Yamaha MODX+

[AnotherScott]

11 minutes ago, HammondDave said:

I don't get it,.,.,. Most people do not like the key action on these models. I listen to YourTube videos and all I hear is clacking. 

Which are you talking about? The 6 and 7? Or the 8?

[HammondDave]

16 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

Which are you talking about? The 6 and 7? Or the 8?

The 7

[CyberGene]

Although I tend to criticize the MODX6 that I sold, I was never bothered by its action and couldn’t get what’s so wrong with it. As a pianist I despise all non-hammer actions and to me they are all cr*p. Maybe experienced synth players know what to look for but I don’t. I’ve compared the Montage action and the MODX action in a store and they indeed feel very different, the MODX is clacking whereas the Montage has some smoothness and better dampening but at the end of the day they are both just synth actions that are bad for e.g. piano and to me that’s where actions matter, other patches do not require such an ultimate dynamics control. That being said, I used to play piano and Rhodes parts on the MODX and was surprised they came out kind of decent since the usual velocity response of synth actions produces unexpected silent strikes or overly loud notes for me on other synth actions. 
 

BTW, I love that the octave span is ever so slightly narrower than standard. I have an average sized hands and can play 10ths on an average piano, not very comfortably though, and on the MODX the 10ths are an easy and comfortable interval for me. 

[ElmerJFudd]

I’m assuming for the moment that the additional DSP processor is needed to give the FM-X engine 128 note poly.  If it can run the AN-X, they should do it.  At least it’s a more compelling update than a larger AWM2 library, to me. 
 

The synth action on pretty much every model under $2k from Yamaha or anyone else isn’t something to brag about - at least not for the last decade or more.  That’s a shame.  

[Stokely]

I can't hear clacking at gigs, and nobody else can either    We aren't a loud band but we are louder than that!   Granted some people use it at home, I get a little pickier about actions for home use...I'd want aftertouch for example.   

It's not a great action but I've gotten used to it and it's certainly not holding my talent back.  My talent is holding my talent back!

Odd, I have pretty large hands and never noticed the keys being smaller.  I do have my peeves about keyboards (wall wart, bad labeling and placement of connections would be two that irk me about the MODX) but that isn't one.

[pjd]

Jason pulled some info from the cache at YamahaSynth.com confirming what we've learned. Tomorrow  (8/1) is the drop.

 

BTW, usually the keys on the MODX6 don't bug me, but two weeks ago the key noise sent me bonkers. It's a church gig, not super loud where I play, and relatively easy to hear extraneous noises. Funny, the key noise doesn't hit me over the head when practicing...

 

Not likely to upgrade -- pj

 

P.S. I make a few extraneous noises, too, like crashing the hi-hat while taking off my fleece mid-sermon. Whoops. 😀

 

[Mighty Motif Max]

First video I have seen. New mod wheels, memory, and FM-X polyphony seem to be it for now. I definitely don't feel too bad about getting the regular MODX7 recently, seeing as the only one of those features that I would really find useful would be the increased memory and even that's only so useful.

 

 

[Docbop]

So they are saving money by going from six different internal boards and now down to three.  Also gives them the ability to do like Korg and drop the Montage and only offer the more affordable MoDX that should help with the global financial mess going on.    

 

I think a lot of companies are probably looking at reducing the number of products they offer to reduce costs. 

[pjd]

Manuals now available on the Japanese Yamaha site, but a real yawner at this point. Really pushing the Bosendorfer…

 

— pj

 

[Mighty Motif Max]

A few more videos out now.

 

 

 

 

Launch price is a smidge higher than the regular MODX.

 

MODX6+, $1,499: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/yamaha-modx6-61-key-synthesizer/l96787?rNtt=modx+&index=10

MODX7+, $1,699: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/yamaha-modx7-76-key-synthesizer/l96789?rNtt=modx+&index=8

MODX8+, $2,199: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/yamaha-modx8-88-key-synthesizer/l96788?rNtt=modx+&index=9

 

 

17 minutes ago, pjd said:

Manuals now available on the Japanese Yamaha site, but a real yawner at this point. Really pushing the Bosendorfer…

 

— pj

 

I for one was not a fan of the Bosendorfer soundset...hopefully they come out with some nice OS updates and such to position the MODX+ line better in the current market. For now it's not much. I mean, they could have at least upgraded the sequencer or added some new samples or something (or a better touchscreen).

