MODX: Drawbar overdrive (part 3)

Posted on May 31, 2023 by pj

So far on our tour of MODX (Montage) drawbar organ tech, I’ve discussed drawbar control and drawbar waveforms. Convincing overdrive and distortion are essential to an authentic drawbar organ sound (B-3 plus Leslie). Technically, the overdrive (or distortion) is produced by the tube electronics in a Leslie rotary speaker. We synthesizer types must use amp and speaker simulators to produce overdrive or distortion.

Engineers are creatures of habit. After browsing a zillion MODX and Genos organ voices, I noticed that Yamaha engineers kept returning to the same effect algorithms albeit with slightly different parameter values:

    MODX Algorithm    Genos Algorithm    Characteristics 
    ---------------   ---------------    ---------------------- 
    BRITISH COMBO     BRITISH COMBO      Vox combo amp 
    MULTI FX          MULTI FX           Pedal board 
    AMP SIMULATOR 1   V DISTORTION       Vintage amp 
    AMP SIMULATOR 2   STEREO AMP SIM     Vintage stereo amp 
    SMALL STEREO      SMALL STEREO DIST  Stereo amp and speaker sim

The MULTI FX pedal board simulator includes the SMALL STEREO (DIST) algorithm. Check out Blake’s article about guitar effects.

Roadmap

We need a roadmap before driving into the weeds.

Usually, overdrive is configured as a MODX (Montage) insert effect. Once you navigate to the effects routing page (or one of the insert effect pages), you can change the effect type (algorithm) and/or effect parameters. Yamaha documentation refers to “effect types”; I use the word “algorithm” instead because we are selecting an algorithm (code) along with its parameters.

Yamaha provide several different distortion, overdrive and amp simulator algorithms. As if that isn’t enough choice, sometimes the kind of overdrive (or distortion) can be chosen by a parameter (e.g., tube, transistor, etc.) In some cases, we can choose the speaker cabinet (e.g., 2×12), too.

Why are there so many choices? If you follow the guitar pedal market, you would ask “Why are there so many distortion pedals?” Like anything else in sound and music, there are many varieties of distortion or overdrive. Some are warm (tubes), some are bright (transistor), and so forth. The trick is to use your ears and find the most appropriate kind of distortion, overdrive or amp type for the sound you want to obtain. Guitarists call this ephemeral quality “tone”.

I’ve cataloged several detailed examples in the next section. These are starting points for experimentation. If you don’t know where to start, choose something and start tweaking! If you can’t get your tone, change the kind of distortion effect if the selected algorithm allows, or move on to a different effect algorithm.

An effect algorithm is a mathematical model of a real-world device. Each algorithm simulates one or more real-world distortion, overdrive, amplifier and/or speaker cabinet effects. The models mimic an audio signal hitting a component like a tube, transistor or a mic’ed speaker cabinet. The amount of distortion usually increases when the incoming audio signal is stronger, i.e., the input level or gain (sometimes called “drive”) is turned up. The input signal drives the simulated device or component harder.

One thing to keep in mind — increasing input level (gain) also increases the output level. When you increase the gain (drive), you must decrease the output level lest you cause nasty digital distortion in the outgoing digital audio stream. Digital distortion (digital clipping) sounds unnatural and is not desirable.

Warning
Increasing drive also raises the volume of the outgoing audio, sometimes to painful levels! Keep volume low when experimenting with high drive. Protect you ears.

Most of the algorithms provide a parameter controlling the Wet/Dry mix. You’ll see settings like “D15>W”. The wet/dry value range is:

     D63>W to (D=W) to D<W63

This determines the balance between the direct, unprocessed signal (dry) and the processed sound (wet). At dead center, “(D=W)”, the wet and dry signals are equal. Move to either side to pass more of the dry sound or wet/effected sound.

The details and examples

The BRITISH COMBO effect algorithm (Vox AC30) is a Yamaha favorite. In the table below, the first settings are taken from the MODX “All Bar None” Performance, and the second and third settings are from the Genos “ClassicJazz” and “RockOrgan JS” voices, respectively.

                            MODX         Genos        Genos 
    ## Parameters       All Bar None  ClassicJazz  RockOrgan JS 
    -- ---------------  ------------  -----------  ------------ 
     1 Mode                Bright        Bright      Top Boost 
     2 Normal              5.8           3.6         4.0 
     3 Brilliant           6.0           5.4         6.0 
     4 Bass                4.4           5.0         4.4 
     5 
     6 Treble              6.0           6.2         6.0 
     7 Cut                 0.6           0.0         0.6 
     8 
     9 Output Level        69            126         71 
    10 
    11 Speaker Type        AC 4x10       AC 1x12     AC 4x10 
    12 Speaker Air         2             2           0 
    13 Mic Position        Center        Center      Center

The parameters “Normal” and “Brilliant” dial in the distortion.

Here’s the rotary speaker settings for two Genos drawbar organ voices. Both voices use the Genos V DISTORTION effects algorithm. The equivalent MODX algorithm is AMP SIMULATOR 1.

                           Genos           Genos 
    ## Parameters       WhiterBars JS  RotaryDriveOrg 
    -- ---------------  -------------  -------------- 
     1 Overdrive         28%             24% 
     2 Device            Vintage Tube    Transistor 
     3 Speaker Type      Stack           Twin 
     4 Presence          4               10 
     5 Output Level      88%             100% 
    10 Dry/Wet           D40>W           D26>W

The first voice simulates a tube preamp and the second voice simulates a transistor preamp. Tube amps have a warmer sound than transistor amps.

MODX does not have all of the Genos distortion algorithms. MODX implements the latest and greatest algorithms while Genos (Tyros and PSR) retain many legacy algorithms for backward compatibility. The table below shows the settings for the STEREO AMP SIMULATOR used by the “ClassicBars JS” voice.

                              Genos           MODX 
    ## Parameters         ClassicBars JS  The Jazz Organ 
    -- -----------------  --------------  -------------- 
     1 Drive                  0               15 
     2 Amp Type               Stack           Tube 
     3 LPF Cutoff Frequency   8.0kHz          5.0kHz 
     4 Output Level           114             112 
    10 Dry/Wet                D24>W           D17>W 
    11 Edge (Clip Curve)      0               n/a

The nearest equivalent MODX algorithm is AMP SIMULATOR 2. The parameters are the same except “Edge (Clip Curve)” is missing on MODX. Still, I would give these parameter values a try on MODX.

