Scenes and Track Mutes on the Motif ES

Scenes

A Scene is a stored set of MIXING and SEQUENCER settings. This term comes to us from the Yamaha digital mixers and hard disk recorders, where a “snapshot” of settings can be recalled at anytime either manually or via automation. It is very much like recalling a pre-set set of parameters same as a program change event would recall, except this recalls sequencer mix settings. Imagine being able to recall all fader settings, all pan positions, etc., instantaneously. The Motif ES allows five such snapshots to be taken and then recalled at the press of a button. The SCENE is stored to the Sub-Function buttons [SF1]-[SF5] in a simple gesture: hold down [STORE] + [SFx] to take the ‘snapshot’. You will find these SCENES in SONG mode. They can be a very useful part of your musical composition construction.

Track Mutes

Track Mute status is simply whether a track is set to output its MIDI data or not. To the right of the sixteen track buttons on the ES front panel you will find a [MUTE/SOLO] button. When it is illuminated the 16 Track LEDS will show the current status of the corresponding Track. If a Track LED is lit, then it is audible, if a Track LED is off, then the track is “muted”. This means the track will no longer send data to the internal or any connected external tone generator. You can at anytime manually Mute Tracks but you can also automate this procedure within the linear timeline of the sequencer (that is, either in a PATTERN CHAIN or in SONG mode). There is a dedicated event called a TRACK MUTE Event – this is independent of the SCENE.

Scene parameters memorized per snapshot in the Motif XS:

·Tempo: The current tempo as shown on the main screen

·Transpose: The Transpose as shown on the main screen – which will transpose all PARTS except those containing a Drum Kit. Drum Kit tracks are not transposed as this would cause drum sounds to be different

·Play Effect: Play FX include GROOVE: Velocity shift, Note Shift, Clock Shift, etc.

·Volume (cc007): Fader settings for all 16 PARTS

·Pan (cc010): The current pan position is documented for all 16 PARTS

·Reverb Send (cc091): Send amount settings for each of the 16 PARTS

·Chorus Send (cc093): Send amount settings for each of the 16 PARTS

·Filter Cutoff Frequency (cc074): settings for each of the 16 PARTS

·Filter Resonance (cc071): settings for each of the 16 PARTS

·AEG Attack (cc073): settings for each of the 16 PARTS

·AEG Release (cc072): settings for each of the 16 PARTS

Scene Snapshots

Additionally, a SCENE snapshot will remember the current Track Mute status. This turns them into very powerful tools indeed. This means you can change the entire tenor of the mix of the SONGat anytime. Change the fidelity of the mix… make it sound filtered, far away, crystal clear, make it sound like it is underwater, inside out…break it down to a few instruments, and so on.

Play Effects

PLAY EFFECTS are found in SONG mode at [F2] GROOVE and allow you to change the “feel” of any track. This can be done initially non-destructively, meaning it is flexible and not permanent. However, you can normalize (make those changes permanent) if you wish… Using the NORMALIZE PLAY EFFECT job.

Song Mode and the Scene Track

There are 5 SONG SCENES - the buttons are located directly below your screen. You can record as many MUTE events to the Scene track as you need. MUTE EVENTS are a separate type of event. Although SCENES include what track is playing, MUTE events only remember what track is playing. Therefore, while all 5 SCENE events include MUTING, not all MUTE events are Scenes. You can insert TRACK MUTE events into a SONG track anytime you need to mute a track.

Storing a SCENE simply memorizes the current conditions. You hold [Store] + [SF] button 1-5. “Snap” you have taken a snapshot. It says in the screen briefly, “SCENE STORED”. The transport does not even need to be running to create the SCENE snapshot. Recalling a Scene can be done at anytime by simply pressing the SCENE button. You can “automate” the recall of SCENE snapshots and Track Mute status events by recording them to a special SONG mode track, the Scene Track. Events that are written on to the SCENE track are MUTE button presses and SCENE Memory recalls. A SCENE recall is simply pressing a SF button while the SCENE track is record ready and the transport is running.

One SCENE is a record of ‘what’s happening now’. If tracks are muted when you take the snapshot - they will be recalled as is, it is that simple.
Song Mode has a SCENE Track. You can select the SCENE track as your real time record track or you can insert Events directly to the SCENE Track via the SONG EDIT screen.

While there are five SCENE snapshot memories, you can insert as many Track Mute status events as you require. While the Scene track is in record pressing the [SF1]-[SF5] buttons or the sixteen Track MUTE buttons will create the events – same as if you inserted them manually. Events can be moved and/or edited as required.

·Press [SONG]
·Press [EDIT]
·Press [F4] TRACK SEL

The [F4] TRACK SEL button will toggle (3-way toggle) between a normal numbered Track Edit 1-16, the Scene Track and the Tempo Track. 

To record directly to the SCENE Track in real time, simply activate the RECORD button and move the cursor to RecTrack and use the DATA WHEEL to select the SCENE Track. If you need to get back to initial conditions, simply store the initial conditions as one of your five SCENES.

And it highly recommended that you do store the initial conditions as one of your SCENES. Otherwise the last SCENE recalled will remain in effect until you recall another Scene (or you recall the Song).