Thought I’d start a post with a partial list of what you will find that is new and different about the Motif XS - from time to time I will add to the list (as I don’t think I am close to being complete).

Front Panel/Keyboard
• New FSX action on Motif XS6/XS7: New environmentally friendly “lead-free” synth action.
• New Assignable Function buttons: [AF1]/[AF2] – These work with the XA Control function (Expanded Articulation) for Element control and are assignable to other functions via the Control Set page, as well.
• 8 Knobs x 3 rows [Selected Part Control]: 24 parameters for real time control of the current VOICE or selected Part (when in Performance or Mixing modes)

http://files.keyfax.com/forums/user-files/417769-Knobs.JPG

• 8 Knobs x 3 rows [Multi Part Control]: quick access to System Effects (reverb/chorus) sends and pan position of any PART in a PERFORMANCE or MIXING program. (When in PERFORMANCE mode only the first 4 Knobs are active).
• 8 Control Sliders: Element Level in VOICE mode, PART Volume in PERFORMANCE and MIXING modes, and assignable in MASTER mode.
• LCD color display, 320 x 240 (5.7 inch) graphic backlit color
• Dedicated [Common Edit] button
• [Performance Control] button: Real time dynamic control in Performance mode. Where Track Select buttons are grouped in fours:

http://files.keyfax.com/forums/user-files/417768-Track%20Select.JPG

_ [1]-[4] PART Selection
_ [5]-[8] ARP On/Off
_ [9]-[12] PART Mute
_ [13]-[16] ARP Hold On/Off

• Dedicated [PROGRAM] button – used when you want to have the right front panel buttons function as Program Selection.
• Dedicated [MUTE] and [SOLO] buttons
• Dedicated Preset, GM and User Drum bank select buttons
• Ethernet connector – Computer Network connection for data transfer with multiple computers and shared hard drives. This facilitates setting up a network between your computer and its shared drives and your Motif XS and its USB drive. Data transfer (file transfer) is the function here. You can load and save data directly from/to your computer with the Motif XS via Ethernet. (See Computer Integration section below)
• mLAN IEEE 1394 built in on XS8; optional mLAN16E2 expansion board for the XS6/7
_ Plug n Play peer-to-peer operation based on mLAN (AI Driver)
_ Full networking with multiple devices via mLAN (mLAN Driver)

• Digital stereo OUT - CD/DAT (SP/DIF) connector
• Improved Category Search function – Category/Sub-Category
• Redesigned Remote Control functions for Cubase/Nuendo, Logic, Sonar, Digital Performer
• Half Damper Sustain pedal Function (FC3 optional)
• Assignable Foot Switch is now programmable on a per PERFORMANCE and per MIXING program.
• AD INPUT (Mic/Line) now active in all modes (including VOICE mode)
• Ribbon Controller mode (reset/hold) can be set per Voice, per Performance and per Mixing setup

Redesigned Arpeggio Block
• 6633 Arpeggio Types
• Up to 4 simultaneous arpeggios;
• Newly developed chord recognition technology
• Performance mode can have four active arpeggios times the five [SF] buttons
• “Voice with Arp” – parameter determines whether or not the Voice registered with each Arpeggio type is assigned to the current Part
• New parameters
_ Trigger mode (gate/toggle); Gate mode will end automatically when you lift your fingers, while toggle mode will start on the initial key press and end when the keys are pressed again. These two modes when combined with the HOLD parameter give greater flexibility to arpeggio control.
_ When “Trigger mode” = toggle it will override ARP HOLD parameter
_ Accent Velocity Threshold: When you exceed a set threshold you can have a drum arpeggio for example punch a kick and crash.
_ Accent Start Quantize
_ Random SFX
_ Random SFX Velocity Offset
_ Random SFX Key On Control
_ Arpeggio Sync Quantize Value

New Effects Block
• VCM (Virtual Circuit Modeling) including
_ VCM Compressor 376
_ VCM EQ 501
_ VCM Flanger
_ VCM Phaser mono
_ VCM Phaser Stereo
_ VCM Auto Wah
_ VCM Touch Wah
_ VCM Pedal Wah;

• New Reverbs
_ Rev-X
_ SPX
_ ProR3

• Combine INSERTION A and B into “Large” unit for Vocoder Insertion
_ Vocoder – 10 band filter, formant control

• Effect Presets for each of the 53 main categories (over 320 effect types in all)
• Damper Resonance Insertion Effect algorithm (soundboard simulation) – works in conjunction with the sustain pedal.

