Aidan Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Konaboy live streaming it now... [video:youtube] Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 ...and...I succumbed. 88 on order, mostly so I can use one keyboard for the Joni shows. Cheers Woody...my credit card salutes you. Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Awesome, Aidan. Cant wait for the feedback. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 At this weight if the GHS included feels as well as the Casio Generally it doesn't. But often good enough. Its a heck of a lot more sound engine wise than the PX-5S/560 for not an insane amount more. ...which I think you could also say about SP6, Kross, MX88 (and, some others at a bit higher weight). Though the MODX is pricier (as the MOXF was, but it was also heavier). PX5S advantages remain primarily footprint, weight, action; and in some comparisons, 4-zone MIDI controls with a bunch of sliders and knobs. I think it has generally been beatable in sound and operational ergonomics for some time. But yes, its competition in a capable low-cost low-weight 88 keeps getting stronger, from a starting point where it basically had none. Roland FA and Krome should be concerned. As I mentioned earlier, I think FA is still very competitive, though it wouldn't be my choice personally. Krome looks due for an update, I think it's only real edge is in having the sequencer. Kurzweils SP6 needs synth action variations. The Artis 7 is still a strong board, in ways better than the SP6 (like 9 sliders), but it would be nice if it got the newer sound set (i.e. pianos/EPs). Quote 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Id love to see the Artis7 updated instead of a synth action SP6. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 It seems like the MIDI channel problem could be fixed with a MIDI Solutions box On the montage you can play 8 parts from the internal keyboard, but 16 parts can play at the same time. Adding a mididsolutinspedal or anipad would make all 16 parts available at the same time from the keyboard, at least in theory..... Yes, if someone doesn't want to get involved with a phone/tablet (or laptop), a MIDI Solutons box might be good way to go. I'm thinking: use the internal keys to trigger whatever combination you want of parts 1-8, and leave the MIDI Solutions Box set to permanently route your secondary controller to parts 9-16. Then set up all your Performances such that whatever you want to play from the internal keys is in the first 8 parts, whatever you want to play from the external keys are in some combination of 9 through 16. ETA: Looking at some screen shots, it also looks like if you set up the external board to transmit on 9-16, you could also toggle the internal display over to the 9-16 page to turn different sounds on and off on the fly as needed (since we're talking about using controllers that don't, themselves, have the ability to quickly switch among MIDI transmission channels, whether singly or in combination). Quote 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fortner Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Hi all, FWIW I was there, wrote and filmed this: https://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/yamaha-modx-first-impressions Quote Stephen Fortner Principal, Fortner Media Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midinut Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 So ... where's Bert? Quote Hardware: Yamaha: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro| Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB | Novation LaunchPad Mini, | Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy| Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele Software: Recording: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240 Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs | IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs | Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 So ... where's Bert? Not enough schliders for me, shorry! But maybe my friend Bert Smorgasbord will take a look at it shoon... Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 A more mundane (but accurate) reply Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konaboy Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 thanks Aidan for promoting yesterday's live stream. We explored piano, e-piano, guitar and bass categories for the first time together and had a lot of fun. Completely unrehearsed and spontaneous. I plan on making a highlights compilation if you don't want to watch the 3 hour stream replay. And I don't blame you a bit! Very impressed with the sounds so far, a big step up from the Motif & MOXF. But I guess you Montage owners already knew that. Just a heads-up that I'll continue exploring the sound categories and features tonight (Sunday) at 2100 CEST on Twitch. Your chance to request sounds, songs and ask me questions about the synth. Have a good one. https://www.twitch.tv/woodypianoshack Quote hang out with me at woody piano shack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Does anyone happen to know whether the knobs are endless encoders? Sweetwater lists the MODX6 & 7 as having a "LC" synth-weighted keybed. I wonder