Hi there. New to “Mo"tif (but not to Yamaha products) and am in the process of trying to decide between a MO8, MOTIF ES, and S90 ES.  Aside from downloading the manuals for all 3 keyboards and then spending hours comparing the features, I was wondering if someone could answer a couple of questions for me.

Is the M08 expandable like the ES is? I mean when it comes to adding new sound banks via plugin cards.

Is there a sequencer on the M08.  I am a bit confused by the various online descriptions referring to phrase sequences.

Is the M08 built as tough as the Motif ES?  I ask this because I want to make sure I get something road worthy.  I bought the MM6 because I couldn’t afford a high end synth at the time.  The way Bert plays the MM6 on the demo video you would think its made of iron, but it obviously is not.  It has no last in it - in my opinion.  I am hoping the M08 doesn’t feel like a big hunk of plastic!

Finally, regarding the classic Motif - can the ES and M0 patches be loaded into it?

Thanks!

Mo has no sample expansion, so the wav forms are static.

There’s a lot you can do with the 175mb that’s in there though.
You can buy, create different voices that use the existing sounds.

I think the mo is rock solid like other pro yamaha keyboards. That’s why I bought it because my alesis was crashing like a cheap computer. Never had any problems with the mo.

I would like to have an ES but I don’t think I’d go back to the original, the ES was some big changes.

XS now…

the MO6/8 has a sequencer… there are 2 modes, song and pattern

song mode has 16 continuous tracks, pretty straightforward

pattern mode has same 16 tracks but allows you to record in sections (A,B,C,D...) that you define, each section will loop play until you switch to another, or you can define the play order and it will switch automatically (see pattern chain)… when you record a track within a section in pattern mode it becomes a “phrase”, so that is where that comes from

board toughness may be a personal preference… prob best to check out each board in person at a local store

To expand on the previous posts:

The MO can’t use expansion boards (neither can the new Motif XS) and there’s no sampler so you can’t add new samples. But you can make your own voices with the samples included in the MO waverom, load in ES voices, or buy voice sets (as long as they don’t require loaded samples).

The MO has a sequencer and it works well.

The MO case is molded plastic. My MO6 seems fairly rugged but I pack it well for travel. The MotifES and Motif “Classic” cases are metal (I have a “classic” 8 and it weighs a ton--bought the MO6 because I got tired of lugging the “8” around).

You can’t load ES voices (or MO voices) into the Motif “Classic” because the waveROM samples are different (older) and the samples are located in different places in ROM.

Kevin

Hmmm. I guess I got distracted and my post arrived later than the one just above… oh well… Brad

Just to answer the questions not already addressed:

SemiTone - 10 August 2009 10:22 PM

...Is the M08 expandable like the ES is? I mean when it comes to adding new sound banks via plugin cards.

In addition to not supporting loading of samples (answered above), the MO does not support the addition of the PLG single-board tone generators (PLG150-AN, PLF150DX, PLG150VL, etc.) that the Motif classic and Motif ES does.

SemiTone - 10 August 2009 10:22 PM

...Is there a sequencer on the M08.  I am a bit confused by the various online descriptions referring to phrase sequences.

The MO has the exact same sequencer that the Motif ES does (and the Motif classic for that matter).

SemiTone - 10 August 2009 10:22 PM

...Finally, regarding the classic Motif - can the ES and M0 patches be loaded into it?

No… while the MO (and Motif ES) can load Motif classic voices (so long as they are based on the internal samples), the classic cannot load ES or MO voices.

Regards,

Brad Weber ;^)

What you might consider in deciding on the ES over MO (especially because you asked about sequencer): 128 voices instead of 64, second footswitch (handy for sequencer stop/start), and 4 audio outs (so drums and bass can have their own, etc.).

Since you also asked about roadworthy, main advantage of MO8 over ES8 is it’s shorter (pitch bend and mod wheels are above lowest octave instead of at end) and about 10 pounds lighter. This doesn’t sound like much but for me it would be the “tipping point” between taking the keyboard out or not, the MO8 is difficult enough as is, I can’t imagine something longer and heavier (I have to go down a flight of steps).

Norman

The Mo is not built as tough as a Motif es. Plastic vs Mental.

If you can get the Motif ES over MO.  The MO is a not a Motif.  Motif ES is Top of the line.  If you have the $$$$ get the new top of the line Motif XS.

The MO is not a Motif es. MO is Like a ES but Less than ES I’m not talking about $$$.  If you can not get a Motif ES or XS then get a MO.

If money is a factor, look at an S90ES..... Since the S90XS is out, the ES is lowered in price.

It has the sounds of the top Motif keyboard and is a really good axe.

Tom

The MO8 is not in a plastic case. Sides, yes. Panel, back- no. Base? no. Wood.

Do you guys even own one? The panel is metal (yes, metal), folded all the way to the back panel. The base is wood and the end caps are plastic. The knobs and buttons are a bit less meaty than the ES, but nothing much. The keybed is the same as my Motif ES8 and old S80. Guys, if you’re looking at buying one, talk to someone who actually owns one or go try it out first- this is a very, very solid keyboard with a list price of $1999- street $1600. Trust me, Yamaha doesn’t put their best keybed into a fully plastic case, like an AN1x or something- I confirmed this with Yamaha parts in Buena Park. The panel, with painted overlay, is metal.

I have looked inside this machine, and it has a lot of metal reinforecment beside the top and back panels. The bar in front of the keybed is metal as well (cool to the touch, penny tap-test in case your not believing) on the panel and back. A LOT of ES owners flame this machine ("it’s NOT a Motif!!! :(") so they feel better about themselves, but other than the sampling, only 64 voices (still 2 more than the original Motif), less insert effects, etc, this is a great option to a used ES purchase, but you get a new, warranted machine instead. Same wave table ROM, same D/A’s and SAME SOUND. Period. True, I don’t like the MO6 due to the shallow and light FSX keybed, but the MO8 is a deal.