Members NuSkoolTone Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 The only thing that grabs me about this new Mo is the ability to use 8 Elements at a time, rather than 4. I've recently begun doing some velocity-switching experiments on my ES with wonderfully weird results. Hmm reminds me of my 01/W I had ummm.. 13 YEARS AGO that could do this! Nice to see they went to something useful vs. the PATHETIC 4 part performance mode. (And I say this as a Motif Classic Owner) Anyone else feel Yamaha did the bare minimum and went for the lowest common denominator with this board? Shoot, I May still end up getting it because I'm due for an upgrade, but what happened to INNOVATION? Roland, Korg, and Yammy just don't compete like they used to. Maybe that's because Ensoniq, Kurzweil (Effectively), GEM, etc.. are gone from the workstation market! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinHines Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 Roland, Korg, and Yammy just don't compete like they used to. Maybe that's because Ensoniq, Kurzweil (Effectively), GEM, etc.. are gone from the workstation market! I think they "compete", but they are simply more conservative given the shrinking market share due to computer based music software. They really can't afford to make product mistakes especially given their long product development cycles. The Motif XS is a reasonable evolution of the Motif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NuSkoolTone Posted January 17, 2007 Members Share Posted January 17, 2007 The Motif XS is a reasonable evolution of the Motif. Eh, says you. I think it's a reasonable upgrade from the Original Motif. Which I suppose works out for ME. But from the ES? Hmmmmmmmmm.... A new screen, more sounds, and better controller abilities. I'm sure it'll KILL my motif classic, but if I had an ES, I'd probably wait to skip a generation. I'm just saying that these companies are a bunch of wusses these days and have become no more exciting than Starbucks and Mcdonalds. I'll give kudos to Roland for pushing the V-Synth though. Forgive me as I reflect on the golden age of innovation of the Mid 80's to Early 90's as my benchmark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted January 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 Maybe there will be yet another renaissance, one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Enigmatic Posted January 24, 2007 Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 Does the XS have a SmartMedia storage option? Or is it USB only? gawd...i hope not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members b3keys Posted January 24, 2007 Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 XS= XpenSive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike Martin Posted January 24, 2007 Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hmm reminds me of my 01/W I had ummm.. 13 YEARS AGO that could do this! NuSkoolTone - They are not talking about COMBINATIONS, they are talking about "Programs" or what Yamaha calls voices. The 01/W was limited to two "layers' per program. The XS will do 8. Still not as good as Kurzweil's 32 layers per program but a definitely improvement over the ES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DmitryKo Posted January 24, 2007 Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 Even though the Elements in the AWM2 model are basically oscillators, they are also the building blocks for velocity/range switching between Waveforms (that is multisamples in Yamaha's language). It's unappropriate to think that if a Voice contains 4 Elements, then each note would take 4 times the polyphony of a Voice with 1 single Element. For example, a 3-layer grand piano Voice could have 3 velocity switched Elements which use 3 different Waveforms for different velocity layers (with some "crossfade" regions) and a 4th Element for very high notes, and a DX-style piano would have 2 Elements for the "click" and the "pad" - these would use a maximum of 2 Elements for each note. An a distortion guitar could have 2 velocity switched Elements with no "crossfades" and 2 Elements with guitar fret noise and feedback mapped to the lowest and highest note ranges; this guitar will only use 1 Element for each note. Likewise, even though the XS features up to 8 Elements per Voice, there's a practical limit of 2 Elements that may sound for each note in any given Voice, because these additional Elements are used to implement the articulations - all this velocity switching, legato/staccato and key-off samples stuff. Please check Dave Polich's blog for some insights:http://charlie.keyfax.com/node/46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miket156 Posted January 24, 2007 Members Share Posted January 24, 2007 Quote: ------------------------------------------------ Originally Posted by MartinHines The Motif XS is a reasonable evolution of the Motif. ------------------------------------------------ Quote by NuSkooltone: ---------------------- Eh, says you. I think it's a reasonable upgrade from the Original Motif. Which I suppose works out for ME. But from the ES? Hmmmmmmmmm.... A new screen, more sounds, and better controller abilities. I'm sure it'll KILL my motif classic, but if I had an ES, I'd probably wait to skip a generation. I'm just saying that these companies are a bunch of wusses these days and have become no more exciting than Starbucks and Mcdonalds. I'll give kudos to Roland for pushing the V-Synth though. Forgive me as I reflect on the golden age of innovation of the Mid 80's to Early 90's as my benchmark. ---------------------- I think you're both right. I agree that its a natural evolution of the Motif series, and as an ES8 owner, I'm not about to run out and buy an XS. Yamaha has made several improvements to the new model, and anyone that has a classic Motif should consider moving up. Me, on the otherhand, will not. I don't buy a new workstation every 2 or 3 years. Hell, I've barely learned how to work the one I have! Besides, I depreciate my musical equipment over a 5 year period. Not to mention I'm happy with the sound of the ES8. I'll wait awhile. Mike T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DmitryKo Posted January 29, 2007 Members Share Posted January 29, 2007 For those who are interested, here is a WNAMM hands-on review of the XS from a Motiforum member, plus his impressions from encountering Stevie Wonder at Yamaha's