if that stands for Low Cwality? My first thought was Low Cost, which hopefully isn't the same. Its a heck of a lot more sound engine wise than the PX-5S/560 for not an insane amount more. actually, it's a pretty substantial price jump, from the $1000 PX5S to the $1900 MODX8. Heck, at that point, for another $400, you could buy a PX5S and a MODX6. Quote 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fortner Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Haha! His name came up, actually. Bert is with Yamaha Europe and this was a Yamaha US event. I saw Bert's Montage demos a couple of Musikmesses ago and they were fantastic as always. Quote Stephen Fortner Principal, Fortner Media Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 [video:youtube] Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marillo Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 I presume the keybed on the 76 is the same as the 61? Can anyone who's played the 61 comment on what it might be like for piano? I could cope with something like Roland's FA-07 but was hoping for something akin to Yamaha's own piaggero for the 76. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Woody commented that the keybed on his 61 felt better than his MOXF. Don't know if that's helpful at all for you. Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Woody commented that the keybed on his 61 felt better than his MOXF. Don't know if that's helpful at all for you. i saw him say that when he pulled it out of the box and tapped some keys for about 10 seconds max with it unplugged in powered. Did he say anything about feel after actually playing it? Hard to make that comparison without having them side by side for A/B in real time imo. Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjzingo Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 If you switch over to cahnnel 9-16 gets played by the internal keyboard instead of of 1-8 if I remember correctly. The scene buttons are great for the purpose of muting unmuting sounds on the fly, I use them all the time. Well woth notibg is that all preprogrammed sounds uses channel 1-8, leavin 9-16 completetly free! Currently I only use midi from my montage to my stage 3, I have planned to use it in the other direcition....someday. It seems like the MIDI channel problem could be fixed with a MIDI Solutions box On the montage you can play 8 parts from the internal keyboard, but 16 parts can play at the same time. Adding a mididsolutinspedal or anipad would make all 16 parts available at the same time from the keyboard, at least in theory..... Yes, if someone doesn't want to get involved with a phone/tablet (or laptop), a MIDI Solutons box might be good way to go. I'm thinking: use the internal keys to trigger whatever combination you want of parts 1-8, and leave the MIDI Solutions Box set to permanently route your secondary controller to parts 9-16. Then set up all your Performances such that whatever you want to play from the internal keys is in the first 8 parts, whatever you want to play from the external keys are in some combination of 9 through 16. ETA: Looking at some screen shots, it also looks like if you set up the external board to transmit on 9-16, you could also toggle the internal display over to the 9-16 page to turn different sounds on and off on the fly as needed (since we're talking about using controllers that don't, themselves, have the ability to quickly switch among MIDI transmission channels, whether singly or in combination). Quote /Fred Cantaloop Soulfetch Soulbox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsetto Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 I wonder if the MO-class action wears quicker than FSX/BH, thereby contributing to a new MO board feeling better than a well used one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjzingo Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Cool Stephen, Whats youre impression of the keybed, ehich one did you test? Hi all, FWIW I was there, wrote and filmed this: https://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/yamaha-modx-first-impressions Hi all, FWIW I was there, wrote and filmed this: https://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/yamaha-modx-first-impressions Quote /Fred Cantaloop Soulfetch Soulbox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaGtGruff Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 [video:youtube] Thank you for posting this! A lot of Facebook users were posting some negative comments during his live-stream performance, so it's great to see this. Quote Michael Rideout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benj2017 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 If you switch over to cahnnel 9-16 gets played by the internal keyboard instead of of 1-8 if I remember correctly. The scene buttons are great for the purpose of muting unmuting sounds on the fly, I use them all the time. Well woth notibg is that all preprogrammed sounds uses channel 1-8, leavin 9-16 completetly free! Currently I only use midi from my montage to my stage 3, I have planned to use it in the other direcition....someday. It seems like the MIDI channel problem could be fixed with a MIDI Solutions