Roland - FANTOM Series

Creation

At every turn, FANTOM fulfills the need to create. Its smooth, rapid workflow has no confusing modes, frustrating technical limits, or trade-offs with sound quality. FANTOM’s creative process reflects how today’s musicians work, with fluid composition tools, instantly recallable creative environments, and deep computer integration.

Overview video

No modes. Just seamless workflow.

When the creative juices are flowing, there should be no barriers. With FANTOM, you won’t compromise your sound or suffer workarounds due to outdated technical limits. And forget worrying about what features work in which mode. FANTOM is always in full-on creative mode and your workflow stays consistent, no matter what.

Make a scene.

When you’re ready to create, so is FANTOM—and all it takes is a single touch. Your sounds, patterns, and performance layouts are arranged into custom creative spaces called Scenes. A Scene can be an entire song, section of a song, or a starting point with your favorite sounds laid out just how you like. Scenes can be chained together and changed instantly with no gaps or glitches.

Everything. Always.

You shouldn’t have to wonder how many effects are available, or if you can change sounds seamlessly without limiting complex patches. With FANTOM, you can focus on playing music, not rationing processing power. And with so much power under the hood, you can run all 16 parts with all available effects—simultaneously—with full patch-remain for seamless transitions. It’s like having the power of two complete FANTOMs in one.

Sound

FANTOM’s flexible and expandable sound engine leverages decades of research and development, dishing out inspiring and authentic electronic, acoustic, and hybrid sounds by the bucketload. Combine multiple synthesis and sampling technologies along with the onboard analog filter for new and unusual sounds—and take advantage of new sound expansions and capabilities as they arrive.

Sound demo video

SuperNATURAL sounds

Sonic superpowers.

FANTOM’s sound engine combines ZEN-Core’s analog modeling and PCM synthesis with deep multisampling, SuperNATURAL and V-Piano technologies—and even software synthesizers—for unique sounds and intricate performance setups. There are dozens of effects for space and depth, and an analog filter for extra warmth and grit. And thanks to our custom Behavior Modeling Core processors, control is smooth and precise with loads of polyphony, and full patch remain.

ZEN at the core.

FANTOM’s ZEN-Core synth engine is based on partials. Each partial contains a discrete synth voice—complete with an oscillator, filter, amplifier, dual LFO, and effects. You can have up to four partials in a single tone, and a Scene can contain up to 16 tones for complex splits, layers, and sequenced parts.

More about ZEN-Core

Deep sampling.

With FANTOM, you can sample internal and external sources, or even both at the same time. Sample directly to the onboard pads for triggering, to the keyboard for instant pitched sounds, or create detailed multisamples with up to 352 samples per tone. You can even use samples as the basis of a ZEN-Core tone, taking custom sound design to a new level.

The Piano is Key.

Considered by many as the king of instruments, piano sits at the heart of the creative process for composers across a range of musical genres. FANTOM uses our V-Piano and SuperNATURAL technologies for pianos that don’t just sound real, they feel real. Craft pianos that play and respond like their acoustic counterparts and match your personal taste.

LFOMG

Low-frequency oscillators add movement to static sounds. More LFOs mean more modulation possibilities and more ways to explore new ground. FANTOM has two LFOs per partial, four partials per tone—and since you can stack 16 tones, that’s a staggering 128 LFOs per voice. And FANTOM’s Step-LFOs have 16 steps of beat-synced automation with 37 curve choices per step. This creates long evolving passages, modular-style animated textures, and sounds with deeply intricate movement.

Model Expansions.

From rare and sought-after classics to the designs of tomorrow, Model Expansions give you unprecedented access to the historic and ever-evolving world of Roland synthesizers. Infuse your FANTOM with the characters of entirely different instruments, each with their own sonic personalities, features, and preset tones. Split and layer multiple Model Expansions or mix them with V-Piano sounds, custom multisamples, or other ZEN-Core tones for unique voices and textures.

Watch video

Expand Your Creative Horizons.

Roland Cloud offers dozens of Sound Packs and Wave Expansions to keep your music sounding fresh, while a steady stream of updates bring user-requested features and refinements to broaden the FANTOM experience.