The MULTI FX algorithm simulates a guitar pedal board. The input signal hits a simple compressor (sustain) which drives a distortion block (Dist). The phaser and wah blocks are turned OFF in the examples below.

MODX Performance: More Shade 
MODX Algorithm: MULTI FX MODX Preset: Distortion Solo
                              MODX           MODX 
    ## Parameters         More Shade  8.8.8.8.6.2.2.0.0 
    -- -----------------  ----------  ----------------- 
     1 Comp. Sustain      2.3               2.7 
     2 Wah SW             Off               Off 
     3 Wah Pedal          0                 0 
     4 Dist SW            Clean             Clean 
     5 Dist Drive         2.1               1.3 
     6 Dist EQ            High Boost        High Boost 
     7 Dist Tone          0.8               1.3 
     8 Dist Presence      6.0               5.2 
     9 Output Level       108               115 
    10 
    11 Speaker Type       Twin              Twin 
    12 LFO Speed          0.1Hz             0.1Hz 
    13 Phaser SW          Off               Off 
    14 Delay SW           Echo1 St          Off 
    15 Delay Ctrl         40                40 
    16 Delay Time         48                48

The “More Shade” Performance adds a stereo echo effect using the delay block. MULTI FX is a super handy algorithm and I’ve discussed its use with organ and electric piano before.

Yamaha CK- and YC-series

The table below summarized the YC- and CK-series rotary and distortion insert effects.

    YC61 rotary effects 
        Rtr A          Standard rotary speaker for organ 
        Rtr B          Rotary speaker connected to a transistor 
                       preamplifier with strong distortion 
        Lead           Guitar amp (bass of high sound 
                       pressure and sharp treble) 
        Crunch         Guitar amp (crunch sound) 
        Double         Guitar amp (bright sound) 
        Case           Speaker amp for vintage electric piano 
    CK61 drive (rotary) effects 
        Rotary A       Standard rotary speaker for organ 
        Rotary B       Rotary speaker connected to a transistor 
                       preamplifier with strong distortion 
        O.Drive        Warm distortion (overdrive) 
        Dist           Hard rock distortion 
        Comp           Compressor controlled by a single knob 
    YC61 and CK61 insert effects 
        British Combo  Crunch distortion (Vox AC30 Top Boost) 
        British Lead   Hard rock type distortion (Marshall Plexi)
        Small Stereo   Stereo distortion

I’ll let you guess as to which Yamaha algorithms are (re)used. If you want to re-create the CK sound on MODX (Montage), have at it!

MODX: Drawbar waveforms (part 2)

Posted on May 25, 2023 by pj

Last time, we looked at the drawbar programming in MODX Performance “The Basics”. The first five voice Elements are each assigned a single drawbar waveform: 16′, 5 1/3′, 8′, 4′ and 2′.

A lot of folks (me!) frequently build on a foundation like pulling the first three or four drawbars and then pull higher bars while playing. Thus, assigning individual drawbars seems a little wasteful in these kinds of registrations, when the foundation doesn’t change. Fortunately, MODX (Montage) provide waveforms for typical drawbar foundations:

    Wave#  Waveform name            Registration? 
    -----  ----------------------   ------------- 
     441   Rock Chorus Vibrato 
     442   Rock Percussion 
     443   Rock2                    65 5444 644 
     446   Jazz w/Percussion 
     448   Jazz                     78 6600 000 
     451   Full Draw                88 8888 888 
     454   Swish 
     456   Bow                      87 4323 468 
     457   Bow Chorus Vibrato 
     458   Gospel                   87 6000 568 
     459   Soul                     80 0050 578 
     460   1st Four Draw            88 8800 000 
     479   Draw 1+3                 80 8000 000 
     482   Draw 2+4                 08 0800 000 
     485   Draw Even 
     488   Draw Odd

The MODX data list PDF has the complete list of waveforms, including the slightly detuned and offset variations. I tried to guess the registrations and please take my guesses with a grain of salt! [See Genos/PSR organ registrations.]

MODX Performance “Vib Chorus AF1” is as simple as you can get:

    Performance: Vib Chorus AF1 
    El# Waveform            Level  Pan  Coarse  XA Control 
    --- ------------------  -----  ---  ------  ---------- 
     1  Bow                   100   C      0    A.SW Off 
     2  Bow Chorus Vibrato    102   C      0    A.SW1 On

It consists of two Elements. “Bow” refers to the overall shape of the drawbars with the lowest and highest drawbars pulled out the farthest. You might hear this registration in a gospel music or soul setting.

The Elements depend on the state of the ASSIGN 1 front panel button. The Extended Articulation (XA) control parameter chooses the first Element when the A.SW switches are OFF and chooses the second Element when the A.SW1 switch is ON. This configuration conserves polyphony and Elements sparingly. You can add or disable chorus/vibrato (C/V) by pressing the ASSIGN 1 switch. The C/V is sampled into the “Bow Chorus Vibrato” waveform and you do not have the option of selecting V1, C1, etc. Unlike real world Hammond, C/V is added (or removed) only on new notes played after switching. It’s not an independent effect unit.

You could use “Vib Chorus AF1” as the basis for new Performances that switch between drawbar registrations. Why not switch between “Jazz” and “Jazz w/Percussion”, for example? Simply change Element 1 to the “Jazz” waveform and change Element 2 to the “Jazz w/Percussion” waveform.

Here are the Element assignments for another simple Performance, “Draw Control”:

    Performance: Draw Control 
    El# Waveform            Level  Pan  Coarse  XA Control 
    --- ------------------  -----  ---  ------  ----------  
     1  Draw 1+3              100   C      0    Normal 
     2  Draw 2+4               67   C      0    Normal 
     3  Draw Even               0   C      0    Normal 
     4  Draw Odd                0   C      0    Normal

You can go from quiet to shoutin’ with this one! For extra credit, learn how to add rotor grit and rotor whistle Elements in order to sweeten the pot. [Hint: Learn how to copy Elements with SHIFT+EDIT.]

