Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation

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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison

by DJPunk
(US)

Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation – How do these Products / Brands Compare?

I am more into computer music and do a lot of production work using Propllerhead Reason. Am exploring some possibilities of using a hardware DAW for my work, though I have never used a music workstation before!

Was at this store last weekend and decided to do some research on these top 3 music workstation keyboards. And boy I was excited like a kid to watch these awesome keyboards...lol.

Here's what I saw and experienced! I am listing them in the reverse order of ranking.

Korg M3 - The Sounds are top-notch and the X-Y controller is a nice function. But somehow I didn’t like the looks of this keyboard and the way things have been laid out. It looks a bit unorganized and looks the least appealing of all the three.

Roland Fantom G- This is what a top of the line workstation is supposed to do...blow you away. And this one does blow you away. Of all the three, this was the flashiest. Pads, guitar, live sounds are cool. Sampler is just amazing. Synth selection is okay and not too many Hip-Hop Sounds are available.

Yamaha Motif XS -I liked this board the best of the lot. Sounds are good but the best thing is its simplified sequencer. Very easy to use yet powerful!

So here's my verdict.

Yamaha Motif XS at number one, followed by Roland Fantom G and the Korg M3 workstation in third position.

What do you guys think?

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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison

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Mar 29, 2012
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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation
by: Fener

How you define an instrument's quality by starting and remaining only on the layout? Spend several hours (minimum) to try the instrument. Then you decide.

Jan 24, 2012
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Korg M3 is the Winner!
by: Anonymous

I concur with the others about the Korg's usefullness. But as someone else stated, it really comes down to how you work, what kinds of sounds you like the best, and what your needs will be (memory, sampling, midi, editing, programming, etc.).

Even if I include the Yamaha Motif XF, the XS, the Roland Fantom G, along with the Korg M3 Xpanded, to me the Korg M3 Xpanded wins out. Now that's just my opinion. All those boards have amazing features. Yamaha's Motif sound engine is famous for excellent acoustic instruments, but lacks in other areas, and editing sounds can be awkward. Yamaha does not include a touch display. Roland offers much more features, but memory can be an issue, and the touch display is not always used to its fullest. Navigation is good overall, and I think sampling is wonderful with the Roland.

If your goal is to sample a lot and to include more digital audio into your sequences (in other words using your workstation as a non-computer DAW) then I would advise going with the Roland Fantom or Yamaha Motif XF. If you are a composer who samples a little, needs better arranging, editing, and navigation features in the sequencer, and the ability to generate ideas, patterns, sequences, cue lists, etc., then the Korg M3 Xpanded is the best!

I am more of a composer type. I do not use my keyboard workstation as a computer DAW substitute. I have a dedicated DAW system built on MOTU Digital Performer 7 for just that. But when I want to work in an organic compositional process, I love to sit at the Korg M3 and just create, generate grooves, beats, phrases, and then start layering, sequencing, and building songs of all types. And by the way, the sounds on the Xpanded Korg M3 are fantastic. Add that to some sampling and the excellent mixdown features, and you can really do a bit of everything on the Korg.

If your big thing is to gig and play live shows, then I would recommend neither of these boards. Get the modules or other software samplers/synths that can be loaded into your computer rig and travel with those. Buy a good 88-key controller, or buy an 88-key electric piano that also has excellent MIDI implementation.

Jan 24, 2012
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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison
by: DJb

I don't want to sound very predictive but the fact is that what you choose should depend on what type of music you like to play/create. So choose a workstation that you are comfortable with, and that inspires you to make some good music. Of course, you will have to try out each of them to know better.

I personally feel that Korg M3 is the best and in terms of technology the most savvy of all. Fantom has some of the best synth sounds, if you have used a roland before probably you will like it. Nothing beats the Yamaha for some super acoustic instrument sounds.

Oct 27, 2011
Rating

My verdict: Roland the winner
by: Mk101

Hello there DJ punk,

As far as my assessment is concerned the sound quality is same in all the synths (which is simply brilliant compared what the sounds were 10-12 years ago). So choosing any keyboard will reward you!

