the description on roland's site makes it sound like an arranger of some kind...anyone in Nashville check it out? pls send along reports...thanks

I do not think the Fantom has chord recognition. I think it just has an arpeggiator with real-time controls.

Cliff,
I don't know anything more than you guys are seing on the internet but it seems to me that this might be more like a Karma type keyboard. I'm in Calif. and don't attend the summer namm show so I can't give any reviews on new products. I did however just find out from Roland that they have a new 4 track recorder with effects that records direct to smart media cards and has a retail price of around $495.00.

-no sampling
-yes Roland is copying the karma function.

if that is Roland's new workstaiotn then Roland is Really going down.what were they thinking when they made the fantom "non touch" screen and the VA-XX "touch screen"?


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vic:)

and by the way.korg had released something called "PXR4 POCKET STUDIO" too, it's also a 4 track Recorder.and also released this 32mb NEW exb,for orchstralic stuff,it's suggested price is "$480US"

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vic:)

I would like to find out more about what functions can be controlled in real time on the Fantom. I am assuming that "groove" type parameters, such as arpeggiator swing are controllable. I expect the Fantom will be easier to understand than the Karma, but less flexible. I doubt that the Fantom has chord recognition, so it will not be able to emulate arrangers as well as the Karma does.

The high price of Korg's Orchestral expansion reflects the fact that it uses two expansion cards. This is not really an excuse for the high price, but that is Korg's rationale. The expansion cards should hold more, be sold for less, and should go inside arranger keyboards. (Yamaha and Techics have expansion slots, but not much choice of what to put in them.)

Korg's pocket recorder seems a lot like the 4-track SmartMedia product from Zoom, doesn't it?

The Phanthom will be releases in October .
I saw a 76 note version . I believe this will be the only size . No chord recognition .
Roland has taken the RPS feature of the Xp60/80 and enhanced it to be more groove oriented . Combine Classic Roland sounds and arpegiator , add a sequencer with groove features . That equals Phathom !
The Yamaha Motif is the hottest new arranger workstation . The sounds are great ! Best price point as well . Motif6 = 61 keys Motif7 = 76 keys Motif8 = 88 keys .
Check them out ! Very cool .... Dan O
PS...I believe the website is Motif.com