box On the montage you can play 8 parts from the internal keyboard, but 16 parts can play at the same time. Adding a mididsolutinspedal or anipad would make all 16 parts available at the same time from the keyboard, at least in theory..... Yes, if someone doesn't want to get involved with a phone/tablet (or laptop), a MIDI Solutons box might be good way to go. I'm thinking: use the internal keys to trigger whatever combination you want of parts 1-8, and leave the MIDI Solutions Box set to permanently route your secondary controller to parts 9-16. Then set up all your Performances such that whatever you want to play from the internal keys is in the first 8 parts, whatever you want to play from the external keys are in some combination of 9 through 16. ETA: Looking at some screen shots, it also looks like if you set up the external board to transmit on 9-16, you could also toggle the internal display over to the 9-16 page to turn different sounds on and off on the fly as needed (since we're talking about using controllers that don't, themselves, have the ability to quickly switch among MIDI transmission channels, whether singly or in combination). I was actually thinking also of a MIDI solutions box to address this. I'll probably need one at some point anyway if I am going to run an iPad into my rig and send program changes from an app like ForScore, etc. I am like 99.9999999999% sure that the only reason the MIDI channels are fixed is that the Performance mode on the Montage is an extension of the Performance Mode on the Motif, which also had fixed MIDI channels. They probably figured if it ain't broke... I think really the issue is that fixing the MIDI channels removes flexibility, which was one of the nice features of the Motif. Yes it had a complicated architecture, but there were usually a few different ways to approach a problem. My final two cents on this issue are that regardless of whether its good or bad or should be on there or not, to upgrade to the Montage or MODX means that I can't really use the Melas tools to transfer over my current MOXF Splits/Layers without some extensive editing and redesign. When the time comes to upgrade, which will be soon as I need seamless switching in my life, I'm going to take a hard look at the Kronos, possibly in combination with Nord Stage 3. Anyway, kudos to the Yamaha keyboard group regardless, the MODX looks like a cool piece of gear that should help them regain some market share. Quote Studio: Motif XF8 / MacBook Pro / Apollo Twin X / M-Audio BX8a / Plug-ins Live Rig A: Nord Stage 3 Compact 73 / Prophet Rev2 / Various FX pedals (Eventide, Strymon, Lounsberry, Neo Vent II) Live Rig B: Yamaha MODX7 / Crumar D9-X / B3-X (iPad) Amp: MS KP-610s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 My final two cents on this issue are that regardless of whether its good or bad or should be on there or not, to upgrade to the Montage or MODX means that I can't really use the Melas tools to transfer over my current MOXF Splits/Layers without some extensive editing and redesign. When the time comes to upgrade, which will be soon as I need seamless switching in my life, I'm going to take a hard look at the Kronos, possibly in combination with Nord Stage 3. Anyway, kudos to the Yamaha keyboard group regardless, the MODX looks like a cool piece of gear that should help them regain some market share. are all of your splits layers etc in song/pattern mode? All of my XF and MOXF programs are in Performance mode (with of course a lot of custom voices as well). Pretty sure I can transfer this all over from either ... will find out when i get ready to pull the trigger. Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benj2017 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 My final two cents on this issue are that regardless of whether its good or bad or should be on there or not, to upgrade to the Montage or MODX means that I can't really use the Melas tools to transfer over my current MOXF Splits/Layers without some extensive editing and redesign. When the time comes to upgrade, which will be soon as I need seamless switching in my life, I'm going to take a hard look at the Kronos, possibly in combination with Nord Stage 3. Anyway, kudos to the Yamaha keyboard group regardless, the MODX looks like a cool piece of gear that should help them regain some market share. are all of your splits layers etc in song/pattern mode? All of my XF and MOXF programs are in Performance mode (with of course a lot of custom voices as well). Pretty sure I can transfer this all over from either ... will find out when i get ready to pull the trigger. Yes, long story short I always have Yamaha strings and one of the detuned Dance Synths running on Channels 3 & 16 cause my Stage Ex is lacking in that department. (This way I can always jump to those bread and butter voices on my bottom board - the nord) My splits and layers usually use more than two Voices so hence it is necessary... Quote Studio: Motif XF8 / MacBook Pro / Apollo Twin X / M-Audio BX8a / Plug-ins Live Rig A: Nord Stage 3 Compact 73 / Prophet Rev2 / Various FX pedals (Eventide, Strymon, Lounsberry, Neo Vent II) Live Rig B: Yamaha MODX7 / Crumar D9-X / B3-X (iPad) Amp: MS