But like one of the other person mentioned the sound crafting is more flexible in M3 as well as the Roland Fantom G but Not the motif.

Fantom G sequencer is the best because you get 128 tracks and 24 audio tracks and memory problem can be there only if you use more than 4 audio tracks. But feature wise it is the best and beats Yamaha and Korg.

Now arpeggiator wise Korg defeats both Fantom and marginally defeats Yamaha Motif since Yamaha also has 6000 preset arpeggiators whereas Fantom has just 400-600. Korg defeats them because it has the KARMA features the others mentioned which is mind blowing composition tool.

If you are a professional musician who is well knowledgeable about music theory (music reading, trained ears, wide amount of music style knowledge, ability to create your own arpeggiators) then Roland is the way to go.

But if you are an amateur musician who wants to make good music quickly then head to the Korg or Yamaha route.

Regards,
mk101

May 27, 2011
Rating

Korg
by: Tom Haynes

It's fairly unanimous. Korg...The display makes getting around easy. Price is better. Past products have been great ( O1w, M1, Triton).
I even owned DW8000 & EX8000...these were synths with neat sounds.

I'm a organs, pianos, clavs...horns, strings and a few synth sounds kinda ensemble player. Those patches with drums and crap just irritate the hell out of me. Can u say DELETE.

I do like Yamaha a bit better than Roland for sheer classiness. Roland has a nice grunginess in their favor too.

For all round quality, price, playability Korg has work for me as a full time gigging player for over 4 decades.

Dec 15, 2010
Rating

Korg M3 Music Workstation all the way
by: Miggz

Lol all you had to say for the Korg m3 music workstation was X-Y and the looks?

Sheesh man talk about ignorance!

Korg m3 definitely tops this list -- not saying the other music workstations aren't awesome, its just the korg m3 takes the cake.

Nov 30, 2010
Rating

Korg M3 vs. Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom
by: Gurn

One word -- KARMA. The reviewer did not mention it. He may not be familiar with it.

That is what puts the Korg M3 over these other two.

I use Yamaha & Roland gear also. But I specifically bought the Korg M3 for one reason -- KARMA.

Case closed. Korg offers it. Yamaha/Roland don't.

Nov 08, 2010
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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison
by: Bluesy

Hi DJPunk,

I beg to differ from your assessment. You have not written about many other important aspects. To me Korg M3 is the clear winner because it offers the most bang for the buck. Before the M3 I have owned the Korg M50 as it was without any doubt the best music workstation in its price range.

As with most Yamaha Synths, the Yamaha Motif XS6 has exceptional bread and butter sounds but weak on synth sounds. It is one of their best keyboards till date but it doesn't give you much flexibility with your own sound creation.

Roland Fantom G-series is very good, especially the 8 inch LCD screen, the number of insert effects and its feature of SRX & ARX expansion cards. But then these expansion cards are really expensive. What really put me off and where Roland made a mistake is that they did not include all of the SRX sounds in the Fantom G-series as part of its regular sound set.

Roland Fantom provides you 128 tracks (mix of audio and midi) but you will surely not be able to use them all coz you will run into memory problems. Guaranteed! They should have provided an internal hard drive.

IMO the Korg M3 music workstation is the best. It offers you the largest sound set (expansion available) and the best sequencer functionality in the business. It feels solid too. It has a great semi-weighted key action, solid knobs, buttons, sliders and ribbon controller. In future I intend to use the Radias synthesizer expansion as well.

For me, Korg M3 workstation works the Best!!

Nov 08, 2010
Rating

Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation ? How do they Compare?
by: Jay-M

I think you are ignoring an important fact here, that the Korg M3 has the best Menu system (Touch-screen display).

I have tried Yamaha and Roland in the stores and I would say that compared to Korg, they just aren't there.

So if you are a person who hates spending hours going through the user manuals on how to navigate the menus, I'd say go for the Korg.

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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison

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Yamaha Motif vs. Roland Fantom vs. Korg M3 Music Workstation - Product / Brand Comparison