Roland FA-06 and FA-08

[nadroj]

Last Thursday of the month means axial day. EXP 06 - studio sounds. A mishmash of everything - brass, strings, some nice chorus pianos. Gonna DL this one and test it out when I get time after the weekend. Hopefully the brass is SN.

 

http://axial.roland.com/articles/exp-06-studio-collection/

[AnotherScott]

Hopefully the brass is SN.

AFAIK, all the FA EXP kits are derived from the SRX cards, which all pre-date SN. It looks the the EXP-06 is probably SRX-03 (from 2001).

[Bill W]

Hopefully the brass is SN.

AFAIK, all the FA EXP kits are derived from the SRX cards, which all pre-date SN. It looks the the EXP-06 is probably SRX-03 (from 2001).

 

Yep. These are the SRX boards, not the ARX. All this free content has put me over the edge...I think I'll pick up an FA-06 to replace the PC3K7 I've got for sale.

 

 

[nadroj]

Ah, now I understand, thanks.

[ABECK]

I'm actually really liking the EPs on the last one. And, I really like some of the stuff from the first one as well. So at this point, I'd rather not remove either, unless this one really has something that's a must have. Due to the age, I can't imagine there's anything in there that I can't live without.

[aellison62]

Has anyone downloaded EXP-06 yet? I know it's the SRX-03 but does anyone have good or bad opinions on it? I am going to download it tonight and check it out.

 

I'm starting to wish the were a few more expansion slots on the FA-

[EdMusic]

Well, let's hope there are some hidden features, like more slots, on the FA that Roland will reveal to boost sales when market interest is dropping.

[nadroj]

Has anyone downloaded EXP-06 yet? I know it's the SRX-03 but does anyone have good or bad opinions on it? I am going to download it tonight and check it out.

 

I'm starting to wish the were a few more expansion slots on the FA-

 

I'm using it. Mostly for the nice chorus APs and pads. As opposed to other specialised EXPs, it's more a jack of all trades, master of none expansion.

[DanL]

I downloaded it but haven't had a chance to load it up and play around with it.

[wd8dky]

I actually owned SRX-03 many moons ago, installed in a Fantom and found it quite useable. I need an expressive flute for my main Church effort, and I ended up modifying the SRX-03 flute patch to get me closer to what I wanted.

[MotiDave]

Hi all, I've been reading about this, this line fascinates me as possibly my next up. I'm a bit confused about the plethora of downloadable libraries vs SD Card vs User Memory ... what can actually be installed on the board. Maybe these are dumb questions, you'll let me konw if they are

 

How many User Memory and Studio Set memory locations are there? How is it configured. As my mental ref: I understand my Motif has 4 User Voice and Performance banks, each organized in A1-H16 (512 total in each). I didn't find this basic info in anything I read.

 

Are the imported Axial / 3rd party libraries stored into the user memory, the SD card, both?

 

is SD card just used to transfer data into user memory or does the board read/use data on the SD card while in operation? Or are all imported libraries stored on the SD Card?

 

How mnay libraries can be loaded into User memory and/or a single SD card? Can any size SD card be used in the FA-xx?

 

Can you mix and match tones from lots of different libraries to construct your own custom version? How many of these EXP libraries would fit on an SD card, for ex?

 

How are studio sets organized - by bank and number, or ? Are they stored internally or on the SD Card (or both)?

 

Is there an application to allow you to arrange studio set lists easily - eg re-order studio sets for gigs?

 

Answer any 3 questions, and get me started - thx!

[DanL]

There are 512 user tone slots, and 512 studio set slots that can be overwritten.

 

Imported patches are stored in the user slots.

 

The SD card is used to store data like songs and samples. I think a 32gb card is the max size- that's what I used. It's what you use to import new patches from the Axial or other patch sites. You can audition them from the SD card and then write individual ones to user memory.

 

You can mix and match tones from EXP, preset, or user tone banks to create your studio sets. The EXP slots are read only- think of them as waveforms you can draw upon to create sounds, like the old SRX cards. The EXP tones are also stored with the virtual EXP cards, but you can call any of those tones to use in a studio set, and you can modify an EXP tone and store it as a user tone.

 

Studio sets are store numerically. There are several ways to call them up- favorites, the dial, or the pads. I set the pad mode to numeric, then you can call up any studio set by number at the touch of a couple buttons, which works great for me in a live setting.

