Yamaha Motif

The Yamaha MOTIF is a series of music workstations, first released by Yamaha Corporation in August 2001. The Motif replaced the EX series in Yamaha's line-up. Other workstations in the same class are the Korg Kronos, Roland Fantom G.

Product lineup

MOTIF Classic

Original MOTIF series, now called "MOTIF Classic", were released in four variants in 2001:

MOTIF Rack is a sound module without any keyboard, designed to be controlled by external instruments. It can be expanded with two Modular Synthesis Plug-in boards but has no sampling capabilities. Balanced hammer effect action is the same action found on Yamaha's S90 series keyboards. GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) action is the same action on Yamaha's high end digital pianos.^[1]

MOTIF ES

MOTIF ES, a successor to original MOTIF series, debuted at Summer NAMM Show in 2003:

In January 2006, Yamaha launched two 'lite' versions of the MOTIF ES - the 61 key Mo6 and 88 key Mo8. Though only containing half the polyphony and fewer preset sound programs, these models contain all the MOTIF ES sample sets, along with arpeggios and a song and pattern sequencer. Lacking are the professional MOTIF ES features such as mLAN connectivity, PLG integration, sampling and multiple foot controllers.

MOTIF XS

The XS versions were announced at NAMM 2007:

MOTIF has a mLAN connection which can be used to transfer MIDI and video, sound to a PC.

The operating system of the MOTIF XS was revealed to be based on MontaVista Linux.^[2]

In 2011, Yamaha launched two 'lite' versions of the MOTIF XS - the 61-key MoX6 and 88-key MoX8. Though only containing half the polyphony and fewer insert effects of the XS, the MoX series contains all the MOTIF XS WaveROM and voice presets, along with arpeggios and a song and pattern sequencer. The number of performances in the MoX has been reduced to 256. The MoX does not support user sampling, nor does it support the mLAN/Firewire expansion. However, the MoX does feature a built-in 4-out/2-in USB audio interface, allowing users to record audio directly from the keyboard or an outside source to a computer, as well as play and control VST-instruments directly through the keyboard via USB.

MOTIF XF

The XF versions were announced via www.MOTIFator.com on August 2, 2010:

While the preset voices in the MOTIF XF are the same as in the previous XS model, the XF includes an extra user bank containing 128 brand new voices. Also, 8 new drum kits are also included in the user bank area.

Specifications

Comparison

MOTIF Classic

• AWM2 PCM tone generator
• 110,000 note MIDI sequencer @ 480 ppqn
• Sample engine (4MB built-in, expandable up to 64MB of user RAM)
• Compatibility with common sample formats such as Akai, WAV, and AIFF
• 84MB of read-only memory (ROM)
• 62-voice polyphony

MOTIF keyboards include three internal expansion slots (two on the rack-mount version). These slots allow one to significantly augment the instrument's soundset through the purchase of Yamaha PLG Expansion Boards--which are available in a variety of sonic flavors. The MOTIF Classic featured 4MB of onboard sampling RAM, which could be increased to 64MB with the purchase of third party memory sticks. External connectors include a firewire 400 port for connecting an mLAN network card; a USB 1 port for connecting the instrument to a computer via a MIDI cable OR for external storage; and a SmartMedia port for storing sequence, voice, and sample data (in which case the purchase of a third party SmartMedia card is necessary).

MOTIF ES

• AWM2 Tone Generator (complying with the Modular Synthesis Plug-in System)
• 128 note polyphony
• 226,000 note MIDI sequencer @ 480 ppqn
• Audio Input ports: A/D, AIEB2, mLAN, Stereo IN
• Sounds: 175MB (when converted to 16-bit linear format), 1,859 waveforms

All MOTIF ES synthesizers feature a wide selection of high-quality sounds, and use a sample-based subtractive synthesis engine. The MOTIF ES6, ES7 and ES8 feature 16 track sequencers that can use MIDI and sample tracks, and 512MB of sample memory can be fitted for completely new sounds. Physical modeling, virtual analogue synthesis, FM synthesis plus a variety of additional sample sets can be installed with Yamaha's Modular Synthesis Plug-in System (PLG boards).

