Losing Phait(h)?

Talk about anything here
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimate ... 8;t=008032

Sorry, fellow FS lovers, but I had to give my honest response. I still think the FS should win, though, if Phait decides to go the workstation route.

Hope you're still around here, Phait!!
Red Winger
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Joined: 03:24, 30 May 2003
Location: Cal-Y-phony-a

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Red Winger »

Phil,

That was good advice. The Fantom-S definitely isn't for everyone or everything. As a matter of fact, I think, if you have the room and the budget, there's a lot to be said for having both the Fantom-S and the softsynths/DAW setup, as they each have their strengths.

Cheers,
RW
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

Absolutely - although, at the moment, I'm having a lot of fun with the FS. Answering that structures post by FBJ inspired me to create some patches late last night. Well, I only created one because I layed a track down in the sequencer with it and off I went. What a great piece of gear. One of these days, though, I need to dig deep into Reaktor 4.
Red Winger
Posts: 982
Joined: 03:24, 30 May 2003
Location: Cal-Y-phony-a

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Red Winger »

Interesting you should bring up Reaktor, as I was just looking over a good review for Reaktor Session last night and thinking that might be a good program to pick up (relatively inexpensive). I'm probably not interested int he instrument creation part (I've got the Fantom-S for that, after all), so Session is probably enough for me and is quite a bit cheaper. Once you get into Reaktor 4, I'd appreciate it if you'd drop a post on your impressions, or send me an email at s88freak@yahoo.com.

Cheers,
RW
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

Absolutely. One great thing about Sessions is that it also (I believe) gives you access to the user instruments posted on NI's website. There is some great stuff in there. So, in a sense, you're getting a lot more than what's even in the box.

I will let you know how it goes soon.
Red Winger
Posts: 982
Joined: 03:24, 30 May 2003
Location: Cal-Y-phony-a

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Red Winger »

Great, thanks. Yeah, access to the user instruments was one of the big reasons I was looking at Sessions. Well, that and the 30+ odd things that already come with it. Currently thinking Sonar 3 and then either Project 5 or Sessions, most likely.

Cheers,
RW
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

Phait - where you hiding?
Phait
Posts: 932
Joined: 08:48, 9 August 2003
Location: Appleton, WI, USA

Heheh

Post by Phait »

Aww I feel loved.

Well I am much more abundant on the Keyboard Corner forum than here because KC is more in general and lots of broad questions get answered, while this forum is Fantom-S specific and I don't yet own a Fantom-S.

I'm most likely going to get the FS since a couple here have snagged it for $1600, so don't worry! I'm waiting on the store in town to grab a model so I can try it out more extensively this time - hopefully beyond just trying the patches out.
FatBoyJim
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Joined: 07:53, 4 May 2003
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by FatBoyJim »

[edit] Ignore this link; Motifator is set up to send links to the homepage. [edit]
It looks as though someone else has lost faith as well.
HTTP://WWW.MOTIFATOR.COM/FORUMS/SHOWFLA ... O=&FPART=1
I checked into what was going on over at Motifator.com today knowing that people had received the Motif ES Video and found this thread from Terry (aka trtjazz). It’s a little interesting to me that he feels this way after owning the Fantom-S. I too have watched the video and my thoughts afterward were something along the lines of I sure am glad to be a Fantom-S owner right now.
I thought some of the features were really neat but I did not think that showing the little screen and how to access and use these features was beneficial to Yamaha because it turned me off seeing how difficult operating that thing was. If the user interface has been improved from the original Motif well than no wonder I could not figure it out.
I was also very impressed with the sounds, which I was expecting to be impressed with, but think that the video did a horrible job of showing them off and it did not use nearly enough different sounds like I wish it would have. I think that they should have devoted an entire chapter just to showing off the sounds but maybe that’s just me?
I truly wish Terry the best. The video reaffirmed my opinion about not wanting to get the Motif ES but I can see how some people would be very impressed with it. If you can understand how it is laid out and can get over the lifeless screen the thing could definitely make some of the best music ever heard.

You the man, Artemio!
Phait
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Joined: 08:48, 9 August 2003
Location: Appleton, WI, USA

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phait »

Eh to each their own. I've told people I own a Fender guitar, only to sometimes be told Fenders suck and Les Pauls rule. I love my Strat. It just depends what you're doing with it. Of course Les Pauls have a fatter sound.. you can do hard rock on a Strat, or blues on a Les Paul. It's just personal preference.