New waveforms in Montage/MODX

There are several new drawbar organ waveforms in Montage (MODX) which don’t get mentioned very often. These waveforms have the Leslie speaker effect sampled in:

Wave#  Waveform Name        Performance         Registration? 
-----  -------------------  --------------      ------------- 
  495  Tonewheel1 Fast      Whiter Bars         68 8600 000 
  496  Tonewheel1 Slow 
  497  Tonewheel2 Fast      All Bar None        88 8888 888 
  498  Tonewheel2 Slow 
  499  Tonewheel3 Fast L    The Jazz Organ, Groove Organ 
  500  Tonewheel3 Fast R 
  501  Tonewheel3 Fast St 
  502  Tonewheel3 Slow L 
  503  Tonewheel3 Slow R 
  504  Tonewheel3 Slow St 
  505  Tonewheel4 Fast                          88 8888 888 
  506  Tonewheel5 Fast      Rich Bars           63 8457 530 
  507  Tonewheel6 Fast

Sampled-in Leslie doesn’t get much love because the effect cannot be modified and the switch from slow speed to fast is abrupt — no acceleration ramp between the two speeds.

The first three sets of tonewheel waveforms cover the three most common registrations: 1. Whiter Shade Of Pale, 2. full drawbars, and 3. jazz organ a la Jimmy Smith and Groove Holmes. If you want to try them out, I took note of the MODX Performances built on these tonewheel sample sets.

I believe these tonewheel waveforms are used in the Genos™ “joystick (JS)” voices: “WhiterBars JS”, and “AllBarsOut JS” and “JazzRotary JS”. The ears don’t lie. Tonewheel4, 5 and 6 are probably in the Genos ROM somewhere, too. No time for an Easter egg hunt today. 🙂

Here is what you will see if you look inside of these Performances:

Performance: The Jazz Organ 
El# Waveform            Level  Pan  Coarse 
--- ------------------  -----  ---  ------ 
 1  Tonewheel 3 Slow L    115  L63     0 
 2  Tonewheel 3 Slow R    115  R63     0 
 3  Tonewheel 3 Fast L      0  L63     0 
 4  Tonewheel 3 Fast L      0  R63     0 
 5  Draw 16' Of            32   C    +20 
 6  Rotor Whistle           0   C    +17 
 7  Rotor Grit 1            0   C      0 
 8  Draw 4' Of              0   C      0 

Performance: Whiter Bars 
El# Waveform          Level  Pan  Coarse  XA Control 
--- ----------------  -----  ---  ------  ---------- 
 1  Tonewheel 1 Slow    127   C      0 
 2  Tonewheel 1 Fast      0   C      0 
 3  Draw 16' Of          23   C    +20    Key off - Rel key click 
 4  Rotor Whistle         0   C    +17 
 5  Rotor Grit 1          0   C      0 
 6  Draw 4' Of          127   C      0    Assign SW #1 - Percussion 

Performance: All Bar None 
El# Waveform          Level  Pan  Coarse  XA Control 
--- ----------------  -----  ---  ------  ---------- 
 1  Tonewheel 2 Slow    127   C      0 
 2  Tonewheel 2 Fast      0   C      0 
 3  Draw 16' Of          32   C    +20    Key Off - Rel key click 
 4  Rotor Whistle         5   C    +17

Example performance

I set out to build a new Performance, “8888+”, using a few of the ideas that I outlined above. The new Performance puts the “1st Four Draw” waveform in the first Element and places four individual drawbar waveforms into Elements 2 through 5:

    Performance: 8888+ 
    El# Waveform            Level  Pan  Coarse 
    --- ------------------  -----  ---  ------ 
     1  1st Four Draw         127   C      0 
     2  Draw 2 2/3              0   C      0 
     3  Draw 2'                 0   C      0 
     4  Draw 1 1/3              0   C      0 
     5  Draw 1 3/5              0   C      0 
     6  Rotor Grit 2           70   C    -24 
     7  Rotor                 127   C    -17 
     8  Percussion              0   C     -7

Elements 6 and 7 add rotor noise. Element 8 handles percussion.

I didn’t build “8888+” from scratch. I started out with the Performance “More Shade” and modified it, following the basic editing procedure which I outlined in my last post.

In the MODX All table, tap the name of the waveform that you want to change in order to select it. MODX (Montage) displays two buttons on the left-hand side of the display. Tap the “Category Search” button.

MODX displays waht looks like a category search page. Instead of Performances, this category search displays and searches waveforms. You can scroll through the waveform or type in the name of the waveform that you’d like to find. Select a waveform and press the ENTER button.

I followed his basic procedure for each of the first five Elements. Yeah, the 1 1/3 and 1 3/5 drawbars are not in the usual order, but I want to have 1 1/3 in the first group of sliders. I’m more likely to pull that drawbar than 1 3/5.

If you ride the sliders and noodle around, the individual drawbar sounds will be louder than the “1st Four Draw” sound. We need to rebalance the choir so that no individual drawbar will sound out-of-place with its peers.

MODX Performance 8888+ first Element AEG

In order to balance the bars, I visited the Amplitude EG page for drawbars 1 through five. The picture above is the Amplitude EG page for the first Element, “1st Four Draw”. Please notice the envelope Levels: Initial, Attack. Decay1 and Decay2. Attack, Decay1 and Decay2 levels are the maximum, 127. That’s good. We want the “1st Four Draw” waveform at the maximum output level.

MODX Performance 8888+ second Element (2 2/3) AEG

The next screen capture shows the Amplitude EG for the “Draw 2 2/3” Element. I reduced the four envelope levels. Attack, Decay1 and Decay2 levels are 70, which will make the “Draw 2 2/3” blend into the overall drawbar choir. I programmed Elements 3, 4 and 5 in the same way. If 70 doesn’t sound/feel right to you, dial in a different level!

MODX Performance 8888+ sixth Element (rotor noise) AEG

I also adjusted the envelope levels for Elements 6, 7, and 8. In the case of 6 (above) and 7, lower envelope levels prevent outrageously loud rotor noise if I accidently push the sliders up for 6 and 7. This can happen in the heat of battle when I’m concentrating on the music and not watching my hands on the sliders. 🙂 Similarly, I set the envelope levels for Element 8, percussion, to obtain soft percussion when its slider is all the way up.

