Hi All,

My apologies for the potentially long post and/or if this isn’t the best place for this.

New to the forum and I find myself having quite the time sorting through some options. I’ve been playing for 15-20 years as a hobby. I recently joined an oldies cover band at the local music school and everyone is recommending I stop treating musicianship as a hobby, and make it a legitimate second source of income. A bit about me…

I started “producing” with friends about 15 years ago. As you may imagine, everyone has parted ways, but I’ve been recently exposed to new people who are actually passionate/dedicated about the craft. My main (practice) workhorse is a Yamaha Motif 6 (classic). The synth action, PowerGrand and ‘74 EP are the 3 reasons I’ve never sold it. In light of my new endeavor, however, I know an 18 year old 61 key ‘board won’t cut it (technology has moved so much). I am familiar with the Propellerheads workflow and often have used the 6 as a controller in the past. I’ve always sampled with Recycle.

Which brings us to now...I plan on keeping the 6 (it seems to be almost appreciating in value), but can’t quite decide between and MOXF8, MODX8, Montage 7, and a Motif XF7 (I would consider the Montage 8, but I feel like after about 2-3 gigs, my back may begin to protest my life choices). My thought is to add/pair with Roland V-Synth, some variant of the Akai MPC (not sure it other manufacturer’s product references are allowed, my apologies if not), and upgrade my bass (hoping to figure out if the thicker PBass neck “trains” smaller hands better, or if a Jazz will do...then is MIA really better than MIJ/MIM for either) so I can create R&B;/Jazz/Soul/Urban/Contemporary/House/Lounge music. I plan to use Keys, Organ, EP and the Pads the most (I also have an MIM Strat for leads and rhythm).

Based on my own tests, the MOXF8 is my favorite in terms of key action, but I’m very worried about the durability of the chassis (it seemed to “give” when I poked the blank section under the name), also the buttons seem to attract a lot of residue, but its my favorite out of the non XF options I’ve listed.

The MODX8 action was a bit “bleh” and I’m not too keen on the 64 voice polyphony given the depth of the current way Yamaha is modeling performances ("8x8" or something). The Montage 7 is definitely on the higher end of the price range (given my other desired purchases), and I’m wondering what I’d be missing from the Motif XF. This brings me to my biggest issue, what am I giving up from the XF, by going to a Montage, while simultaneously feeling that I’d be forfeiting the future if I don’t get the Montage. What a mess (I know)! Just looking for some guidance. I want to do this once and do it right.

I’d like to have a sequencer, mainly to audition grooves ahead of engaging a DAW (but am open to better ideas here), voice integrity has a slight priority for me over key action (although I don’t think you can separate the 2 with regard to articulation), quick menu operation is helpful but mainly because I’m a stickler for reproductive song accuracy and will want to quickly program horns/violins, keys and organ during live performance if required, and something durabile (my motif 6 only has one small dent and doesn’t scratch when braised after 11 years...I wouldn’t want anything less in a newer board).

All thoughts are welcome!

Complex decision.  I have the Motif-XF so I’m biased in that direction, I like the key action too.  The alternate (for lighter weight) would definitely be the MOXF.  You’ll find these two synths easier to transition to, since you’re already familiar with the Motif series.  The XF is the nicer, more durable synth of the two, but it is heavier. Mine doesn’t travel.

The Montage and MODX are new beasts, lots of new features and lots of differences to what you are used to.  It will take time to get your head around the newer synths, especially the FM half of the synths.  Most people use the presets and don’t bother with programming FM, programming is a new venture that can take over your life.  Most musicians do either one or the other, play or program voices, but not both. It takes a lot of time to program a new voice and get it just right.  I’m more of a programmer, so I have an FS1R which has more FM capability than the Montage.  It complements the XF which has almost all of the Montage’s AWM side. I find myself spending way too much time programming and not enough time playing.

My setup doesn’t travel though, it stays put in my studio. I don’t cart everything around and perform like you do. Portability isn’t a big factor. Price was the main factor for me, I want the best bang for the buck.  The XF was significantly less expensive than the newer machines.  I almost never buy the newest front line machine, I buy the best one from the previous line. It costs half as much and usually has about 80% of the capability. It’s also taking me a huge amount of effort to master the synths I’ve already got (especially the FS1R) so what would I gain by buying a Montage? I’ve asked myself that question a number of times.

spdrcr2 - 22 January 2019 01:32 PM

Hi All,

My apologies for the potentially long post and/or if this isn’t the best place for this.

New to the forum and I find myself having quite the time sorting through some options. I’ve been playing for 15-20 years as a hobby. I recently joined an oldies cover band at the local music school and everyone is recommending I stop treating musicianship as a hobby, and make it a legitimate second source of income. A bit about me…

I started “producing” with friends about 15 years ago. As you may imagine, everyone has parted ways, but I’ve been recently exposed to new people who are actually passionate/dedicated about the craft. My main (practice) workhorse is a Yamaha Motif 6 (classic). The synth action, PowerGrand and ‘74 EP are the 3 reasons I’ve never sold it. In light of my new endeavor, however, I know an 18 year old 61 key ‘board won’t cut it (technology has moved so much). I am familiar with the Propellerheads workflow and often have used the 6 as a controller in the past. I’ve always sampled with Recycle.