Explore sounds

Playability

After sound quality, what’s more important than playability? The way an instrument feels under your fingers, and how it helps you express yourself, is vital. FANTOM focuses on the experience of playing, from its immersive keyboard action to its arsenal of performance controls.

Performance video

Players paradise.

FANTOMs have our best keyboards ever, including the acclaimed PHA-50 on the 88-note model and a brand new semi-weighted action on the 61- and 76-note models. Each feels solid, precise, and supremely playable, with the expressive capabilities of aftertouch. We make our own keyboards to exacting standards, each model an evolution of the previous generation.

High-res, hands-on control.

FANTOM has plenty of knobs and sliders for intuitive and immediate control, with high-resolution for buttery-smooth sweeps and fine adjustments. There’s a dedicated synthesizer section with oscillator, filter, and envelope controls, along with numerous buttons and pads for triggering and sequencing.

Go ahead. Express yourself.

There are many ways to play expressively on keyboards. Some players like levers, some like wheels, some prefer pedals, while others prefer aftertouch. With FANTOM, you can use any of them—or all of them. You can even connect USB controllers to any of FANTOM’s three USB ports for enhanced expression.

Sequencing

FANTOM is a complete musical composition platform that excels at fast creation and fluid arrangement. You have RGB pads, a classic TR-REC style pattern sequencer, real-time recording with touchscreen piano-roll editing, and a grid for recording and launching clips. Use any or all, whenever you want.

Sequencing video

From spark to fire.

Different musical genres need diverse production styles and specialized tools. You can create patterns on FANTOM in a variety of ways including real and step-time polyphonic sequencing, or the TR-REC pattern sequencer—perfect for rhythmic parts—as used on our iconic drum machines.

Clip-based sequencing.

A great way to build up a track is by arranging clips that contain musical patterns. Drums, basslines, pads, and other patterns can be recorded into clips that you can trigger individually, or in groups. It’s a lightning-fast way to compose and ideal for triggering backing tracks during live performance.

TR-REC step-sequencer.

The foundation of dance music is the step-sequencer, specifically the 16-step TR-REC variety found on our drum machines like the TR-808 and TR-909. FANTOM’s built-in TR-REC sequencer makes it quick and easy to create rhythmic parts and is modernized with support for polyphonic parts.

Connectivity

While FANTOM is powerful by itself, its powers grow exponentially when connected to other gear like computers or analog synthesizers. FANTOM can control software synthesizers directly from the touchscreen, drive modular and analog synthesizers from its dual CV/Gate outputs, and is also a high-quality audio interface capable of 16 stereo outputs and 3 stereo inputs.

Computer expert

FANTOM doesn’t just work with computers—it fully integrates. It’s a high-quality 16x3 stereo audio interface and can control DAWs and plugins from its touchscreen. It can integrate soft synths into Scenes, and send parts composed on FANTOM directly to your DAW.

Deep soft synth integration.

Customize your sound by integrating your plugin soft synths with FANTOM. Control Apple Logic, Garage Band, and Mainstage, and adjust soft synth parameters right from FANTOM’s touchscreen. Mix and layer soft synths with FANTOM’s internal sounds, and then route them through FANTOM’s analog filter section.

Dual CV/Gate.

While FANTOM provides enormous creative potential, you may also want to integrate analog synths or drum machines with your setup. FANTOM has two sets of CV/Gate outputs so you can sync tempo or play them from FANTOM’s keyboard or its many pattern sequencers.

“The desire to transform thought into sound is to make the sounds that you can imagine become a reality.”

Roly Porter

Composer

Design

A clean and intuitive layout, premium materials, and our best-ever keyboard action. The result? An instrument that begs to be played.

It’s the little things.

The more you get to know FANTOM, the more you appreciate the thoughtful details that simplify your life as a keyboardist. From the slight curvature of the top-panel labels for rear connections, to the informative RGB-lit controls and buttons, FANTOM facilitates creativity and eliminates frustration.

Everything in its place.

FANTOM is designed to propel the creative process and play beautifully. The placement of each control, and how it interacts with the creative heart inside FANTOM, has been thoroughly considered with today’s workflow in mind.

Built to last.

FANTOM is made of tough metal with high-grade components throughout. Everything about it is sturdy and built to withstand the perils of live gigs and life on the road.

Check out FANTOM 6, 7 and 8 by the numbers in Specs

Specs