scarred1928

As long as you're connected (i'm guessing USB?) and your drivers are installed correctly it should be a no brainer. Choose your I/O from Options -> MIDI Devices, load up the PSYN II synth (optional), arm the MIDI track for record, and go at it. Well it detects my Fantom just fine. I'm referring to playback of MIDI data through the program through my speakers. The only way I've gotten it to work is by outputting MIDI data in to the Fantom and playing it back through there. FL works just fine though... maybe it's a sign? Have you tried getting any output through Sonar at all, not just MIDI? Maybe you have your sound card I/O set up wrong. Yes, I'm getting audio output. Just not MIDI output. Maybe this is a sign to go with FL... I have a feeling it's a soundcard issue so I'm going to just start with FL. zircon sold me on that one!

Well zircon... you've converted me! I'm probably going to work with FL. Everything you have described is exactly what I'm looking for. In addition, I listened to all of your remixes in one giant playlist a few minutes ago, and after that... I decided that FL could do anything I wanted. Amazing stuff running the gamut of genres and with absolutely pristine audio quality throughout. I have no business posting this here but this is what I managed to create before coming to this site. Mind you... I created this song entirely in Sony VEGAS... I was tapping on the desk trying to line things up and just used the preset drum patterns on my Fantom X8. All synths etc. were presets including the bassline arpeggios... so creative! http://www.myspace.com/thegrandsummoners Crap, yes... but it was my first EVER endeavor in to electronic music of any kind.

As long as you're connected (i'm guessing USB?) and your drivers are installed correctly it should be a no brainer. Choose your I/O from Options -> MIDI Devices, load up the PSYN II synth (optional), arm the MIDI track for record, and go at it. Well it detects my Fantom just fine. I'm referring to playback of MIDI data through the program through my speakers. The only way I've gotten it to work is by outputting MIDI data in to the Fantom and playing it back through there. FL works just fine though... maybe it's a sign?

zircon - You should really be a FL rep... you really make me simply WANT to use FL... I will watch those videos and definately mess around with FL. One problem that you may help with, what about all this talk of FL having poor synths? What can I do to work around that? Another, what about creating loop patterns? i.e. taking raw audio data recorded with my Fantom and making a loopable audio sample?

Yes, I'm on Windows. I have Sonar 6 but for some reason MIDI playback does not function. It can not detect my MIDI device. Probably going to have to buy a soundcard for my computer. My computer has nice integrated audio (It's an ASUS mobo) but it is just that, integrated. I've been wanting to add a SC for awhile now, this is just another one. Fruity Loops impressed me with it's demo project file with the vocoded vocals... but I really am lost by it's interface. Sonar's makes much more sense to me so far, but the lack of MIDI function leaves me stranded...

You guys sure know how to confuse a n00b.... Maybe you could condense all this info into a tidy little solution for me: 1. Drums will need to be programmed. 2. I would like to use my Fantom as a MIDI controller to record what I'm playing verbatim as MIDI data to be played back by a sequencer. I would also use it as an easy way to enter notes in to a sequencer. 3. I would also like to record what I'm playing on the Fantom as audio data and be able to take, for example, a 4 bar bassline and turn it in to a loop that I can drag out/copy to any length that I want. 4. I also want to be able to, for example, record me playing piano for something like an outro and be able to simply place it in the song. Don't worry about price with these programs, I have a friend that works at a music store that can get me a great discount.

I did some research and I decided that Sonar was looking like a great program to work with. Does Sonar offer drum programming?

I already have done all that, but I wasn't sure if I could, for example, record a synth pattern played with the X8's internal sounds and convert that pattern in to a loop that I could use with FL. Alternatively, would it be best for me to get comfortable with programming my parts in FL?

You wish... Well I checked out a demo of Fruity Loops and I am more than impressed. How can I integrate my Hardware based synths like the X8 and the various softsynths I have as well in to this program and use them in songs?

Thank you for the resources!!! I will look in to those when I have a free moment! What is everyone's opinion on Sony Acid? I have Acid 6 but have not had much time to play around with it. (Just got it.) Can I take basslines that I played on my Fantom X8 and record them in to Acid and them have them automatically turned in to a loop? I really wish I could read a complete walkthrough on the most efficient way to construct a trance/dance track. All of my experience is with playing real instruments and laying them down on the Roland. But, with this kind of music loops are sometimes necessary. I have created ONE trance/dance track but it was created in a really poor way. I essentially lined up basslines and drums that I programmed on the Roland's built in drum sequencer by ear in Sony Vegas. Needless to say the metronome in Vegas and the metronome in the Fantom X8 are NOT perfectly calibrated and timing issues became a problem...

Well... the Fantom line of Roland keyboards has built in sequencing and mixing capabilites... Roland also makes excellent mixers and recording consoles.

Equipment I currently own: Roland Fantom X8 Roland VS-2480 Mics and Cables (various) A nice computer plenty capable of running softsynths and recording software. Drums, guitar, bass. Now, I want to start doing remixes of my favorite games. What software is beneficial for the creation of techno/trance type songs? I'm talking about having programmed drums that I don't have to play using the pads on my Fantom X8. I can get ahold of any computer software that will help me. Thank you for any help with my noobish question. Any other tips on starting out remixing would be great!