assignable output motif xs

Yamaha Motif XS6 Review (2021)

Let’s discover the features of the Yamaha Motif XS6 synthesizer. I can’t recall how long it’s been since my last review of a synthesizer. The XS6 is a 61-key keyboard weighing about 34 pounds and measures 60.4″ x 18.6″ and 9.6 inches high. It’s silver finish gives a professional look and feel.

Table Of Contents It has Feature Rich Arpeggiators Yamaha Motif XS6 Video Overview High Quality Waveforms Articulation Tone Generators for Realistic Sound It has Feature Rich Arpeggiators High Quality Waveforms Articulation Tone Generators for Realistic Sound Assignable Outputs Yamaha Motif XS6 Performance Sounds

It has Feature Rich Arpeggiators

One of the unique features of this keyboard is the intelligent arpeggiators which can literally energize and unleash unbounded creativity when applied. There are over 6,000 different arpeggio styles built on board which is more than any other synthesizer has to offer.

If you long for a synthesizer that can get your creative musical juices flowing then this might be the right keyboard for you. It’s great for the composer, arranger, or just about anyone looking to create music.

Yamaha Motif XS6 Video Overview

High quality waveforms.

There is an abundance of musical instruments — all high-quality waveforms packaged into 355 MB of memory. The waveforms in themselves are quite good with extraordinary concert grand piano sounds which in themselves are worth the price of this keyboard.

What would a synthesizer be without its distinct electronic wave samples (combined with truly genuine acoustic instruments) to give you a plethora of music styles to play with? Certainly the Motif XS6 is not lacking in that department.

Articulation Tone Generators for Realistic Sound

One of the newest features of the Motif is the expanded articulation tone generation system. The system provides the context for creating realistic and natural performance techniques that are commonly used in music, for example, legato, staccato and key release sounds. These features are typically not found on synthesizers, but rather, digital pianos.

This Yamaha features an easy-to-read user interface which is quite well organized and very intuitive to use. It features eight different knobs that allow you to control a multitude of different parameters including reverb, chorus or pan on up to eight different parts of a song.

Much has been improvement from previous versions of this keyboard. Specifically, when it comes to the category search function which now sports dual category views simultaneously. So for instance calling up the guitar category will bring up two subcategories for example acoustic and electric distortion.

Assignable Outputs

The motif XS six comes with an array of assignable outputs including MIDI, ethernet for the Internet, A/D, IEEE1394 (optional) and 2 high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity. This makes it easy to connect to a computer using the software.

By and large, the Yamaha Motif XS6 is a good keyboard for the musician or composer looking to express themselves musically.

Yamaha Motif XS6 Performance Sounds

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Yamaha motif xs7.

• Synthesizers

The new Motif XS range is top of the pile when it comes to Yamaha synth workstation technology, and thus will be going head-to-head with flagship contenders from other big-name manufacturers. Does the XS have what it takes?

The XS series comes in three varieties, the XS6, XS7 and XS8, having 61-note, 76-note and weighted 88-note keyboards respectively. Apart from the XS8, which offers mLAN connectivity as standard, all three models are otherwise identical in function and operation. This review primarily examines the essential differences between the XS and ES models, so those wishing to learn more about the general history of the Motif series may like to refer back to the following articles: Motif 6/7/8 (SOS September 2001) and Motif ES6/7/8 (SOS January 2004). The version on review here is the 76-note XS7.

Spot The Differences

Aside from the new pale duck-egg-blue livery, there are two immediately visible differences that distinguish the XS from the ES. Firstly, there's a new, large 320 x 240-pixel colour LCD display which, although not touch sensitive, is a very welcome improvement over the 240 x 60 monochrome displays of previous models. Secondly, the assignable knob and fader section has doubled in size, from four columns to eight, offering even more real-time control possibilities, and greater mixing and editing flexibility.

Further physical changes comprise the inclusion of an S/PDIF digital output as standard, and a new Ethernet connection that allows the XS to be directly integrated with a computer network. Connectivity otherwise remains as plentiful as on the ES, with a stereo output plus two more assignable outputs, headphone output, MIDI In/Out/Thru, USB-to-host and USB-to-device connectors, stereo analogue inputs, two assignable footpedal jacks, sustain pedal jack and an assignable footswitch jack.

