MONTAGE M OS v3.0 adds exciting new sounds, updated control features and workflow enhancements useful to all keyboardists and producers. Let’s look at what’s new!

Sound Updates

MONTAGE M OS v3.0 add great new sounds and effects. Here’s what’s new.

New Clav Waveforms

A popular IdeaScale request, Clav is a staple sound in Soul, R&B, Rock and Pop. The instrument was introduced in 1964, and the way it works is quite interesting. When a key is pressed, a rubber damper “frets” a string onto a surface, like a hammer-on articulation on a guitar. Two Electromagnetic pickups (upper and lower) convert the string’s vibration to an electrical signal, which is processed through a pre-amp and often enhanced with effects like wah-wah, phaser, and chorus.

The configuration of the pickups change the Clav timbre. Clavs have two sets of pickups positioned above and below the strings. There are pickup selector switches named “AB” and “CD”. CD changes the configuration between a single pickup (Individual, C) or both pickups (Dual, D). “AB” switches between the lower pickup (A) and upper pickup (B).

MONTAGE M OS v3.0 Clav waveforms feature the two most used pickup configurations:

1. “CA”: Lower pickup, more mellow, warmer sound great for comping.
2. “DA”: Both pickups, fuller, brighter sound perfect when the Clav is the prominent voice.

There are six new Performances featuring the new Clav waveforms. Check them out below:

VCM GS1 Ensemble Chorus

Introduced in 1981, the GS1 was among the first FM synthesizers. Featuring a premium 88-key fully weighted action with polyphonic aftertouch and a solid wood cabinet, the GS1 was a top-of-the-line instrument with an MSRP of $18,000. The instrument has a very simple interface, and editing can only be done with a custom GS1 computer editor. Check out the image below (courtesy of Stanford University CCRMA): 

Voices are loaded via pre-programmed magnetic cards. They can then be detuned or processed with a tremolo or vibrato effect. But the star of the GS1 effect system is the Ensemble Chorus. This analog chorus is unique to the GS1, giving it a character not found in any other FM synthesizer.

MONTAGE M OS v3.0 includes a VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) version of the GS1 Ensemble Chorus and 16 new Performances. FM-X recreates the vibe of the GS1 within a modern platform allowing you to shape these classic sounds into something new and unique. And the spacious and enveloping GS1 VCM Ensemble Chorus can be used on any sound in MONTAGE M. Here are a few of them:

VCM CS Ring Modulator

An essential component of the legendary CS80 analog synthesizer is the Ring Modulator. Here’s the Ring Modulator on a CS80 along with a diagram showing the signal flow:

A ring modulator combines two signals, outputs their sum and difference, and subtracts the original frequencies. For instance, if you send a 500 Hz sine wave and an 800 Hz sine wave to a ring modulator, it outputs two sidebands:

• A 300 Hz sideband (800 minus 500, the difference frequency).
• A 1300 Hz sideband (800 plus 500, the summed frequency). 

When you use other waveforms with more harmonics, like sawtooth or square waves, the results get interesting.  Check out the OS v3.0 Performances like “CS80 Ring Mod Pad” and “Ring Mod Scapes”. Here’s a screen showing the CS Ring Modulator parameters:

All parameters are assignable for real-time control. Check out a few Performances featuring the CS Ring Modulator effect below:

Mid/Side EQ Compressor

Mid/Side (M/S) processing separates the mid and side signals of a stereo image, offering additional mixing tools compared to standard stereo processing. It allows for spatial aspect changes in a stereo image using EQ, compression, and level controls. In MONTAGE M, the Mid/Side EQ Compressor provides a creative way to process stereo sounds for mixes and special effects, changing spatial character, phase, level, and EQ within the stereo field.

Below is a screen shot of the M/S EQ Compressor parameters:

All parameters are assignable for real time control. Here are three M/S EQ Compressor Performances to check out. Use headphones for the best listening experience:

60 New Performances

MONTAGE M OS v3.0 adds 60 new Performances using the added new features. To check out them out:

• Press [CATEGORY] to enter Performance Search.
• Tap “Category” and make sure no Categories are selected.
• Set the “Bank/Favorite” field to “All”:

• Tap “Attribute” and tap “MONTAGE M OS v3.0”:

Here’s an Audition Playlist of all 60 new Performances:

Control Updates

Easier editing, a useful Part LFO update, and better E.S.P. integration. make MONTAGE M control easier. Here’s what’s new in OS v3.0.

Effect Parameter Quick Edit

FM-X and AN-X Part LFO

E.S.P. Control in DAW Remote

E.S.P. 3.0 Updates: MIDI Learn, Song/Patten Import, Smart Morph and more!

E.S.P. 3.0 adds more MONTAGE M features and better integration between hardware and software. I’ll cover them all in a separate article, but there are three important enhancements.

MIDI Learn

MIDI learn makes ESP MIDI control easy. Simply right-click on a parameter in E.S.P. and a “Learn” message appears. Move a physical control like a fader, modulation wheel, knob, etc., and that control is assigned to the selected parameter. You can then easily set ranges or remove the control assignment by selecting “Forget”. Check it out below:

Song/Pattern Import

MONTAGE M Song/Pattern import, a frequently requested feature from the YamahaSynth IdeaScale forum, allows users to drag-and-drop Song or Pattern sections from the keyboard to a DAW. E.S.P. 3.0 adds this useful MONTAGE/MODX Connect feature:

Smart Morph

Smart Morph is an easy-to-use sound creation technology. It uses sophisticated machine learning (specifically a “self-organizing map” or “SOM”) to analyze several different FM-X or AN-X sounds and creates an new interpolated sound based on the analysis.  Originally developed for FM-X, MONTAGE M OS v2.0 introduced Smart Morph for AN-X. Now all these features are added in E.S.P. 3.0 allowing you to create, edit and control your Smart Morph creations within the plugin. Check out the E.S.P. Smart Morph Edit screen below:

Workflow Updates

Our development team strives for improved usability. Here are five MONTAGE M OS v3.0 workflow improvements. 

User Live Set Enhancements

MONTAGE M OS v3.0 adds improvements to User Live Set organization, making it easier for you to place Performances in any slot you wish:

SSS Time

Seamless Sound Switching allows you to effortlessly transition between Performances of up to eight parts without disrupting the sound. This feature is particularly useful when you want to seamlessly change between songs without leaving a noticeable gap in the music. MONTAGE M OS v3.0 adds more flexibility with this feature by setting the amount of time it takes to switch between Performance from, instantaneous to up to 30 seconds. This feature is useful for musicians wanting a longer, more dramatic and timed transition between sounds during a theatrical play, a live soundtrack for a film, a change in a worship service and more. You can set it under [UTILITY] or within a Live Set. Here’s how:

Scene Note Limit and Note Shift

A popular feature request posted in the YamahaSynth IdeaScale forum has been added in MONTAGE M OS v3.0. A new “Note Limit” switch allows you to save split points between Parts and allows you to transpose Parts by +/- 24 semitones. This is a great feature that adds much more Part control for live performance. Check it out:

Library Increased from 16 to 24

The number of Libraries has increased from 16 to 24 allowing you to store complete sound banks for instant recall. Each Library slot can contain 640 Performances. That’s a total of 15,360 Performances in total!

Ribbon View in Touchscreen

This is a cool feature that’s useful when you are playing with the left hand and want to use the Ribbon Controller. No more reaching over with the right hand: You can now use the Touch Screen view to call up a virtual Ribbon Controller. Play that left-hand bass and use the Ribbon Controller comfortably. Check it out below:

OS v3.0 will be available in June. Check back at Yamahasynth.com for more information!