Is there anywhere online where I can select and hear all of the voices available, individually on the XF6/7/8?  I know it is a lot to ask, but there is no Yamaha dealer within 150 miles of where I live who has an XF6/7/8 that I can try out and I would like to order online, also. So it is tough for me, if Yamaha wants to sell this product worldwide, to get my hands on one without purchasing first, trying it out, and if I don’t like it, returning it at my expense.

Please advise.

robinvt - 21 February 2012 03:53 PM

Is there anywhere online where I can select and hear all of the voices available, individually on the XF6/7/8?

AFAIK, there is none. But you do have some Demo Songs at YamahaSynth.com. And then, you have many songs uploaded by the Motifator community here in the Songs section. Better yet, just listen to some professional albums or live recordings - many of them would most likely have some Motif sounds :-)

You can’t go wrong with a Motif if ‘quality sounds’ is your primary concern, rest assured.

I am definitely interested in the Organ(B3) sounds, since that is my instrument of choice.  Are all the options available to change on the samples, like all the drawbar, percussion, and vibrato settings, as well as overdrive?
I see the new bank has a vox continental and Farfisa voice and am wondering how you can replicate the drawbar changes on the vox and the tabs on the Farisa.

The XF does not have defined organ-specific controls. Up to 8 drawbars can be programmed into a voice but within the factory voices the amount of control varies from voice to voice.

There are additional organ libraries available at the Motifator shop for more variety, the same caveat applies to them.

If you need full drawbar control, you should look at the Korg Kronos which does offer this coupled to it’s “clonewheel” sound engine.

Hope this helps.

My suggestion: Call that dealer (the one 150 miles away) and setup a time when you can travel in and play the unit. You are not buying a pair of socks, you are investing in a musical instrument (and in yourself). At Yamaha we do want to sell this product worldwide and have been doing so ...at a frantic pace, thank you. If your goal is to “hear all of the voices available”, then only you can do that. After all, listening to every Voice still will not tell you what a few minutes with the unit yourself will tell you.

150 miles while this is an investment (both time and money), just might be worth the trip. Certainly playing the unit is the BEST way - I don’t think you have an argument with me about that. It is a matter of what you want to do. If you have a relationship with the “local” dealer you may be able to work out something to make it worth your while.

If not, you can work with your online dealer. If you are in the market for something, then buying it and returning it (yes it will cost you) is another option. It can cost you as much as 15% (they call that a re-stocking fee) for the privilege of trying it out at home

Whether that 15% is more in dollars than the 150 mile trip - well, we’ll let you do the math on that one (sounds like an algebra equation: Does a car leaving Burlington heading East use more gas dollars than a purchased/returned box shipped to-and-from Warehouse “A” traveling north/south via UPS.. (lol)

If you purchase the unit and then return it for something else - use your negotiating skills to see if you can reduce the restocking fee (if you are going to buy ‘something’, you may be able to work it out). But we think if you do the math, there is a trip in your future. If you call ahead and set it up, I’m sure the retailer will be willing to work with you. And I’m sure when you do the math, and weigh the benefits of actually playing it, you might find it is definitely worth the trip. YOu may also want to specify the type of sound system you want to play it through.

Because either way, YOU have to play it. If you want to simply hear a Motif XF played by someone else, turn on the radio, log on the Internet, go to a concert, watch the Grammy’s, watch the Academy Awards, buy a CD, go to a club, listen to TV jingles, etc., etc…

And at Yamaha we don’t want every customer (sure we want to make lots of sales, much like any company) but the difference is, we only want customers who can hear the difference!
:-)

compared to spending around $4000, 150 miles of travel is not so far…

There are Yamaha Dealers in the State of VT, but none carry the XF6/7/8.  It would have to be a special order to the store, this also includes a GUITAR Center in Albany, NY.  The Guitar Center only has the XF8 and I am looking for the XF7, which really doesn’t help me, because of the weighted keys.  I’d love to play one and hear it through HS80M speakers since most of the stereo work will be done in the studio.
I am just surprised that no dealers, here we go again, within a 150 mile radius have one of these machines.  I have not gone outside 150 miles to see if a dealer has an XF7?

I did contact Yamaha and they suggested a store in Burlington, VT.  It would have to be a special order, but who is going to demonstrate one that has the experience with this instrument to answer my questions and the sound system in which I want to hear it through? 
And I don’t want to be obligated to buy if it has to be a special order.