A couple of things have gone missing, however: the XS has lost the input jack for a breath controller (what a shame!) and there is no Smart Media card slot. This latter exclusion is of little concern, as the USB-to-device connector allows the use of practically any type of inexpensive flash RAM device for data storage. Also excluded is any means of waveform/synthesis engine expansion using Yamaha's excellent range of PLG expansion boards, which offered virtual analogue, virtual acoustic and FM synthesis, amongst others.

General Architecture

The XS has four modes of operation: Master, Performance, Voice and Sequencer. Master mode is essentially a collection of 128 user-definable programs, rather like a 'Favourites' compilation. Each program can be either a single Voice, a Performance, a Master keyboard setup or even a Sequencer Song or Pattern, making it easy to assemble the necessary content for a live gig. Performances themselves comprise up to four Parts that can be key-split, velocity-split or layered, all responding to the keyboard on one MIDI channel. Each Part can optionally be assigned its own Arpeggio (four different Arpeggios can be running together) and associated Voice insert effects.

Multitimbral setups are contained as part of a Sequencer Song and can be stored as 'Mixer' setups. A total of 32 Mixer setups can be stored for recall and use with Songs and Patterns, and additionally each Song's unique Mixer setup is stored along with the Song. If you want to use the XS as a multitimbral sound source for an external sequencer, the XS must therefore be in Sequencer mode.

As with the ES models, sampling can be integrated directly into Sequencer tracks, which we will examine in due course.

Expanded Articulation

The AWM2 synth engine, while essentially working on the same principle as earlier models, has been given a significant makeover: each Motif XS Voice now comprises up to eight tonal elements instead of the traditional four on previous Motifs. That in itself would be a significant enhancement, but if that potential for complexity and detail of sound wasn't enough, Yamaha have implemented what they call XA, or Expanded Articulation. XA aims to add a greater sense of realism, by allowing the player real-time access to alternative instrument articulations, using methods not unlike those found in software samplers. Typical examples would be the fret slides and harmonics of a guitar, the 'overblown' sound of a wind instrument or the alternating up-and-down bowing movements of a stringed instrument. The means for producing these multiple-articulation Voices is provided by eight different element-triggering 'conditions':

1. Normal: Element plays under all conditions.

2. Legato: Element plays when set to mono mode and played legato.

3. Key Off: Element sounds when key is released.

4. Wave Cycle: Two or more elements set to this mode alternate in rotational sequence.

5. Wave Random: Two or more elements set to this mode alternate randomly.

6. All AF Off: Element sounds only when both Assignable Function (AF) panel buttons are off.

7. AF1 on: Element sounds only when AF1 button is held down.

8. AF2 on: Element sounds only when AF2 button is held down.

The two AF buttons' behaviour can also be specified as either momentary or latching. Not only are the AF buttons particularly handy for accessing different articulations — for example, pizzicato instead of arco strings, or guitar harmonics as opposed to normally fretted notes — but they can also be assigned to make temporary changes to many other Voice parameters, or even used to temporarily apply an insert effect to specified elements. Of course, you needn't be restricted to the pursuit of realism; you could just as easily use XA to create outlandish concoctions whereby a number of elements cycle through completely unrelated waveforms, for example. Unfortunately, neither of the AF buttons can be designated as a control destination for the assignable footswitch jack, which would have enabled two-handed playing at the same time as you applied an AF button's allotted functions.

A Sequencer Of Note

The XS sequencer's note capacity is 130,000 notes, which is 96,000 fewer than the ES. This should still be more than enough for most songs, although the extra headroom would have been welcome. Songs are now storable to the XS' internal flash RAM, obviating the need to save them externally before powering down. New features of note (sorry!) include the ability to record your playing of any of the XS' four-part 'arpeggiator-and-drum-driven' Performances, live, to a Pattern or Song as a multi-part sequence — very useful for quick song construction, given that those Performances can be very inspirational. The Loop Remix facility from the ES, which jumbles up your recorded Pattern data to produce interesting variations, has also been improved, so that you can now choose the frequency at which the variations occur across an 8-bar range. Don't forget that it works with sample data too — just pop a 'sliced' drum loop into a Pattern and marvel as the XS comes up with countless new variations on the rhythm.