I hope this discussion encourages experiments of your own. I also hope that you are becoming more comfortable with MODX (Montage) editing.

MODX: Drawbar control (part 1)

Posted on May 18, 2023 by pj

Test driving Yamaha’s CK88 motivated me to get off my tail and learn how to make the experience of playing MODX more CK-like. In particular, I want to make better use of the MODX front panel sliders for drawbar control.

This requires the most basic knowledge of MODX (Montage) Performance structure. All MODX folk should read through the first section of the MODX Reference Manual, titled “Basic Structure.” In this post, I’m going to concentrate on the Tone Generator Block.

Now, honestly, I don’t expect you to recall and understand every detail! Here are the essential basics:

A Performance is a single set of sounds consisting of multiple Parts.
Each Performance has two types of parameters; parameters unique to each Part and parameters common to all Parts.
An Element is the basic, smallest unit for an AWM2 Normal Part.
A Normal Part consists of up to eight Elements.
Each Part is created by editing parameters unique to each Element and parameters common to all the Elements.

Yep, those are direct quotes from the manual (with a few simplifying tweaks). That’s pretty much all of the “theory” that you need to know. The rest is button pushing. 🙂

I’m going to focus on single part organ Performances in this article. That will streamline the discussion. If you understand single part Performances, you should be able to scale up to multi-part. When navigating the CATEGORY screen, single part Performances are displayed in green text; multi-part Performances are displayed in blue text. I assume you know how to select a Performance…

Deconstruction

Knowing how to deconstruct a Performance is an essential MODX skill, even if you’re a player and not a sound designer. This is the way to wring the most out of the factory presets whether you ever intend to change a single preset or not.

To get started, press the CATEGORY button, then find and select the organ Performance named “The Basics”. This is a single part Performance and, yeah, it’s basic. 🙂 Press the ENTER button to go to the main screen.

When the Performance name is highlighted, pressing the EDIT button takes you to the COMMON parameters for the Performance. I’ll discuss some of those parameters in a future note about effects (i.e., system-level effects like reverb).

For now, use the arrow keys to navigate down to the first part. (You can touch the first part, too, to select it.) Press the EDIT button and MODX displays the COMMON parameters for the first and only part in “The Basics”. There’s tons of fun stuff here including access to the insert effects like rotary speaker. [Another day.]

What we really want is information about the Elements in “The Basics”. You’ll find a row of on-screen buttons along the bottom of the display. These buttons are especially handy when navigating through Parts, COMMON parameters and Elements. We could step through the Elements one by one by pressing the “ElemX” on-screen buttons. Let’s hit “All” instead.

MODX displays a table showing all of essential parameters (information) about the Part (the “Osc” tab). Each row in the table is an Element showing:

Element ON/OFF status
Extended Articulation (XA) control
Waveform
Velocity limit
Note limit

Press the “Balance” tab. MODX displays another table showing:

Element ON/OFF status
Coarse tuning (semitones)
Fine tuning (cents)
Filter cutoff
Pan
Level

Wow, this is a terrific overview! Now you know how I populate and compose all of these kinds of tables on my site.

Drawbars and settings

Let’s stop here and reflect on what we’re seeing.

    MODX/Montage Performance: The Basics 

    El# Waveform       Level  Coarse 
    --- ------------   -----  ------ 
     1  Draw 16'         106     0 
     2  Draw 5 1/3       127     0 
     3  Draw 8'          100     0 
     4  Draw 4'           26     0 
     5  Draw 2'            9     0 
     6  Rotor Grit 2       5   -24 
     7  Rotor             16   -17 
     8  Percussion        47     0

“The Basics” consists of five individual drawbars: 16′, 5 1/3′, 8′, 4′ and 2′. In Hammond language, the registration is (roughly) 68 6210 000. There is also percussion, provided by Element 8. Element 6 adds a little bit of rotor grit. Element 7, rotor whine, is turned off initially. Press the on-screen ON/OFF button for Element 7 if you want to add rotor whine to the mix.

Extra credit. Press the on-screen “Elem7” button. This takes you to the main page of parameters for Element 7. You can turn Element 7 ON/OFF there and do a whole lot more damage to it! Press “All” to return to the table(s).

You can change the drawbar registration by adjusting one or more of the Element levels. For example, touch the Level parameter for Element 1 in order to select it. Then, hold a key, spin the data wheel and listen to the sound change. More dramatically, change the Element 5 level and listen to the 2′ drawbar come in.

Play the drawbars

Of course, this isn’t a practical way to change a registration while playing. That’s where the MODX front panel sliders come in.

MODX sliders controlling Elements 5 through 8

As shown in the picture above, use the top button to select ELEMENT/OPERATOR. Use the middle button to select Elements 5 through 8. Now move the first slider and watch Element 5 level change. Hold a key and hear the change.

Congratulations! You can now play the drawbars and you understand the relationship between the sliders and Element levels.

But, wait, there’s more. Move the fourth slider to change Element 8 level. This adds and removes percussion. Move the second slider (Element 6 level) and listen to the rotor grit. Now you know how to make your Leslie sound busted. 🙂

If you grok all of this, try deconstructing the “More Shade” Performance. Judging from its name, this Performance tries to emulate “Whiter Shade Of Pale.”

    MODX/Montage Performance: More Shade 

    El# Waveform       Level  Coarse 
    --- ------------   -----  ------ 
     1  Draw 16'         127     0 
     2  Draw 5 1/3        41     0 
     3  Draw 8'          127     0 
     4  Draw 4'          107     0 
     5  Draw 1 3/5        18     0 
     6  Rotor Grit 2      18   -24 
     7  Rotor             23   -17 
     8  Percussion         0    -7

AWM, AN and VL in one Yamaha synth

Posted on March 29, 2023 by pj

What if you could buy a Yamaha synth with AWM2, AN and VL synthesis and buy it today? It’s not the unicorn super-Montage, it’s the Yamaha EX5 (released in 1998). The EX5 supports:

AWM tone generation
VL tone generation
AN tone generation, and
FDSP tone generation.

