Roland FA-06 61-Key Music Workstation

Roland's new FA series completely reimagines the music workstation, streamlining it for effortless real-time power, ultra-fast workflow, and maximum versatility. Ready to support any type of music you play, the FA-06 is packed with a massive sound collection inherited from the flagship INTEGRA-7, a ton of studio-quality effects, and expressive real-time controls, plus onboard sampling with zero load time for instant audio playback from the 16 backlit pads.

Music workstations play an important role for keyboardists in a wide range of creative activities, from live performance to song development to production in the studio. However, they can often be complicated and difficult to use to their full potential, bogging down the creative process and inhibiting the flow of ideas. In developing the FA series, Roland has completely reimagined the music workstation to provide musicians an inspiring platform that's extremely powerful and versatile, yet simple and intuitive at the same time. With a streamlined interface and focused, practical features that maximize your creative flow, the FA series allows you to experience newfound freedom to deeply explore and develop your musical ideas with less effort than ever before.

The true measure of any music workstation lies with the quality and diversity of its sounds. Filled with over 2000 tones directly inherited from the INTEGRA-7, Roland's flagship pro sound module, the FA series truly delivers in this area and then some. All of the INTEGRA-7's SuperNATURAL synth and XV-5080 PCM tones are onboard, plus an essential collection of ultra-expressive SuperNATURAL acoustic tones that includes pianos, organs, drums, bass, strings, and more. The FA-06's sound engine is fully compatible with the large, growing collection of INTEGRA-7 synth tones available as free downloads from Roland's Axial sound library site, and it's also possible to expand the onboard sound set with FA-series wave sound expansion collections.

Simple yet powerful, the FA-06's intuitive 16-track sequencer has been designed to let you capture your inspiration as it happens-recording is always just a simple button press away, ensuring that you'll never lose an idea. In a flash, you can build a full arrangement with the FA-06's huge array of sounds, and with continuous recording in loop mode, you're able to fill up all 16 tracks without ever stopping! In addition to real-time capture, step recording is also possible, and you have complete control to edit and mix your tracks as you go and save your song to an SDHC card as a stereo audio file. It's also possible to export your tracks as individual WAV audio files and/or MIDI data for further development in your DAW, making the FA-06 a powerful sketchpad for capturing initial sparks that will form the basis for your full-scale computer music productions.

You can feel the speed of this new breed of instrument the moment you hit the power switch-unlike many workstations that can take a minute or more to boot, the FA-06 is ready to play in seconds. The panel is logically organized into dedicated sections, and the large color LCD presents a gorgeous look with inviting hi-res graphics for selecting tones, working with the sequencer, and adjusting various settings.

Based on Roland's mega-popular SP-404SX, the sampler in the FA series features fun, fast, hands-on operation and sampling/playback via convenient SDHC cards.

• Reimagined music workstation designed to maximize your creative flow
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• Light, mobile body with 61-note velocity-sensitive keyboard
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• Over 2000 sounds from the flagship INTEGRA-7 sound module, including SuperNATURAL synth and acoustic tones and drums; add even more tones via internal wave sound expansion slots
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• SuperNATURAL synth engine is fully compatible with the expansive collection of free INTEGRA-7 synth tones available from Roland’s Axial sound library site
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• 16-track sequencer with non-stop loop recording makes it easy to build songs quickly; export your sequencer tracks to an SDHC card as a complete stereo mix, or as multitrack audio or MIDI data for use in your DAW
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• Onboard sampler based on the SP-404SX features 16 pads x 4 banks and direct recording/playback via SDHC cards
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• Polish your sounds with a multitude of studio-quality effects, including 16 independent MFX engines, six COMP+EQ processors for drums, unique TFX (total effects), and global EQ, chorus, and reverb
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• Tweak tones, effects, and external MIDI devices in real time with six user-assignable Sound Modify knobs
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• Intuitive, streamlined interface with large color LCD
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• Press one button to instantly configure the FA-06 for use with your DAW via USB
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• D-Beam, Rhythm Pattern, Arpeggiator, and Chord Memory functions to expand your creative palette
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• Guitar/Mic and Line input jacks for performing, sampling, and DAW audio recording; dedicated input reverb provides ambience for performing/recording
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• USB ports for sound expansion data, updates, and audio/MIDI interfacing with a computer; MIDI communication with the iPad is possible when using Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit

Keyboard

• Keyboard: 61 keys (with velocity)

Sound Generator Section

• Maximum Polyphony: 128 voices (varies according to the sound generator load)
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• Parts: 16 parts

Tones

• SuperNATURAL Acoustic
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• SuperNATURAL Synth
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• SuperNATURAL Drum Kit
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• PCM Synth
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• PCM Drum Kit
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• Favorite: Yes

* GM2 compatible sounds are included. Wave Expansion Slots2 slots

* The wave expansion slots are rewritable internal waveform memory. You can download data from the Axial sound library site and write it via a USB flash drive into the FA's internal wave memory (slot).

Effects

• Multi-Effects: 16 systems, 68 types (Vocoder can be used only on part 1.)
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• Part EQ: 16 systems
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• Drum Part COMP+EQ: 6 systems
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• Chorus: 3 types
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• Reverb: 6 types
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• Master Compressor (This can be changed to Insert FX (78 types).)
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• Master EQ
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• Total Effects (TFX): 29 types
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• Mic Input Reverb: 8 types

Sequencer

• MIDI Tracks: 16
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• File format: Original, SMF export/import supported, WAV export supported
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• Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever
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• Assignable Switch x 2 (S1/S2)
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• Control Knob x 6
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• Tempo Knob
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• Display: 5-inch Graphic Color LCD
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• External Memory SD Card (SDHC supported)
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• Sample Pad
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• Sampler trigger data can be recorded
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• SAMPLER Format: 16-bit linear, 44.1 kHz, WAV/AIFF/MP3 import supported
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• Maximum Polyphony: 8
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• Number of Samples: 16 Pads x 4 Banks (for each song)

* Samples cannot be used as wave data for the sound engine.

Connectors

• Headphones Jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
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• MAIN Output Jacks (L/MONO, R): 1/4-inch TRS phone type
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• Sub Output Jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
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• AUDIO INPUT Jacks
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• LINE: Stereo miniature phone type
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• GUITAR/MIC: 1/4-inch phone type
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• FOOT PEDAL Jacks (CTRL 1, CTRL 2, HOLD)
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• MIDI Connectors (IN, OUT)
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• USB FOR UPDATE Port
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• USB COMPUTER Port (USB Hi-Speed AUDIO/MIDI)
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• (Use a USB cable and a computer with a USB port that support USB 2.0 Hi-Speed.)

Other

• Rhythm Pattern: Yes
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• Arpeggio: Yes
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• Chord Memory: Yes
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• Controllers: D-BEAM Controller