Hello everyone. I was able to speak to Roland personally, and they confirmed to me that the Roland Fantom is in the category of "Workstation." I do apologize for the confusion.
Then I believe I owe you an apology first of all. Now I am a bit doubtful about FANTOM's future. Guess it is a successor to the FA in some regard. It is placed in the category of 'Workstation', yet is called a synthesizer. Would love to hear your answer as you spoke with Roland. Please fill me in.
It was a simple email really I said: Hello, My name is Darrick Keels and I have a TH-cam channel in which the Roland Fantom is featured. On your website and official TH-cam page videos Roland calls the Fantom a synthesizer or creative hub but never a workstation. Does Roland consider the Fantom a workstation? I really do not want to spread misinformation. They Replied: Hello Darrick, You can use Workstation - if you go to our website, click on "PRODUCTS" at the top of the page and then click on "SYNTHESIZERS" you can see there is a section labelled "PERFORMANCE / WORKSTATIONS" and the FANTOM and FANTOM-0 series are both in this section. Roland Customer Support My only real issue with the response is that the Ax-Edge is listed under the same category. Is that a workstation with no sequencer? I believe even the Integra-7 is under the same broad "workstation" category. But all of that is irrelevant, if the official word from Roland is that the new Fantom and Fantom-0 series are indeed workstations then that's what they are. Regardless of what features I believe a workstation should have automatically (like a linear sequencer, more than 2 time signatures [at launch]) Roland is the boss on what categories their product belongs in.
@@darrickkeels6387 Agree, but now, this makes sense with Roland abandoning production-based workflows (production workflow is basically trying to cram a DAW in a keyboard) and moving toward creative workflows (basically, this workflow helps you to be creative and minimizes sequencing functionality to be easier to use and also help in the creation of songs for producers, composers, songwriters, etc) as they had done in the FA. At least they should make that intention clear, as many expect the sequencing functionality to be improved over the Fantom-G or Kronos but are disappointed when they realize it isn't, despite FANTOM being the latest flagship keyboard from the big three. Tbh, Roland's reply still doesn't answer a lot of questions, maybe I should ask Roland Japan. They built the board, and they seem to know a bit more about where FANTOM is placed. The term workstation goes to any keyboard that has the functionality of a tone generation engine, sequencer and a keybed. Any keyboard that has these is automatically classified as a workstation. Modern workstations tend to have sampling functionality alongside the other features previously mentioned. Roland should've labelled FANTOM 'Creative Workstation' or something to not set up people's expectations. Anyhow, there is no clear explanation of what Roland is doing here. In Japan, they announce this as a flagship synthesizer and in the western world, they announce it as a workstation. What is going on? Anyway, Darrick, appreciate your post, in conversation FANTOM will be a workstation, but personally, a performance synth, seeing as that is how the developers originally designed it. But Roland's marketing and sales departments decide how they want to display it to the public and nothing we can do to change that. Have fun. God Bless.
@@darrickkeels6387 I dont run a youtube page so a response to me may not come or may come at a super later time but do you think you could find out if the new Fantom 0 has the same exact sample engine/functions as the FANTOM? This is a decision factor for me. Thanks for clearing up the Workstation vs synth notion.
@@mpmi7588 No the Fantom-0 does not have all of the same sounds engines or tonal capabilities as the Fantom. The V-Piano sound engine is not available on the Fantom-0 series. Also the new wave table sound engine N'zyme is not available for the Fantom-0. This is likely due to the power underneath the hood. The Fantom has 4 proprietary Behavior Modeling Chips in it that handle all of the sounds and effects. The Fantom-0 has 2 chips. Also the legacy expansion packs for the Jupiter 8 synth engine, SH101, Juno-106, JX-3P etc can be downloaded for free with the Fantom. You have to buy each one separately if you want them for the Fantom-0 for $150 per. In other words if you plan on buying 7 packs, you are better off getting the Fantom. Also the Fantom has more memory so it can hold more expansions simultaneously. With that said. Both keyboards are Zencore based and so the majority of the sounds are indeed identical. But as Roland brings out more expansions I believe the gulf between the two boards will be more evident. The Fantom has twice the processing power and Roland will certainly utilize that horsepower.
Hi, Darrick. Thank you for the great walkthrough of the Fantom. I picked up a used Fantom (mint condition/great price) and upgraded to the EX. Wow! I’m just so impressed with the Fantom (EX) 8. I’ve acclimated to the hammer action. I also have a Montage, CP73, Access Virus Ti2 and Trigon 6 (and Arturia MiniFreak). This Fantom sounds glorious. Layout makes sense…I’m just so thrilled. Thank you again for a great presentation!
Cristian, I wish I had ALL this info growing up in the 80's. you can get ALOT of Music info/Knowledge, here on TH-cam/Videos. from learning to play just about any instrument. to learning Music Theory. all for FREE. before the 2000's. you went to Music School/had to pay a teacher. or the Library to get all this Knowledge.
I love my Fantom 6. It’s a beautiful workstation. I produced and released 5 albums in just 3 months on it. My artist name is Roger Bonner. It hand some major features that Roland implemented to solidify my buying it as my first Workstation. It’s inter connectivity is wonderful. I had the Korg for a few days and had to return it, it was a nightmare.
The Roland Fantom G is one of the best when it comes to audio and midi.The best visually in my opinion when it came to looking like a computer daw.That was a daw in a box.
Darrick, you literally have a brain the size of a planet, how you always figure out every high end flagship synth down to the smallest details is beyond me. Thanks for explaining the Fantom in such detail - not to mention USE CASES which most reviewers fail to deliver on. It's always about how you use it, and not how many fancy features it got. I ended up with the Yamaha Montage myself, and the choice was between Kronos 2, Fantom and the Yamaha Montage, it was SUCH a hard choice. I am still having the Fantom inside my mind (one year later after the Montage), but your video convinced me I'm better off just sticking with my Montage (not all of us can afford all of those at the same time ya know), but from what I see - people with the Fantom can stick with their Fantom and be perfectly happy, same for Kronos and Yamaha Montage owners, just stick with your flagships, these are complex beasts - learn to use them well...and they will serve you well.
Thank you for the compliment! Yup the Montage is incredibly powerful and is definately the right choice for many keyboard players. Truthfully with Ableton live and any of my keyboards I could get any job done both studio and live. Technically I could do without Ableton Live but I'd have to implement a ton of workarounds but it can be done. I am the weakest link in the chain of my gear. It's far more capable than I am. It's the musician that makes the gear shine not the other way around. Question...what made you pick the Montage over the others?
@@darrickkeels6387 Price, availability and the fact my experience with Yamaha keyboards over the many years since the 80s leads me back to the fact that these rarely if ever fails when you need them the most. And advanced FM sound shaping capabilities in Hardware done right (FM-X, stereo FM sound with now Morphing interface made working with FM sound creation THAT much easier), plus you have an AWM2 synth all-in-one unit, what more can you ask for? I got a Second hand (never used, actually) Montage for 1750$ With sample robot unregistered (the previous owner hadn't even used or registered his Yamaha), and the Roland Fantom was 3000$ at the time, could have gotten the Kronos 2 for 2200$ and it was the second most tempting option since it can do so much, but it's very old and since I work with computers for a living I know that computer-horsepower is everything so overall...boot time, less failures, more reliability + FM-X unmatched capabilites all weighted up my choices. Still - I would never belittle or frown upon others choices for getting a Fantom or Kronos, just say - hey it's their choice, chose what is best for you.
Great Video, Roland has done very well with their updates of the Fantom. I am very impress with the DAW controls. The UI looks very friendly. Roland maybe just scratching the surface with this synth. I have the Fantom. FA76 , Fantom S88 and 6 SR expansion cards. I passed on it because, the Virtual software has caught up.
I didn't last long with it. Features-wise, build quality is no problem whatsoever. But it felt like I was using a JV1080 and the SRX modules. The sounds just didn't cut it for me. I think Roland has been selling the same sounds for decades and just repackaging them into different hardware.
When the Fantom came out in 2019, I wasn't convinced. Zen Core just seemed like a development from the Supernatural tones on the Integra 7 and older Rolands (and was available through Zenology Pro also). The only standout feature was the V-Piano engine--but that was on the much cheaper RD-2000 stage piano. 3 years later, I feel much differently--so much so that I recently bought a Fantom 8. What is key is that Roland has continued tp develop, expand and improve the Fantom platform with their new releases. First they added sampling and multi-sampling. Then they added model expansions (instrument plugouts) for classic instruments. This not only matched the Jupiter-X/Xm series, but was uniquely powerful, allowing up to 16 of these to be layered or splt at once. Next was a dedicated organ expansion to rivel the Kronos CX engine. They also added the complete Roland historical library, with all of the SRX expansion cards and SuperNatural pianos and EPs. They improved the DAW integration and added more DAWs (notably, Ableton). And, recently, they've added unique wavetable and digital synthesis with the N'Zyme expansion. All of these expansions can be loaded at once and used in any combination. At this point, the Fantom is incredibly powerful, flexible and versitile and it sounds great. Like the RD-2000, the panel and action make it a superb MIDI controller keyboard, and it can really be the centerpiece of any stage or studio layout. The screen and build quality are excellent, and the panel lighting is very helpful on stage. I still love the sounds and playing expressiveness of the Montage, but the Fantom now gives it a close run, and is probably more practical as a master keyboard (and has far more workstation capability). The Kurzweil K2700 also has some unique sounds, and is worth considering as an option. But the Fantom would probably be my first recommendation now for any serious professional keyboardist.
Are you saying that the SRX sounds are in the fantom? Or there is a way to get them into the fantom? I emailed roland a week ago and asked them if you can get the SRX library into the fantom and they said no
@@playdeebug4400 I don't know who you talked to, but yes, all of the SRX cards are free downloads for the Fantom from the Axial website or Roland Cloud.
@@geoffk777 i saw them on roland cloud but they were saying those are vst plugins for your desktop daw. Have you actually added the srx library to your fantom?
I recently pulled the trigger on the Fantom in December and I quite like it as it compliments the Kronos. I’m really digging the Juno and Jupiter models.
@@1234567sophia not sure what your question is, but Kronos has arpreggiators or “Karma” that kinda works like an arranger, but you may need to program it to what you need.
I wait quite awhile before making a video on a keyboard. I like to use them live a lot and in the studio making music so that when I give feedback it's as accurate as possible. Often when something is "new" it's the best thing ever. After owning it a while it's shortcomings become more apparent. But the Fantom is a solid magnificent choice and I recommend it to anyone especially to a person who play gospel. Thanks for stopping by the channel again. Always appreciate it!
@@darrickkeels6387 I got bashed alot by motif owners asking why I got the fantom over the montage for gospel , I love the fantom ,I wish I had the Nord but the fantom is a excellent board
@@reggieblessedhandz1293 Yeah the Motif was (is) the king of the Gospel world. Just seems like every single church has one. But as the Motif begins to show its age, people and churches are starting to update their keyboards. Lots of people are Yamaha "fans." Other people are Roland "fans." Still other Korg or Kurzweil. However, I personally have no brand loyalty😂. I will buy whatever I think will get the job done. I think it's always good to kind of shop around. You can be pleasantly surprised by what another brand has to offer. I do see Nord really going after the Gospel and church community. It's smart to do business wise as churches have "live performances" every single week often times multiple times per week. The church's musicians will often buy a keyboard as well as the church also.
@@darrickkeels6387 you're absolutely right imo Yamaha has been recycling the same sounds since the original motif and it works but Nord definitely is the new motif imo now as far as gospel goes but like u said it's all personal preference
@@reggieblessedhandz1293 I'm no a Gospel musician, but it seems to me that you'd want a really good organ on whatever you buy. The Kronos, Kurzweil 2700 and Roland (and Nord, of course) all have excellent organs, with dedicated engines and a lot of customization and live drawbars. The Montage has some Ok organ samples, but it doesn't have a separate engine and it isn't in the same league. Of course, the pianos and EPs on the Yamaha are excellent, but the others are good in that area also.
I love my Fantom! 👍👍👍 It's a workstation. The headphone jack in the back was a smart idea- you won't hit the plug and bend the jack if in the front! --- One thing you didn't cover is the adjustable filters using the touch-screen.
I have been waiting for a video like this. Thank you! I am on the fence and have been since the new Fantom was released. Have a G6 & G8 and still finding new ways to use them but this new Fantom with that VCF and 3 USB's being just a few of the features it has grabbed me. I also use phrase clips and samples in my music so the sequencer and work flow looks like something I would like. Would miss some of the sampling features and skip back so your video has moved me closer to a new F7. I'll sell the G6 & keep my G8.
It's really an awesome keyboard. For me personally a linear sequencer is not important most of the time. I use Ableton Live for most sequencing. I also use Akai's MPC One for sequencing and sampling. In other words I have options. But the Fantom has really taken over my studio😄. The DAW integration with Ableton is simply magnificent. I am a songwriter and sometimes I need to get an idea down quickly before the inspiration leaves me. The Fantom is perfect for this. I turn it on and start recording. I am putting out better quality music, and doing it at a faster rate then I ever have. This is simply due to the enhancement in workflow. With a laptop, microphone, and Fantom, I can produce a song with no other gear needed. My Korg Kronos and MPC One do not have combo jacks with phantom power so connecting my studio mic to them is not an option. The Kronos has no piano roll so, editing MIDI data is a real pain. Something as simple a bringing up the hi hats in a mix is incredibly arduous. And then for live performances the Fantom is great at controlling other gear. At a glance I can tell which channels are internal and which ones are external. Connecting my Montage to it is really a breeze. The added functionality of having pads makes live performances that much easier. So it has become my workhorse. I will be keeping all of my other gear as they play important roles. But my main go to board for live and studio work has become the Fantom.
Man I've been tempted several times to move on from my Kronos to the Fantom. The DAW integration, amazing updates, great synth sections, great external MIDI integration. But every time I'm at a studio that has a Fantom the EPs, Pianos, and acoustic instruments (strings, brass, etc.) just don't cut it for me yet. I love the EPs on my Kronos too much. Plus with the Kronos being discontinued I hope Korg surprises us all with something this year at NAMM. I just don't see the Nautilus being the flagship since it is just a Kronos engine without A LOT of things keys players love (after touch, faders, etc.)
In all honesty there is no reason to make the switch. The Kronos is still more powerful. Where the Kronos struggles is in the DAW integration and user interface areas. Having only two audio channels out via USB makes multitracking to a DAW impossible. But it wasn't made to work with DAWs but by itself. Using its sampler and sequencer is a pain for me now because I've grown accustomed to using Ableton Live and the MPC One. Everything just takes longer on the Kronos. But it can get the job done if called upon. I mainly use the Kronos for its sound engines and as a live gigging keyboard. The setlist feature is still amongst the best in the industry. I would be very surprised if Korg unveiled a new flagship this year. But I'd also be surprised if they didn't unveil something by 2024. With their new synths like the Wavestate and OP-1, I could see them compiling some stuff together with an up-to-date modern user interface like the Korg Gadget. What I really wonder is if it will be a "Workstation." Yamaha and Roland have conceded and have decided not to try competing against DAWs but working with them. Neither Fantom or Montage have full featured sequencers. And neither call their flagship a workstation. I think the Nautilus is a placeholder for Korg much like the FA series of workstations was for Roland. By stripping the controls and taking away aftertouch they can save money and increase profit. Also by removing Karma they no longer have to pay the licensing fee to the company that owns that technology. That money can then be used to launch their new flagship but only time will tell.