Sequencer Block
• FLASH ROM backup (Songs, Patterns, Mix Voices remain in memory between power cycles)
• Upon completion of recording or editing of a SONG or PATTERN you must [STORE]. The [STORE] operation will write to Flash ROM both the data that is recorded to the sequencer and the Mix parameters. If you attempt to leave without storing you will receive a warning – at which time you must go back and execute the STORE function. If you do not everything you’ve done since you last stored will be lost.
_ Note: Store and Save are separate operations. Store writes the data to internal memory, while Save writes the data to an external storage device (for long term archiving of data).

• XS Song data can be extracted from an ALL data (.XOA) file on USB media directly to Cubase. New level of hardware/software integration. For those that work sometimes in the internal sequencer and at others on the computer, moving SONG data between the XS and the computer is facilitated.
• Performance Record function: Record directly from Performance Mode to either a SONG (999 measures) or to a PATTERN (256 measures).
• Start Performance Record by pressing a note: Key press start function (for both Record and Play operation)
• Song mode track Loop set individually per track
• Newly designed PLAY FX function. Apply Swing quantize in addition to Note Shift, Timing Shift, Gate time offset and Velocity offset.
• Punch in at any measure in PATTERN mode
• New to Pattern mode: 5 SCENE capture [SF1]-[SF5]
• New (2) LOCATE points in Pattern mode
• Redesign of Pattern mode REMIX function
_ 48 Remix Fill-in variations added
_ Measure Interval added to Remix function

• PATTERN CHAIN function improved
_ Time Signature change recordable in real time (stutter)

• Sequencer Setup (4 Quick Setups). These four templates greatly ease the task of working with the Sequencer mode – one button press setup:
_ Using internal sequencer
_ Recording internal sequencer to computer
_ Recording on computer
_ Recording arpeggio to computer

Tone Generator Block
• New 8 Element architecture
• XA (Expanded Articulation) – legato, key off, sound variation, element switching
• New parameter: Element Group. Elements in the same group can be switched between dynamically.
• 80% of the sample Wave ROM is new data!
• 8 Preset Voice Banks of 128 (1024)
• 3 User Voice Banks of 128 (384). All 384 User Voices are found in the Preset banks so you can write to any USER location without overwriting a unique Voice.
• New 8Z (8-Zone Drum Kit w/arp Voices) real time editable in Sequencer mode
• New MegaVoice Guitar and Bass Voices linked with associated MegaVoice Arpeggios
• “Parameter with Voice” – determine whether of not parameter setting of the selected Voice are automatically copied to the PART (Performance or Mixing mode): Arp settings, Filter Cutoff/Resonance, AEG, FEG, PB range, Note Shift, Portamento parameters, MONO/POLY mode.
• 3 User Performance Banks of 128 (384). All 384 Performance are USER, so you are free to customize any or all of them.
• Performance COPY function can target PARTS 1-4, 5-8, 9-12 or 13-16
• Improved Drum Kit Editing
_ new parameter: PAGE HOLD
_ Sample direct to Drum Kit function
• New [Controller] ”learn” assignment function - simply hold down button and move the controller to assign it in Control Set

LFO Block
• New parameters/Destinations
_ Common LFO can be routed to any Insert Effect parameter (INS A, INS B, INS L)
_ Common LFO USER variable number of Steps
_ Common LFO PLAY MODE: Loop, One Shot

Master Block
• Master mode now 8 Zones
• Master mode real time Parameter “SEND” option. When activated values in the MASTER program are sent out via MIDI in real time.

Utility Block
• Improved Autoload function
• mLAN Monitor Setup: Stand Alone, with PC, with PC (DirectMonitor)
• User Micro Tuning (stores 8 tunings)

Computer integration: Studio Connection
• New Motif XS Editor can auto synchronize – meaning your communication between hardware and software has improved.
• Bi-directional and simultaneous editing.
• New Import feature with quick SEARCH function (type in any portion of the name and all matching items are shown).
• Communication with and management of MIXING VOICES from within the EDITOR
• Cubase AI4 - a specially created introductory version of Steinberg’s Cubase line, that includes Studio Connections Recall the initiative launched by Yamaha and Steinberg to advance integration of hardware and software in Music Production. RECALL is the portion that makes your XS MIXING setup and all the current Voices in your XS - a part of your Cubase Project. This means that you have access to all 1024 Presets, 384 User, 64 Drum Kits, 32 User Drum Kits, and 256 Mixing Voices and the current MIX. All USER XS data is stored when you SAVE your Cubase Project file (.CPR). You will be asked when you boot up, if you would like to restore data to your hardware. This is highly customizable per session.
• Cubase AI4 (Cubase Studio 4 and Cubase 4 as well) can import Motif XS SONG files (.X0A) and any USER SAMPLE VOICE data associated with that SONG. This facilitates working in either sequencer and makes transfers between them a breeze.