Roland Fantom X8 Vs. Korg M3

[Nfinite2006]

Im looking to start making my own beats and i know that both of these keyboards are great. However i just want to know which one will be better for me..of course i will be making hip-hop beats and i know alot of producers in the industry use Tritons but i was also told that the fantom x8 is great peice of equipment as well.

i would love to hear the opinions of you guys.

[Nahuel]

both are nice workstations, you should go to the store and listen to it or google some audio demoz.

[Nfinite2006]

ok i think i will do that

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by Nfinite2006

Im looking to start making my own beats and i know that both of these keyboards are great. However i just want to know which one will be better for me..of course i will be making hip-hop beats and i know alot of producers in the industry use Tritons but i was also told that the fantom x8 is great peice of equipment as well.

i would love to hear the opinions of you guys.

What style of hip hop beats will you be looking to make? If you are going for your first keyboard or rack module, blah blah blah, you will naturally want to go with something that will have sounds tailored more towards what you like to hear, because those sounds will most likely be your go to stuff while making your beats.

Get an ideal for what type of sounds you will be looking to use most, and that will give you more of an indication of what keyboard you need to get. Each of them have their own personality as to what type of sounds they provide best.

Don't forget to add in the Yamaha Motif up in there too, especially if you are into natural sounding strings and key sounds.

[Nfinite2006]

^ok thanks for your input

[cynic one]

i own neither, but if i had the dough - i'd be all over the korg m3 with a radius right next to it..........

right now i'm just making due with the micro-x and a z1

....but yeah, go into guitar center and check em out. but bring your headphones and plug em in. it's hella distracting to be trying to hear a keyboard and someone is playing bad trance lines in the background.

[deuc647]

cynic, make due with a z1? thats not making due, i remember i had a friend with one and i absolutely fell in love with it, one of the best VAs i ever usedthumbsup

[cynic one]

Originally Posted by deuc647

cynic, make due with a z1? thats not making due, i remember i had a friend with one and i absolutely fell in love with it, one of the best VAs i ever usedthumbsup

i was being kind of sarcastic....i'd still like a radius though. korg makes good stuff.

[.Powell.]

Personally I like the Fantom better but keyboards are built for hip-hop thats why sounds go thru synthesis

[Nfinite2006]

alot of people are saying the m3 but im also hearing the Roland is the sh*t as well..god im confused i played with the Roland not to long ago at guitar center and i was very impressed but what im hearing about the M3 is crazy.

now this is going to be my first keyboard some people are telling the m3 is a little complex and im not looking for that right now so if the Roland is a little easier to operate then i might go with that

[Nahuel]

I've been told that the roland is easy to handle (for a workstation) + wit that Fantom G comming (or maybe already available, i dont know) the X8 price is goin down.

The motif is meant to be very good for acustic sounds.
The Korg is meant to be very good for synth n evolving sounds.
The Fantom is meant to be in between.

[mintyfreshbeats]

Nfinite have you considered any software synths?

[Nfinite2006]

^ na actually i havent haha

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by Nfinite2006

^ na actually i havent haha

Once you pick out the keyboard you want, fill in any empty holes of sounds you would like more of with software stuff.

Trust me man, treated the right way, soft synths along with programs like Reason and Ableton Live can go a long way and give you virtually (no pun intended) all you need for making good beats.

[Nfinite2006]

^ thanks for your input man i appreciate it and it helped.

i will be using the built in sequencer i which ever keyboard i get i will be doing everything on the keyboard so i dont think i will be using cubase or FL studio etc.

the reason i was leaning more towards the M3 is because it more current and i hear that the sounds are better( some people have told me this). Im just stuck in a limbo and i dont know which one to get the roland is older but a very powerful board but the m3 is also powerful and its more current not sure.


my friend told me to look into the Roland G series boards im not sure what i should do

[lazi]

i own the m3,xs6, and x7... what do u want to know?

[Nfinite2006]

^ i want to know if the m3 would be better for me over roland

would it?

[lazi]

it really depends on your style and what features you will be needing...

to keep it short i'd wait for the fantom g because (imo) the x is the most well rounded workstation i've put my hands on to date. if i had to cop today i'd cop the motif because of the great sounds, up-to-date interfacing, and studio connections control. if i was doing pop tracks, dance, or tracks for video then i'd cop the m3.

now the beauty of a workstation is they handle just about any style and all have many features. the only way to go wrong is to cop one and never use it.

but yuh... i'd wait on and cop the g....

