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Roland FA-07


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One of the new pad modes is Key Switch Group, which takes the old Key Switch a step farther.

 

First, it is tone remain within a Studio Set.

 

I have found it to very cool.

 

First, you can have 16 groups, and within those 16 groups, up to 16 tones in any combination.

 

For example, group 1 may contain your just your piano. Group two may contain your piano, with some strings. Group 3 may contain an EP, with strings, and synth pad, etc.. etc...

 

While playing group 2, I can sustain the strings, and hit the group 1 button. The strings will sound, then just the piano will play when I hit the keys again.

 

This comes in very handy in a Studio Set where the sounds you have may be layered in the same key ranges.

 

An example of how I tried it last night.

 

In Journey's Separate Ways, I have the keyboard split into three sections.

 

Upper has the intro tone. Middle has the main synth/brass sound, and bottom has the high piccolo sound for the break.(adjusted a few octave up so I can play with left hand)

 

The way I used to have it setup is the the intro and main would be played directly on the FA08.

The high piccolo would be play from my upper keyboard.

 

With the new key group switch, I can play all parts from the FA

 

Group 1 has the intro and main part tones.

Group 2 has the intro and high piccolo sound.

 

When coming into that part during the guitar solo, I can hit Pad 2 with my left hand while playing the intro part with my right hand, and never lose that sound. Then my high part is ready to go with my left hand.

 

Then I just hit Pad1 to go back to the original setup.

 

One of the big things this can do within a Studio Set, is help with note stealing, especially if you use some very heavy pads under your piano, for just certain parts.

 

The key switch turns off the part rather than just silencing it, so the part isn't using any polyphony, even if you have it silenced via volume.

 

The neat thing is now you can assign Pad Mode per studio set.

 

There are some Studio Sets where I would have the Pads set to Sample play, and some to Key Switch group.

 

[video:youtube]

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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It was one sound at a time before. Now you can group multiple sounds together and have them change.

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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AnotherScott - on what sounds do you think Yamaha trumps Roland? How about strings and brass?

 

Would an FA-07 + Vent and MX49 not be a good solution?

 

I think Yamaha is better on acoustic plucked strings, like guitars and basses. Strings, brass are all comparable. AP/EP are subjective. Roland wins on the synth side (in my opinion)

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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It was one sound at a time before. Now you can group multiple sounds together and have them change.

 

 

Thank you for saying in one sentence what took me an entire page ;)

 

:like:

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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It was one sound at a time before. Now you can group multiple sounds together and have them change.

 

 

Thank you for saying in one sentence what took me an entire page ;)

 

:like:

 

LOL! And here I was thinking wow, David just really explained it and all I did was answer with 1 sentence! I hadn't seen your reply before I posted mine! :)

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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Dave and Dan explained it well already. Nothing much more to say Scott, other than that it added a wealth of flexibility and use to the FA. Had a rehearsal for a conference gig tonight (3000 seat auditorium, will be my biggest gig to date!)

 

Two keyboard players, I got roped in last minute because one of the guitarists is now unable to do it so they want me to fill in the sound. Other keyboard player is taking care of piano stuff, so I'm using the FA as a glorified pad/synth machine. Due to the nature of the sounds, if I had done this gig before update 2.0 I would have needed to use at least 2-3 different studio sets, or even two keyboards. With the new feature I'm just using one studio set and am switching seamlessly between parts while looping stuff at the same time. So easy to use. Every song has a different setup, but one studio set is covering it all.

 

Such a handy little board, my FA-06 :like:

Hammond SKX

Mainstage 3

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Since the integrated organ engine can be controlled by a DB-1 or similar controller

just be aware that the DB1 is no longer in production... I'm not aware of any "similar" controller, as it needs to be able to send sysex, not merely MIDI CC. But maybe someone can suggest something...?

Thanks, AnotherScott! Since my "day job" is as a TV broadcast engineer with extensive programming & systems configuration experience, the single most important parameter for me is "is it possible"? Once I know that, then I can determine an appropriate course of action in locating a solution.

It was great to hear the FA could be used with drawbars...and disappointing there are none available!

There is an answer if you have an iPad... real-time "drawbar" control, albeit as onscreen sliders...

http://mididesigner.com/qa/3093/roland-fa06-supernatural-synth-editor?show=4239#a4239

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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It was great to hear the FA could be used with drawbars...and disappointing there are none available!

There is an answer if you have an iPad... real-time "drawbar" control, albeit as onscreen sliders...

http://mididesigner.com/qa/3093/roland-fa06-supernatural-synth-editor?show=4239#a4239

Alternatively: Use the phone/tablet as a CC->SysEx converter. Which means you can use a controller with physical sliders (Behringer X-Touch? Nektar P1?).

