plea to Roland

[zephonic]

It feels odd, thirteen years ago I registered at this forum to get an idea out to Roland, and here I am doing it again.

 

Back then I was dissatisfied about the Fantom X' UI, as I felt it wasn't great for live use. Nevertheless, I gigged the Fantom for eleven more years so I guess it's all relative.

 

One thing I still love about the Fantom is the butter-smooth and precise action, if there's any better semi-weighted action out there I haven't played it.

 

I still use the Fantom daily in my home studio, as it allows such precise control over dynamics. For piano and Rhodes (and oddly, ac gtr) a weighted action is better, but for EVERYTHING else, this keyboard is the best. Playing drums, bass, horns, synths you name it.

 

So I'm concerned to see Roland no longer sells anything with this particular action. I don't know what I'm gonna do when my Fantom kicks the bucket. There simply isn't anything else out there that plays as well.

 

Hey Roland, I really hope you'll bring it back in some shape or form, preferably a full-phat flagship model, but even if it's just as a controller, I'll take it. Thanks.

[mojkarma]

I don't know how the Fantom X keybed feels like, but if it's anywhere like the Jupiter 80, it's a stellar keybed. Among the very best.

I gave up long time ago regarding Roland. IMO, there is something going completely wrong and the result is that they don't play any significant role when it comes to keyboards.

The Integra would be a great performance keyboard if released as a keyboard and without those irrational design errors like 64 user performances and 4 slots for expansions...

[David Emm]

I hear ya, but unless we can all get together and form one giant robot that forces Roland's hand, its hard to imagine them going there again. How many units of such keybeds, even just as controllers, could they really sell compared with the number of Boutiques they shipped? Keyboard PLAYERS are the fringe customers now, so keep your Jupiter 50s/80s; they're among the precious few "best controllers" in town. Besides, if I had a dime for every time I've chimed in on this maddening little issue, I could buy a Jupiter-50 and STFU. Oi!

 

[wd8dky]

As long as the general population continues to buy what Roland puts out, and they're profitable, they have no reason to listen to a very small sample of said population (those of us on this board).

[theshinenz]

I'd buy a new Roland workstation like the Fantom-G, I think if roland put ALL its Plug-out Synths into a workstation is would be a sure winner, I tried Roland Cloud and loved the sounds but live too CPU heavy to be practical... plus I hate using a laptop, its takes the flow away from making music.

 

I'd pay good money for something like this.

[ProfD]

Yep. It's tough sledding to go into a music store and lay hands on these crap action newer KBs.

 

I can only think they are not being made with real musicians in mind. IMO, the needs of the most popular segment of music makers has taken over and are being catered to by manufacturers.

 

Optimistically, I believe things do go full circle. Within our lifetime, a manufacturer will produce a KB with full sized keys and a quality action at a reasonable price.

[jeffincltnc]

I can only think they are not being made with real musicians in mind. IMO,

 

What is a "real musician"?

[ProfD]

I can only think they are not being made with real musicians in mind. IMO,

 

What is a "real musician"?

My definition of a "real musician" is someone who actually "plays" a KB or any other instrument instead of merely using it as a data entry device for getting notes into a sequencer or DAW.

 

Of course, some "real" musicians most certainly do use these newer KBs with slimmer keys and less than desired action as a chief 2nd in their KB rig and/or as a primary instrument when stage footprint is tight.

[Mike Kent]

Roland developed and evolved their own key actions over many years. On a tour of their Hosoe factory they were always proud to show off the key molding machines. If its a Japanese made Roland synth, then it almost certainly has a Roland action and keys.

 

I don't like the key actions in their Chinese made products. The one in my FA-06 is particularly atrocious. I love the synth for so many reasons and it remains a central instrument for me. But I try to avoid playing piano on it (I don't like the piano sounds anyway). Apparently the FA-07 action is much better but the rig where I use the FA-06 doesn't have space for the longer FA-07. :-(

[RABid]

I keep going back and forth with the idea of selling my Fantom X7. Love the action and master controller capabilities. But, I have a JP80 and that is a lot of duplication. But, the Fantom X has a GREAT feel.

[Reezekeys]

One thing I still love about the Fantom is the butter-smooth and precise action, if there's any better semi-weighted action out there I haven't played it.

I don't know what I'm gonna do when my Fantom kicks the bucket. There simply isn't anything else out there that plays as well.

If you think it's likely the keybed will "kick the bucket" before the rest of the synth, you may be able to buy a replacement keybed now and store it for that eventuality.

 

Of course, it might be a decent amount of time before the "bucket-kicking", so unless the whole keyboard/synth sector goes the way of cheapo Chinese construction, I'm betting you'll see at least a few pieces of new gear that will make you happy. For myself, I happen to be OK with meeting a keyboard action "in the middle" so to speak, meaning I can play any decent action after an adjustment period which I accept I have to do. Now that you mention the FA, I do remember being surprised by some very mild side-to-side play on its keys, also a less sturdy-seeming plastic hope it's not a trend.