I have learned to leave behind ANY expectations concerning Roland Japan support for their flagship workstation meanwhile. I don’t expect
- a Fantom G OS, which could remotely be called complete, and up to possibilities the G hardware offers, in any acceptable time frame: they definitely blew it from my view, no matter when they might finally get some urgent things done. Three weeks before the realase of the next workstation would surely be a great possibility!
))- an ARX offer which could really impress. From my view: ARX 03 is fine, though with some unwelcome limitations; ARX-02 was more or less a failure, ARX-01 ok but not more: all in all the boards are not remotely as impressive as they are over-expensive! I will not ask for any more ARX boards later, because I will get myself all I need at better prices much faster elsewhere
- a Fantom G “Experience” online page which truly has added to the overall lamer experience since its start: offering nothing but late and much too little support and support information. A page not updated much and VERY FAR from getting together all essential Fantom G support. It mirrors Roland Japan perfectly, being about as exciting as reading a phone number book.
- a Roland Japan support which is all in all minimal: offering you some slow and each time overdue updates (like a Juno G update NOW!), a few manuals, and some limited video/tutorial material. If Roland US (Dan Krisher and team) and Roland Germany would not do a MUCH better job than Roland Japan, the Roland Japan support could simply be called disastrous. Still it is completely up to external initiatives to provide a forum (Artemiy), additional sounds (Artemiy), more patches (Navarin), a fully working sampling solution (YASE) an online chat (Flumpster) and more or less successful workarounds for existing problems.
As I said, I really don’t care any more. I take the G for what it is, and not any longer for what it should long(!) have become.
Of course I can’t deny that this kind of “Roland experience” has made me wiser
. If the company delivering the flagship workstation at the core of your gear treats you like that, customers look for alternatives. In my case- I had intended to add a V-Synth XT to my gear: I won’t and have just begun checking the alternatives
- I had intended to add a VK 8M, like Mada: I won’t. I have found some nice alternatives, one of them also offering a still better B3 sound.
- I had intended to buy at least one more ARX board if they appear in time: now I won’t buy a single additional one any more; no matter what they might sell in the future. The “too little and too late” principle won’t pay for Roland.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not feeling angry at all. The G is a fine instrument, and I used and will use it all the time, together with great gear from other companies. But I certainly learnt my Roland lesson and am completely done with it – in a very relaxed way.
)