 

There are no apps to rearrange things. This is where pad mode set to numeric works for me. I have a set list with the patch number next to it, so I can punch in the patch number and not hit enter until I need the patch called. My band takes very little time between songs, usually the last note of one song is the downbeat of the next, and I've had zero issues using the numeric pads to do this.

 

[Krakit]

@DanL

 

Thanks for this, it was very informative and I can use what you've posted myself.

 

Carl

[aellison62]

You can mix and match tones from EXP, preset, or user tone banks to create your studio sets. The EXP slots are read only- think of them as waveforms you can draw upon to create sounds, like the old SRX cards. The EXP tones are also stored with the virtual EXP cards, but you can call any of those tones to use in a studio set, and you can modify an EXP tone and store it as a user tone.

 

quote above from DanL.

 

Please note that you can only recall/modify and use the EXP tones if the corresponding EXP set is loaded into one of the two slots. Once you unload any given EXP set, it's waveforms are gone from the FA and therefore that tone is gone until you reload it.

 

That's why I wish there were a few more slots available to hold more EXP sets in the FA simultaneously.

[MotiDave]

That was awesome, excellent added info. And I read you can save your board memory to "backup" SD Card. So effectively you can manage multiple 512/512 user configs if ambituous and needy.

[EscapeRocks]

That was awesome, excellent added info. And I read you can save your board memory to "backup" SD Card. So effectively you can manage multiple 512/512 user configs if ambitious and needy.

 

I believe that is correct.

 

Just as I do for my MOX and a thumb drive, I am going to save my setups on an SD for gig back as well for the FA08

 

Side note:

 

The main reason I use my MOX6 as a master, is that there's no studio set rearranging software as there is for the MOX.

 

I use the Melas librarian. I just rearrange master order on my MOX, and use it to call the proper set on my FA08. That way it doesn't matter what order my studio sets are in.

[Stokely]

Question, especially for those that know the VR-700:

 

I just picked up a VR-700 used from GC, which means I have 30 days to return. I didn't even suspect that the FA boards might have a decent organ, but a few posts I read here made me think it might have a similar engine to that in the VR boards.

 

I checked it out today, and the organ did sound good, much like the VR in tone. I had a heck of a time figuring out how to turn on the fast leslie Obviously there are no drawbars. I didn't have time to really dive in, but does it have many organ parameters you can adjust and control using the soft buttons (or via midi, I have a little Korg nanocontrol that I've used for my software organs)?

 

I'll probably keep the VR, as it is primarily organ as well as emergency backup to my pc361. Plus it was only $699 including a wheeled case, can't beat it. But the FA was so far superior on the non-organ sounds that it did get me thinking about taking back the VR and getting one.

[aellison62]

I think you'll find the majority of FA owners would agree that while the tone of the organ engine in the FA is good, the Leslie sim is awful. If you take advantage of the sub outs on the FA and run the organ thru a Ventilator or Burn pedal you have a passable clonewheel.

 

There are some parameters that are adjustable and I would assume you could control the drawbars with your nano control but I am not certain about that.

[AnotherScott]

Obviously there are no drawbars.

 

I think you'll find the majority of FA owners would agree that while the tone of the organ engine in the FA is good, the Leslie sim is awful. If you take advantage of the sub outs on the FA and run the organ thru a Ventilator or Burn pedal...

Right, the FA lacks the drawbars, and as for the leslie sim, neither is Vent/Burn quality, but I believe the FA is worse by virtue of trailing further in the overdrive aspect. Other advantages of the VR700 as an organ are the C/V and the much better action.

 

Obviously there are no drawbars.

 

There are some parameters that are adjustable and I would assume you could control the drawbars with your nano control but I am not certain about that.

No... Nano is USB, you can't directly connect it. Also, Nano sends CC and I believe the FA would need Sysex. The Ocean Beach DB1 drawbar controller could be a possibility though.

[Stokely]

Yeah, not to veer this further off the main topic, but I just had a second gig with the VR and its a keeper, I just love playing it.

 

The action is probably the main reason, it's fantastic, works well even for piano (for me the non-pianist!)

 

And yes, I forgot the Nano only had usb. Haven't used it for awhile.

 

I wish all the manufacturers would just use ccs for drawbar mesages, and make sure the keyboards send out the message as well as respond if it has sliders or drawbars (oddly my VR doesn't but the VK8 did...). I'd love to use the VR to control software organs fully. I assume there are still some unassigned ccs out there. My days of knowing midi reasonably well are long gone though...

