I was recently given the nod by someone that something from Yamaha was coming and that I'd like it.
Coupled to Richard Dvine saying that what's coming has alien technology it took home weeks to get his head around; I think we're only getting the bare bones of what's in Montage. Alternatively, there is something else coming as well.
The name Montage and a new FMX synth engine with the new and sophisticated hints out there suggest this is a significant synth beast, where traditional FM is, by default, accommodated. My point being - I think this will be versatile.
Regarding the posts on the versatility of Kronos - I fully endorse that. As an owner of two OASYS, I still, every day, 10 years later, power it on and still feel it's like an exciting new beast. No other synthesizer, other than the CS80, has ever given me that feeling over such a long time. And indeed MOD-7 is gargantuan in its own right, but alas has essentially remained unused by new musicians and programmers so it has never been exploited like it can be. MOD-7 is a cutting edge semi-modular digital synthesizer, which can accommodate traditional FM and indeed elements of RCM synthesis, and is a credit to Korg, and indeed to Korg R&D and Dan Philips. An awesome synth engine, still to be exploited.
I'm not looking to compare Montage and Kronos - but I am delighted that Yamaha are now including serious synthesis back in the large format synth/ workstation. It's important because it delivers amazing sonic results (as the SY77 and EX5 at their best still demonstrate today FAR beyond traditional Romplers).
And, although Motif always underwhelmed me, the more recent MOX range seemed to me more stylish, and by then, Yamaha's 'synth' attributes in it were exquisite - in particular its filters sound very good indeed - so if Montage builds on that, with all the other bells and whistles, it probably doesn't matter whether is has a Virtual Analogue synth on board - it's Rompler waveforms and subseqend digital / VA synthesis are good enough by now (heck I love my JD800 as a kind of VA even though its waveforms are PCM and its digital filters from 1991).
In any case - FM-X will be a VA by default - is you don't use any oscillator modulation, as with MOD-7. Not sure how many realise that, without modulation, MOD-7 is an amazing VA with 6 oscillators per voice - and with the ability to randomly set the phase of each oscillator, sound amazing. Can't remember the exact polyphony of it, but, if 50 voice polyphony - gives 300 oscillators available to a program. I have one Unison program (16 note unison) with two Mod-7 sounds playing in the program so that as single note stacks about 80 oscillators - on one note
So it's highly likely FM-X can be configured similarly (even the DX7, SY77 and sY99 can operate in this way!) - delivering an awesome VA synth too.
Finally. - if this is successful, it legitimises the market, and can only but provide both healthy competition for Korg and a push to extend Kronos towards a bright future too whether updated or renewed.
