What is Roland answer to Motif Xf?

[mojkarma]

"Are you sure you got a G6?... tap tempo ..changing tempo on samples???..
Check what keyboard you got...not sure if you have G6. "

No. I don't have a G6. I never said that.
I have a G8.
Maybe I'm wrong but there should be no difference.
So, let me help you out.
You have to press the TEMPO button. There the tempo is highlighted and with the dial you can change the tempo in either direction.

1. The F6 button functions as tap tempo.

Does the FG has tap tempo? YES
For the lazy people, owners manual, page 207.

2. The FG (G, not 6, looks similar but it's not the same) can sync a wave to the tempo. It's called Wave Sync.

Can you change the tempo on samples?
YES.
Again, owners manual, page 130.

"I know that."

You know that but you ask me if i'm sure what keyboard I use??!?

"But go and check XF and let me know how easy is that..just turn the knobs. On G..OMG"

You're just wrong again. Before you can turn the knob it has to be dedicated to function as a tempo controller. Otherwise, the know does something completely different. For example, setting the chorus level or function as an controller assigned to another function. Or you have to press a modification button on the left to activate the know as tempo controller.
Not really faster than what you have on the FG in that regard.

"Live performance keyboards need to be quick fast and user frindly."

Yes, and all keyboards are fast/easy or at the same time slow/difficult, depending on what your needs are and how you work with.
For the start, try to make a multitimbral setup consisting of 6 sounds which will at the same time control an external rack on the Motif. Try to put a pad sound far left on the keyboard and change its octave setting for more than 2 octaves.
Than try the same on the FG, measure the time, the work involved and come back. Oh and while we are talking about live performance, tell us how the seamless switching works on the Motif.

[V-CeeOh]

1. The F6 button functions as tap tempo.

Does the FG has tap tempo? YES

Let me ad you can also assign TAP Tempo to a footswitch.

[kenchan]

the new motif reminds me of my old DX11. black and slim body. kinda classy looking. i might get one to go a long with my CP1. i want to get rid of my nord!!! someone buy it please (in market place).


the xf wont replace my FG8 any time soon. hahaha. :p

[Septimo]

ac, I must have missed the fact that you already have a FG... If you already own a Workstation why sell that one and loose money and get another? I wouldn't pay that much against my loss on the FG...I don't think the arps and the flash is worth an extra $1000 or more in trade...

Now if you didn't have one in the first place, then I'd suggest the better XF.. Which is what I thought was the situation you were in... unless money is not an issue... Me, having a fully expanded FX already, there is no way I can see myself buying another workstation... I'd much rather buy an iPad instead, which is were the future is heading in my opinion...

[dbijoux]

Not the iPad thing again!

Okay, am I silly thinking the XF would be absolutely marvelous loaded with a literal ton of NI / East West multisampled pianos? All instantly accessible!?

Then I start to wonder, just how many could I actually load with only 2 gigs. Not to mention this is getting pretty expensive now considering the flash upgrades and software, also I really like the firewire expansion and ability to multitrack in and out of the DAW seemlessly.

It sounds great having this all in the XF but I end up coming back to a DAW as an ultimately more efficient, yet slightly less appealing, solution.

I've been watching the videos and go from impressed to unimpressed. Did anyone notice the Jupiter behind Bert in the demos? I wonder if they were trying to say something or if he actually pulls that back out after the video shoot is done.

[Atlas5]

I have an iPad, the keybed action is really poor, or are my fingers are just too fat.

There are cool apps, but they are little more than distractions at this point.

Maybe when os4 comes we'll get midi control, than 3rd parties will develop multi-cable interfaces, Opcode will reappear with Vision and then we'll be able to sequence on the big colorful touch screen.

That will be Apple's answer to the Roland Fantom G.

[ac]

Well.. i think i am the only one who doesn't know my FG6. The only one who thinks XF is better workstation than FG. Lets wait and see. In a couple of weeks i will get my XF and than i can give a better feedback to you guys.
And Septimo... i am not loosing money. I got my FG6 inside a box (new) from only £900. The guy who sold me was in a difficult financial situation. Was a quick sell/buy. I have purchased ARx-3 (£199 from a Roland/Edirol staff) and 512 MB so i could get a decent money for that.

AC

[quebec88]

AC,

I just sold my Fantom G6 and I got a Yamaha Motif XS6 to replace it and I'm not looking back. A few weeks ago, I picked up a Motif ES6 and I realized that my Fantom needed to go. Plain and simple, I preferred the sounds of the Yamaha over the Roland. I justified my loss as this. I paid $2300 for the Fantom G a year ago. I sold it for $1400 and then I bought a used Yamaha Motif XS6 in excellent condition for $1400. Now I'm happy and that's all that matters. I said this once and I'll say it again. I should have bought the XS6 a year ago instead of the Fantom G6. I took a chance and I made the mistake, but I now corrected it. Now I have two workstations (Motifs).

[Septimo]

ac... Ah well, then you're in the good! Good luck with your new beast! I'm sure you're gonna enjoy the hell out of it! I'm sure you will be as satisfied and regret less as quebec88.. Congrats in advance! -No more nights wondering what to do!

