New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

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Quinnx.
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Quinnx. »

True.. as far as a company goes its old
but agian when we talk about features we are being swayed by the technology rather than the musical art.
Yeah sure at some point they may release something that has some useful feature that someone will want
and if thats your driving force for acquiring a workstation obviously that's the way to go.

Either way its an interesting enlargement as to when something is old.
Even the Moog as old as it is.. made a comeback to the new.. LOL..
Who knows... maybe the fantom will rise in the same way years to come :)

for me..
The marriage of my fantom and computer DAW has given me an all you can eat buffet
im now absolutely stuffed :)
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Andy Keys
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Andy Keys »

florin2013 wrote:Those lower buttons on the Jupiter? Really? I think they are a pain in the ... hand.
Now try to switch to a button that is right below your right hand when you're playing with both hands...
how can you see thru your hands wich button to push?
Voice selectors under the keys are common in organ consoles for precisely that reason, you can change a sound set without moving your hands too far from the keys.

Regards
Andy

p.s. I have so far failed to be wowed by the Jupiter 80, despite several sessions playing it.
Vlad_77
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Vlad_77 »

Fair enough, but, what about a keyboard with 88 note polyphony and one "patch?" :)

(Realized I forgot to quote Jan_nl and my post is under Andy Keys's so I hope it still makes sense)
Jan_nl
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Jan_nl »

Vlad_77 wrote:Fair enough, but, what about a keyboard with 88 note polyphony and one "patch?" :)

(Realized I forgot to quote Jan_nl and my post is under Andy Keys's so I hope it still makes sense)
It better be a good patch!

But then again, that one patch really was (and is) good enough to keep up the demand for the piano.
It seems to succeed in the thing Kurzweil so desperate is aiming for: immortality.

But in the absence of demand, sales plummet and companies go broke unless they come up with other ways to create revenue.
spottingjonah
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by spottingjonah »

I don’t mean to muddy the rumor mill, but I thought this was interesting. I spoke with someone in the know the other day, and when I suggested that I am considering buying a new workstation, and how disappointing it would be if I did so only months before Roland came out with a new one (I even suggested I might purchase a demo FG8 at a local GC) they carefully suggested I hang tight and watch for info coming out of NAMM in January. They offered no details and even suggested they were only guessing (Though this is a person that would know something at this point), but that’s what I’m hanging my hat on. I recently bought a JP80 so I’ll be busy for a bit, and hoping whatever is being baked for release isn’t a JP80 on steroids with weighted keys.
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Quinnx.
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Quinnx. »

But consider this..
its how many weeks to Jan NAMM??
in the hope that something worth while is coming..
then it will be how many more weeks months before it gets released?
we are probably talking late spring summer.
Thats a lot of production time gone waiting something or nothing.
If there is a new product its going to be expensive
and yet to be matured.
Right now you can get a mature Fantom G at ebay prices,
Jan_nl
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Jan_nl »

spottingjonah wrote:...I recently bought a JP80 so I’ll be busy for a bit, and hoping whatever is being baked for release isn’t a JP80 on steroids with weighted keys.
Well, I think it's a safe bet that a new workstation will feature the SN engine, so I guess there will be some overlap.
It looks like we have to wait until next NAMM, because the current September release of Roland did not feature any new workstation yet.
But it did premiere the successor to the HPD-15, the HPD-20.
Vlad_77
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Vlad_77 »

spottingjonah wrote:I don’t mean to muddy the rumor mill, but I thought this was interesting. I spoke with someone in the know the other day, and when I suggested that I am considering buying a new workstation, and how disappointing it would be if I did so only months before Roland came out with a new one (I even suggested I might purchase a demo FG8 at a local GC) they carefully suggested I hang tight and watch for info coming out of NAMM in January. They offered no details and even suggested they were only guessing (Though this is a person that would know something at this point), but that’s what I’m hanging my hat on. I recently bought a JP80 so I’ll be busy for a bit, and hoping whatever is being baked for release isn’t a JP80 on steroids with weighted keys.
I was in the same situation spottingjonah. I purchased my Fantom X8 a scant few months before the G was released. That day in the shop, I auditioned an M3, Yamaha S90, and Fantom X8 for a good eight hous, alternating among the three. The dealer told me that Roland was about to release a new workstation that would supersede the X but he wasn't precisely certain "when." I didn't like the action on the M3 but wanted an M3R for a number of years. Now having Kronos, that is not a need anymore. The Yamaha was nice but seemed very limited. At the time, the Fantom X see,med like the best choice, and to this day I don't regret it; I'm still finding amazing things in this great instrument. I am glad I made that decision because the G was released in an almost beta stage and the forum here is an historical record of that. The G is great because of the community and despite Roland's failure to run with ARX.

