What genre of music do you use the S/X for?

[qwerty]

I've just had a long rant in a previous post (sorry!) and it started me thinking - what genre of music do you guys use your Fantoms for? If I was to guess I would say most of you are into Hip Hop or R&B?

Qwerty

[Phait]

It seems alot of people get dance, R&B, hip-hop, blues/rock backings and grooves, etc out of the Fantom series. And that's fine, but that's really not so diverse.

I like to think I'm not necessarily pushing the limits persay, of the FS (Artemio seems to be doing this?) but using it for what it's really capable of. I hate boxing my music into a genre but I would have to say it's an amalgamut of: industrial, ambient, melodic, mood and simplicity.

Perhaps I write a song entirely on piano, or with piano as a base and light strings or pads... the other song might be an acoustic guitar sequence resampled, hit with a few effects, resampled agan, hit with more effects and pitched down 1 or 2 octaves until it's some ominous, creepy drone. Or perhaps an emotional pad moan or what-have-you.

I like to think I'm using the FS in rather unorthodox ways.

Web design/Personal site: http://www.phait-accompli.com
Music: http://www.thecarbonflaw.com

[rpieket]

1970's "Berlin School" electronic music is my main inspiration. Klaus Schulze (old and current), Tangerine Dream (old line up only), and more recent acts in this tradition like Dweller At The Threshold, and Redshift.

Other influences are Cluster, Asmus Tietchens, Brian Eno, Jean-Michel Jarre, Peter Namlook, Robert Rich, Steve Roach, Vir Unis, and many others.

Having said that -- I haven't actually finished a track with the FS yet.

-- Ronald.

[TomC]

Southern (traditional) Gospel Music. I would place it along the lines of some country style music. I've only had my X7 since Saturday but I've found it to be extremely good at these traditional sounds. I only wish I could find a little more acoustic sounding snare. (I havent been through all the kits yet though)

Proud owner of a brand new Fantom X7!!

[Tony Clifton]

Nue,Cluster,Kraftwerk,Klaus Dinger,and Conny Plank Studios projects and Brainmetronome.
Love Faust and Can.
I love early Joy Division,Wire,Fall,My Bloody Valentine,Throbbing Gristle and PIL.
Love USA bands Beefheart,The Residents,Pere Ubu,Pixies,Tom Waits(Swordfish Trombones,Frank's Wild Years,Bone Machine period)and Ramones.
Influenced by Shaggs and Michael Hurley early Folkways release.
Bjork is a great influence.
And Harry Partch,Ravel,Stockhausen,and Stravinsky creep in too!
rpieket......please give us more NEW German stuff I'll check em out......thanks!

Peace,
Tony

[mucsusn]

Me, I'm a classic gig whore. If you call and dangle money, I will try and pull it off.

Highlights from this year include (in no particular order):

Dragging it to church while the 3 manual Rodgers was waiting for repair.

Harpsichord continuo for Brandenburg Concerto with chamber ensemble.

Accompanying Middle School Choral concert for group and solo numbers. One rehearsal and follow the kiddies and keep them safe.........

A performance of Godspell (used the FS88, MoES8 and Yamaha C3).

Numerous 3 horn swing band weddings

Musical score transcription dance rehearsal CD's for local school productions.

Used alongside a Steinway D for a very cool Piano and Percussion piece called "Rosas", written in honor of Rosa Parks and another Rosa (don't recall her bio) famous for racial equality issues. Performed the piece for a Senior percussion recital.

Play it at home whenever I can for fun.

[Jordi]

Hi all. This is my first post here.

rpieket said:

*1970's "Berlin School" electronic music is my main inspiration. Klaus Schulze (old and current), Tangerine Dream (old line up only), and more recent acts in this tradition like Dweller At The Threshold, and Redshift.

I am too in this kind of music, as well as in the other's past big names like Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Neuronium, and so on. It's me or this is not a very popular music genre nowadays (as well as among Fantomized forum users)?

I purchased my Fantom X6 in Musicians Gear (will be getting it in a week or so), to replace my humble Roland JV80 (I've noticed that this is a common deal here, as I saw anyone in other thread that did the same). The rest of my gear is Korg MS2000 and Novation Supernova.

