Yamaha MODX

[Bachus]

......yet again..."No Aftertouch"......

Why? (same question for Korg and the LS88)

Its been this way for ages ..
Yamaha only adds aftertouch to their high end arrangerline (tyros/genos)
And high end workstationline (Motif/Montage)

Something tells me that implementing aftertouch is quite expensive, why else would an honest company restrict it to their high emd instrument?

[Bachus]

......yet again..."No Aftertouch"......

Why? (same question for Korg and the LS88)

Its been this way for ages ..
Yamaha only adds aftertouch to their high end arrangerline (tyros/genos)
And high end workstationline (Motif/Montage)

Something tells me that implementing aftertouch is quite expensive, why else would an honest company restrict it to their high emd instrument?

[dfahrner]

......yet again..."No Aftertouch"......

Why? (same question for Korg and the LS88)

:?

Its been this way for ages ..
Yamaha only adds aftertouch to their high end arrangerline (tyros/genos)
And high end workstationline (Motif/Montage)

Something tells me that implementing aftertouch is quite expensive, why else would an honest company restrict it to their high emd instrument?

Standard channel aftertouch isn't all that expensive to implement, it's just one pressure-sensitive resistive strip under the keybed, a few components, and an A/D input and some software (polyphonic aftertouch is a lot more expensive, with a sensor and components for each key)...but on less-than-top-of-the-line keyboards where price competition can be critical, saving a few bucks in parts and design cost is more important to the manufacturer...and even though lots of us on this kind of forum find aftertouch useful, most electronic keyboard customers will probably never use it anyway...

df

[Jan1]

With the MODX Yamaha has an excellent synth in the midrange category, and it leaves the Krome and the FA trailing behind.
I wish it had an editable sequencer onboard, but as far as the sound and the synthesis possibilities is concerned this beats the others.

[GregC]

With the MODX Yamaha has an excellent synth in the midrange category, and it leaves the Krome and the FA trailing behind.
I wish it had an editable sequencer onboard, but as far as the sound and the synthesis possibilities is concerned this beats the others.

said the same, word for word on another keyboard forum.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

Have to give Yamaha high marks for price pointing the MODX sharply. I think they are shaking it up with the MODX. I also like how they are 'presenting ' the MODX

[Jan1]

With the MODX Yamaha has an excellent synth in the midrange category, and it leaves the Krome and the FA trailing behind.
I wish it had an editable sequencer onboard, but as far as the sound and the synthesis possibilities is concerned this beats the others.

said the same, word for word on another keyboard forum.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

Have to give Yamaha high marks for price pointing the MODX sharply. I think they are shaking it up with the MODX. I also like how they are 'presenting ' the MODX

I've been considering the Montage for quite a while, especially after seeing some of the tutorials of Dom Sigalas, and I'm glad I held out since this MODX offers the same synthesis at less than half the price. A very strong move from Yamaha.
At the current price I'm definitely going to get one, either the 76 or the 88 keys, I'm not sure yet.

[GregC]

With the MODX Yamaha has an excellent synth in the midrange category, and it leaves the Krome and the FA trailing behind.
I wish it had an editable sequencer onboard, but as far as the sound and the synthesis possibilities is concerned this beats the others.

said the same, word for word on another keyboard forum.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

Have to give Yamaha high marks for price pointing the MODX sharply. I think they are shaking it up with the MODX. I also like how they are 'presenting ' the MODX

I've been considering the Montage for quite a while, especially after seeing some of the tutorials of Dom Sigalas, and I'm glad I held out since this MODX offers the same synthesis at less than half the price. A very strong move from Yamaha.
At the current price I'm definitely going to get one, either the 76 or the 88 keys, I'm not sure yet.

Dom's tutorials have impressed me, too. It appears to me that Yamaha has listened to the community and moved quickly ( relatively) to present a deep synthesis board at a sharp price. And of course, the acoustic sounds are top notch IMO.
I didn't appreciate it at the time, but Yamaha did present a strong board for the future with Montage. The high price and some missing features made me dismiss it.

About the only area I would explore on the MODX is how to handle its midi implementation. Something I would try to get comfortable with in advance.

[Bachus]

said the same, word for word on another keyboard forum.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

Have to give Yamaha high marks for price pointing the MODX sharply. I think they are shaking it up with the MODX. I also like how they are 'presenting ' the MODX

I've been considering the Montage for quite a while, especially after seeing some of the tutorials of Dom Sigalas, and I'm glad I held out since this MODX offers the same synthesis at less than half the price. A very strong move from Yamaha.
At the current price I'm definitely going to get one, either the 76 or the 88 keys, I'm not sure yet.

Dom's tutorials have impressed me, too. It appears to me that Yamaha has listened to the community and moved quickly ( relatively) to present a deep synthesis board at a sharp price. And of course, the acoustic sounds are top notch IMO.
I didn't appreciate it at the time, but Yamaha did present a strong board for the future with Montage. The high price and some missing features made me dismiss it.

About the only area I would explore on the MODX is how to handle its midi implementation. Something I would try to get comfortable with in advance.

Here are some more differences..
-allready named the aftertouch, for some essential..
-the daw control that came with2.5 to montage seems missing from modx
-the comtroll surface offcourse...half of a montage, and missing indication lights..
- the 4 rows of buttons to the right on montage are essential performance controlls
But then its half the weight, half the size and half the price...

[Jan1]

Here are some more differences..
-allready named the aftertouch, for some essential..
-the daw control that came with2.5 to montage seems missing from modx
-the comtroll surface offcourse...half of a montage, and missing indication lights..
- the 4 rows of buttons to the right on montage are essential performance controlls
But then its half the weight, half the size and half the price...