 

- Guru

This is really what MIDI was originally about encouraging cooperation between companies that make the world a more creative place." - Dave Smith
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It says "Carefully selected vintage synth collection features famous Roland JUNO-106, Jupiter-80, D-50 and more" -- I assume that's a typo, and it's Jupiter 8, not Jupiter 80... 80 isn't vintage, and the FA already uses the same SN synth engine that's in the 80...

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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It says "Carefully selected vintage synth collection features famous Roland JUNO-106, Jupiter-80, D-50 and more" -- I assume that's a typo, and it's Jupiter 8, not Jupiter 80... 80 isn't vintage, and the FA already uses the same SN synth engine that's in the 80...

 

Most probably. The soundlist brings some thoughts about how new/useful would be this expansion having the Integra packs available for the FA and, of course, the extensive SN factory set..There are some new waves, no doubt.

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Side bar:

 

It appears the EXP-11 can not be added to an Integra-7. I had the opportunity to chat with Daniel Fisher from Sweetwater when I was at Gearfest. He's the guy who does a lot of their synth demo videos. He didn't even know the EXP-11 existed when I asked him about it, so using my phone I showed him via the link that initially mentioned it in this thread. He said the EXP expansions are "hardwired" into the Integra, so the new EXP-11 can not be added.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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I can't say I expected anything different, there's never been any indication of there being any mechanism by which you could load new waves into the Integra7. But yeah, it would have been a nice surprise be find out we could load in the additional sound set from a USB stick, even though something like that would not survive a power cycle (you can't change what's in the ROM, and the memory that holds the "in use" expansions is not non-volatile).

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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So far I am finding EXP-11 to be a nice compliment to my FA08.

 

As far as the FA series goes, Roland really upped the game for us user with the latest software (2.0) release, and now this EXP.

 

The pad mode by studio set, keyboard group switch, and the Master Mode per part in a studio set really opens up a ton of possibilities.

 

I have created another Mainstage concert to test these thing out,

and it is flowing quite nicely.

 

The keyboard group switch really has to be tried to see it's possibilities. The example videos barely scratch the surface.

 

 

 

 

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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There's a video of the FA with a vent on youtube and it sounds pretty damn nice. The vent can make almost anything into a high-end sounding clone wheel.

 

Yes agreed. So FA owners: Is the sub out independent from the main outs? Can you plug a Vent into the sub out and keep your Hammond sounds separate?

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There's a video of the FA with a vent on youtube and it sounds pretty damn nice. The vent can make almost anything into a high-end sounding clone wheel.

 

Yes agreed. So FA owners: Is the sub out independent from the main outs? Can you plug a Vent into the sub out and keep your Hammond sounds separate?

 

Bill, the sub out is independent from the main outs and you can rout any part in a studio set to the sub out. The sub out does not respond to volume, though. There are a coupla work-arounds, one of which is to send the Vent out to the audio in of the FA. David has another but it "Escapes" me at the moment (sorry... :) ).

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Haha, back to that topic. We want an FA-07 with waterfall keys and drawbars, or the next generation VR-XXX!

 

In the meanwhile, time to pick up a second hand DB-1 or beg the developer to make a batch if enough people commit to a bulk order.

 

Or if he'd sell the design and firmware to someone interested in taking it over.

 

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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The sub out does not respond to volume, though. There are a coupla work-arounds, one of which is to send the Vent out to the audio in of the FA. David has another but it "Escapes" me at the moment (sorry... :) ).

I suppose you could just put a regular line-level volume pedal between the sub out and the Vent.

 

pick up a second hand DB-1 or beg the developer to make a batch if enough people commit to a bulk order.

Maybe a kickstarter campaign?

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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pick up a second hand DB-1 or beg the developer to make a batch if enough people commit to a bulk order.

Maybe a kickstarter campaign?

 

OB Dave is a forumite. I know I've read his posts that he is out of the business. But I wonder if he would be willing to do a run if something like kickstarter proved there was a market for 250, 500, 1000.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I told my wife I'm thinking I should sell my XF7 and buy an FA-07. I added MOXF6 as a fly-in version of my XF7 last year so I could use all of my hard-fought programming/libraries I'd designed over the last 5 yrs on fly-in gigs. As XF7 and MOXF6 are redundant, I now find it easier to just take the MOXF on local gigs too. XF sits unused except for a couple gigs a year I never converted to MOXF (but quickly could). An FA-07 would add a completely new different soundscape to the quiver.

