I’m realizing that I’m not so keen on the System Effects that are automatically attached to every Song/Pattern\Performance. Some things are fine, others I’m wishing were less “wet”, especially when I have several Voices that are heavy on their own Insertion FX.

So....

1. Who decided what those FX would be? I assume it defaults to something that was chosen by the programmers at the factory?

2. How can I change them? In Utility menu I presume. 

3. And what if I WANT the newly designed System FX to be consistent from one Song\Pattern|Performance to the next throughout my show?

4. How do they differ from Master EQ?

So I’m basically trying to learn about the natural history of System FXs. Why do they exist at all? What is the advantage to having them automatically apply, just to have something to tweak? And. again, how was the choice made for something that critical to the overall sound of the instrument?

I’ll preface this by saying that I don’t work for Yamaha (and never have), so I’m not privy to decisions they made about the design of the various Motif models.

 

muscarella - 30 April 2020 11:37 PM

I’m realizing that I’m not so keen on the System Effects that are automatically attached to every Song/Pattern\Performance. Some things are fine, others I’m wishing were less “wet”, especially when I have several Voices that are heavy on their own Insertion FX.

So....

1. Who decided what those FX would be? I assume it defaults to something that was chosen by the programmers at the factory?

Yes, an initialized Song/Pattern Mixing defaults to particular Chorus and Reverb settings, including return levels.

 

muscarella -

2. How can I change them? In Utility menu I presume.

The default values can’t be changed globally. All that can be done via Utility mode is to determine whether the [SYSTEM] EFFECT on/off button will apply to the Chorus or Reverb function. See page 140 of the MOXF Reference Manual.

Otherwise, the System Effects can be edited per Song/Pattern.

 

muscarella -

3. And what if I WANT the newly designed System FX to be consistent from one Song\Pattern|Performance to the next throughout my show?

Then you might edit an initialized Song/Pattern/Performance with the settings you want, name each so that you can recognize what it is, store them, and then build each Song/Pattern/Performance on a copy of such edited Program.

 

muscarella -

4. How do they differ from Master EQ?

EQ determines response (levels) at ranges of frequency. It can change the ratio of harmonics (overtones) in a Voice, or balance between various sounds in a Performance, Song or Pattern. Master EQ gets applied to all Parts simultaneously.

 

muscarella -

So I’m basically trying to learn about the natural history of System FXs. Why do they exist at all? What is the advantage to having them automatically apply, just to have something to tweak? And. again, how was the choice made for something that critical to the overall sound of the instrument?

Applying the same System Effects to all Parts in a Program tends to make the sound more cohesive. It helps to integrate the separate Voices into a single sound stage that the brain can more readily accept as “real” than if each Voice had different characteristics such as varying reverberation times.

Each Voice has its Insert Effects and System Effects which have been applied at levels the Motif sound designers felt were appropriate. When those Voices are used in Parts of a Performance or Song/Pattern Mixing, Insert Effects can be brought along, but not the System Effects, since they may not be appropriate for all Parts. However the sound might be too dry that way, so Chorus/Reverb have default settings that apparently were considered not to be too extreme, although you’re entitled to disagree about that. If you don’t want any Insert/System/Master effects applied, use the EFFECT buttons to turn them off when desired.

OK. Thanks for outlining all that for me. It’s a lot to get my head around but while were on the subject I will ask a couple perhaps silly follow-up questions.

So if I want to just change the FX for each individual Song I would do that in Common edit mode? Am I technically re-mixing the System or am I bypassing the factory System effects.

And in regards to my question #3—IF I were to go with the method you suggest would that render the Insert/System/Master buttons moot on those Songs/Patterns/Perf’s?

Thanks for your patience. I am using my Covid 19 self-quarantine to fine-tune a lot of current material I prepared several years ago and that’s taking me deeper into the MOXf and exposing many holes in my knowledge.

muscarella - 01 May 2020 11:53 PM

OK. Thanks for outlining all that for me. It’s a lot to get my head around but while were on the subject I will ask a couple perhaps silly follow-up questions.

No problem.

 

muscarella -

So if I want to just change the FX for each individual Song I would do that in Common edit mode? Am I technically re-mixing the System or am I bypassing the factory System effects.

Yes, editing of System Effects (and Master Effects) for a Song is done via Mixing Common Edit. See [F6]EFFECT on page 116 of the MOXF Reference Manual, which refers to page 63 for details. There the Type and other Parameters of System Chorus/Reverb can be set. Changes made are applied to whatever the previous settings were, which might be factory defaults if not previously edited. If you want to completely bypass Chorus/Reverb System Effects for the Song, Type can be set to “No Effect” for either or both.

 

muscarella -

And in regards to my question #3—IF I were to go with the method you suggest would that render the Insert/System/Master buttons moot on those Songs/Patterns/Perf’s?

The EFFECT buttons would still control whether those effects will be applied. If the “No Effect” choice has been made for both System Effects, then turning on the button would indeed be moot. For Master Effects, the “Switch” setting could be set to “off” when programmed (see Reference Manual pages 116/60), but the panel switch can turn it back on.

 

muscarella -

Thanks for your patience. I am using my Covid 19 self-quarantine to fine-tune a lot of current material I prepared several years ago and that’s taking me deeper into the MOXf and exposing many holes in my knowledge.

Glad to help - it gives me something to do as well, while self-isolating.