Tag Archives: Yamaha Montage M

Yamaha Montage M internals: First look

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Thanks to Dmitry Ko on the Keyboard Corner forum, we have the first solid information about Montage M7 internals! Congratulations, Dmitry!

We owe Dmitry a round of applause and gratitude for providing the first — and extensive — information about Montage M internals. He had to take extra steps to find and identify some components (more than I would have been willing to do with a brand new board, that’s for sure).

Dmitry was kind enough to give me a preview and his analysis is spot on.

Here are my own notes:

IC601 SWP70 #1 (Upper left DM PCB)     YMW832-C    FM-X?

  IC602 Winbond W9812G6KH-5  SDRAM 128 Mbit Parallel 200MHz (8M x 16)

IC401 SWP70 #2 (Middle)                YMW832-C

  IC501 Winbond W9812G6KH-5 SDRAM 128 Mbit Parallel 200MHz (8M x 16)
  IC402 Winbond W9825G6KH-6 SDRAM 256 Mbit Parallel 166MHz (16M x 16)
  IC403 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)
  IC404 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)
  IC405 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)  DM PCB rear
  IC406 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)  DM PCB rear

IC201 SWP70 #3 (Right)                 YMW832-C

  IC301 Winbond W9812G6KH-5 SDRAM 128 Mbit Parallel 200MHz (8M x 16)
  IC202 Winbond W9825G6KH-6 SDRAM 256 Mbit Parallel 166MHz (16M x 16)
 *IC205 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)
 *IC206 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)
 *IC207 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)  DM PCB rear
 *IC208 Winbond W29N08GVSIAA NAND flash 8 Gbit (1G x 8)  DM PCB rear
  XL201 02238 SWP70 clock

IC701 SSP3                       YJ496A0

  XL701  SSP3 clock
  IC706  TI LV08A 2BK ATPZ
  XL801  SSP3 clock

  XLB02 USB hub clock
  ICB04 GL852G  Genesys Logic 4-port hub USB 2.0 (SSP3 hub)
  Q1102 TPC812S ??? USB2_VBUS

  IC702 SDRAM    No mount?

ICA01 Texas Instruments Sitara AM5728BABCXA

  IC001 NANYA 2245 NT5CC128M16JR-EK DDR3 256MByte
  IC002 NANYA 2245 NT5CC128M16JR-EK DDR3 256MByte
  XLE01 CPU clock

ICB03 GL852G USB 2.0 hub controller (DM PCB rear, CPU hub)

  XLB01 USB hub clock

ICC02 eMMC (Yamaha YN240B0)

ICC01 Fast Ethernet PHY

ICA03 THine THC63LVD1O3D LCD controller (LVDS)

IC904 Texas Instruments TPS659037 Power controller

IC101 Texas Instruments PCM1795 32-bit stereo DAC   DM PCB rear
IC111 Texas Instruments PCM1795 32-bit stereo DAC   DM PCB rear

IC121 Texas Instruments PCM1804 24-bit stereo ADC   DM PCB rear

In a few cases (marked with “*”), copyright labels obscure the chip ID information on the IC package.

Here are a few additional observations.

Yamaha gave the Montage M a major league host CPU: Texas Instruments Sitara AM5728BABCXA. The Sitara is multi-core:

  • Dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 MPU (1.5 GHz)
  • Dual TMS320C66x floating-point VLIW DSP (750 MHz)
  • 2 x dual-core ARM Cortex-M4 co-processors (213 MHz)
  • Dual-core PowerVR SGX544 GPU (532 MHz)

This is a major step up from the single core 800MHz ARM in the original Montage. The Sitara is given twice as much primary memory than the original: 512MBytes of DDR3 RAM.

Thus, folks, you’re going to need a fan. Montage M’s digital logic board (DM) has a substantial metal cover, probably to control RFI. The Sitara has a vanilla heat sink. An opening in the metal cover lets heat escape from the heat sink. The fan draws air from beneath the metal cover/heat sink. This design is different than what I expected, i.e., a very small heat sink plus mini-fan cooler a la Raspberry Pi. This Sitara ain’t no RPi!

The two integrated TMS320C66X DSP cores likely synthesize AN-X. 16 voice AN-X polyphony feels just about right for two TMS320 cores. (Reface CS employs an SSP2 DSP and has 8 voice polyphony.) With compute-intensive AN-X going on, you’re gonna need a fan. I don’t buy the cooling pipe solutions proposed by some and it would be very difficult to position the Sitara in contact with the metal chassis. End of story.

The factory waveform NAND flash is Winbond W29N08GVSIAA. That is the highest capacity ONFI compatible NAND flash made by Winbond. The factory waveforms are compressed (10GB when converted to 16-bit linear format) and reside in 4GBytes of physical NAND flash. User waveforms are uncompressed (3.7GB available capacity) and reside in 4GBytes of (separate) physical NAND flash.

In the original Montage, factory and user waveforms are co-resident in 4GBytes of waveform NAND flash. Yamaha added a third SWP70 tone generator/effects IC and, as we know, dedicated one SWP70 to factory waveforms and another SWP70 to user waveforms. The third SWP70 doesn’t have waveform memory and synthesizes FM-X.

A label covers the top of the eMMC device which provides bulk storage (OS, software, presets, etc.) for the Montage M. The original Montage has a 4GByte eMMC device.

As expected, the SSP2 is out of production and is replaced by SSP3. The SSP3 inherits the digital audio routing and rate conversion chores performed by the original’s SSP2. The SSP3 has its own integrated USB interface and associated USB2.0 4-port hub. All are co-located with the external USB connector.

The THine LVDS handles LCD display duties. The Sitara has serious graphics chops with its dual PowerVR SGX544 GPUs. I haven’t worked out the interface to Montage M’s OLED subdisplay as yet. Genos1 communicates with its subdisplay via SPI.

