Roland FANTOM - How to use Piano Roll and Microscope to edit a Sequenced Drum Pattern

In this video we demonstrate how to use Piano Roll and Microscope editing inside the Roland Fantom's sequencer section.
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[@neovirtuality]

You can select multiple notes in the Piano Roll by holding the SHIFT button while with your finger you draw a rectangle surrounding the notes you want to select. You can then erase all the notes, move them all together, copy them etc. It's explained in the Fantom 06/07/08 *Reference* Manual (not the user guide!) that Roland published for free on the web recently.

[@danceclubliveuk5878]

Superb update. Roland listened and delivered. Didn’t think I could love my Fantom more. I do now. Thanks Ed. Excellent tutorials.

[@kungfusionmlm]

Great video Ed...I was just wondering if you can show us how to copy bars to lengthen a pattern or append to a different pattern. Thanks!

[@Talentocubano]

Maybe they don’t know. I have been trying but nothing. I guess I will use my Akai mpc for sequencing.

[@carlmcfarlane]

In Piano Roll Hold down shift and turn Pattern Length knob, this will extend and duplicate the last bar every time you turn it (it won't duplicate 2 bars at a time like the MC707).

[@GuitarEncyclopedia]

ERROR ALERT: At 1:10 Ed states the knobs could be used to do some editing. This is wrong! You can not change the values (duration, velocity) of the selected notes in Piano Roll, the knobs rather define the values of a note when you draw it! Editing values of already recorded notes can only be done in Microscope. This is a rather strange omission, as everybody would like to use the knobs in the way Ed is suggesting, but as you can see neither the small vertical bar in the velocity section nor the length of the duration graphic are changing while he is turning the knobs at 1:15.

[@bunwi]

You are absolutely correct. He actually states that we 'should be able to see' him adjusting the values. IN fact we can see no such thing! All we see is him twiddling the knob. However, all is not lost, you CAN actually adjust note velocity in this screen by tapping the 'VELOCITY' label. You will then see an overlay box which shows all the note velocities as stems which you can drag up or down. The only slight snag with this is that it shows all the notes, so in even a simple drum pattern it can be hard to tell which is the kick, snare, tom, etc. Would have been nice if it just showed stems for the currently selected drum (i.e note).

[@Vocalisto]

for me this is an absolutely No-Go!!! Why on earth is it not possible to just simply grab a note and adjust the Velocity or Duration with the knob??! And this Guy seems to even don't know the Product very well and tell us wrong Information... Sry but how stupid is that?!?

[@E-MOTION-MUSIC]

Always appreciate you doing what you do Ed! Really loving the new features of 2.0

[@BobKlass]

Holy moly, my Fantom does release velocity. I had this feature on my very first MIDI keyboard in the 1980's, the Oberheim Xk. Back then you needed to filter it from sequences because it was too much extra (and unused) data. I verified what Ed was showing in the video with my playing (like we know how to play release velocity). Fantom must use it. They should make this known as a selling feature.

[@neovirtuality]

what is "release velocity"?

[@BobKlass]

@@neovirtuality Fantom sends how fast you release each key just as it sends how fast you pressed each key. I think they use it in many of the patches as it comes from the factory. Back in the 80's my Oberheim did too, but I never used it.

[@sideshowbob1544]

One of your best Ed!

[@Nightrocker80]

Where is the Resume key to Edit long patterns in Piano roll and t-rec ? For to play pattern in advanced position. Copy key for oNly one note? Cant Clone many notes using shift key and copy ?

[@Talentocubano]

So I believe that the Fantom is the best workstation in the planet right now, And I give Demos for your unit A lot. You have good videos. But you have to do better. I will keep using my mpc live.

[@daninturrisi8610]

Awesome vid Ed! You’re literally a life saver with these vids you put out for the Fantom and O series. One question though, while recording drums on one track like this, is there a way to lower / raise the octave of ONE Particular note? Ie the hi hat, kick drum, 808 etc? Can’t lower octaves etc via piano roll because when you lower the note on a drum kit it changes the sound to something else in sauce kit. Also afaik the only way to add / remove aspects of the drums during break downs, chorus, bridge etc is to make each aspect on its own seperate track, which gets really tedious. If I’m missing something please let me know, and thank you so much for your time and effort with these amazing units

[@christianthompson1473]

Some great editing improvements... 👍 next up the same treatment for the group section and the song mode? 😬

[@peppercat262]

In MICROSCOPE you can select multiple notes with SHIFT button depressed.

[@carlmcfarlane]

Hi, I know it has been mentioned below, but Ed seems to suggest you can select a note or notes in the Piano Roll, turn the Knob and you can change the Velocity (you can't) - it works like this on every other Roland Product i own - TR-8S , TR-06 MC-707, T-8 it seems to be a rather strange omission on the Fantom. As someone else pointed out you can't even do this in Velocity overlay as increasing the velocity of a snare also increases the velocity of every other single note on that beat in the Grid! Yes you can change the velocity in Microscope, but what if you want to change the velocity of all your closed hats? It just isn't good workflow. Please Ed if you read this tell me Roland are aware this feature doesn't work properly and they intend to fix it?

[@SunlightOfTheSpirit]

The duration part doesn't work either

[@Talentocubano]

How do I copy and paste a 4 bar part in the same clip in the edit piano roll. A how many years do i have to way for any body from roland to let me know.

[@Struct2009]

Create event is great! (9:00) Can you change the channel of a note on the Event Page?

[@jessestevens460]

Please we need to go deeper in the piano roll as for how copy a 4 bar loop and make it a 8 bar and so on.

[@SvenFx-22]

How do I select Multiple notes. It would take me a long time to move and align multiple notes that are off. I can’t find how to select multiple notes for editing. Also. It took me forever to to find out how to edit notes in microscope view. You don’t mention and it is not selected by default. You have to move cursor over to select note in the list before you can edit it

[@marcpalacios2953]

Why do you have to go to pattern utility to edit when in the pattern screen there is a edit button on the E3 knob?

[@far4760]

How to select multiple notes together? And how to increase undo steps?

[@pgtips4240]

When editing notes on the touch screen do you know if this would work with a stylus as it seems a bit of a hit or miss doing this with fingers?

[@pcuimac]

NOW you have a product. Why did Roland sell an unfinished product for full price? Early adopters should have to pay less than regular customers.

[@temp911Luke]

This machine would amazing piece of kit if not some ridicilous limitation to sample poliphony which is 8...in 21st century in 2020 : )

[@soulSaysHi]

I was not aware of the polyphony for samples. Where did you hear this?

[@temp911Luke]

@@soulSaysHi Read the specs on Roland website: "SAMPLER - PAD SAMPLERFormat: 16-bit linear, 44.1/48kHz, WAV/AIFF import supportedMaximum Polyphony: 8"

[@defenderstargate1447]

@@temp911Luke I believe that is just for the Pads, which are separate from the keyboard. This limitation is not on samples played from the keyboard.

[@alicaramba7680]

With newest update (2.0) you can assign samples to partials of tone, so I guess there is maximum of 256 sample polyphony right now. But if you want to trigger samples as tracks and effects from pads I think 8 sample polyphony is enough for most. Fantom won't be as good as dedicated sampler, stage piano, synth, drum machine, but it does everything at some extent. That's a purpose of "workstation" type of keyboard.

[@temp911Luke]

@@alicaramba7680 Ok thanks for the info !

[@mikemoprobeats164]

Make a hot beat!!!

[@liothomasart]

Question: The iPad pencil can interact with that screen?

[@peppercat262]

I'm using a generic capacitive touch pen (black foam end) that works pretty good but screen is still more sensitive to fingertip.