GOOD KARMA: KARMA-LAB RELEASES SOFTWARE
FOR THE YAMAHA MOTIF XS AND XF
Cross-Platform KARMA Motif Software to Be Released at Winter NAMM 2011

BUENA PARK, Calif. Yamaha and Karma-Lab announces the development and release of KARMA Motif Software for PC and Mac. This new entry in the renowned developer’s line of software applications brings the award-winning and patented KARMA algorithmic music technology to the Yamaha Motif XS and Yamaha Motif XF platforms.

“This exciting new collaboration brings the power of KARMA to a completely new user base using the great sounds and features of the Yamaha Motif series,” said
KARMA developer Stephen Kay, who will demonstrate the software at NAMM. “This will add a whole new dimension to the Motif experience.”

KARMA Motif debuts the new KARMA 3.0 technology with a host of new features including eight-track design (six KARMA Modules and two Keyboard Layers) per Performance, per-track Volume and Mute stored in each of the 32 Scenes and the ability to individually adjust the mix of all parts in each Scene. Users are also able to control Velocity Response Curves by individually tailoring the velocity response for the left hand keyboard, the right hand keyboard, the input to KARMA from the keyboard, and the 16 Chord Triggers (pads), without editing the Motif's programs or songs.
A Fill/Stop Feature allows for the use of one or more modules as a melodic or drum fill with the ability to stop and start other modules automatically. The Advanced Stutter Feature lets users retrigger the entire groove at different rhythmic resolutions,
from machine-gun stutters to slow triplet hits. It also features a real-time Master Transpose function, Chord Triggers that can activate pre-programmed chords, hits, sound effects and even the Motif's arps. And, with the new KARMA software, all of the buttons and sliders on the Motif's interface (in Remote Mode) can be used to trigger the Chord Triggers and Fills, the Stutter feature, Scene changes, Scene mixes and real-time algorithmic variations.

KARMA Motif's Performances use the Motif's Song/Mixing mode, where each of the 64 songs is a complete KARMA algorithmic music groove with a left hand and right hand zone for controlling KARMA and soloing on top of it. The Motif's arps are also
integrated in many performances as additional elements that can be added via the 16 Chord Triggers. While in Song Mode, players are just one step away from recording their KARMA-created musical performances into the Motif's sequencer, or the output can be routed to any DAW for external sequencing. Furthermore, a KARMA Performance can call up any Motif Voice, Performance, Song, Pattern, or Master slot when loading, so that
KARMA can be used in any of the Motif's modes.

“KARMA is one of the most innovative and interactive music software programs ever developed,” said Athan Billias, Director of Marketing at Yamaha’s Pro Audio & Combo division. “Combined with the incredible variety of Motif arps and unique features, like real-time Loop remix, KARMA and Motif combine to create one of the most powerful music production platforms available today.”
KARMA Motif Software for PC and Mac ($199) is scheduled to be available directly from Karma-Lab in April 2011.

For more information, visit Yamaha at Winter NAMM 2011, Anaheim Marriott, Marquis Ballroom; write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; visit www.yamaha.com/press.

Now we're talking! The beginning of arranger-like functionality...

Amazing that Yamaha couldn't come out with this obvious step for their own on-board arpeggiator, though.

Yeah, I gotta agree Diki.....But it sure is making the XF look like a keyboard to have....

I still said the BEGINNING of arranger-like functionality!

Still got a ways to go before this is a gig machine. Studio, it's going to be cool, but I think they still have some pretty important steps to take before it can replace an arranger for anyone but the trance and dance crowd...

True! But at least Stephen Kay continues to improve his software, so as you said the first step has been taken, let's hope it evolves further.

For the life of me I cannot see why users of modern WS's like the MOTIF think using intros and endings is somehow, ummm,
not cool or something....Because using Karma for playing a "style" is, for me, the ULTIMATE way of getting as close to a band as you can. Everytime you play the style it will/can be different. With no perceivable effort or forethought on the part of the user.

Anyhoo time will tell if SK is coming around more to an arranger way of thinking....

Actually, they DO use intros and endings, breaks etc., it's just that they have to cue them up all by themselves, rather than having the machine take care of all that.

But I think a lot has to do with how the emphasis of the 'player' has changed from actually PLAYING the music, to 'directing' the loops and arps. As long as most of what you are doing is simply RH stuff (and not even that, some of the time), the rest of your attention CAN be directed to cuing up loops and triggering them at the appropriate time.

Not so easy if you are playing with both hands, though!

But what noone understands is Stephen or Korg or Yamaha have NO goals to make
an arrangement out of KARMA, KARMA is something else...why do you guys fail
to realise that? They will never make it as an arranger cuz its not that.
Buy a T4 or 3X...its very simple. If Stephen's Goal was to make it an arranger
do you really think he cant?

That's what I meant, that they have an aversion to letting the keyboard do THAT for them.

As for your last line.....ain't that the truth!!

You are misunderstanding Nedim....No-one is saying turn Karma into an arranger, well at least I don't THINK they are..I'm certainly not.

Merely add a couple of tools to give people the OPTION to have the OS do simple things like intros and fills/variations by itself WITHOUT all the "live interaction" required of the KARMA system to achieve the same result.

You notice I said provide the OPTION!!!!!

I have used Karma, and I have had an M3 so I understand what it does, and true, some of the time I really enjoyed the live control interaction, but other times when I REALLY just wanted to play with both hands, it let me down as without that active interaction the system fell down a bit. For me anyway.

Dennis