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Yamaha MODX


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I notice the sluggishness on the RD-2000 action.

Yeah, it bothered me especially being on a high-end action, and also since Roland's earlier high-end actions (like on the FP7/FP7F) felt so much snappier. On the lower end, I thought Yamaha's GHS had a quicker return than what Roland uses on the DS88/FA08. I get why lots of people prefer the feel of those Rolands, they feel more "substantial" on the depress, but personally I'm not sure that makes up for the other.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I notice the sluggishness on the RD-2000 action.

The Korg Grandstage is only just ok - nothing to write home about but perfectly useable. I would imagine its in the same league as the GHS on the MODX.

 

 

In the one time I used it, I found the sound more then the action lacking. It's always that way for me with Roland pianos.

 

The more I play the Grandstage- used again this morning - the more I really dislike that keyboard.

 

Interesting. I was broadly negative on the RH3 action in the SV1 when I tried it (at least for AP - EP was a much better fit). But it beats the TP100 imho.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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I notice the sluggishness on the RD-2000 action.

The Korg Grandstage is only just ok - nothing to write home about but perfectly useable. I would imagine its in the same league as the GHS on the MODX.

 

 

The Grandstage's RH3 is a higher end action, comparable to Yamaha GH and Fatar TL40.

Yamaha's GHS is a lower end action, noisier and with shorter pivot comparable to Casio PX5s, Roland FA08, Fatar TL100.

 

Out of all lower end actions, I like GHS the most.

Regardless, looks like MODX is the winner! Nothing compares to it in it's price range. I just wish they included some EP modelling from the CP4, last time I checked Montage EP's they still exhibited abrupt sample switching.

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True, touchscreen is still a bit of a double-edge sword (ask a Kronos owner). I have not used Montage, and I'm really curious to try the MODX screen.

 

I'm also curious about the MODX touchscreen, though my concern is more over the durability.

 

I'm a Korg M3 owner, and it touchscreen is known for being on the delicate side.

 

Can't comment on the durability (yet) but I was playing the Montage and MODX side by side and what I noticed was the Montage's glass touch screen picked up reflections and glare from everything while the MODX's matt plastic screen wasn't plagued with this issue.

Jay

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Nord Stage 3 Compact, Korg Krome EX, Novation Summit, Roland RD88 & Edge, Spectrasonic Keyscape

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I notice the sluggishness on the RD-2000 action.

The Korg Grandstage is only just ok - nothing to write home about but perfectly useable. I would imagine its in the same league as the GHS on the MODX.

 

 

The Grandstage's RH3 is a higher end action, comparable to Yamaha GH and Fatar TL40.

Yamaha's GHS is a lower end action, noisier and with shorter pivot comparable to Casio PX5s, Roland FA08, Fatar TL100.

 

Out of all lower end actions, I like GHS the most.

Regardless, looks like MODX is the winner! Nothing compares to it in it's price range. I just wish they included some EP modelling from the CP4, last time I checked Montage EP's they still exhibited abrupt sample switching.

 

Oh I know Korg says their RH3 is a higher end action. But in playing, not really comparable to Yamahas or Kawais high end actions.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Thanks Aidan for your review. Given the MODX built in audio interface, I am thinking that using tablet/laptop running VB3 for organ sounds could work. Could the MODX buttons or sliders be used to change VB3 preset sounds, drawbars, etc. - such that the laptop could be running VB3 with its clamshell screen closed?
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This is an exciting release from Yamaha. I have a MODX on order. The plan is to put together a collection of sounds along the lines of what I did with the Forte. Because of the 1GB limit, I'm working with looped versions but with the loops way down in the decay so you get the true tone and natural decay until it's nearly inaudible. Anyway, still creates a much smaller instrument.

 

I'm not sure what will all go into the collection. I'll review the MODX and determine where I think I can add value. Clavinets for sure. I've got some 20 instruments I've sampled over the years. Target is maybe 6-8 instruments and ~500-600MB total, reasonably priced in a single collection.