Four Quick Setup options are provided that configure the sequencer according to how you intend to use it. These preset configurations ensure that Local on/off, MIDI sync, arpeggio and track switches are set appropriately for either recording to the internal sequencer; recording the internal sequencer data to an external computer sequencer; recording your keyboard performance to a computer, using the XS as a multitimbral tone generator; or recording arpeggio data to an external computer.

Spec Check: Motif ES vs Motif XS7

In full effect.

Sample This

To use the XS' sampling facilities, you will need to purchase and install DIMM memory modules. Curiously, the XS has none as shipped, which strikes me as rather mean, given the present low price of memory. A basic 128Mb would be sufficient to whet the appetite — but as it is, new purchasers are denied instant gratification in that department! DIMM modules must be installed in matched pairs up to a capacious 1GB maximum. Yamaha kindly supplied two 128Mb DIMMs for the review model, so I was not left in the lurch. Samples can not only be imported from a USB device, but also using the new Ethernet connection (more later). Sample formats quoted as being supported by the XS are WAV, AIFF, Yamaha A-series (although I could not test this) and the XS' own native format. The ES could import Akai data, so it's strange that the XS doesn't include support for any third-party material.

Sample data is volatile and needs to be saved externally before powering down the XS. If samples are solely used as audio clips within sequencer tracks, simply save to a USB device or computer, using the 'Song all' option. This saves all the XS Song data along with the audio data, as a single file. If you have created instrument Voices that use sample data, but not recorded any audio clips in the Sequencer, these should be saved using the 'Voice all' option. If you're using samples both in audio clips and for instrument voices, you can save the lot into a single file by choosing 'All' as the saving option. The advantage of saving all is that this file can be set to auto-load when the XS powers up, so you're ready to pick up your project from where you last left off.

About The Arpeggiator

Remaining as versatile and fun as ever, the XS Arpeggiator nevertheless benefits from a number of enhancements. The preset arpeggios have now more than tripled in number, to 6633! Many of these now include 'chordal intelligence', which, love the idea or loathe it, further blurs the distinction between arpeggiator and 'arranger workstation' functionality. Mega Voices — the heart of Yamaha's Tyros instruments and also featured on the ES — have been further enhanced, thanks to the XS' new Voice architecture and its potential for eight velocity layers, providing even more detailed levels of sonic and performance realism when used with the specifically designed guitar and bass Mega Voice arpeggio patterns. The whole arpeggio package is inspiring, loads of fun and guaranteed to immerse anyone in a time-dilated world of total absorption!

Software Support & Interfacing

The XS series continues Yamaha's support of the Studio Connections concept, which integrates suitable DAW software (particularly Cubase 4) with compatible hardware devices, to provide a one-click 'total recall' environment. At the heart of this is the 'parent' application, Studio Manager, which acts as host for a range of software editing programs for compatible devices. Needless to say, the XS series has its own XS Editor program that facilitates detailed on-screen control and editing of the synth when it's connected via USB. The Studio Connections concept has been discussed in detail in previous Motif reviews, and further up-to-date information on compatible hardware and DAW applications can be found at www.studioconnections.org .

If your DAW software is not compatible with Studio Connections, Yamaha bundle Cubase AI (a cut-down version of Cubase 4) with the XS, so the full Studio Connections experience is a mere program installation away. The Studio Manager and XS Editor programs can alternatively be run as stand-alone applications, so anyone can use them, regardless of DAW platform — you would just have to manually start them up and manually save their settings, rather than having the one-click recall offered by Studio Connections. The Studio Manager and XS Editor programs, plus the latest Yamaha USB Driver and the AI driver for Cubase AI (needed for transferring audio/MIDI data to and from the XS and Cubase if you're using mLAN) can be downloaded free at www.yamahasynth.com/download/motif_xs.html .

In the case of the original Motif, Yamaha's bundled File Utility software handled the transfer of data to and from a computer via SCSI. That facility was removed from the ES, making the archiving of samples, in particular, a lengthy affair that entailed swapping USB flash RAM cards between the two devices. This inconvenience has been resolved on the XS by a built-in File Mode, which neatly manages all archiving, saving and loading procedures, using a simple directory system from which you can access a host computer on the same network via the new Ethernet port, as well as any connected USB storage device. All forms of XS data, including sample data, can be saved to and loaded from the computer's hard drive in the same way as when using a Flash RAM device. If you wish to use the Ethernet connection, you'll also need the latest version of the DME-N Network Driver which can be found at www.yamahaproaudio.com .