Which brings us to now...I plan on keeping the 6 (it seems to be almost appreciating in value), but can’t quite decide between and MOXF8, MODX8, Montage 7, and a Motif XF7 (I would consider the Montage 8, but I feel like after about 2-3 gigs, my back may begin to protest my life choices). My thought is to add/pair with Roland V-Synth, some variant of the Akai MPC (not sure it other manufacturer’s product references are allowed, my apologies if not), and upgrade my bass (hoping to figure out if the thicker PBass neck “trains” smaller hands better, or if a Jazz will do...then is MIA really better than MIJ/MIM for either) so I can create R&B;/Jazz/Soul/Urban/Contemporary/House/Lounge music. I plan to use Keys, Organ, EP and the Pads the most (I also have an MIM Strat for leads and rhythm).

Based on my own tests, the MOXF8 is my favorite in terms of key action, but I’m very worried about the durability of the chassis (it seemed to “give” when I poked the blank section under the name), also the buttons seem to attract a lot of residue, but its my favorite out of the non XF options I’ve listed.

The MODX8 action was a bit “bleh” and I’m not too keen on the 64 voice polyphony given the depth of the current way Yamaha is modeling performances ("8x8" or something). The Montage 7 is definitely on the higher end of the price range (given my other desired purchases), and I’m wondering what I’d be missing from the Motif XF. This brings me to my biggest issue, what am I giving up from the XF, by going to a Montage, while simultaneously feeling that I’d be forfeiting the future if I don’t get the Montage. What a mess (I know)! Just looking for some guidance. I want to do this once and do it right.

I’d like to have a sequencer, mainly to audition grooves ahead of engaging a DAW (but am open to better ideas here), voice integrity has a slight priority for me over key action (although I don’t think you can separate the 2 with regard to articulation), quick menu operation is helpful but mainly because I’m a stickler for reproductive song accuracy and will want to quickly program horns/violins, keys and organ during live performance if required, and something durabile (my motif 6 only has one small dent and doesn’t scratch when braised after 11 years...I wouldn’t want anything less in a newer board).

All thoughts are welcome!

Hi,

I’m not offering advice about this, but I can correct something about the specs on the MODX keyboards. They don’t have 64-note polyphony. What they have is 128-note STEREO polyphony for the sampled sounds (piano, strings, etc), and a separate 64-note polyphonic FM synthesizer section. The FM polyphony is independent of the AWM2.

From Yamaha:

“AWM2: 128 (max.; stereo/mono waveforms) FM-X: 64 (max.)”

and “MODX features 128-note stereo AWM2 polyphony and 64-notes of FM-X polyphony...”

If you want a sequencer then you likely wouldn’t want a MODX or Montage as neither have that. Depends though as I don’t know exactly what you mean by “auditioning grooves”. Montage and MODX have more polyphony than the Motif XF and MOXF, but there is also one midi limitation regarding assigning midi channels to sounds (like if you wanted to set up one sound to play on your main board on channel one, but then three sounds all playing on channel two for your upper midi keyboard for example, that can’t be done in the box).

Hope that helps,

-Max

Dude get the MOXF.  Its the best solution in your case.

1rst. Its concept/language/architecture are compatible with your Motif classic.  Meaning they basically speak the same language from the “user interface perspective”, you’ll be familiar, more productive and will have nowhere near as steep of a learning curve as you would if you switched to the Montage collage family.

2nd.  The MotifXF/MOXF does more than the Montage/ModX.  The MOXF is a superset in comparison.  i.e.  it has a full blown sequencer, full blown pattern mode, and sampler.  and if you get the Motif XF it will have a fully integrated sampler.  You simply get more functionality with the MotifXF/MOXF.  The Montage Collage has none of the above.

3rd.  The superknob is a gimmick, with a little thought you can accomplish the same effect on a Motif/MOXF just using controller programming properly

4th.  Sense, Yamaha recommends you use the Montage/ModX in conjunction with a computer based DAW anyway, just add a computer based DAW to the MOXF and you can use any number of free FM synthesizers pluging/VST’s out there that would give you any FM that you would realistically need.

MOXF + DAW is > MoDX + Daw

5th. Purchasing the MOXF or Motif XF secures your place in the Motif Society.  And dude its way cooler to be part of the Motif society than the Montage Collage.

In all honesty, if you add a MOXF to your Motif Classic, you will have completely caught up with the times because the MOXF has FN incredible integration with computer DAWs especially Cubase and there are more softsynths with more features than you’ll ever use or need that can be easily integrated.  So MOXF as a audio interface, usb-midi, etc, etc makes you as current as you’ll ever want to be and frankly as current as you would ever need to be.  Virtually anything that you would “practically want to do” with the MoDX you could do with VST connected to your new MOXF.  And I guarantee you the VST would be less expensive.  Cost of VST + MOXF cost < than MoDX cost LOL. 

All the Montage Collage has to offer is a touch screen and a flashing knob, and I’m afraid to even think about what the replacement cost would be on either one of those.  You know S#!@ happens.  I once had to replace the screen on my MM8 and it wasn’t cheap and it also wasn’t a touch screen.  I know folks that have broken down into tears, when they heard the price for replacing a malfunctioning touch screen LOL.

And you’re right your Motif Classic’s value is appreciating!!!!