I have been experimenting with adding decay to a sound that does not decay – such as a Pad – by editing the DECAY 2 LEVEL in the sound’s elements and now have a few Pads that decay nicely.

I used this article as a reference

https://yamahasynth.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=281:learning-about-envelopes-motif-xs-xf-and-mox-moxf&Itemid=102

So far so good…

I now want to go a stage further and make some edits so that I can have some strings that:-

- Virtually instantly decay when the key and sustain pedal is lifted – ie as normal
- Decay gradually as per the editing above if the sustain pedal is pressed
- But, additionally – do NOT decay if the key is kept pressed down.

This behaviour was present on the strings sounds on the P120 and was a great feature.

Is it possible to make this the S90/70XS respond differently to the sustain pedal vs keys in this way?

wp54 - 25 January 2016 03:39 PM

I have been experimenting with adding decay to a sound that does not decay – such as a Pad – by editing the DECAY 2 LEVEL in the sound’s elements and now have a few Pads that decay nicely.

I used this article as a reference

https://yamahasynth.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=281:learning-about-envelopes-motif-xs-xf-and-mox-moxf&Itemid=102

Also found here on Motifator:
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/learning_about_envelopes_motif_xs_xf_and_mox

As are lots of other XS support articles…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/xs_articles/
...and for other models, click on the tabs.
 
 

wp54 -

So far so good…

I now want to go a stage further and make some edits so that I can have some strings that:-

- Virtually instantly decay when the key and sustain pedal is lifted – ie as normal
- Decay gradually as per the editing above if the sustain pedal is pressed
- But, additionally – do NOT decay if the key is kept pressed down.

This behaviour was present on the strings sounds on the P120 and was a great feature.

Is it possible to make this the S90/70XS respond differently to the sustain pedal vs keys in this way?

Release settings determine what happens when the key is released.

These might help…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/457856/

Synthesizer Parameter Manual:
http://download.yamaha.com/file/48523

Thanks again for you input 5pinDIN.
Thankfully I’m not suffering from stuck notes!

I think it will come down to whether the architecture of the Motif/S90XS regards:
- Key relesase
- and Sustain pedal release

.. as separate ie different control messages (but that by default are programmed with the same behavior) or as the same control message that differs only in that it applies globally to the whole keybed or individual key.

So far in my reading of the links I can’t see there is a distinction....except, very possibly a reference in P69 of the Synthesizer Parameter Manual

“Hold1 (Control #64) Messages that control sustain on/off.
Notes playing when the pedal is pressed will be sustained.
„ 64 - 127: Sustain on.
„ 0 - 63: Sustain off.”

However, if this does mean the the sustain pedal control message is different, I can’t work out how to access it on the S90XS.

It’s not a huge deal but just interesting to know.... thanks

You’re welcome. Even though you aren’t experiencing stuck notes, I thought that thread had some useful information.

Are you using a Yamaha FC3 (or FC3A) for the sustain pedal?
If so, do you have FS Sustain Pedal in Utility mode set to “FC3(half on)”?
See page 134 of the S90XS Reference Manual.

Also see http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/half_damper_function1

Hi - thanks - no - it the std FC4.

I suspect that what I’m after just isn’t possible on the Motif/S90XS, but it’s a small thing, in all other respects I think I have all I could possibly want and more!

wp54 - 27 January 2016 02:27 PM

Hi - thanks - no - it the std FC4.

I suspect that what I’m after just isn’t possible on the Motif/S90XS, but it’s a small thing, in all other respects I think I have all I could possibly want and more!

Did you read the support article I linked to?

5pinDIN - 27 January 2016 02:34 PM

Did you read the support article I linked to?

Just in case it wasn’t clear, I’m referring to this:
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/half_damper_function1

An FC3(or FC3A) are needed, though - an FC4 won’t do it.

The half-damper function with an FC3 allows the pedal position to control decay time of the Voice’s programmed Sustain/Release Time. The function isn’t found in all the Yamaha keyboards, but among the ones it’s in are the P120 and the S90XS.

OK thanks again...yes of course the P120 had the FC3… although the function I was describing wasn’t a half damper function on the P120.
(with the FC3 pressed all the way down and the keys lifted, the strings just decay similar to a piano..)

I’ve read your notes and the article and can see that a FC3 will allow decay variation on the S90XS - so it’s not quite as it was on the P120 but could nonetheless be useful.

Fundamentally I think the only way that this could happen exactly as P120 is if the control messages for “key held down” and “sustain pedal held down” were different.  - ie there would need to be two DECAY LEVEL 2 settings?

I’m still learning my way round the board so I may find in a little while that the answer is staring at me!
Meantime I’ll just enjoy what I have..

wp54 - 27 January 2016 03:57 PM

[...]Meantime I’ll just enjoy what I have..

Sounds like a plan.  :-)