Old Motifator threads are available in the Archive.
muziksculp
Total Posts: 688
Joined 08-13-2002 status: Guru |
Hi, So now that the new Yamaha Montage has been officially announced. Who has decided to buy the new and great looking Montage Synth ? and who has decided not to buy one, and why ? or if you are Undecided about buying the Montage, what is holding you back ?
Cheers,
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davlippo7
Total Posts: 252
Joined 10-06-2010 status: Enthusiast |
I upgraded my pre-order from the M7 to the M8. I think I was the first pre-order at Sweetwater on the M7. Not sure about the M8. I’ve sold my FS1r last week, sold my Kronos, sold my Tyros 5, sold my Motif XF over the last few years but I kept my CP1. The FS1r required ZeeEdit, the Kronos was different (never owned a Korg prior to) but it was cool, Loved the Tyros 5 but it was an arranger and I never learned how to build a style, I didn’t spend enough time with the XF but the arps were nice. I wasn’t the biggest ROMpler fan but the T5 and CP1 were amazing. The Montage new abilities and hi fidelity have me very interested. I rarely pre-order unless I really want to demo it. I bought the T4 & T5, EX5 and now Montage on pre-order. Maybe I bought the XS, can’t recall whether it was a pre-order. I repair/restore all vintage Yamaha synths on the side, countless RS7000s and lots of SY99/77s. I can’t wait to turn out all of the lights just to watch that super knob blink! I upgraded to the M8 because with this high fidelity and FMX I really want to feel the range across all 88 keys. This device should do wonders on the far ends of the spectrum which I don’t want to miss out on. |
bapemos
Total Posts: 15
Joined 07-26-2013 status: Regular |
I’m getting the Montage7 later this year because I’m looking forward to use it connected to my iPad and Cubasis and/or my macbook air and Cubase....but in my case there is no rush so I’m not pre-ordering. For now I’m just enjoying my XF6 and my CP4. Cheers. |
Mr. Spock
Total Posts: 99
Joined 03-02-2012 status: Experienced |
Nice I’m also thinking of upgrading my order from the M6 to M8 . The only reson I went with the 6 at first was for portability I could take it with me much easier because my Motif XF8 is huge and heavy and ain’t going nowhere . But I would love a Montage-8 so the debate begins for me . |
Raven80
Total Posts: 110
Joined 11-26-2014 status: Pro |
Well, I haven’t taken a decision yet, but for me it makes more sense
To be honest, there is plenty of stuff on the XF I haven’t discovered or used yet.
The Master mode of the XF is something I plan to use because there you
Also for the sequencer I’m not really sure if I will miss it or not.
For DAW control I would also like to see/read what possibilities are available.
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greedo
Total Posts: 48
Joined 11-23-2010 status: Regular |
If i can change performances in a live set with pedals, like you can on the Kronos, then i guess i gonna buy it. |
pjd
Total Posts: 63
Joined 11-16-2013 status: Experienced |
Hi -- I’m waiting. Why? 1. Want to study the Data List and Reference Manual. 2. Want to actually play one. 3. Want to hear a Montage without lousy Youtube, etc. compression. No test drive, no buy. After watching Roland recycle waveforms for so many years, I do a pretty thorough comparison of the Data Lists to make sure that the improvements are worth the money. The radiator in my car is leaky, the tires are shot and the brake pads are shot. :-) I can wait until June (or beyond for that matter). All the best to everyone and thanks for sharing your thoughts! -- pj |
Jim Shoe
Total Posts: 71
Joined 06-18-2014 status: Experienced |
I personally am not considering a Montage because the Motif XF8 does everything I need and then some. I love the ability to sample on the Motif and love the sequencer on board There is so much to the Motif, it will take a long, long time to know every aspect of this instrument. If I ever learn it all. I have many “vintage synthesizers” from the 80’s and I’m still exploring things with them! I’m a firm believer of if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s all about the music and the performer on the keyboard. A true musician can take equipment from decades ago and do wondrous things with it. Take a listen at Wendy Carlos, Larry Fast of Synergy, etc. They used equipment in the 60’s and 70’s and as (and I stress) musicians did incredible things. The latest greatest will not sprinkle fairy dust on you and turn you into a great musician. People lose themselves in the technology and forget about the musicianship. I’ve been playing piano since the 60’s and synthesizers since the 70’s. There’s a lot of music in instruments of each decade. I’m not downing the Montage, it gives the appearance of being a good synthesizer, it’s just not for me. Want to see what someone did with a Yamaha HS-8 which was in production from 1987-1992? Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyjv5qKmuDA Let’s never forget to be musicians above wanting the latest tech. |
