Roland Fantom-Xa - Page 6

6
A Brief Realtime Detour
The current patch, Strangers, responds in interesting ways to
the Fantom-Xa’s realtime controllers. Press F1 (KBD) and play
the keyboard:
• Push the modulation lever located to the left of the
keyboard forward, and then release it to hear how vibrato
can be added to the sound, and then removed.
• Press ASSIGNABLE beneath the D Beam so it lights, and
move your hand up and down over the D Beam to hear
what it does to the pitch of the patch’s various elements.
• In the REALTIME CONTROLLERS area, press the button
beneath “ARP/RHY” repeatedly until its ASSIGNABLE LED
lights. Turn the four REALTIME CONTROL knobs as you
play—hear how each changes the sound in some way.
The Fantom-Xa offers extensive realtime manipulation of its sounds. For
more, see your Fantom-Xa Owner’s Manual
.
Meet the Beats
The Fantom-Xa contains a full-featured drum
machine that’s perfect for jamming and
songwriting.
1. Take a look at the TRIGGER/
CATEGORY area. The TRIGGER
button’s lit, as are Pads 1-9.
If the TRIGGER button isn’t lit, press it so it
is. When TRIGGER’s lit, the pads play rhythm
set sounds, or rhythms, as we’ll see.
2. Hit each lit pad to hear how it
plays a sound from the currently
selected pad rhythm set.
When one of the pads is playing a sustained sound, lighting HOLD—next
to the TRIGGER button—causes the sound to continue playing after you’ve
struck and released its pad. This is especially handy when a pad plays a
sampled loop. Right now, it has no effect because the pads’ sounds are
quick percussion sounds.
3. Press the ARP/RHY RHYTHM button so it
lights—the pad lights go out because, when
RHYTHM’s lit, the pads play rhythms.
4. Hit Pad 1—its pattern plays and the pad flashes.
5. Now strike other unlit pads to hear different patterns.
Rhythm groups allow you to assemble collections of rhythm patterns.
There are built-in rhythm groups and you can create your own, as described
in the Owner’s Manual
.
6. Note how the Fantom-Xa switches between patterns
without losing the beat. You can mix and match patterns
to create your own rhythm arrangements.
7. Find a pattern you like and let it play.
You can press the TEMPO button and turn the VALUE dial to change the
rhythm pattern’s tempo if you like. Press F6 (Close) when you’re done.