arranger type features , in the new Motif ....I just got off the phone with

My Yamaha rep called me from Nashville . He's in a training seminar for the new Motif .

" There are features taken from the Tyro's technology and incorporated into the newest Motif ES " .

This may be very interesting .

I got a little more info from the Yamaha Canada Motif site here:
http://www.yamaha.ca/pma/motifes.html

and from YamahaSynth's new site: http://www.yamahasynth.com/pro/motifes/intr1.html

Here's an interesting exerpt:
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Easy Song Making with new ES “Phrase Factory”
Much more than a simple arpeggiator, the MOTIF ES Phrase Factory offers unprecedented versatility for creating sequenced phrases. Use it with the drum kits to produce innovative rhythm patterns, or take advantage of its chord-recognition capabilities to generate pitched phrases using the normal voices. You have 1,787 preset arpeggiator phrases to start with – from standard synth arps to drum loops to natural-sounding acoustic-instrument grooves. The Phrase Factory system works seamlessly with Keyboard Mega Voice technology so you can take advantage of all the expressive Keyboard Mega Voice nuances. You can even assign five different arp phrases to the switches below the display and switch them in real time. Plus the arpeggiator’s new chord recognition and performance play parameters let you easily create your own user arps or modify presets to make them your own. Finally if your creative runs dry, Real Time Loop Remix let’s you generate literally thousands of instant variations on any phrase either MIDI or audio.
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This sounds like the beginning of convergence between arrangers and workstations for Yamaha. Having arps/phrases that recognize chords and having these phrases assignable to buttons below the display sounds very much like an advanced arranger capability.

And another goodie previously unseen:
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Elegant System Integration with DAWs
If you use a computer-based sequencer or DAW as part of your music production setup, with press of a button you can turn the MOTIF ES into a full function control surface that supports the same protocols as the new 01X Digital Mixing Studio. Simply connect a USB cable between the instrument’s “TO HOST” USB port and your computer’s USB port, and you can directly access your sequencer/DAW software’s fader, pan, EQ effect send, track mute, transport, and other parameters from the MOTIF ES controllers. You can even open and close windows on your computer directly from your ES.
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Hey - it's a control surface too! If I can control Reason and/or Sonar with it then I'll be very happy. The Motif ES really sounds better with each new tidbit of info we get.

[This message has been edited by The Pro (edited 07-16-2003).]

The Motif ES offers real-time control of arpeggios, including those that sport chord recognition. Unfortunately, the Motif ES only recognizes chords in root position.

Three things..... 1.The more I read about this board, the more I see one in my future. 2. Another dinky little screen I have to squint at 3. I can see a learing curve headache coming on already for me.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Jim , other than the "take 6" mp3, I am not impressed with the sounds, especially the drums,,Is that the 3 layered piano they used in the one mp3? It didn't cut it either..I played a Yamaha[I think S90], side by side to a regular Motif, and the Motiff was the loser in the piano categorie..the S90 was much more dynamic[is that the 3 layered piano in the S90]..

The Grand Piano on the Motif ES is taken from a Steinway D Grand Piano, the same one the S90 was taken from. But the Motif ES is a completely different Sample than the one on the S90. Fran, I thought the Motif ES Grand Piano was absolutely stunning. Did you listen to the Impromptu.mp3 demo on the Motif ES site? If you did I can't believe you think it is sub par. If you haven't then please download it and listen to it on a good external sound system or at the very least listen to it on a very good set of PC speakers because if you don't you won't do the song or yourself justice in listening to it. Another "must" download is the Scriabin.mp3 demo on the same site. Absolutely beautiful imo and it really shows the expressive nature and subtle nuances the Motif ES Grand Piano Voice is capable of. Here is the link again for anybody that hasn't listened to the Mo' ES demo mp3's. http://www.motifator.com/listen/es/es_listen.php

Best regards,
Mike

I thought the unplugged arp sample was excellent myself.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Yes, the Unplugged Arp is a very good demo of one of the Mo's guitar sounds. My guess is it's one of the Mega Voice guitars. Really cool how you can Arp them if it is indeed a Mega Voice.

As to the Motif ES only recognizing a Chord in the Root position, that is really a drawback imo. BUT, possibly we could convince and instigate them to provide an OS update which would allow the Mo' ES to recognize all the inversions too. Too bad they didn't take it upon themselves to provide it from the get go.