The ES models features several key improvements over the original MOTIFs: twice the polyphony with faster envelopes, a massive DSP effects engine (up to 8 tracks in sequencer mode can use independent dual insert effects), USB mass storage support, 8x sample RAM expansion (up to 512 MB via twin DIMM modules), vastly improved acoustic piano sound, twice the storage amount for user sounds, among other enhancements.

The MOTIF ES range employ the use of "Megavoice" technology from the Tyros; the flagship of Yamaha's performance keyboards. These high quality samples utilise 'velocity switching' to enable greater natural expression over the sounds, expressions such as fret noise, hammer-ons, slides and ghost notes.

MOTIF XS

• AWM2 Tone Generator
• 128 note polyphony
• 130,000 note MIDI sequencer @ 480 ppqn
• Connectors:
  • Output L/R standard phone jack
  • Assignable output standard phone jack
  • A/D input
  • Digital out (coaxial S/PDIF)
  • Phones
  • Foot controller 1,2
  • Footswitch x 2 (Assignable, Sustain)
  • MIDI In/Out/Thru
  • USB 2.0 to Host, to Device
  • AC In
  • Ethernet
  • mLAN (XS8 only, optional for XS6, 7)
• Sounds: 355MB (when converted to 16-bit linear format), 2,670 waveforms
• Weighted Keys

Some improvements over the previous ES series are:

• Assignable AF1/AF2 buttons (Often defaulted to control XA)
• Larger Color display
• Eight faders (four more than the ES)
• Up to eight elements (waveforms) per voice
• Expanded Articulation (XA) (e.g. being able to trigger a voice element at note-off to change the voice character)
• Ethernet connectivity
• Larger waveform ROM (more than double compared to the MOTIF ES)
• Up to 4 simultaneous arpeggios (in performance mode)
• Shipped with Cubase AI
• Direct performance recording to pattern

The MOTIF XS is not compatible with the Yamaha PLG expansion cards.

MOTIF XF

• AWM2 Tone Generator
• 128 note polyphony
• 128MB internal SDRAM (sampling memory) standard
• 130,000 note MIDI sequencer @ 480 ppqn
• Connectors:
  • Output L/R standard phone jack
  • Assignable output standard phone jack
  • A/D input
  • Digital out (coaxial S/PDIF)
  • Phones
  • Foot controller 1,2
  • Footswitch x 2 (Assignable, Sustain)
  • MIDI In/Out/Thru
  • USB 2.0 to Host, to Device
  • AC In
  • Ethernet
  • FW16E (optional FireWire connectivity)
  • Optional 512MB and 1024MB FLASH cards for storage of sample data (2 GB combined max)
• Sounds: 741MB (when converted to 16-bit linear format), 3,977 waveforms
• Weighted Keys

The main improvement over the MOTIF XS is the use of non-volatile flash memory for samples and sample libraries. Instead of DIMM memory modules, the XF uses proprietary flash cards. While more expensive than DIMM modules, the flash cards can permanently store sample data (volatile DIMM modules, used in all previous models, are unable to store data after being powered off.) This means that, once initially loaded, the sample data does not need to be reloaded every time the keyboard is powered on. The MOTIF XF is also the first in the MOTIF series since the MOTIF Classic to have standard internal SDRAM for sampling built into the keyboard.

As with the MOTIF XS, the MOTIF XF is not compatible with the PLG expansion cards.

Notable Users: Stevie Wonder, Thomas Dolby, Gary Numan, Ron Mael, Billy Currie (Ultravox), Craig Burrows, John Foxx, Mark Ronson & The Business INTL

Timeline of Yamaha MOTIF series

See also

• Yamaha PSR-3000
• Yamaha MO
• Yamaha MM6
• Yamaha MOX
• Yamaha MX

References

External links

• Motifator.com
• MotiFreak.com
• MotifCity - Instructional Books, Sounds, Consulting
• John Melas Editors and Utilities
• Motif XS Video Demo
• Yamaha Motif XS Series Keyboard Review at yamahamusician.com
• Yamaha Motif ES simplified operation tutorial