 

she said I lost her at the first "XF..." and continued on about her morning unburdened by my inner debate.

The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it.
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Yes agreed. So FA owners: Is the sub out independent from the main outs? Can you plug a Vent into the sub out and keep your Hammond sounds separate?

 

Bill, the sub out is independent from the main outs and you can rout any part in a studio set to the sub out. The sub out does not respond to volume, though. There are a coupla work-arounds, one of which is to send the Vent out to the audio in of the FA. David has another but it "Escapes" me at the moment (sorry... :) ).

 

 

:facepalm::cheers:

 

Okay, here is how I have my sub out setup.

 

First, by itself, the sub out volume can't be controlled from the FA.

 

The Parts assigned to Sub Out do respond to external CC7 messages.

 

With one exception, the only sounds going thru sub out in my setup are the organ, which I play from another, like my Arturia Keylab.

 

The volume knob or my FC7 attached to the Keylab control volume of the Sub Out.

 

Easy solution.

 

For Studio Sets where the sub out sound may be layered with Main out sounds, all parts are pre mixed in the studio set, so no volume control necessary.

 

My FA 08 Sub Out run thru my Lester K, then into my mixer.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bumping this thread up to offer this little tidbit. I did a very fast perusal of the last couple of pages, but didn't see any mention of it.

 

The Roland FA-07 features the Fatar TP/9S, the same action that is found in the Prophet 6/OB-6, NI Komplete Kontrol 25/49/61, etc.

 

I got this from a friend at Roland, so it seems pretty legit. I will reserve the right to claim innocence if it's false, but I feel pretty good about it at the moment.

 

Oh, and it's also 8.4 kg (18.5 lbs for you folks south of the border ;) ), in case that hasn't come up. :D

 

So yeah, the action is WAAAAAAAY better than on the FA06.

 

(sorry if I'm repeating something already posted, as I mentioned, TL;DR :rawk: )

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Bumping this thread up to offer this little tidbit. I did a very fast perusal of the last couple of pages, but didn't see any mention of it.

 

The Roland FA-07 features the Fatar TP/9S, the same action that is found in the Prophet 6/OB-6, NI Komplete Kontrol 25/49/61, etc.

 

I got this from a friend at Roland, so it seems pretty legit. I will reserve the right to claim innocence if it's false, but I feel pretty good about it at the moment.

 

Oh, and it's also 8.4 kg (18.5 lbs for you folks south of the border ;) ), in case that hasn't come up. :D

 

So yeah, the action is WAAAAAAAY better than on the FA06.

 

(sorry if I'm repeating something already posted, as I mentioned, TL;DR :rawk: )

 

 

Cool :like:

 

That's good news for the FA07.

 

Regarding the 06, a row of Popsicle sticks tied to rubber bands is a better action ;)

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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The Roland FA-07 features the Fatar TP/9S, the same action that is found in the Prophet 6/OB-6, NI Komplete Kontrol 25/49/61, etc.

That's also the action in the Kurzweil PC361/PC3A6/PC3K6 and the Novation SL MK II (all with aftertouch, unlike the Roland). Very nice action for non-piano work. I don't think it's what they used in the Jupiter 50, but still better than the FA-06/VR-09 action. Kind of like the much admired Korg M3/Kronos 61, though with a shorter travel, IIRC.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Yes to all, though there is apparently some way to trigger the samples from keys as well.

 

Correct. The assignments are constant.

 

C1 = Pad 1 C#1 = Pad 2, and so forth.

 

I used this when I was using my MOXF over my FA08 to trigger a pad.

 

On Studio sets you dont want this you need to make sure you turn off the option when using an external board to play some things on the FA, or else you get unintended triggering.

What do you mean by "turn off the option"?

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Yes to all, though there is apparently some way to trigger the samples from keys as well.

 

Correct. The assignments are constant.

 

C1 = Pad 1 C#1 = Pad 2, and so forth.

 

I used this when I was using my MOXF over my FA08 to trigger a pad.

 

On Studio sets you dont want this you need to make sure you turn off the option when using an external board to play some things on the FA, or else you get unintended triggering.

What do you mean by "turn off the option"?

 

In Studio Set Common Edit Mode, you select Pad Part Select, then choose channel 1-16 or OFF.

 

By default Pad Part is on channel 16. So if you FA or an external instrument is transmitting note data on channel 16...or whatever channel the PADS in that Studio Set are assigned, you can trigger the pads.

 

I just go into the Studio Sets and select OFF, with the exception of the Studio Sets I want to trigger the pads from a key.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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