Perhaps this a question I can only answer myself, with my own experience, as it seems that's how it always goes with synthesizer questions.

Nevertheless, I would like some advice on a synthesizer purchase(s). I recently got a Roland Fantom G6 workstation as a gift, and it's really cool and all; it's got an awesome keyboard, some nice presets, and some cool recording functions. However, after messing around with it some, I find that while you can modify preset patches, you can't really make your own. I kinda want something that does synthesis. Apparently it was bought on discount (got it for 1900 dollars). My question is, do you think it would be worth it to get something like a Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard and a Moog Slim Phatty/Dave Smith Mopho module for around $1900-2000 and then trade the Fantom back in, or am I cutting the cord too early and not giving the Fantom a chance to show its hidden capabilities? My main interests are in synthesis and electronic music composition, while live performance is a possibility.

Another consideration: will I seem like an asshole to my dad for returning the gift?

Yes you would be. Why not just get a Blofeld desktop module and use the G6 to control it? You should be thankful you have a father that is considerate enough to buy you a keyboard.

I think you're right. I'll save up for one in the future. Thanks for the honest response!

Totally agree on both counts.

Plus, I wouldn't give up the Roland because you can use it to sequence and record the Blofeld, can you not?

Yeah, it does have a midi sequencer (I think; I'll have to RTFM) and a multi-track arranger. Well, I guess I now fully understand the degree of my asshole-ness. I think my dad's happier now that I want to keep it.

I have to admit i was less than enamoured by the blofeld for months because of its weak outputs then i teamed it up with a joemeek mc2...it seriously rocks now, what a brilliant litte box

I would add that when you let the Fantom be itself, you can get some incredible sounds out of it. And there may come a time that you want some sampled strings, drums, piano or whatever for a track. It is a stellar rompler.

But I understand your feelings about the Fantom's synthesis capability. Its filters are a little odd, and I can only make it sound great when I don't try to make it be what it isn't, such as a Moog or VA. A synth like a Blofeld and Little Phatty - and wow, I'd recommend saving for both, what a team - would partner with it beautifully.

Personally I don't think you'd be an asshole for swapping it out. I mean sure if it was a book or a DVD then who cares, but if I spent 1900$ on a gift I would like the person to be happy with it. What if he bought you jeans that didn't fit for example. Isn't it better to swap them out and be happy? (Ok, not the best analogy, but you know what I mean)

But you know your relationship with your dad better than me, so it's going to be your call in the end. I don't think it's a dickish move, it's not like you're just disregarding the gift, you're just swapping it out for something similar that is more your taste.

That being said, I've never played with a fantom so I'm not sure about your specific case. I would definitely give it a chance though.

In the end they're all just keyboards, and as long as you make good original music with either of them you will be happy, so don't sweat the details.

I remember when my dad got me a casio long ago, I loved it and it was an amazing gateway drug into my synth addiction today. There's no such thing as a bad keyboard, only bad musicians (IMO of course).

Good luck!

As an owner of a Fantom X since it came out years ago, i can tell you that the Fantom workstations pack serious power. 4 oscillator subtractive synthesis. The G came out after the X. It's likely to be loaded with even more synth waveforms. I know it has much more of everything than the X

Speaking about the X...
There's multiple filters in there as well as distortion (called boost) and ring modulation. The voice structure is not fixed, you have 10 different ways to organize osc/filters/ringmod or boost. You can definitely make your own patches. It's subtractive synthesis but with 1000s of waveforms to begin with instead of a few.

Tons of enveloppes, multiple lfos, a mod matrix, realtime timestretching and much more. If i remember, you could even use lfos or enveloppes to control its effect processor parameters. I use mine as a midi sequencer for my gear, effects processor for other machines and of course i use it as a synth. All at the same time. I did some timing tests and it held up very well. Sequencing a drum track while loading up the synth engine to the max polyphony, the drum track still ended up with a tight timing.

This is acid techno i made on just the Fantom using 909 samples for drums, the rest is mostly from built-in waveforms. No external gear was used except a behringer knob box to control more things at once. All acid sounds from built-in waveforms and filters : quikphix records: phix 79

I love my Fantom.

Definitely get Blofeld desktop - it's cheap, and you can control it with your G6. It's a win-win situation.

I keep forgetting that people don't understand synths like I do. Even the Motifs, which are restricted to just straight layers of voices you can't do much with except change the filters, you can do a lot with them. Every rompler is kind of a baby modular, but the Rolands go an extra mile by giving you those 10 algorithms xonox mentioned, letting you configure a synth voice almost like a Kurzweil. Because of this, a Fantom is capable of some very unique textures, and the same with one of the other Roland romplers. xonox's examples show what it's capable of in one vein of music, and is very pleasing stuff.

Again, when you let the Fantom be itself rather than try and wrestle it into being a Moog or Oberheim, it will deliver some crazy cool sounds. When you get familiar with it, it should surprise you with what it can do.

synthguy: Thanks for the kind comments on my tracks

The most important thing that comes up here is that it is much easier to let the Fantom be itself. Wrestling it to get it to sound like some other synth is something that takes a lot of time.

Sometimes i feel like so many people dislike workstations without even getting to know them.

and a cool keyboard at that.