Folks just got confirmation from Yamaha that the new Motif XS series has "Intelligent Chord Recognition". Using this feature under Performance Mode with the XS allows the XS to trigger chords like an arranger. It's coming folks. That fine line between arranger and synth is fading out! It won't be long before the two become one Here's the response I got from Yamaha to my question regarding this feature:

My Post on Motifator:
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Yamaha_US,

I saw the new video on the XS. However, a member mentioned something in his review of the XS8 that has caught my attention and if it's true then the new XS will bring a HUGE smile to the faces of another market of Yamaha keyboard players.

I saw the member posted:
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"I tried the jazz performances and the intelligent chord recognition kicked in beautifully. It followed my chords quite naturally".
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Intelligent Chord Recognition??? WOW is the XS also functioning like an arranger too. If that's at least part of the case then I say WOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!! A full fledged synth/workstation with arranger capabilities would be nothing short of AMAZING!
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Yamaha's response:

Yes, intelligent chord recognition.

And , yes , Wow.

But the very cool thing is that this is completely different than anything that has been developed before because you can very easily mix and match different arps with chordal intelligence.

So instead of fixed styles bundled together, each " virtual player " can be playing his own style just like in a real band,

Here's an example.

Take a jazzy/funky drum groove
Take a straight ahead 16th note rock bass part
add a reggae guitar

Then you got a virtual band that sounds like early Police.

Take the same bass part
add a straight 80 rock drum groove
add a straight 8th note rock guitar
Put a sync synth lead over the top
Now you have the Cars

These are just examples that happen to be from the 80s, but there are 6000 arps so taking Ambient drum grooves, adding a hiphop keyboard to house bass, etc gives you new things that have never existed before

Squeak,

Do you know if the chord recognition will recognize ON BASS chords?

They are sometimes known as "slash chords" like C/G or Fmaj7/E for examples.

Ian

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Common misconception...size and weight equal quality and performance. Don't be fooled.

This facility would be great in a normal arranger because we could just pick the appropriate style parts to make up our own style then save into a registration.
A Factory Registration Bank could be provided as default to fall back on.

Yamaha keyboards already provide a Style Mix & Match and Roland has the Make-Up Tool.

I changed from a Korg Trinity V3 Pro and a Korg Karma to a Tyros 2 at Christmas, because I wanted the accessibility of an arranger again.....and now one of the top of the range Synths seems to have a "virtual band" backing similar to an arranger.........hopefully we'll get one of those monsters in the shop in due course!!

I've asked the Yamaha rep if it will recognize those types of chords, so when I get a reply I'll post it here.

Squeak

Here's the answer to ON BASS chords. This answer came from a Yamaha rep.
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They will recognize 9ths, 11ths and 13ths and on bass chords. But the fun really begins when you combine the two and have two arp recognition windows.

The you cna do things that no arranger can do like play a C6 bass line over a series of chords in the right hand that moves down chromatically from E flat major 7, to D major 7 to C Major 7
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Squeak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LaWsCwMo3U

http://www.motifator.com/motifxs/motifxs.php

I'd also love would like to see this guy program & play some cha cha, waltz, foxtrot, shuffle, merengue, ....etc etc on the Motif xs instead of the always present funky styles & bits & pieces demos !

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-07-2007).]

But it's not an arranger right? Can you play intros and endings and fills on the fly like an arranger?

The Wersi OAA (Open Art Arranger) can do any type of chord recognition you require, including any of the chord recognition systems that are available on arrangers and workstations.
Also Wersi are shortly to introduce an arpeggio option.
Enjoy whatever you play

Bill


[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 04-07-2007).]

Mike,
The Motif XS is a full synth/workstation. It's not a dedicated arranger, but with this newer feature it's bringing some arranger abilities to the synth world. It's just a start I guess, but a good one at that.