H all,

I’m totally new to motif world, I have been gifted with an old motif xs rack, and I need to get from it something to be used to play Orinoco Flow by Enya.

Is there someone so kind to tell which voices to use and how to create the patch?

Thanks

Hi,

The song has at least three keyboard parts, as well as a drum part. They are all played simultaneously at times, and two of them partially overlap in both range and time, so it would be difficult to perform them all manually.

Nevertheless, you can combine and store up to 16 individual Parts, each with its own Voice, in Multi mode on the Motif-Rack XS. By setting some of the Parts to receive on the same MIDI channel, you can effectively layer the voices of these Parts, so they are played as one.

Layering is probably going to be the easiest way to mimic the voice used for the signature main riff of the song, which you can hear on its own in the opening bars. It was originally played on a Roland D-50, using its “Pizzagogo” preset patch. It has the characteristics of a plucked (pizzicato) string section, but also contains a strong mallet-like percussive element that brightens the sound a lot, especially when combined with heavy reverb.

The remaining parts are easier to find suitable matches for, since they aren’t mixed as prominently as the emblematic main riff. There’s a grand piano, which plays an overlapping variation of the main riff, and an arpeggiated harp-like part on the bridge section. An orchestral gran cassa drum is also used, starting with the first chorus.

- H -

- Henry - - 28 September 2024 01:47 PM

Hi,

The song has at least three keyboard part (...)
It was originally played on a Roland D-50, using its “Pizzagogo” preset patch. It has the characteristics of a plucked (pizzicato) string section, but also contains a strong mallet-like percussive element that brightens the sound a lot, especially when combined with heavy reverb.

(..

- H -

Thank you Henry, I’m playing around with the multi programming of the XS, found out how to do it.

Yes I’m looking for something to reproduce the pizzagogo sound I need it on the XS, but over the plucked strings it’s really hard for me to find the other sound to add in the multi, especially becouse until now I’ve been always used preset roland sounds and having modified only simple effects like chorus and reverb, never dag into sound modification itself.
Pizzagogo it’s really a hard job for me with the presets I hear in the XS.

robian - 29 September 2024 03:13 PM

… it’s really hard for me to find the other sound to add in the multi ...

I would try a short xylophone/marimba or wood block sound, and use EQ to cut its low range (we mainly want to add its high frequency portion to the plucked strings). Then transpose the part as needed.

If you manage to EQ out part of the instrument’s musical range, its notes will be harder to recognize, and this is a good thing; You may then be able to transpose the part higher/lower to suit the plucked strings without sounding “out of key”.

- H -

robian - 26 September 2024 07:55 AM

H all,

I’m totally new to motif world, I have been gifted with an old motif xs rack, and I need to get from it something to be used to play Orinoco Flow by Enya.

Is there someone so kind to tell which voices to use and how to create the patch?

Thanks

Pizzagogo may or may not be available on the ‘Air - Voice Bank for Yamaha Motif XS’ sold in the shop here on Motifator.  The library emulates some classic sounds from the Roland D50.

I don’t know for sure if it’s compatible with your XS Rack, but maybe MrMotif can advise on suitability and compatibility.

I tried to post a link for you, but it doesn’t seem to resolve.

Phil

- Henry - - 30 September 2024 03:39 AM

robian - 29 September 2024 03:13 PM

… it’s really hard for me to find the other sound to add in the multi ...

I would try a short xylophone/marimba or wood block sound, and use EQ to cut its low range (we mainly want to add its high frequency portion to the plucked strings). Then transpose the part as needed.

If you manage to EQ out part of the instrument’s musical range, its notes will be harder to recognize, and this is a good thing; You may then be able to transpose the part higher/lower to suit the plucked strings without sounding “out of key”.

- H -

Hi, thanks, I think I’ve gotten something usable creating a multi with Symphonic pizzicato (pre 04 - 023), Marimba DX (pre 01 - 061), and Brightness (GM - 101) cutting lows and raising mids/highs and reverb.

I’ll go on trying, while learning the Motif XS.

philwoodmusic - 30 September 2024 11:08 AM

robian - 26 September 2024 07:55 AM

H all,

I’m totally new to motif world, I have been gifted with an old motif xs rack, and I need to get from it something to be used to play Orinoco Flow by Enya.

Is there someone so kind to tell which voices to use and how to create the patch?

Thanks

Pizzagogo may or may not be available on the ‘Air - Voice Bank for Yamaha Motif XS’ sold in the shop here on Motifator.  The library emulates some classic sounds from the Roland D50.

I don’t know for sure if it’s compatible with your XS Rack, but maybe MrMotif can advise on suitability and compatibility.

I tried to post a link for you, but it doesn’t seem to resolve.

Phil

Thery nice info, I love D50 sounds, I started playing synths in the ‘80ies, I’ll take a look at it, thanks!