@@darrickkeels6387 yeah I agree, it seems like the whole “workstation” idea is becoming not obsolete but less and less useful. With the DAWs and the younger generation coming up. I know a lot of people who still love full blown sequencers on their boards but things like Ableton Live have become such a standard now for live performance. I don’t see companies moving that direction with the whole stand alone keyboard workstation anymore.
Kronos maybe powerful thats because it had 7 synth engines. I still think Fantom is way way way better. I got close to 9,000 presets on my Fantom and thats from the free expansions and the 99 cent packs.
@@darrickkeels6387 You suggest there’s no reason to switch. But what would you suggest to someone in a position to acquire ONE, and must make a choice. I’m a retired music educator. I am upgrading my modest studio. According to Jordan Rudess, the Nautilus is definitely NOT the beast the Kronos is. Even if Korg was not discontinuing it, the 32bit OS is certainly not future proof. I do use Pro Tools and Davinci 17. I am looking at Ableton Live. My first instrument is the guitar, but I also enjoy the bass, drums, and have performed as a keyboardist in many varied gigs. I’m very interested in acquiring one of these two, or perhaps the Montage. As a one and only, what do you suggest?
@@tjsound1258 Kronos is an oldy But hell it is the bestie beasty. the GUI is bad and a pain but it can be fixed by an app on an iPad. I tried every synth I could lay my hands on them nothing I mean NOTHING comes close to this monster of workstation in digital realm
I got the Fantom 7 and got the EX upgrade. I agree it’s not just a workstation which I would never buy . It had everything and most likely won’t ever be outdated . I control everything in my studio with it . Great job . Love to see some tutorials on the Nzyme and the exter😮midi usb and cv . Roland’s tutorials are lacking to be nice .
Thanks so much for the awesome video Darrick 📹.. very nicely done ✔ 👏. I do have one of these and love it. It is an awesome addition to my arsenal. One irritation though...when someone buys one of the Flagship synths you shouldn't have to pay even more for the Cloud membership! That's a sore spot with me and probably won't buy another Roland product. Actually, this one is all you need....lol. Mark Bensette Aux Bois 🇨🇦.
I really applaud you for all the great knowledge, depth review and the time spent to put this together to share it with us. I know nothing about piano (yet) I recently bought Roland FP-60X to start teaching myself through videos. Seeing your video it’s such a great vibe. God bless you brother.
Firstly thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and making this tutorial. I have watched many videos of Fantom but this is like almost complete tutorial. Fantom has fantastic futures but only this always missing is combination sounds like how Korg kronos and montage is providing. Only reason I love Korg but as a pianist I don’t like the weighted action on Korg RH3 doesn’t feel like a real piano action but montage has still better action. After the Kawai MP11se I prefer the Roland PHA50 action and also piano sounds are nice especially V piano. I had a choice between RD2000 & Fantom8 but I choose the RD2000 as it has very much similar design and future as a pianists point of view. For Music production I prefer Logic and for sounds I prefer VSTI. I am happy with the RD2000 but I am still waiting for replacement of Kawai MP11se. Love the tutorial. Thank you again 🙏❤
By the way, I really like these educational videos. A Fantom may not in my future but these sessions school people why they should/should not get one. Thanks for taking the time.
One thing I like about Roland Keyboards in general is they have the joystick for pitch and mod instead of the wheels. I own two older Roland keyboards, the Fantom X7 and the GW8. I'm seriously thinking about getting the Fantom EX because of the amount of connectors in the rear.
Excellent video. You clarified alot of misconceptions I had about this instrument. I have a Juno DS 61 that I plan on using for a few more years. I think you have alot of talent.
Hey... thanks for the "workstation" correction (it was really Roland's labeling mistake to start). Roland's software updates have addressed the multi-sampling issue and so much more and their 'EX" optional software upgrade seems really fairly priced. I'll probably get a like new "used" Fantom 6.
Darrick Thanks for your detailed review. With your broad familiarity with keyboards which keyboard is best for just playing? Playing in cover band. Piano, organ, pads layers, portable. I need at least 4 layers and presets, good piano, organ, and orchestra sounds. But I don’t want to edit, nor sequence not have accompaniment. Just want to play cover songs in band so light weight portability is important. I’m replacing Yamaha Mo6. But new keyboards lack layers with separate slider. The lights on the Phantom sliders are very nice
@@darrickkeels6387 Thanks but I don’t see that the YC has layers with sounds controlled on sliders. Maybe I’m missing something. Looks like just an A and B with preset volumes. I need layers on sliders for active play. Maybe Wurlitzer PC4.
Thank you for this complete video, very clear and dedicated to people who is looking for a first high gama synth. I see you have a Kronos and a Nord Stage 3. I am looking for a machine for soundtrack, ambient and synth wave music. Which one would fit better in your opinion ?
Great video, but I'd like to respectfully opine on a couple of things: 1) Essentially, you can have more than 1 effect per zone. In the "Zone Edit" page, you can adjust reverb and chorus send levels for each zone independently. Yes, this routes to the global reverb and chorus, but the end result is independent reverb and chorus levels for each zone IN ADDITION to the vast array of effects selections per channel that you pointed out. 2) This is a workstation. I don't care what Roland calls it on their website. It's a workstation. I mean, we can agree that it has miles and miles more workstation functionality than the FA series which Roland calls a workstation on their website. So, how can we say this is not a workstation but the the FA-06 is just because Roland's website says so? Functionally, this is a full workstation and a darn good one too. 3) Since 2.0, you can indeed record directly into it and use recordings in the sequencer. The keyboard sampler allows up to 2:44 of stereo sampling. That's enough time to sing a verse or a chorus or play a guitar for a section of a song and use it in a sequence. You can then carve it up in tone edit and add effects, LFOs, etc to it. It's enough functionality for most songs. The new automation feature in the sequencer rivals most Draws in functionality. I'm yet to find something I can NOT do with this sequencer compared to my DAW. A DAW is definitely easier, but I'm blown away by the Fantom.
Thank you for watching and sharing your feedback. I really appreciate it. 1. I shared that Roland only provides one effect per zone which is true because I am referring to the individual effects not "Master Effects" that are shared within a scene. If I have an electric piano with a tremelo/chorus, a guitar with a flanger/chorus and a synth lead with a delay/chorus and so on...I will run into an issue if I want each instrument to have a different TYPE of chorus. This is not a problem for the Montage, Kronos, or Nautilus. Those other keyboards provide master effects with sends as well as an option for more effects per channel (zone). So when comparing the Fantom to its competitors it comes up short in this department. 2. I do not simply refer to it as a synthesizer because Roland does. (Although that should really be enough because I'm sure Roland knows what they created.) But "workstation" has always been synonymous with sequencing ever since the Korg M1. At launch the Fantom only had two time signatures available. Lots of Gospel/Christian music uses 6/8 time. There was no way to record such songs. If it was supposed to be a workstation why would you launch with only two time signatures? Would a company launch an arranger with styles that only covered two genres? It took them over two years to add more signatures. Clearly adding more sounds, sound engines, and developing a whole interface for integration with Ableton Live was more important. Secondly, it only has a pattern sequencer. While that works for certain genres of music it doesn't work for others. For example, recording traditional jazz would lose its "jazz feel" if a person was to use loops. Or a simple jazz ballad where you play the piano for 100 measures never repeating a phrase twice. If I wanted to sit down and record myself playing a Classical piano piece that goes 200 measures, I cannot. That's a very limited sequencer. If all a person plays is simple structured pop music, EDM, Hip-Hop etc the Fantom works perfectly. 3. And yes there are "workarounds" to include audio with your sequence but the sequencer itself has no audio audio tracks. Simply look at the specs. You are talking about using the sampler. The Kronos gives you 16 audio tracks alongside its 16 MIDI tracks. So you can record an entire jazz piece via MIDI and then plug in a guitar and record the audio directly, without having to stop and chop up samples and stuff. The Kronos came out in 2011 and the New Fantom has been in the works since 2011. Why didn't they include such features? The old Fantom G that launched in 2008 had 128 tracks of MIDI and 24 tracks of audio and was capable of doing everything with its sequencer that I listed here. Why would Roland go backwards in the sequencing department? That's because it's not intended workstation. Roland's vision for the Fantom was to be a "creative hub" not an all in one solution. They are not trying to replace your DAW but work with it. If I make a video telling people the Fantom is a workstation with a fully featured sequencer that includes both MIDI and audio, I would be spreading misinformation and leading people to make the wrong buying decision. Now, if we want to redefine what a workstation is in 2022 that's fine. But all that means is when you say workstation and I say workstation, we do not mean the same thing.
it’s a clip/pattern-based workstation, but that is outside the normal expectation of other recent so-called workstations. To add lengthly audio parts via the sampler or sample pads would soon deplete the limited internal storage. If Roland ever allows streaming from external storage, we will be in business.
If you look the control and the gate then you automatically need a rack of what was the control and gate source then if you plug both then you dont need these anymore inputs and outputs that depends on your instantly choice ..
Great video ! Great synth.. Do you think there will be a future firm update? Or has Roland stopped updating this machine ? (last update was one year ago....) . thanks.
I am not really sure. I think initially there were so many updates because Roland was "finishing" the product and marketing them as "updates." For example, the sequencer at launch only allowed you to use two time signatures. If you weren't recording something in 3/4 or 4/4, you were out of luck. They "added" multisampling, which any modern flagship workstation has had for the past 20 years or so. With all that said, I never buy an instrument for what it might be able to do later. I buy it for what it can do right now. I see updates as a bonus but not a necessity. The Fantom operates now as my main keyboard for both live and studio applications. I don't really need updates. And no company will continue to update an instrument forever. And we never know when updates will cease.
Hi Darrick really enjoyable and informative video thanks for taking time to create and post it. Got some cash to burn - just waiting to see if korg will release new Kronos in 2022, if not will definitely look more at Fantom rather than Montage thanks to this video (nothing wrong with montage but fantom seems to tick more boxes although don’t like the Roland cloud concept) also looking at the Kurzweil k2700 which has just landed in stock in Uk - both priced boards between £2500-3000, with Kronos 2 about same price. Spoilt for choice nowadays but prices on boards rising so fast montage 61 key was well under £2000 last year now pushing £2500 in Uk . Weird times take care
Yeah keyboards are certainly going up on price due to worldwide conditions. I'd be surprised if Korg comes out with a new flagship in 2022 because they just launched the Nautilus. I believe the Nautilus is a placeholder while they finish their new true flagship kind of like the FA series of workstations was a placeholder while Roland finished the new Fantom. They started working on the new Fantom in 2011 actually. If Korg launches something new, I hope it is a complete remake from the ground up. Much like Yamaha did with the Motif to Montage. I guess we will see. No one knows what's happening except for Korg.
Great getting a new video from you and indepth as always. Be nice if you could do a Yamaha YC series video like to hear your thought on the YC and YC vs Stage 3. Thanks for the video.
Hello, Darrick! This was a great presentation, cleared up most of my questions about this board. I am a rock band keyboardist and I am considerating buying a Fantom for live playing, so I have a question. Does the controller section of the synth have the ability to connect two pedal switches, one to be set to go up the scene chain and the other to go down? I am asking this since on the Korg Kronos and Nautilus you can only choose to go either up or down via the switch, and I want to be able to do both, on different switches (or on a double switch pedal, like the Boss FS6 or FS7. Thank you for your presentation and your answer!
Sorry to bother you, what is the easiest way to get the metronome going with a piano tone to practice? Given the nice action, my daughter uses the fantom to practice when she can't be on the grand piano, but we don't know how to get a metronome going with a piano tone so that she can turn on the metronome and change the tempo as she practices her scales, exercises, and songs. Thank you.
Thanks for the nice video !!!! I love the practical aspects that are often omitted from other "sound oriented" reviews..... Just knowing that the keybed is going to make it impossible to play when kids are asleep is GOLD INFO !!!! One regret, you did not mention about midi Since I plan to move from kronos to fantom as a main keyboard, I have a question for you. I would definitly miss the KARMA that I use often to come up with new arrangement ideas. HOW easy would it be to midi control the Fantom and pass on karma to it ?
Yeah it's me again John I did clean it with some electrical cleaner cuz I said I had a lot of buttons or things were not working and I got about 80% of it going but I'm still having like I said glitches some of the guys say you can't find a parts at the roland website
Hey Darrick bud. I finally got my Fantom 8 and I'm loving it!! one thing that I'm unable to understand is filters. For example, on track #1 I have a Bass sound with some filter effects appilied to it, and when I first play it, it sounds great just like I want it, but when I replay it inside a pattern it gets distorted sometimes. The same thing happens if I have multiple tracks with different filters applied to their sounds. What am I doing wrong here?
@ Darrick Keels I just want to press record and play a 45 minute piano piece. Then I want to go back and layer in other sounds on other tracks. I canst find one video anywhere that tells me how to do that. Do you know how to do that? So far all I keep finding are videos of people that are just Sound Tone Arrangers that cant seem to break free from the 4 beat Loopers Prison of stacking Looped sounds. I swear, it feels like every keyboard company out there is wanting their targeted customer base to be people with ADD! Okay, I think I am done venting. Still though, do you know how to do what I am seeking to accomplish? And if so which Keyboard Workstation will let me do just that?
That can be done on a Korg Nautilus (or Kronos), Kurzweil K2700, Akai MPC Key-61, or pretty much most workstations with a traditional linear sequencer. I cannot be done on the new Roland Fantom because it only has a pattern sequencer.
I have a Roland Fantom G8 and I'm still undecided on whether to upgrade to the "new" Fantom. Every time I see a video about the Fantom, I think, "Yes, I'll buy it", and then I think "What would I do with my existing Fantom G8?" Is it really worth spending so much on the Fantom when I have a Fantom G8?
Why would the various and unique connectivity on the rear panel, the extensive interface with the bender and wheels, knobs, sliders and touch screen matter if the sounds don’t cut it? The sounds don’t cut it.
If you are looking for a keyboard that allows you to play chords and have a walking bass line follow you, this is not the right keyboard for you. An arranger would suit you better.
@@darrickkeels6387 Yes I understood but I bought Fantom It seems to work on midi input from my Technics KN7000 but I thought in the last 10 years perhaps new devices could be on the market Great Thanks for your reaction and please know that I find your INTEGRA-7 a wonderful super grat miraculous device and I use it every day I have 2 Integras
If you don't need a linear sequencer and pattern sequencer works for you, I'd say the Fantom has the best sequencer on the market. If you prefer a linear sequencer, I believe the Korg Kronos (and Korg Nautilus) have the most powerful onboard sequencer of any keyboard!
@@darrickkeels6387 I'm only familiar with the type of sequencer that the Roland Juno G has. 16 tracks, auido and midi recording - step by step or live note input. So I guess that Juno G has a pattern sequencer. I really like that method of writing music. My Juno G screen went blank and i'm looking for some new workstation. The screen problem with Juno G is very common one. If I had this keyboard working I would not have to consider to buy anything new. The Juno G was cheaply build, BUT it has some of the Fantom sound engine and really good quality of instruments in it. Thank you.
For pattern sequencer, FANTOM has the best. A cheaper option (not a workstation) is Roland JD-Xi - there is nothing like it in its price range! Or wait for Roland to release the linear sequencer for FANTOM through an update.