 

But we'll see, so no promises until I get this further along.

 

I'm very glad to see the high degree of compatibility between the MODX and Montage. And because at minimum 1GB is guaranteed, I have something to target. I've never bothered with Yamaha in the past because of differences between the models and the fact the storage was variable and optional.

 

Busch.

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Question on the scene buttons. In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal? Thanks. Just wondering.
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Wow, great news! (I guess it will work then for the Montage too...?)

 

 

This is an exciting release from Yamaha. I have a MODX on order. The plan is to put together a collection of sounds along the lines of what I did with the Forte. Because of the 1GB limit, I'm working with looped versions but with the loops way down in the decay so you get the true tone and natural decay until it's nearly inaudible. Anyway, still creates a much smaller instrument.

 

I'm not sure what will all go into the collection. I'll review the MODX and determine where I think I can add value. Clavinets for sure. I've got some 20 instruments I've sampled over the years. Target is maybe 6-8 instruments and ~500-600MB total, reasonably priced in a single collection.

 

But we'll see, so no promises until I get this further along.

 

I'm very glad to see the high degree of compatibility between the MODX and Montage. And because at minimum 1GB is guaranteed, I have something to target. I've never bothered with Yamaha in the past because of differences between the models and the fact the storage was variable and optional.

 

Busch.

Studio: Hammond XK5-XLK5,  Roland Fantom 8, Kurzweil PC3A6, Prophet 5, Moog Sub37, Neo Vent, HX3-Expander, LB Organ Grinder

Live: Yamaha CP88, Yamaha Motif Rack ES, Hammond SKX Pro, Hammond XB2-HX3,  Kurzweil PC3-61, Leslie 251, Roland SA1000, Neo Vent2

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Question on the scene buttons. In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal? Thanks. Just wondering.

 

I'm far enough along the learning curve to say yes to your first question. As to sound sustaining, I honestly don't know yet.

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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Thanks Aidan for your review. Given the MODX built in audio interface, I am thinking that using tablet/laptop running VB3 for organ sounds could work. Could the MODX buttons or sliders be used to change VB3 preset sounds, drawbars, etc. - such that the laptop could be running VB3 with its clamshell screen closed?

 

Honestly, if organ would be so important to me, I'd rather use a dedicated keyboard instead of fiddling around with a laptop/tablet on a modx with hammerweighted keys.

 

Question on the scene buttons. In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal? Thanks. Just wondering.

 

I'm absolutely sure the scene buttons work in the same way as on the montage. (I'm saying that because I don't own the modx). For the scenes, one can program the status of a part in a performance as being soloed or muted.

In that way, you can change from one sound to another one but the sound will be cutoff immediately simply because the solo and mute works as on an ordinary mixer. It solos/mutes instantly.

 

While asking about holding the sustain pedal, here I have to say that Yamaha screwed it up in a hardly understandable way. Seamless switching doesn't work for the sustain pedal. If you play a piano sound, hold the sustain pedal and switch to another piano or e.piano sound, the sustain will be reset! You have to depress and press the sustain pedal again for the new sound but depressing will logically cutoff the previous piano sound. This is a highly unmusical implementation and I reported it over in the yamahasynth forum, but as with most big companies, they don't see a problem because "seamless switching works as intended". And it does if you hold a sound with your hands and then switch to a new sound. But those natural switches with one piano sound decaying of while a new one plays, they are impossible on the montage/modx by just switching from one performance to another one and holding the sustain pedal.

The only way to overcome this problem is to use the Alternative Switch buttons and put two pianos into a performance and program one piano as being on while the switch is inactive and the other piano part to be off. By pressing the AS button in that case the old piano will continue to sustain if you hold the sustain pedal and blend in with the new one.

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Great news!!

 

You might wan't to consider that you can load Montage sounds into the MODX but not the other way around....there are some discussions over at yamaha synth forums on that topic.

