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Yamaha EX5....your comments are welcomed


engineerjoel

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Has the EX5 ever become included as part of the Motif series Or is the EX5 just a totally unique (and discontinued) synth all on its own?

Yamaha CP-80/S80/S90es/P125/DGX-670/AN1x/MOTIF XS-Rack/CS6R/Roland D-50/Prophet 5(Rev 3.3.)/OBX8/Prophet 5 (Rev 4)/OB-8/Juno-60/Jupiter-6/Studiologic Numa Organ with Neo Ventilator/Korg Kronos

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I never actually played one but this thing looks so damn sexy with all the synth models and features, I'd get one if I had any space for it in my rig.

Do far, not even a module..

Stage: MOX6, V-machine, and Roland AX7

Rolls PM351 for IEMs.

Home/recording: Roland FP4, a few guitars

 

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EX5 has a few engines that were expansion cards for the MOTIF series before the XS came into being. The VL, AN in particular... maybe some others... been a while since I owned one. It is a truly great synth... kinda buggy because all those engines lacked CPU firepower at times but still worthy I think. I would be tempted by the EX5R personally...
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Three wheels and a ribbon plus six endless type knobs, all multi-assignable to whatever parameters you wish (except the pitch wheel always delegated to that function). Two additional buttons above the wheels for saving the mod parameters how one likes 'em; press them both at the same time and morph between them with the third wheel. Aftertouch, while a tad too sensitive, is also assignable to any parameter.

Waveform samples while rather dated today still provide good bases for layering other sound engine parts on top. Decent AC Piano especially for its time...just stay away from the top two octaves.

Good Virtual Analog engine capable of enormous morphing and undulating pads; leads can be tear jerkers one moment and instantly modded to rip your face off the next.

While not totally realistic, Acoustic Modeling managed DEEEEEP programming for very expressive capabilities with all the front panel mod goodies...oh did I mention Breath Control? Gadzooks!

FDSR is another engine I've yet to completely understand. I think it is a type of effect similar to a wavetable that can be assigned to another engine as a type of FM carrier wave to introduce textures like running water or one called Tornado to modulate the whole sound of the patch. Weird, but in a good way.

 

There's much more but I'm out of time for now.

 

Oh, the engines tax the CP so there are note delays and stuttering when running the thing in multi timbal sequences...live paying is where it shines.

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for all the Replies....

 

Hmmm, I was wondering if I added both the PLG-AN and the PLG-VL expansion cards to my S80, would I be able to get reproduce similar EX5 voices and performances?

 

 

Yamaha CP-80/S80/S90es/P125/DGX-670/AN1x/MOTIF XS-Rack/CS6R/Roland D-50/Prophet 5(Rev 3.3.)/OBX8/Prophet 5 (Rev 4)/OB-8/Juno-60/Jupiter-6/Studiologic Numa Organ with Neo Ventilator/Korg Kronos

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Sold mine, don't regret it. Synth sngine was decent very Hifi and warm. Samples- totally dated. Processor was inadequate for what the synth was trying to accomplish. Sample loading was a joke, SO slow. The things also huge though I gigged it with roadies with Morcheeba for about 5 years. I'd grab an ex5r for def otherwise you'll need a lot of room to accommodate it and a sturdy double braced stand! Some great things about it- fdsp provided pickup modelling so for Rhodes sounds it's killer. Clavs are week as are the ac pianos. It's a monster bass pad and lead machine though. Nice mod effects, very average reverbs. Can get some decent Hammond emus with careful programming.

Chief Product Officer at Rhodes®. Project leader and designer of the Rhodes MK8 piano and V8 Plug-in.  

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Regarding adding the PLG-AN and the PLG-VL expansion cards to your S80, they will provide a subset of all the AN/VL parameters that can be edited directly in EX5 voice edit mode. For example these are native parameters available from the front panel of the Motif/S series for the AN board:

 

Unison Switch

Arp/SEQ Switch

Tempo

LFO2 Speed

Sync Pitch

FM Depth

VCO Detune

VCO1 Edge (harmonic content of source wave)

VCO1 Pulse Width

VCO1 Pulse Width Modulation Depth

VCO2 Edge (harmonic content of source wave)

VCO2 Pulse Width

VCO2 Pulse Width Modulation Depth

Mix VCO1

Mix VCO2

Mix Ring Modulation

Mix Noise

Mix Feedback

VCF Filter Modulation Depth

Filter Envelope Generator Depth

Filter Envelope Generator Attack

Filter Envelope Generator Decay

Filter Envelope Generator Sustain

Filter Envelope Generator Release

VCA Amplitude Modulation Depth

Amplitude Envelope Generator Attack

Amplitude Envelope Generator Decay

Amplitude Envelope Generator Sustain

Amplitude Envelope Generator Release

Distortion Drive

Assignable Control Parameter

Assignable Control Depth

 

This makes an impressive, but incomplete, list of AN parameters there are many, many more). The others can be reached only via the AN and VL Expert Editor software (free from Yamaha).

 

From my experience editing both AN PLG board (and VL & DX PLG boards), I can get lots of variety with 5-note AN poly (EX5 AN only has 2 notes) and huge mono unison voices with edits directly using the Motif panel (e.g. not using the PC editor)with the permitted/available PLG native edit parameters. As with the Motif/S series in general, programming is a bit kludgy and takes a while to learn the ropes, but once you do (be sure to add mix feedback, aftertouch and modulation), the AN/VL voice and performance (combinations with AWM2) results are really fantastic :-).

 

Let me know if this helps or if you have other questions.

 

Regards, C

 

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Excellent information, CyberSoniq, Wow, I did not realize that the EX5 AN only supports 2 notes polyphony.... Sounds, like I should just add the Expansion Cards to the S80 and tweak away.

Yamaha CP-80/S80/S90es/P125/DGX-670/AN1x/MOTIF XS-Rack/CS6R/Roland D-50/Prophet 5(Rev 3.3.)/OBX8/Prophet 5 (Rev 4)/OB-8/Juno-60/Jupiter-6/Studiologic Numa Organ with Neo Ventilator/Korg Kronos

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I've been GASsing for an EX5R, and rack synths in general, lately.

 

So many people praise the EX5 Rhodes sounds - especially the "Ski Rhodes" - but how do they actually compare with what's available today? Can anyone post a decent example?

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I've been GASsing for an EX5R, and rack synths in general, lately.

 

So many people praise the EX5 Rhodes sounds - especially the "Ski Rhodes" - but how do they actually compare with what's available today? Can anyone post a decent example?

I have one if interested.....

Montage 7, Mojo 61, PC-3, XK-3c Pro, Kronos 88, Hammond SK-1, Motif XF- 7, Hammond SK-2, Roland FR-1, FR-18, Hammond B3 - Blond, Hammond BV -Cherry
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