Whatever is in the pipeline among the big four is anybody's guess. When I purchased my Jupiter 80, I knew that Kurzweil is working on a new workstation. But, nobody knows when it will see the light of day. Similarly, we are conjecturing about a new Roland workstation, and again, it's anybody's guess as to if it will happen and if so, when. The Jupiter is a beautiful, powerful synthesizer and I decided not to wait. I am covered 2 and a half times on the workstation front with Kronos, Fantom X and the "half" is the Kurz PC3 because it lacks sampling. So unless Roland or Kurzweil come out with an instrument so revolutionary that it will make orange juice for me and get me a date with Kate Beckinsale, I'm happy. Now, if I could get a sweet deal on any flavor of V-Synth, I will be completely in heaven as it fills a space that the other instruments in my rig simply cannot replicate or at least replicate efficiently. :)

I want to make music and these two and a half workstations plus my Motif ES rack, Radias, and XV-88 give me incredible freedom.

Yeah, I admit I am GASing for a V-Synth though.

Have fun with the Jupiter! It will keep you VERY busy as does the G for the folks in this part of RC and the X and S do for those there. :)
Macska
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Macska »

Vlad_77 wrote:Yeah, I admit I am GASing for a V-Synth though.
Maybe you'll get lucky and they'll announce a new workstation that has a v-synth gt built in, and then the prices of the V-synth will go down to dirt cheap!

Haha just saying, probably won't happen but It'd be pretty fortunate.
Vlad_77
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Vlad_77 »

Just sent you a PM. I got a V-Synth, but, I have a question. I also posted the question in the V-Synth forum itself.

Man I can't wait to pick it up!!!
atarens
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by atarens »

Roland please new ARX card for Fantom G (sounds from Integra7):
- ARX SuperNatural Synth
- ARX Supernatural Acoustic

and new system OS for Fantom G
Macska
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Macska »

Got the Integra today- hooked it up to the Fantom G with midi and can comfortably say that if Roland does release another workstation, I can totally see it basically being the Fantom Keyboard, knobs/sliders, pads, and sequencer + an intera with its ipad interface built into it with a touch screen. More likely it would just be the Supernatural sounds and a "best of" from the pcm.

Of course, one problem I see is this would appear to kill some market for the integra and jupiter...but they've probably seen the peak of their sales on those?

I've been creating studio sets using the channel slots filled with integra sounds and so far am having fun.

Other than that I guess they should throw in the GT's AP Synthesis?
kday
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by kday »

Leh173 wrote: I wouldn't underestimate the importance of the FX per part. As long standing Roland user that solved on of the biggest drawbacks most of these kinds of keyboards from all manufactures have had for years. Yes the ARX boards were underwhelming in scope but they are way beyond the stock Fantom X or G sounds in terms of realism and dynamics. Yes it is a great workstation but perhaps it there as more of a "through line" from the X, more X users would have jumped across. That's basically what you are arguing Yamaha got right. Flash memory is only impressive if you use lots of samples. BTW the sample storage on the Fantom G is way better than the X. USB sticks being much faster and more flexible. Mine loads reasonably quickly. Around the same time as a Kronos takes to switch on, in fact a bit faster.
I think to most users FX per part may be not be the most important issue. Most users get tons of FX per track in their DAWs, and more on their analog mixers if needed for more serious recording. I don't think most people are looking for their synthesizer fx per part as their final multi-track mastering processor but more of another device, a sorta ice cream with their cake.

Regarding Yamaha, what they got right was the ability to add 2GB of your own sounds instantly playable upon start up versus not having that. So Flash memory is impressive regardless if you use lots of samples or just a few of your own most cherished. I love having my favorite few sounds instantly available, worth every bit of $2300 it sells for. To me personally, far greater than SSD option employed on the Kronos.
Leh173 wrote:
kday wrote:
Motif XF was a major advancement, going from No Flash Memory to having Flash Memory is unbeatable!
Only for sampling...
Not true.

Being able to store your own sounds , and have them instantly playable on the keyboard is the greatest synth invention since sampling itself.

Yamaha basically stole Roland's Flash Memory idea. But Roland was too selfish and too slow to offer this option to their customer base. When Roland offered the SRX boards they should have offered a blank board in their lineup. Yamaha saw the lackluster and selfish support of Roland crowning themselves as the inherited king of the SAMPLING WORKSTATION SYNTHESIZER market after Ensoniq went of business but then stumble over sampling technology to allow Yamaha who doesn't even specialize in Sampling Technology like Roland does, then to surpass them, shows that Roland is dizzy following their old workstation synthesizer concepts instead of trying to create and invent new ones in their workstation dept. Now Roland if they ever come out with Flash Memory will look like they're following Yamaha with their own invention. Roland may the leader in synth technology, but they fell behind in the workstation category where a lot of money is being spent that make or break companies. That's why they lost a lot of revenue, because they been looking backwards while the other synth manufactures are gone forward with ground braking technology.
Leh173 wrote: Anyway guys, this subject has been discussed death (including by me) but is all opinions and conjecture at this point. If Art was still here I'd suggest to him to lock the thread, so if you guys agree and the admins think so, lets do it. We've been over all this a gatrillion times. Let's just use the G forums to help each other get more out the what we have. When the new one (if it does) get's announced, lets discuss it then. Just an idea.
There is nothing wrong with discussing this subject to death + 1 for us that's taking about it.