Andy Pimblott from Roland has a couple of videos demoing the Fantom, and he calls it a *_synthesizer workstation._* Makes sense to me. Search TH-cam for _Make it Roland Fantom_ and _Roland Fantom Synthesizer Workstation._ Thanks so much for an excellent video!
Hello Darrick, Great Review of the Fantom 8... !!! I wanted to know is the top pannel of the Fantom Metal or Plasic.? I cant seem to fine that info anywhere ? ...Also how dose the Fantom 8 Keybed Differ from the Fantom G8 Keybed..? Thank you again for another great Info Video.
It does appear to have very good DAW integration with Abelton Live, as it’s own UI seems to be of a similar type of work flow. But how is the integration with other DAW’s such as Cubase/Nuendo or DP for example?
The DAW integration with Ableton Live doesn't actually use the UI that the internal sequencer uses. It is completely separate and could only be developed by Roland because Ableton gave them access to their source code. Steinberg (Cubase) has not given Roland such access probably because they are owned by Yamaha and do not want Roland to gain access to their DAW. Apple gave access to their source code hence Logic/MainStage have excellent tight integration with thr Roland as well. All other DAWs work with the Fantom but the tight integration will not be there. You cannot have a "mini Cubase" on your screen. You will have to go through mapping your controls through the MIDI Learn features on your DAW just like you would have to do with any other keyboard on the market.
Októberben vettem a Fantom 7-et, és nagyon tetszik. Kezdetben, amikor 2019-ben megjelent, csalódott voltam, mert nem volt más, mint egy FA csak egy szebb csomagban, de aztán nem volt egyetlen SuperNaturális hang, és a multisample nem volt betölthető, így a belső motor kevesebbet tudott, mint egy Roland FA. Ma a hangok széles választéka van. Imádom a modellbővítési bővítményeket. A kedvenceim a Jupiter 8 és a Juno 106, de a JX8p és az SH-101 is nagyon szuperek. N / Zyme is szuper, de kevesebbet használhatom. Amit a legjobban szeretek, az az, hogy be tudom programozni a hangokat, és amit eddig csak a MODX8-zal tudtam megtenni külső hangmintákkal, azt Fantom Zen-Core és Modell bővítéssel programozhatom. Nincs elég 2 GB belső tárhelyem, de ha belegondolok, alig van rá szükségem. Az új Modellbővítő készletek miatt csak néhány digitális szintetizátor hangot és néhány dobmintát mentettem. Az SRX kiterjesztések sok helyet foglalnak el, de ha van valami olyan jó benne, nem sajnálom, hogy néhányat törölni kell. Az egyik dolog, ami bosszant, hogy nem készítek saját arpeggiót. Az arpeggio a Fantom haszontalan része. A klip alapú szekvenszer sem rossz, de a jelenlegi 64 intézkedés legfeljebb 256 lehetett. Szóval remélem, lesz egy normális arpeggio és egy pár új hiányzó SuperNatural hangok és én leszek teljesen boldog.
Question, for Roland users. Can I use sub output for personal monitors? Perfect system for me would be a Fantom, another midi controller, a computer for VST. One stereo output for FOH, one stereo output for monitors, with indipendent volume setting for each of them. If answer is yes, then I could buy a Fantom7. On Montage7 I got everything but not the output for monitors. Additional output must be programmed for every preset and this stops any serious use of that. Many thanks...
Unfortunately the same is true for the Fantom. Sub outs must be programmed. I use a small mixer to accomplish what you are trying to do. There is a mono output that goes to FOH and I can monitor myself using in ears or headphones on stage.
It has integration with Logic, MainStage and Ableton. There is no "special" integration for ProTools. Of course you can always do the basic "MIDI Learning" and use it with any DAW. But you will not have a "mini version" of the DAW show up on the Fantom screen unless it is Ableton, Logic, or MainStage.
@@darrickkeels6387 Thanks I don’t know Logic nor MainStage. I’ll see how well it would work with my MPCX when I pick up me a phantom if not I’ll learn Logic and MainStage
Roland will build Profiles to integrate with other DAWs like Cubase, FL Studio, etc. as and when the DAW manufacturers cooperate. So far, Apple and recently Ableton have cooperated with Roland.
great review of this synth! I have had my 07 for less than 2 weeks. Quick question, is it possible to program 2 or more different arpeggios to different zones? Like for example, a different arpeggio assigned to zone 1 and a different one for zone 3 or 4.
I’m new to digital instruments, coming back to music after a decade. (I play every instrument) I’m looking at a Fantom-07, SPD-SX, & a TD-07 drum set. Do I need all of these or do they overlap? I’ll be running everything to Logic on my computer.
They overlap in areas for sure. But they also do things the others cannot do. You just access what you need and then pick the gear that will meet that need(s).
Awesome. That is the only thing I wasn´t sure about about the Fantom. I would like to be able to connect external gear via the external zones straight into Logic as well.Thank you for your video. It´s fantastic.
It is not without its shortcomings like any other keyboard. But it is now my main keyboard in the studio and the keyboard I gig with the most. It's outstanding!
@@darrickkeels6387 my dream is to get an 88 for home and 2 61 keys for stage!!! That’s my dream set up but I’m going to start small first and the 61 to get the ball rolling!!!
Hi Darrick, I’m at the end of my tether bro. I’m trying to record the Fantom sounds direct into Ableton to use the Ableton effects. My problem is that I get the local sound plus the USB out and it obviously doubles. I’m using the Fantom as the audio interface in and out. If I turn the local sound off all the sound goes off. I’m looking for a way to turn off the local sound and leave the USB master sound only. I just can’t figure how to do this. Is the Fantom even capable of routing this way. Roland support haven’t had answers on this and folks mention using the subouts but do not elaborate on it. Maybe the Fantom can’t do what I’m asking but my old RME interface can do this easily so I’m wondering if it’s just user error I.e. ME 😂
Yes, using the sub outs makes this work just fine. You can shunt the main local sound out to a physical sub out you aren’t using and have the USB return come back through the main inputs which would work for headphones too.
Something else that you could do is use the Fantom for the input audio interface to the DAW and something else for an output audio interface. So listen to the Fantom through say.. a Focusrite 4i4 for instance but have the USB audio from the Fantom go into your DAW.
Depends on the engine. 32 notes of polyphony for ABM. Unlimited for V.Piano. 128 for the VTW. 256 for the PCM engine in Zen-Core (1 mono PCM = 1 note, 1 stereo =2), the other 4 oscillator's polyphony is unknown. 128 for Supernatural. There are voice reserve options in the menu.
The VPiano, organ and ZenCore/Expansion engines each have their own polyphony, unlike the Kronos, which has a single shared core for all synth engines. Some people report less polyphony than expected, due to the seamless sound switching function.
Hi Darrick...hope all us going well. Do you know if the new roland fantom is able to record vocals on as many tracks as you would like, as opposed to just one track on the roland fa6,7, or 8?
The short answer is no. The Fantom does not have audio "tracks." You can however use the "sampler" to record your vocals. But those aren't technical "tracks."
Hello Derek. I really enjoy your video. They are great. I do have a quick question regarding the Keybed on the fantom 8 ..I currently own a fantom G8 and primarily purchased it because I fell in love with the keybed on this Device. I have not experienced another keybed similar to this one on myG8. I like to know if you ever played on the G8 and your Opinion between the montage and the new phantom keybed .. thank youAgain on all These great videos you are producing..!!!
Keybeds are difficult because they are very much personal opinion like sounds. However, with that said the Fantom 8 is the PHA-50 keybed. This is their premium graded hammer action keybed with escapement. It is the most realistic action I own. I have it on the RD-2000. When I lay down piano tracks, that's my go to. Now the Fantom G8 has the PHA II. That keybed is less realistic than the newer PHA-50. However, because it is a lighter action, it works better in my opinion for playing a variety of instruments. Playing organ on any weighted keybed is not ideal but playing it on a PHA-50 is absolutely terrible. Fast synth lead lines, drums, etc I feel would be better on the PHA II of the G8. I like the keybed of the Montage 8, it's a bit on the heavier side but it's still good. Definitely heavier than he G8. Not sure if you are looking to upgrade the G8 to a Fantom 8. If you are just know there are a lot of features your keyboard has that the new Fantom does not. So really pay attention to the specs. Do not assume it has a feature just because it bears the name "Fantom." Hope this helps🙂
Thank you for the quick reply Derek. That was definitely great information I did not know. I was struggling to see if it was worth my while to upgrade from my GA to the newer found them. I was geared towards purchasing the montage eight to add to my workflow..I do have a Roland XM which gives me the Zen core sounds. And with the new update version 3.0 makes it even much powerful. So I gather between the Roland XM and the G8 that makes a decent combination. I guess I can now focus more attention to the montage. Thank you so much for all of your knowledge Derek. You are truly a very Knowledgeable talented and gifted musician. Thank you for all the contents you are supplying the musical community on this platform ..!!!
Hey Darrick , what is missing from the new Fantom 0 vs the 2019 Fantom? Is the sequencer the same on both? I’m on the fence. I want to be able to record all 16 tracks of midi & audio simultaneously within Logic Pro. I have the MODX, was unable to do this. Thanks for your opinion.
Yes you can record all 16 tracks simultaneously within Logic Pro using the Fantom-0. As far as the differences are concerned between the Fantom and Fantom-0, I have a video coming out on that. But I will list them here. Sidenote: The sequencers are the same. So the hardware is different. The Fantom-0 is a plastic chassis not metal. This makes it lighter though. The Fantom-0 has no aftertouch and the keybed is not the same premium keybed that its big brother has. The screen is smaller. It has one less fader...8 instead of 9 and they don't have an LED strip next to them. The TR-Rec and category selection buttons are smaller on the 0. There are no XLR inputs or outputs on 0 and therefore it lacks phantom power too. No CV/gate, less pedal inputs, less USB external device control, less standard MIDI jacks, no analog filter out, less 1/4" TRS outs, and the power supply is external. Under the hood differences include: The Fantom-0 has half the sonic processing power with only 2 BMC chips rather than 4. V-Piano sound engine is not available on the 0. The new N'zyme wavetable synth is not available on the 0. The audio interface has 4 ins rather than 6. The 4 "legendary" expansion packs of the Jupitar 8, SH-101, Juno-106 and the JX-8P come free with the Fantom but must be purchased for $150 a piece for the Fantom-0. There is no analog filter. It has 1/4 the space for multisamples and expansion packs as the regular Fantom. And of course the price and weight. The Fantom-0 cost about half as much as the Fantom and is a lot lighter due to its chassis.
@@darrickkeels6387 Darrick, thank you so much for this breakdown…🙏.. Now, I guess that the big Fantom, in my opinion sounds like the way to go ….as I think that l would be compromising too much of what makes the big Fantom truly special. So, I’m going to get the big Fantom ….
To me, it’s a little bit Kronos and a little bit Montage…in one board! Am I missing something? (LOL) I have both; the Montage and the Kronos; which is STILL the king in my opinion, and I’ve been looking HARD at the Fantom, but couldn’t justify buying it. I bought the Integra instead because your studio isn’t really complete with at least one Roland in the lab! Great video (as always) but I can hear my wife saying…”what’s so different about THIS board???!!!”
Yeah it's definitely a little Kronos and a little Montage. At the same time it does have its own unique features in the DAW integration department, TR-Rec recording, Ableton Live style clip launching, more connectivity (ie combo inputs with phantom power). But, I would say anyone with a Montage and a Kronos like yourself in no way NEEDS a Fantom😂. If you cannot make great music with those two keyboards the problem certainly isn't your gear. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
You don't need another keyboard if you are gigging with the Montage & Kronos. These cover a variety of sounds and functionality. Integra-7 is more than you need in the studio in terms of Roland sounds.
I sold my Integra, because although it had all the expansion boards as software, it could only load 4 at a time, whereas Fantom holds all 15 + a ton of other stuff. Fantom also has the paralell USB audio, more engines and more polyphony. The only things lost were the Dynamic Drums (Spectrasonics), the V-Drum engine, many of the SuperNatural acoustic sounds and the VST editor. The best selection of editable Supernatural keys sounds is in my RD-800.
I'm actually moving away from Workstations now that they are less relevant today as hardly anyone sequences on hardware anymore these days. Mostly just live giging muicuans buys them. I still own a 19 year old MOTIF ES that's now retired replaced with the rack mount version of it. I have my MOTIF ES keyboard siting in the closet soon to be put up for sale. I have officially switched over to rack mounts. I have a rack mount Roland Fantom XR, MOTIF Rack ES, Roland Integra-7 essentially a modern XV-5080, and my old E-MU MO Phatt Proteus module. I also still own an Akai MPC 5000 that I'm also getting rid of. I'm now back sequencing all of my midi in the DAW after my Akai MPC power supply went out on it. I use Presonus Studio One with a MOTU avb interface that has super low latency. I use both soft synths and my hardware rack mount synths. Rack mount synths just work better integrated with your DAW.
You are right. This is why Roland cut back on the resources of the sequencer and sampler on the Fantom. They opted for a fast workflow and DAW integration versus a powerful production workstation. I still play live quite a bit and provide keyboards as a part of some of my packages when I am hired to run sound. But in the studio (which is where I spend the bulk of my hours) I use 90% soft synths and Ableton Live, Logic or Maschine.
@@darrickkeels6387 I see we have something in common as I'm a fellow former gospel musician myself. I was mostly the AUX keyboarder in the church back in 2010. I do miss those gigging days had a lot of fun, traveled alot and played at 5 different churches in a single month. The motif was the staple keyboard of black gospel musician. You still those old ESs like the one I'm getting rid of stll in use today. They were really built to last built like a tank. Same with Roland. Switched out all my keyboards with Roland Midi controllers as I have the original Roland A-88 as my main board and the Edirol/Roland PCR-800 as my Tier 2 board for synths, brass and leads.. I heard a lot of Quality issues with those Studio Logic sl88 boards and pretty much stuck with Roland as you know it's going to last. I started out sequencing on Fruity Loops 3 way back in the day then progressed to Cakewalk Sonar 6 to Reason 4.0 to Hardware sequencing. Now taking a step back moving tight back to software sequencing. It's so much easier after going back. I just hated the way how I have to name my tracks on hardware making it hard to find because it takes too long to give it a proper name without a qwery keyboard. Scrolling through tracks was tedious as there's no search feature like you can do on a computer. Piecing beat together into a song structure on hardware is also a pain as most Producer's just mute and solo each instrument and record 8 bars of audio in the DAW and peice it together. J.R Rotem never sequenced on hardware as he said he started out on the Atari, then Cakewalk Sonar to Protools for over last 20 some years. He used his keyboard collection as sound module's in Protools while everyone else back in the day used the MPC as a midi sequencer...
Great vid. I may be wrong but Im sure when the Fantom 1st came out "2019" it was described as a workstation, even by Roland. It even looks like one. Then people started to complain about the sequencer and that was when Roland started to refer to it as a synth. Either way it's very good.
