Got the XS Dialed In

[DanL]

It makes it's debut tonight. Master bank A, B, and most of C are full with all the sounds I need. Midi is tweaked so all my Stage sounds get changed when I change the XS patch.

 

I spent 2-3 hours each night this week working up all the sounds. Last night I assigned them all to Masters and programmed the midi.

 

Had a couple weird issues that took a few hours to work through. First, I could get a program to change on the Nord, and then a few minutes later, it wouldn't change. Finally figured out what that was. (can't remember now, I changed a bunch of things and changed them back, etc) Got everything done, started running thru each sound one by one for a final check.

 

Whats that? Why is the Nord triggering on these patches that are not supposed to be triggering the Nord? Finally figured that one out- the Zone parameter in the Master Common/Zone has to be on, whehter you are using external midi or not, and then turn off the sliders option so you can control the internal sounds in the performances with the faders. So I had to go thru every master and make sure Common/Zone was on. It's a good thing I checked that, it took me a while to figure out and it would have been a disaster at the gig! My drummer is already giving me the "are you SURE you want to use this new keyboard when we already have a subtitute vocalist?" trip, so I was having doubts. I have it all worked out. I think I'll bring the ES just in case, but I don't think I'll need it.

 

Couple weird things with the keyboard. If you program a master and you had changed from performance to voice mode in the master, when you save, none of the bank lights are lit, just the program lights, and when you change programs after that, every one is the same sound. If you hit voice and then master again, it starts to work. I also found that sometimes changing from one master group to another, like A to B, and then hitting the patch button you want, the patch will not change on the Nord and I have to hit the button again.

 

Over all, I'm very satisfied so far. Every patch that I've recreated from the S90ES sounds better on the XS. The Wurlie sound is real nice, almost worthy of using over the Nord, which has always been my favorite Wurlie sound. The string sounds are amazing, very dynamic and responsive. I made a killer horn performance with 4 different patches layered together, it's huge sounding. I got the Vocoder working, my bass player has a headset mic he's going to let me use so I can do some cool stuff with it on a couple songs we play that can use that effect. And yes, I like the S6 piano. I tweaked it a bit and it sounds real nice to me.

[AnotherScott]

I made a killer horn performance with 4 different patches layered together, it's huge sounding.

Care to share which 4 patches you layered? I'd be curious to hear what you came up with. I do like the some of the stock brass stuff in the board to begin with.

[Markyboard]

 

Over all, I'm very satisfied so far. Every patch that I've recreated from the S90ES sounds better on the XS. The Wurlie sound is real nice, almost worthy of using over the Nord, which has always been my favorite Wurlie sound. The string sounds are amazing, very dynamic and responsive. I made a killer horn performance with 4 different patches layered together, it's huge sounding. I got the Vocoder working, my bass player has a headset mic he's going to let me use so I can do some cool stuff with it on a couple songs we play that can use that effect. And yes, I like the S6 piano. I tweaked it a bit and it sounds real nice to me.

 

Sorry Dan - I don't buy it. There's no way the XS sounds better than the ES... especially if you're not using the power cord that comes with each unit. Yamaha painstakingly tests and calibrates each keyboard with it's hand selected power cable matched to each board for optimum sound quality.

So remove all the excitement of the added features and the emotions of GAS and listen again - this time objectively.

 

BTW I think you left your power cable at my house last week.

[DanS]

I got the Vocoder working, my bass player has a headset mic he's going to let me use so I can do some cool stuff with it on a couple songs we play that can use that effect.

 

We were doing Perry's Teenage Dream, and I used the vocoder function, was a lot of fun. Although I did find myself saying the 'prayer' during Floyd's Sheep all the time...

[eric]

Awesome Dan!

 

Glad the XS has a new home. You're right that it is a bit clunky to figure out a few things. I went from S90 Classic to S70xs and it took me a few weeks to get it all programmed and gig ready. But it was worth it!

 

Enjoy!

[DanL]

Scott, it's loaded up in the van now, but tomorrow I'll make a note of what sounds and how I set them. I think 2 are set an octave up.

 

Marky, that's completely true, but I do have the orignal power cord, that was still in it's factory bag in the box because Eric never used it. Maybe that's why he sold it, he wasn't getting the right sound due to an incorrect power cable?