Greetings
Jordi

[rpieket]

Hey Jordi and Tony -- we seem to be of a like mind. Who'd have thunk? I'm especially surprised because many Berlin School inspired musicians prefer using vintage analog gear.

How are you finding the Fantom sounds in this musical context?

Of course I got the Ultimate Keyboards expansion. That's a no-brainer if you're into this kind of music.

I did some more research and decided to also get the Platinum Trax. I skip past all the drum loops and the "Yeah!" and "Get on Down!" samples, and go straight for the ambient effect samples. Very nice stuff in there.

-- Ronald.

[FadeKYBRDR]

I'm in a Brit-pop group and it works for me (more like Mode and Morrisey, no not like Steps or Spicey Chicks)

I could see the Fantom-S/X being good for hip-hop/Rap due to the pad bank...great for those styles drum work.

Cheers

Whaddaya mean you don't know what key it's in??

[psalmist]

I use it for contemporary jazz and R&B at home but also use it for contemporary praise and worship in church - it's just a great all-around keyboard in my opinion.

Tom

Do all for the glory of God

[Jordi]

Hi, rpieket. I decided to get the Fantom X in order to get rid of the computer in the midi sequencing stage, and to replace the jv80. I hate to plug and unplug midi cables to just record one musical idea.

I am not planning to get the Ultimate Keys expansion. I have the Vintage Synth Expansion board in my JV80 (which I want to sell), and I think I already have enough analog emulation (and tweakable) power with the Supernova and MS2000 boards. Moreover, I don't want to pay twice for the same sounds as there's no gain in quality (and believe me, some of the sounds, specially mellotron sounds, are very badly sampled). So, I will use samples for some vintage sounds: Mellotrons, VP330 choirs, Solinas, and so on.

Greetings,
Jordi

[Mexico]

I use my FX6 on stage when playing with my Country band. However, most of the Country sounds come from my FA76 and its Country expansion board. Great pedal steels, dobros, banjos and acoustic guitars among other hick sounds. At home, the FX6 is used for any freakin' music style that comes to my mind when sitting in front of it; rock, new age, latin beats, weird-ass non-classifiable tunes, etc.

[TomC]

Mexico!! I would love to hear some of your Country music if youve got any available. Is the Country expansion or anything like it available for the FX?? I play Southern Gospel but the sound is the same as most country. (I dont think theres a single pedal steel on the FX... it has a good sounding banjo though)

TomC

Proud owner of a brand new Fantom X7!!

[Mexico]

Hello, TomC. There's a board out there that has some of the Country expansion board sounds, but I don't know which of them. The board is World Collection, and some people talk about it here:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Synth/Da ... on-01.html

I also found out that "Some of the waveforms are selected from CD-ROMs produced by SAMPLEHEADS®, USA."

That's all I know. I'm just glad the FA76 takes the old kind of expansion boards too, because that Country Board is a life-saver. It comes with several pedal steels. This address provides the patch list:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ROLSRJV8017

You have no idea what a great relief it is to have all those sounds available. It lets you concentrate on the music.

Hope this helps!

M

PS. I'll be posting a song pretty soon that makes good use of the Country board.

[Tony Clifton]

I like to make and edit my own patches and my Fantom-S88 is a breeze for this.
I'm a retired singing drummer but I played an EML 101 and a Putney in the past along with my DX7.
I had lots of Echoplex treated tape loops on old four track tape machines.
Had a Korg Vocoder and used broken Arp for sounds.Remember editing tape loops by cutting LOL?
With all the great Vintage software out there I plan to invest in a new dual 2 gh G5 and load it up with great Vintage sounds!
Do you guys use "OLD" Waldorfs or Kurzweil stuff?
I'd like to try out an analog synth for awhile.
Wanted the Roland Fantom S the minute I previewed it.
The sounds issue is hilarious when you hear complaints considering the world before PRESETS LOL!
As far as recent hardware........I also just got the Motif ES6.
The Poly Evolver looks interesting too!
One old school friend heavily into German influences like Cluster has the Kurz 2600XS and still uses their EML gear.
They loved the Roland V-synth and the Fantom interface!
I'm 53 and studied Electronic music in Boston circa late 70's.
Played drums and was lead singer in an experimental rock band then.
Sampling has come a LONG WAY!

Peace,
Tony