On the road again

[shad0wfax]

Hi people,

I've been out for some time, but (I hope) I'm back again on this forum. The reason is that I've moved and I seized the opportunity also for changing part of my gear. I've sold virtually everything (including my beloved CM-64, my SC-55ST and my XV-2020), and I've only retained my Roland RD-170 (stage piano and master keyboard) of my original equipment. But I also acquired a second-hand SC-88Pro ST (without manual -doh!) and a brand new Fantom XR (which I'm still waiting to arrive). I'll be stuck with that equipment for a long time, I guess. My aim is making three different versions of each musical composition I write: one Fantom version, one SC-88Pro version and one plain GS (SC-55) version. Roland rulez

I'd like to know if someone else has got a 88 pro (with manual). I've got the patch list and GSAE editor, but I'm sure I'd really take advantage of 88Pro's capabilities if I had the manual.

[moturimi1]

Good to see you again. Unfoetuneately I don't know where you can get the manual. I only have the manual of the SC8850, so no help for you.

I saw your auctions last month on ebay. I was interested in the CM-64 but I was to late, cause I missed the auction the day it ended. But I still have a CM-500, although I want the CM-64 instead.

Unfortuneately you already sold your XV-2020. Otherwise you could have recorded the Comparison2005 midi file with this expander for our Comparison database.

I can't await your new composions.

[shad0wfax]

Hi Moturimi,

Unfortunately, I've been out for some time and I've missed the comparison 2005 (in fact, I even didn't know about it until now). But I think I could record from the Fantom when I get it (I just can't wait for it to arrive, but probably I won't have it until the next week). Anyway, with the XV-2020 I noticed that there was a huge difference between the GM2 section and the native 2020 section. 2020's native section was FAR superior to GM2's. Don't take me wrong, I don't mean that GM2 section sounded bad (it sounded probably better than most GM2 compatible synths), but the native section just sounded so good that it seemed another different synth. I guess that the Fantom will be more or less the same (a just decent or pretty good GM2 part and an astounding native section).

If you want to hear how a XV-2020 sounds like, you can listen to the last song I wrote for it, called "Big Rock", in http://www.hispasonic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=musica&file=index&id=3308

On the other hand, I wasn't completely happy when selling the CM-64 (I appreciate this module), but at least I sold it to a colleague of Germany who is working on emulation of pre-GM synths, so I hope my CM-64 will help having a soft-emulator of the CM-64 for a wide community. I feel comfortable with that idea.

[Ari]

How could I have missed that CM-64?  

Oh, and that link doesn't work, it seems.

[shad0wfax]

Regarding to the link,

I've tested it and it works, but probably the problem is that the page is written in Spanish. At the top there is the following inscription: "Escuchar online", which means 'listen online', and two links below, "conexión lenta" and "conexión rápida" (slow connection and fast connection, respectively). When you click any of them, windows media player or whichever other multimedia player you have as default opens and plays the music

I hope that helps.

[Ari]

Well, I get a "page cannot be displayed"... weird.

[moturimi1]

Unfortunately, I've been out for some time and I've missed the comparison 2005 (in fact, I even didn't know about it until now). But I think I could record from the Fantom when I get it (I just can't wait for it to arrive, but probably I won't have it until the next week).

Would be great, if you can record the file with the GM2 part of the Fantom. I know it doesn't have much to say about the real synth, but it would be very nice.

Anyway, with the XV-2020 I noticed that there was a huge difference between the GM2 section and the native 2020 section.

I know that the native mode is much better than the GM2 part. That's normal for the newer synths, e.g. with my Edirol SD-90.

If you want to hear how a XV-2020 sounds like, you can listen to the last song I wrote for it, called "Big Rock", in http://www.hispasonic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=musica&file=index&id=3308

The link is working. Great tunes. I can hear a sort of distortion guitar at the beginning, some organs (rotary?), fingered or picked bass and some great sounding brass(?) instruments. I'm really impressed by the guitar at the end of the song and by the drums. Sounds great.

I sold it to a colleague of Germany who is working on emulation of pre-GM synths, so I hope my CM-64 will help having a soft-emulator of the CM-64 for a wide community. I feel comfortable with that idea.

Me too. Would be great to have a CM-64 softsynth. I already heard of the MT32 softsynth project. (MUNT)

[robertmo]

I saw your auctions last month on ebay. I was interested in the CM-64 but I was to late, cause I missed the auction the day it ended. But I still have a CM-500, although I want the CM-64 instead.

why do you want cm-64 if you already have cm-500?

[Ari]

Isn't the CM-500's CM-32P part emulated?

Oh, and I finally managed to access the page. Very nice!

[Zemus]

Yeah. The sounds of the CM-32P (and its addon cards) are emulated using the SC-55 part of the CM-500.

[shad0wfax]

Would be great, if you can record the file with the GM2 part of the Fantom. I know it doesn't have much to say about the real synth, but it would be very nice.)

I'll record the midi when I get the Fantom, sure

I know that the native mode is much better than the GM2 part. That's normal for the newer synths, e.g. with my Edirol SD-90.)