 

 

 

 

This is an exciting release from Yamaha. I have a MODX on order. The plan is to put together a collection of sounds along the lines of what I did with the Forte. Because of the 1GB limit, I'm working with looped versions but with the loops way down in the decay so you get the true tone and natural decay until it's nearly inaudible. Anyway, still creates a much smaller instrument.

 

I'm not sure what will all go into the collection. I'll review the MODX and determine where I think I can add value. Clavinets for sure. I've got some 20 instruments I've sampled over the years. Target is maybe 6-8 instruments and ~500-600MB total, reasonably priced in a single collection.

 

But we'll see, so no promises until I get this further along.

 

I'm very glad to see the high degree of compatibility between the MODX and Montage. And because at minimum 1GB is guaranteed, I have something to target. I've never bothered with Yamaha in the past because of differences between the models and the fact the storage was variable and optional.

 

Busch.

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Thanks Aidan for your review. Given the MODX built in audio interface, I am thinking that using tablet/laptop running VB3 for organ sounds could work. Could the MODX buttons or sliders be used to change VB3 preset sounds, drawbars, etc. - such that the laptop could be running VB3 with its clamshell screen closed?

 

Honestly, if organ would be so important to me, I'd rather use a dedicated keyboard instead of fiddling around with a laptop/tablet on a modx with hammerweighted keys.

 

Question on the scene buttons. In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal? Thanks. Just wondering.

 

I'm absolutely sure the scene buttons work in the same way as on the montage. (I'm saying that because I don't own the modx). For the scenes, one can program the status of a part in a performance as being soloed or muted.

In that way, you can change from one sound to another one but the sound will be cutoff immediately simply because the solo and mute works as on an ordinary mixer. It solos/mutes instantly.

 

While asking about holding the sustain pedal, here I have to say that Yamaha screwed it up in a hardly understandable way. Seamless switching doesn't work for the sustain pedal. If you play a piano sound, hold the sustain pedal and switch to another piano or e.piano sound, the sustain will be reset! You have to depress and press the sustain pedal again for the new sound but depressing will logically cutoff the previous piano sound. This is a highly unmusical implementation and I reported it over in the yamahasynth forum, but as with most big companies, they don't see a problem because "seamless switching works as intended". And it does if you hold a sound with your hands and then switch to a new sound. But those natural switches with one piano sound decaying of while a new one plays, they are impossible on the montage/modx by just switching from one performance to another one and holding the sustain pedal.

The only way to overcome this problem is to use the Alternative Switch buttons and put two pianos into a performance and program one piano as being on while the switch is inactive and the other piano part to be off. By pressing the AS button in that case the old piano will continue to sustain if you hold the sustain pedal and blend in with the new one.

 

Thanks for the info. The seamless switching of sounds is a must have for me for live performance so I'd have to take a pass on this board. The Kronos, between SST and using the Karma Scene buttons for switching sounds works flawlessly. Thanks again.

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In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal?
one can program the status of a part in a performance as being soloed or muted.

In that way, you can change from one sound to another one but the sound will be cutoff immediately simply because the solo and mute works as on an ordinary mixer. It solos/mutes instantly.

Thanks for the info. The seamless switching of sounds is a must have for me for live performance so I'd have to take a pass on this board. The Kronos, between SST and using the Karma Scene buttons for switching sounds works flawlessly.

If the issue is that it does not seamlessly switch sounds within a Performance, couldn't you get around this just by taking your four Scenes and instead making them four adjacent Performances?

 

But I agree, SSS should work within a Performance. In live performance, I see no need for a traditional Mute/Solo mixer function that cuts off previous sounds.

 

While asking about holding the sustain pedal, here I have to say that Yamaha screwed it up in a hardly understandable way. Seamless switching doesn't work for the sustain pedal. If you play a piano sound, hold the sustain pedal and switch to another piano or e.piano sound, the sustain will be reset! You have to depress and press the sustain pedal again for the new sound but depressing will logically cutoff the previous piano sound.

If I understand correctly, what you're describing sounds more like, "seamless switching works with the sustain pedal down, but the depressed pedal will not sustain subsequently played notes until you release and again depress the sustain pedal," is that right?

