![]() ![]() Both instruments are excellent keyboard workstations, with each scoring points against the other in different areas. For a keyboard player who sometimes plays solo, or accompanies instrumentalists or vocalists, the 76-note keyboard is more attractive, if you can live with the extra size and weight.Īfter many hours of research, listening, and playing, trying to decide which keyboard is the better of the two, I am no closer to a verdict. For playing in a band, where the bass player would take care of the bass notes, a 61-note keyboard could be fine. For a gigging musician, who doesn’t have the luxury of a road crew, or a large vehicle, the 61-note or 76-note keyboards are a better option. For some, price constrains may count against the larger sized keyboards, but if price is no object then there are other considerations.Īs a pianist I would always prefer a full 88-note weighted keyboard – if I didn’t have to carry it around myself. This could be very useful for live work where, for example, at the end of a song, new sounds could be selected for the next song while sustaining the final chord of the current song.īoth the Roland and the Yamaha offer 61-note, 76-note, or weighted 88-note keyboards. After selecting the new sound the initial sound remains until you either take your fingers off the keys or release the sustain pedal. Both keyboards have an arpeggiator function but the Yamaha, by popular consensus, wins in this department.Ī commendable feature of the Roland is its ability to sustain a sound while a new sound is selected. The Roland has 16 dynamic pads, useful for tapping in rhythms, but which can also be assigned to do other things, such as trigger samples. The Fantom’s sequencer certainly appears to be more versatile, plus the larger screen will make editing much easier.īoth keyboards will connect easily to a computer, and both come with software packages. Audio recorded on the Motif is stored as a Sample Voice and then triggered from the midi sequencer, effectively giving audio tracks. The Fantom’s sequencer has 128 midi tracks and 24 audio, whereas the motif only has 16 midi tracks, and 16 pattern tracks. Not only is it much bigger, it is crystal clear.īoth keyboards have a sequencer capable of recording audio as well as midi. And there lies one of the fundamental problems: some sounds sound better on the Roland, whereas others sound better on the Yamaha!Ĭompared to older keyboards, and many new ones, the Motif XF display is quite big, and colourful, but without a shadow of a doubt the display on the Fantom G wins hands down. It all boils down to the type of sound and personal preference. I have a clear preference for the ‘digital-sounding’ Roland Electric Pianos, but prefer the warmer string sounds of the Yamaha. We usually associate ‘warm analogue’ as a positive attribute, and ‘digital-sounding’, in many cases, as somewhat negative. My overall impression is that the Roland sounds tend to be more digital-sounding, whereas the Yamaha tends to have a slightly warmer analogue feel. The piano solo in Making My Way To You (below) uses the Motif’s ‘Full Concert Grand’ acoustic piano sound. ![]() Both keyboard’s acoustic piano sounds would be fine in a mix, but for more exposed piano parts I would have to choose the Motif. The difference is subtle, and hard to pin down at first, but I’m guessing it has something to do with a longer sample, and piano action noises (such as the sound made when the sustain pedal is released), that make the piano sounds on the Motif so much more realistic. The Fantom’s acoustic piano sounds are good but, if I’m honest, a little uninspiring. ![]() Of particular note are the acoustic piano sounds on the Motif. Also, both instruments have a sound list, making selecting the type of sound you want quick and easy. What the YouTube videos can’t show is the ‘workflow experience’, how easy it is for you to work with the instrument to produce the music you want.Īnd one more word on YouTube videos: ignore all reviews where the reviewer states their preferred choice without giving a concrete reason.īoth keyboards have well over 1000 sounds (the Roland 1,664 ‘factory patches’, the Yamaha 1,353 ‘high quality voices’), covering all the main categories – keyboards, strings, brass, woodwind, guitars, percussion, and more. Also, the sound demonstrations are usually very short, just a few bars in length, designed specifically to impress – which they do. I would certainly recommend watching these while bearing in mind that if you are listening through regular (cheap) PC speakers, you are not going to be able to make an accurate evaluation of the sounds. There are some extremely impressive promotional videos on YouTube showing exactly what these two instruments are capable of. ![]()
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