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Roland's way of putting together panels on synthesizers is logical, intuitive and easy to work with. All the controls are in the right places for performance ability. The controls are programmable and assignable for anything we want - offering extensive control over what we are doing and providing an incredibly flexible platform for sound design, studio work and live performance.
I purchased Roland JD-Xi five years ago and used it on and off. However, due to most of its parameters hidden under the hood frequently requiring to do menu diving and the screen having only 2 lines of text display, it is like working at a MS-DOS prompt with just one command at a time and nothing else visible. Overall, the UX is uncomfortable due to its tiny screen and menu diving. I tried Patch Base editor app but it was load-edit-flush workflow. Don't get me wrong - JD-Xi is a very powerful Digital/Analog Crossover Synthesizer - unlike any other synthesizer and it does things that NO other synthesizer can do - and there is nothing like it with its unique sequencer and features in its price range in the market. For it feather-light weight and size, it is a “mobile” instrument (which is why I liked it) and we can sit with it on a couch or at the beach.
Enter Roland Fantom 6 - I added this latest flagship workstation to my studio and it is a beautiful dream machine and a bliss! This is not a Christmas/SynthMas/Santa-Claus thing - I bought it a while ago and also wrote an article on it.
Fantom has a very responsive 7" windowed color touch screen and everything is just a tap/knob/button away, readily accessible and very comfortable to use even for live performance. It has everything JD-Xi has and then some.
Fantom 6 with semi-weighted keys is very HEAVY at 33+ LBS (Fantom 8 with weighted keys is over 61 LBS) - you don't want to lift it again and again or move it around as it is HUGE and hard to grab and lift. Whereas JD-Xi is so light at 4 LBS we can lift it with our pinky - literally - I lifted it with my pinky several times just for fun! It reminds me of my Lulu Little kitten who weighed like a balloon when I adopted her when she was 4 months old and 4 LBS. Fantom's hefty size and weight intimidate me. After using Fantom, JD-Xi really looks like a Baby Piano now!
Some differences between the Angel and the Beast... For full specs, click on the header links below...
| Roland Fantom (The BEAST) . |
Roland JD-Xi (The ANGEL) . |
| 7" responsive color touch screen (800 x 480 dots) | Tiny text screen with 2 lines of display |
| Semi-Weighted keys velocity sensitive | Mini keys (plastic) velocity sensitive |
| Audio Interface built in, 16 out 3 in stereo | No audio interface |
| Power adapter built in | Power adapter outside dangling to the cord |
| 16 zones internal + external (scene) | 4 tracks (program) |
| SuperNATURAL Acoustic Engine (4 partials), ZEN-core (4 partials), V-Piano |
SuperNATURAL Synth Engine (3 oscillators), PCM engine for Drums, Analog engine (mono) - ideal for bass lines |
| Extensive connectivity | Minimal connectivity |
| Vocoder with no mic | Vocoder with Gooseneck mic |
| 90 Drum kits | 27 Drum kits |
| 32 measure pattern sequencer | 4 measure pattern sequencer in 16ths |
| 256 voice polyphony | 129 voice polyphony |
| Patterns, Groups, Songs | Patterns only |
| 42 inches | 22 inches |
| 33 lbs 12 oz (VERY HEAVY) | 4 lbs 14 oz (FEATHER LIGHT) |
| Tone/Scene Rating (0-3) and Search system | No |
| 90 effects | 16 effects |
| Scene Chain 16 Scenes x 32 Pages (Total 512 Scenes) per 1 Chain set. Set: 100 Marker: 62 (0-9, A-Z, a-z) per 1 Chain Set |
No |
| Keyboard Switch Groups | No |
| Piano Roll editor with touch edit & Automation | No Piano Roll but Automation can be recorded |
| Microscope for surgical editing | No |
| Rhythm Patterns | No |
| Motional Pad | No |
| Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever | No |
| Deep integration with DAWs and soft synths | No |
| High resolution controls with 1024 knob steps | 127 steps |
| Pads and Pad Mode | No |
| Tone Remain 16 parts (16 zones / 16 scenes) | No |
The keyboard action on Fantom 6 with its semi-weighted is keys is just PERFECT with enough resistance and makes them highly playable and the key-bed is really good as also stated by many keyboardists. High resolution 1024 knob step editing support for Cutoff, Resonance, Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release, Amp and FX Depth for a smooth sweep as opposed to 127 steps. Fantom has 2 GB of Flash Memory (not: RAM) to store user and expansion wave forms and an additional 1.75 GB of Flash Memory to store pad samples (Total: 3.75 GB for user data) - without affecting boot time. It boots in 30 seconds. Fantom is an all-in-one solution and we can perform live with it without needing any other instruments.