I heard that one before. Basically, Roland U.S kept calling it a workstation since most of the employees were familiar with the older Fantom-X and Fantom-G. Roland Japan didn't reveal the concept with FANTOM, making the situation more confusing. I used the Wayback machine to see if there are any instances of Roland labelling this as a workstation on their official page and found none. After a bit of research and talking, the developer of the FANTOM explained what was the concept behind FANTOM. He wanted to make a modeless keyboard, but with the functionality of having a sequencer and great computer integration with massive hands-on control and connectivity. A proper modern keyboard that would be used by gigging and live musicians with modern functionality and the easiest to use interface. His idea was 'a keyboard that can be used without reading the manual'. To that extent, the idea has been very successful. The concept with FANTOM has never been to evolve the workstation lineup, but rather create a new and modern instrument for modern players with an intuitive interface. The term that is given to it by Roland is a 'creative hub'. The focus of FANTOM is 'expressive performance' & 'rapid production' via a modeless interface. This sums up the keyboard as a whole. So it is officially represented as a 'synthesizer' on their website to not confuse anyone. But because most employees at Roland US did not understand the concept that I explained in the last two paragraphs and because of the FANTOM name, all assumed it was another workstation from Roland. If you approach anyone who was originally involved with the R&D behind FANTOM, they will explain this keyboard as a 'creative hub' and tell you all about it. All in all, it is a case of misunderstanding and improper communication inside the company. I don't know what the roadmap is with this keyboard, but it seems very promising.
I suspect that was the case as well. But when I went back and watched the original videos put out on Roland's official TH-cam page, I found they never referred to it as a "workstation." Now, on various other channels, normally retailers' channels, the Fantom is referred to as a workstation even by Roland's US product specialists. I got a chance to speak with Ed Diaz from Roland and he told me it IS indeed a workstation. I suspect there was confusion at launch between the Japanese manufacturer and its sales team and product specialists in the US. Roland probably never intended for it to be considered to a workstation and didn't want to go to market with that banner because they're trying to get away from that model. But they called it Fantom because that line of keyboards has a great reputation. Notice Yamaha dropped the name Motif and went with Montage. But the Montage is still repeatedly referred to as a workstation. People complained about the sequencer when it launched and finally Yamaha put a pattern sequencer in it. But it's very very limited. You cannot even edit MIDI data once your recording is in. What leads me to believe Roland didn't want to make a workstation is that at launch the keyboard only had two time signatures available, 4/4 and 3/4. The pattern sequencer only allowed for 32 bar loops maximum. And of course there is no linear sequencer to this day. These limitations don't effect certain genres like EDM, Hip-Hop, and certain Pop music but any music that isn't loop based cannot be recorded on the Fantom. Now, the previous Fantom G that launched in 2008 allowed for 128 MIDI tracks, 24 audio tracks and a song could have just shy of 10,000 measures. People were looking for an upgraded version of that considering it launched 11 years prior to the New Fantom. But instead Roland launched a keyboard with basically a groovebox included. So it's more than mere marketing to call it a synthesizer because basic workstation features are not present. However, if it really is a workstation and Roland just doesn't want to call it one due to marketing purposes, then it's a poor workstation. It is a step backwards by Roland. Workstation is synonymous with sequencing and the sequencer on the Fantom even years later with a few upgrades, is so very limited. If you record Jazz, Classical, Cinematic or any music that isn't loop based the Fantom cannot help you. If it is a workstation people have a legitimate gripe. A keyboard workstation upwards of $4000 US and it's incapable of recording Traditional Jazz standards, Funk, or Neo-Soul without suffering massive compromises and implementing several workarounds? The Fantom is a awesome synth as described by Roland (at least today😂). But it is a terrible workstation and way overpriced if that's indeed the case. The Nord Stage 3 is an awesome stage piano. But if it is really a synthesizer marketed as a stage piano, it's a terrible synth and falls way behind the Fantom, Montage, Jupiter X, Jupiter Xm, and so on. Its synth section is entirely too limited to seriously compete with the synths on the market today. Maybe Roland messed up and hid the evidence and have since had to backtrack. The problem is there needs to be one consistent message from Roland so that consumers know what to reasonably expect before laying down such large amounts of money.
@@ablesam Always good to see you on my channel! I spoke to Ed Diaz and he told me it is a workstation. I still disagree, unless we are redefining the term. Feels bad to disagree with a product specialist 😂😂. I really respect Ed and have learned so much from him over the years.
@@darrickkeels6387 Ed's a great guy, he's got his opinions and views, you've got yours and I've got mine. He is a good Roland Rep, and he does that job quite well. Flagship synthesizers/workstations usually inherit their sequencer from a previous board (e.g. OASYS to Kronos), or from the company's sequencer based lineup (Roland JV1000 had the MC50 mkii sequencer board), which can be grooveboxes or high end samplers and production studio boxes (Remember them MV-8800?). The Fantom-G had the MV-8800 sequencer so it was powerful in that way. The new FANTOM has the sequencer of the MC-707 with a few changes in the workflow and functionality. And honestly, the new MC's sequencer is nothing more than the groovebox clip based sequencer workflow Roland (following Live in their own way) has been building up in the recent years. It's not a linear based workflow and Roland clearly states that it's designed for electronic music production, which makes sense. Now put the pieces together, that MC-707 sequencer implementation, is the same one that is built into FANTOM (with the exception of looper tracks). So you see where Roland is going with this. No matter whether I use pattern or clip based sequencing, the end result will be linear. I launch my clips and patterns in my order and arrive with a finished linear track. A product that does not allow me to edit tracks linearly is not going to be much use for various other genres than electronic and pop productions. So Roland mean it when they say that this is a synth and not a workstation. They know linear based workflows with multi midi and audio channels are the workstation definition, so they clearly aren't going to call FANTOM a workstation anytime soon. I'll believe it is a workstation when the change it on the website and implement proper features (which they are not going to since they have made it clear to be a synth development platform) that are in traditional workstations. Otherwise, its a monster of a synthesizer toolkit to me. I didn't expect you to buy a FANTOM, sold the old RD I guess? I hope it becomes a valuable tool in your hands and that you make the best of it in your productions and live scenarios. Idk if the Kronos has to go from your live rig, set list is very useful but the boot up times of the Stage 3, Montage and FANTOM has spoiled you I guess. Don't sell the Kronos, its a valuable jewel, your studio will love it. Anyway, just stopping by. God bless you Darrick!
❤❤Darrick thankyou thankyou. I will not be wasting $3000 on this turkey. What has happened in this industry? I am using a Motif XF and wanted to upgrade. I want a workstation. The Motif XF has 1 whole megabyte memory on the sequencer. What about the Motif XS? Is the onboard sequencer holding more than a megabyte? Yamaha moved to the Montage no on board sequencer. I would guess a Motif XS used would be a great deal. The Roland sounds thin and the organs are squirrelly. I love the Yamaha sequencer and have used them for 20+ years. The sounds are thick the organs great and its what sold me on the Motif in 2000. What the heck are they thinking dropping the sequencer? I talked to Yamaha about it and they said hey just record midi in your computer. I hate this new move! Yes no go on the Phantom sounds crappy whimppy, organs are synthetic sounding. Maybe if you are Question Mark and the Mysterians fine! Darrick do you know anything about the Motif XS? Yamaha has gone totally swish sorry guys....
Great video D !! . Thanks. Other day I was watching your montage vs kronos and still deciding between Fantom and Montage. Few questions here in accordance with Montage as I hope you still own one. 1. The super knob functionality (potentially that could be assigned to the pedal as they shown in other videos) from a live performance perspective I feel it can very smoothly fade in and out various sounds without taking the hands off from the keybed as the superknob can be delicated to the pedal. But in reality do you feel it's a deal breaker ? and is there any way in Fantom to replicate a superknob like functionality and assign it to a pedal ? 2. In Montage I see only 8 parts (zones) can be directly controlled by the keyboard and in Fantom its 16 zones can be layered and controlled directly, provided some sound presets of montage already takes 4 parts of that 8 . So I am pretty inclined to fantom on that front, do you any thoughts on that for a decision making based on this? 3. Regarding sounds have you tried the recent piano expansions for Fantom if yes how you find it ? and also in general the piano, guitar sounds presets with Fantom are they sound similar to Montage or can it be tweaked to sound closer ? 4. Do we know the Ram and storage memory capacity of Fantom and montage? Thanks -AJ
1. I have not actually found a way to replicate the function of the Macro controller called the SuperKnob from the Yamaha on to the Fantom per se. The "Superknob" controls the parameters of the 8 smaller knobs on the Montage all at once. It is capable of controlling 128 different parameters simultaneously. In other words it could be turning up the volume of one part, down the volume of another and be controlling the opening/closing of filters, reducing attack and adding reverb all at the same time. If all what you want to do is fade different zones in and out, the Fantom is more than capable of handling such a task. You'd simply assign an expression/volume pedal to control the volume of specific zones. 2. The Montage can only control 8 parts at a time while the Roland allows for 16. More is not necessarily better. It depends on the user. Even though you only get 8 parts, the realtime control of the SuperKnob does give the musician more control over specific parameters than the Roland gives. But if you are not a person needs filter envelopes opening and closing at different rates, while simultaneously adding a bit crusher to one part and delay to another, you will find the Roland more robust. The V-Piano sound engine has unlimited polyphony with lots of detail and it will only take up one zone, not 4. Thus leaving you 15 other zones to be creative with. 3. I find the pianos to be fantastic on the Roland, especially for live use applications. The new SuperNatural pianos that launched are amazing. But even if they weren't great to me, the sheer amount of options between the SuperNatual Pianos, V-Pianos, and Zencore pianos, it's hard for me to imagine a person not finding any one of them acceptable especially considering all of the editing options available. With that said I find the majority of acoustic sounds like guitars, strings, flutes, violins ,etc to be better on the Yamaha. In regards to memory I know the Roland gives you 2gb of sample memory that can be applied to the pads. As well as 2 GB of multisampling memory that can be applied to the keys but this memory is shared with the expansion packs. In other words the more multisamples you have the less expansion packs you can have and vice versa. Lastly there is 2gb of general sample storage. So a total of 6gb broken up over 3 sections. In regards to overall RAM, Roland has not released such numbers. Bonus: If I could only choose one keyboard between the Montage and Fantom, I'd choose the Fantom. I like the immersive DAW integration. Now when I record parts into Ableton it doesn't feel like I am using a computer. The Fantom has multisampling capabilities on the unit itself while the Montage does not. Though I use the MPC One for all my sampling, it's nice to have another unit as a backup should something happen to my MPC. The Fantom is designed for clip launching which I do all the time. The Fantom has a dedicated Organ Tonewheel engine, and the Montage does not. The Roland has much better rear panel connectivity. I can connect 3 external devices via USB vs 1 with the Montage. Also Roland keeps coming out with not only new sounds but new sound engines for the Fantom, so I believe it is a bit more future proof than the Montage. I like the zone control better on the Fantom. It's just easier to control external gear with it. It's truly designed to control other products. These things make it future proof as well because I have a controller that is super capable. Overall they are both great keyboards hence I own both. But if I could only have one, the Fantom would be my choice.
@@darrickkeels6387 I totally agree. If you install all of the expansions and sample packs on the Fantom, you'll use up 80% of your sample and user memory. And that's just for what's been released so far! But the Fantom is better suited as a master keyboard. That said, the strings and brass on the Montage are great and some of the FM sounds are unique. And the Superknob gives you some unique performance capabilities, like going from a string ensemble to a solo violin and back again with just an expression pedal. It's worth having both. So I'd try both and see which one that you yourself personally like better.
@@darrickkeels6387 I was told by the Product Specialist that the FANTOM has some *additional memory* inside it that is not exposed to the users yet. They may unlock that portion of memory in future in their updates. He couldn't tell me how much additional memory but it is good to know :)
Korg PA is kinda my dream keyboard but Roland really packs it in some ways. I have the Juno DS88 but it’s a little big and heavy for gigging to me. I’m trying the midi controller route but got to get better at all the things I like to use. When I think about all the things I want in a keyboard which is a midi controller workstation arranger 😃 the kurzweil and fantom are the closest keyboards.
@@darrickkeels6387 I had JUST scored an Alesis Quadraverb Plus for $100, and was looking for a sampler,so I did not know where the Fantom would fit in. I already had a Roland analog and Ensoniq workstation. I went and got the Polyend Tracker, so I think I can mate the Fanton with my Roland MV8800...we will see...
Hello everyone. I was able to speak to Roland personally, and they confirmed to me that the Roland Fantom is in the category of "Workstation." I do apologize for the confusion.
Then I believe I owe you an apology first of all. Now I am a bit doubtful about FANTOM's future. Guess it is a successor to the FA in some regard. It is placed in the category of 'Workstation', yet is called a synthesizer. Would love to hear your answer as you spoke with Roland. Please fill me in.
It was a simple email really I said:
Hello,
My name is Darrick Keels and I have a TH-cam channel in which the Roland Fantom is featured. On your website and official TH-cam page videos Roland calls the Fantom a synthesizer or creative hub but never a workstation. Does Roland consider the Fantom a workstation? I really do not want to spread misinformation.
They Replied:
Hello Darrick,
You can use Workstation - if you go to our website, click on "PRODUCTS" at the top of the page and then click on "SYNTHESIZERS" you can see there is a section labelled "PERFORMANCE / WORKSTATIONS" and the FANTOM and FANTOM-0 series are both in this section.
Roland Customer Support
My only real issue with the response is that the Ax-Edge is listed under the same category. Is that a workstation with no sequencer? I believe even the Integra-7 is under the same broad "workstation" category. But all of that is irrelevant, if the official word from Roland is that the new Fantom and Fantom-0 series are indeed workstations then that's what they are. Regardless of what features I believe a workstation should have automatically (like a linear sequencer, more than 2 time signatures [at launch]) Roland is the boss on what categories their product belongs in.
@@darrickkeels6387 Agree, but now, this makes sense with Roland abandoning production-based workflows (production workflow is basically trying to cram a DAW in a keyboard) and moving toward creative workflows (basically, this workflow helps you to be creative and minimizes sequencing functionality to be easier to use and also help in the creation of songs for producers, composers, songwriters, etc) as they had done in the FA.
At least they should make that intention clear, as many expect the sequencing functionality to be improved over the Fantom-G or Kronos but are disappointed when they realize it isn't, despite FANTOM being the latest flagship keyboard from the big three.
Tbh, Roland's reply still doesn't answer a lot of questions, maybe I should ask Roland Japan. They built the board, and they seem to know a bit more about where FANTOM is placed.
The term workstation goes to any keyboard that has the functionality of a tone generation engine, sequencer and a keybed. Any keyboard that has these is automatically classified as a workstation. Modern workstations tend to have sampling functionality alongside the other features previously mentioned.
Roland should've labelled FANTOM 'Creative Workstation' or something to not set up people's expectations. Anyhow, there is no clear explanation of what Roland is doing here. In Japan, they announce this as a flagship synthesizer and in the western world, they announce it as a workstation. What is going on?
Anyway, Darrick, appreciate your post, in conversation FANTOM will be a workstation, but personally, a performance synth, seeing as that is how the developers originally designed it. But Roland's marketing and sales departments decide how they want to display it to the public and nothing we can do to change that.
Have fun. God Bless.
@@darrickkeels6387 I dont run a youtube page so a response to me may not come or may come at a super later time but do you think you could find out if the new Fantom 0 has the same exact sample engine/functions as the FANTOM? This is a decision factor for me. Thanks for clearing up the Workstation vs synth notion.
