Yamaha MODX+

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

Sold my MODX7 the day I got official word about this (before the official announcement)...  Figured the market would get flooded with people trying upgrade.  I bought it just to make some videos for YouTube anyway...

 

I can't believe they brought out a new keyboard that's basically the same.

[Stokely]

I can, it's kind of what I expect and if I get proven wrong it's a pleasant surprise   

 

Recently I have been surprised at least twice:  Roland adding in the VK organ engine to the Fantom, and Yamaha adding that nicer leslie to the YC.   I don't own either (yet) but everyone seemed very happy with those upgrades.   Apparently Kurzweil did a ton to the Forte after it was released.

I still think it's possible that more enhancements could be coming down the road for the Modx+.  For now my Modx7 with it's "organ module" (how I think about my ipad) has been a real workhorse and I'm very pleased with it.

[ElmerJFudd]

15 minutes ago, Stokely said:

I can, it's kind of what I expect and if I get proven wrong it's a pleasant surprise   

 

Recently I have been surprised at least twice:  Roland adding in the VK organ engine to the Fantom, and Yamaha adding that nicer leslie to the YC.   I don't own either (yet) but everyone seemed very happy with those upgrades.   Apparently Kurzweil did a ton to the Forte after it was released.

I still think it's possible that more enhancements could be coming down the road for the Modx+.  For now my Modx7 with it's "organ module" (how I think about my ipad) has been a real workhorse and I'm very pleased with it.

If Yamaha had an AN synth with the YC organ engine that would interest me.  

[AnotherScott]

1 hour ago, Julius D Majestic Studios said:

Sold my MODX7 the day I got official word about this (before the official announcement)...  Figured the market would get flooded with people trying upgrade.  I bought it just to make some videos for YouTube anyway...

 

I can't believe they brought out a new keyboard that's basically the same.

It's not that uncommon...  Korg Krome to Krome EX; Kawai MP7 and MP11 to MP7SE and MP11SE; Roland FP-30/60/90 to FP-30X/60X/90X, or VR-09 to VR-09B; Vox Continental 73 to 73BK;. Casio PX-S1000 to PX-S1100; Nord Stage 2 to Stage 2EX; Dexibell S3 and S7 to S3 Pro and S7 Pro... minor name changes accompanied by minor feature differences... definite improvements, but little in the way of a compelling reason to upgrade from the earlier model (unless the additions happen to be exactly what you needed). But minor upgrades still help keep the board competitive, and generate renewed press and consumer interest, and more firmly position the model as "current" to alleviate some potential customers' possible hesitations about buying an older model, worrying that it may soon be replaced.

[Fleer]

But if that press interest tends to be negative …

[AnotherScott]

14 minutes ago, Fleer said:

But if that press interest tends to be negative …

It won't be.

[Stokely]

I also can't see how it would be negative.  The Modx is a great keyboard (IMO), and there's nothing worse about the Modx+.   The only unhappy people might be people that sold hoping to upgrade.

If ElmerJFudd's desires had been met,  that would have been incredible.... that was my top end best case as well....and what we got was pretty much the other extreme.

 

[LarsHarner2]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:13 PM, Docbop said:

Sound like the Nautilus and Kronos they basically have the same internals just smaller screen and reduced knobs and such.   So the Kronos went away and reduced price Nautilus remains.  So only one SKU worth of parts to gather and build.   I wonder is Yamaha is heading the same direction and making the internals of the Modx the same as the Montage and fade away in the near future bring them down to one SKU to supply parts for. 

 

 

This was my initial thought- I got a Nautilus last year after passing on a Kronos for 10+ years. The price was the dealbreaker for me. It seems gone are the days of workstation upgrades- it now seems to be going in almost the opposite direction- trying to come up with something to fit in a smaller price range by subtracting parts that likely wouldn't cost them that much more to include.

[HammondDave]

This is why software solutions make sense. 

[ElmerJFudd]

50 minutes ago, HammondDave said:

This is why software solutions make sense. 

Now we just need to convince them to put their higher quality actions in well built controller keyboards priced  under the cost of a Montage, Nautilus, Fantom, etc. 

[Doerfler]

 

[DeltaJockey]

On 9/6/2022 at 4:36 AM, ElmerJFudd said:

Now we just need to convince them to put their higher quality actions in well built controller keyboards priced  under the cost of a Montage, Nautilus, Fantom, etc. 