 

Dan, I'm going to use it on Hall and Oates "I Can't Go For That". In the prechorus there are really airy backing vox singing "I". I'm going to try the vocoder on that. I might use it on Tell Me Something Good, but we're not playing that tonight and I'll have to play around with it some.

 

Eric, it was really not too bad getting it all set up. It was nice to have the ES sitting there so when I had to recreate a layer for a song, I could look and see what voices I had used and split points and all that stuff. A lot of the voices are the same, some I had to sub something, quite a few I take the stock patch and tweak it some. I'm looking forward to breaking in in tonight. We're supposed to be outside and it's raining bad right now so I'm going to insist they move us indoors!

[Tonysounds]

There's no way the XS sounds better than the ES... especially if you're not using the power cord that comes with each unit. Yamaha painstakingly tests and calibrates each keyboard with it's hand selected power cable matched to each board for optimum sound quality.

 

[RedKey]

 

Has to be an inside joke. And a pretty good one, I bet.

[Markyboard]

Marky, that's completely true, but I do have the orignal power cord, that was still in it's factory bag in the box because Eric never used it. Maybe that's why he sold it, he wasn't getting the right sound due to an incorrect power cable?

 

Ahh- then I retract my statement Dan and I'm glad you truly are seeing a big improvement. Maybe the power cord left behind belonged to Paolo's PPG 2.3. When he gets its set up again he'll notice how bad it sounds, not realize its due to a mismatched power cord and end up dumping the keyboard at a loss. BTW this is the most common reason for poor keyboard sound quality Tony (duh) and so I hope to pick up a PPG 2.3 for cheap real soon.

[MusicWorkz]

Welcome to the world of the XS Master section

 

[Tonysounds]

How'd it go Dan?

 

I'm going through the same thing right now, but severely streamlining: Going from S90es with Motif/Fantom/Receptor/JD990 modules to Stage2 with Receptor and Motif modules only. It's great to rethink the rig, but greater to have a reasonable amount of time to do it. Getting that Voyager forced my hand and imposed a deadline. I have 3 bands worth of stuff to set up, thankfully only one per week (serendipity stepped in and made sure each band was gigging on different weekends, or more accurately, had previous weekends off).

 

So how'd it go?!

[DanL]

Tony, it went great. I need to make some minor tweaks to a couple patchs and that's it. A few others I did on the fly, where volume levels in splits were not quite right, just got them where they needed to be and saved in the middle of the song. I had one midi setting on one patch where it called up the wrong patch on the Stage, but I fixed that during a break.

 

The only real issue I had was the vocoder. My bass player has an old headset mic he gave me to use, and it didn't work well. It sounded real tinny and I was getting feedback from my monitor, which didn't happen at home using an SM57. I ended up scrapping it for the night- it's only 1 song anyway. I'll get that worked out this week.

 

I'd like to ask you some questions about the Receptor, I'll hit you up later.

[Tonysounds]

No problem, any time. If I had to strip my rig further it would be Stage/Receptor.

[DanL]

OK, here's a tidbit I wish I knew LAST Monday- in the XS editor/librarian, there is an "import" option under one of the menus. There, you can open up a saved bank from the ES or other XS libraries, and import the entire bank or individual patches to the XS. It converts them into the XS format and then you can edit them further to add in new features like "key off" and things like that. So the Vintage Keys bank I bought for my ES, I was able to load up and select the patches I need. A few Rhodes sounds, the "Journey Pad" for Separate Ways (which I combine with a couple other voices to make a big fat sound), a few other patches that I liked. I'm going back later on and open up my saved banks that have my custom patches in them and import those, and then go back to the performances I worked on and edit them to point to the imported sounds.

 

I took one of the Rhodes I really liked from the Vintage soundset and added in the note off samples and it really sounds great now.

 

Scott, I wrote down the patches for the horn performance, I'll post them in a bit for you.

[Sven Golly]

The only real issue I had was the vocoder. My bass player has an old headset mic he gave me to use, and it didn't work well. It sounded real tinny and I was getting feedback from my monitor, which didn't happen at home using an SM57. I ended up scrapping it for the night- it's only 1 song anyway. I'll get that worked out this week.

 

If you have a pair of closed-back, over-ear headphones (i.e. AKG K240, Sony MDR7506, etc), you can use the headphone as the mic for the vocoder (you'll have to plug the headphones in and see which side passes the signal to the synth). I used this on a number of live gigs, works fine, and makes people come up and ask questions after the show.

