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My article on Roland FANTOM - Updating my studio with Roland Fantom Workstation
Top Reasons to Buy the Roland Fantom! | Overview
4 partials per tone
Each partial has its own oscillator, filter, amplifier, envelopes, effects, 2 LFOs...
16 tones per scene (16 layered instruments simultaneously)
=> Each scene can have up to 64 oscillators and 128 LFOs!
(it has 4 chips to process and do all that heavy lifting without glitching or crackling - one chip dedicated entirely to V-Piano engine)
128 Scenes x 4 Banks => 512 scenes total
NOTE: Synthesizers have a meter reading showing when it is maxing out on memory. Well, Roland eliminated the meter from Fantom saying that it will never have the issue of maxing out on resources.
2GB internal memory to store our samples and tones.
Interactive large 7β touch-screen workstation
Sequencer - pattern based. Trigger patterns like a DJ (this is like Ableton Live in a hardware).
Add patterns to groups and add groups to songs.
Chain scenes, add markers to scenes and jump to marked scenes.
Massive synthesizer with vocoder.
A 64 measure Pattern Sequencer.
16 pads can be used for drums, samples and more actions.
Sound Generators: ZEN-Core, V-Piano Technology and SuperNATURAL Acoustic.
3500+ instruments, 132 drum kits and 90 effects. More tones available for download from Roland Axial micro-site and also Roland Cloud Manager (17 EXZ and EXS sound packs with up to 10,000 absolutely FREE tones using Serial Number with Lifetime Unlock). These also have samples and hence larger files. People say the sounds in Fantom are higher quality compared to other Roland keyboards (maybe due to ZEN-Core thing). Yum!
The SDZ sound packs on Roland Cloud are only 99 cents each! These are just tiny data files that range in 100-200 KB each. I like the HyperWave sound pack by Gattobus - watch the cool demo...
Roland Fantom - "Hyperwave" song with new Zen-Core Tones!
Tone Ratings and search Tones/Scenes by rating or name (this are two of my favorite features as most developers/manufacturers do not understand the importance of these features and how much it helps with rapid workflow).
Multi-sampling. 256 polyphony.
Analog Filter, Vocoder and Motional Pad.
Keyboard Switch Groups.
NO more Modes - all work is done in the context of Scenes.
Integrated Audio Interface
No need of an audio interface. The Audio interface in Fantom is pretty powerful with 16 track Stereo Out and 3 track Stereo In (translates to 32x6 Mono channels) and up to 96 KHz 24 bit audio in comparison with Montage which can only use 44.1 KHz 24 bit with 16 channels or 192 KHz with 4 channels of audio. Fantom has the best audio interface built inside a Keyboard in the market.
All-metal premium body with extensive connection ports. All 3 models - Fantom 6, 7 and 8 - are identical with channel Aftertouch except for Fantom 8 which has fully weighted keys (60+ LBS) while the 6 and 7 are semi-weighted (30+ LBS).
NOTE: Fantom 8 is too big to fit in a car - you need a truck! Also, its fully weighted keys are hard for finger-drumming (unless you are a professional Pianist). Watch this video -
It's all of the best synths and drum machines Roland ever made put into Fantom. If you do any covers or are influenced by previous decades, it's a very useful tool. Check out the videos below to see the possibilities. It also has all the Roland pianos and the PHA-50 key-bed (88 keys model). So it's basically the best of everything Roland has ever done in the piano/synth department. A workstation like this would last for over 20 years.
A FEW HINTS
Lower-end cheaper keyboards: Built-In speakers, external power adapter dangling to the cord and no built-in audio interface.
Higher-end expensive keyboards: Speakers are eliminated, internal power adapter and audio-interface are built-in.
(Click on the images below to open the full size images - click on the opened images to expand)
Fantom 6
61 semi-weighted keys
5 octaves (we can still switch octaves from -3 to +3 so all notes are available)
33 lbs 12 oz
Price: $3,299
βββFantom 7
76 semi-weighted keys
6 octaves
39 lbs 1 oz
Price: $3,599
βββFantom 8
88 PHA-50 Wood and Plastic Hybrid Structure weighted keys with Escapement and Ebony/Ivory Feel
7 octaves
61 lbs 2 oz
Price: $3,999
βββFantom 6 Back Panel
Extensive connectivity features!
