Khatru wrote:
I'm pretty certain that at least the SN Acoustic sounds are some kind of combination of sampling and modeling. But the SN engine is very much a black box, which only Roland knows the excact content of.
Yes sure, i think all modelling has a waveform or sample of some kind at it's basis, even all these analog modelling synths, they have a waveform to model around, just as the supernatural engine will have to have one for each of it's characteristics it offers. when i say it's not sample based, i think the way it selects what plays isn't a straight velocity layer of samples - i.e. so you hear a single sample played back, it's assembled with 'bits'.
Have you read about Roland Super Natural technology in their blog? It says:
Roland instruments with SuperNATURAL technology adds powerful sound modeling to the equation. Each SuperNATURAL instrument— piano, violin, trumpet, etc.—has its own specialized sound engine because, just as the sounds of a piano, flute and timpani are very different, so are their related modeling needs. Each SuperNATURAL engine is based on pristine studio samples of the original instrument, however; that’s where the similarities to PCM-based gear end.
The Kronos is in a different league to the FA. But it's hardly a lightweight keyboard (or cheap). It's 24kg. That's better than your G8, which is 33.6kg. So you have to decide if that's light enough.
You also have to decide whether it's worth spending thousands on something that will be better than your G8, but not that much better. That partly comes down to how much cash you have. If I had loads I'd buy a Kronos myself. Although I'd still probably gig with a lightweight keyboard, and leave the Kronos at home in my studio (until the day I have my own roadies).
That's also a good solution, and better on your back than an G8.
(I wouldn't go for it myself because I prefer not to carry around modules and connect /unconnect them before a show. More cables. More to go wrong. More to get left behind. But those are not big deals really, it's just that it's easier to have the one integrated keyboard. Also, the FA isn't that far below an Integra in terms of capabilities at a gig-level.)
The Roland Fantom G-8 is by far the best Keyboard for orhestrational style compositions: bar none. It is extremely limited when it comes to the plethora of sounds one might find in other brands, however the ease of use and highly intuitive track editing features makes this the best. Hi, my name is Jesse (nickname PianoSniper). I have been composing music since I was 14 years old. Yet not just any music. I have been composing full score compositions for Orchestra, Symphonies, and various band sizes. All of my work I do alone and play Ultra-Natural sometimes synthetic versions of the real instruments using Workstation Keyboards. The Roland Fantom G8 88-Key Keyboard Workstation is by far the best Keyboard I have ever owned. I was heartbroken and heart sick when Roland ventured off down some other current gen road and path leaving composers like me stuck in a rut to die with the past. I don't want my creative potential to die alongside the best Keyboard I have ever owned. Yet as it stands soon, I fear I alike my favorite keyboard will soon be a mortal memory that very few might reflect upon as they look back onto the greats that once were.
The Roland Fantom G8 has expansion boards available. I always wanted the Brass and Percussion ones. Yet I never could find any as they were either sold out or discontinued. To this day it remains a distant dream to get those two expansion cards. Nevertheless, to this day with every Keyboard Roland has come out with since the Roland Fantom G8 not one of them has been as beautiful and or thorough when it comes to ease of use, intuitive interface, and simplicity of LIVE track editing. With the Roland Fantom G8 I can select my Instrument/sound/effects and then select a track to record on and set it to start recording upon key touch recognition [wait note], and then bam i am off and recording away. I don't have to worry about being stuck in some current gen measure loop that confines me to copy paste loops etc. for this just limits and dampers my workflow into short snippets that takes away from my style of compositions. Most of my music is on average 20-45 minutes in length: some shorter others longer. And all other keyboards by Roland as well as other brands greatly fails when it comes to length of recording capabilities as well as Quality of sound.
I Bought a Roland Fantom 8 in hopes that it would end up being an upgraded version of the Roland Fantom G8. To my own dismay it was actually about 3 steps backwards from the capabilities of the Roland Fantom G8. Every other turn in my compositions I was met with more and more limitations tucked behind an obtrusively hard and difficult User Interface that I ranked as being as ridiculously too hard to navigate on the fly: Much like the Korg Kronos (If you are not computer savvy prepare on dumping 6 months to a year in learning just how to navigate the UI of these). Nevertheless, all the bells and whistles per-se Imo of the LIVE track editing capabilities have been stripped from the Roland Fantom 8 and the user is left with a bare bones track recording system that is meant more so for what appears to be current Gen ADHD composers that can’t think to compose anything longer than a 4 count loop.