[smanzella]

It would be good if they would add piano roll editing to the sequencer.

[ElmerJFudd]

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/news/blake-s-take-modx-plus

 

wow, over $2k for a GHS action we can get on the P125.  Their market research is always interesting.  But then again CP88 is $2599 and YC88 $3k in this market.  Even the P125 is up to $700. 

[Jose EB5AGV]

Stay tuned! There’s more MODX+ content on the way from our amazing Yamaha Artists, content creators and the International Team.

 

That is the most interesting thing on that article IMO. I hope that includes the firmware update 🥳

[AnotherScott]

5 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/news/blake-s-take-modx-plus

 

wow, over $2k for a GHS action we can get on the P125.  Their market research is always interesting. 

 

Well, if they still wanted it to be a lightweight board in a plastic chassis, they didn't have a ton of choice.  That said, I would have liked to have seen them switch from the GHS to the BHS of the YC73/CP73, which is basically a GHS action that has the lightest resistance of the top keys throughout, instead of getting heavier feeling as you move toward the lower keys. Of all the MODX and Montage actions, the MODX(+)8 is the only graded one. Switching to BHS would have made its response (from lowest to highest keys) more consistent with the rest of the line, plus it would slightly reduce travel weight. And I think those lightest keys are where GHS feels best anyway.

 

5 hours ago, EB5AGV said:

Stay tuned! There’s more MODX+ content on the way from our amazing Yamaha Artists, content creators and the International Team.

 

That is the most interesting thing on that article IMO. I hope that includes the firmware update 🥳

 

I had a theory that the increased memory was going to come with an announcement of more downloadable content, like maybe some of the additional pianos/EPs of the CP73/CP88. From a marketing perspective, they'd also be able to say that the plus gives you enough memory to hold them all, whereas while the earlier model would be able to use them, you might have to pick and choose what would fit, especially depending on what else you had in there. But they didn't do that (at least yet...)

[Justin Havu]

No real reason to replace my MODX7, other than a small crack in the left end cap.  I don't really utilize the FM-X as much as I probably could, and other than the Bosendorfer library, which I'll most likely uninstall as I never use it (not a fan of it), and a few 1-2 second samples, I'm nowhere near maxing out the flash memory.  If they'd have upped the seamless sound switching from 4 parts to 8, then I might consider the upgrade.

[ElmerJFudd]

http://www.musicproductionguide.eu/MPG/MusicProductionGuide_2022_05_EN.pdf 

 

 

[HammondDave]

Big yawn here… the deal killer is the toy synth keybed on the 6 and 7. Makes Yamaha look cheap. They need to learn a lesson from the Italians.

[Fleer]

Yep. Much ado about barely anything. Except for that price hike. And still those clunky keys. Here’s waiting for what Korg may bring. 

[Radagast]

Deleted.

[AnotherScott]

33 minutes ago, HammondDave said:

the deal killer is the toy synth keybed on the 6 and 7. Makes Yamaha look cheap. They need to learn a lesson from the Italians.

though I'd say the MOD6/7 action is better than the action on the competitive Korg Krome EX or Roland Fantom-0. But my favorite action in its class (comparing current boards of roughly competitive price/weight/functionality) is the Medeli used by Kurzweil. It gets a bit stiffer toward the rear, unfortunately ( a malady the Yamaha does not suffer from), but overall, I still really enjoy playing it, regardless of that. It lags the others for organ, but it's usable for that, and better for most other stuff.

[ElmerJFudd]

12 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

though I'd say the MOD6/7 action is better than the action on the competitive Korg Krome EX or Roland Fantom-0. But my favorite action in its class (comparing current boards of roughly competitive price/weight/functionality) is the Medeli used by Kurzweil. It gets a bit stiffer toward the rear, unfortunately ( a malady the Yamaha does not suffer from), but overall, I still really enjoy playing it, regardless of that. It lags the others for organ, but it's usable for that, and better for most other stuff.

I was going to say the same. The 6/7 and 8 action certainly isn’t worse than what Korg and Roland offer on the tier.  Maybe even preferable.   And possibly equal to what you get on Nord regardless of the higher price point yet.  

[AnotherScott]

5 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

I was going to say the same. The 6/7 and 8 action certainly isn’t worse than what Korg and Roland offer on the tier.  Maybe even preferable.   And possibly equal to what you get on Nord regardless of the higher price point yet.  