 

I wouldn't use this method for a whole set of tunes, but for one now and again, it works fine, and you probably already have the gear you need for it.

[DanL]

I'll check that out Sven, I have a pair I can use. I worked on the mic some this afternoon, went in and adjusted the EQ quite a bit on the vocoder patch, moved around the frequencies and cut out a lot of upper mids and lower high end and that helped.

[ProfD]

Dan, in your capable hands, I knew you would get the XS set up and working just fine. Especially with the right right power cord. Now, just a matter of finding a better vocoder mic. Tinny sounding...I can't go for that.

[DanL]

I tried the headphones last night, it worked pretty well! Not as tinny, no feedback. Logistics of moving it in front of my mouth, playing 2 hands worth of parts, and moving it out of the way to sing backups might be problematic.

[zonk222]

DanL

 

What was that brass combination that you promised to post?

 

Look forward to getting the info from you.

 

Feel free to e-mail me at:

zonk222@aol.com

 

THANKS VERY MUCH!

Mike

[MikeT156]

Dan:

 

In addition to the correct power cord, don't forget to stop by GC and buy the most expensive Monster MIDI cables in the store, they will make your rig sound much better.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Mike T.

[zukskywalker]

The XS doesn't have slots in it for any of the PLG cards. Right?

[DanL]

Zonk, sorry, I had sent it to one person who pm'd me. Here it is- hopefully it's a good starting point for people to customize it to their needs.

 

Preset 4 patch 084 Trumpet Section, vol 127, normal octave

Preset 4 patch 111 SF AF1/2, vol 112, normal octave

Preset 4 patch 106 Lots o Brass, vol 112, -1 octave

Preset 5 patch 21 Mixed Sax Section, vol 106, -1 octave

 

I have some reverb on there but not sure what type it is, but it's just a touch.

 

Mike, when the midi cable I've had for 25 years finally breaks, I plan on upgrading to some super expensive gold encrusted ones.

 

No slots for PLG cards, that is correct.

[Outkaster]

Dan:

 

In addition to the correct power cord, don't forget to stop by GC and buy the most expensive Monster MIDI cables in the store, they will make your rig sound much better.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Mike T.

LOL

[tucktronix]

Zonk, sorry, I had sent it to one person who pm'd me. Here it is- hopefully it's a good starting point for people to customize it to their needs.

 

Preset 4 patch 084 Trumpet Section, vol 127, normal octave

Preset 4 patch 111 SF AF1/2, vol 112, normal octave

Preset 4 patch 106 Lots o Brass, vol 112, -1 octave

Preset 5 patch 21 Mixed Sax Section, vol 106, -1 octave

 

I have some reverb on there but not sure what type it is, but it's just a touch.

 

Mike, when the midi cable I've had for 25 years finally breaks, I plan on upgrading to some super expensive gold encrusted ones.

 

No slots for PLG cards, that is correct.

 

I might try this on the MOX8

[Mogut]

Here is an extensive article on master mode 101 for your reference from motifator.... you might already have seen this

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/understanding_motif_xs_master_mode

 

 

Just when I think I've got the motif figured out, there's always something more to it... It's a very deep machine

[DanL]

I've been using Master mode extensively for years, ever since I got my S90ES. I have it all going on the XS, master mode is all I use live. One master mode patch and my sounds change on both the XS and the Nord Stage. I little work setting up but it makes live use easy.

[Mogut]

Sorry, I missed that you are using the S70xs... I thought motif XS.

 

I just started gigging again after a 2 year break, and MAN! the XS8 is a pig to lug around.

 

The S70xs is looking really appealing to me right now.

[zonk222]

Dan - What are the settings that you used for that "killer brass" section on the Yamaha?

 

zonk222@aol.com

[zonk222]

Dan - I just spotted your reply!

 

Thanks very much for the "brass" info.

 

I appreciate it!

 

Mike

zonk222@aol.com

[DanS]

Sorry, I missed that you are using the S70xs... I thought motif XS.

 

I just started gigging again after a 2 year break, and MAN! the XS8 is a pig to lug around.

 

The S70xs is looking really appealing to me right now.

 

Ha, keep looking. I've been hauling the S70XS for a year now, I'm starting to look at the MOX8...and it's the same length as the S70xs.....