Thanks, again, Dmitry! This more than enough for the next round of Internet speculations. 🙂

Copyright © 2024 Paul J. Drongowski

Yamaha Genos2: New voices

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So, what are they? I did a quick scan through the Genos1 and Genos2 Data List files and compared. Because this is a manual scan, I don’t guarantee completeness. [Too lazy to write a script…] I ignore certain voice categories like synth pads and leads. When a new synth voice is named “Blippity Bloop”, what does that mean without auditioning the voice itself?

I’m also passing on the new FM voices in Yamaha Genos2. You can easily identify the new FM voices in the Data List and you don’t really need me to do that. Check. I will say, almost every voice category has FM voices.

New Genos2 MegaVoices

MegaVoices are a good place to begin analysis. In addition to being the sonic stuff in Styles, MegaVoice waveforms are also the building blocks in Super Articulation (SArt) and Super Articulation 2 (SArt2) voices.

On your own, take a look at the MegaVoice maps in the Data List. The maps give a good idea of the low-level waveforms behind the voices. Yamaha give MegaVoice, SArt and SArt2 voices a lot of love and attention. The new MegaVoices show me where Yamaha have gone to great lengths to sample new instruments and to design new patches from those samples.

Here are the new Genos2 MegaVoices:

    Basis                   Variants           Category
    ----------------------  -----------------  ----------
    SectionHorns            1, 2, Live, Dyn    Brass
    PopHorns                1, 2
    OberkrainerTrompete
    OberkrainerBaritonHorn
    OberkrainerKontraTuba
    OberkrainerBassTuba
    Whistle                                    Woodwind
    OberkrainerKlarinette
    ClassicNylon            Open, Neck         Guitar
    ClNylonTirando
    OberkrainerGuitar
    ElJazzFinger            OpenHmr, ...       Bass
    ElJazzPick              Open, ...
    VlBassPick              OpenHmr, ...
    AcJazzOpen              Extended1, ...
    RBillyBass              FingerOpen, ...
    MonoUprightBass

In order to keep the list short, I abstracted away variants like “1”, “2”, etc.

Bass instruments got a BIG lift. Decoding the names, Genos2 gets Electric Jazz bass, Violin bass, Acoustic Jazz, Rockabilly and Mono Upright. It’s all about the bass, baby. By “Jazz Bass,” I assume they really mean “Fender Jazz Bass.” By “Violin Bass,” I think they mean “Höfner Violin Bass.” Is that where Paul’s bass went?

“Oberkrainer” is another, possibly unfamiliar, term. Oberkrainer music started out with the Avsenik Ensemble lead by Slavko Avsenik. It is a form of popular music in Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, northern Italy and Benelux. Pretty much Alpine music. Let’s see Diddy swing that. 🙂

When you see a whole group of MegaVoices and styles devoted to Oberkrainer, you know where Yamaha sell a lot of arranger keyboards.

New Genos voices of the playable kind

With that background in mind, let’s look at a summary of the playable voices (as opposed to style-oriented MegaVoices). Again, I have abstracted away variants in order to be concise.

    Basic voice          Category
    -------------------  ----------
    CFX                  Piano
    CharacterGrand
    RockGrand
    CinemaGrand
    FeltPiano
    U1 (upright)
    U3 (upright)
    Filmharmonic         Strings
    Cinematic
    SectionHorns         Brass
    ConcertTutti
    ConcertTrumpets
    ConcertTrombones
    ConcertFrenchHorns
    PopsConcertSection
    CrescendoHorns
    DynamicTrumpets
    LeadTrumpets
    ConcertMutes
    TrumpetTutti
    CrescendoTpts
    SoftHorns&Bones
    PopsConcertPad
    Piccolo            Woodwind
    PopPiccolo
    CelticFlute
    Whistle
    Shakuhachi
    Dudak
    ClassicalNylon     Guitar
    E.Bass             Bass
    ElecJazzFinger
    ElecJazzPick
    ViolinBass
    AcousticJazz
    Rockabilly
    Vibes              Percussion
    OrchTimpani
    TubularBells
    Handbells (FM)
    HolidayBells (FM)
    SoftBells (FM)
    etc.

Genos2 got a significant upgrade in the piano department. Martin Harris (Yamaha) mentioned that the Genos2 CFX has more velocity levels than Genos1. Unfortunately, the pianos are still rooted in the XG synthesis and effects architecture — no Grand Expression, no Virtual Resonance Modeling, no half-pedaling. Yamaha product silos reign supreme. Again.

Sampled electric pianos (EP) pretty much stayed the same. Genos2 got real FM EPs, of course. There are also a few new combi voices like “FeltRoads.” I use the Montage/MODX character pianos and dig them.

Sadly, the Genos2 organ category remains the same. Genos2 did not get the Stage YC rotary speaker sim. This omission would kill my desire to upgrade. [Dumb move, Yamaha.] Out of step with the Oberkrainer additions, no new accordions. Nothing new in the choir, either.

String-wise, Genos2 gets new “film” (cinematic) strings. The Kino strings had a lot of character and the new cinematic strings offer a different color with which to paint.

Jerry Bruckheimer would like the Genos2 — more brass, pop and orchestral. Genos2 is fat with brass.

Woodwinds got a few upgrades. Piccolo is finally promoted to SArt2. Pipes are the big news: Celtic flute, whistle, shakuhachi and dudak. Sadly, no SArt2 bagpipes. [It’s a long way to the top.]

I already mentioned the new nylon guitar and basses in the MegaVoice section above. You got the picture. Club punters will find new EDM basses galore.

I don’t usually spend too much time on percussion, leaving that for chimpanzees and bongos. However, there a few upgrades worth noting: vibes, timpani, tubular bells, handbells. There are so many bells, they ring louder than my tinitus. 🙂 Seriously, this stuff can be used in liturgical music without shame.

Pads are pads. Synths are synths.

Drum kits

Yamaha are featuring the Genos2 Ambient Drums and have the kits to prove it:

    RockKit               DirtyKit
    PopKit                IndustrialKit
    VintageOpenKit        TrapKit
    VintageMuteKit        ClubKit
    JazzStickKit          ChillKit
    JazzBrushExtended     PunchyEDMKit
    CinematicPercussion   TightEDMKit
    ProductionKit
    JazzBrushKit
    SymphonicPercussion

The ambient drums borrow mic’ing technique from sample library provides using two or more microphones to capture room ambience. The Genos2 user (or more likely, the style) decides the dry/ambient mix.