The EX5 had brothers, the EX5R rack module, and the diminuitive EX7. The EX7 is more limited in a number of ways including the absence of VL. Formulated Digital Sound Processing (FDSP) is a note- and velocity-dependent effect processor — an early version of Virtual Circuit Modeling. FDSP models electromagnetic pick-ups, water, PWM, flanger, phaser, etc. [I won’t say too much more about FDSP.]

AWM, AN, VL and FDSP can be combined (layered) in a variety of ways. (See the EX5/EX7 manual for details.) All of the synthesis methods share a common element structure as shown in the image below.

Yamaha EX5 common element structure [Yamaha]

The main difference between the synthesis types is how the “oscillator” is handled:

AWM: The oscillator is formed via sample-playback.
VL: The oscillator is the instrument model (mouthpiece, bow/string, etc.)
AN: The oscillator is a simulated VCO (Voltage Controller Oscillator).
FDSP: Same as AWM.

The remainder of sound processing is based on the standard AWM pipeline with the addition of a few extra VL, AN and FDSP parameters.

Yamaha EX5 allowed combinations of synthesis methods

All is exciting and fantastic until one reads the polyphony spec:

    Voice Type      EX5/5R Polyphony  EX7 Polyphony 
    --------------  ----------------  ------------- 
    AWM/Drum              126               64 
    VL+AWM               1+AWM 
    FDSP                   16                8 
    AN(Poly)+AWM         2+AWM             1+AWM 
    AN(Layer)+AWM        1+AWM 
    AN+FDSP           AN:1; FDSP:8

So, I would forget about that fat stack of AN or VL oscillators (layers). Forget phat two-handed analog chords.

How did Yamaha create this many-headed beast? Glancing at the EX5 service manual, the EX5 tone generation hardware consists of two SWP30B processors configured in the age-old master/slave tandem. (The SWP30B is two generations older than the current SWP70.) The EX7 has only one SWP30B. Further clues come from Yamaha itself:

The DSP (Digital Signal Processing) system used to create the EX effects is also used by the AN, FDSP, and VL (EX5/5R only) tone generators to create voices. This means that less DSP capacity is available to produce effects when the aforementioned voice types are used. This imposes limitations which are different for the EX5/5R and EX7. The Reverb and Chorus effect units function normally regardless of the type of voice used.
There are no limitations to using insertion effects in the EX5 or EX5R Voice mode. In the Performance mode, however, insertion effects can be used on a maximum of 4 parts (voices) if the performance setup consists entirely of AWM voices. If a VL, AN, or FDSP voice is used in the performance setup, however, an insertion effect can only be used on one part (voice).

Colloquially, Yamaha have robbed Peter to give to Paul.

In EX5, DSP1 is always assigned to reverb, chorus and one level of insert effects. DSP2, however, is flexibly assigned between insert (AWM), VL, AN, and FDSP. Likely, Yamaha returns DSP2 output to a single TG channel in the front-end of the AWM2 pipeline (i.e., a return datapath).

Given the limitations in the EX5 internal architecture, I understand why Yamaha deployed the SSP2 digital signal processor in the Reface CS. Reface CS uses AN Analog Physical Modeling and is eight voice polyphonic. Although Yamaha don’t say much about its filter, Reface CS is not restricted as to filter algorithm (i.e., can be something other than the AWM2 hardware filters).

Sometimes you need to look back in order to see forward. AN-X™ is on the horizon and we will soon see if Yamaha raids its treasure vault. [Again, 25 years later.]

CK: It’s almost here

Posted on March 13, 2023 by pj

Thanks to Saul’s recent post at Yamaha Musicians Forum, it looks like tomorrow is the day for CK.

By Tuesday evening, we’ll all be laughing at the ridiculous predictions and wishful thinking that we’ve all posted.

So, here’s some more wishful thinking. 🙂

Knowing the price points, about $1,250 USD for the 61 and $1,920 for the 88, we instantly know that these aren’t the droids some people have been looking for. At these prices, the CKs impinge on the entry-level niche held by the long-in-the-tooth MX series. Yamaha may have decided to spiff up and bulk up the MX to CK in order to establish higher margins at the entry-level without blowing up the magic $1,000 barrier. [I have some reason to believe that the rumored prices are MSRP.]

Yamaha CK61 and CK88 portable synthesizers

At such low price points, forget an FSX keybed, aftertouch, a large touch display, etc. I suspect that Yamaha engineers chose one of its proprietary SWX processors instead of the higher spec SWP70 which is the mainstay of mid- and high-end Yamaha keyboards. The SWX series integrates the host processor, display interface, USB interface and AWM2 tone generator into a single integrated circuit package. Reface YC, Reface CP and first-gen MX are based on an earlier version of SWX (SWX08). The current rev is SWX09.

The word “portable” in the terse CK description might imply an internal battery power option. Choosing SWX would at least give the engineers a fighting chance at low power. I suspect that the SWP70 tone generator is a bit of a power hog. Yamaha do not currently offer a battery-powered synth while some competitors do (e.g., Roland JUNO DS61). I would love battery power for rehearsals — anything to make the schlep and set-up easier.

Part of the MX pitch is “controller integration.” Yamaha currently do not offer a MIDI controller with all the front panel knobs, sliders, widgets and gizmos that warm the heart. Even though Yamaha tout the MX for control, it’s really feature poor in comparison to most full size MIDI controllers. Although the MX is reasonably well-integrated with Cubase, more people are running virtual instruments on IOS/Android tablets/phones instead of laptops. Yamaha must (should) respond to these trends.

I often wonder why Yamaha haven’t put forth a Halion-based version of Arturia’s wonderful V Collection or Analog Lab? I was immediately impressed by the integration of Analog Lab with Arturia Keylab Essential. Yamaha have been missing an opportunity here.

Up to this point, Yamaha seem reluctant to offer an all-in-one stage keyboard combining, piano, organ and synth. As a player, you’re forced into a multi-keyboard “top and bottom” rig decision. Implications are many. If organ or piano are your main need, then perhaps you choose a YCxx or CPxx for the bottom. Neither ‘board provides comprehensive synth sounds, so you need a synth for the top. Maybe a CK61™?

