Roland Fantom-G6 Review

Mar 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Jim Aikin

A KEYBOARD WORKSTATION THAT PACKS SOME SERIOUS MUSCLE

The effects setup provides dedicated chorus and reverb and a mastering multiband compressor (all of them global), a separate multi-effect for each of the 16 Patches in Studio mode, one or two more multi-effects, and an input effect. More than 75 algorithms are available, along with 22 signal-routing options. Specific parts and effects can be routed to hardware output jacks 3 and 4, for instance.

Sampling

The Fantom-G ships with 32 MB of memory, which provides about 3 minutes of stereo sampling time. Memory can be expanded by installing up to 512 MB of DIMM. The same memory will be used for recording audio tracks into the sequencer, so most musicians will want to budget for extra memory. Cool feature: the Fantom's audio recorder is always operating in the background, so if you play a cool lick on the keyboard, you can listen to or even save the audio as a new sample.

In addition to the usual set of sample-editing functions, the Fantom can do real-time, granular-based time-stretching of samples. If you've recorded a vocal phrase, for instance, the Fantom can transpose it up or down by a few half steps without changing its speed and without drastically affecting the timbre. Transposing by more than two or three half steps with this feature tends to produce gargling artifacts, which are mildly amusing for a minute or two. There is no Undo command for data-altering sample edits, but if you get in the habit of saving your samples to long-term memory, you can restore the most recent saved version.

Editing Software and USB

The Fantom-G ships with a USB driver and an editor program (see Fig. 2) that can be used either standalone or as a VST or AU sequencer plug-in. This enables you to work within your familiar DAW and use the power of the Fantom-G's sound engine rather than taxing the host computer's CPU. The workstation also includes a 2-in, 2-out USB interface. This lets you record to the computer using the mic/guitar input and Fantom effects. Performers can also use the USB interface to stream audio from the computer to the Fantom-G, apply effects, and route the audio to alternate outputs.

Unfortunately, the manual doesn't explain how to use the Fantom-G as a plug-in; the Windows installer doesn't put a .dll file in the Steinberg VST plug-ins folder, which many installers can detect automatically; and the Fantom installer won't ask you where to put such a file. I also was disappointed that the edited voices within the editor can't be saved as part of the DAW project.

I found that if I switched on the Fantom when it was connected via USB to my PC, my Syncrosoft dongle (also USB) would disappear from the system, leaving me unable to launch any of my Steinberg or Arturia software. I alerted Roland to the problem, and the company was unable to reproduce it. In fairness, I tested with an older PC, and its OS includes old drivers that might have caused some of the problems. Furthermore, EM's editors have heard reports of similar issues with Syncrosoft dongles that did not involve Roland equipment. So I can't prove that the Fantom was at fault; I can only report what I experienced.

Fantom Thoughts

I've always liked Roland's sample-playback synths, going clear back to the JD-800. The Fantom-G is a proud successor to that line and has both the wonderful Roland sound and a stunning user interface. In Live mode, you can build an 8-way split/layer and use the pads to trigger full sequences, drum patterns, or samples as performance Live Sets. This is a powerful way to provide one-finger accompaniment, but to be honest, I prefer the approach taken by some other pro-oriented keyboards, such as the Yamaha Motif XS, which can play realistic sampled drumbeats and guitar strums using its factory arpeggiator patterns. With that said, if you're looking for a gigging keyboard, I'd recommend the Fantom-G without hesitation.

The Fantom-G is a very good standalone workstation for those who want to do their studio projects without using a computer, and the multitrack sequencer's mic/guitar input is an excellent feature. As with many Roland workstations, effects can be automated by assigning any controller to an effects parameter and recording it to a MIDI track as continuous controller data. But I wish the Fantom-G had audio-track level automation as well, especially given that it boasts 24 audio tracks.

My feelings about using the Fantom-G with a computer are more mixed. The Fantom's USB connection is a good feature, and if it works as intended, it makes the instrument into a useful computer peripheral and more. However, as noted, I had problems using it with my Windows PC.

There's much more to the Fantom story. If you're curious, find a Roland dealer and check it out for yourself.

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Jim Aikin writes about music technology, teaches classical cello, and writes fantasy stories and computer-based interactive fiction. Visit him online at musicwords.net.

PRODUCT SUMMARY

keyboard workstation

$2,999

PROS: Stunning user interface. Trigger pads for percussion. User sampling. Built-in multitrack audio/MIDI sequencer. Rich sound palette. Accepts Roland ARX-series expansion boards.

CONS: Serious audio recording requires memory upgrade. Sequencer lacks audio-track automation. No undo for sample edits.

FEATURES	1	2	3	4	5
EASE OF USE	1	2	3	4	5
AUDIO QUALITY	1	2	3	4	5
VALUE	1	2	3	4	5

Roland Corporation U.S.
rolandus.com