Summary

That’s my quick — possibly incomplete — comparison. I hope my analysis will help you with your decision to upgrade or buy. Genos2 builds on a very strong Genos1 foundation. New buyers should take the plunge if they have the dosh.

The new Montage M got the pianos, Kino strings and a few other new waveforms and voices. Genos2, however, got a lot of stuff that Montage didn’t get. Will Yamaha provide those waveforms and patches in a Montage M update? Who the heck knows. Always buy on the basis of what you see and get TODAY. Never bet on updates.

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Genos2 pre-game

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Gotta say upfront, I don’t have a horse in the race when it comes to Yamaha Genos2 (to be announced Wednesday). Montage M8x, on the other hand, really seized my attention because it potentially could fit a real need — an 88-key piano for home. All of the Montage M extras (AN-X, big sub display, and so forth) would be gravy on the biscuits. In the end, I placed an order for a Clavinova CSP-170. [Still waiting for delivery.]

I’m quite happy with Genos (generation 1) and will be keeping it. The FSX action is pleasant and, oh, the sounds! It’s set up to my taste and needs — no good reason to change horses.

Still, I’m a technologist and I’m anxious to see how Genos2 features point to the future.

Pianos and more pianos

The Genos (gen 1) acoustic piano voices have always left players wanting, especially when compared to Montage (gen 1) and MODX. Genos has been trapped by its XG synthesis and effects architecture. Voices are limited to 8 elements making 18 element CFX an unlikely creation.

Yamaha engineers found a way to break down the 8 element limit in Montage M. A single part now may have up to 128 elements. If Yamaha incorporates the same breakthrough in Genos2 (G2), deep, detailed acoustic piano voices are possible.

The first G2 teaser video features piano slathered in reverb. I don’t think that’s an accident. Given that the lowly Yamaha DGX-670 has a great sounding CFX, it’s time for G2 to get game.

Piano Room and Smart Pianist

What are new piano voices without Yamaha Piano Room? Piano Room is the place to tweeze and tweak piano sounds to your liking. Open the piano lid, adjust brightness, etc.

Along with Piano Room, we might see Smart Pianist support for Genos2. The tablet-based Smart Pianist app provides the capabilities of Piano Room — and more. You can select voices, change settings and save everything in registrations. On the CSP series, the player can select and control auto-accompaniment styles, too. Smart Pianist brings sophisticated audio-to-chord and audio-to-score capabilities, too. Audio-to-score goes beyond the free Chord Tracker app, converting chords into honest to goodness musical notation. The musician can play from a standard chart without needing to know chord theory.

If Yamaha adds Genos2 to Smart Pianist, Genos2 will be the first (true) arranger keyboard with Smart Pianist support. This is a big deal. First released in January 2018, Smart Pianist is now a central, strategic piece in Yamaha’s digital piano ecosystem. Adding Genos2 will cement Smart Pianists role for years to come.

Whither VRM? Virtual Resonance Modeling enhances relatively static digital piano tones with body and string resonance. VRM has been slowly trickling down from high-end Clavinovas to the portable digital piano line. Will Genos2 get VRM Lite or enhanced VRM? Stay tuned.

What’s this?

Enlarged and enhanced G2 pictures show a new connector (?) centered on the rear panel. Along with new acoustic piano voices, will we see the new FC35 triple foot pedal? The FC35 connects through a large multi-pin DIN connector. Perhaps G2’s new connector is for the triple strike pedal. We shall soon see…

Vegas at night

Rotary encoders are another big ask. The second teaser video reveals what are quite likely rotary encoders in place of standard potentiometers. The encoders are surrounded by LEDs denoting the current knob value.

Later video and pictures show LEDs alongside the G2 sliders. It would be neat if the LEDs would show the initial slider value to be manually “caught.” That capability would certainly make it easier to play the drawbars in so-called Organ Flutes mode.

Speaking of drawbars, did G2 get the VCM rotary speaker DSP algorithm?

Tilt, but not tilt-able

The main and sub displays appear to be the same size as Genos (gen 1). The G2 front panel has a few new controls. Since Yamaha needed to remold the top chassis panel, they decided to increase the tilt of the main and sub displays. This change should improve readability, especially when seated at the instrument.

Space is the place

I give Ton on the PSR Tutorial Forum credit for making a great catch.

The first video is titled “REVelation” and the third video is titled “Real ambience.” Coincidentally, there are Cubase plug-in effects with similar names. The Cubase REVerence plug-in lets you import an impulse response from disk.

These spatial reverbs and enhancements are popular creative tools. They are also memory-hungry. Did Yamaha provide bigger DSP RAM on the G2 SWP70s? Could these effect algorithms be ported to Montage M? Remember, the “Real Distortion” guitar effects appeared in Tyros 5 before that were added to Motif XF in update 1.5. Could history repeat?

A new keybed?

Comparing the G2 chassis form against my Genos (gen 1), it looks like Yamaha have remolded the chassis bottom, too. It looks deeper, possibly to accommodate the downward tilt of the displays. Or maybe a new keybed, replacing FSX.

This close-up picture of the G2 keybed has been nagging me. The front face of the white keys appears taller than the FSX in front of me in the studio. The height-to-width ratio of the pictured key is about 0.52; the height-to-width ratio of an actual FSX key is 0.24. Did Yamaha develop a new keybed for Genos2?

Oh, so much is still unknown!

We can see the keys, the box, and the displays. It’s the stuff inside that we can’t see which is unknown and tantalizing. Until Wednesday! Unless some horrible, awful leak happens. 🙂

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Montage M8x review: Yes, I played one!

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Grabbed this week’s music binder and tried out a Yamaha Montage M8x for an hour. Overall, a good experience. The demo M8x was set up at Guitar Center with two Yamaha HS-8 monitors.

Here are my observations…

Pianos galore

I dove into the pianos first, because acoustic piano (AP) sounds and practice are my primary need at this time.

The CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial sounded good and clear. In fact, everything sounded good and clear. Might be due to the HS-8s being brighter than my studio monitors; might be due to Pure Audio Circuit 2 (PAC 2).

The Hamburg Grand — a Steinway, presumably — is brighter than I expected. It should cut through a band mix, no prob. Definitely a high-quality addition to the Montage range.

I briefly checked out the Nashville C3, the C7, and the Felt pianos just to verify that they are there. The audio definitely had more clarity than MODX or even Genos (gen 1).

I dove into the CFX grand programming. Yep, one part with 18 elements.

Yet, with all the acoustic pianos, something was missing. Don’t get me wrong, Montage M acoustic pianos will be great for the stage, especially if the pianist is competing with guitar, drum and/or other general cacophony. The APs don’t have the depth or dynamism that I hear in Clavinova, for example. Maybe it’s the missing VRM, Grand Expression Modeling, whatever. People still may choose to record exposed piano solos using virtual instruments or the real deal itself.

The user interface

If you’ve been using either Montage or MODX, be ready for change. It took a little while to come to grips with the new user interface (UI). I managed to navigate through AWM2 element programming and effects without too much trouble. However, old habits must change!

The main screen is clear and responsive enough. Much has been said about the touch screen response — didn’t bother me. I like the button matrix for voice selection. Very easy to use and I quickly depended upon it. Performance search is different and it required some trial, error and time before I became accustomed to it.

The sub display is beautifully clear and readible. Some people have been grumbling about pixel jaggies. Again, didn’t bother me. I’ll take that large display any day over the slim sub display on Genos. The large subdisplay allows BIG numbers and parameter names — good for stage work.

UI-wise, I’m on board with Montage M although one hour is not really enough to get the full sense of workflow.

Electric pianos

Montage M has new electric piano (EP) waveforms and performances. They beat everything I’ve played on MODX, Clavinova and Genos. I’m jealous and can’t wait to get my hands on these waveforms and voices on a ligher weight, more affordable gig instrument. My homework shows anywhere from 8 to 12 strike levels. Definitely top-notch.

Rotary speaker sim

I tried diving into the drawbar organs through the voice category buttons. Not the best idea as I kept running into old familier organ Performances. I dialed in a few Performance, heard swirlies and mentally shrieked, “No, no, this can’t be happening again!”

I suggest starting out in the “Best of Montage M” Live Set. Or, do a little menu diving to verify that you are hearing the new VCM rotary speaker sim. Familiar, old organ Performances continue to use the old ROTARY SPEAKER 1 and ROTARY SPEAKER 2 effect types.

Keep your eyes open and look for a big VCM rotary icon. The VCM icon pops up on the sub display as well as effect edit screens. For some reason, Montage M treats the VCM rotary sim as a separate effect block. You won’t necessarily find it in the Insert A or Insert B slots.

Once found though, you’ll be happy. Well, at least happier than Montage/MODX. I’d like it better if rotary speed could be switched by a pedal, right out of the box. It’s a long reach to the MOD wheel or ribbon controller on the 88.

GEX keyboard

AP and EP with GEX is satisfying. I would not call GEX “light.” The key weight felt similar to the GH3/GH3X — and left my hands somewhat tired, too. Crazy me, NWX or GrandTouch (wood, linear grading) remain at the top of my list.

Playing drawbar organ on GEX is a chore, but you probably guessed that already. Palm swipes are not fun. I could say the same for strings, woodwinds and the other non-piano voices which I auditioned. The lack of PAT on M6/M7 is a genuinely awkward subject for synthesists, organists, or people like me who spend a lot of gig time playing non-piano voices.

AN-X Performances

I didn’t invest a huge amount of time trying AN-X. I browsed the AN-X Performances in the “Best of Montage M” Live Set. The AN-X sound reminds me of the my old AN-200 groove box and why I love it. Maybe it’s just the patches that I tried, but the sound connected me to AN/VA back in the day — reminiscent of the Sequential Circuit Prophet upon which AN was modelled.

I would be very pleased to own a Montage M with AN-X. I’m more excited about AN-X, now, than FM-X. The AN-X Performances have a certain dynamism.

The F-word

At this point, I don’t give a fig. GC had classic rock on the PA and how are you going to listen for anything quiet and subtle during “Smoke on the Water”? So, all I can say is, “Make your choices.”

Where does this leave me?

This time around, I’m interested in getting the best digital piano experience that I can — for the money. I want good value and I’m not willing to spring for any old expensive 88.

The Yamaha Montage M series sound terrific. In person, they look terrific. Whatever 88 I buy will sit in our dining room. Therefore, visual aesthetics are important. As much as I like the look of Montage M8x and P-515 (P-525), a furniture digital piano is more appropriate for the dining room. All the dancing lights would entertain guests, but… Might as well rule out CP88, too, on aesthetic grounds.

The other issue is the GEX keyboard. It’s a good keybed, but I find the NWX to be more comfortable for extended play. I may be in a bit of trouble here as Yamaha seems to be phasing out NWX. The P-515 successor, P-525, for example, has a GrandTouch-S (wood) keybed.

As to sound, the Montage M series acoustic and electric pianos are damned good. I love the variety. (Same could be said of Stage CP since it’s roughly the same line-up.) The VCM rotary speaker sim is very welcome and long overdue. The acoustic piano sounds, however, are missing VRM and I don’t want to compromise. VRM definitely enriches the digital sound especially when you’re playing solo or practicing.

Not that it’s a GEX thing specifically, but I have real concerns about playing non-piano voices on a so-called piano action keybed. I play organ, strings, woodwinds, etc. daily on MODX (el-cheapo semi-weighted action) and Genos (FSX). FSX is still a decent compromise across a wide spectrum of voices. I think synth players will be happier with M6/M7. Even Yamaha pitch M8x as “M8x for the pianist.”

At this point, I will probably find a landing place in Clavinova-land. That doesn’t mean I dislike the Montage M series. On the contrary, I can’t wait for “MOM” or “MOMO”! My MODX6 is going to wear out eventually…

GENOS2 incoming, November

It’s official.

