I've got a lot of time on the MM6.., exact same thing but with 61 keys. All around not a bad keyboard. It's built in the PSR factory.., so the action and other hardware indicate its PSR roots. It's also an arranger keyboard even though some still scream bloody hell that it is not. It's patterns are really styles.., but Yamaha used the term patterns since they wanted it associated with the Motif line. The MM's styles however aren't as full as you'd find on a typical arranger keyboard. There are no intros or endings. You get 4 variations with 4 fills. There's an auto fill button to trigger the fill from one variation to the next..., or you can leave it off and switch without a fill. There is no style creator either.., but you can import styles (with some limitation of course)

If you're looking to the MM8 for any indepth patch editing.., this is a big drawback. The MM6/8 lacks several basic synth parameters. No portamento, the inability to produce a monophonic patch, LFO section missing entirely, and a few paramenters from the Envelope section. It also lacks a user area for patches. You save everything to registrations (called performances on the MM line even though it's really a registration system). An issue there is that you cannot name your banks either..., there have been some complaints about that issue.

The MM's styles aren't the typical arranger styles either. In a way it's like the DJX. The patterns are geared towards more modern music. You won't find ballroom, polkas, bigband ect.., and if you do see a title that resembles a more traditional style it's really that style with a modern twist to it.

The MM IMO makes a great "add on" keyboard to a set up. It's not going to replace a workstation or function as the heart of a set up. It does have some motif flavored sounds.., but understand there are some of the lower quality sounds from the PSR line in the MM's patch set..., (such as that very old digital sounding slap bass that Yammie has been using for years). In general I think it has a nice patch set. I'm on the fence regarding the Piano Patch though. It's supposed to be from the Motif Classic but IMO it sounds like a variation of a piano patch from the PSR line. You will find some mega voices and a HUGE plus is the arps section is supposed to be carried over from the Motif ES line..., but understand that you cannot not edit the arps or create your own. So you get a touch of both worlds with the MM line.., a little from the classic and a little from the ES line.

There's a notable price difference between the MM6 and MM8. All Yamaha did was add the weighted keybed and they increased the cost up by around $400. It's not even Yamaha's higher end graded action either.




[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 06-13-2009).]