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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In a performance there are four scene buttons. Is it possible to program say three or four sounds on scene button one and a piano on scene two button, organ on scene three and three or four different synth programs on scene button four? And --- If I change buttons from say one to three while holding down the sustain pedal, will the sound sustain without cutoff of sound until I let up on the sustain pedal?
one can program the status of a part in a performance as being soloed or muted.

In that way, you can change from one sound to another one but the sound will be cutoff immediately simply because the solo and mute works as on an ordinary mixer. It solos/mutes instantly.

Thanks for the info. The seamless switching of sounds is a must have for me for live performance so I'd have to take a pass on this board. The Kronos, between SST and using the Karma Scene buttons for switching sounds works flawlessly.

If the issue is that it does not seamlessly switch sounds within a Performance, couldn't you get around this just by taking your four Scenes and instead making them four adjacent Performances?

 

But I agree, SSS should work within a Performance. In live performance, I see no need for a traditional Mute/Solo mixer function that cuts off previous sounds.

 

While asking about holding the sustain pedal, here I have to say that Yamaha screwed it up in a hardly understandable way. Seamless switching doesn't work for the sustain pedal. If you play a piano sound, hold the sustain pedal and switch to another piano or e.piano sound, the sustain will be reset! You have to depress and press the sustain pedal again for the new sound but depressing will logically cutoff the previous piano sound.

If I understand correctly, what you're describing sounds more like, "seamless switching works with the sustain pedal down, but the depressed pedal will not sustain subsequently played notes until you release and again depress the sustain pedal," is that right?

 

No. Let me explain how I do it on the Kronos. I have four scene buttons. I can assign up to 16 different programs on any scene button. Say I have scene button one I have four programs to get a huge string section, Scene button 2 I have a piano program assigned, scene button 3 I have organ assigned and scene button 4 I have a synth pad with eight programs assigned. I can play scene button 1, strings, hold down the sustain pedal, hit scene button 2 and the strings will continue to play until I lift off the pedal, all while I'm playing piano assigned to scene button 2. All of this is within a combination.

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Let me explain how I do it on the Kronos. I have four scene buttons. I can assign up to 16 different programs on any scene button. Say I have scene button one I have four programs to get a huge string section, Scene button 2 I have a piano program assigned, scene button 3 I have organ assigned and scene button 4 I have a synth pad with eight programs assigned. I can play scene button 1, strings, hold down the sustain pedal, hit scene button 2 and the strings will continue to play until I lift off the pedal, all while I'm playing piano assigned to scene button 2. All of this is within a combination.

Okay, but let's say you did this instead:

 

Combi 1 = 4 programs for huge string section

Combi 2 = piano

Combi 3 = organ

Combi 4 = an 8-program synth pad

 

Play Combi 1 strings, depress sustain pedal, Hit button for Combi 2, strings will continue to play until you lift off the piano, all while you're playing the Combi 2 piano, right? So what's the difference between this and what you described?

 

Is the difference in whether the piano is or isn't reacting to the held sustain pedal (which I think is mojkarma's MODX/Montage concern)?

 

I can see one other possible difference which has not been specifically mentioned... seamless transition holds don't survive more than one patch change. So if we take your scenario and add a second sound change (say, from scene/combi 2 Piano to scene/combi 3 Organ), even if the pedal is still down, the strings you started with will finally stop playing when you do that the second Combi switch to the Organ, and I'm guessing they keep playing when you instead do a second Scene switch to the Organ since you're staying within the same Combi, yes?

 

Is there some other benefit to using Scene switches rather than Combi switches that I have not mentioned here?

 

ETA: MODX seamless sound switching only works on Performance of up to 4 parts, so I see you would not be able to have the equivalent of an 8-part synth pad, so that would be a limitation.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Yamaha says MODX SSS will work for 4 Parts (voices). Very interested to see what exactly that means and which 4 parts seamlessly sustain post-switch - does that mean 2 parts can switch to 2 other parts? Only works on a switch from from Perf 1 to Perf 2 or can work within a single Perf 1?