 

That's why I bought a Korg D1. I only use it as controller for RH3 keybed which I happen to like a lot. The look appeals to me because it has the basic square edges and black finish of the keyboard controllers that went with the modular synths of 70's!

[HammondDave]

14 hours ago, Doerfler said:

 

YUK... I lasted 6:38 into that 43 minute commercial about an underwhelming upgrade to an already crippled instrument. (You would think that they would have at least offered a way to turn the lights on that stupid knob off!!!!) Yamaha should be ashamed of themselves. 

[EscapeRocks]

1 hour ago, HammondDave said:

YUK... I lasted 6:38 into that 43 minute commercial about an underwhelming upgrade to an already crippled instrument. (You would think that they would have at least offered a way to turn the lights on that stupid knob off!!!!) Yamaha should be ashamed of themselves. 

ummmm.....   you can certainly turn off the "stupid super knob" light, or you can make it a solid color, or assign what color it is as you rotate it, whether directly or by using an FC7 pedal in Pedal input 2

 

One of the coolest features of the MODX/Montage is the Super Knob and it's endless possibilities of controlling parameters in real time

 

 

Don't let your hatred get in the way of actually knowing the facts about the board.

[DeltaJockey]

I think it was the "superknob" which turned me off the MODX/Montage in the first place. I eventually moved on from that dislike, and when I bought one realised they were actually pretty nice synths....and the first thing I did was turn off the superknob altogether. I like a bit of cool bling as much as the next guy, (think analog step sequencer),

but to me the superknob is a special kind of wanky bling I don't take kindly to

 

Surely Yamaha is targeting people who don't yet own one, as it is a pretty dubious expense to upgrade if you already have the previous model.

[Docbop]

Maybe Yamaha should do like Apple and offer Trade-in on their old gear toward new gear.   <grin>

[Stokely]

Er, I also don't understand the hate for the superknob.  It's actually a very cool feature as it can be a master macro controller for other controls, with either positive or negative values for each iirc...meaning you could have it turn up cutuff on one part, then halfway up have it start reducing the release and volume on another etc.   You can have other controls such as an expression pedal mapped to it, which makes that pedal control potentially many things at once.   Also, I believe when you choose a "scene" (not to be confused with the Fantom, a scene is a snapshot of various things within the performance, I use them for verse/chorus type changes) the superknob level is recalled, so basically the scenes become that much more powerful.  Finally, it can be automated via lfo and other things (I'm not sure how to do this myself, but I've seen patches where it is!)

And as EscapeRocks said I believe you can turn down the bling.   Seeing as how my music room is primarily lighted with led strip lights around my door and windows that constantly change colors,  I kinda like it  

 

[ElmerJFudd]

39 minutes ago, Stokely said:

Er, I also don't understand the hate for the superknob.  It's actually a very cool feature as it can be a master macro controller for other controls, with either positive or negative values for each iirc...meaning you could have it turn up cutuff on one part, then halfway up have it start reducing the release and volume on another etc.   You can have other controls such as an expression pedal mapped to it, which makes that pedal control potentially many things at once.   Also, I believe when you choose a "scene" (not to be confused with the Fantom, a scene is a snapshot of various things within the performance, I use them for verse/chorus type changes) the superknob level is recalled, so basically the scenes become that much more powerful.  Finally, it can be automated via lfo and other things (I'm not sure how to do this myself, but I've seen patches where it is!)

And as EscapeRocks said I believe you can turn down the bling.   Seeing as how my music room is primarily lighted with led strip lights around my door and windows that constantly change colors,  I kinda like it  

 

Perhaps it’s because it flashes like a rave or edm show or something else that’s far removed from the geezer music  and instruments we grew up with.  Maybe it implies prioritization of tweakage as opposed to the “real” music making we used to value. 😁

[stoken6]

1 hour ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Perhaps it’s because it flashes like a rave or edm show or something else that’s far removed from the geezer music  and instruments we grew up with.  Maybe it implies prioritization of tweakage as opposed to the “real” music making we used to value. 😁

This. I remember when the SuperKnob launched, there was lots of demoing ma-hoosive EDM-style filter sweeps. You can turn the light show off, right?

 

Cheers, Mike.

[ElmerJFudd]

56 minutes ago, stoken6 said:

This. I remember when the SuperKnob launched, there was lots of demoing ma-hoosive EDM-style filter sweeps. You can turn the light show off, right?