[nadroj]

I thought I'd be getting VR-09 level organs with the FA but I didn't - lack of c/v was a surprising annoyance. I expected the drawbar situation. It's a shame, especially considering my RD700 has a surprisingly deep 'organ TFX' in it that let's me get a pretty decent organ sound wih a bit of tweaking. Don't know why they didn't keep that for later models.

I'm adding a Nord E4 to my rig so it doesn't matter, but I thought I was getting the whole "Vr-09 minus drawbars" thing when I bought the FA. That aside, I love the thing.

[nadroj]

Also, I can't for the life of me get DAW control mode to work. Every other board I have is plug and play with Logic, but the FA refuses to play ball, even after doing everything said in the manual. Anyone got it working wih Logic X yet?

[AnotherScott]

I wish all the manufacturers would just use ccs for drawbar mesages, and make sure the keyboards send out the message as well as respond if it has sliders or drawbars (oddly my VR doesn't but the VK8 did...).

As I recall, the VK8 did respond to CC, but did not send it... it sent only sysex. No? Maybe you meant VK7?

 

I think everyone but Roland sends and responds to CC for drawbars (Hammond, Korg, Nord, Kurzweil, Casio, Numa, Mojo... not sure about Kawai)

 

edit: I think yes to the real Korg CX3, but not the Kronos version

[EscapeRocks]

Also, I can't for the life of me get DAW control mode to work. Every other board I have is plug and play with Logic, but the FA refuses to play ball, even after doing everything said in the manual. Anyone got it working wih Logic X yet?

 

To make sure we're starting from ground zero, let me ask a question, not meaning to insult:

 

You have installed the Roland USB driver on your computer?

 

I don't use Logic X, yet, but after I installed the Roland FA specific USB driver on my Macbook, my FA08 and Mac recognized each other nicely.

 

I do use Mainstage and have had no issue after setting things up.

 

 

[nadroj]

Also, I can't for the life of me get DAW control mode to work. Every other board I have is plug and play with Logic, but the FA refuses to play ball, even after doing everything said in the manual. Anyone got it working wih Logic X yet?

 

To make sure we're starting from ground zero, let me ask a question, not meaning to insult:

 

You have installed the Roland USB driver on your computer?

 

I don't use Logic X, yet, but after I installed the Roland FA specific USB driver on my Macbook, my FA08 and Mac recognized each other nicely.

 

I do use Mainstage and have had no issue after setting things up.

 

 

Hey David, yeah I installed the driver a while back. Can't get it to play ball!

[EscapeRocks]

Okay, I assume you're using a Mac of some type given you're using Logic X.

 

Again, not to ask a simple question, but did you see this?

 

This explanation describes the procedure when using Logic Pro X. The procedure may differ for other

versions.

1. From the Logic Pro X menu, choose [Logic Pro X] " [Control Surfaces] " [setup] to

open the setting screen.

2. From the menu, choose [New] " [install].

3. From the list of Model, choose Mackie Control and press Add.

4. As the input port and the output port, specify FA-06 08 DAW CTRL.

[CEB]

Bump for Claudio

[nadroj]

Okay, I assume you're using a Mac of some type given you're using Logic X.

 

Again, not to ask a simple question, but did you see this?

 

This explanation describes the procedure when using Logic Pro X. The procedure may differ for other

versions.

1. From the Logic Pro X menu, choose [Logic Pro X] " [Control Surfaces] " [setup] to

open the setting screen.

2. From the menu, choose [New] " [install].

3. From the list of Model, choose Mackie Control and press Add.

4. As the input port and the output port, specify FA-06 08 DAW CTRL.

 

Yup, done all that. It's picking up the drivers, just not playing ball. Haven't tried it in a few days, but I think I'm gonna delete then reinstall the drivers, as well as every other Roland driver on my Mac!

[EscapeRocks]

That might be the place to start. Just for fun, I reset my stuff and followed those instructions and I'm not having any issues

[ClaudioKeys]

Hello everybody, just bought a new Fa-06 and I was asked to play in a Doors-Tribute. can somebody with longer playing around with the FA advise me about the best patches to emulate the piano bass used by Ray Manzarek? Or in any case the most suitable to play the classic Doors (aggressive bass as in break on through, the softer one like riders on the storm) and so on? thanks in advance everyone and greetings from Italy!