booth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Son of HuHefner Posted January 29, 2007 Members Share Posted January 29, 2007 Nice review on the XS and very cool story about Stevie Wonder Too bad Korg only had M3 prototypes and we can't get a similar M3 ' hands on review from NAMM ' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinHines Posted January 29, 2007 Members Share Posted January 29, 2007 Nice review on the XS and very cool story about Stevie WonderToo bad Korg only had M3 prototypes and we can't get a similar M3 ' hands on review from NAMM ' This is because the two products (Motif XS and Korg M3) are in different stages of development; the XS is due in March while the M3 is not due until June. Similarly, if you went to Winter NAMM and viewed the Waldorf Stromberg, you would have only found a keyboard shell enclosed in a glass case. This is because the Stromberg has an even further in the future release date than the M3. People will soon forget about the NAMM products until they hit stores. Then everyone can check them out for themselves. I enjoy reading reviews, but there is nothing like demoing a product yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Son of HuHefner Posted January 29, 2007 Members Share Posted January 29, 2007 Really, what a poor comparison, the Waldorf name recently emerged from bankruptcy( they filed in Feb , 2004). That probably has something to do with not having a prototype More obviously, I think Korg would have preferred to have a few M3's ready for a select crowd. This would obviously help advance marketing. But if itis not ready, I understand why they have to keep M3's under control of Korg specialists. while I could not make NAMM, there are folks who attended whose opinion and experience I trust. These folks cut thru the hype and know the program. Thus, when they write a review, I am 98 % sure my opinion will resemble their take on the instrument. I find this type of user review very informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted January 29, 2007 Members Share Posted January 29, 2007 the XS for me is like, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I'm more interested in the Kurzweil PC3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinHines Posted January 30, 2007 Members Share Posted January 30, 2007 More obviously, I think Korg would have preferred to have a few M3's ready for a select crowd. This would obviously help advance marketing. But if it is not ready, I understand why they have to keep M3's under control of Korg specialists. From everything I have read about Korg keyboards they seem to have three stages of physical keyboard development (this might be the norm for most MI products, I just don't know): -- prototypes: these are keyboards that work, and are units that have the correct "insides" but crudely fashioned exteriors. For example Stephen Kay once talked about his Karma prototype unit being composed of a recycled Trinity shell with cutouts for the new Karma controls -- Pre-production units: these are keyboards that look identical to the finished product, but are handbuilt (not on an assembly line). -- Production units: these are keyboards that are the result of the assembly line process, and the ones people see in stores and actually buy With the M3, Stephen Kay mentioned that he has been working with a prototype keyboard for over a year. The M3 that he used in his videos was something he only had access to for a few days. He also mentioned that there were only a few M3s in the U.S. (I assume he was referring to pre-production units like at Winter NAMM). Given a June delivery date for the M3-61 (and given past history), I assume the final voicing for the M3 is not yet finished nor has testing been completed, which is probably why Korg did not let "regular people" play the M3 at Winter NAMM. Since it appears regular people were allowed to access the Motif XS, it's voicing and testing might be nearly complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DmitryKo Posted February 2, 2007 Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 New and updated Song, Voice and Pattern demos from Yamaha USA have been posted on the Motifator.com http://www.motifator.com/motifxs/motifxs-listen.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted February 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bach42t Posted February 2, 2007 Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 It's a Toyota Camry. I don't get it??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members electrobaby Posted February 2, 2007 Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 I think the Motif XS looks killer. especially the cubase integration. I dont think it looks too bad...the fusion...now thats ugly....but this motif looks fine to me...and the sound and new interface just look killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DmitryKo Posted February 2, 2007 Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 Only 3.5 minutes out of about an hour though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joystick Posted February 2, 2007 Members Share Posted February 2, 2007 I think the Motif XS looks killer. especially the cubase integration. I dont think it looks too bad...the fusion...now thats ugly....but this motif looks fine to me...and the sound and new interface just look killer. Yeah,I wouldn't mind the XS.The XS looks cool unlike some other crap boxes out there.Some of the newer synths are so damn ugly it's unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goo Posted February 3, 2007 Members Share Posted February 3, 2007 You guys are full of {censored}... Looks shmucks, USBs, shmusabees... elements, shmelements... Cut out the rubbish, this thing has stellar sounds and that's all that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members electrobaby Posted February 3, 2007 Members Share Posted February 3, 2007 this thing has stellar sounds and that's all that counts. I agree, and the new interface is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted February 3, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 3, 2007 Are you saying it sounds better than a Motif ES? And if so, how much better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted February 3, 2007 Members Share Posted February 3, 2007 How much better than a Toyota Camry does it sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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