dsetto
Total Posts: 435
Joined 01-24-2014 status: Enthusiast |
Great words Jim. I forget them too often. |
Gospelpad160
Total Posts: 316
Joined 01-25-2006 status: Enthusiast |
I’m sticking with my Motif XS8. I like having the sampling, sequencing ability, I only wait 4 minutes to load my samples, and the firewire connection still works with the version of Logic and Digital Performer. For live performance I like what Roland is doing. I have the VR-09 and that is a powerful little keyboard. For what little live playing I do now it’s enough. Plus having the organ and the PK-6 pedals gives my an organ rig that is close enough for the small churches I play in. I might get the Mon8 or whatever the light version of the Montage is in a couple of years. I am a little disappointed that Yamaha moved away from a complete workstation. |
davlippo7
Total Posts: 252
Joined 10-06-2010 status: Enthusiast |
Since I don’t have any synth. at the moment, the Montage will give me a reason to buy a laptop for the sequencing. What is the best laptop? Obviously I’m leaning toward a pretty large screen. I’m familiar with the PC but not Mac. What specs on the system would be most important? I know that the software has minimum requirements but what’s best for sequencing applications? Also most of these are windows 10 and Cubase says to use windows 8. Will 10 work or I’ll have to use 8? |
djnoah
Total Posts: 42
Joined 05-05-2008 status: Regular |
manual is up http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&asset_id=66554 |
muziksculp
Total Posts: 688
Joined 08-13-2002 status: Guru |
Hi djnoah, Thanks for the heads up regarding the Montage User Manual being available !
Cheers,
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foleycore21
Total Posts: 37
Joined 01-14-2016 status: Regular |
Definitely won’t be buying the Montage! I’ve never heard of anyone paying $3500 for a rompler lol. Arturia’s “KeyLab 61” is an awesome keyboard-controller, so the Montage is of no benefit to me in this regard, and the 15gig of 24bit samples which come with Studio One are superior to the sounds in Montage. Besides, the people at Yamaha still haven’t figured-out how to build natural-sounding synth engines, they need to throw-away the ancient AWM2 sh_t and start again! And Yamaha hasn’t figured-out how to compile samples properly. The sound of the Montage reminds me of the XF, but worse. Here’s the thing… The best-sounding Motif was the XS. Then Yamaha claimed to have upped the anti on the XF but the general consensus from users was that the XF didn’t sound as good as the XS, but now we have the Montage and again Yamaha claim to have upped the ante (Pure Analog circuit etc blah blah) and now from demo vids I see the Montage is a step backward again in it’s sound compared to the XF. Yamaha’s sound gets worse every time they release a new synth. The problem with the Montage sound? Typical Yamaha tone cheap&tacky;. Always appears artificial and plastic/synthetic, don’t know what’s causing it, but more specifically “clinical” < don’t know why, but that has always been Yamaha’s signature-sound, quite unbearable, and you suckers keep buying this sh_t. That’s on top of the fact that the Montage sounds like a cheap 80’s Casio keyboard. There are other things about the sound which put me off too, every Montage Youtube vid i’ve seen so far seems to exhibit a glassy top-end with bright pitch on nearly every sound, and the bottom-end seems too heavy, and the midrange in general is far too warm/rich to an unnatural sickening degree. All this adds-up to basically something I wouldn’t use even if you gave me a Montage for free. Yamaha is dreaming if they think people these days will give them $3,500 for sh_tty dubious sound and no proper workstation features. Don’t you know what happened to the XBOX One console when Microsoft got too big for it’s britches and dared to dictate how it’s gonna be? Let’s just say that the PS4 console has currently sold 33 million units and the XBOX ONE 11 million. I’m guessing the Kronos will do to the Montage what the PS4 is doing to the XBOX ONE… i’m saying the Kronos will outsell the Montage 3-to-1. |
Rob'n
Total Posts: 153
Joined 10-30-2007 status: Pro |
Definately not until I’ve had my hands on a real life version.
Even then, the Motif XS is still doing everything I need. I like the subtle changes in sound from FM, but as I use the Motif mostly live I didn’t miss it badly all these years. And apart from the FM, it was possible to create every sound I needed. The abuse of song/pattern mode for live performace is a bit of a pain, but I got used to it.
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pjd
Total Posts: 63
Joined 11-16-2013 status: Experienced |
Thanks for the link to the Owner’s Manual, DJNoah. I’m waiting for the Reference manual. That’s where the details are hiding. All the best, pj |