Roland FANTOM-0 Series Overview 

It's a Fantom-08 (OH Eight), not a Fantom 8.

256 mb for expansions / multisamples ???? 2022 ??? Man .....

@@ursullavandenbord2322 indeed

When it comes to music production and sampling, which one will you choose this Fantom or the new Kurzweil K2700?

Would you like to develop a bit the Korg VS Roland (VS Yamaha eventually too) because this comment lacks a substantial amount of information IMO???

Modx doesn't sample though.

@@mpmi7588 Good point. MOD-X is not considered a workstation keyboard, either, since the sequencing part is quite lacking. It's a budget version of the Montage.

@@lance134679 yes that sequencer really disappointed me

@@mpmi7588 If they put nice crossfades on the morphing feature though... I really hope they do. It'll be the best wavetable synth on the market.

@@lance134679 this is a budget version of the fantom, and some websites don't refer to this as a workstation, some do. You'll see this labeled as a synthesizer and not a workstation sometimes

Hey Rick, surprised you don't have one already :)

@@naturesrecovery4516 they don't ship until the end of May,

I’m a long time Fantom user and that has been my one turn of about Roland was their organ selection!!!! That had everything right but organ!!! Can’t wait to upgrade to the flagship Fantom I us to have a G6

The manuals don't look that different, not worth "upgrading" unless the Ableton integration, increased sampling time for the sample pads, and the touchscreen appeal that much to you. The FA's SuperNatural pianos are possibly better, but I won't be able to confirm until I can try one myself at Sam Ash in June or so. Now if you fully delve into sound design, then the Zen-Core engine is definitely an upgrade. I've got an MC-707, so I'm good there already, plus it is the better sampler and sequencer, too.

Korg PAs are a fairly different beast. Nothing in fantom 0 seems to have the arranger capabilities of a PA. I had a pa600, as well as fa06 and now Juno ds. I much prefer the roland keybed but the arrangement capabilities of PA were super fun - and highly impressive when used by an experienced pro (which I am not 😎). So it depends what you are looking for. If you want to noodle around or entertain others, PA is awesome. If you want to create your own stuff from scratch but not on a pc fantom 0 is likely better. P.s. While all my big stuff is currently roland, I kinda disagree that all those wavestates and opsixes and volcas and so on were "not of note" to industry and consumers alike. If anything, roland seems to be re re releasing stuff that "faithfully captures that Juno / jupiter sound" ad nauseum, which to somebody who frankly doesn't care is annoying as I genuinely prefer their layout and keybed. Real innovation seems to be outside any of the 3 big houses - hydrasynth, cobalt and argon, etc 🤷‍♂️

@@NikolaNovak Nice! I like that the PA can do a lot of the work for you in creating songs when you don’t know how to properly play certain instruments. I’m working on some original music now and would have loved to have a PA but going to just go ahead and work learning how to add the instruments I don’t know . Every brand has something to offer. If they all got rid of all their old sounds people would complain because they are missing. 😃 I’m glad for the number of sounds I get from different generations. I was having a conversation with someone last night how old music will never die also. We will still need those “old sounds” if we want to recreate the old music. Innovation is how they are able to capture the sounds of old instruments in a digital form. I know with pianos how they say digitals don’t feel like the real thing. Years later when we are on to something else they will say these new instruments don’t feel like the ones from 2022. 😃

Yes Roland did it to you. I own a Roland D-50 and D-70 🎹 Yamaha DX7 and a Krog Wavestation EX 🎹 Synthesizer. This is a upgrade to me. I just ordered a 06 today on Sweetwater!

@@ErraticFaith korg minilogue Simple to the point analogue synth Great korg product

Im new to synths and am yet to lean how to play :-) however was thinking of getting the Roland Fantom-8 (not the 08) or the Yamaha montage m8x - any recommendations or go with VST?

Saria's song

Hi Asante, great questions! The faders can be assigned for DAW Control. The lights can not be edited. There is both audio and MIDI over USB. I'm not quite sure what you mean by your last two questions, so feel free to give us a call to go into more detail. Thanks! Regards, Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

It has a Sampling Possibility !!

As a retrofit, @@ingofritzsche7737?