KP-610s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 When the time comes to upgrade, which will be soon as I need seamless switching in my life, I'm going to take a hard look at the Kronos You probably know this, but just in case... you can do seamless switching on the MOX/MOXF within the sets of 16 sounds you can assemble into songs/patterns. It's something... As for MODX vs. Kronos, I'm actually looking at moving the other way. I don't gig with the Kronos much, because I'm not inclined to bring around a 30 lb board that gives me only 61 keys. I've most often used a MOX6/MOXF6 instead. But the Set List style screen and DX7 compatibilty and improved seamless swiching now bring three more things I like from the Kronos over to the Yamaha world, in a 16-lb 76-key config, or a hammer action 88 that weighs only about wha the Kronos 61 weighs. So there's that much less in Kronos advantages over Yamaha. Aftertouch and clonewheel are probably the biggest things, and I've got the NS3 for that. Korg had a lightweight 7x key arranger with aftertouch (Pa3X LE), I wished they had built a Kronos into that chassis, but now I see a MODX in my future. Quote 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJR Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Question about Montage (possibly modx) polyphony... Does the 64 note FM polyphony depend on operators? In other words, if you use an 8 operator configuration, does that drastically reduce available FM polyphony? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 I see transport controls. Maybe they didn't remove the sequencer? Please?? Edit: Sigh...the pitch and mod wheels are above. Why... I'm not a Montage expert, but my understanding is Montgae doesn't have a sequencer as most would think of it (16-track midi recorder). I think it can "play" things you load in - maybe that is all those transport buttons do? Edit Answer: so its shorter? I'm hopeful for that, if I can get a MODX7 into a shorter case that doesn't exceed airlines 50" oversize rule - wahoo! length and weight are two key specs I'm waiting to see. Motif XF was 49", can't put it in a case and stay under 50". plus weight of 38 lbs requires a more substantial travel case to protect it from airline monkeys. Impossible to stay under 50 lbs there - so double fail on the airline oversize/weight limits. My MOXF6 flies in an SKB molded case (combined MOXF6 + case ~ 35 lbs). if I could somehow get an MODX7 in a case under those two limits - game changer for me. tbd ... file in the slow on the uptake folder. Yamaha published official spec of MODX7 at 45". as i panicked i'd never get it in a 50" case I figured I should recheck the airline policies. uh - US airlines are uniform - standard baggage rules apply if length does not exceed 62" (so forget all that 50" crap I was worried about) So i'm dumb ... but more importantly i'm stoked. It was hard it is to rationalize upgrading to MODX6. MODX7 gets me back int 76 keys (which I do miss on MOXF6) in a superior keyboard I can grow with for another 5 years. and once again, as is my tradition, i can import all of my current working library of Performances and Voices to be up and running in a day or so, as I slowly learn the new technologies and abilities. Because i really am lazy like that. Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 I wonder if the MO-class action wears quicker than FSX/BH, thereby contributing to a new MO board feeling better than a well used one. I have owned three keyboards with the GHS action, a P85, KX8, and now the MX88. In both the P85 and MX88 the action started getting (mechanically) noisy after a few months. Not a problem on stage, but distracting in the studio. I didnt take the KX8 out much, and disposed of it after less than year, so I dont remember if it exhibited the same issue. Quote local: Korg Nautilus 61 AT | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer | 16" MBP M1 Max home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 Here's an interesting MODX video, in that it shows more of the programming process and interface. This thing is damn deep if you want to go there... [video:youtube] Quote Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 I wonder if the MO-class action wears quicker than FSX/BH, thereby contributing to a new MO board feeling better than a well used one. I have owned three keyboards with the GHS action, a P85, KX8, and now the MX88. In both the P85 and MX88 the action started getting (mechanically) noisy after a few months. Not a problem on stage, but distracting in the studio. I didnt take the KX8 out much, and disposed of it after less than year, so I dont remember if it exhibited the same issue. I play synth/semi action so dont know GHS. I think MOXF6 is a bit louder and looser than Motif XF, in the scheme of things. Feel is in the same ballpark, not like going from an AP to a tinker toy. I dont notice key sound, im always either headphones or loud live band. My wife has said i bang keys loud when I practice (headphones ), So I asked her which is louder - MOXF of XF? She said whuh? I dont even know which board youre playing. You still have two keyboards? Huh .... So ... no help there Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.