Although mLAN is fitted as standard only on the XS8, the XS6 and XS7 can have it optionally retrofitted. This allows the XS to bi-directionally transmit up to 16 channels of audio and the full complement of MIDI channels to and from your DAW, in real time, along a single Firewire cable. In order to use the mLAN interface, you'll need to install the mLAN Tools software — a suite of driver and applications for transferring audio and MIDI data — available from www.yamahasynth.com/download/ .

All the above-mentioned support software is both Mac OS X and Windows XP compatible, but only the AI driver specifically acknowledges compatibility with Windows Vista.

If the Motif range's progress could be measured on a nursery-school growth chart, it would have shot up from 3ft to a sturdily adult 6ft in the last six years. The AWM2 synth engine's Expanded Articulation has added new potential for musical expression to the instrument, bringing it that much closer to the level of sophistication found in software samplers. Complex audio productions can be realised, thanks to the 1GB maximum sampling capability, and can be saved complete with all their associated samples in one simple operation. When you add this to double the number of control knobs and faders of the ES, a whopping waveform ROM and 1024 preset Voices for inspiration, what's not to like?

That said, I can't help feeling Yamaha may have missed a trick by removing the PLG expansion board option. The manual describes the XS as "perhaps the most versatile" and "most powerful synthesizer and total music production instrument on the planet" with "virtually all our synthesizer technology... into one instrument" — a bold claim that could be challenged in the light of competition such as Korg's M3 and Oasys synths, which are capable of offering several different forms of synthesis. Perhaps the PLG boards are no longer compatible with the XS' new operating system — an inevitable and unfortunate consequence of technological progress, if true! Nevertheless, the XS has a tremendous amount to offer, and may well tempt existing ES owners to trade up. It should certainly attract many new fans. 

Sound Survey

Appraising an instrument's sounds in a few words, particularly when the sounds are so many and varied, isn't easy. It's also a highly subjective opinion, and open to debate! I decided to rate the XS sounds using the classic SOS 'star rating' system from two to five stars (nothing on the XS deserves only one star.) So two respectable stars go to solo brass, sax, ensemble strings and other woodwinds. Three upstanding stars are awarded to ensemble brass, solo strings and tuned percussion. Looking well sexy with four stars are pianos, electric pianos, organs, orchestral flutes, oboes and drums. Finally, shining out with five stars are guitars of all kinds, basses, synth pads and textures and synth leads (which particularly benefit from the super-smooth mono legato mode).

• Waveform ROM twice the size of that of the ES series.
• Sample RAM capacity double that of ES, at 1GB.
• New Expanded Articulation Voice architecture.
• Extended real-time control surface.
• Large colour LCD display.
• PLG plug-in expansion boards no longer supported.
• No sample DIMM memory installed as shipped.
• Sequencer capacity less than ES series.

A new voice architecture, extended control surface, big sample RAM capacity and a large colour LCD are amongst the goodies that expand upon the well-established Motif series. Bundle that with a well-specified sequencer and a whopping wave ROM powering a huge selection of bright, fresh sounds, and you have a solid songwriting and production tool. The only thing that might mar the XS' premier-league workstation status for some is its inability to provide alternative forms of synthesis.

information

Motif XS7 £2099; XS6 £1819; XS8 £2599; mLAN 16E2 board for XS6/7 £199; FC3 footpedal £39. Prices include VAT.

Yamaha-Kemble Brochure Line +44 (0)1908 369269.

www.yamaha-music.co.uk

www.yamaha.co.jp/english

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--> Part Two: A Getting Started Guide: Motif-Rack XS Editor VST

PART TWO: A Getting Started Guide: Motif-Rack XS Editor VST

This article will serve as the second part in a series of articles on getting into the Motif-Rack XS Editor VST... Please see the first part as this will continue to work with the same Cubase Project demo material provided in that article.