Schlep and cost are major factors. Two keyboards is a lot more trouble and cost than one. The keyboard stand is bigger and heavier. Yada-yada. For me, I play in an incredibly small space and, as an older adult, my body is whacked out from hauling gear! Cost is another big factor as I don’t want to tie up funds in idle keyboards — no matter how pretty they are. 🙂

So, maybe I will view the CK61™ as a Korg Triton Taktile on steroids. The Triton Taktile 49 was a light-weight controller with lots of knobs and sliders, and had a “courtesy” Triton engine. The Triton Taktile had its disdvantages — no way to store user edits, no internal battery power. The CK likely avoids these pitfalls in which case a CK plus an iPad (Camelot, Korg Module, iSymphonic, SWAM) might do the trick as a light-weight stage gig rig.

As to that “all-in-one,” might that be the Montage successor? Yamaha was slow to follow Motif XF (August 2010) with Montage (January 2016), so the wait for the Montage successor is not that surprising. Plus, you don’t really think you’re getting AN-X™ for free, do you? 🙂

Yamaha MODX: Zone Master

Posted on October 18, 2022 by pj

If you mix and match your gear over MIDI, you will eventually need to send a program change message. Yesterday, I wanted to audition the sounds in my hacked Akai MPK Mini Play and needed to send a full Bank Select MSB (CC#0), Bank Select LSB (CC#32) and Program Change message sequence to the Akai MPK Mini Play.

Usually I scramble around looking for cables and hook up a MIDI controller like the Arturia Keystep or Keylab Essential. Inevitably, I scratch my head trying to remember how to send a full sequence of bank and program change messages from the controller. Maybe a trip through a PC-based control editor is required. It’s amazing that in this day and age, it is still difficult or impossible to send a full three message sequence in one go! [Grr.]

This time I said “Why not MODX?” and the best solution of all was in front of me.

The trick is to use the MODX Zone Master feature. I don’t intend to deep-dive Zone Master here and recommend the Mastering MONTAGE: Zone Master FAQ on the Yamaha Synth site. The MODX and Montage are enough alike such that the Montage tutorial applies to MODX, too.

The basic concept is simple. When Zone Master is enabled, a part in an MODX Performance can send MIDI messages over the 5-pin MIDI OUT. One needs to configure a few things before setting up a part and zone in a Performance.

For my experiment, I hit the UTILITY button and tapped the MIDI I/O tab under Settings. There, I made two changes:

I changed MIDI IN/OUT to MIDI in order to send MIDI messages through the 5-pin MIDI OUT. If this parameter is USB, you won’t send or see messages on the 5-pin port.
I turned Local Control OFF. If MODX isn’t connected to a powered speaker (or whatever), this step is optional.

Don’t forget to change these settings back to what they were when you’re done. MODX remembers them across power down and you may be surprised to find a silent MODX when you turn it on again.

MODX advanced settings (including Zone Master)

Next, tap the Advanced tab. Turn Zone Master ON. Zone Master is not enabled by default. If you don’t enable Zone Master, you will not see zone-related tabs and parameters when editing the Performance part.

Hit the EXIT button and click CATEGORY. We’re going to create a new, empty Performance. Tap the Init category button. Then tap Init Normal (AWM2). This creates a new empty (AWM2) Performance.

Cursor over to the part and hit the EDIT button. You should see two additional Zone Master tabs that normally aren’t displayed in Part Common Edit (i.e., when Zone Master is disabled). Tap the Zone Settings tab. Make the following changes:

Turn Zone ON.
Set the Transmit Channel to Channel 1 or your heart’s desire.
Turn MIDI Send ON.

Make sure Bank Select and Program Change are enabled (ON). Now you’re ready to send bank and program change messages to the target device. You did connect your target device to the 5-pin MIDI OUT port, right?

For those of you who are building a Performance to be saved and used in the future, check out the Internal Switch (Int SW) parameter. Turn it OFF if you don’t want MODX to send messages to the internal tone generator, that is, make this a locally silent part.

Cursor over to (or tap) the MIDI Bank MSB, MIDI Bank LSB and MIDI Program Number parameters to change values. MODX sends a full three message sequence when the Program Number is changed. So, if you change Bank MSB or LSB, you must send a Program Number to send the full sequence and make the actual patch change in the target device.

MODX bank select and program change example

In the screenshot above, Bank MSB 24, Bank LSB 0, and Program Change 5 selects the 60’s vintage electric piano (Wurli) in the Akai MPK Mini Play tone generator. Oh, you didn’t know the MPK Mini Play had a Wurli variation? Read on, below.

Conveniently, you can send MIDI volume (CC#7) and MIDI pan (CC#10) messages from this same screen. You can mess with local Octave Shift and Transpose. Pitch bend and mod wheel messages go out, too, and you can play away and freely audition sounds in the target device/module.

Overall, I find the MODX Zone Master method an easy way to experiment with a target device or tone module. If you’re a MODX owner, give it a try!

Hacked Akai MPK Mini Play?

In case you missed it, I added 5-pin MIDI to the Akai MPK Mini Play (Mk1) and gained full access to the Dream S.A.S. SAM2635 synthesizer chip within. The mod is fairly simple and relatively risk free as far as mods go. [Please remember that any mod has risk and voids your warranty.]

The MPK Mini Mod is functioning quite well and is stable. Just remember that only one source can send MIDI messages to the SAM2635 at a time, i.e., either the MPK Mini Play host microcomputer or the 5-pin DIN MIDI IN, not both. Messages are not merged and will collide electrically, leaving the SAM2635 confused.

The Dream SAM2635 is a full Roland GS implementation, not just General MIDI. The SAM2635 offers variation sounds including different organs and electric pianos. I really need to write a short run-down and review…

MODX screen capture

Just in case you’ve forgotten the steps to capture a MODX screen, here they are:

Insert A USB flash drive into the USB To DEVICE port on the back panel.
Press and hold the A/D INPUT ON/OFF button.
Press and release the AUDITION button.
Release the A/D INPUT ON/OFF button.

Simple, eh? And so easy to forget. 🙂 The screen shots are written to the USB flash drive in PNG files.