@@mpmi7588 No the Fantom-0 does not have all of the same sounds engines or tonal capabilities as the Fantom. The V-Piano sound engine is not available on the Fantom-0 series. Also the new wave table sound engine N'zyme is not available for the Fantom-0. This is likely due to the power underneath the hood. The Fantom has 4 proprietary Behavior Modeling Chips in it that handle all of the sounds and effects. The Fantom-0 has 2 chips. Also the legacy expansion packs for the Jupiter 8 synth engine, SH101, Juno-106, JX-3P etc can be downloaded for free with the Fantom. You have to buy each one separately if you want them for the Fantom-0 for $150 per. In other words if you plan on buying 7 packs, you are better off getting the Fantom. Also the Fantom has more memory so it can hold more expansions simultaneously. With that said. Both keyboards are Zencore based and so the majority of the sounds are indeed identical. But as Roland brings out more expansions I believe the gulf between the two boards will be more evident. The Fantom has twice the processing power and Roland will certainly utilize that horsepower.
Hi, Darrick. Thank you for the great walkthrough of the Fantom. I picked up a used Fantom (mint condition/great price) and upgraded to the EX. Wow! I’m just so impressed with the Fantom (EX) 8. I’ve acclimated to the hammer action. I also have a Montage, CP73, Access Virus Ti2 and Trigon 6 (and Arturia MiniFreak). This Fantom sounds glorious. Layout makes sense…I’m just so thrilled. Thank you again for a great presentation!
I REALLY appreciate these deep dives. It makes it so much easier to make an informed decision. Thank you!
That's good to hear! That's why I do them.
Cristian, I wish I had ALL this info growing up in the 80's. you can get ALOT of Music info/Knowledge, here on TH-cam/Videos. from learning to play just about any instrument. to learning Music Theory. all for FREE. before the 2000's. you went to Music School/had to pay a teacher. or the Library to get all this Knowledge.
Very good and comprehensive video - probably the best I've seen about the Fantom. Subscribed of course!
Thank you for watching!
I love my Fantom 6. It’s a beautiful workstation. I produced and released 5 albums in just 3 months on it. My artist name is Roger Bonner. It hand some major features that Roland implemented to solidify my buying it as my first Workstation. It’s inter connectivity is wonderful. I had the Korg for a few days and had to return it, it was a nightmare.
Comparing korg & roland, the korg is just a nightmare!
@@XPJV The Korg has good sounds it’s just all the interface was a nightmare it still haunts me. Saving and opening back kits was just impossible.
The Roland Fantom G is one of the best when it comes to audio and midi.The best visually in my opinion when it came to looking like a computer daw.That was a daw in a box.
I 💯 agree with you the best
Darrick, you literally have a brain the size of a planet, how you always figure out every high end flagship synth down to the smallest details is beyond me. Thanks for explaining the Fantom in such detail - not to mention USE CASES which most reviewers fail to deliver on. It's always about how you use it, and not how many fancy features it got. I ended up with the Yamaha Montage myself, and the choice was between Kronos 2, Fantom and the Yamaha Montage, it was SUCH a hard choice. I am still having the Fantom inside my mind (one year later after the Montage), but your video convinced me I'm better off just sticking with my Montage (not all of us can afford all of those at the same time ya know), but from what I see - people with the Fantom can stick with their Fantom and be perfectly happy, same for Kronos and Yamaha Montage owners, just stick with your flagships, these are complex beasts - learn to use them well...and they will serve you well.
Thank you for the compliment! Yup the Montage is incredibly powerful and is definately the right choice for many keyboard players. Truthfully with Ableton live and any of my keyboards I could get any job done both studio and live. Technically I could do without Ableton Live but I'd have to implement a ton of workarounds but it can be done. I am the weakest link in the chain of my gear. It's far more capable than I am. It's the musician that makes the gear shine not the other way around. Question...what made you pick the Montage over the others?
@@darrickkeels6387 Price, availability and the fact my experience with Yamaha keyboards over the many years since the 80s leads me back to the fact that these rarely if ever fails when you need them the most. And advanced FM sound shaping capabilities in Hardware done right (FM-X, stereo FM sound with now Morphing interface made working with FM sound creation THAT much easier), plus you have an AWM2 synth all-in-one unit, what more can you ask for? I got a Second hand (never used, actually) Montage for 1750$ With sample robot unregistered (the previous owner hadn't even used or registered his Yamaha), and the Roland Fantom was 3000$ at the time, could have gotten the Kronos 2 for 2200$ and it was the second most tempting option since it can do so much, but it's very old and since I work with computers for a living I know that computer-horsepower is everything so overall...boot time, less failures, more reliability + FM-X unmatched capabilites all weighted up my choices. Still - I would never belittle or frown upon others choices for getting a Fantom or Kronos, just say - hey it's their choice, chose what is best for you.
I have the Fantom-8 and it works beautifully in tandem with all of the VIs I used in Logic. The PHA-50 keybed is the best I’ve played
Thank you for showing the connectivity. Not very many do that
Awesome video & You play the piano so well and it sounds nice....I LIKE!!!
Great Video, Roland has done very well with their updates of the Fantom. I am very impress with the DAW controls. The UI looks very friendly. Roland maybe just scratching the surface with this synth. I have the Fantom. FA76 , Fantom S88 and 6 SR expansion cards. I passed on it because, the Virtual software has caught up.
Great video sir. Awesome detailed breakdown of instrument… Keep up the great work
This video is the most important in making purchase decisions on a Fantom.
Thank you sooo much ,av been looking for this for sometime 🙏
I didn't last long with it. Features-wise, build quality is no problem whatsoever. But it felt like I was using a JV1080 and the SRX modules. The sounds just didn't cut it for me. I think Roland has been selling the same sounds for decades and just repackaging them into different hardware.
Indeed they have!
A very wise person has spoken @@darrickkeels6387
When the Fantom came out in 2019, I wasn't convinced. Zen Core just seemed like a development from the Supernatural tones on the Integra 7 and older Rolands (and was available through Zenology Pro also). The only standout feature was the V-Piano engine--but that was on the much cheaper RD-2000 stage piano. 3 years later, I feel much differently--so much so that I recently bought a Fantom 8. What is key is that Roland has continued tp develop, expand and improve the Fantom platform with their new releases. First they added sampling and multi-sampling. Then they added model expansions (instrument plugouts) for classic instruments. This not only matched the Jupiter-X/Xm series, but was uniquely powerful, allowing up to 16 of these to be layered or splt at once. Next was a dedicated organ expansion to rivel the Kronos CX engine. They also added the complete Roland historical library, with all of the SRX expansion cards and SuperNatural pianos and EPs. They improved the DAW integration and added more DAWs (notably, Ableton). And, recently, they've added unique wavetable and digital synthesis with the N'Zyme expansion. All of these expansions can be loaded at once and used in any combination. At this point, the Fantom is incredibly powerful, flexible and versitile and it sounds great. Like the RD-2000, the panel and action make it a superb MIDI controller keyboard, and it can really be the centerpiece of any stage or studio layout. The screen and build quality are excellent, and the panel lighting is very helpful on stage.
I still love the sounds and playing expressiveness of the Montage, but the Fantom now gives it a close run, and is probably more practical as a master keyboard (and has far more workstation capability). The Kurzweil K2700 also has some unique sounds, and is worth considering as an option. But the Fantom would probably be my first recommendation now for any serious professional keyboardist.
Wow! I never knew you purchased a Fantom. Did you get the 6, 7 or 8?
@@darrickkeels6387 I got the 8. It was a replacement for my RD-2000 (which I sold), so I wanted the PHA-50 action and full keyboard.
Are you saying that the SRX sounds are in the fantom? Or there is a way to get them into the fantom? I emailed roland a week ago and asked them if you can get the SRX library into the fantom and they said no
@@playdeebug4400 I don't know who you talked to, but yes, all of the SRX cards are free downloads for the Fantom from the Axial website or Roland Cloud.
@@geoffk777 i saw them on roland cloud but they were saying those are vst plugins for your desktop daw. Have you actually added the srx library to your fantom?
I recently pulled the trigger on the Fantom in December and I quite like it as it compliments the Kronos. I’m really digging the Juno and Jupiter models.
It compliments the Kronos quite well!
Does Kronos arranging
I need "Walking Bass" like Gary Peacock for Blues
@@1234567sophia not sure what your question is, but Kronos has arpreggiators or “Karma” that kinda works like an arranger, but you may need to program it to what you need.
Just started watching this ,as a fantom owner I been waiting for this one
I wait quite awhile before making a video on a keyboard. I like to use them live a lot and in the studio making music so that when I give feedback it's as accurate as possible. Often when something is "new" it's the best thing ever. After owning it a while it's shortcomings become more apparent. But the Fantom is a solid magnificent choice and I recommend it to anyone especially to a person who play gospel. Thanks for stopping by the channel again. Always appreciate it!
@@darrickkeels6387 I got bashed alot by motif owners asking why I got the fantom over the montage for gospel , I love the fantom ,I wish I had the Nord but the fantom is a excellent board
@@reggieblessedhandz1293 Yeah the Motif was (is) the king of the Gospel world. Just seems like every single church has one. But as the Motif begins to show its age, people and churches are starting to update their keyboards. Lots of people are Yamaha "fans." Other people are Roland "fans." Still other Korg or Kurzweil. However, I personally have no brand loyalty😂. I will buy whatever I think will get the job done. I think it's always good to kind of shop around. You can be pleasantly surprised by what another brand has to offer. I do see Nord really going after the Gospel and church community. It's smart to do business wise as churches have "live performances" every single week often times multiple times per week. The church's musicians will often buy a keyboard as well as the church also.
@@darrickkeels6387 you're absolutely right imo Yamaha has been recycling the same sounds since the original motif and it works but Nord definitely is the new motif imo now as far as gospel goes but like u said it's all personal preference
@@reggieblessedhandz1293 I'm no a Gospel musician, but it seems to me that you'd want a really good organ on whatever you buy. The Kronos, Kurzweil 2700 and Roland (and Nord, of course) all have excellent organs, with dedicated engines and a lot of customization and live drawbars. The Montage has some Ok organ samples, but it doesn't have a separate engine and it isn't in the same league. Of course, the pianos and EPs on the Yamaha are excellent, but the others are good in that area also.
Great, great demonstration!! Thank you!!
Thanks for informing instructions
I love my Fantom! 👍👍👍 It's a workstation. The headphone jack in the back was a smart idea- you won't hit the plug and bend the jack if in the front!
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One thing you didn't cover is the adjustable filters using the touch-screen.
What an astonishing instrument !! I have Fa 08 and love it to bits.
Indeed it is
I have been waiting for a video like this. Thank you!
I am on the fence and have been since the new Fantom was released. Have a G6 & G8 and still finding new ways to use them but this new Fantom with that VCF and 3 USB's being just a few of the features it has grabbed me. I also use phrase clips and samples in my music so the sequencer and work flow looks like something I would like. Would miss some of the sampling features and skip back so your video has moved me closer to a new F7. I'll sell the G6 & keep my G8.
It's really an awesome keyboard. For me personally a linear sequencer is not important most of the time. I use Ableton Live for most sequencing. I also use Akai's MPC One for sequencing and sampling. In other words I have options. But the Fantom has really taken over my studio😄. The DAW integration with Ableton is simply magnificent. I am a songwriter and sometimes I need to get an idea down quickly before the inspiration leaves me. The Fantom is perfect for this. I turn it on and start recording. I am putting out better quality music, and doing it at a faster rate then I ever have. This is simply due to the enhancement in workflow. With a laptop, microphone, and Fantom, I can produce a song with no other gear needed. My Korg Kronos and MPC One do not have combo jacks with phantom power so connecting my studio mic to them is not an option. The Kronos has no piano roll so, editing MIDI data is a real pain. Something as simple a bringing up the hi hats in a mix is incredibly arduous. And then for live performances the Fantom is great at controlling other gear. At a glance I can tell which channels are internal and which ones are external. Connecting my Montage to it is really a breeze. The added functionality of having pads makes live performances that much easier. So it has become my workhorse. I will be keeping all of my other gear as they play important roles. But my main go to board for live and studio work has become the Fantom.
@@darrickkeels6387
Thanks for this I think this pushed me off the fence for that Fantom 7, I’ll keep the G8.
Man I've been tempted several times to move on from my Kronos to the Fantom. The DAW integration, amazing updates, great synth sections, great external MIDI integration. But every time I'm at a studio that has a Fantom the EPs, Pianos, and acoustic instruments (strings, brass, etc.) just don't cut it for me yet. I love the EPs on my Kronos too much. Plus with the Kronos being discontinued I hope Korg surprises us all with something this year at NAMM. I just don't see the Nautilus being the flagship since it is just a Kronos engine without A LOT of things keys players love (after touch, faders, etc.)
In all honesty there is no reason to make the switch. The Kronos is still more powerful. Where the Kronos struggles is in the DAW integration and user interface areas. Having only two audio channels out via USB makes multitracking to a DAW impossible. But it wasn't made to work with DAWs but by itself. Using its sampler and sequencer is a pain for me now because I've grown accustomed to using Ableton Live and the MPC One. Everything just takes longer on the Kronos. But it can get the job done if called upon. I mainly use the Kronos for its sound engines and as a live gigging keyboard. The setlist feature is still amongst the best in the industry. I would be very surprised if Korg unveiled a new flagship this year. But I'd also be surprised if they didn't unveil something by 2024. With their new synths like the Wavestate and OP-1, I could see them compiling some stuff together with an up-to-date modern user interface like the Korg Gadget. What I really wonder is if it will be a "Workstation." Yamaha and Roland have conceded and have decided not to try competing against DAWs but working with them. Neither Fantom or Montage have full featured sequencers.
And neither call their flagship a workstation. I think the Nautilus is a placeholder for Korg much like the FA series of workstations was for Roland. By stripping the controls and taking away aftertouch they can save money and increase profit. Also by removing Karma they no longer have to pay the licensing fee to the company that owns that technology. That money can then be used to launch their new flagship but only time will tell.
@@darrickkeels6387 yeah I agree, it seems like the whole “workstation” idea is becoming not obsolete but less and less useful. With the DAWs and the younger generation coming up. I know a lot of people who still love full blown sequencers on their boards but things like Ableton Live have become such a standard now for live performance. I don’t see companies moving that direction with the whole stand alone keyboard workstation anymore.
Kronos maybe powerful thats because it had 7 synth engines. I still think Fantom is way way way better. I got close to 9,000 presets on my Fantom and thats from the free expansions and the 99 cent packs.
@@darrickkeels6387 You suggest there’s no reason to switch. But what would you suggest to someone in a position to acquire ONE, and must make a choice. I’m a retired music educator. I am upgrading my modest studio. According to Jordan Rudess, the Nautilus is definitely NOT the beast the Kronos is. Even if Korg was not discontinuing it, the 32bit OS is certainly not future proof. I do use Pro Tools and Davinci 17. I am looking at Ableton Live. My first instrument is the guitar, but I also enjoy the bass, drums, and have performed as a keyboardist in many varied gigs. I’m very interested in acquiring one of these two, or perhaps the Montage. As a one and only, what do you suggest?
@@tjsound1258 Kronos is an oldy But hell it is the bestie beasty. the GUI is bad and a pain but it can be fixed by an app on an iPad. I tried every synth I could lay my hands on them nothing I mean NOTHING comes close to this monster of workstation in digital realm
Very good video, thank you. The 'joy to use' factor is key with these kind of keyboards. It looks very tempting.