I guess I don’t want to have to travel New England to find one.

That’s why I asked if Yamaha is really wanting to sell this instrument worldwide, when I can’t find one in a 3 state radius.  Why don’t the dealers stock it?

Where are you located in VT? Most of the MA and NH Guitar Centers are stocking XF’s, that’s where I first got to try one out. Lots of smaller shops won’t carry it because they don’t sell much pro gear, period.

An XF6 would be OK to audition for your purposes because the key action is the same as the XF7.

I am located in Rutland, VT.  The closest dealer in NH is Lebanon, NH and they don’t have any.  What about Manchester?  Nashua is a long way to go.

Anytying in Springfield or Holyoke MA?

Yes, an XF6 would work just fine.

Thanks

I agree with all the posts about getting your physical hands on a physical machine.

I have the XF8 and the XF7.  I also have a HUGE interest, experience, and enjoyment in playing B3 including all the nuances (leslie, overdrive, key click, etc.).

I would be absolutely happy to start up a private email correspondence to answer any questions you may have. 

My history with B3 clones is as follows:
[and all of these are both in the studio and especially live performance over the last 10 years]

1. Organized Trio VST
2. NUBI LE VST (with Spinner leslie simulation)
3. B4 Express (Native Instruments - basically the B4 packaged in a simple presets only version - still good!).
4. M-Audio Prokeys 88SX B3 organ preset running through a Roland/Boss RT-20 rotary (e.g., leslie) pedal.
5. Yamaha PSR-S700 (sorry...blech...leslie not good at all)
6. M-Audio Key Rig MB3 B3 clone
7. Yamaha XF8 and XF7

I was fortunate because my local music store carried the XF8.  Based on the sounds and capabilities, I purchased the XF7 sight-unseen (and haven’t regretted it a bit).  With the exception of doing solo piano recording on the XF8, I POSSIBLY could have done without the XF8.  But you know us wily keyboard players...we’ll justify 88 keys any day.

Anyway...I think you can send me a private message and we can correspond and I can probably even try to record .mp3’s of various types of B3’s (both stock and also within the amazing and inexpensive B’s Knees (see: http://shop.motifator.com/index.php/voice-libraries/motif-xf/b-s-knees-for-motif-xf.html) from Mr. Dave Polich and DCP Productions).

I can also point you to recent live performances where I’ve used the various organs in the XF7 on typical 70s cover songs.

Finally...perhaps you could send me a simple MIDI file (or I could create a simple 1 minute of playing) with mod wheel for leslie spinup and spindown and I could simply point that MIDI passage at various B3’s and record them and get them to you. 

I was coming to the XF series from the PSR-S700 where the “leslie” (hey...what do I expect for $1500??) frustrated me to no end.  That was the main reason I switched to using M-Audio KeyRig during live performance for acoustic piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and of course B3.  In a word, the sound quality and overall ability to manipulate the B3 on the XF: drop-dead amazing (okay...that was possibly THREE words).  I have every possible B3 for every possible occasion. 

Perhaps if we get a decent library of simple 30second to 1 minute .mp3’s stashed up on my website we can direct folks there if they wish to hear it in all its glory.

OH!  Before I forget, one simple “proof” that totally convinced me that I had NOTHING to worry about when it came to emulating the B3 (and the Farfisa, and Vox, etc.), was simply listening to the samples for B’s Knees.  Here’s that URL again: http://shop.motifator.com/index.php/voice-libraries/motif-xf/b-s-knees-for-motif-xf.html.  PLEASE do yourself a favor and go to that URL and listen to EVERY SINGLE example.  Realize that for the incredible low price of $35 and NO extra sample memory needed for your XF8 or XF7 you get ALL of those wonderful B3 (and other organs) patches.

Hi Kevin,
We have corresponded and I do value your input, but I would love to get my hands on the XF6 or XF7 to try out the keyboard and hear it for myself.  But I don’t want to have to travel the world to find one.  I know Guitar Center is a big store and when they told me they did not have either instrument and that it would have to be a special order to the store, I don’t want to feel obligated to buy if they have special order it.  And if it is a big seller, why is it not in the store?  It just doesn’t sound to be a big seller in the Northeast.  I am frustrated that I can’t find one closer to home to try.