Hi, Jose! Thanks for the interest. I double-checked Roland's user manual for the Fantom-0 series, and I couldn't find a way to change the behavior of the sliders in the way you describe. I will forward your question to my contacts at Roland just in case there is something I missed. I'll circle back here once I get a reply from them! Feel free to contact me directly with any further questions in the meantime. Thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com

Hi Nikola, great question! Changing those values does require a bit of going through menus, but the volume change can be mapped to a slider in a performance patch. The octave button will default to shifting both sides of the split, but the individual patches can be transposed independently from within the menus. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

@@sweetwater thanks - that's extremely helpful but so unfortunate - sounds like the fa06 method whereas ds61 makes it so easy to change on the fly. It seems much more of a jamming machine 🤔🤷‍♂️

Integration will be a commonly increasing trend. Software will completely replace them otherwise. Hardware needs the compatibility with the digital processes people are becoming familiar with. Thus 'zencore' has come into being - and is a plenty powerful tool. Workstations have had mini-screens for a generation. A poor recent compromise would be nautilus - because whilst it has a screen; it has fewer handon controls along side to lend the tactile to the display. Roland is far better. A nice blend of hands-on with display. Yes it could be larger; but the screen quality is also better in terms of resolution. Along side your laptops and other instrumentation - you get alot with the 0 at a very competitive pandemic wind-down pricepoint.

@@ErraticFaith I just see the guy in the video constantly trying to touch a small icon, and it not registering at all.

I suppose as a woman barely half of his weight it would be hard to relate (lol) but certainly interfaces are a preference. They've been with us since before the days of Kronos and that's a long way now. Having a huge laptop screen with super sized interfaces is popular for a reason - I simply don't mind the little ones or find that they hold me back at all. YMMV. RnD does tend to be extensive here though.

Between these tiers it's more about what you use it for. Juno may be considered by some to be 'entry' over the Roland-0's mid tier; but anyone asking your question should really simplify it to --- 'do I want Zencore in a midtier workstation'. That answers a number of usage questions by association. Be it 'I'm going to want the full features - so I'll save for the flagship' or even 'I don't need that much synthesis in a board that can't fully utilize it' (Polyphony wall). Much like your Juno - the board can work brilliantly as an accompaniment (smaller size model). However whilst Juno is perfect for that, as with Modx from Yamaha; the 0 series offers a lot more features that bring it more inline with the integration and controller themes that were baked in. This makes me feel almost as if it's wasted in that position - and demands a main stage placement. Only problem is, it's lacking the power to really make the most of the onboard tech (think of how they went on to make [Modx +] recently to improve that. Anyone in a studio is going to have a lot of other devices to integrate. So much so that they may not need such a midrange device, over a simple controller and limitless VST. On the road - I don't see the 0 series as useful in the way the FA is (straightforward without unnecessary features that aren't fully powered) whilst the full Fantom is -- but also much heavier and with shortfalls of its own depending on model/size. Fantom-0 has a pleasant enough build (I personally don't like the revised keybeds but thats nothing people should care about really - it's preference) and whether or not you want a VST in a box (almost literally in this case) is really about how you fit it into your playing -- not whether it's bad or good for 'everyone'. If you see what I mean. People buy it because it does have a good range of features. But they often find it limited in their actual use, or not quite powerful enough for their deepdives. So its all down to 'what parts will I actually use'. Juno is amazing honestly for its price TO use value.

I think you can’t really compare the fantom-0 to the Kronos SE, as the Kronos SE is only the same Kronos functionality with a lighter and no aftertouch keyboard, but the Fantom-0 has a lot less things than the Fantom, and some of them you have to buy… wondering if they worth the price…

@@jPaulofe The Kronos SE does have aftertouch, perhaps you are thinking of the LS88 which is lighter.

You’re right, I just referring to the LS… my bad

The Reference manual and Owner's manual. The pads are no different from the FA-06's if you are familiar with that older keyboard. Sampling functionality is less than basic.

@@Jason75913, thank you very much for the obvious answer… if the manuals were that good, I wouldn’t have made the question in the first place…

@@jPaulofe but they are really good? so what are your questions that they could not answer? I tend to mention manuals because people often do not read them or only read the simplistic Owner's manual and not the others, which cover more detail, and then complain that the Owner's manual is too basic.

Hello, great question! External speakers and/or headphones are required for this keyboard. If you need help finding the best ones for your needs, feel free to reach out. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

Nope, the exact same as FA-06, but importing sample files now no longer requires that you dump all your files into one folder, you can browse the external memory now (a feature oddly left out of the FA), so you can now have files properly organized by folder. For further sample manipulation, get an Akai MPC One or Live, or do it on a computer before loading the sample(s) onto external memory to use with the Fantom-0, same as with the FA. There's also the new Roland SP-404 Mk2 for sample manipulation, but a used MPC One is a vastly better deal, in my opinion.

Even my Fantom G from 2008 doesn't sound too different from this (except for the piano and synth sounds).

@@alrick3000 And still no aftertouch, although I have that on my $149 mini controller. Go figure.

@@SWATTECHNOLOGIES Oh. My Fantom G7 from 2008 does have aftertouch. I didn't think they'd downgrade. Also, many of the features mentioned here were introduced in 2008, albeit renamed. Live mode, patch remain, Supernatural E. pianos etc. I see no feature here that would make an upgrade from my Fantom G7 a must.