Still awaiting SEQTRAK™

Copyright © Paul J. Drongowski

Montage M8x: Key notes

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Yamaha rarely invent a new technology and not reuse the same tech in a different product line. So it goes with the key sensor tech in Yamaha Montage M8x.

We all got an important clue from the most recent Music Production Guide:

The model MONTAGE M8x features a newly developed, special keyboard called “GEX”, which supports Polyphonic Aftertouch. Unlike other keyboards, the GEX keyboard does not use conventional key contacts, but electromagnetic induction. With this technology, each individual key position can be continuously scanned. In addition, the keyboard supports software updates, which enables the future development of further techniques and articulations beyond Polyphonic Aftertouch.

GEX has its origins in the latest Yamaha hybrid and Silent Piano product lines. This might explain why Yamaha brought out Polyphonic Aftertouch (PAT) in the 88-key version of the Montage M series and not M6/M7 Quite simply, Yamaha could use components and a keybed that were already sitting on its shelf.

This blog post is a bit of a clip-show. I’m collecting information about the sensor technology and want to share a few starting points for further reading and exploration.

Three types of key sensors

Yamaha have three major key sensor technologies in use today:

  • 2- and 3-contact rubber key strips — the most-widely used type,
  • Non-contact 2-point optical fiber hammer/key sensors — employed in hybrid, Silent Piano™ and Transacoustic™ pianos, and
  • Non-contact continuous detection electromagnetic induction sensor — the latest tech.

I won’t be saying much about the rubber key strips because this technology is so well-known.

Electromagnetic induction key sensors

Yamaha announced its new line-up of TransAcoustic and Silent Piano models in August 2022. As part of the announcement, Yamaha briefly described a newly developed “Articulation Sensor System.”

We have newly developed an electronic “Articulation Sensor System”. Wireless communication from sensors installed under all 88 keys allows for natural playing without sacrificing the piano’s original touch. In addition, it is now possible to always accurately grasp the movement of keys being pressed and released, and to detect minute movements of the keyboard, such as when playing staccato, more accurately than before.

Specifications for the SH3 and SC3 Silent Pianos identify the key sensing system as “Non-contact continuous detection electromagnetic induction sensor.”

The new Yamaha Montage M8x employs the latest electromagnetic induction key sensing technology in its GEX keyboard.

Previously, Transacoustic and Silent Pianos employed contactless, optical hammer and key detection. As you can see from its description below, the optical key sensors require much labor and costly components. The gradient optical key shutters must be carefully aligned.

The new electromagnetic induction key sensors appear to be easier to build and install. Each key has small inductive loop on the bottom. Sensors on the printed circuit board below the keys detect loop (key) movements.

Because the electromagnetic induction sensors are so new, it will be some time before we learn the details about the new sensor technology.

NU1XA AvantGrand

When I heard “electromagnetic induction” and “hybrid” fall out of Blake’s mouth, I instantly remembered the Yamaha NU1XA hybrid piano. The NU1XA combines an upright’s key action with digital synthesis. The Yamaha Articulation Sensor System is described in the following way:

The NU1XA features our newly developed Articulation Sensor System, which accurately and continuously captures the pianist’s subtlest performance nuances, through non-contact electromagnetic sensors and Yamaha’s proprietary algorithm. This system utilizes two separate sensors on each key: one for the hammer — the most crucial part of the acoustic piano sound mechanism — and the other for the key itself, to precisely measure the movement of finger release and articulate exactly the special nuances when the sound stops. Together, they fully capture the most delicate expressions of the player. [Yamaha]

Obviously, the Montage M8x does not have hammers and Montage M8x has only under-key sensors. [Needs to be verified.]

Yamaha NU1XA key action and sensors [Yamaha]

Yamaha have been working to simulate the interplay between a pianists fingers (and pedals) in order to “craft changes in timbre according to the speed and depth with which the keys are pressed.” Yamaha calls these proprietary algorithms and software “Grand Expression Modeling.” Like Montage M PAT, the Yamaha secret sauce is in the software.

This technology goes well-beyond simple 2- and 3-switch discrete sensing into the realm of continuous sensing. You’ll find 2-switch sensing in most other Yamaha synths and arrangers. 3-switch switch sensing is found in so-called “triple sensor” keybeds like GH3, GH3X and NWX.

Optical shutter key sensors

Key sensor and greyscale shutter [Yamaha]

Under each of the 88 keys is a Yamaha-unique continuous-detection grey-scale shutter key sensor. These sensors detect the movement of the keys continually, allowing natural musical expression even when the piano is in SILENT Piano™ function. Since they do not come into contact with the keys, these sensors do not affect the feel of the keyboard in any way. [Yamaha]

I’m sure all of this Yamaha tech is patented. Happy hunting at the USPTO!

[Update: Thanks to Jason at the Yamaha Synth Forum who found these two Yamaha patents: U.S. Patent 5612502A and 6121535.]

Silent Piano optical sensors

The old Yamaha Silent Piano™ line use continuous key and damper pedal detection. Key sensing uses optical shutters.

Yamaha Optical Key Sensors [Yamaha]

Yamaha Silent Pianos go one step further than the hybrids — Silent Pianos are complete pianos with action, strings and soundboard. When a Silent Piano is switched to Quiet Mode, the hammers are stopped before hitting the strings. The articulation sensor system tracks key movement, sending data to Grand Expression Modeling and tone synthesis. [The Quiet and Acoustic Modes are selected with a silencing lever or pedal.]

If you use information from this article, please post a link to my site. Thanks!

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Montage M: Fan on, fan off

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When my nephew was four years old, he was positively obsessed with fans. Whenever the forced-air furnace would kick on at my sister’s house, he would immediately say, “Fan on!” When the furnace kicked off, we’d hear “Fan off!” We always knew the status of the heating system.

