Montage M 2.0 Update Coming Soon

[Motif88]

June Update for the Montage M

 

 

[Sunlight2]

That shimmer reverb is pretty extreme but absolutely gorgeous!

 

However I  never did use Smart Morph when it appeared in a MODX update - far too haphazard for live performance 

[HammondDave]

Very nice… Love the Shimmer Reverb.  Now if they could just inject it with Ozempic and take 20lbs off of it…. 
 

Someone please clear this up.  If I had a Montage M at home would I be able to control the software with a MODX on a gig? Would the controllers like the Superknob be compatible?  

[DeltaJockey]

5 hours ago, HammondDave said:

Very nice… Love the Shimmer Reverb.  Now if they could just inject it with Ozempic and take 20lbs off of it…. 
 

Someone please clear this up.  If I had a Montage M at home would I be able to control the software with a MODX on a gig? Would the controllers like the Superknob be compatible?  

Yes!

[TJ Cornish]

I’m very excited for this - this is a pretty major update and fairly soon after original release. The headline updates look cool; hopefully they have improved some of the other niggles as well - there are dozens of good ideas in Yamaha’s Ideascale that are worthy of implementation.

[DmitryKo]

Yamaha US product specialist Blake Angelos posted an announcement for the upcoming June 11 Tech Talk S05E02  and shared some new details of the OS v2.0.

 

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/events/tech-talk-s05e02-montage-os-v2-0-and-e-s-p-2-0/

 

 

New features include:

 

CFX2 Concert Grand Piano , Synth Space LA CP80 (user samples?)

60 new Performances

Shimmer Reverb  (master FX)

AN-X Wave Folder

AN-X Smart Morph

 

AWM2 Element Edit improvements

 

Expanded Softsynth Plugin (E.S.P.) V2.0

 

MIDI 2.0 high resolution data for note velocity, polyphonic / channel aftertouch, Super Knob, pitch bend, modulation, assignable knobs/sliders, foot controllers, and sustain

 

 

It wonder if it's a full-blown 128-bit UMP (Universal MIDI Packet) a.k.a. MIDI 2.0 Protocol message format, or just a few high-resolution extensions for the existing MIDI 1.0 protocol, with additional controllers and RPNs  lsimilar to High-resolution Velocity Prefix and LSB controllers for mod wheel, volume, pan, exptession, foot pedal etc. 

[Stokely]

How's the aftertouch on the new Montage 6/7?  I know it doesn't have poly.

The reported awful AT on the Fantom is my main hesitation about getting one, probably not enough to stop me but it's definitely a bummer.   If I do get a new keyboard it will end up being my main non-weighted home controller as well as for gigs so good AT would be handy.  

[YashN]

22 hours ago, DmitryKo said:

Yamaha US product specialist Blake Angelos posted an announcement for the upcoming June 11 Tech Talk S05E02  and shared some new details of the OS v2.0.

 

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/events/tech-talk-s05e02-montage-os-v2-0-and-e-s-p-2-0/

 

 

New features include:

 

Shimmer Reverb  (master FX)

AN-X Wave Folder

AN-X Smart Morph

 

AWM2 Element Edit improvements

 

MIDI 2.0 high resolution data for note velocity, polyphonic / channel aftertouch, Super Knob, pitch bend, modulation, assignable knobs/sliders, foot controllers, and sustain

 

Very, very nice.

[zephonic]

Any news/updates on the Montage plugin? Will that reach full functionality with this update?

 

[DmitryKo]

On 6/7/2024 at 12:28 AM, zephonic said:

Any news/updates on the Montage plugin? Will that reach full functionality with this update?

Yes, it will.

[DmitryKo]

Some takeaways from the Tech Talk S05E02 above.

• Enhanced controller resolution is just a step to full MIDI 2.0 implementation, but the UMP protocol is not there yet.
• Wavefolding is a new modifier block that sits before Filter in the signal path of the AN-X engine.

• SmartMorph can (obviously) morph between 4 different AN-X sounds in realtime.

• CFX2 and CP80LA do come as new User samples.

Audio quality wasn't great during the live stream, so hopefully there will be  OS 2.0 demos on YamahaSynth SoundCloud.

 

[TJ Cornish]

7 hours ago, DmitryKo said:

Some takeaways from the Tech Talk S05E02 above.

• Enhanced controller resolution is just a step to full MIDI 2.0 implementation, but the UMP protocol is not there yet.
• Wavefolding is a new modifier block that sits before Filter in the signal path of the AN-X engine.

• SmartMorph can (obviously) morph between 4 different AN-X sounds in realtime.

• CFX2 and CP80LA do come as new User samples.

Audio quality wasn't great during the live stream, so hopefully there will be  OS 2.0 demos on YamahaSynth SoundCloud.

 

As far as I’m concerned, they can skip SoundCloud, and just release the software.  

 

I’m grateful for any new features including some of the above. I’m also hopeful there are workflow improvements that weren’t “headline-level” enough to spend time on during the video - that’s where my personal pain is.

[DmitryKo]

18 hours ago, TJ Cornish said:

As far as I’m concerned, they can skip SoundCloud, and just release the software.  

