Fantom-S Live

[Red Winger]

I thought I'd pass on an experience I had this weekend. I know others (buzzbro, for example) have been gigging with their boards for weeks (maybe months) now, but I just used my Fantom-S88 for the first time at a gig this weekend (I'd been jamming with it a bit in practice, but not in gigs). A couple of observations (nothing astounding, just my thoughts on what worked for what they're worth):

The "Favorites" groups work great. I had no problem jumping between sounds using favorites. Of course, you have to do some planning and set them up, but it's very easy to scroll them and just punch in the number when you want to shift (I spent a lot of time pulling up different B-3 sounds and going back and forth between either the JD-800 or Concert Grand pianos).

I'd recommend that you setup your User bank with additional sounds. Before the gig, I took some time to set up my User bank with a bunch of fun patches that I didn't plan on using, but thought I might. In fact, I did use them a lot. I was playing a couple background pads and then, at a measure break, dialed to a different pad/lead patch. Worked out perfectly. It's like having 256 extra favorites handy and saves having to sort through the patch list for a particular sound on the fly.

I used my control pedals for effects, rather than volume. I had no difficulty regulating volume through the master knob and just adjusting the velocity of my playing. For me, it was a lot more useful to setup my expression pedal to control rotary, delay, wah, etc. rather than use it just for volume (this requires some patch editing ahead of time, but it's very easy to do).

Sample playback with the pads ROCKS! I had a few samples I recorded and triggered them from the pads while playing organ backup. What a cool thing! Also, if you assign a non-rhythm patch to the pads (try the one that I think is called Dreaming of J, or something like that), it's like having a second set of keys available. I loved it.

Anyway, like others have already posted, I had a terrific response to my board, both from the band and from the audience. I must have had a dozen people come up to me and tell how great the board sounded.

The more I use this thing, the better it gets!

Cheers,
RW

[FatBoyJim]

Excellent!

You the man, Artemio!

[buzzbro]

Hey RW, that's great to hear. I've been using a section of the user presets too - it works pretty good. Things are getting easier for me, with more experience. (you know, old dog)

I use the pads for sample triggers too. I've set up a sample kit. One band I play with, we do the Stone's Sympathy for the Devil. I sampled the intro, then programmed a loop point to keep the pattern going. Live, I just press the hold button and then the sample pad and let her go - it sounds amazing and it's really easy. I just play piano with it.


I played a baseball tournament on Sat, and after the gig, the guitar pleyer said me again, that keyboard so8nds f***in' great. I think too, my playing is getting conditioned to the new keys - it takes me a while.

I've gotten so many compliments on my sound (and how cool it looks), I've lost count.

Just a side note, I just recently picked up an SRX-07 and it's really great - basically a must have IMO. Killer organ waves. I'll do a post on my observations in a day or so.

You're right RW, every day it becomes more invaluable.



bb

[phunkeyz]

I gotta say that this board is definatenly equipped for live use. I play in a funk band and have to cover horns, play clav, rhodes, b3 and an occasional string line and the favorites or setting up splits is the way to go. Sometimes if I am playing a one handed part with my left hand I'll play a clap in time with the right hand on the pads... this is seventies music...

http://www.mp3.com/thomadams

[Red Winger]

Hey guys,

Everything you both say is right on. It's just a blast to play!The only drawback to this board that I can see from a gigging perspective is just it's weight (at least in the case of the S88) but...hey, I'll trade weight for the great sound anyday. (I actually broke the handle on my soft-case lugging the thing around Saturday, so I returned the case on Sunday...I've given up on soft-cases and am gonna buy a Gator for it later today or tomorrow.) It's still lighter than a real B-3!

BB -- I agree with you entirely on the SRX-07. Phunkeyz, if you don't have it yet, it sounds to me like you might want to think about the SRX-07 as well (just given the fact you play lots of EPs and B-3s, both of which the SRX-07 excels in). At least half of the patches I used on Saturday (probably more) came straight off the SRX-07. BB, have you checked out the Cabinet Series patch (one of my absolute favorites)? I programmed it so my expression pedal controlled both the rotary effect and the farfisa noise tone (gives a great whooshing rotary effect). There's just too many other good ones to list from off the top of my head.

Definitely not just a studio board.

Rock on guys.
RW

[mucsusn]

The main reason I got the S-88 was for gigging. Getting to learn all the other stuff is going to be a new and fun experience for me. I haven't tried the Favorites bank yet, but have set up patches in sequence on a SmartMedia card.

I play with a swing band and with chamber music groups, so the weighted action really makes my playing so much better. For the swing band, when the wedding guest have a couple of drinks in them, we break into Motown and some seventies stuff (three horns, and sometimes real strings). So I pull up the B's and the rhodes and wurlies and clavs. It's a blast! And everyone has complemented me on the sound and look. Plus the extra weight has helped get back into some weight training, so that's good for me.

I've had my S for about six weeks now, and at the time the only hard case that would fit was the Gator. The SKB is not quite wide enough (from front to back).There's a bit of a length gap, but I just pack the S-88 to the wheel side and put my DP-6 and a couple of cords in the empty space.

Now I have to try some the sampling ideas you guys have talked about!