Later in life, he became obsessed with helicopters…

Please, give the Yamaha Montage M fan discussion a rest. I’m sorry that I ever said anything about it. 🙂

Having crawled through all things electronic from Raspberry Pi-sized devices to 1960s-sized mainframes — and maintained them — the small CPU fan in the Montage M series is not a matter for concern. As many people pointed out, Korg Kronos, Apple Macbook Air and other popular products have small fans. Usually, these fans are variable speed and throttle down (or off) depending upon CPU load.

I’m sure someone will mention fan-less tablets and phones. Apple, Samsung, etc. have carefully considered thermal design and are depending upon the metal body to carry away the heat into free space. (Or your hands.) Phone and tablet designers don’t get a free pass either.

The scientifically astute people correctly cite physics. You want to compute, you got to spend power. You want faster, you’re going to need more power. Think “Scotty and the dilithium crystals.” 🙂

You may not know it, but this site has all of the lecture material for my university-level courses on computer design and VLSI systems. Check it out!

I always did a section on cooling and power estimation because, in hardware, design has three major concerns: speed, space and power. Most software types think solely in terms of program speed and size. The fact that software consumes gobs of power when it runs, is not normally taken into consideration by programmers.

There is a simple formula to estimate CMOS dynamic power dissipation:

                                         2
    Power     = Capacitance     * Voltage   * frequency 
         dyn               Load          DD

The power supply voltage is normally fixed for the given fabrication technology, e.g., 3.3 Volts. Capacitance is the aggregated capacitance of all the transistor gates and wires which must be switched between 0 Volts (logic 0) and +3.3 Volts (logic 1). The frequency is the clock frequency.

If you go multi-core, you have more transistors and wires, and the aggregated capacitance is higher than single-core. If you increase the clock frequency, the transistors will switch on and off more often. So, if you want a multi-core processor with a high clock rate, you’re gonna pay in dynamic power dissipation. In plain terms, you’re going to generate more heat.

That heat needs to go somewhere. High-speed CMOS circuits get incredibly hot if the heat is not removed (dissipated). Get above 60 or 70 degrees Celsius and you’re flirting with disaster. Prolonged operation at high temperature is unreliable leading to circuit failure. Even modest overheating shortens circuit life in the long run.

Having seen the guts of Yamaha products, I have confidence in their engineers. I’m sure they have chosen the appropriate cooling solution. Some people are yakking about passive cooling with tubes and plumbing junk. Save that for your gaming machine. With manufacturing concerns and cost in mind, frankly, give me a friggin’ break.

To put things in better perspective, the picture below is the Raspberry Pi cooling system provided by Canakit. There are two heat sinks: one for the external memory IC and one for the CPU. The cooling fan is optional. Taken together, this cooling solution is sufficient for a Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 at 1.5GHz. Montage M doesn’t need much more than that.

CanaKit Raspberry Pi cooler (and American quarter)

Please note the small size of the fan: about one inch (2.54cm) per side. This is not an x86-size cooler!

Yes, there are practical matters in the studio. You should be controlling the amount of dust (and smoke!) in your studio simply to keep your key contacts and connectors clean. Next, I can relate to noise concerns having used a Silver-door Mac for many years. [Hurricane force winds!] The dinky fan in the Montage M should be barely audible. I doubt if you will track it — unless you put a mic next to the fan and sample it. 🙂

“No spoiler.”

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Montage M APs and EPs

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I’m starting to compare Yamaha Montage M waveforms against Montage/MODX waveforms.

Montage M acoustic (AP) and electric pianos (EP) got a very big bump! The table below has my raw, working notes.

    Montage       Montage M      Strike levels
    -----------   -----------    ---------------
    CF3 Stretch   CF3 Stretch    3       Soft/Med/Hard
    CF3 Flat      CF3 Flat       3       Soft/Med/Hard
    S6 Stretch    S6 Stretch     4       pp/mp/mf/ff
    S6 Flat       S6 Flat        4       pp/mp/mf/ff
    CFX           CFX            9    
    S700          S700           3       pp/mf/ff
    Upright       Upright        3       mp/f/ff
                  C7             5       pp/mp/mf/f/ff
                  Nashville C3   5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
                  Imperial       8    
                  Hamburg Grand  10    
                  U1 Upright     5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
                  Felt Piano     4       p/mp/mf/f
    CP70          CP70           1 
    CP80          CP80           5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
                  CP80-2 Attack  4       mp/mf/f/ff
    
    EP1           EP1            3       Soft/Med/Hard
    EP2           EP2            2       Soft/Hard
    EP3           EP3            2       Soft/Hard
    EP4           EP4            5       p/mp/mf/f/ff

    Rd Soft       Rd Soft        5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
    Rd Hard       Rd Hard        4       mp/mf/f/ff
    Rd73          Rd73           5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
    Rd78          Rd78           5       p/mp/mf/f/ff
    Wr1           Wr1            3       Soft/Med/Hard
    Wr2           Wr2            4       p/mf/f/ff
    Wr3           Wr3            5       p/mp/mf/f/ff

                  67Rd           9    
                  73Rd Studio    8    
                  74Rd Stage     10    
                  78Rd Studio    10    
                  Wr Warm        12    
                  Wr Wide        10

The Hamburg Grand is nicely detailed with 10 velocity levels. Given the change in waveform name, the CFX might (emphasis, “might”) have been refreshed. We should ask Yamaha about that. Yamaha are making good use of the new 128 element per part capability.

I can verify that the U1 Upright, Nashville C3 and Felt pianos in the character piano give-away are full fat (i.e., same number of strike levels as Montage M).

The Yamaha talking points don’t mention it much, but there are new Rhodes and Wurlitzer waveforms. And, they are beautifully detailed. There’s a new CP80, too.

I didn’t spot any changes in sampled DX, Clav, drawbar, combo, and pipe organ waveforms. Why update sampled DX when Montage has FM-X? Duh.

This is all pretty spiffy for AP and EP players. I hope some of these waveforms trickle into Genos2 and the Clavinova digital pianos. I’d love to see that Hamburg Grand in the (much anticipated) CLP-800 series. Throw in a few of the new EPs along with the Hamburg and Yamaha will tempt a lot of upgrades.

Given the range of pianos in Montage M, one wonders about the future of Stage CP (mark 2). Perhaps Stage CP will adopt technology from the Clavinova line — Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM), in particular?

