Owner's Manual - Roland

Overview of the Fantom-XHow the Fantom-X Is OrganizedBasic StructureBroadly speaking, the Fantom-X consists of a controller section, asound generator section, and a sequencer section. These sections areinternally connected via MIDI.fig.04-001.eSequencerSectionPlaybackSamplerSectionSoundGeneratorSectionAudio InputSamplingResamplingClassification of Fantom-X SoundTypesWhen using the Fantom-X, you will notice that a variety of differentcategories come into play when working with sounds. What followsis a simple explanation of each sound category.TonesOn the Fantom-X, the tones are the smallest unit of sound. However,it is not possible to play a tone by itself. The patch is the unit ofsound which can be played, and the tones are the basic buildingblocks which make up the patch.fig.04-002.eToneLFO 1 LFO 2RecordingPlayController Section (controllerssuch as keyboard, pad, pitch bend lever, etc.)WGTVFTVAController SectionThis section consists of the keyboard, pad, pitch bend/modulationlever, panel knobs and buttons, and D Beam controller. It alsoincludes any pedals that may be connected to the rear panel. Theperformance information generated when you do things such aspress/release a key or pad, or depress the hold pedal is convertedinto MIDI messages and sent to the sound generator section,sequencer section, and/or an external MIDI device.Sound Generator SectionThe sound generator section produces the sound. It receives MIDImessages from the keyboard controller section and sequencer sectionand/or from an external MIDI device, generates musical soundaccording to the MIDI messages that were received, and outputs thesound from the output jacks or headphone jack.Sequencer SectionThis section records operations of the keyboard controller section asMIDI messages, and transmits the recorded MIDI messages to thesound generator section. MIDI messages recorded on the sequencercan also be transmitted from the MIDI OUT connector to allow theFantom-X to also control external MIDI devices.The Sampler sectionA sampler is a device that captures sounds from a CD player or micconnected to the audio input or the digital input (or sounds from awave file) as “samples.”Samples you record can be used in the same way as the waveformsthat are built into the internal sound generator. (p. 141)The Fantom-X can load WAV or AIFF format wave files as samplesvia a USB connection. Loaded sample can be used in patches orrhythm sets.PitchEnvelopeTones consist of the following five components.WG (Wave Generator)Specifies the PCM waveform (wave) that is the basis of the sound,and determines how the pitch of the sound will change.The Fantom-X has 1,480 different waveforms. All patches built intothe Fantom-X consist of combinations of tones which are createdbased on these waveforms.There are four wave generators for each rhythm tone(percussion instrument sounds).TVF (Time Variant Filter)Specifies how the frequency components of the sound will change.TVA (Time Variant Amplifier)Specifies the volume changes and the sound’s position in a stereosoundfield.Envelopeaudio signalTVFEnvelopecontrol signalTVAEnvelopeYou use Envelope to initiate changes to occur to a sound over time.There are separate envelopes for Pitch, TVF (filter), and TVA(volume). For example if you wish to modify the way in which thesound attacks or decays over time, you would adjust the TVAenvelope.26