 

Cheers, Mike.

Ya there are parameters for light on/off and color choice.  The Montage and MODX,+ etc. are great sounding boards like we’ve come to expect from Yamaha. An assignable big knob which can deeply manipulate parameters is very cool - especially for creating motion but also for most anything one can dream up.  The flashing colors, shape and placement are a bit gimmicky and marketed toward trends in music making.  That’s all I’m teasing about. 

[Stokely]

I'm officially an old geezer now and as I said I like led lighting and the like    Kinda reminds me of the neon 80s I guess!

It does look a bit...suggestive...sitting there colorfully pulsating as it does.  (I don't get to use that word "pulsating" nearly enough)

But I get it, I don't think there has been a big company keyboard launch in general that wasn't completely cringeworthy (to me)...some hipster dude who could be my grandkid holding down one finger while he very intently turns a knob making a filter sweep!

I generally don't buy equipment right after launch anyway, and only after hopefully trying it or at least watching some serious in-depth vids on it by serious players, or serious programmers, or someone who is both

[HammondDave]

23 minutes ago, Stokely said:

I'm officially an old geezer now and as I said I like led lighting and the like    Kinda reminds me of the neon 80s I guess!

It does look a bit...suggestive...sitting there colorfully pulsating as it does.  (I don't get to use that word "pulsating" nearly enough)

But I get it, I don't think there has been a big company keyboard launch in general that wasn't completely cringeworthy (to me)...some hipster dude who could be my grandkid holding down one finger while he very intently turns a knob making a filter sweep!

I generally don't buy equipment right after launch anyway, and only after hopefully trying it or at least watching some serious in-depth vids on it by serious players, or serious programmers, or someone who is both

 

Actually... "Throbbing" is a much better word.... I just believe that when a company throws money at bling, instead of improving the keyed (which is the most important player connection to the instrument), then something is wrong. 

[Stokely]

Well, again, the bling is incidental.  The superknob is actually one of the best features of the Modx (IMO) and this type of macro control is not something you see on most keyboards.  I employ it on many songs for something useful, ymmv.
 

Agree though about the keybed, though I've gotten used to it.

Throbbing AND pulsating, both together are very strong descriptors  

[DeltaJockey]

Yes, I think the functionality is excellent. To clarify what I previously said, I only have the "throbbing" turned off..... not the controller's operation. I'm happy for the lighting to be on at a fixed brightness, and to just change color as you turn it.

[Mr -G-]

Despite it usefulness, I find it most distracting, and looks like a cheap toy, constantly calling your attention. The illuminated part is too big.  But as mentioned before, it can be dimmed down or switched off. They could have done it more classy, and discreet, like a thin illuminated ring or a single LED.

 

[Coker]

I do use the superknob quite a bit and turned the “throbbing” off.  If I could have used it to directly view the sequencer clock, it would have been much more useful to me.  However, it’s very difficult to determine where the beats start because the light just fades in and out in tempo.  I wish I could set it to blink on and off (rather than fading on and off) with the sequencer clock.

[EscapeRocks]

Here’s my new  crippled MODX6+ sitting over my lack of features Fantom-08 😏  

 

This shows the knob with brightness turned down. 

 

 

Here it is with knob light off and button lights set to 1/2

 

The boards speak nicely with each other via standard MIDI din cables 

I can play either board from either board based on what scene I’m on  
 

Well, back to the lab to program next gig 

 

[ProfD]

IMO, the superknob is a great feature because as mentioned, it provides real-time control over sounds. 

 

Beyond modulation and pitch bend, being able to play sounds is a huge benefit in certain types of music.  😎

[Dockeys]

David, are there any new voices/performances in the modx+ or is it just the physical upgrades, ram, mod wheels etc?

[EscapeRocks]

1 hour ago, Dockeys said:

David, are there any new voices/performances in the modx+ or is it just the physical upgrades, ram, mod wheels etc?

Haven't gotten that far yet

I'm doing basic scene setup with how I will want the two boards to talk with each other

 

The Fantom-0 will be the Master Program change, since I make use of the Chain mode.   So it will call itself, and whatever Scene (program) on the MODX+

 

I start diving into the MODX+ sounds later today and I'll report back

Since I used to own a MODX previously, getting around on the menus is easy for me