If a gatrillion times + 1 get roland to listening and learning then we have achieved a great deal of progress. If Roland reads these threads and learns what we most desire then we are doing what needs to be done. That's how manufactures learn what consumers want, by reading the post in these threads. Yamaha does it, Korg does it, Akai does it, and Roland is not exempt from hearing about their shortcomings and issues in the threads we know they're gonna read regardless if they post here or not.

If this very thread wasn't created I would have no interest in being here, because this whole Fantom G thread is basically dead. And the more I'm bored here, the more less likely I'll be interested in participating.

This whole website needs some type of hope, some type of excitement of Roland making something new and exciting in the workstation dept. After years of RolandConnect countdowns letdowns I think a lot of people have basically given up on Roland. So let everybody come here and talk about Roland, let them talk of what they expect, or what they feel may be exciting to create, otherwise we'll continue thinking Roland is dead until Namm 2014 which will confirm if it's true or not.

As said before, Roland is not dead, they just been sleeping until their bank statements came in, now that they've read them, they're been awaken, and been hard at work at the drawing board, otherwise Godzilla could resurface to blow their house down.
florin2013
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by florin2013 »

plus...
Roland needs to know the fans wishes. Because, this way, if they try to make 1 wish from 1000, the new release will be bought, the product will have succes.
This "child" period, toy for children sold as "workstations", has to be ended.
Otherwise, we will buy old Fantoms, or go to Motif-XF.
Those who make money for big keyboards, NEED BIG KEYBOARDS.
Those who learn children to play (I do this too, beside music and film scores), will stay to toys.

But toys will not regain the big boys...
And the selling of Motif-XF, says: Big Boys are still working on the music market.
Vlad_77
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Re: New Roland Synthesizer Workstation Coming at Namm 2014

Post by Vlad_77 »

florin2013 wrote:plus...
Roland needs to know the fans wishes. Because, this way, if they try to make 1 wish from 1000, the new release will be bought, the product will have succes.
This "child" period, toy for children sold as "workstations", has to be ended.
Otherwise, we will buy old Fantoms, or go to Motif-XF.
Those who make money for big keyboards, NEED BIG KEYBOARDS.
Those who learn children to play (I do this too, beside music and film scores), will stay to toys.

But toys will not regain the big boys...
And the selling of Motif-XF, says: Big Boys are still working on the music market.
Indeed they are Florin and Kronos is showing up more and more with major acts. Yamaha obviously has the lion's share of the workstation market and I am seeing a lot of XFs out there too. I've read some Roland bashing in other forums, particularly Gearslutz, but then again, they seem to trash talk a lot over there about anything; I sometimes wonder if there are actually musicians there or children. But, at Korg Forums there are two reps from Korg. At Cunka.com there is a Kurzweil presence. I have a Motif ES but rarely visit Motifator so I don't know about Yamaha presence there. But, I've yet to encounter a Roland rep here and that has always concerned me.

Folks, I'm not trashing Roland. I currently have eight synths/workstations and FOUR are Roland; obviously I'm a fan. My comments about the Fantom G's release had more to do with Roland's lack of communication than with the instrument itself. If I had the money and need for another workstation, would I buy a Fantom G? In a heartbeat, but, that's because this community picked up the slack and IMHO that's why the G is a stellar workstation. I would like to think that actual Roland reps DO visit here and at least lurk - the Roland Secret Agent notwithstanding.

I love what Roland have produced with the Jupiter 80 and while the Integra-7 didn't connect with me, it wasn't the fault of the instrument. I just didn't feel I needed what it has to offer. It's still a GREAT module though. Roland seems to be going in the right direction based upon these two. I know that the Jupiter 80 was not a big seller, but, there's no denying that for some of us, it's a beautiful sounding synth.

If you look at workstation history you'll see that Roland joined the fray rather late with the FA-76 and I loved it but it got spanked by Korg and Yamaha because of the lack of sampling; great instrument but it's an XV-5080 with half the polyphony. The Fantom S garnered better reviews, but, Roland really hit a home run with the Fantom X. It could be that history is repeating itself? If it is, I hope for those looking for a new Roland workstation that Roland won't release something that will again get spanked by Korg and Yamaha.

I sincerely hope for Roland workstation wanting musicians that Winter NAMM will see the unveiling of something wonderful, though, as Quinnx pointed out, it's still going to be some months until it's ready for release, but, at least you'll know if the wait was worth it. If it wasn't, well, again quoting Quinnx, there are mature Fantom Gs out there and people are buying them.

So Roland, you hit a home run with Jupiter 80 (and 50). Now it's time for a grand slam for your loyal users wanting a new workstation.
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