I find myself using my guitar more than playing it. I just mess around with paperclips and objects around me and manipulate the sound using them.. very unorthodox way of 'playing' a guitar, but I love that I can do that.
Red Winger
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Joined: 03:24, 30 May 2003
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Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Red Winger »

Strats rock! I have an on-going feud with my buddy, who's got a sunburst LP about this. :-)

Anyway, Phait's dead on. Whatever works best for you, works best for you. I wouldn't worry about it, FBJ. There have been plenty of former Korg, former Yammy users showing here, and there's likely to be plenty of former Fantom users in other places over time. It's part of the deal. For me, I've got no thoughts of trading, regardless of what anyone else does. If the ES works for Terry, that's cool and I hope he keeps making great music with it.

Cheers,
RW
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

"after WORKING WITH the Fantom for a couple of weeks and WATCHING the new ES video..."

Sounds like a bit of a rush to judgment by him. Maybe he should put his hands on the ES before making his decision.

But, yes, to each his own.

The thing that puzzles me is that if you really, really, really care about sounds, a workstation is not going to be your "be all and end all" anyway. I love the sounds on the FS. I liked the sounds on the Motif also (haven't heard the ES yet except the online demo from NAMM), but I can't say there was that big of a difference in sound "quality" one over the other.

If I could, I'd get an Andromeda, at least, or a full blown analog modular system, at best, for real analog sound quality and I'd use Reaktor and a soft sampler for more mangling. I'd want a nice collection of mics and mic-pres. I'd want a digital mixer or a controller surface. I'd want acoustic treatment for my studio (well, actually, I'd want a separate room for my studio!).

I know the ES has more ROM memory, but in the scheme of things, all of these workstation provide a minimal amount of compressed waveforms - even the ES! The Spectrasonics virtual instruments come with GIGS of samples!! I like the FS because of its feel as a "station at which I will do work." I like the sounds (a LOT), but more importantly, I like the feel of working with it. To me, I can always add more samples to the FS and can always add software synths, and if I want, can always add a complimentary hardware synth and effects units (money permitting, of course, which means right now I can't add any of that!!!).

My point is just that when I saw the ES demo online, it "looked" just like the regular Motif to me. Better piano? It should have a better piano. The Motif/S90 piano is weak (I owned an S90 - that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it). More ROM? See above - even the ES can't compete with a cheap laptop. Mega Sounds? Lame - I'd never use them because I'd rather be playing than editing velocities of MIDI information to make sure I'm hitting the right sample. Phrase factory? Sounds good ... for a Casio. More sample RAM? That's great, but I don't care because I never come close to maxing out the FS's. Ribbon controller? Whatever. About as useful as a d-beam (I think less useful, actually, but that's just me). An mLan option? Do I need to respond to that? Orchestral sounds? If they are using that in their marketing campaign, they must be desperate. A decent orchestral library will cost you over a grand, plus a dedicated PC to run the sampler on. More insert effects and channel EQ? OK, now we're talking a real difference. Those are things I would LOVE to have on the FS.

So, to me it comes down to a trade off between an intuitive workspace (and less dedicated effects) or 5 additional effects and channel EQ (and an interface as intuitive as quantum physics). I guess, to each his own. But, since I use a DAW and can do just about all of the processing I want with plug ins, it's a no-brainer to me.
FatBoyJim
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Joined: 07:53, 4 May 2003
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by FatBoyJim »

I fully agree that to each there own, and there is nothing wrong with making cool sounds on a guitar using paperclips.
Sorry about the link not going to the thread. It appears that they have come up with a way to only send you to the Motifator homepage and not the link.
If I wouldn’t have caught that link when I did I wouldn’t have ever seen it because it now appears to be a very busy day over there today and it no longer is on the first page of the Motif ES forum. Earlier today not much was going on over there but in the last couple of hours the traffic has picked up drastically.


You the man, Artemio!
Phil B
Posts: 709
Joined: 05:23, 15 July 2003
Location: NYC

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by Phil B »

I forgive you FBJ. I found it after all.
mucsusn
Posts: 1589
Joined: 23:31, 2 July 2003

Re: Losing Phait(h)?

Post by mucsusn »

I checked out the thread..........boy, those Motif guys' opinions are certainly set in stone........I agree with Phil that a workstation is only a tool to get things done. And for live gigging the Fantom really does a great job........
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