hit them a little without leaving marks). They are playing minesweeper over there, because fixing small shit like that TEMPO BUG or that you cant switch octaves on EXT does not by any means take more than a work week even for a semiretarded intern. That's just a downright LOUSY job they've done on the OS support & development.

Hell, after they released the 1.20 OS me and two coders created a whole MP3 download store with 2 million MP3 songs on it. From scratch. And these guys can't fix a save tempo for patch bug in a year. Jesus.

[javaj_]

Wow- stop yer crying- it's a recession you know- at least they released some interesting stuff- and duh- if they did a Vsynth GT 2.0- don't you think they plan on a Fantom G 2.0- just be patient and write music until they announce it.
I am not seeing much from Korg or Yamaha (unless you consider Yamaha's acoustic stuff and the M3 76 to be amazing).
Heck- they even released a new Synth Editor for the Sonic Cell (I wonder if they plan on updating the editor on the G as well).
If anything- get excited- this could be a decent year despite the crap that is going on in the world
Jeeze- you guys just complain way too much!!!

[jessej]

yeah and the "recession" is a fact because people didn't do their homework. they did an lousy job too.

Oh, and while we're at it... Recession should be busy times for musicians. The more there are unemployed, the more people hit bars to see live shows, the more they have free time to listen to music, the more they feel like shit and have to hit the church to feel good. Go out there and make sad people happy.

And when it's "recession", it is even more important to make a well made product in order to sell. Poor people can not afford to buy crap.

[2TIM316]

I will say this, out of the new Roland products, I bet that new keyboard amp kicks some serious butt. It weighs in at almost 100 pounds. You know it's gonna crank!

[jessej]

Did they have a price on the keyboard amp?

Oh the happiness of the 65 year old keyboardist with scoliosis, a bad hip and a fractured rib and a Fantom G8 and this 100 pound keyboard amp at the bottom of the 120 steps leading up trough the narrow staircase up to the venue where the soundcheck is just about to start.