Really helpful. Thanks
I got the Fantom 7 and got the EX upgrade. I agree it’s not just a workstation which I would never buy . It had everything and most likely won’t ever be outdated . I control everything in my studio with it . Great job . Love to see some tutorials on the Nzyme and the exter😮midi usb and cv . Roland’s tutorials are lacking to be nice .
Thanks so much for the awesome video Darrick 📹.. very nicely done ✔ 👏. I do have one of these and love it. It is an awesome addition to my arsenal. One irritation though...when someone buys one of the Flagship synths you shouldn't have to pay even more for the Cloud membership! That's a sore spot with me and probably won't buy another Roland product. Actually, this one is all you need....lol. Mark Bensette Aux Bois 🇨🇦.
You gotta start putting timestamps on your videos my friend! Really helpful! Keep up the good work!
I really applaud you for all the great knowledge, depth review and the time spent to put this together to share it with us.
I know nothing about piano (yet) I recently bought Roland FP-60X to start teaching myself through videos. Seeing your video it’s such a great vibe. God bless you brother.
Thank you!
Yeahhh Darrick we wanna see you lol, great video as always man
I show myself in videos every now and then lol!
Firstly thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and making this tutorial. I have watched many videos of Fantom but this is like almost complete tutorial. Fantom has fantastic futures but only this always missing is combination sounds like how Korg kronos and montage is providing. Only reason I love Korg but as a pianist I don’t like the weighted action on Korg RH3 doesn’t feel like a real piano action but montage has still better action. After the Kawai MP11se I prefer the Roland PHA50 action and also piano sounds are nice especially V piano. I had a choice between RD2000 & Fantom8 but I choose the RD2000 as it has very much similar design and future as a pianists point of view. For Music production I prefer Logic and for sounds I prefer VSTI. I am happy with the RD2000 but I am still waiting for replacement of Kawai MP11se. Love the tutorial. Thank you again 🙏❤
Thank you foe watching!
By the way, I really like these educational videos. A Fantom may not in my future but these sessions school people why they should/should not get one. Thanks for taking the time.
Thanks Matthew! It is always nice to see you stopping by the channel.
You could look FANTOM-0 which has the exact same UI but cheaper with lesser hardware/tone specs.
Great video thanks for sharing.
One thing I like about Roland Keyboards in general is they have the joystick for pitch and mod instead of the wheels. I own two older Roland keyboards, the Fantom X7 and the GW8. I'm seriously thinking about getting the Fantom EX because of the amount of connectors in the rear.
Excellent video. You clarified alot of misconceptions I had about this instrument. I have a Juno DS 61 that I plan on using for a few more years. I think you have alot of talent.
Thanks for this video you are awesome. Your having done this video made my choice much easier.
Thank you for watching!
Hey... thanks for the "workstation" correction (it was really Roland's labeling mistake to start). Roland's software updates have addressed the multi-sampling issue and so much more and their 'EX" optional software upgrade seems really fairly priced. I'll probably get a like new "used" Fantom 6.
I want a Phantom 8.....and I will have it someday.
Also you have changed my mind about getting a Yamaha Montage 7. I may just seek out the phantom or Both.
What do you like better about the Fantom?
I just got the new Fantom 0 it’s a beast!!!!!!!!!
Darrick
Thanks for your detailed review. With your broad familiarity with keyboards which keyboard is best for just playing? Playing in cover band. Piano, organ, pads layers, portable. I need at least 4 layers and presets, good piano, organ, and orchestra sounds. But I don’t want to edit, nor sequence not have accompaniment. Just want to play cover songs in band so light weight portability is important. I’m replacing Yamaha Mo6. But new keyboards lack layers with separate slider. The lights on the Phantom sliders are very nice
I would recommend the Yamaha YC-61.
@@darrickkeels6387 Thanks but I don’t see that the YC has layers with sounds controlled on sliders. Maybe I’m missing something. Looks like just an A and B with preset volumes. I need layers on sliders for active play. Maybe Wurlitzer PC4.
Thank you for this complete video, very clear and dedicated to people who is looking for a first high gama synth. I see you have a Kronos and a Nord Stage 3. I am looking for a machine for soundtrack, ambient and synth wave music. Which one would fit better in your opinion ?
Great job!!!!
Thank you
if i wana to use with the logic pro do i need interface ?
Great video, but I'd like to respectfully opine on a couple of things:
1) Essentially, you can have more than 1 effect per zone. In the "Zone Edit" page, you can adjust reverb and chorus send levels for each zone independently. Yes, this routes to the global reverb and chorus, but the end result is independent reverb and chorus levels for each zone IN ADDITION to the vast array of effects selections per channel that you pointed out.
2) This is a workstation. I don't care what Roland calls it on their website. It's a workstation. I mean, we can agree that it has miles and miles more workstation functionality than the FA series which Roland calls a workstation on their website. So, how can we say this is not a workstation but the the FA-06 is just because Roland's website says so? Functionally, this is a full workstation and a darn good one too.
3) Since 2.0, you can indeed record directly into it and use recordings in the sequencer. The keyboard sampler allows up to 2:44 of stereo sampling. That's enough time to sing a verse or a chorus or play a guitar for a section of a song and use it in a sequence. You can then carve it up in tone edit and add effects, LFOs, etc to it. It's enough functionality for most songs. The new automation feature in the sequencer rivals most Draws in functionality. I'm yet to find something I can NOT do with this sequencer compared to my DAW. A DAW is definitely easier, but I'm blown away by the Fantom.
Thank you for watching and sharing your feedback. I really appreciate it.
1. I shared that Roland only provides one effect per zone which is true because I am referring to the individual effects not "Master Effects" that are shared within a scene. If I have an electric piano with a tremelo/chorus, a guitar with a flanger/chorus and a synth lead with a delay/chorus and so on...I will run into an issue if I want each instrument to have a different TYPE of chorus. This is not a problem for the Montage, Kronos, or Nautilus. Those other keyboards provide master effects with sends as well as an option for more effects per channel (zone). So when comparing the Fantom to its competitors it comes up short in this department.
2. I do not simply refer to it as a synthesizer because Roland does. (Although that should really be enough because I'm sure Roland knows what they created.) But "workstation" has always been synonymous with sequencing ever since the Korg M1. At launch the Fantom only had two time signatures available. Lots of Gospel/Christian music uses 6/8 time. There was no way to record such songs. If it was supposed to be a workstation why would you launch with only two time signatures? Would a company launch an arranger with styles that only covered two genres? It took them over two years to add more signatures. Clearly adding more sounds, sound engines, and developing a whole interface for integration with Ableton Live was more important. Secondly, it only has a pattern sequencer. While that works for certain genres of music it doesn't work for others. For example, recording traditional jazz would lose its "jazz feel" if a person was to use loops. Or a simple jazz ballad where you play the piano for 100 measures never repeating a phrase twice. If I wanted to sit down and record myself playing a Classical piano piece that goes 200 measures, I cannot. That's a very limited sequencer. If all a person plays is simple structured pop music, EDM, Hip-Hop etc the Fantom works perfectly.
3. And yes there are "workarounds" to include audio with your sequence but the sequencer itself has no audio audio tracks. Simply look at the specs. You are talking about using the sampler. The Kronos gives you 16 audio tracks alongside its 16 MIDI tracks. So you can record an entire jazz piece via MIDI and then plug in a guitar and record the audio directly, without having to stop and chop up samples and stuff. The Kronos came out in 2011 and the New Fantom has been in the works since 2011. Why didn't they include such features? The old Fantom G that launched in 2008 had 128 tracks of MIDI and 24 tracks of audio and was capable of doing everything with its sequencer that I listed here. Why would Roland go backwards in the sequencing department? That's because it's not intended workstation. Roland's vision for the Fantom was to be a "creative hub" not an all in one solution. They are not trying to replace your DAW but work with it.
If I make a video telling people the Fantom is a workstation with a fully featured sequencer that includes both MIDI and audio, I would be spreading misinformation and leading people to make the wrong buying decision. Now, if we want to redefine what a workstation is in 2022 that's fine. But all that means is when you say workstation and I say workstation, we do not mean the same thing.
@@darrickkeels6387 All great points. I agree that this is redefining what a workstation is and needs to be in the 2020s.
it’s a clip/pattern-based workstation, but that is outside the normal expectation of other recent so-called workstations. To add lengthly audio parts via the sampler or sample pads would soon deplete the limited internal storage. If Roland ever allows streaming from external storage, we will be in business.
Great video! Thanks
Thank you for watching!
Why don't you show how to write and save what you create and where Not saving but showing us how to save two or three sounds working together etc
If you look the control and the gate then you automatically need a rack of what was the control and gate source then if you plug both then you dont need these anymore inputs and outputs that depends on your instantly choice ..
Great video ! Great synth.. Do you think there will be a future firm update? Or has Roland stopped updating this machine ? (last update was one year ago....) . thanks.
I am not really sure. I think initially there were so many updates because Roland was "finishing" the product and marketing them as "updates." For example, the sequencer at launch only allowed you to use two time signatures. If you weren't recording something in 3/4 or 4/4, you were out of luck. They "added" multisampling, which any modern flagship workstation has had for the past 20 years or so. With all that said, I never buy an instrument for what it might be able to do later. I buy it for what it can do right now. I see updates as a bonus but not a necessity. The Fantom operates now as my main keyboard for both live and studio applications. I don't really need updates. And no company will continue to update an instrument forever. And we never know when updates will cease.
@@darrickkeels6387 Thanks a lot. We will see.
Hello Derek how do the vibes sound?Can you do a video on the vibes?
Hi Darrick really enjoyable and informative video thanks for taking time to create and post it. Got some cash to burn - just waiting to see if korg will release new Kronos in 2022, if not will definitely look more at Fantom rather than Montage thanks to this video (nothing wrong with montage but fantom seems to tick more boxes although don’t like the Roland cloud concept) also looking at the Kurzweil k2700 which has just landed in stock in Uk - both priced boards between £2500-3000, with Kronos 2 about same price. Spoilt for choice nowadays but prices on boards rising so fast montage 61 key was well under £2000 last year now pushing £2500 in Uk . Weird times take care
Yeah keyboards are certainly going up on price due to worldwide conditions. I'd be surprised if Korg comes out with a new flagship in 2022 because they just launched the Nautilus. I believe the Nautilus is a placeholder while they finish their new true flagship kind of like the FA series of workstations was a placeholder while Roland finished the new Fantom. They started working on the new Fantom in 2011 actually. If Korg launches something new, I hope it is a complete remake from the ground up. Much like Yamaha did with the Motif to Montage. I guess we will see. No one knows what's happening except for Korg.
@@darrickkeels6387very much true 👍🏽
Great getting a new video from you and indepth as always. Be nice if you could do a Yamaha YC series video like to hear your thought on the YC and YC vs Stage 3. Thanks for the video.
Ooh! Yes! I second that emotion!
Hello, Darrick! This was a great presentation, cleared up most of my questions about this board. I am a rock band keyboardist and I am considerating buying a Fantom for live playing, so I have a question. Does the controller section of the synth have the ability to connect two pedal switches, one to be set to go up the scene chain and the other to go down? I am asking this since on the Korg Kronos and Nautilus you can only choose to go either up or down via the switch, and I want to be able to do both, on different switches (or on a double switch pedal, like the Boss FS6 or FS7. Thank you for your presentation and your answer!
Sorry to bother you, what is the easiest way to get the metronome going with a piano tone to practice? Given the nice action, my daughter uses the fantom to practice when she can't be on the grand piano, but we don't know how to get a metronome going with a piano tone so that she can turn on the metronome and change the tempo as she practices her scales, exercises, and songs. Thank you.
Do you still have it? Like it? I just sold my Kronos. Thinking of switching brands.
Yes. It is my main gigging and studio keyboard
Does it have a metronome to practice for piano?
Indeed it does
Thanks for the nice video !!!! I love the practical aspects that are often omitted from other "sound oriented" reviews..... Just knowing that the keybed is going to make it impossible to play when kids are asleep is GOLD INFO !!!!
One regret, you did not mention about midi
Since I plan to move from kronos to fantom as a main keyboard, I have a question for you.
I would definitly miss the KARMA that I use often to come up with new arrangement ideas. HOW easy would it be to midi control the Fantom and pass on karma to it ?
Yes you can.
Yeah it's me again John I did clean it with some electrical cleaner cuz I said I had a lot of buttons or things were not working and I got about 80% of it going but I'm still having like I said glitches some of the guys say you can't find a parts at the roland website
I would love one and really want one but find it way out of my price range. I'm happy with Roland Cloud for the time being.
Any polyphony issues?
Hey Darrick bud. I finally got my Fantom 8 and I'm loving it!! one thing that I'm unable to understand is filters. For example, on track #1 I have a Bass sound with some filter effects appilied to it, and when I first play it, it sounds great just like I want it, but when I replay it inside a pattern it gets distorted sometimes. The same thing happens if I have multiple tracks with different filters applied to their sounds. What am I doing wrong here?
@ Darrick Keels
I just want to press record and play a 45 minute piano piece. Then I want to go back and layer in other sounds on other tracks. I canst find one video anywhere that tells me how to do that. Do you know how to do that? So far all I keep finding are videos of people that are just Sound Tone Arrangers that cant seem to break free from the 4 beat Loopers Prison of stacking Looped sounds. I swear, it feels like every keyboard company out there is wanting their targeted customer base to be people with ADD! Okay, I think I am done venting. Still though, do you know how to do what I am seeking to accomplish? And if so which Keyboard Workstation will let me do just that?
That can be done on a Korg Nautilus (or Kronos), Kurzweil K2700, Akai MPC Key-61, or pretty much most workstations with a traditional linear sequencer. I cannot be done on the new Roland Fantom because it only has a pattern sequencer.
Sad, I have the Kronos,, and can't find that feature. It must be buried deeper in all that bloatware. Ty. I will check again!
I have a Roland Fantom G8 and I'm still undecided on whether to upgrade to the "new" Fantom. Every time I see a video about the Fantom, I think, "Yes, I'll buy it", and then I think "What would I do with my existing Fantom G8?" Is it really worth spending so much on the Fantom when I have a Fantom G8?
For that price I don't want to buy any extra equipment so, how do you record with the microphone because it seems impossible
You could record with the microphone into the sampler section but not into the sequencer section.
Why would the various and unique connectivity on the rear panel, the extensive interface with the bender and wheels, knobs, sliders and touch screen matter if the sounds don’t cut it? The sounds don’t cut it.
I never said the sounds don't cut it but if that is how you feel..certainly do not buy it.
Please pls anybody tell me how to add a n arranger for playing
Walking Bass at Blues - I bought a Fantom-08 and want this via midi
If you are looking for a keyboard that allows you to play chords and have a walking bass line follow you, this is not the right keyboard for you. An arranger would suit you better.
@@darrickkeels6387
Yes I understood but I bought Fantom
It seems to work on midi input from my Technics KN7000
but I thought in the last 10 years perhaps new devices could be on the market
Great Thanks for your reaction
and please know that I find your
INTEGRA-7
a wonderful super grat miraculous
device and I use it every day
I have 2 Integras
But I wonder . . . the electronicss for arranging is so little
Why was is not added
54:50 Which keyboard workstation has the best sequencer in your opinion?
