Qu: can I add a midi keyboard to my fantom x8

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ElphabaThropp
Posts: 1
Joined: 19:27, 15 June 2016

Qu: can I add a midi keyboard to my fantom x8

Post by ElphabaThropp »

Hi

First time caller, long time listener...

I have a fantom x8 but I'd like a keyboard without weight for more synth work, in particular he MAudio Code 61.

Is it possible to hook the code 61 up to the fantom x8 and have both working at the same time?

Thanks
Credo
Posts: 62
Joined: 10:38, 29 January 2015

Re: Qu: can I add a midi keyboard to my fantom x8

Post by Credo »

I don't personally own an X8, so I waited a few days to chime in here. Since no one else has posted yet I'll go ahead and state that I'm very confident that your X8 can be used with secondary controllers, as well as external sequencers.

You'll find that your X8 should have some sort of 'patch mode' as well as a 'performance mode'. Since the X8 also has a built in sequencer, I'd imagine that it may even have more than one 'performance mode', so you'll need to read up on it in the X8 manual. If you don't have one, you can download a copy from here:
http://www.roland.com/products/fantom-x8/support/

You'll want to figure out how to put it in a multi-tembral 'performance mode', so that you can assign individual 'patches' to their own 'MIDI channel'. Using this approach, you could theoretically mix and layer up to 16 patches, and trigger them from all sorts of Controllers and/or sequencers (keep polyphony limits of the X8 in mind). I.E. You could have multiple 'keyboards' acting as controllers, an MPC controller, some MIDI drum kit controller pieces, an extended 'fader/pot' controller, a 'wind jammer controller', and a set of MIDI bass pedals...and use them ALL at once to trigger sounds in the X8 (only limited to the number MIDI channels (16 per port), and the amount of polyphony the X8 supports (how many oscillators it has available to play a tone).

From there, whatever is attached to the X8 MIDI 5 pin DIN input should be able to control whatever patch(s) are assigned to its corresponding MIDI channel(s). If you're using your X8 with a PC and proper Fantom X MIDI drivers, you could also redirect the output of USB based controllers into the X8.

If your secondary controller does not have a 5pin DIN output, and you need to try routing things through a PC, then you can find drivers here: http://www.roland.com/products/fantom-x8/downloads/

If you have Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, then you might find that it takes a bit of hacking to get the Fantom MIDI drivers to install. There is at least one thread here on that topic (and plenty of others here on this forum): viewtopic.php?f=3&t=50840
gcoudert67
Posts: 195
Joined: 12:58, 19 August 2014
Location: Dunstable, UK

Re: Qu: can I add a midi keyboard to my fantom x8

Post by gcoudert67 »

My set up consists of an X8 and a CME UF7 controller and they work fine together, as the latter is simply a two-zone controller.

I have, however, experienced difficulties with my Korg Triton LE 76 keyboard in Combi mode, as it plays the 'ticked' (assigned to the keyboard) patches of the X8's Performances even though the MIDI channels are completely different. Unticking them solves the problem but then I can no longer play those patches from the X8!
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