[15YO]

I have both the Juno-G (fantom sound engine) and the Motif XS6...
and I have to say..

**** ROLAND! lol
Just about every sound (except the synths and 808/909's) SUCK ASS BALLS!

The Yamaha beats Roland HANDS DOWN! and not just in the "acoustic" sounds like every non-motif owner thinks.
I love the synths, bass, acoustics, drums, sfx, mfx, etc.

I've played a good bit on the M3 but not enough to really judge it.


I wouldn't recommend the roland at all unless you think a few classic synth sounds and some 808/909's are worth it.

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by Nfinite2006

^ i want to know if the m3 would be better for me over roland

would it?

I had a chance try out the M3 back in September. I demoed it for a few hours (totally lost track of time while on it), and honestly, I would have to say it is a really good keyboard.

I have used different Korg keyboards and I own a Korg Triton Rack, and I still can say that wouldnt mind buying it if I was in the market for a new keyboard right now. I have a friend who owns a studio and is going through your current delimma. He wants to add another keyboard to his collection and his initial plan was to just go with the Fantom. The same week that I demoed the M3, I had a session to produce for down at his studio and I was telling him all about the M3. He is also an owner of the Korg Triton rack and a few different types of Korg keyboards. Long story short, he is now leaning more towards grabbing the M3.

The M3 offers a totally fresh take on the Korg sound, so its worth buying anyway you look at it.

I have also owned a Fantom rack , long story short on that was I ended up cloning its sounds and sold off that annoying thing. The sounds it offers are great though, well worth the trouble when I was dealing with the hardware.

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by 15YO

I have both the Juno-G (fantom sound engine) and the Motif XS6...
and I have to say..

**** ROLAND! lol
Just about every sound (except the synths and 808/909's) SUCK ASS BALLS!

The Yamaha beats Roland HANDS DOWN! and not just in the "acoustic" sounds like every non-motif owner thinks.
I love the synths, bass, acoustics, drums, sfx, mfx, etc.

I've played a good bit on the M3 but not enough to really judge it.

I wouldn't recommend the roland at all unless you think a few classic synth sounds and some 808/909's are worth it.

Yo!

How you gonna diss Roland like that when you've only owned a Juno-G lmao.

Yahama for life though... out of every keyboard or sound module I have ever used, the motif fit the mold best for my style.

[Nfinite2006]

some people are telling me to wait for the new roland G8 but it wont be out till april i hear. i think i may just go with the m3

one more question which keyboard would you guys recommend for hip-hop producing? i know timbaland uses a korg

[IM WHO YOU THINK]

If I were starting out today, I'd get a roland JD990 with the synth expansion and a Z1 along with some kind of rompler (fantom/motiff ))

[Nfinite2006]

^ im talking about between these two workstations

[Ken Walker]

Originally Posted by IM WHO YOU THINK

If I were starting out today, I'd get a roland JD990 with the synth expansion and a Z1 along with some kind of rompler (fantom/motiff ))

If I could start all over again I think I'd stick with brass and save myself 40K.

Seriously, all the keyboards mentioned are excellent. It depends on what you want out of your boards. Go play them all and see what you like. I have been very partial to Roland and Korg's over the years. If I was going for realistic sounds, I'd go Yamaha. Dance and beats? Roland and Korg seem to rule.

Of course, if I was going for a synth (not a rompler) I'd go V-Synth without question.

[Storyville]

Originally Posted by Nfinite2006

Im looking to start making my own beats and i know that both of these keyboards are great. However i just want to know which one will be better for me..of course i will be making hip-hop beats and i know alot of producers in the industry use Tritons but i was also told that the fantom x8 is great peice of equipment as well.

i would love to hear the opinions of you guys.

Fantoms are dope, BUT, M3s just sound better all across the board, in my opinion. I would take the M3 without a second thought. The only second thought would be: could I make more out of 2000+ dollars.

[Nfinite2006]

^haha yeah i feel u

[aziatik78]

I love my fantom!!Its got the pads for the feel of an mpc- sampling features are great, and its a versitile piece of gear!

[thesamplefactory]

tritons are noisey the fantom is alot cleaner and I love the sounds

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by Nfinite2006

one more question which keyboard would you guys recommend for hip-hop producing? i know timbaland uses a korg

Hands down, for me it would have to be the Motif... But thats because it fits my production style... Im into making beats that sound more natural and less synthesized.