If you don't need a linear sequencer and pattern sequencer works for you, I'd say the Fantom has the best sequencer on the market. If you prefer a linear sequencer, I believe the Korg Kronos (and Korg Nautilus) have the most powerful onboard sequencer of any keyboard!
@@darrickkeels6387 I'm only familiar with the type of sequencer that the Roland Juno G has. 16 tracks, auido and midi recording - step by step or live note input. So I guess that Juno G has a pattern sequencer. I really like that method of writing music. My Juno G screen went blank and i'm looking for some new workstation. The screen problem with Juno G is very common one. If I had this keyboard working I would not have to consider to buy anything new. The Juno G was cheaply build, BUT it has some of the Fantom sound engine and really good quality of instruments in it. Thank you.
Pattern sequencer: Roland Fantom/ the upcoming AKAI workstations keyboard
Linear: Korg Nautilus/ Akai Force (Arranger mode)
@@ablesam Thx
For pattern sequencer, FANTOM has the best.
A cheaper option (not a workstation) is Roland JD-Xi - there is nothing like it in its price range!
Or wait for Roland to release the linear sequencer for FANTOM through an update.
Andy Pimblott from Roland has a couple of videos demoing the Fantom, and he calls it a *_synthesizer workstation._* Makes sense to me. Search TH-cam for _Make it Roland Fantom_ and _Roland Fantom Synthesizer Workstation._ Thanks so much for an excellent video!
Yes. I pinned a comment saying I contacted Roland and they confirmed they consider it a workstation even thought they label it a synthesizer.
Hello Darrick, Great Review of the Fantom 8... !!! I wanted to know is the top pannel of the Fantom Metal or Plasic.? I cant seem to fine that info anywhere ? ...Also how dose the Fantom 8 Keybed Differ from the Fantom G8 Keybed..? Thank you again for another great Info Video.
It's metal
@@darrickkeels6387 thank you ,,!!
It does appear to have very good DAW integration with Abelton Live, as it’s own UI seems to be of a similar type of work flow. But how is the integration with other DAW’s such as Cubase/Nuendo or DP for example?
The DAW integration with Ableton Live doesn't actually use the UI that the internal sequencer uses. It is completely separate and could only be developed by Roland because Ableton gave them access to their source code. Steinberg (Cubase) has not given Roland such access probably because they are owned by Yamaha and do not want Roland to gain access to their DAW. Apple gave access to their source code hence Logic/MainStage have excellent tight integration with thr Roland as well. All other DAWs work with the Fantom but the tight integration will not be there. You cannot have a "mini Cubase" on your screen. You will have to go through mapping your controls through the MIDI Learn features on your DAW just like you would have to do with any other keyboard on the market.
Yes- that is what I expected. Thank you for your confirmation!😊
Októberben vettem a Fantom 7-et, és nagyon tetszik. Kezdetben, amikor 2019-ben megjelent, csalódott voltam, mert nem volt más, mint egy FA csak egy szebb csomagban, de aztán nem volt egyetlen SuperNaturális hang, és a multisample nem volt betölthető, így a belső motor kevesebbet tudott, mint egy Roland FA. Ma a hangok széles választéka van. Imádom a modellbővítési bővítményeket. A kedvenceim a Jupiter 8 és a Juno 106, de a JX8p és az SH-101 is nagyon szuperek. N / Zyme is szuper, de kevesebbet használhatom. Amit a legjobban szeretek, az az, hogy be tudom programozni a hangokat, és amit eddig csak a MODX8-zal tudtam megtenni külső hangmintákkal, azt Fantom Zen-Core és Modell bővítéssel programozhatom. Nincs elég 2 GB belső tárhelyem, de ha belegondolok, alig van rá szükségem. Az új Modellbővítő készletek miatt csak néhány digitális szintetizátor hangot és néhány dobmintát mentettem. Az SRX kiterjesztések sok helyet foglalnak el, de ha van valami olyan jó benne, nem sajnálom, hogy néhányat törölni kell. Az egyik dolog, ami bosszant, hogy nem készítek saját arpeggiót. Az arpeggio a Fantom haszontalan része. A klip alapú szekvenszer sem rossz, de a jelenlegi 64 intézkedés legfeljebb 256 lehetett. Szóval remélem, lesz egy normális arpeggio és egy pár új hiányzó SuperNatural hangok és én leszek teljesen boldog.
DMPM just purchased a Roland Fantom 0. Curious to know the differences between the two workstations as it is half the price of the Fantom 6.
I made a video on the differences. Here is the link:
th-cam.com/video/tJLCEg3bsWE/w-d-xo.html
Question, for Roland users. Can I use sub output for personal monitors? Perfect system for me would be a Fantom, another midi controller, a computer for VST. One stereo output for FOH, one stereo output for monitors, with indipendent volume setting for each of them.
If answer is yes, then I could buy a Fantom7.
On Montage7 I got everything but not the output for monitors. Additional output must be programmed for every preset and this stops any serious use of that. Many thanks...
Unfortunately the same is true for the Fantom. Sub outs must be programmed. I use a small mixer to accomplish what you are trying to do. There is a mono output that goes to FOH and I can monitor myself using in ears or headphones on stage.
@@darrickkeels6387 I am using an Audient evo8. It would be nice to avoid an external audio board... Thanks anyway
Very great video. What about the integration with ProTools or logic?
It has integration with Logic, MainStage and Ableton. There is no "special" integration for ProTools. Of course you can always do the basic "MIDI Learning" and use it with any DAW. But you will not have a "mini version" of the DAW show up on the Fantom screen unless it is Ableton, Logic, or MainStage.
@@darrickkeels6387 Thanks I don’t know Logic nor MainStage. I’ll see how well it would work with my MPCX when I pick up me a phantom if not I’ll learn Logic and MainStage
Roland will build Profiles to integrate with other DAWs like Cubase, FL Studio, etc. as and when the DAW manufacturers cooperate. So far, Apple and recently Ableton have cooperated with Roland.
great review of this synth! I have had my 07 for less than 2 weeks. Quick question, is it possible to program 2 or more different arpeggios to different zones? Like for example, a different arpeggio assigned to zone 1 and a different one for zone 3 or 4.
I do not believe that is possible on the Fantom. The arpeggiater is not one of its strong areas.
@@darrickkeels6387 too bad. not a deal breaker but it would have been a nice option.
I’m new to digital instruments, coming back to music after a decade. (I play every instrument)
I’m looking at a Fantom-07, SPD-SX, & a TD-07 drum set. Do I need all of these or do they overlap?
I’ll be running everything to Logic on my computer.
They overlap in areas for sure. But they also do things the others cannot do. You just access what you need and then pick the gear that will meet that need(s).
Thank you for this info (PTL)🙏
Is it possible to have eight external synths each connected to one zone ?
Yes.
Awesome. That is the only thing I wasn´t sure about about the Fantom. I would like to be able to connect external gear via the external zones straight into Logic as well.Thank you for your video. It´s fantastic.
Can you plug in guitar, bass, electric drums create own sounds and record them?
Yes you can
Outstanding video, thanks for putting it together and sharing for all of us to learn.
Thank you for watching. I appreciate it!
May Yahweh bless you brother and thanks for the video
How is the Fantom working for you a year later? I just sold my G6 so I’ll be getting mine soon!!!
It is not without its shortcomings like any other keyboard. But it is now my main keyboard in the studio and the keyboard I gig with the most. It's outstanding!
@@darrickkeels6387 my dream is to get an 88 for home and 2 61 keys for stage!!! That’s my dream set up but I’m going to start small first and the 61 to get the ball rolling!!!
Hi Darrick, I’m at the end of my tether bro.
I’m trying to record the Fantom sounds direct into Ableton to use the Ableton effects. My problem is that I get the local sound plus the USB out and it obviously doubles. I’m using the Fantom as the audio interface in and out. If I turn the local sound off all the sound goes off. I’m looking for a way to turn off the local sound and leave the USB master sound only. I just can’t figure how to do this. Is the Fantom even capable of routing this way. Roland support haven’t had answers on this and folks mention using the subouts but do not elaborate on it. Maybe the Fantom can’t do what I’m asking but my old RME interface can do this easily so I’m wondering if it’s just user error I.e. ME 😂
Yes, using the sub outs makes this work just fine. You can shunt the main local sound out to a physical sub out you aren’t using and have the USB return come back through the main inputs which would work for headphones too.
Something else that you could do is use the Fantom for the input audio interface to the DAW and something else for an output audio interface. So listen to the Fantom through say.. a Focusrite 4i4 for instance but have the USB audio from the Fantom go into your DAW.
How does the polyphony do when layering 8 sounds at once?
Depends on the engine. 32 notes of polyphony for ABM. Unlimited for V.Piano. 128 for the VTW. 256 for the PCM engine in Zen-Core (1 mono PCM = 1 note, 1 stereo =2), the other 4 oscillator's polyphony is unknown. 128 for Supernatural. There are voice reserve options in the menu.
The VPiano, organ and ZenCore/Expansion engines each have their own polyphony, unlike the Kronos, which has a single shared core for all synth engines. Some people report less polyphony than expected, due to the seamless sound switching function.
Hi Darrick...hope all us going well. Do you know if the new roland fantom is able to record vocals on as many tracks as you would like, as opposed to just one track on the roland fa6,7, or 8?
The short answer is no. The Fantom does not have audio "tracks." You can however use the "sampler" to record your vocals. But those aren't technical "tracks."
im stuck between the korg pa5x or this!!!
Do you want a arranger or a synth? They are vastly different keyboards in their functionality.
Hello Derek. I really enjoy your video. They are great. I do have a quick question regarding the Keybed on the fantom 8 ..I currently own a fantom G8 and primarily purchased it because I fell in love with the keybed on this Device. I have not experienced another keybed similar to this one on myG8. I like to know if you ever played on the G8 and your Opinion between the montage and the new phantom keybed .. thank youAgain on all These great videos you are producing..!!!
Keybeds are difficult because they are very much personal opinion like sounds. However, with that said the Fantom 8 is the PHA-50 keybed. This is their premium graded hammer action keybed with escapement. It is the most realistic action I own. I have it on the RD-2000. When I lay down piano tracks, that's my go to. Now the Fantom G8 has the PHA II. That keybed is less realistic than the newer PHA-50. However, because it is a lighter action, it works better in my opinion for playing a variety of instruments. Playing organ on any weighted keybed is not ideal but playing it on a PHA-50 is absolutely terrible. Fast synth lead lines, drums, etc I feel would be better on the PHA II of the G8. I like the keybed of the Montage 8, it's a bit on the heavier side but it's still good. Definitely heavier than he G8. Not sure if you are looking to upgrade the G8 to a Fantom 8. If you are just know there are a lot of features your keyboard has that the new Fantom does not. So really pay attention to the specs. Do not assume it has a feature just because it bears the name "Fantom." Hope this helps🙂
Thank you for the quick reply Derek. That was definitely great information I did not know. I was struggling to see if it was worth my while to upgrade from my GA to the newer found them. I was geared towards purchasing the montage eight to add to my workflow..I do have a Roland XM which gives me the Zen core sounds. And with the new update version 3.0 makes it even much powerful. So I gather between the Roland XM and the G8 that makes a decent combination. I guess I can now focus more attention to the montage. Thank you so much for all of your knowledge Derek. You are truly a very Knowledgeable talented and gifted musician. Thank you for all the contents you are supplying the musical community on this platform ..!!!
Hey Darrick , what is missing from the new Fantom 0 vs the 2019 Fantom? Is the sequencer the same on both? I’m on the fence. I want to be able to record all 16 tracks of midi & audio simultaneously within Logic Pro. I have the MODX, was unable to do this.
Thanks for your opinion.
Yes you can record all 16 tracks simultaneously within Logic Pro using the Fantom-0. As far as the differences are concerned between the Fantom and Fantom-0, I have a video coming out on that. But I will list them here. Sidenote: The sequencers are the same. So the hardware is different. The Fantom-0 is a plastic chassis not metal. This makes it lighter though. The Fantom-0 has no aftertouch and the keybed is not the same premium keybed that its big brother has. The screen is smaller. It has one less fader...8 instead of 9 and they don't have an LED strip next to them. The TR-Rec and category selection buttons are smaller on the 0. There are no XLR inputs or outputs on 0 and therefore it lacks phantom power too. No CV/gate, less pedal inputs, less USB external device control, less standard MIDI jacks, no analog filter out, less 1/4" TRS outs, and the power supply is external. Under the hood differences include: The Fantom-0 has half the sonic processing power with only 2 BMC chips rather than 4. V-Piano sound engine is not available on the 0. The new N'zyme wavetable synth is not available on the 0. The audio interface has 4 ins rather than 6. The 4 "legendary" expansion packs of the Jupitar 8, SH-101, Juno-106 and the JX-8P come free with the Fantom but must be purchased for $150 a piece for the Fantom-0. There is no analog filter. It has 1/4 the space for multisamples and expansion packs as the regular Fantom. And of course the price and weight. The Fantom-0 cost about half as much as the Fantom and is a lot lighter due to its chassis.
@@darrickkeels6387
Darrick, thank you so much for this breakdown…🙏..
Now, I guess that the big Fantom, in my opinion sounds like the way to go ….as I think that l would be compromising too much of what makes the big Fantom truly special. So, I’m going to get the big Fantom ….
@@thegoldenamerican Here is the video!
th-cam.com/video/tJLCEg3bsWE/w-d-xo.html
@@darrickkeels6387 Thank you Darrick
To me, it’s a little bit Kronos and a little bit Montage…in one board! Am I missing something? (LOL)
I have both; the Montage and the Kronos; which is STILL the king in my opinion, and I’ve been looking HARD at the Fantom, but couldn’t justify buying it. I bought the Integra instead because your studio isn’t really complete with at least one Roland in the lab!
Great video (as always) but I can hear my wife saying…”what’s so different about THIS board???!!!”
Yeah it's definitely a little Kronos and a little Montage. At the same time it does have its own unique features in the DAW integration department, TR-Rec recording, Ableton Live style clip launching, more connectivity (ie combo inputs with phantom power). But, I would say anyone with a Montage and a Kronos like yourself in no way NEEDS a Fantom😂. If you cannot make great music with those two keyboards the problem certainly isn't your gear. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
You don't need another keyboard if you are gigging with the Montage & Kronos. These cover a variety of sounds and functionality. Integra-7 is more than you need in the studio in terms of Roland sounds.
I sold my Integra, because although it had all the expansion boards as software, it could only load 4 at a time, whereas Fantom holds all 15 + a ton of other stuff. Fantom also has the paralell USB audio, more engines and more polyphony. The only things lost were the Dynamic Drums (Spectrasonics), the V-Drum engine, many of the SuperNatural acoustic sounds and the VST editor. The best selection of editable Supernatural keys sounds is in my RD-800.
I'm actually moving away from Workstations now that they are less relevant today as hardly anyone sequences on hardware anymore these days. Mostly just live giging muicuans buys them. I still own a 19 year old MOTIF ES that's now retired replaced with the rack mount version of it. I have my MOTIF ES keyboard siting in the closet soon to be put up for sale. I have officially switched over to rack mounts. I have a rack mount Roland Fantom XR, MOTIF Rack ES, Roland Integra-7 essentially a modern XV-5080, and my old E-MU MO Phatt Proteus module. I also still own an Akai MPC 5000 that I'm also getting rid of. I'm now back sequencing all of my midi in the DAW after my Akai MPC power supply went out on it. I use Presonus Studio One with a MOTU avb interface that has super low latency. I use both soft synths and my hardware rack mount synths. Rack mount synths just work better integrated with your DAW.