β
Roland Fantom Series
Features
Specifications -
Updates & Drivers - System Program, SVG Sample Converter, Driver, Control Surface Plug-In for Logic, Profile for MainStage, etc.
Manuals - Owner's, Supplementary, Reference, Parameter Guide, Sound List, Plug-In Usage, MIDI Implementation, etc.
Roland Fantom (2019) Facebook Group
Other Reviews
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...yboard/reviews
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...yboard/reviews
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...yboard/reviews
Model Expansions
Feb 2021, Roland released v2.10 update for Fantom and model expansions for Roland FANTOM Synthesizers, ZEN-Core Model Expansions infuse your synthesizer with the authentic characteristics of legendary Roland instruments, each with their own sonic personalities, features, and preset tones. Use them on their own, or alongside onboard sounds and custom multisamples to supercharge your music with unique voices and textures. From rare and sought-after classics like JUPITER-8, JUNO-106, SH-101 & JX-8P, Model Expansions give you unprecedented access to the historic and ever-evolving world of Roland synthesizers. Model Expansions are available exclusively with a free Roland Cloud membership. All these expansions (worth $600) are available for FREE for a limited time. Roland Cloud is also the home for tons of additional content for your FANTOM, with a continually growing range of Sound Packs, Wave Expansions, and more to keep your music sounding fresh.
Roland FANTOM Synthesizers: The Need to Create (FANTOM 6, FANTOM 7, FANTOM 8)
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: "The Speed to Create"
Demo of rapid creation features (not: sounds)
How to build a song on Fantom - Shelter (Porter Robinson & Madeon) Cover
Fantom: a 3 chords song in less than 3 minutes (feat analog filter)
Roland Fantom Tutorial - Pink Floyd "On The Run" sequence using a Single Tone Program and a Single Note - by Gattobus
Single tone and a single key press!!! This is the wizardry of the ZenCore which is amazing! Mind you the same thing needs layering several tones and zoning on some synths. Fantom is a workstation that doesn't give up on being a synthesizer.
Roland Fantom - Quick Trance Scene - by R.Dario
In just 5 minutes - that's the power of Fantom's great UI and cool mode-less workflow!
***** Roland Fantom...
Artist Impressions With Ashton Miranda
Top 5 Reasons to buy the Roland Fantom
ROLAND Fantom | 5 Cool Things You May Not Know!
Roland Fantom Music Synthesizer Workstation Keyboard
Roland Fantom - Ambient/Cinematic Scenes 2
ROLAND FANTOM PLAYLIST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Bd...o9yReY89FdT8Wy
Roland Product Support channel -
https://www.youtube.com/user/RUSProductSupport
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: Overview
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: Sound
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: Sequencing
Sounds of the Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: SuperNATURAL
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer: Performance
Roland FANTOM Synthesizer Version 2.0 Update
for FANTOM 6, FANTOM 7 & FANTOM 8
ROLAND FANTOM WORKSTATION KEYBOARD
Features of the Sequencer
Make it Roland Fantom
Synth Engine Deep Dive
FANTOM Version 2 // Review and full workflow tutorial
for Roland Fantom 6, 7 and 8
Roland Fantom 6 Synthesizer: Unboxing & Demo - Dr Mix
Just imagine if the Pink Floyd band had this beast back then...!
Roland Fantom Synthesizer in Action - Dr Mix
ROLAND Fantom 6 Keyboard First Look 2019 | GEAR GODS
***** Some extensive tutorials from ZT Audio channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2G...BNowhAbJi5mPOA
Roland Fantom (8) - From a Pianist Perspective
***** Roland Fantom - the Ultimate PODCASTING Device!!
***** Roland Fantom Back Panel - an in-depth look
ROLAND FANTOM 6 MUSIC WORKSTATION INDIAN OVERVIEW
Sampling on Roland Fantom
Multi-Sampling on Roland Fantom
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