Mixing the art and science In this part of the tutorial we will learn about routing signal via the 8 Stereo buses of the VST Editor. Before we do so let’s talk a little about the recording of audio versus the recording of MIDI. When you record MIDI data, information about how hard a key is struck is documented in a parameter called Velocity . Basically, electronic instruments translate the speed with which you strike a key with how loud to make it sound. This is true in most cases. However, you must recognize that some sounds have no velocity sensitivity – they do not get louder according to how hard or fast you strike the key (like the B3 sound in this demo). Organ sounds are not velocity sensitive – because electronic organs are not touch sensitive keyboards. Actually, in a synthesizer you can setup a Voice where the faster/harder you struck the key the softer it would get… but most sounds work in a fashion where the faster/harder you strike the note the louder the sound. Velocity is rated on a scale of 1-127 with 127 being the maximum. How loud your track is when it is MIDI data is partially determined by this performance parameter, velocity. If you have been paying no attention to Velocity when you record your MIDI tracks you may find that you will from now on.

When we convert MIDI tracks into audio (sound) tracks, what we are doing is actually recording the data to a sound track, where we no longer measure with velocity. We are now concerned with level in measurement of dB (decibels). The audio output of your Motif-Rack XS is controlled by the following parameter: · Press [UTILITY] · Select “General” · Press the Cursor Down to select page 4/5 and 5/5

Here you can see the OUTPUT GAIN parameter for each of the Motif-Rack XS outputs. Typically, your Motif-Rack XS is set so the L&R output Gain is set to +6dB. You will discover that you can set this parameter to either +6dB or 0dB. The reason you are given two settings is because the Motif-Rack XS has two principal situations where you will be using it. One, of course, is “live” performance where you are typically, playing a single sound at a time. The other of course is when you are “sequencing” where you may have as many as 16 sounds playing at a time. Having a parameter that allows you to adjust the overall output gain of the XS is simply a good practice.

If you notice from the mix of this song the individual track volumes are quite conservative: 87, 99, 90, 93, 102, 80, 80, 85 and 90. Yet this, if you check your Cubase meters, will max out just short of -0.0dB. Each song is different. It depends on the combination of instruments and the activity of each. The main L&R output Gain defaults to +6dB – had the need arisen to add more tracks (there are still 7 tracks available, it might have been necessary to lower the overall Gain to 0dB. This is why the gain control is there. You don’t want to have to push everything up – you want room to mix. Mixing is the art moving of levels up and down to find a musical balance where all instruments are not only heard but their contribution has the right musical impact on the listener. It is highly unlikely to reach 0dB on a meter with a single instrument but very likely to exceed it with 16 instruments. Your job as recording engineer is not to exceed 0dB at anytime. If you need to turn signals down to make this happen, that is the job. Get a balanced mix without clipping the system. If you need to reduce the entire mix but want to keep your proportions, this is where the GAIN control is your friend. Make it work under 0dB on the output meter, that is the task.

You may notice that while the L&R output Gain is +6dB, the mLAN/Firewire outputs are set to +0dB. For this exercise drop the L&R Gain down to 0dB – notice how a drop of 6dB is very significant. When using the main L and R outputs along with the mLAN assignable outputs, make sure that all GAINS are set to the same value. Remember this is adjustable when you need to create more mixing headroom.

Test out your mixing skills using the sliders in the Motif-Rack XS Editor VST to create your own mixed balance of these 9 tracks. In Cubase, open the MIXER view. You do so by touching F3 on your QWERTY or going to DEVICES > MIXER

The fader on the left represents the Motif-Rack XS L&R composite mix. The fader on the right is the stereo out of Cubase. They will both be the same – because we have not done anything extra to the signal yet. Initially, the faders will be set at 0.00. Just above that you will see a minus infinity indication (quiet). This number will change in response to the maximum level the signal reaches during playback. And will remain at the highest value it receives. This is because engineers know that any clipping is bad. Clipping is when you exceed 0.00dB and although it may be so fast you cannot hear it or see it, clipping leads to mixes that sound harsh. So a PEAK HOLD function is built-in. If you clip you will see a red CLIP indicator and the small number will show you by how much you clipped. Both indicators will HOLD – so even if you look away, you cannot claim you did not know you clipped the mix.

Your task is to get a mix (balance) of the 9 tracks without clipping. If you do clip, you can reset the indicator by clicking directly on it. This level control portion of mixing is the science. The art is in how everything sounds. That is a whole course in itself. But the science of level control is so simple yet so very important. You must maintain a good balance between the instruments yet never allow the signal to clip.

Audio Mixdown Example 2 Let’s now dig a little deeper into some routing and re-routing of audio via the available buses. As mentioned in PART ONE of this series:

“When you route a PART to an individual OUTPUT (assignable mLAN/Firewire output) it is removed from the SYSTEM. The reason you route something to an individual assignable output in the first place is so that you can process it differently. That would be the reason. If you are not going to process this signal separately, you gain nothing really from routing it to a separate audio output.”

