What’s New Motif-Rack XS versus Motif-Rack ES

A partial list of what you will find that is new and different about the Motif-Rack XS

First things to do: download the new Motif-Rack XS Editor (v1.1.0), the newest version of Yamaha Extensions for Steinberg DAW (v1.3.0) and Motif-Rack XS AI Driver 1.6.3*

*This is necessary if you are using the Motif Rack XS peer-to-peer with your computer via the firewire port. If you are using multiple mLAN devices please continue to use the latest full mLAN Driver.


Front/Rear Panel
· New Standby/ON/Volume rotary knob
· New user interface including 5 push-turn rotary knobs plus Data encoder.
· 5 Parameter Knobs x 4 rows: 20 parameters for real time control of the current VOICE or selected PART (when playing in MULTI mode).
· Knobs are for quick access to parameter tweaks. Push to display current value; Turn to change current value
· Dedicated [SELECT] button lets you view all five parameters in the currently selected row
· mLAN IEEE 1394 optional mLAN16E2 expansion board
_ Plug n Play peer-to-peer operation based on mLAN (AI Driver)
_ Full networking with multiple devices via mLAN (mLAN Driver)

· Digital stereo OUT - CD/DAT (SP/DIF) connector
· Improved Category Search function – Category/Sub-Category – accessed via the main push-turn rotary encoder
· [AUDITION] Button can be “audition switch” (good when selecting sounds) or it can be set as the “arpeggio switch” (good for turning ARPEGGIOS ON or OFF)
· [AUDITION] button when pressed remains active – you can scroll through Voices and hear a related demo per VOICE or PERFORMANCE
· “Parameter with Voice” – determine whether of not parameter setting of the selected Voice are automatically copied to the PART (MULTI mode): Arp settings, Filter Cutoff/Resonance, AEG, FEG, PB range, Note Shift, Portamento parameters, MONO/POLY mode.
· There is no dedicated PERFORMANCE mode button. There is now is a parameter that allows you to set the first four PARTS of a MULTI to receive on a single (Basic) receive channel – thereby giving you the same result as the PERFORMANCE mode in the Motif XS keyboard. When the parameter [UTILITY] mode “Layer 1-4Parts” is set to ON, each of the first four PARTS are addressed on the Basic Receive Channel (set in [UTILITY] mode: “VOICE MIDI” while PARTS 5 through 16 default to MIDI channels 5-16, respectively. Basic Receive Channel typically defaults to Ch 1.


Redesigned Arpeggio Block
· 6633 Arpeggio Types
· Up to 4 simultaneous arpeggiators
· Newly developed chord recognition technology
· When “LAYER 1-4 PARTS” = ON or you are in MULTI mode, you can have four active arpeggios times the five setups
· Arp 1-5 Control number is cc085
· “Voice with Arp” – parameter determines whether or not the Voice registered with each Arpeggio type is assigned to the current Part

New Arpeggio parameters
· Trigger mode (gate/toggle); When “Trigger mode” = Gate it will end automatically when you lift your fingers, while Toggle mode will start on the initial key press and end when the keys are pressed again. These two modes when combined with the HOLD parameter give greater flexibility to arpeggio control. When “Trigger mode” = Toggle it will override ARP HOLD parameter.
· Accent Velocity Threshold: When you exceed a set threshold you can have a drum arpeggio for example punch a kick and crash cymbal.
· Accent Start Quantize
· Random SFX
· Random SFX Velocity Offset
· Random SFX Key On Control
· Arpeggio Sync Quantize Value


New Effects Block
Brand new cutting edge Yamaha DSP chip featuring:
· VCM (Virtual Circuit Modeling) including
· VCM Compressor 376
· VCM EQ 501
· VCM Flanger
· VCM Phaser mono
· VCM Phaser Stereo
· VCM Auto Wah
· VCM Touch Wah
· VCM Pedal Wah;

New Reverbs Algorithms:
· Rev-X
· SPX
· ProR3

Effect Presets for each of the 53 main categories (over 320 effect presets in all)
“Damper Resonance” Insertion Effect algorithm (soundboard simulation) – works in conjunction with the sustain pedal.


Tone Generator Block
· New 8 Element architecture
· New Assignable Function devices: [AF1]/[AF2] using cc086 and cc087, respectively – These work with the new XA Control function (Expanded Articulation) for Element control and are assignable to other functions via the Controller setup page, as well.
· 80% of the sample Wave ROM is new data! More than double the WAVE ROM size 355MB
· 8 Preset Voice Banks of 128 (1024)
· 3 User Voice Banks of 128 (384). All 384 User Voices are found in the Preset banks so you can write to any USER location without overwriting a unique Voice.
· New 8Z (8-Zone Drum w/arp Voices) real time editable in Sequencer mode
· New MegaVoice Guitar and Bass Voices linked with associated MegaVoice Arpeggios
· 384 Motif XS Performances provided for LAYER function. These are provided in the Motif-Rack XS Editor and up 128 can loaded to FLASH ROM. Out of the box you can access 128 PERFORMANCE-type LAYERS by simply activating the “LAYER 1-4PARTS” parameter.
· Improved Drum Kit Editing with Motif-Rack XS Editor


LFO Block
· New parameters/Destinations
_ Common LFO can be routed to any Insert Effect parameter (INS A, INS B)
_ Common LFO USER variable number of Steps
_ Common LFO PLAY MODE: Loop, One Shot


Utility Block
· User Micro Tuning (stores 8 tunings)
· Bank/Part selection can wrap or stop when making selections (useful when scrolling banks PRE1 > PRE2 > PRE3 etc.)
· MIDI SYNC can be set to “auto” – last active tempo from external source will be remembered. (This is so you do not have to run your external sequencer in order to audition the arpeggios).
· QUICK SETUP – These templates greatly ease the task of working with the Rack XS and an external sequencer – one button press setup:
_ Recording data (no arps)
_ Recording data (w/arps)
_ Standalone operation


Computer Integration: Studio Connection and Motif-Rack XS Editor
· All Element level editing is done via the Motif-Rack XS Editor
· New Motif-Rack XS Editor can auto synchronize – meaning your communication between hardware and software has improved.
· Bi-directional and simultaneous editing between software <=> hardware
· New “Import” feature with quick SEARCH function (type in any portion of the name and all matching items are shown).
· Communication with and management of MIXING VOICES from within the EDITOR
· Select and manage Favorites and Auto Audition from the EDITOR
· XA (Expanded Articulation) – legato, key off, sound variation, element switching
· New parameter: “Element Group”. Elements in the same group can be switched between dynamically.
· Cubase AI4 - a specially created introductory version of Steinberg’s Cubase line, that includes Studio Connections Recall the initiative launched by Yamaha and Steinberg to advance integration of hardware and software in Music Production. RECALL is the portion that makes your Rack XS MULTI setup and all the current Voices in your Rack XS - a part of your Cubase Project. This means that you have access to all 1024 Presets, 384 User, 64 Drum Kits, 32 User Drum Kits, Mixing Voices and the current MULTI. All USER Rack XS data is stored when you SAVE your Cubase Project file (.CPR). You will be asked when you re-open the Project, if you would like to restore data to your hardware. This is highly customizable per session.