You are right. This is why Roland cut back on the resources of the sequencer and sampler on the Fantom. They opted for a fast workflow and DAW integration versus a powerful production workstation. I still play live quite a bit and provide keyboards as a part of some of my packages when I am hired to run sound. But in the studio (which is where I spend the bulk of my hours) I use 90% soft synths and Ableton Live, Logic or Maschine.
@@darrickkeels6387 I see we have something in common as I'm a fellow former gospel musician myself. I was mostly the AUX keyboarder in the church back in 2010. I do miss those gigging days had a lot of fun, traveled alot and played at 5 different churches in a single month. The motif was the staple keyboard of black gospel musician. You still those old ESs like the one I'm getting rid of stll in use today. They were really built to last built like a tank. Same with Roland. Switched out all my keyboards with Roland Midi controllers as I have the original Roland A-88 as my main board and the Edirol/Roland PCR-800 as my Tier 2 board for synths, brass and leads.. I heard a lot of Quality issues with those Studio Logic sl88 boards and pretty much stuck with Roland as you know it's going to last. I started out sequencing on Fruity Loops 3 way back in the day then progressed to Cakewalk Sonar 6 to Reason 4.0 to Hardware sequencing. Now taking a step back moving tight back to software sequencing. It's so much easier after going back. I just hated the way how I have to name my tracks on hardware making it hard to find because it takes too long to give it a proper name without a qwery keyboard. Scrolling through tracks was tedious as there's no search feature like you can do on a computer. Piecing beat together into a song structure on hardware is also a pain as most Producer's just mute and solo each instrument and record 8 bars of audio in the DAW and peice it together. J.R Rotem never sequenced on hardware as he said he started out on the Atari, then Cakewalk Sonar to Protools for over last 20 some years. He used his keyboard collection as sound module's in Protools while everyone else back in the day used the MPC as a midi sequencer...
Thank you mist helpful
Great vid. I may be wrong but Im sure when the Fantom 1st came out "2019" it was described as a workstation, even by Roland. It even looks like one. Then people started to complain about the sequencer and that was when Roland started to refer to it as a synth. Either way it's very good.
I heard that one before. Basically, Roland U.S kept calling it a workstation since most of the employees were familiar with the older Fantom-X and Fantom-G. Roland Japan didn't reveal the concept with FANTOM, making the situation more confusing.
I used the Wayback machine to see if there are any instances of Roland labelling this as a workstation on their official page and found none.
After a bit of research and talking, the developer of the FANTOM explained what was the concept behind FANTOM. He wanted to make a modeless keyboard, but with the functionality of having a sequencer and great computer integration with massive hands-on control and connectivity. A proper modern keyboard that would be used by gigging and live musicians with modern functionality and the easiest to use interface. His idea was 'a keyboard that can be used without reading the manual'. To that extent, the idea has been very successful.
The concept with FANTOM has never been to evolve the workstation lineup, but rather create a new and modern instrument for modern players with an intuitive interface. The term that is given to it by Roland is a 'creative hub'. The focus of FANTOM is 'expressive performance' & 'rapid production' via a modeless interface. This sums up the keyboard as a whole. So it is officially represented as a 'synthesizer' on their website to not confuse anyone.
But because most employees at Roland US did not understand the concept that I explained in the last two paragraphs and because of the FANTOM name, all assumed it was another workstation from Roland. If you approach anyone who was originally involved with the R&D behind FANTOM, they will explain this keyboard as a 'creative hub' and tell you all about it.
All in all, it is a case of misunderstanding and improper communication inside the company. I don't know what the roadmap is with this keyboard, but it seems very promising.
I suspect that was the case as well. But when I went back and watched the original videos put out on Roland's official TH-cam page, I found they never referred to it as a "workstation." Now, on various other channels, normally retailers' channels, the Fantom is referred to as a workstation even by Roland's US product specialists. I got a chance to speak with Ed Diaz from Roland and he told me it IS indeed a workstation. I suspect there was confusion at launch between the Japanese manufacturer and its sales team and product specialists in the US. Roland probably never intended for it to be considered to a workstation and didn't want to go to market with that banner because they're trying to get away from that model. But they called it Fantom because that line of keyboards has a great reputation. Notice Yamaha dropped the name Motif and went with Montage. But the Montage is still repeatedly referred to as a workstation. People complained about the sequencer when it launched and finally Yamaha put a pattern sequencer in it. But it's very very limited. You cannot even edit MIDI data once your recording is in. What leads me to believe Roland didn't want to make a workstation is that at launch the keyboard only had two time signatures available, 4/4 and 3/4. The pattern sequencer only allowed for 32 bar loops maximum. And of course there is no linear sequencer to this day. These limitations don't effect certain genres like EDM, Hip-Hop, and certain Pop music but any music that isn't loop based cannot be recorded on the Fantom. Now, the previous Fantom G that launched in 2008 allowed for 128 MIDI tracks, 24 audio tracks and a song could have just shy of 10,000 measures. People were looking for an upgraded version of that considering it launched 11 years prior to the New Fantom. But instead Roland launched a keyboard with basically a groovebox included. So it's more than mere marketing to call it a synthesizer because basic workstation features are not present. However, if it really is a workstation and Roland just doesn't want to call it one due to marketing purposes, then it's a poor workstation. It is a step backwards by Roland. Workstation is synonymous with sequencing and the sequencer on the Fantom even years later with a few upgrades, is so very limited. If you record Jazz, Classical, Cinematic or any music that isn't loop based the Fantom cannot help you. If it is a workstation people have a legitimate gripe. A keyboard workstation upwards of $4000 US and it's incapable of recording Traditional Jazz standards, Funk, or Neo-Soul without suffering massive compromises and implementing several workarounds? The Fantom is a awesome synth as described by Roland (at least today😂). But it is a terrible workstation and way overpriced if that's indeed the case. The Nord Stage 3 is an awesome stage piano. But if it is really a synthesizer marketed as a stage piano, it's a terrible synth and falls way behind the Fantom, Montage, Jupiter X, Jupiter Xm, and so on. Its synth section is entirely too limited to seriously compete with the synths on the market today. Maybe Roland messed up and hid the evidence and have since had to backtrack. The problem is there needs to be one consistent message from Roland so that consumers know what to reasonably expect before laying down such large amounts of money.
@@ablesam Always good to see you on my channel! I spoke to Ed Diaz and he told me it is a workstation. I still disagree, unless we are redefining the term. Feels bad to disagree with a product specialist 😂😂. I really respect Ed and have learned so much from him over the years.
@@ablesam While you were responding I was also typing a response. You finished yours before me lol.
@@darrickkeels6387 Ed's a great guy, he's got his opinions and views, you've got yours and I've got mine. He is a good Roland Rep, and he does that job quite well.
Flagship synthesizers/workstations usually inherit their sequencer from a previous board (e.g. OASYS to Kronos), or from the company's sequencer based lineup (Roland JV1000 had the MC50 mkii sequencer board), which can be grooveboxes or high end samplers and production studio boxes (Remember them MV-8800?). The Fantom-G had the MV-8800 sequencer so it was powerful in that way. The new FANTOM has the sequencer of the MC-707 with a few changes in the workflow and functionality. And honestly, the new MC's sequencer is nothing more than the groovebox clip based sequencer workflow Roland (following Live in their own way) has been building up in the recent years. It's not a linear based workflow and Roland clearly states that it's designed for electronic music production, which makes sense. Now put the pieces together, that MC-707 sequencer implementation, is the same one that is built into FANTOM (with the exception of looper tracks). So you see where Roland is going with this.
No matter whether I use pattern or clip based sequencing, the end result will be linear. I launch my clips and patterns in my order and arrive with a finished linear track. A product that does not allow me to edit tracks linearly is not going to be much use for various other genres than electronic and pop productions. So Roland mean it when they say that this is a synth and not a workstation. They know linear based workflows with multi midi and audio channels are the workstation definition, so they clearly aren't going to call FANTOM a workstation anytime soon. I'll believe it is a workstation when the change it on the website and implement proper features (which they are not going to since they have made it clear to be a synth development platform) that are in traditional workstations. Otherwise, its a monster of a synthesizer toolkit to me.
I didn't expect you to buy a FANTOM, sold the old RD I guess? I hope it becomes a valuable tool in your hands and that you make the best of it in your productions and live scenarios. Idk if the Kronos has to go from your live rig, set list is very useful but the boot up times of the Stage 3, Montage and FANTOM has spoiled you I guess. Don't sell the Kronos, its a valuable jewel, your studio will love it.
Anyway, just stopping by.
God bless you Darrick!
Or should I say can you record vocals on several different tracks on the new roland fantom, instead of just one track?
There are no audio tracks. Roland have done away with that concept. There are pharse pads to trigger up to 8 mono/ 4 stereo tracks.
❤❤Darrick thankyou thankyou. I will not be wasting $3000 on this turkey. What has happened in this industry?
I am using a Motif XF and wanted to upgrade. I want a workstation. The Motif XF has 1 whole megabyte memory on the sequencer.
What about the Motif XS? Is the onboard sequencer holding more than a megabyte? Yamaha moved to the Montage no on board sequencer. I would guess a Motif XS used would be a great deal. The Roland sounds thin and the organs are squirrelly. I love the Yamaha sequencer and have used them for 20+ years. The sounds are thick the organs great and its what sold me on the Motif in 2000. What the heck are they thinking dropping the sequencer? I talked to Yamaha about it and they said hey just record midi in your computer. I hate this new move! Yes no go on the Phantom sounds crappy whimppy, organs are synthetic sounding. Maybe if you are Question Mark and the Mysterians fine! Darrick do you know anything about the Motif XS? Yamaha has gone totally swish sorry guys....
Great video D !! . Thanks. Other day I was watching your montage vs kronos and still deciding between Fantom and Montage.
Few questions here in accordance with Montage as I hope you still own one.
1. The super knob functionality (potentially that could be assigned to the pedal as they shown in other videos) from a live performance perspective I feel it can very smoothly fade in and out various sounds without taking the hands off from the keybed as the superknob can be delicated to the pedal. But in reality do you feel it's a deal breaker ? and is there any way in Fantom to replicate a superknob like functionality and assign it to a pedal ?
2. In Montage I see only 8 parts (zones) can be directly controlled by the keyboard and in Fantom its 16 zones can be layered and controlled directly, provided some sound presets of montage already takes 4 parts of that 8 . So I am pretty inclined to fantom on that front, do you any thoughts on that for a decision making based on this?
3. Regarding sounds have you tried the recent piano expansions for Fantom if yes how you find it ? and also in general the piano, guitar sounds presets with Fantom are they sound similar to Montage or can it be tweaked to sound closer ?
4. Do we know the Ram and storage memory capacity of Fantom and montage?
Thanks
-AJ
1. I have not actually found a way to replicate the function of the Macro controller called the SuperKnob from the Yamaha on to the Fantom per se. The "Superknob" controls the parameters of the 8 smaller knobs on the Montage all at once. It is capable of controlling 128 different parameters simultaneously. In other words it could be turning up the volume of one part, down the volume of another and be controlling the opening/closing of filters, reducing attack and adding reverb all at the same time. If all what you want to do is fade different zones in and out, the Fantom is more than capable of handling such a task. You'd simply assign an expression/volume pedal to control the volume of specific zones.
2. The Montage can only control 8 parts at a time while the Roland allows for 16. More is not necessarily better. It depends on the user. Even though you only get 8 parts, the realtime control of the SuperKnob does give the musician more control over specific parameters than the Roland gives. But if you are not a person needs filter envelopes opening and closing at different rates, while simultaneously adding a bit crusher to one part and delay to another, you will find the Roland more robust. The V-Piano sound engine has unlimited polyphony with lots of detail and it will only take up one zone, not 4. Thus leaving you 15 other zones to be creative with.
3. I find the pianos to be fantastic on the Roland, especially for live use applications. The new SuperNatural pianos that launched are amazing. But even if they weren't great to me, the sheer amount of options between the SuperNatual Pianos, V-Pianos, and Zencore pianos, it's hard for me to imagine a person not finding any one of them acceptable especially considering all of the editing options available. With that said I find the majority of acoustic sounds like guitars, strings, flutes, violins ,etc to be better on the Yamaha. In regards to memory I know the Roland gives you 2gb of sample memory that can be applied to the pads. As well as 2 GB of multisampling memory that can be applied to the keys but this memory is shared with the expansion packs. In other words the more multisamples you have the less expansion packs you can have and vice versa. Lastly there is 2gb of general sample storage. So a total of 6gb broken up over 3 sections. In regards to overall RAM, Roland has not released such numbers.
Bonus: If I could only choose one keyboard between the Montage and Fantom, I'd choose the Fantom. I like the immersive DAW integration. Now when I record parts into Ableton it doesn't feel like I am using a computer. The Fantom has multisampling capabilities on the unit itself while the Montage does not. Though I use the MPC One for all my sampling, it's nice to have another unit as a backup should something happen to my MPC. The Fantom is designed for clip launching which I do all the time. The Fantom has a dedicated Organ Tonewheel engine, and the Montage does not. The Roland has much better rear panel connectivity. I can connect 3 external devices via USB vs 1 with the Montage. Also Roland keeps coming out with not only new sounds but new sound engines for the Fantom, so I believe it is a bit more future proof than the Montage. I like the zone control better on the Fantom. It's just easier to control external gear with it. It's truly designed to control other products. These things make it future proof as well because I have a controller that is super capable.
Overall they are both great keyboards hence I own both. But if I could only have one, the Fantom would be my choice.
@@darrickkeels6387 I totally agree. If you install all of the expansions and sample packs on the Fantom, you'll use up 80% of your sample and user memory. And that's just for what's been released so far! But the Fantom is better suited as a master keyboard. That said, the strings and brass on the Montage are great and some of the FM sounds are unique. And the Superknob gives you some unique performance capabilities, like going from a string ensemble to a solo violin and back again with just an expression pedal. It's worth having both. So I'd try both and see which one that you yourself personally like better.
@@darrickkeels6387 I was told by the Product Specialist that the FANTOM has some *additional memory* inside it that is not exposed to the users yet. They may unlock that portion of memory in future in their updates. He couldn't tell me how much additional memory but it is good to know :)
Korg PA is kinda my dream keyboard but Roland really packs it in some ways. I have the Juno DS88 but it’s a little big and heavy for gigging to me. I’m trying the midi controller route but got to get better at all the things I like to use. When I think about all the things I want in a keyboard which is a midi controller workstation arranger 😃 the kurzweil and fantom are the closest keyboards.
Nothing wrong with the MIDI controller route in all honesty. Do what works for you. Thanks for stopping by my channel again, I appreciate it.
Roland Fantom 8 vs Yamaha Montage M8x? That's the shootout I wanna see.
I need to have another look...
Weren't impressed first time around huh?😄
@@darrickkeels6387 I had JUST scored an Alesis Quadraverb Plus for $100, and was looking for a sampler,so I did not know where the Fantom would fit in. I already had a Roland analog and Ensoniq workstation. I went and got the Polyend Tracker, so I think I can mate the Fanton with my Roland MV8800...we will see...
Yes it is