We have already discovered it is possible to create audio from the MIDI data without taking each Track and recording it separately. In Mixdown Example 1, we had 9 Tracks of MIDI data routed to the Motif-Rack XS tone engine and returned via the Motif-Rack XS Editor VST instrument… that audio was all routed via the main L&R outputs of the Motif-Rack XS. A close look at the main screen of the Motif XS Editor VST you can see that OUTPUT SELECT for each of the tracks is set to L&R.

What we will do for this example is take the Rhythm Guitar Part (PART 6) and take a closer look at what is happening with it. Click on the number 6 in the PART column on the far left of the screen. Reading across left to right we learn that this (Gt) Guitar is EQ’d a bit, it has INSERT EFFECTS active (INS FX), there is some Chorus Send, it is currently panned slightly to the left channel, the Volume is 80, and it is currently routed out on the main L&R Output.

To view more details click on white arrow just under the Yamaha logo toward the upper right of the screen. This arrow will activate the pull over and reveal the edit parameters for PART 6. Both COMMON parameters and individual Element parameters are shown. Under the COMMON parameters, click on the word “Effect”. Now you can look at the processing already engaged on this guitar part.

Insertion Effect A (Effect A) is a Distortion, Amp Simulator 1 (Stack1) Insertion Effect B (Effect B) is a Tremolo/Rotary, Tremolo (Fast)

The System Effects are listed as: Chorus, 2 Modulator (SEND = 48) Reverb, REV-X (SEND = 0)

Elements 1, 2 and 3 are routed directly to Effect A (green), Element 4 is routed directly to Effect B (blue). Effect A’s output is routed to Effect B. The red arrow represent the send to the individual (mLAN/Firewire) output (before the Chorus send/Reverb send and System output).

What we are going to do is take this guitar and sent it out via a stereo pair of audio buses. This will remove it from the main mix and send it via mLAN/Firewire to its own discreet output. This will mean it will leave the left to right signal path just after the Insertion Effects and before the System Effects. So it will go out via mLAN with its (two Insertion Effects) Distortion and Tremolo in tact.

· Click on the white arrow to close the Edit pullover. · Under the OUTPUT SELECT option set PART 6 so that it is assigned to “m1&2”

When you do this you will notice that the Chorus (Cho) and Reverb (Rev) knobs disappear. This is because as we indicated the signal leaves the signal path before it reaches the Chorus Send and Reverb Send knobs.

Go to DEVICES > VST INSTRUMENTS Ensure that the second pair of Motif-Rack XS audio returns are active: Motif XS 2 You do so by clicking on the VST INSTRUMENTS OUTPUT icon (shown below) to open the list of available Returns. The active outputs will have a check mark next to them:

Upon activating this second pair of stereo returns the main Cubase window will now add a VST INSTRUMENT lane for this return. When you press Play, the guitar, now removed from the main mix, is isolated on its own audio lane.

This is significant because, now that we have the guitar isolated, we can process it separately with VST Effects inside of Cubase. Recall that this was our important “theory of operation” - you route something to its own audio lane when you wish to process it additionally in Cubase. Let summarize the flight of this guitar so far: The original MIDI data that is playing the Vintage Strum Guitar Voice is recorded in Cubase on Track 6.

Open the MIDI TRACKS folder to find this data. It is then sent on MIDI channel 6 to PART 6 of the Motif XS tone engine. There it is running through an Amp Simulator and a Tremolo Effect (as the INSERTION EFFECTS), and is then routed from the XS as “m1&2” (firewire) output to Cubase. It arrives in Cubase via the Motif-Rack XS VST Motif-Rack XS 2 Return.

Motif-Rack XS 1 = Motif-Rack XS Main L & R Motif-Rack XS 2 = Motif-Rack XS m1 & 2 Motif-Rack XS 3 = Motif-Rack XS m3 & 4 Motif-Rack XS 4 = Motif-Rack XS m5 & 6 Motif-Rack XS 5 = Motif-Rack XS m7 & 8 Motif-Rack XS 6 = Motif-Rack XS m9 & 10 Motif-Rack XS 7 = Motif-Rack XS m11 & 12 Motif-Rack XS 8 = Motif-Rack XS m13 & 14

As soon as you activate the second STEREO Output “Motif-Rack XS 2”, Cubase will create an additional audio lane (Track number 11). And as soon as you route PART 6 (the Guitar) to “m1 & 2”, the signal will arrive in this audio lane. The significance of the audio being here is that it is isolated from the other Parts of the mix – to prove this press the “S” (Solo) button on this audio lane, track 11.