BTW, according to my web stats, my MODX split/layer tutorial remains popular. Take a look if you’re still puzzled about splits and layers. I also have a simple MODX Super Knob example.

MODX+: Glad that’s over!

Posted on September 1, 2022 by pj

Yamaha launched its MODX+ keyboards today. The MODX+ has a few modest improvements over the MODX (Mk1):

1.75GB user waveform memory
Rubberized pitch and mod wheels
New livery (black end-cheeks)
128 tone FM-X polyphony (maximum)

Seamless Sound Switching (SSS) is the same as MODX (limited to 4-part Performances). There are a few on-line videos that are incorrect. The USB audio spec has not changed either.

In case you missed it, Yamaha have a MODX+ Early Adopter Promo Rebate. Register your MODX+ and receive a free FC7 expression pedal and FC5 foot switch. The promotion ends 31 December 2022. That should take some of the sting out of the new prices: $1,499 MAP for the MODX6+ versus $1,399 for the MODX (Mk1). Look for a bundled gig bag, too.

Yamaha are promoting a downloadable Bösendorfer piano. Gotta fill up that expansion memory! Look for new additions to the Montage/MODX+ library in the future. Yamaha IdeaScale participants previewed a new CP-90 piano currently in development. Big multi-samples to drive MODX+ sales.

Anticipatory discussion was filled with wishful thinking and speculation concerning the addition of a second SWP70 tone generator chip and possibly AN-X™ virtual analog synthesis. Judging from the boost in FM-X polyphony, the MODX+ quite likely got the second SWP70.

Speculation about AN-X borders on fantasy. It is based on the premise that an SWP70 is even capable of virtual analog synthesis. Other than Yamaha, does anyone really know what is inside of an SWP70 tone generator?. I don’t.

Adding further doubt for the wet-blanket brigade, I offer the design decisions surrounding the Reface series. The Reface YC and CP are genetic sisters. Both are based on AWM2, both using the SWX08 processor with integrated AWM2 tone generation. Why then, did Yamaha deploy the SSP2 digital signal processor in the Reface CS? Surely, it would have been more cost effective to share the same logic board as Reface YC and CP. Thus, I have my doubts unless SWP70 has some hidden, yet-to-be revealed functional capabilities. Yamaha have the new SSP3 to play with, too.

Given the limitations of the Montage/MODX user interface, including relatively few front panel controls, AN-X on Montage/MODX+ is just putting a bag on the side of a fine product. [Apologies to Tracy Kidder.]

So, I don’t think Yamaha is finished with announcements. There are still CK61™ and CK88™ to account for. Marketing 101 says “Don’t muddy the waters with multiple product launches in a given lane.” Plus, Yamaha marketing is not that big and poor Blake needs to flog the MODX+ while it’s hot. Stay tuned, boys and girls.

Punters are trying to justify the small price increase in terms of component count, etc. Yamaha priced MODX+. Done. If they don’t shift boxes, Yamaha will drop the regional MAP. Currency fluctuation may have more to do with variations in price than component count. Unfortunately, the suits often win.

As to price, one more observation. MODX and MODX+ have crashed the psychological $1,000 USD barrier. Smash it. The MX series is the only sub-$1000 offering. (Reface don’t count with its mini-keys.) There is a big gap between MX and MODX. I don’t think Yamaha can raise prices on the current MX, so maybe something else is coming?

Yamaha MODX+ madness

Posted on August 23, 2022 by pj

Thanks to a few pages posted from the Yamaha MODX+ user manual, the new MODX+ is a bit of a nothing-burger — a product spiff. The MODX+ got a few bumps over MODX (Mark 1): more expansion memory (1.75GB), FM-X polyphony on-par with Montage (128), and a way to add rhythm patterns:

Also, the MODX+ has a new feature for instantly adding rhythm patterns so that the players can take their music creation forward with dynamic rhythm parts. With this feature, creating rhythmic changes in the “Motion Controls” is easier than ever! [Yamaha]

Just enough to keep MODX+ competitive in its price bracket. The bump in FM-X polyphony indicates the likely addition of a second SWP70 tone generator IC.

I suspect Yamaha will use new downloadable libraries to drive a few pack-rat punters to upgrade to MODX+. Recently, IdeaScale participants had a chance to preview a new CP-80 voice (and waveforms). Yamaha were soliciting opinions as to which voices/waveforms had the most sonic appeal. A flood of must-have content might create demand among current MODX (Mark 1) players, making that 1.75GB a necessity.

The forums are filled with speculation about AN-X™. Again, a lot of wishful thinking about AN-X coming to Montage and/or MODX+. Only Yamaha know for sure.

As yet, however, no one has solved the mystery of the other registered trademarks: CK61™ and CK88™.

Yamaha have moved on from the SSP2 signal processing chip to the SSP3. The SSP3 first appeared in the Yamaha AXR4U and Steinberg UR44C audio interfaces. Yamaha move ahead like a shark and the SSP2 is deprecated for new designs. In fact, the MODX+ refresh likely includes the SSP3 as SSP2 production inventories must be low or exhausted.

That turns my attention to the Reface DX and Reface CS. The Reface DX and CS are sisters, sharing the same internal design modulo screen interface and front panel gizmos. Both are based on SSP2 and, thus, both may be in need of a refresh — or replacement. The SSP2 signal processor provides the FM and VA synthesis horsepower.

Simply put, will CK61 and CK88 replace the Reface DX and CS? Will the CK61 and CK88 be the AN-X machine? How will Yamaha monetize AN-X? When it comes to business, Yamaha are not fools. Never sell one model when two will do as well! Ka-ching. 🙂

On a personal note, I started this site to inform players about music technology and what’s inside the tin. It’s gratifying to read the forums and see how much this site has influenced discussion, especially discussion about Yamaha products. Thank you for reading and please keep coming back! — pj

A few handy links:

Is MODX+ on the way?

Posted on August 17, 2022 by pj

[Updated 18 August 2022.] Rumors are circulating about Yamaha MODX — either replacement or refresh.

Now pictures of a misdelivered “MODX8+” have appeared. Naturally, one asks “fake or real?” Cosmetically, the only external differences are:

A different product model legend on the right side of the top panel, e.g., “MODX8+ Music Synthesizer”.
Black plastic end-cheeks instead of grey.

