Wondering if this expansion board works with the Motif XS7? I saw the Tony Escueta video, and would love to be able to do the same sort of thing.

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

No. The Vocal Harmony board is not compatible with the Motif XS. The XS has its own built in Vocoder (although different from the Harmony board in how it creates the encoded effect...).

The PLG100-VH (1997) could be used in synth prodcuts between 1997 and 2005 like the S80, Motif, S90, Motif ES, S90 ES. The XS-series no longer supports PLG boards. Sorry.

The Vocoder in the XS is a true Voice encoder… it is synth effect where you use the microphone input as the modifier signal and the synth sound as the carrier signal. The vocal input is ‘encoded’ into the synth sound. Classic robot voice effect. 

This is quite a bit different from the VH board where the VH board is an Insertion Effect that is applied to the microphone input… as opposed to the VOCODER which is an effect on a synth sound that applies the microphone input to the synthesizer sound.

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Thanks for the clarification. Is there a built in Insertion Effect in the XS7, then?

Aside from the Vocoder, I want to be able to harmonize my own vocal tracks.

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Yes, the Motif XS has Insertion Effects but none that do vocal harmony, sorry.

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Reading through catching up on postings, I read this and am struck by a question maybe Bad Mr. or someone else from Yamaha can answer.  When designing the XS, why, without incorporating the same features in the new keyboard, would they leave out something like the ability to do vocal harmony?  I know the XS is a step up in many ways, but I am just curious as to why Yamaha would pick to leave this out.  Is the some of the other cool things supported by the PLG boards like the acoustic instrument modeling (PLG150VL) also left behind?  I don’t mean this to disrespect the new keyboard in any way.  I am truly curious.  But also a bit disappointed.  I think I’ll hold on to my ES for a while.

msr

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

How can I put this so that it makes sense… the PLG100VH board has been available since 1996-7 or so. The number of sales of this particular board did not warrant it being continued, particularly in a piece like the Motif XS series. (actually many, many requests were for a true Vocoder)

The VH technology continues in arranger workstation keyboards (like the Tyros-series) where the focus is on song performance… Arranger Workstations have large color screens with animation capability so that music scores and lyrics can be shown, interactively. They also feature a left-hand chord recognition system perfect for control over both accompaniment and vocal harmony functions.

The Motif-series leans more toward music production/recording - certainly live performance but in a band situation. The Vocal Harmony function is more at home on a Tyros-series. I’m not saying that either series is cut and dry as to its function. You can certainly use a Motif in a one-man band situation, and conversely you can certainly use a Tyros in a band - but generally speaking the two have their larger audiences.

Your question would we justified if sales of PLG100-VH were at high levels. You would definitely have to scratch your head at the removal of very popular features. But just the opposite - it was a no-brainer to NOT include it.

The sales of PLG100-VH boards was very sluggish and the fact that most of the PLGs have been in the line for almost a decade meant (most likely) they had seen their peak… and were now very much on the way (irreversibly) down in sales. If they were selling like gangbusters, no doubt, you would still see slots in the current products. This should not be a mystery… you cannot simply keep making a product or including a feature, if it means holding back new innovations. Particulary when, by the numbers, it does not warrant it. How can you justify it?
Pure and simple.

The new effect processing functions in the XS-series are far more useful to the wide majority of users - while the PLG technologies were of interest to a smaller niche set of users. And that proved to be a fact over the past 10 years!

The ES is a fine product and if you are still enjoying it and your PLG boards that is okay. A musical instrument is never obsolete when you enjoy the sound of it. But some of the new features and functions found in the XS meant that the lesser used items would have to disappear. Trust me, this was studied closely.

If you know of thousands of sales of PLGs that we perhaps missed… let us know

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Bad - Thanks for a thoughtful answer to my wondering out loud.  I of course have no idea what sales of these PLG boards are, just my own experience with what I have.  I do enjoy the VH board but certainly understand Yamaha’s rationale for going a different direction with the XS unit.  There is so much more in the ES that I haven’t even got to yet, so I expect to hold on to mine for a few more years yet.  In the meantime, I certainly look forward to Yamaha’s continued work in developing top notch instruments.

Always a fan,

msr

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Bad_Mister,

Not to beat a dead horse, (and don’t feel obligated to respond to this post, I’m just thinking out loud), but I would have assumed that the VH technology could have been incorporated in a more direct fashion into the XS rather than as some type of plug-in. For instance, the vocoder isn’t a plug-in, nor are any of the effects built into the XS. These are accomplished mostly through a software means.

I fully understand your explanation regarding the decision process used that ruled the VH out as a plug-in board. I also understand the product differentiation you reference between the Motif and Tyros line.

I guess I had hoped that a vocal harmony effect could have been incorporated in some fashion.

On a related issue, I had heard that Digitech had abandoned their vocal harmony product due to issues regarding the licensing rights of the technology used. Maybe this factored in as well with Yamaha’s decision.

I still love my ES and I get to play an XS on Sundays, so I guess I have the best of both worlds.

Greg

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Vocal Harmony, as I mentioned, is still very much a part of the new Yamaha Tyros 3 and is (and has been) fully integrated into that product series - and not as a plug-in board. It is a matter of customer base and customer demand.

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Has Yamaha ever considered developing VH as a stand alone product? It would make a nice rack unit or an awesome stomp box. MIDI and mic (or line) in one end, harmonized audio out the other.

Bob

Re: yamaha plg 100 vh

Actually, yes. Of course… but the research took them far beyond that… glad you asked /forums/images/icons/smile.gif alt=

Yamaha has been licensing a technology called “Vocaloid” since 2004 which is availabe in three different software packages from a third party manfucturer (Zero-G) where you can basically create harmonies that sing the words by placing notes on staff and typing in lyrics… it is fairly AMAZING… actually. You add inflection and program vibrato, etc.  For backing vocals it is unsurpassed (in my opinion). As a lead you can tell it is being artificially generated but as backing vocals, forget about it!

Also Yamaha had something called Pitch Fix (no longer available as a standalone) as a pitch correction software plug-in that can be used to create vocal harmonies as well.

As you can see there were developments - some have come and gone already… so you can see the difficulty of marketing to musicians… sometimes by the time they find out about something it has already been discontinued… alas…

I do believe Zero-G still offers Miriam, Leon and Lola (their three Vocaloid based products) they are a UK company.