Roland Fantom-X8 Workstation Keyboard
This is the Roland Fantom X8 workstation keyboard. This is the one we use at church as our main keyboard on stage (bought before I came to NOCC 5 years ago). Great sounds, great number of patches available. We mostly use it as a piano/keys/organ/pad instrument. As we’re not really big on mimicking solo instruments such as guitars, wind, or horn instruments, we don’t use it for that. However, there’s still much more than this keyboard can do.
I’m also still looking for a drum machine to work with. In looking in the manual, this keyboard may be a possibility. So I sat down and worked on it and tried my best to make patterns and loops using the built-in sequencer. Overall, it was quite easier interface than the Boss DR-880, that is, once I figured out I had to be on the track side than the pattern side (not what the manual said). I was able to make some nice patterns and loops, to a point.
However, there was one major problem. I cannot grab a sound from one drum kit and use it with another sound from another drum kit. I have to stay with one type of drum kit only within a song. This was very limiting, as each drum kit had only about 70+ sounds, which for most are very similar to each other. In making loops, I was going for the odd ball sounds, to not compete with the drummer. But, this keyboard is still easier to work with and with further practice, I can probably make it work.
Another feature I found helpful was the built-in drum patterns. You can start the patterns with a few clicks and play the keyboard alson with the patterns, almost like the new arranger keyboards. Very useful if you don’t have a drummer. And also very useful if you’re a songwriter and stuck on a particular style.
Overall, this is a very feature-filled keyboard with great sounds. I just wished the church had bought the Fantom G8, which came out only a couple of years ago.