 

Sound demos are obviously intended for people who don't own the actual Montage M yet. Existing owners can just download the update and play with the new Performances.

[TJ Cornish]

Looks like it’s out: Version 2.0

[DeltaJockey]

Just downloaded it. Will install tomorrow.

 

I noticed the version 2.0 of the ESP software is also available in the Steinberg Download Assistant too

The wording in the readme gives me the impression that it won't be the last ESP update.

[Motif88]

Installing v2.0 now…taking quite a long time to update. Downloaded the updated ESP too.

Will report back…been traveling all week and I’m too shot to stay up until 2am 

 

[DeltaJockey]

I found it initially concerning how long it took...about 45 mins! But all was well. Some nice version 2.0 performances included, and the ESP update, has all the trimmings, as promised.

 

Some nice folded wave performances too, and some excellent sounds making it easier to audibly apply the PAT.

[DeltaJockey]

Interesting with the shimmer effect. It so reminds me of the Noire Particles Engine when used with piano.

 

Shimmer Sine Pad is excellent for individual note expression with PAT 👍

[Jose EB5AGV]

You can read about this new version here:

 

https://www.musicproductionguide.eu/MPG/MusicProductionGuide_EN.pdf

[DeltaJockey]

2 hours ago, Jose EB5AGV said:

You can read about this new version here:

 

https://www.musicproductionguide.eu/MPG/MusicProductionGuide_EN.pdf

Interesting overview. According to the article some folks would be using the ESP in conjunction with the MontageM, but I've come to realize that other than syncing, I can't see the point of using them in the same place. I have one copy installed on my studio computer in which my main controller is the Montage M. We are allowed 2 installs, so my main use of ESP is on my laptop away from the Montage hardware itself. For me it would make more sense to have copies on 2 laptops rather than with the Montage. If I want to sync, I'd just plug the laptop into the Montage.

 

ESP appears to be a mighty complicated and deep piece of software now, with the ability to tinker with my Montage sounds from the comfort of my lounge chair on my lap, or  dare I say, as a bedtime activity.👍🤩

[DmitryKo]

On 6/18/2024 at 12:19 PM, DmitryKo said:

Some takeaways from the Tech Talk S05E02 above.

• Enhanced controller resolution is just a step to full MIDI 2.0 implementation, but the UMP protocol is not there yet.
• CFX2 and CP80LA do come as new User samples.

 

Well, Yamaha couldn't make this any more confusing:

 

1. The OS downloads page wouldn't list the size, but the update file is hefty 4 GBytes - so they're replacing the entire Preset Wave ROM, not just providing new User samples.

 

2. The updated Montage M Data List PDF/XLS does describe the new MIDI 2.0 UMP 1.1 Protocol messages for both MIDI 1.0 (Rx only) and MIDI 2.0 (Rx/Tx) high-resolution events, as well as endpoint discovery (with UMP protocol negotiaion) and device information - but there's neither a full suite of MIDI 2.0 messages and controllers with per-note events, nor MIDI-CI features like property exchange and configuration of instrument profiles. 

(MIDI 2.0 is for USB-MIDI only, as DIN connections cannot support UMP protocol.)

 

Will probably have to wait for OS 4.0 to enable more MIDI-CI and MIDI 2.0 features complete with MIDI 2.0 Clip File format...

[Motif88]

Well...I'm a big dope. Got home late from traveling all week, flight delays, etc. Decided to update my M8x at 1am. I thought I had all of my user data in a recent backup. I installed v2.0 which took a considerable amount of time and hit the infamous "Initialize All Data" after restarting, only to find my most recent backup was missing 6-8 patches that I had made in the past week or so.

 

Had I just waited until the morning, with a clear head and coffee, I would have updated my backup as I always do. I know better after all these years yet I did it. 

 

Moral of the story, don't install updates when you are too tired, not focused and always make a current backup and have multiple backups on multiple drives.

[DeltaJockey]

Yes not good to do that sort of thing when you're that tired. It inevitably ends up in tears!

 

I guess when not tired, step one is always to create a current backup file at the same time you then proceed with the update.

 

Interesting, I forgot to do the "initialize all data step" like my last updates, just slipped my mind, but all  my user stuff was cleared, and all the new functionality was there. I wonder what the result would be if I did it now? I suppose it's never too late to do that. Must make a new backup file first!

[Motif88]

3 hours ago, DeltaJockey said:

Yes not good to do that sort of thing when you're that tired. It inevitably ends up in tears!

 

I guess when not tired, step one is always to create a current backup file at the same time you then proceed with the update.

 

Interesting, I forgot to do the "initialize all data step" like my last updates, just slipped my mind, but all  my user stuff was cleared, and all the new functionality was there. I wonder what the result would be if I did it now? I suppose it's never too late to do that. Must make a new backup file first!

All I can say is, “poop to that” I screwed up after 45+ years of playing this game. I do know better but was anxious, tired and wiped out. I’ll spend the next week or so trying to recreate my most recent patches that inspired me the most…that might lead to even better things, who knows…