About to buy a Fantom-G

[DNGmaestro]

So.. It's 2014, and i'm almosting pulling the plug on the getting a Fantom-G for the main purpose of sketching fast ideas and sounds music production.

I already have an obscene amount of hardware workstations and romplers (imo) but none of the keyboard workstations really fulfills me 100% on the sketching fast ideas part.

Do you think the G is still worth it?

[DNGmaestro]

Well, no one answered this but i went and bought it anyway..!

Here it is:


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[Leh173]

Nice! I use mine as my main controller and scratch pad these days, plus practicing on it. I was using it live every week until middle of last year and it never let me down. There are a few quirks and annoyances but if you work with it the way it is, it's a very versatile machine.

[middle c]

They photograph great too! Bought mine a while back, still finding new things to tweak, it is definitely an all in one and a great feeling key bed. Works great with Studio One and midi clock is synced to my v synth and xp30. My only gripe, forget after touch on the keys, thats what the other synths are for especially the xp30. Have patience with it, takes a while, and worth the effort.

[MrSteveVee]

Hiya, was going to reply but only had access via phone, would have taken me a week to type lol. I am no pro just an amateur user, I bought a korg triton le many years back but had no idea what to do with it and the teeny screen made it almost impossible anyway. Next was the Motif XS. Brilliant keyboard for sounds and the song and pattern modes but the operating system is dire. It was like they just added things to menus without any forethought. I stuck withit for a few years and learned quite a bit about what a synth is, then I bought the Fantom. Wow the operating system is so easy. Everything is layed out so logically. I have learned so much on this board and I now use it to control the XS and the LE. My only gripe is the Arps. The XS has hundreds of well executable Arps, the Fantom only a few basic ones and from my understanding they are only a pattern playing type not at all like the XS. Pity, if the Fantom had the same capability of Arps as the Xs I would dump the Xs and just have the fantom. There are also a few quirks in the operating system that are well discussed on the forum, the memory full quirk is the one I hit the most. A lot of people bash the Fantom, I dont know why as its so versatile. The sequencer is like a cut down DAW and I find its just an amazing keyboard.

[DNGmaestro]

Thanks for the responses!

First impressions, i love the sound of it, pure Roland. Love the screen and colors and has some nice sounds and some great live sets to play with. I was totally inspired by some of them.
The main feature i was looking for was the sequencer and it's not as intuitive or as fast as i was hoping, at least at first glance.
My last Roland "workstation" was the Juno-G and that sequencer was really fast and inspiring.

Of course when i learn it it gets better.

Overall at first glance i'm happy! ^_^

[G-Man]

DNGmaestro: congrats for your purchase. The G's sequencer is very cool (or at least I find it this way now) and I wouldn't change it for an old fashioned one (Juno G etc style). You probably need to spend some time with it to get the best results.
But there is something else I wanted to ask you: why didn't you consider purchasing an FA ? Did you test it? Or do you already have it ?

[DNGmaestro]

DNGmaestro: congrats for your purchase. The G's sequencer is very cool (or at least I find it this way now) and I wouldn't change it for an old fashioned one (Juno G etc style). You probably need to spend some time with it to get the best results.
But there is something else I wanted to ask you: why didn't you consider purchasing an FA ? Did you test it? Or do you already have it ?

Simply because i have an integra 7 ! Amazing piece of hardware.
If i didn't have it i would definitely consider it although the thought having just a few selection of supernatural sounds would always kinda of annoy me.
I did try it in a store and the sequencer is indeed great, quick and inspiring (kinda like the juno g or the fantom x) but again, i have all those sounds and more in the integra.
The screen altough very cool and colorful also seems it makes everything pretty small.
If i was a new fantom with ALL the integra 7 inside i would probably go for it.

Another reason was to have the exclusive fantom g sounds, wich is the freshest and last set of new roland pcm sounds (wich i love) before supernatural.
I also thought the sequencer would be more accessible (like the fantom x) but i can see the potential of it.
The sturdiness and amazing screen, great sampling and overall extra features also came in to hand.

But, like the v-synth, for many years, the fantom g was like my dream keyboard workstation that i couldnt afford when i was younger. Today i can say i have fulfilled all my younger Roland fantasys ! :D

[G-Man]

Ah, ok then. Looking at the picture you've posted, I think I spotted the Integra somewhere near the G.
Indeed such a combi is a dream to have. The "FG-Integra-V-Synth" trio is probably the best of the best one can get from Roland :)