Yeah, but I sincerely don't know why this is so. Perhaps manufacturers want to take GM definitely to the low-end market. I was very surprised when I listened the SD-90 version of the midi file. I was expecting better sound quality. But I suppose that the "real thing" is much better.

The link is working. Great tunes. I can hear a sort of distortion guitar at the beginning, some organs (rotary?), fingered or picked bass and some great sounding brass(?) instruments. I'm really impressed by the guitar at the end of the song and by the drums. Sounds great.

Hey, you've guessed all instruments, but missed a stage grand piano (RD-1000 patch) in the background of some passages. I'd like to stress that the rotary effect of the hammond organ and the distortion of the guitar are real effects, that is, not part of the patches but effects aplyed to "standard" organ and electric guitar patches. This way the sound is much more natural and closer to the real thing.

Finally, regarding CM-32P emulation on the SC-55/CM-500, I must say that despite CM-32P patches are indeed emulated, they do NOT sound like a real CM-32P/CM-64. Those modules share their roms with the U-110, which had very high-quality patches, although not many. Plainly speaking, the CM-64 sounds better than the CM-500/SC-55 emulation.

[Cloudschatze]

Here is a listing of a few X68000 games featuring CM-64 support, in case anyone is interested:

３８万キロの虚空
Gemini Wing (with either the SN-U110-07, Electric Guitar, or SN-U110-10, Rock Drums card)
Xax III
Sol Feace

Do any PC titles natively support the CM-64?

[moturimi1]

I'll record the midi when I get the Fantom, sure

I can't await it.  

Perhaps manufacturers want to take GM definitely to the low-end market. I was very surprised when I listened the SD-90 version of the midi file. I was expecting better sound quality. But I suppose that the "real thing" is much better.

Yes the real thing is much better. The SD-90 also has some problems with the compare2005 midi file. To set or change an instrument on one part you need to set two controllers. So it could be that no instrument will be played on some parts, if the controllers aren't set correctly. Maybe you have the problem too, when you record the file with the fantom, cause I think all GM2 modules have this problem.

Finally, regarding CM-32P emulation on the SC-55/CM-500, I must say that despite CM-32P patches are indeed emulated, they do NOT sound like a real CM-32P/CM-64.

The CM-32P patches from the CM-500 are indeed emulated. The sounds are the same as the CM-64 map in the SC-88 and higher sound canvas.
The sounds are terrible. e.g. Piano 1,2,ect. are (at least for me) the same patches as the Piano1 of the Sc-55. Same with nearly all other sounds.

Do you know something about the CM-64 emulation project of the German guy who bought the CM-64 from you? I'm really interested in this project.

[robertmo]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/munt/
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/

[moturimi1]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/munt/
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/

@robertomo

I already know about this project, but that's not a German guy who promotes the project. I already know you from this vogons MT-32 message board.
I also have the MT-32 Rom, but I wanted to extract the CM-64 Rom too.
I don't think that we get in the advantage of the new CM-64 ROM data, cause it is not legal to trade it.

[shad0wfax]

I'm sorry, but I accidentally erased the email where I had the web link to the project of this guy. I remember, though, that his main target was writing a MT-32 emulator, and after that to include other pre-GM gear such as the CM32P/CM64.

[Kaminari]

As far as I know, Jerome Fisher (who took over the development of Munt after Dean Beeler made it open source) is from Germany and was recently looking for a CM-64. You do the math

[shad0wfax]

OK, Kaminari, you've guessed it. I sold my CM-64 to Jerome Fisher (that was a couple of months ago and I just didn't remeber his name)

[shad0wfax]

Hey, I already have the Fantom XR!!

Although I've had virtually no time to test it, the first impressions are very good. It's awesome! Clearly, it sounds better than XV-2020, which already sounded so good, and there's the sampler, too (with very high quality, in fact  my SC-88Pro seems to sound better when connecting it to the line-in of the Fantom (!)

As expected, the GM2 section is just 'fairly good'. Although it's a bit better than XV-2020's GM2 section, native section is faaaar better (just another synth). I've recorded the Compare 2005 midi with both the Fantom XR and the SC-88Pro, and I'm just going to upload the files to the server that Tom has set ready for me, in order to add SC-88Pro and Fantom XR versions to the Compare 2005 database.

[moturimi1]

Hey, I already have the Fantom XR!!

Although I've had virtually no time to test it, the first impressions are very good. It's awesome! Clearly, it sounds better than XV-2020, which already sounded so good, and there's the sampler, too (with very high quality, in fact  my SC-88Pro seems to sound better when connecting it to the line-in of the Fantom (!)

As expected, the GM2 section is just 'fairly good'. Although it's a bit better than XV-2020's GM2 section, native section is faaaar better (just another synth). I've recorded the Compare 2005 midi with both the Fantom XR and the SC-88Pro, and I'm just going to upload the files to the server that Tom has set ready for me, in order to add SC-88Pro and Fantom XR versions to the Compare 2005 database.

Great news!! Can't await to hear the files. Just tell us, when you have uploaded the files. Will it be availible on the Comparison2005 page?