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Montage (M)usings

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Just in case you don’t have enough to read, here are links to the latest Music Production guides:

It’s raining in The PNW (as usual) and I’ll kick back with these as should you.

Now for a few random thoughts.

Got the power

I owe (Another)Scott for this observation. He found the following error message in the Yamaha Montage M Operation Manual:

CPU Fan Error: The instrument internal cooling fan has stopped.

CPU fan?

Yes, CPU fan. Demonstrators and punters alike have noted the snappy, responsive Montage M performance. As I thought, Yamaha have upped the host CPU in Montage M. We’ll have to wait for pictures or service manual, but I suspect multi-core (Montage gen 1 is a single core ARM) and/or a higher clock speed.

This means more power in and more power (heat) out.

I wouldn’t expect to find a massive, x86-sized blower and heat sink. Even lowly Raspberry Pi 3 (Broadcom BCM2837 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.2GHz) needs a small cooler when running compute-intensive jobs. Raspberry Pi coolers are modestly small and light.

The new Montage M CPU probably includes a more up-to-date, integrated graphics processor, too. It would be interesting to know if the graphics processor (GPU) speeds up the Smart Morph operation. Inquiring minds want to know!

Sub display

I loves me that big old 512×64 LCD “sub display” and the way it is integrated with the rest of the Montage M workflow. The Montage M engineers took this idea from Genos “Live Control” and made it bigger and better in every way.

The Genos host CPU (AM4376 ARM operating at 1GHz) handled its sub display over a relatively slow, 2MHz Small Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus.

This got me thinking and speculating. The Yamaha SWX09 processor (248MHz internal clock) has a heavy weight DSP, integrated display interface, and low(er) resolution analog-to-digital converters. What if an SWX09 handles the sub display, scans the knobs and sliders, and performs AN-X synthesis? That structure and assignment of duties would make AN-X synthesis incredibly low-latency and responsive to knob and slider control. The SWX09 would need to send controller values over the E-bus to SWP70 and other destinations.

Please file this speculation under “daydreams.”

AWM2/FM-X tone generation

If I had to guess (and I will), Montage M has two SWP70-type “Standard Wave Processors” just like Montage gen 1. AN-X is computed by either an SWX09 or an SSP3. Both SWX09 and SSP3 are SH-2 RISC cores. The SH-2 has been a Yamaha stalwart for nearly two decades, appearing throughout a wide variety of products from audio interfaces, to mixers, to Reface, to digital pianos.

Here’s food for thought. In Montage gen 1, the Master SWP70 handles AWM2. The Master SWP70 has two wave RAM channels: one populated, one empty (“not installed”). Perhaps — perhaps — Yamaha populated the second wave RAM channel and doubled the size of the NAND flash from 4GB to 8GB.

The fly in the ointment is the stated Montage M AWM2 polyphony spec: 128 factory preset elements plus 128 user waveform elements. If both operate from the same NAND flash, then there should not be this artificial split (factory vs. user). Perhaps Yamaha added user NAND flash and wave RAM to the Slave SWP70? Or maybe this is all wet and there is a third SWP70? (See Genos internals.)

128 elements per part

As I mentioned yesterday, allowing up to 128 elements per Performance part is a big win for piano and organ voice programming. In Montage gen 1, sound designers often needed to split voice elements into several Parts, 8 elements per Part (max).

This improvement opens a can of worms with respect to real-time element assignment and activation. The E-bus carries note on/off directly from the keybed scanner to the Master SWP70. How much does the host CPU intervene? Does the SWP70 handle element assignment and activation by itself? If the SWP70 does this by itself, then Yamaha probably needed to revise the SWP70 IC, i.e., a new silicon spin and a new part number (“SWP71”).

BTW, just for kicks, someone should try programming a Performance Part with 128 elements. Hit a note, then hit a second note. What happens?

Fun with fuses

Some folk still conceptualize SWP70 as “a big ole programmable CPU”. I prefer to conceptualize the SWP70 as a collection of AWM2 pipelines, FM-X pipelines, 32 or so very simple DSP effect processors, and a very flexible digital audio mixing system. (Of course, there’s other stuff, too.) The AWM2 pipelines and FM-X pipelines are circuits dedicated to AWM2 and FM-X synthesis, respectively and specifically.

Each group of pipelines reside on their own power and clock grids. Circuit fabrication is not a perfect process. The AWM2 pipes or the FM-X pipes could suffer a fabrication flaw. During QA, Yamaha could sort parts into four categories: both AMW2 and FM-X good, AWM2 good and FM-X bad, AWM2 bad and FM-X good, both AWM2 and FM-X bad. Both sides bad is a reject.

In the cases of one side good, the bad side can be fused off. Yep, there may be fuses to cut bad pipes from the power and clock grids. Parts can be assigned to either AWM2-only duty or FM-X-only duty when a PCB is manufactured.

This is standard industry practice. The processor you are using right now probably has bad circuits fused off!

E.S.P. all over again

Dedicated pipelines are why Yamaha tone generators and polyphony are so predictable and stable. There isn’t any nonsense about effects, this or that cutting into polyphony because everything shares the same processor.

That’s why I don’t expect the Expanded Softsynth Plugin (E.S.P) to provide stellar polyphony. The initial release (“early 2024”) will support sound design. That’s a modest goal for PC-/MAC-synthesis. I wouldn’t expect too much — “all the Montage M sound while being limited to basic editing.” The full version is planned for Summer 2024.

As to development, pricing and distribution, I’m sure Steinberg will have a hand in. Steinberg completed a rent-to-own partnership deal with Splice in April 2023. Yes, Steinberg and Yamaha have caught the subscription model disease. If it’s rent-to-own, the price isn’t going to be cheap. You didn’t expect to get a Montage M for a few bucks, did you? You want to play, you gonna pay.

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Yamaha Montage M8x: Initial take

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Well, my site got hammered last night while I was trying to live blog a few details from the Yamaha Montage M documentation. Thanks for visiting SSS.