The MODX8+ was shipped mistakenly to a customer. Support anticipates release in the Sepember or October timeframe.

The new livery reminds me of the Yamaha MX series V2 spiff. It was somewhat difficult for a customer to identify an MX V1 vs. an MX V2. The new MODX+ legend makes the mark 2 clearly distinguishable. No word about enhanced features or sound set. One must also ask if the Montage will get a spiff, too?

I’m going out on a limb — real.

Update: MODX+ discussion is rampant in the forums. Here are a few quick comments, corrections and a request.

SWP70 is an integrated circuit designed by Yamaha. It is manufactured by a partner fab. Yamaha is fab-less. Yamaha transferred its semiconductor manufacturing subsidiary to Phenitec Semiconductor in 2014. It takes a lot of money to build and maintain semiconductor fabrication factories — a money losing proposition for Yamaha (or my old employer, AMD, for that matter). Yamaha remains a manufacturing powerhouse at the board level and sells its own line of PCB assembly equipment.

SWP70 processors are manufactured in batches based on Yamaha’s estimated need. Depending upon the portability of the SWP70 design, Yamaha may turn to multiple alternative partners for fab. “Portability”, in this sense, means how easily the design can be re-targeted for a specific fabrication process.

Generally, Yamaha has done a good job exploiting commodity components. The SWP70 uses ONFI-compatible NAND flash and RAM. The MODX and Montage host processors are high-volume, embedded ARM microcomputers. Although Yamaha has preferred suppliers for NAND flash and RAM (e.g., Cypress/Spansion, Winbond), these are commodity parts and are available from many suppliers. Commodity components are probably not a pressure point.

As I’ve said before, Yamaha have just a few critical external supply vulnerabilities. Aside from fab capacity, SWP70s or other Yamaha proprietary processors are likely not the issue here. When it comes to DACs and ADCs, however, Yamaha is very reliant on Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM). AKM is still trying to recover from its factory fire. The AKM supply shortage has put Yamaha and many other vendors on the back foot.

Yamaha have the right to substitute components. Every manual has the following disclaimer:

Specifications and descriptions in this owner’s manual are for information purposes only. Yamaha Corp. reserves the right to change or modify products or specifications at any time without prior notice. Since specifications, equipment or options may not be the same in every locale, please check with your Yamaha dealer. Visit the web page for information on the latest Owner’s manual.

Of course, this could mean substituting for AKM devices. DACs and ADCs communicate via the I2S digital audio interface format. If Yamaha did substitute — speculation — would we hear an audible change?

Much speculation surrounds the second, unpopulated SWP70 position (TG slave) on the original MODX printed circuit board. The TG slave has an associated open position for DSP RAM only. Thus, if Yamaha choose to use the same board and to populate the open positions, these changes would bring MODX+ up to the same polyphony spec and tone generation horsepower as the current Montage. Montage would still have the advantage in digital audio routing and processing (including audio channels over USB). The original MODX board does not have provisions for upgraded audio channels.

A product spin is needed when a Yamaha proprietary component is obsoleted and out of inventory. Such may be the case with the venerable SSP2 — a workhorse in many Yamaha products including mixers, Reface CS and Reface DX. Yamaha and Steinberg have moved on to the SSP3.

Finally, a request. Please do not publicly reveal your source of leaks. Yamaha are incredibly paranoid, exceeded only by Apple and Sony in this regard. First, leaks get real people in trouble. Second, Yamaha learn from their mistakes. Protect your sources and methods!

You spin me right round

Posted on July 26, 2022 by pj

Spot product shortages have sparked speculation about discontinued products, new products, etc. Given the human propensity to look for and find patterns, it’s no wonder that conspiracy theories take hold!

The on-line inventory picture is mixed. Some retailers show Yamaha Montage/MODX, for example, in stock, some show them out of stock pending September availability and, in one case, discontinued.

Random “discontinued” tags seem to come and go. A month ago, the Yamaha Canada site marked the MX as discontinued. Now the marker is gone. Better indicators are blow-out pricing to move stock or a Yamaha spiff incentive to move old stock. So far, I haven’t seen any clearance pricing or promotions.

Yamaha’s mid- to upper-end keyboard products have a vulnerable supply dependency on Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) DACs and ADCs. The AKM factory fire was worse than originally thought and production is still not back on-line. Renesas has offered to manufacture AKM devices. The Yamaha UK site has the disclaimer, “Due to the difficulty in procuring semiconductors and procuring parts worldwide, some of our product area deliveries may be delayed. Thank you for your understanding.”

AKM aren’t very public about their recovery and certainly haven’t released a public roadmap. A recent press release for VELVET SOUND DACs and ADCs mentions sampling (no pun intended) in January 2022 with “mass production scheduled for the third quarter of 2022.” Given that Toyota is a top AKM customer, who wins, Toyota or Yamaha? 😉

The AKM shortage inspires other conspiracy theories, too. Theory #1: Yamaha are using non-AKM DACs and ADCs in Montage — the analog/jack (AJK) board was redesigned or manufactured with inferior non-AKM devices. Theory #2: MODX is suspended in order to give preference to and ship the wider-margin Montage. Someone went so far as to ask about replacement DACs in Montage and got the usual non-response from Yamaha. (What did they expect?)

Some of the Yamaha boards use Yamaha proprietary ICs, e.g., SWL, SWX, or SSP2 processors, creating a different supply dependency. When production inventory is exhausted, Yamaha need to re-spin end product to use a newer part. The July 2016 MX refresh is one interesting example. I believe that was the case with the MX refresh.

I haven’t seen a new version of the heavy weight SWP70 tone generator. However, Yamaha have updated both the SWX and SSP lines:

The SWX08 is replaced by the SWX09.
The SSP3 — now appearing in Steinberg and Yamaha pro audio products — will likely replace the SSP2.

The SWX update would affect mid-range keyboards, notably the Yamaha Reface CP and YC. The SSP update would affect Montage, MODX, and Reface CS and DX.

Are new product spins in the works? Something is coming (eventually) given the CK61™/CK88™ and AN-X™ trademarks. Once again, only Yamaha really knows. 🙂

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