@@alrick3000 Agree

@@alrick3000 This keyboard is not a flagship like the Fantom-G was. The new FANTOM's are modeles in design. There is no patch, live or song mode. And all the features here are new. These are new Supernatural Pianos and EPs. Not recycled sounds. This new Fantom beats the Fantom-G when it comes to sounds merely due to the Zen-Core, Tonewheel, Supernatural and Model Expansions engines.

Hello, great question! There is no Cubase control. With the Fantom 0 there are two free model expansions and the rest are $149 (except the SDZ which is only $1). Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

The reason it's so integrated into Ableton is that the company gave access to the source code and so on, to allow it to work cooperatively. Other companies, lets use Cubase as an example; will not do so because Steinberg is owned by Yamaha Corp. They don't want other competitors to have access in that fashion, since it's a rival brand for them. I could say more on the topic but I won't since I am affiliated, it's not really appropriate. Personally I am not a big 'integration' fan - because I didn't grow up with it. I know, time moves on. But these are still little steps in that regard. It goes with Ableton but still maps well to others.

Hi, Charles! Thanks for the interest. There are a number of differences between the flagship Fantom instruments and the new Fantom-0 series. Some of the big ones are the synth filter (analog on the Fantom, digital on the Fantom-0), the keybed (highly upgraded on the Fantom - the 88-key weighted version of the flagship has the same PHA-50 keybed as Roland's high-end stage pianos), and a lot more connectivity on the full Fantom (including CV/gate to integrate with modular synth rigs). The Fantom-0 keyboards are also a good bit smaller and lighter than the full Fantoms, so they could potentially be a better choice for gigging players for whom portability is a concern. Hope this helps, and feel free to contact me directly with any further questions! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com

Sequencer of Fantom is trash. It allows only 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures and is clip based (you need to chain midi clips to organize a song). For anything basic songwriting related you anyway will be using software midi sequencer bar primitive edm/rap. Yamaha CK 88 is rather traditional stage keyboard. If you are a performer and don't need any of these non keyboard synths, pads, sound effects, drum kits, etc., CK-88 is the way to go. But if you also involved in songwriting and producing songs Fantom 08 is a better option with massive collection of sounds, synth engine, MFX, 16 parts, USB audio stream. It even has mic input and additional 1/4 inch outputs for band music applications. Arguably Fantom - 08 is more complete keyboard (it's workstation afterall), but stage keyboards such as CK-88 has their own advantages otherwise none would buy them (MODX with the same GHS keyboard costs the same). BTW, if you interested in piano sound exclusively and using it mostly at home, P-515 is an option too (just watch out its weight).

I think this is the replacement for the FA-0x series. Same price point from what I'm seeing.

It’s the lite version of the Fantom. I have the Fantom 8 and can tell you it’s a tank with all the bells and whistles.

@@mikemorrisonmusic I have my Fantom 7 on order, can't wait to get it in a few months.

Hi, thanks for your interest! You can absolutely connect the Fantom-0 instruments to a DAW. This would allow you to use the Fantom as a MIDI controller for virtual instruments in the software, and you can also sequence the sounds on the Fantom via MIDI coming out from the DAW. Whether you’re using the built-in sequencer on the Fantom or a software sequencer, you should be able to easily edit each note in your MIDI sequences as needed. Hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com

8 Faders, more knobs, more buttons, performance pads look similar to the fantom line, touchscreen, zencore engine and pha4 keybed for the fantom 08 compared to the ivory g from the fa-08. There may be more, but that's what was on my mind at the moment.

Hi Bryan, great question! There are add-on tones from Roland available here: lp.roland.com/fantom-0/fantom-0-with-roland-cloud-expansions Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

I think we need to complain to Roland to create a class-compliant driver for the FANTOM and FANTOM-0. They did it for the MC's.

Hi Tony, great question. The short answer is yes, so long as your app can be set up to receive MIDI information on a specific channel. You may need a MIDI interface of some type to integrate the keyboard with your device as well. Feel free to give us a call to go into more detail on this. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com

@@ablesam I shot Ed Diaz a message and posted on the Roland Clan forum, hope it means something at least. I didn't even know that they released the driver for the MC-707, so it is possible.

Hi, thanks for your interest! The Fantom-08 features the PHA-4 weighted keybed, which is the same as what's on the RD-88. The Fantom-07 and 06 have a semi-weighted, synth action keybed. Feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com

Thanks for your interest! I can’t find any auto chop function for sampling, if that’s what you’re referring to. There isn’t any reference in the manual from what I can find, either. Feel free to reach out to me directly, though, if you want to discuss it or if I can help you find anything that’s going to do everything you want. I hope this helps! Connor Smith, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1793, connor_smith@sweetwater.com