Fantom G Successor...I need one bad

[Synthtron]

Missing the fantom G. I missed out on getting a Fantom G. I was wanting one but I waited too long and they pretty much vanished from stores before i could make the move. I have a fantom X-6 but an desperately in need of more as in production ability. The Fantom G had what I was looking for and that was cut from the new FA workstations.

Mainly what I need is a new hardware workstation that can sequence more midi tracks than 16 tracks and offers more midi outputs. Also an audio recorder is something I need and the 24 tracks of audio on the fantom G was a great idea. I really do not want to buy a used Fantom G off ebay and hope that Roland offers a successor to the Fantom G ... Sometime soon. I really hate using a computer and prefer the hardware synths and workstations and hope something new is on the horizon preferably Roland.

[booyakasha12]

I hear you loud and clear.
I was in the same boat.. used to love my fantom x6, churned out a lot of material... went straight to the computer and thought i would leave my hardware workstation in the dust. Low and behold, I started realizing the songs I wrote that were making me some money were arranged better on the fantom x, and that there was something magical about having a hardware controller to help sketch down ideas. Anyways, I ended up getting the G this past year used.. Shop around, guitar center always seems to get them in now and they're cheaper than the FA in most cases. I think Roland will come to terms and hopefully fulfill the hardware junkies fantasies, but I think it might be awhile..

[Synthtron]

I am even open to something along the lines of a MV-8800. I need a sequencer with more channels and outputs to control all of my hardware synths.

I have tried the computer recording thing off and on and have just given up. It is too frustrating to me. I want to sit down and have things work instantly without crashing, latency, trouble shooting why my interface suddenly has a conflict or drops my Midi ports, computer updates, etc.

I like my hardware but do use a computer for backing up files and data management.

Waiting for NAMM and Musikmesse to hopefully show something.

[Quinnx.]

I love my fantom G but also have the X
Now i could go and recomend getting the G but if you have an X then your halfway there..
I completely understand not wanting to deal with a computer but still want the power and flexablility..

So Heres the deal..
Get an IPAD
Download Cubasis from the app store
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc4mXBevOE8
connect it to your X and Poof!
you got yourself a fully fledged workstation for the 21st century..
wnat extra synthesis power.. get Thor 4.99
Great thing about the ipad all plugins are cheap and they all connect to each other like real midi hardware
and with Audiobus audio is also routable between apps.. and on top of this you got yourself a touch surface that can do anything you imagine.
and as if thats not enough.. if you like you can take your ipad with you on the go
and create music anywhere.

[Synthtron]

I have an iPad 2. I used to have an iO Dock but I sold it. The iPad is mainly used as a JP editor now.

The main issue I ran into with using an iPad was the of multiple MIDI outs. has that now changed? I need a sequencer w/ at least two MIDI outs. I have multiple hardware synths and devices that I need to control. The iO Dock just did not cut it.

I like my Fantom X but I meed more than 8 tracks of audio. Also the storage media is so slow. I want something that does not run on compact flash. Other than that the Fantom X is nice. I mainly use it as a stand alone piece when recording and just record my other synths into its audio tracks.

I will check out Cubase/the link you provided thanks!

[Quinnx.]

The main issue I ran into with using an iPad was the of multiple MIDI outs. has that now changed?

If you mean outs from the ipad to the fantom or visa versa
Cubasis allows you to route midi where ever you need it from whatever source either external or internal.

for midi i just use a usb midi cable and for audio i use a usb audio interface.
these are plugged in to a powered USB hub that is then connected to the lightning connector on the ipad.
For a while i was using MUSIC STUDIO but the workflow and midi routing was a bit hap hazard
But Cubasis has it nailed. its just like using a real computer DAW.

I officially have the ipad mini.. 16gb but recently commandeered a full size version..
but Im going to get me an ipad 2 128GB for convenience of storage and not have to deal with the 16GB ceiling.
Im realy liking the flexibility and expansion possibilities.

[Synthtron]

For MIDI outs I need mean physical outs not just channels.
The Fantom G sequencer can handle 16 channels internally and 16 channels externally at the same time.

So I need more than just 16 MIDI channels. That is my main issue.

[Quinnx.]

one advantage the x has over the G is that it does internal and external simultaneously
which I miss on the G.

1 thing i will say is..
I have never needed to use in total, more than 16 channels even combining internal or external.
What i did on the X was i set all un used channels to a blank patch and used them to drive external devices.

have said that, there are several solutions one of which would be as follows..
firstly to extend the X beyond 16 channels you will need to sacrifice at least 1
lets say we keep channel 16 for external midi control..
depending on what your trying to do..
if you want to drive upto 16 physical external devices
you will need a 2nd usb midi cable from the ipad then plug i in to device 1 midi in then link from thru to in to the next dev etc... thru-in thru-in etc....
from the ipad in cubasis choose any of your new 1-16 channels to record or control

Even with the G you would also need to route from the G out to all other devices in the same manner
the only difference would be the external channels are on the G not the IPAD.

[Synthtron]

I use the Fantom X just as you say with the sequencer running MIDI internally and externally.

Wow, I was under the impression the Fantom G was able to run the sequencer with internal and external parts simultaneously but you are saying it cannot.

Thanks for the info.

[JunoJohn]

The Fantom-G can send both internal and external MIDI at the same time, from both the sequencer and the keys.

[Synthtron]

Yea, i was under the impression that the internal was assigned MIDI channels ASR expansions assigned to different MIDI channels and external to its own MIDI channels.

[JunoJohn]

On the G there are 16 internal channels, 16 external channels, and 1 for each ARX card (if installed).

Never had the X, but I think it's just 16 channels in total. And each channel can be either internal or external or both.

Maybe Quinnx was saying that a channel on the X can be simultaneously internal and external, while on the G, internal and external channels are distinct from each other.

[Synthtron]

I am hoping Roland would release something that was a replacement to the specs of the Fantom G. The FA-06 is a step backwards for me as far as music production.

I am looking at the used market but not many of these pop up in my area. The MV-8800 is also something else I am looking into because like the Fantom G multiple MIDI outs and More than 8 tracks of audio recording.

[Quinnx.]

The G handles internal and external midi as separate signal flows
so yes you can have 2 different melody's on the same midi channel
one playing internally and the other sending to and external device..

what i was saying in regards to external gear control..
you still only have 1 physical midi out port on the g so to control more than one physical midi gear
you would have to daisy chain from the fantom single midi out port to gear1 midi in then from gear1 MIDI THRU to gear2 midi in etc..

was making the point that physically this would be also true of the X as far as routing goes
and, because the X does not have the G external mixer you would substitute it for the ipad cubasis mixer
to achieve the same control as the G
(as well as getting all those extra features mentioned in the original post)

[Synthtron]

Quinnx I got you.
I am still interested in what the Fantom-G offers. I have a MIDI Solutions T8 thru box that I use to connect eight synths and then use Midi thru on those synths to other gear.
I need more than the 16 tracks tracks that the Fantom X offers. The Fantom G is what I would like but would be nice if Roland put out an updated version. An updated model that combines a sound engine along the idea of the Integra along with the audio recording and MIDI specs of the Fantom G. That is what I am holding out for.