Best regards,
Mike

Mike when I commented that I was not "impressed", I did not mean to confer that the sounds were bad or poor, I just was not blown away by the mp3's..I did think that the drums did not fair well[reminds me of XP80 drums]..The hands on comparison between the S or P 90 and the original Motif was thru a good store monitor system..I just listened to your suggested mp3 and it did sound good, but I still can not hear the dynamic changes in the tone [tone, resonance, and roundness].I basically hear what Yamaha always does , the same tone gets louder with no smoothness to the filters..Play a Roland SRX piano patch and you will see what I am saying...Given that this is a mp3 and probally the board is very capable to edit the filters, this may be a mute point....Sorry I can'tagree totally with you guys...Like I said, it does not sound bad, just did not light my fire[especially with the hype]..

What do you all mean by "recognizes chord in ROOT position"? I am not sure I understand.

If I have a phrase in chord of F Major and wanna do minor A with the same phrase... will I be able to do it in Motif ES? Or not because of the ROOT thing? Please explain.

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by New Yorker (edited 07-17-2003).]

The "Vintage Phaser" sample reminded me of the same sound that the Rolling Stones used on "Fool to Cry" or to a lesser degree, "Sad Eyes" by Robert John.

Nice samples.

mike

Yes it will New Yorker. The problem I am talking about unless I've missed something along the way is that the Motif ES won't recognize the 1st or 2nd inversion of the "Same" chord, eg., C Maj, D, E, etc., within the "Arps" (and I am ONLY talking about Chord recognition as it applies the Arpeggiator). And if you're in F Major and wanna change to Am, no problem, as long as you play the Chords in their Root Position. The Arpeggiator can only Arp a Phrase, Loop, etc., and only have Chord recognition when the Chord is played in 'Root' position only NOT the "inversions" of a Chord. Hopefully they will provide an OS update in the future to correct the situation but I won't hold my breath. It is a limitation we may have to live with unless we can convince Yamaha otherwise. And they heed our advice...

Best regards,
Mike

Idatrod, thasnk you for the answer. But let me clear this: are we talking about chord recognition in ARP only? What if I do not wanna use arp? Or maybe ANYTHING can be in ARP and played?

Chord recognition only applies to arps. If you don't use arps, there is no need for chord recognition (except when using a harmony plug-in board, and it probably sports its own chord recognition).

From what I understand, let's say you have an arp phrase that spans the major scale--e.g., c,d,e,f,g,a,b,c. If you play a single note "c", then that scale will play. If you play two notes c-eb, c,d,eb,f,g,a,b,c will play. The Motif ES chord recognition can be used to modify thirds, fifths and sevenths in this way.

However, if you play g-c-eb (which a Tyros will treat as a C minor second inversion), I think the Motif will only play notes in the C major scale or, depending on mode, maybe a regular arp, e.g., g-c-eb and octave transpositions thereof. This is how I understand it, but this is not what most users are going to want. And, of course, Scott can forget about rootless jazz chords on the Motif ES.

New Yorker,
Maybe you get it already but if not, here's what the deal is:

If you play a C chord.... root position...CEG there will not be a problem (with any chord root position) however if you play that same C chord in a 1st inversion EGC the arp on the new ES, will not recognize that as a C chord, it will more likely recognize it as an E....because the root (first note is an E) or if you play a 2nd inversion GCE it will most likely play it as a G chord (and not a C chord 2nd inversion)

This only applies when using the arppegiator all the chords need to be played in their root position if you want the chord properly recoginzed C = CEG Am = ACE etc. The first note, needs to be the root of the chord.

At least that's the rumor, we'll have to see when it actually comes out.

Hope that helps.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

[This message has been edited by trtjazz (edited 07-17-2003).]

Man, Don't Yamaha knows that people would pay extra $500 for a little chip that would do all like in normal arrangers? Or is this chip is made of gold with brilliant on top? I just don't get it.

It's much more than just the chip - there are button layouts, design features, pattern memory. Arrangers are different animals.

Even though the Motif ES is not aspiring to be an arranger, it seems silly to implement chord recognition in a pro instrument and not be able to handle inversions properly.

(I deleted my chord analysis for e-g-c as it was probably wrong.)

[This message has been edited by Clif Anderson (edited 07-19-2003).]

I'm sorry, I just couldn't pass this up. Niether the S90, nor the MOTIF ES Grand Piano is a sample of a Steinway D. The S90 Grand Piano is from a Yamaha S700 and the MotifES is from a Yamaha CFIIIS.



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Steve Deming
Assistant Manager
Customer Support Dept.
Pro Audio & Combo Division
Yamaha Corporation of America

Another case of mis-information floating around the internet. PS: It was from a reliable source too! Glad you straitened that piece of information out Steve.

I still say it SOUNDS like a Steinway D. Or at least it's getting close to that ideal.

Wonderful, wonderful, simply Grand!!! Piano Voice.

Best regards,
Mike