playing chords on Fantom XR using a wind controller

[Michael Webster]

How to use the CHORD function on the Fantom XR with a windcontroller

The Fantom XR has a chord function which can be used by wind controllers to produce chords from a single input note.This function can be turned on/off & various variation of chords can be selected-you can even put in your own chords.
To access this you have to be able to send sysex messages to your Fantom XR.A number of more expensive foot controllers such as Rocktron Midi raider,Roland FC300 ,Liquid foot can do this.Midi solutions F8 controller can do this also.
Sysex messages (or System Exclusive messages ) are midi messages which generally affect only a particular synth,other synths will ignore these messages(GM,GS XG on are exceptions)They are not channel specific.Midi messages are written in base16 (hexadecimal)& are written with often a h after or a $ before or after to indicate it is a hexadecimal number (0123456789ABCDEF).The sysex messages start with F0(h) and end with F7(h).
A typical sysex message for roland Fantom XR product: (in hex):
F0h start of sysex message
41h Roland ID number (65 in decimal)
10h Device number (You can set this : mine is set to this ( 16 in decimal)
00h model ID (0 in decimal)
6Bh model ID ( 107 in decimal)
12h command ID (you want the Fantom XR to do something)(18 in decimal)
aah Address MSB upper byte of starting address
bbh ‘ ‘ upper middle byte of starting address
cch ‘‘ lower middle byte of starting address
ddh ‘‘ LSB lower byte of starting address
eeh Data
ff h Data
nnh checksum
F7

In this situation :
F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 2Bh 1Eh 31h F7h will tell the machine to select a sus4 chord but only if you have turned the chords on.
Working out the address & the data to send is in the manual in tiny feint writing written & described in “offset lists’’.
The checksum is a number that is calculated -it is a Roland “feature” so that the synth knows this is a correct message;
aa + bb+cc +dd +ee +ff = sum
sum divided by 128= quotient + remainder
128 - remainder = checksum
remember channel numbers & list selections minus 1
If you use a footcontroller such as the Rocktron midi raider you will need to enter the bytes as decimal numbers
The chord varieties are listed on pg 239 of the manual

I will now list the footpedal assignments as I put them into the Rocktron midi raider (in decimal) ,I will then give the messages in hex.

Chord off Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 41 0 82 eox
F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 29h 00h 52h F7h
Chord on Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 41 1 81 eox
F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 29h 01h 51h F7h
Major Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 0 79 eox
F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 2Bh 00h 4Fh F7

As you can see there is a pattern to this: I ‘ll just type the different hex numbers

Minor Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 19 60 eox
2Bh 13h 3Ch F7

Sus4 Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 30 49 eox
2Bh 1Eh 31h F7

Maj7 Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 2 76 eox
2Bh 02h 4Ch F7

Min+7 Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 21 58 eox
2Bh 15h 3Ah F7

Aug Syson 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 43 5 73 eox
2Bh 05h 49h F7

I’ll just type the important numbers
Min7-5 Syson 43 25 54 eox
2Bh 19h 36h F7

dim7 Syson 43 28 51 eox
2Bh 1Ch 33h F7


Dom7 Syson 43 7 71 eox
2Bh 07h 47h F7

Min7 Syson 43 24 55 eox
2Bh 18h 37h F7

Maj-5 Syson 43 6 72 eox
2Bh 06h 48h F7

You can switch from preset to user chords (the lists are essentially the same but you can edit the user chords)

USer chords on: Sys 42 0 80 eox
2Ah 00h 50h F7

Preset chords on Sys 42 1 79 eox
2Ah 01h 4Fh f&

You can have the chords played straight ,rolled up or down or alternate up & down (simulate strumming) :

Rolled off SyS 49 0 72 eox
31h 00h 48h F7


Rolled on Sys on 49 1 71 eox
31h 01h 47h F7
Rolled up Sys 50 0 72 eox
32h 00h 48h F7

Rolled alternate sys 50 2 70 eox
32h 02h 46h F7

rolled down 50 1 71 eox
32h 01h 47h F7


You can change to performance mode with:

Sys 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 0 1 126 eox

F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 00h 01h 7E F7

change to patch mode with:


Sys 65 16 0 107 18 1 0 0 0 0 127 eox

F0 41h 10h 00h 6Bh 12h 01h 00h 00h 00h 00h 7F F7


The Fantom XR has arpeggio functions also that could be triggered by sysex



I used to use a Midi solutions F8 midi footswitch controller to send the sysex.I connected 4 Boss FS6 footpedals which gave 8 footpedals -on the F8 you can set the footswitch to be momentary or latch & you can send different messages when pedal is switched on & off in latch mode which is convenient when you want to switch something on or off.This had advantages as the pedals are quiet & quick but the setup was messy(took up a lot of space) & you are limited to a few chords (maj,min,dim,aug,dom,sus)..I suspect you could use 2 of these setups in series & that would cover all important chords but would take up some space(as I would have to have a pedal for program change as well) & be messy-but I might try this.

Currently I am using a Rocktron MIdi raider.It does program changes & can send sysex,has enough buttons but the buttons have a loud click & are slow-OK for rock/blues but you couldn’t do any real quick changes.It is compact.(If the buttons were quiet& quick these would be ideal).According to the manufacturer these can’t be made quiet.

Roland FC300 can send sysex but annoyingly the midi in doesn’t accept notes on -so a merger is needed. (the FC200 accepts note on via midi in but doesn’t send sysex)It has the soft pedals like the Boss FS6. You can select 10 pedals on the 1 bank (almost enough),& does do program change etc.& when you are not playing chords you can use them to send additional controllers.I will test this out shortly.

I think the Liquid foot controller (pro) would be suitable-there is a new version of this coming out shortly (X series).These are very expensive,you might have to go on to a waiting list to get one,& they don’t look easy to program although there are computer editors for these.
Why try to play chords with a wind controller?.I play in a covers band -guitar,bass,drums,vocals & me-no keyboard.In a few numbers that don’t suit sax then I play wind synth (keyboard & string sounds).On some songs it is handy if I play some simple chords in the background -particularly when the guitar takes a solo.

Hopefully this is useful to someone
Michael Webster