[symphonicus]

I bought my Fantom G because it is not a Yamaha. It is a workstation! That means, it is a maschine to work with. I make my own Sound. I like to play live. In my opinion the concept of the Fantom G is fantastic. -
So, what can Roland make better? I think, a much more professional programming of the factory-Sounds coult make the work easier,

But I think, Yamaha does too much of programming, for example in their big kategory of appegios. Most users play with them, so almost all of them have the same sound. -

I wish these things:
- more Ram + Rom
- better programmed Factory-Patches with professional programmed Effects
- Wave-Player direktly from USB - to play along with my own playback and the ability to change Live-Mode-Patches while playing.
- an Organ Expansion-Board with really all Sounds of Hammond and realistic Leslies, for example like the B4 (is it possible to create an Expansion-Board that allows to install a plug-In Instrument like the B4?

The harware is still up to date. I hope, Roland makes further updates! The Fantom-G ist the best!!!

[quebec88]

symphonicus,

Agree with you about the factory sounds. I still do believe that the Fantom G has the most potential moving forward as far as workstations are concerned. I'm a little disappointed with the ARX selections as of now and I wonder if they will ever make another one. For me, I realized that I wasn't going to do any programming of sounds or sampling sounds and things like that. I was just into playing sounds out of the box and that's where I felt more comfortable with the Motif.

There were things that I liked about the Fantom. The build of the unit, the screen, Live mode, etc. Unfortunately, I just never quite felt right with the most important feature for me IMO and that was the sound.

[V-CeeOh]

Somehow I feel the urge to register in a Yammy forum, go there and, although my single Yamaha keyboard is a 20 year old analog mini synth (which I love BTW), congratulate every single user that says something good about the Fantoms. Very strange feeling indeed...

Anyway, I'm glad. It's seems a "lot" of Fantom users found the light. I hope you come back if you ever feel the need to share any of your problems using the VERY new XF. It really looks great. It's a shame I'm not convinced with the "new" overprocessed sounds and the same "awkward" interface. Not to mention the thousand of arpeggios I never use and the "extra" exclusive flash memory I can get by the means of a substantial but "necessary" amount of money. But Yamaha "listens" so I must excuse it.

So I guess Roland's answer must be "ooooohh, these guys did something scary. We'll never did and will never do something similar... or better"

But , hey, "everyone" uses a Motif so it must be my fault to keep my G.... and never be happy on a Yamaha forum.

[quebec88]

V-CeeOh,

There is no doubt that the Fantom G interface is more user friendly then the Motif. I will miss that no doubt, but I'm sure that I will come to learn the interface of the Motif, especially now that I have two Motifs.

Yes, I wasn't sold on the XF as compared to the XS. I felt that the better value was a used XS. The funny thing is all of these workstations have their pros and cons. If we could only merge parts from all of them to produce the ultimate workstation.....wishful thinking!

[dbijoux]

So does anyone know the connection btwn Motifator, Keyfax, and Yamaha? Are they paid developers of the "support" site?

Maybe slightly off-topic, but why isn't Roland throwing a bone this way? We can't even upload music anymore. It's not like it's even expensive.

Just curious because I think websites like RolandClan and Motifator are definitely a part of the user-experience, for better or worse.

On that note, there are XS moaners(and Fantom lovers? VCO?) over there too.

[Atlas5]

owning the FG, XS & M3. I find them very different beast.

The FG is very pop sounding to me.
The XS is very rock & roll sounding to me
The M3 is very dance sounding to me.

Of course you could do any style on any of the them, and programming sounds can help them fit into any genre.

The XS & M3 have a lot of instant satisfaction between the arps & Karma. but then again, while the FG is more work, the end results are usually better.

The FG is a real "work"station, you only get out of it what you put in.

The manuals are a great comparison of the OS systems.

The M3 manual is long, yet everything is layout in a dictionary style, while the XS manual is very convoluted, you have to keep jumping around to solve your problems or to gain an understanding. The FG is somewhere inbetween.

Yes, there are lovers and haters of each, I guess I lucky in that I love them all. I find they inspire different music from me.

I also have a PC3, while the sounds are excellent, it just isn't a very inspiring workstation.

I have used them all live in a band situation and the FG out shines them all. I really enjoy the piano sounds of the FG the most. Using the live sets is great for switching sounds, laying and splitting the keyboard. I use the pads to mute sound I don't want

Funny thing, with all these workstations, I don't sequence much on any of them. I play them live for performance, and record them as multi-track audio to the DAW when performing at home.

I have some good friend that have used the XS to great success, they have sequenced all their backing tracks for live use in the XS, over 45 songs and their both guitar players.

None of them are perfect. I'd recommend a person try them all. To make a choice of only one, you need to have an understanding of what your primary application is going to be and your perferred workflow, then balance that to the individual workstations to make the best choice

I'd say Roland, Yamaha and Korg don't answer to each other, just us, the musician. Problem is, there is no one best solution.

And no I don't have a lot of money, just a lot of debt to go along with alt of keyboards