I'm yet to connect JD-Xi to Fantom to get its SuperNATURAL tones inside Fantom.
An easy-to-use keyboard will make a HUGE difference in practice and performance. Sounds are secondary - they can be downloaded (up to 10,000 tones from Roland Cloud using the serial number with Lifetime Unlock), purchased or designed on our own. People are buying CUBASIS app for a reason even though its built-in instruments are mediocre because the app is easy-to-use. Fantom excels at UX and Roland nailed it! It is so easy-to-use and navigate as it is also Mode-less and we always work in the context of a scene (I can master this keyboard in no time). There are usually 2-3 (or more) intuitive ways of navigating so you can choose which way is best for you (eg: Tap the screen, Double-tap the screen, Enter button, twist/press the 6 Function knobs, Jog Dial, Arrow Keys, etc). In 6 month period, they released 4 updates, added V-Piano, Multi-Sampling, Piano Roll, Microscope, 32 band Vocoder, Roland Cloud support and more and they intend to release more updates in future.
So, exactly how much of fun is Fantom? We all know GarageBand is a fun app - Fantom being a hardware instrument, it is more fun with all its modules than GarageBand! Its clip-based Pattern screen is like Ableton Live or GarageBand LiveLoops in a hardware instrument. Its Keyboard Switch Groups are interesting and powerful in live performance.
A hardware keyboard runs forever on mains without battery and no need to keep an eye on the draining battery like an iPad. A Keyboard has headphones connectivity for private practice unlike a real Piano which some apartments disallow. A keyboard also never goes out of tuning unlike an acoustic Piano.
Well, Fantom with its heft and huge size is not mobile music but I guess it is good to stride into other territories and out of our comfort zone too.
Essential Accessories for a Keyboard
Stand - we should never compromise on this one that holds the keyboard securely. This should be compatible and preferably from the same manufacturer. I bought Roland KS-10Z (but its delivery is getting delayed until Feb 2021). I really wanted this stylish Roland KS-J8 discontinued stand but there was no info available about its compatibility with Fantom. I called Roland and left a message about its compatibility with Fantom but never got a response.
Pedals - for Sustain/damper, SosTenuto, Una Corda. Roland RPU-3 triple pedal. These pedals can also be assigned to other parameters such as switching presets, etc. We can assign volume expression to the pedals but its behavior is not exactly the same as a rocking Expression Pedal and not meant to be used for volume control, etc. The cheaper option is to buy just a single Sustain pedal Roland DP-10. Even cheaper is an on/off switch pedal.
Expression Pedal - for Volume control, etc. Roland BOSS EV-30. This can be assigned to other parameters too. The cheaper option is Roland EV-5 but it is not worth the price for its build quality.
Assigning parameters to pedals, knobs, sliders, wheels, buttons, etc is very easy, quick and intuitive in Fantom - just hold Shift button and wiggle the control and we get the context menu for the wiggled control to choose and assign from various parameters -
In addition to anything assignable to anything, there are 2 function buttons ASSIGN 1 and ASSIGN 2 under each of which there are an additional 8 knobs and 8 sliders that can be assigned to various parameters - that is another 32 empty/blank assignable controls at our disposal.
I was able to Hold a string on one track separately and leave the note playing and play Pink Floyd’s “Delicate Sound of Thunder” on other tracks simultaneously without holding these other tracks.