Is there a way to get the multi instruments to sound “as good” as their
respective individual voice patch? I would like to use a multi in performance, and use it more in recording, but am always disappointed with the sound I get from a patch in a multi, versus the
same patch in single mode. I know some of this is because of global effects settings, and understand that, but there’s seemingly more differences than just this, and they vary between patches.

Sorry if this is a dumb basic question, I couldn’t find it addressed anywhere in the manual.

I’m running a MotifES Rack, BTW.

Thanks,
Neil

myspace.com/AlteredDominant

Re: Getting multi instruments to sound like voices

In general, how a Voice sounds in Voice mode is very similar to how a musician sounds when practicing or playing alone. They have full run of the room acoustics (System effects) and can turn up as loud as they like.

However, take that same musician and place them in a musical ensemble (Performance Mode or Mixing Mode) and you will have to adjust their sound so that it fits in the new environment.

Yes, certain functions are stripped off when you place a Voice in a PART of a Performance or Mixing… these include. The main volume is reduce to 100 - it must now share the headroom with 15 other sounds; the System Effects (that’s the Reverb processor and the Chorus processor - which are responsible for the room acoustics, reverberation and time delays that position the ‘player’) are now shared by all 16 PARTS… this can greatly change how a VOICE sounds in the ensemble. For example, if in Voice mode you had a TEMPO DELAY, when placed in a Performance or Mixing setup, all 16 sounds share whatever is setup for the System Effects. (Among others)

In the Motif-Rack ES eight of the PARTS can recall their Dual Insertion Effects. So only eight PARTS (your choice) will recall their two Insertion Effects from Voice mode. Insertion effects very much are the personality of the Voice.

So very much like the real world when you place the individual in an ensemble you can expect it to sound different - and you should endeavor to make it blend with the other sounds, not try and make it sound like it did alone. Because how it blends (mixes) with others is what is really important. And it kind of makes sense… when you have 16 musicians in the same room playing together they do have to share the room acoustics - everyone cannot bring their practice space with them!

When you don’t find it in the manual you may want to check the “Behind the Manual” section on this site. Click on the “RACKS” at the top of the page and find the link “Behind the Manual”

Motif Rack ES Effects 101

It will give you background on how the effects are allocated in the different modes, how to Copy Reverb and/or Chorus from a Voice to your MIX or PERFORMANCE, etc., etc.
Hope that helps.