I agree, I find the MODX 6/7 action preferable to the Nord Electro semi-weighted actions, Yamaha's don't push back so much.

[Stokely]

I really need to spend more time on the Fantom-0 at my friend's house before I get one (which I may not do anyway).  First impression is that it's a bit more "premium" than the Modx--but it didn't have that semi-weighty "solidity" of something like the Fatar TP9 actions, which is one I really like.  Pc361, Virus etc.

Well anyway, excitement over for now    I need to get in to my "old n busted" Modx and start fixing up some patches I've been meaning to for a while now.   In particular, I need to start using scenes a LOT more to handle say changes between a verse and chorus, or bringing in another layer for a big outro.  A good example is my patch for Comfortably Numb, which certainly isn't as exact as it could be...it's simply some woodwinds with a string layer that I bring in for the chorus and outro.   Only the Lonely has three layers and it's a pain to adjust all three sliders and get it right quickly.

I might take a flyer on the Analog Xperience library too.  I'll have to see if it will fit alongside Purgatory Creek.

[Mighty Motif Max]

1 hour ago, AnotherScott said:

though I'd say the MOD6/7 action is better than the action on the competitive Korg Krome EX or Roland Fantom-0. But my favorite action in its class (comparing current boards of roughly competitive price/weight/functionality) is the Medeli used by Kurzweil. It gets a bit stiffer toward the rear, unfortunately ( a malady the Yamaha does not suffer from), but overall, I still really enjoy playing it, regardless of that. It lags the others for organ, but it's usable for that, and better for most other stuff.

I didn't mind the Krome 61/73 action so long as it was the upper-tier board in a setup. It only bothered me when I was playing it lower down since I'd be playing further in on the keys due to ergonomics. Not great for solo piano either...though I did do a solo piano gig or two in a tight space with the Krome 61.

 

I don't mind the MODX6/7 action at all - sure, it's not the same tier as my Fantom 7, but it's decently firm, I can get pretty good dynamic response out of it (when put on the Soft velocity curve), and it doesn't feel like it's going to break every time I do a gliss. Now it's not quite as sturdy as I'd like for those glisses, but it's decidedly an upgrade over my MX61's action (and the Krome action in that area as well).

[jerrythek]

That statement reads to me all about promotional and instructional content. Nothing about future plans.

 

9 hours ago, EB5AGV said:

Stay tuned! There’s more MODX+ content on the way from our amazing Yamaha Artists, content creators and the International Team.

 

That is the most interesting thing on that article IMO. I hope that includes the firmware update 🥳

 

[AnotherScott]

28 minutes ago, jerrythek said:

That statement reads to me all about promotional and instructional content. Nothing about future plans.

yeah, seeing the context, that's referring to additional tutorial articles, videos, etc.

[ProfD]

14 hours ago, Docbop said:

I think a lot of companies are probably looking at reducing the number of products they offer to reduce costs. 

Maybe with so many competing products on the market, it makes sense to streamline product lines in order to increase profits.  

 

Between hardware and software, musicians are not as tethered to the big 3 as they were even a decade ago.

 

I would not be surprised if Yamaha discontinues the Montage in order to further promote the MODX+ as their flagship synth offering. 😎

[Docbop]

24 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Maybe with so many competing products on the market, it makes sense to streamline product lines in order to increase profits.  

 

Between hardware and software, musicians are not as tethered to the big 3 as they were even a decade ago.

 

I would not be surprised if Yamaha discontinues the Montage in order to further promote the MODX+ as their flagship synth offering. 😎

or view the MoDx+ as the sweet spot price for the current economic situation. 

[HammondDave]

44 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Maybe with so many competing products on the market, it makes sense to streamline product lines in order to increase profits.  

 

Between hardware and software, musicians are not as tethered to the big 3 as they were even a decade ago.

 

I would not be surprised if Yamaha discontinues the Montage in order to further promote the MODX+ as their flagship synth offering. 😎

I don’t think so as those keybeds are not “flagship” quality. 

[JohnH]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

May

 

 

I would not be surprised if Yamaha discontinues the Montage in order to further promote the MODX+ as their flagship synth offering. 😎

Why would they do that? This is the same as saying in 2006-2015 they would discontinue the Motif ES/XS/XF and just keep the MO/MOX/MOXF series. Not going to happen- that is the same as saying Gibson is dumping the expensive Les Pauls and just keeping the Epiphone line.