There are indeed compromises which Yamaha made for the MODX, but I think the compromises are done in a smart way, and the most important features of the Montage found their way into the MODX.
The DAW control of the 2.5 update of the Montage would be desirable, but consider this: at that price point you can buy the MODX plus a good dedicated DAW controller at less than the price of a comparable Montage, so even if that update does not come you're still better off financially.
I think that with the release of the MODX the next Montage is not far off.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

When it comes to KORG, the Krome (which is not even one fourth of a KRONOS) is indeed not a strong contender anymore in the midrange.
Besides that the KRONOS also could benefit from a major overhaul, including the (G)UI, but considering the scope of the platform and the work involved I'm not sure if they are willing to make the investment.
How do you keep things intuitive and straightforward when the complexity of the platform grows?
It's a challenge, and who knows what KORG intends to do? Maybe they intend to abandon it and start something entirely new.

Roland is rumored to be working towards a flagship, but again, who knows how much truth there is in this rumor? With the disappointing sales of previous flagships I think the saying 'once bitten, twice shy' is applicable.

At this point in time Yamaha seems to be the only company moving forward with the release of first the Montage, then the GENOS, and now the MODX.

[GregC]

How do you keep things intuitive and straightforward when the complexity of the platform grows?
It's a challenge, and who knows what KORG intends to do? Maybe they intend to abandon it and start something entirely new.

At this point in time Yamaha seems to be the only company moving forward with the release of first the Montage, then the GENOS, and now the MODX.

We have had several good chats how Korg could or should move forward with Kronos.

My idea is a hybrid all in 1 w/s. A suitable/powerful keyboard but using software apps for serious navigation , UI , data management, recording, VGA out option.

The keyboard is strong enough for the basics of gigging, performance musicians.

But the more intensive stuff requires software apps. I think a large LCD with tiny fonts and hundreds of tabs is not workable IMO.

This is practical. And it is striding to utilize many of the current Korg products
unto 1 umbrella. Its a "top down " approach to products and features vs what I see as a " bottoms up' approach to the current product line.

[Bachus]

Here are some more differences..
-allready named the aftertouch, for some essential..
-the daw control that came with2.5 to montage seems missing from modx
-the comtroll surface offcourse...half of a montage, and missing indication lights..
- the 4 rows of buttons to the right on montage are essential performance controlls
But then its half the weight, half the size and half the price...

There are indeed compromises which Yamaha made for the MODX, but I think the compromises are done in a smart way, and the most important features of the Montage found their way into the MODX.
The DAW control of the 2.5 update of the Montage would be desirable, but consider this: at that price point you can buy the MODX plus a good dedicated DAW controller at less than the price of a comparable Montage, so even if that update does not come you're still better off financially.
I think that with the release of the MODX the next Montage is not far off.

I like the MODx, I think its a stronger choice for a synth and is preferable vs the FA and Krome. Both are showing their age now.

When it comes to KORG, the Krome (which is not even one fourth of a KRONOS) is indeed not a strong contender anymore in the midrange.
Besides that the KRONOS also could benefit from a major overhaul, including the (G)UI, but considering the scope of the platform and the work involved I'm not sure if they are willing to make the investment.
How do you keep things intuitive and straightforward when the complexity of the platform grows?
It's a challenge, and who knows what KORG intends to do? Maybe they intend to abandon it and start something entirely new.

Roland is rumored to be working towards a flagship, but again, who knows how much truth there is in this rumor? With the disappointing sales of previous flagships I think the saying 'once bitten, twice shy' is applicable.

At this point in time Yamaha seems to be the only company moving forward with the release of first the Montage, then the GENOS, and now the MODX.

First off, i agree with you that the modx was designed very smart, 95% of users might not,directly need the missing features... and if they miss the, they can allways upgrade to montage.. espescially the light weight and being compatible to montage performances, makes it a perfect buy... even for montage owners that want a lighter version for gigging...

I think feature wise, it takes the realm and pushes fa series and krome of the shared podium..

I think this was the best thing that could happen to the montage series...i personally expect a MONTage 2 (with a 3rd engine VAX or CSX) late next year or NAMM 2020.. maybe even 32 channels multitimbral to add 16 extra channels for (playing) backings... i think Yamaha migh claw back to finally retrieve the leading position from Kronos in the high end segment back..

The MODX is definately something worth looking at for all non analogue fetish synthesists..

[Bachus]

A rectification on the daw support missing from modx

According to Bad Misther (phil) on yamaha synthforum, it will be added in a parch anytime soon... its not ready for modx yet, as the recently added version in montage 2.5 is not yet ready to be implemented in modx, different buttons sliders and such teake some time to program..

[GregC]

A rectification on the daw support missing from modx

According to Bad Misther (phil) on yamaha synthforum, it will be added in a parch anytime soon... its not ready for modx yet, as the recently added version in montage 2.5 is not yet ready to be implemented in modx, different buttons sliders and such teake some time to program..

thats excellent news. Will makes it easier to record MODX instruments.

[Jan1]

A rectification on the daw support missing from modx

According to Bad Misther (phil) on yamaha synthforum, it will be added in a parch anytime soon... its not ready for modx yet, as the recently added version in montage 2.5 is not yet ready to be implemented in modx, different buttons sliders and such teake some time to program..

Great, thanks for the update.
Apparently the DAW remote and tools available for the Montage will also be made available for the MODX in a future update.

[Bachus]

A rectification on the daw support missing from modx

According to Bad Misther (phil) on yamaha synthforum, it will be added in a parch anytime soon... its not ready for modx yet, as the recently added version in montage 2.5 is not yet ready to be implemented in modx, different buttons sliders and such teake some time to program..

Great, thanks for the update.
Apparently the DAW remote and tools available for the Montage will also be made available for the MODX in a future update.

Thats what Phil said,yes...