 

I can work around any of these implementation options - Ive been using AF1/AF2 to do seamless switching within a single Performance for a long time - it had limitations in you only assign one of the 3 options (AFoff/1/2) to any Element and you cant have an element respond to 2 of the 3 (say you want Voice 1 Elements to be active for anything other than AF1 - cant do that in XF/MOXF). so you could work around by having duplicate elements and E1 responded to AFoff, another respond to AF2).

 

Im glad now that I didnt convert everything over to song mode programs as I gather those song patches cant copy/transfer over to MODX, whereas Voices and Performances will. Lucky me. Just regaining the extra octave on the 7 will reduce the amount of added switching i needed to add into programs when I switched from XF7 to MOXF6.

 

Smart guys here will report detiails soon, im Sure.

The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it.
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The sustain problem is a nasty one when you need it. You play performance A with only piano on it, you hold the sustain pedal (=the piano is sustaining), you switch to performance B with an Elec. Piano. Now, if you keep your sustain pedal pressed while switching, the Elec. Piano will not sound sustained because the sustain CC was reset while switching to performance B. So, if you want the Elec. Piano to sound sustained, you have to depress and press the sustain pedal after the change to performance B. But this will cut off the first piano sound of course because you depressed the sust. pedal.

It's maybe not often you are in this situation, but when you are, it is quite annoying. My former keyboards with seamless switching didn't reset the sustain pedal. On a Kurzweil you can seamlessly blend from one piano sound to another one while keeping the sustain pedal pressed. I believe my Fantom G worked in the same way and I'm sure the Kronos also works this way.

 

Regarding the scenes on Montage/Modx:

I agree, the way how they solo/mute is not what a live performing musician wants. But one shouldn't compare it to the karma scenes on the Kronos because their functions are completely different. Seamless switching with karma scene buttons is/was actually a workaround very useful on the Korg M3 because it didn't have the seamless switching function. On the Kronos there are other ways to switch between sounds and using the karma scene buttons is not necessary, in the same way the Montage/Modx offers other ways and I wouldn't decide whether to buy or not to buy a keyboard based on the fact that it has some scene buttons which can't be used for seamless switching.

As I already said, one can use four performances and put them into the same row, one next to the other in the liveset mode and seamlessly switch between the sounds. With the before mentioned exception of the piano sound while holding the sust. pedal down during the switch procedure.

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The sustain problem is a nasty one when you need it. You play performance A with only piano on it, you hold the sustain pedal (=the piano is sustaining), you switch to performance B with an Elec. Piano. Now, if you keep your sustain pedal pressed while switching, the Elec. Piano will not sound sustained because the sustain CC was reset while switching to performance B. So, if you want the Elec. Piano to sound sustained, you have to depress release and press the sustain pedal after the change to performance B. But this will cut off the first piano sound of course because you depressed released the sust. pedal.

I see (and fixed the terminology). To my mind, it's working exactly the way I'd want it to work, and it would be bad if they changed it to the way you want! So maybe there should be an option to choose the behavior you want, but I would not want to be stuck with the new patches universally "inheriting" the position of the sustain pedal.

 

If I'm sustaining a sound from my previous patch via pedal, it likely to be because I want to play over that held sound with some other sound. If all the new notes started sustaining, I could quickly have mud. I guess it could be something that could be enabled on a patch-by-patch basis. Meanwhile, probably the best solution for what you want is to use two keyboards, each with their own sustain pedals, then you can always get whichever effect you want, whenever you want it. One more reason to use more than one board! ;-)

 

ETA: You said earlier...

The only way to overcome this problem is to use the Alternative Switch buttons and put two pianos into a performance and program one piano as being on while the switch is inactive and the other piano part to be off. By pressing the AS button in that case the old piano will continue to sustain if you hold the sustain pedal and blend in with the new one.
So it sounds like the board already gives you two approaches, you can set up the sounds the way you want them to work, or the way I want them to work. So is there really a problem here?