The slider associated with PART 6 in the Motif-Rack XS Editor VST will adjust the output level of this audio output. Raise and lower the slider to hear this happen.

In Cubase, open the MIXER (use the F3 shortcut, or go to DEVICES > MIXER). The additional audio lane is now added to the Mixer:

You will observe that being a stereo track and we are using a stereo send, that the pan position is respected in this audio lane. The guitar is panned slightly to the left. (This should be reflected in the meters):

Take your time. We have seen a lot of things happen here. We routed PART 6 of the Motif-Rack XS to a pair of mLAN/Firewire Outputs. We went to the VST INSTRUMENT Rack and activated the Motif-Rack XS 2 (the second pair of outputs). This added an audio lane in the Motif-Rack XS VST folder of Cubase, and it also added a channel on the Cubase Mixer.

Now that we have the guitar routed to its own audio lane, let’s see what we can do with it. On the main Track screen with lane 11 selected, click on the “INSERTS” in the Track Inspector (the left portion of the screen).

The INSERTS rack has 8 locations; 6 pre- and 2 post- Here we are going to assign the guitar part to a Limiter. Here’s how: · Click in the first rack space to open the VST EFFECT list · Under the DYNAMICS heading select the “ III -Limiter” – this denotes a VST3 Effect.

A Limiter is a device in the amplifier family. It is an amplifier where the more signal you put in… the output remains the same. We are all familiar with amplifiers that turn things up, but here is an amp that prevents items from getting any louder past a set point. Since one of Newtown’s Laws is that we cannot lose or destroy energy, what happens? Well, the sound gets heavier, more present .

As you select the LIMITER, its editor will open. Click on the small cube, and select LOAD PRESET… Select the CLEAN GUITAR preset.

Notice as you increase the INPUT the Meter for Motif-Rack XS 2 on the Cubase MIXER only increases a very little bit while you can make the guitar much, much louder. The guitar is now heavier, it is taking up more sonic space in the mix. A limiter prevents energy from getting lost in the peaks and thickens the sound. Now at some point you will start to hear a negative effect. Where the natural sound is being squashed (obviously, your ear will tell when you have too much of this limiter). You will notice in the Limiter’s edit window you will see GR (or Gain Reduction): A meter that works from top down. Showing how much of the peak is being limited (reduced/squashed). Play around with the INPUT level of the LIMITER see that you can increase the perceived volume tremendously without actually clipping the channel. A limiter, quite literally, puts a limit on the peaks.

The Compressor and Limiter are very valuable tools. But take a warning: They should be used wisely and sparingly. You don’t want to compress or limit everything in your mix. It is generally used on items that are percussive and have transient peaks. (For a discussion on Compressor/Limiters please see the article on the VCM Compressor 376). I can remember playing in a band (back in the day) and we would all have a good laugh when one of the members of the band purchased a new effect. If the guitar player got a chorus processor, we had to be prepared for the fact that for a few weeks, he was going to use it on every song. If I got a new pedal effect for my Rhodes, they had to get used to the fact that for a few weeks I was going to use it too much. Don’t let that happen, if you process everything in your mix to make it special, then nothing is special.

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Synthesizers & Music Production Tools

2022/05/17 • Knowledge

Information, description.

Last Update: 9/19/2012

Motif XF6 XF7 XF8 - Assigning Outputs in Song or Pattern Mode

1) Access the [SONG] or [PATTERN] mode.

2) Select the desired song or pattern.

3) Press the [MIXING] button.

4) Press the [EDIT] button.

5) Press the track number button [1] - [16] to be edited.

6) Press the [F1] 'VOICE' button.

7) Press the [SF2] 'OUTPUT ' button.

8) Use the [CURSOR] to navigate to the "Output Select" parameter.

9) Set the "Output Select" parameter assignment as desired.

Reference page 110 Motif XF Reference Manual

MOTIFXF6 MOTIFXF7 MOTIFXF8

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