Yamaha Montage M6

By now, everyone has downloaded the documentation and watched Blake’s Take on the Montage M. There isn’t a need to rehash that information here. Below are a few comments which are “value added”, I hope.

Bread and butter

The Montage M sound demo should assure long-time users that Montage M continues to cover the basics. I don’t think the AN-X demos in the video will get pulses racing among the cultists. If anything, the Montage M is the all-rounder that we wanted six years ago!

Those prices

Montage M pricing is in premium keyboard territory:

    Model          MSRP     MAP
    -----------   ------  ------
    Montage M8x   $4,999  $4,500 USD
    Montage M7    $4,499  $4,000 USD
    Montage M6    $3,999  $3,500 USD

Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) is what you will see on-line, of course. I wouldn’t expect much wiggle room for negotiation while the Montage M is hot. You might be able to find an open box unit after the Fickle Freds return ’em.

Even the M6 is a step up from the gen 1 Montage6. Gulp.

Elementary

Montage M AWM2 Normal Parts may have up to 128 elements. The old limit was eight. This gives punters a way to create massive stacks within a single element. Or, you can shrink those multi-part performances into a single part. I did this recently in order to make a MODX Performance Seamless Sound Switching (SSS) eligible.

Getting rid of the old limit enables single-part, multi-strike pianos with more than eight velocity levels — among other uses.

Me, the tech nerd, wonders if removing the limitation is software-only or if the AWM2 hardware was revised (i.e., SWP71). Get out your screwdrivers!

AWM2 polyphony is split between factory presets and user waveforms. Knowing what little I do know about SWP70, Yamaha may have enabled the second, unpopulated waveform memory channel in the Master SWP70. Or, maybe they went the Genos way. Montage M may have two SWP70s still; AN-X is either an SSP3 or SWX09. Screwdrivers, anyone? Take good pictures while you void your warranty.

The rotary speaker effect

Montage M gets the Virtual Circuit Modeling (VCM) rotary speaker effect which was added to Stage YC in the V1.2 update. The algorithm has three main variations:

  • VCM Rotary Speaker Classic: Standard rotary speaker effect
  • VCM Rotary Speaker Overdrive: Simulates the distorted sound of a rotary speaker with a transistor preamp connected
  • VCM Rotary Speaker Studio: With three-dimensional rotation

I’m still trying to get my head around the VCM rotary effect routing. It appears in the insert signal chain (below), but is listed as its own effect block in the Data List PDF.

There is also a limitation. The VCM Rotary Speaker Switch parameter is available only for Part 1. According to the Operation Manual, “Only Part 1 of the VCM Rotary is enabled. All other Parts cannot be used.” Hmmmm.

Fortunately, you can put all of the drawbar elements into a single part (i.e., Part 1). That should phase-align the rotary speaker across elements. Drawbar sounds are generated by AWM2, FM-X or AN-X. No modeling.

I still can’t find a satisfying effect routing diagram in the manuals. Grrr. Further, the routing screen above, IMHO, is a jumble.

Them pianos

The Montage M is fat with pianos: CFX, C7, Nashville C3, CF3, S6, S700, Imperial, Hamburg Grand, U1 Upright, Felt. A few of these pianos were released as a parting gift to existing Montage (and MODX) users. On voices alone, CP88 is in bad need of an upgrade.

I haven’t spotted any significant additions to the EP line-up — yet. I need to cross check the Montage M waveform list against gen 1. I’m looking for improvements to the orchestral instruments, too. Frankly, I don’t care about Performances named “Flowerpot Hats” (or whatever) because what the heck do they sound like? They are what they are. 🙂

Doing a thorough comparison takes time and caffeine. I’ll get around to the task someday…

Am I gonna buy one?

“M8x for the pianist”

My primary need right now is a digital piano for practice. I would love to get my hands on a Montage M8x and test drive the new GEX keybed. I want to know how it measures up against GrandTouch (wood plus counterweights) and NWX.

Here’s a few considerations. The price of M8x is comparable to a mid-range Clavinova CLP or CSP. The Clavinova digital pianos have Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM), Grand Expression Modeling, triple-pedal unit, and built-in sound system. Montage M, at a minimum, demands an external sound system, a robust stand (62 pounds!) and a bench.

There is also the aesthetic side, namely, furniture versus stage instrument. I’m out of studio space and my next purchase will reside in one of our common living spaces, the so-called “dining room.” Guess which alternative wins with spouses? 🙂

Bottomline: The Clavinova digital pianos remain attractive. Yamaha P-525 is an even better value after its bump from P-515, although the visual aesthetic is not as appealing as Clavinova. Just for piano, M8x is a difficult sale.

E.S.P.

The Expanded Softsynth Plugin (E.S.P.) provides an “in the box” version of Montage M.

The Yamaha Montage M series press release has further information about the Expanded Softsynth Plugin (E.S.P.):

MONTAGE M series keyboards come with a download code for the Expanded Softsynth Plugin (E.S.P.) for MONTAGE M, which is a software synthesizer (VST3, AU) that can replicate all MONTAGE M series sounds, offering more powerful stage and studio integration.

We are planning on releasing E.S.P. in early 2024. The first version will have MONTAGE M sound, while being limited to basic editing. The full version is planned for release in summer 2024.

Notice that the first version will be limited to basic editing.

I suspect that E.S.P. started out as a prototyping and development tool for Montage M. Shoot, Montage runs on Linux, why the heck not? Mid-stream, the team decided to productize E.S.P. A good ideaâ„¢.

However, I doubt if E.S.P.’s polyphony spec will be very good. It’s hard to replace several hundred hardware tone generation channels and effect DSP units with software. You’re still going to want to buy hardware. Just sayin’…

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Happy birthday, Montage M!

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Sunday was our grandson’s birthday party. At age six, this kid is already an automotive gearhead. We watch car racing and Motortrend together. “No street racing!” — your Mom said so. [And, go to college!]

I got him a spiffy red Ferrari 812 Competizione. Lego, of course, his other love.

Kid takes one look. Says, “No spoiler,” and moves on to the next gift.

Think that one over. 🙂