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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My Guitar Center apparently has these in stock but won't put one on the floor until official release date. Do we have a street date for this yet?

Soul, R&B, Pop from Los Angeles

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Cannonball Gerald Albright Signature Alto, Yamaha YC73, Fender Rhodes, Roland Juno-106, Yamaha MX61, Roland VR-09, MicroKorg XL, Maschine Mikro, Yamaha Reface CP, Roland MKS-50

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AnotherScott,

it seems you don't really understand the problem. It is not that I want to hold the pedal forever and until it creates a complete mess.

Changing from one piano type sound to another one while holding the sust. pedal creates a natural crossfade between two sustaining sounds. As a musician you release and press (again) the sustain pedal as your chord progression moves.

If it's still unclear to you, I could create an audio file and give you an idea how it sounds with the interruption.

 

To my mind, it's working exactly the way I'd want it to work, and it would be bad if they changed it to the way you want!

 

Your way is always possible. You simply release the sust. pedal and press it again. BTW, do you have a keyboard with seamless switching? How does it work when you hold the sust. pedal. It seems that all other keyboards work the way you don't want them to work.

 

So it sounds like the board already gives you two approaches, you can set up the sounds the way you want them to work, or the way I want them to work. So is there really a problem here?

 

The other approach is possible only within the same performance. It means you mute/unmute two parts of a performance by setting their status to the opposite value and set the change to be controlled by the SW switches. So, yes, there is a solution, but just if you have room for two different setups within the same performance. Changing from one performance to another one means you can switch from one 8 part performance to another one with 8 part. Doing it inside the same performance is therefor much more restricting.

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My Guitar Center apparently has these in stock but won't put one on the floor until official release date. Do we have a street date for this yet?

 

The GC on Artesia? Release date is 9/27.

 

Thank you, brother.

Soul, R&B, Pop from Los Angeles

http://philipclark.com

 

Cannonball Gerald Albright Signature Alto, Yamaha YC73, Fender Rhodes, Roland Juno-106, Yamaha MX61, Roland VR-09, MicroKorg XL, Maschine Mikro, Yamaha Reface CP, Roland MKS-50

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AnotherScott,

it seems you don't really understand the problem. It is not that I want to hold the pedal forever and until it creates a complete mess.

I understand that. My point was that having it work your way prevents it from working the way I want it to without creating a complete mess.

 

Your way is always possible. You simply release the sust. pedal and press it again.

That wouldn't work at all! Example: Hold a string note with sustain pedal. Switch to new sound, string note keeps playing. Solo with your new sound over the drone. If you "simply release the sust. pedal and press it again" the string drone will stop!

 

BTW, do you have a keyboard with seamless switching? How does it work when you hold the sust. pedal. It seems that all other keyboards work the way you don't want them to work.

Good question, it's been a while, I'd have to check! I know I do it with holding the note down with a finger and keeping the note held down through the patch change (which would work on the Yamaha too), I'd have to think about when/whether I'd done it with a pedal, and on which board(s).

 

The thing about changing from one piano sound to another is, to me, the only place it makes sense to change sounds would be at the beginning of a new phrase (not in the middle of one). And you know what else you usually do at the beginning of a new phrase? You re-pedal. So for me, this isn't something I could see coming up very much. But besides the 2-pianos-in-one-performance solution, if you're not transitioning from one big 2-handed thing to another, picking up from what I talked about doing above, you could also manually hold the one chord from the first sound through the change and continue to hold it as you begin to play the new part with the second sound.

 

Considering how weak Yamaha has been with seamless transitions in the past, I'm at least glad to see this big step forward. But nothing is perfect. Montage/MODX, Kronos, Nord Stage 3 all only let you hold a sound though one subsequent transition. I've had boards in the past that didn't have that limitation (Roland, Kurzweil, Casio I think), and that's something I did make use of. So yeah, it's not working exactly how either of us wants, but it's still a whole lot better than before!

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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