The new content of the MOTIF XF compared to the MOTIF XS

Waveforms
1,307 new Waveforms
MOTIF XS: 2,670
MOTIF XF: 3,977 

Voices
128 new Normal Voices
8 new Drum Kits
MOTIF XS: USER1, USER2, USER3
MOTIF XF: USER1 (New), USER2, USER3, USER4, User Drum (1-8: New)

Performances
128 new Performances
MOTIF XS: USER1, USER2, USER3
MOTIF XF: USER1 (New), USER2, USER3, USER4

Master
32 new Masters, based on the new Voices and Performances
MOTIF XS: 1-128
MOTIF XF: 1-32 (New), 33-128

Arpeggios
1,248 new Arpeggio Types
MOTIF XS: 6,633
MOTIF XF: 7,881

The new Voices and Performances
The User Voice Bank 1 contains 128 new Voices, based on the new Waveforms and Arpeggios of the MOTIF XF. The Bank is arranged by sound categories. Both instrument and synth Voices can be found there.

To ensure full compatibility with the previous model MOTIF XS, the Preset voice banks 1-8 remain unchanged. Bank 1 is therefore the new Factory Bank of the MOTIF XF and should not be overwritten, since the new Performances (USER 1) are based mainly on the Voices of this Bank.

For your own Voices or optional Voice Libraries the User Voice Banks 2, 3, and 4 are available, these only contain copies of Preset Voices. In addition to the Normal Voices the MOTIF XF features eight new Drum Kits (USR 001-008), which are also based on the new Waveforms.

The 128 new Performances (USER 1) provide a significant increase in quality compared to the MOTIF XS, since they are based on the new Voices and Arpeggios.

A special highlight is the numerous synth Performances that feature a new programming technique. Here the Sub Function buttons (SF1 – SF5) not only change the Arpeggios for the Parts 1-4, but also change the sound. This is done by control events contained in the Arpeggios, which are toggling the Assignable Functions (AF1 & 2). Switching through SF1 – SF5 therefore activates other Elements in the Voices. This results in some spectacular and impressive sound changes.

The following Performances use this technique:

• Performance 005 Indian Xperience
• Performance 009 Lighthouse
• Performance 013 Inner Wind
• Performance 023 Electric Mystery
• Performance 025 Cool Madness
• Performance 034 Sweet Peaches
• Performance 050 Distorted Dreamz
• Performance 057 Drummers of Tokyo
• Performance 064 Cloudy Bay
• Performance 080 Eighties Dreams
• Performance 081 Just Relax
• Performance 093 Synthlines

Motif-series Comparative Analysis

Wave ROM
Motif (classic): 84MB
Motif ES: 175MB
Motif XS: 355MB
Motif XF: 741MB

Waveforms
Motif (classic): 1,309
Motif ES: 1,859
Motif XS: 2,670
Motif XF: 3,977

Polyphony
Motif (classic): 64 notes
Motif ES: 128 notes
Motif XS: 128 notes
Motif XF: 128 notes

Preset Voices (banks)
Motif (classic): 384 (3)
Motif ES: 768 (6)
Motif XS: 1024 (8)
Motif XF: 1024 (8)

Preset Drum Kits
Motif (classic): 48
Motif ES: 64
Motif XS: 64
Motif XF: 64

User Voices (banks)
Motif (classic): 128 (1)
Motif ES: 256 (2)
Motif XS: 384 (3)
Motif XF: 512 (4)

User Drum Kits
Motif (classic): 16
Motif ES: 32
Motif XS: 32
Motif XF: 32

GM Normal + Drum
Motif (classic): 128 + 1
Motif ES: 128 + 1
Motif XS: 128 + 1
Motif XF: 128 + 1

Performances
Motif (classic): 128
Motif ES: 128
Motif XS: 384
Motif XF: 512

Elements per VOICE
Motif (classic): 4
Motif ES: 4
Motif XS: 8* XA Control (Expanded Articulation)
Motif XF: 8* XA Control (Expanded Articulation)

Preset Arpeggios
Motif (classic): 256
Motif ES: 1,787
Motif XS: 6,633* Four simultaneous arpeggiators
Motif XF: 7,781* Four simultaneous arpeggiators

User Arpeggios
Motif (classic): 128
Motif ES: 256
Motif XS: 256
Motif XF: 256

Master Control Zones
Motif (classic): 4
Motif ES: 4
Motif XS: 8
Motif XF: 8*

*new [PERFORMANCE CONTROL] function allows buttons [1]-[8] to activate/deactivate Internal Zones 1-8; while buttons [9]-[16] activate/deactivate External Zones 1-8

Screen
Motif (classic): 240×64 dot graphic
Motif ES: 240×64 dot graphic
Motif XS: 320×240 dot color
Motif XF: 320×240 dot color

On-board SampleRAM
Motif (classic): 4MB
Motif ES: none
Motif XS: none
Motif XF: 128MB

Sample Expansion
Motif (classic): maximum 64MB via SIMMs
Motif ES: maximum 512MB via DIMMs
Motif XS: maximum 1GB via DIMMs
Motif XF: maximum 2GB non-volatile Flash boards

Simultaneous Insertion FX Parts
Motif (classic): 1
Motif ES: 8
Motif XS: 8* VCM – Virtual Circuitry Modeling effects
Motif XF: 8* VCM – Virtual Circuitry Modeling effects

New functions of the MOTIF XF
Wireless Network MIDI function
The MOTIF XF offers wireless MIDI connectivity with Yamaha’s new iPad applications*.
After connecting a compatible Wireless USB LAN Adapter, you can send and receive MIDI messages between the XF and the iPad.

*There are 4 new Yamaha iPad applications which expand the features of MOTIF XF including Keyboard Arp & Drum Pad, Faders & XY Pad, Multi Editor Essential and Voice Editor Essential (as of April, 2011).

Wireless Network Audio Recording/Playback function
The Motif XF offers wireless audio recording with the addition of a WiFi USB-LAN adaptor device to an iPAD or iPHONE with WiFi capability and the “Cloud Audio Recorder for XF” app. Not only does the app allow realtime wireless audio recording/playback but allows you to upload your XF compositions to SoundCloud. When the iPad or iPhone is networked with the XF you can playback your music, wirelessly, through the Motif XF. When not networked with the XF, the files play via the sound engine of the iPad/iPhone – so you can take your music with you everywhere. Let your friends here what you are working on.

Wireless Network File Sharing function
The MOTIF XF can now be connected to a network without an Ethernet cable. You can save/load the files and record/playback audio between the instrument and a computer drive connected to the same network. The Motif XF also can connect to the INTERNET via a special Yamaha server

Support for Steinberg CMC series Controllers
The Motif XF can be connected to the Steinberg CMC-PD (Pads) or CMC-FD (Faders), letting you record rhythm patterns to the Motif XF by playing the CMC-PD or edit the Mixing parameters from the CMC-FD.

Category Search
The Category Search window has been optimized. The lists “Main”, “Sub” and “Voice List” can now be toggled with the Sub Function buttons SF1, SF2, and SF3. Expanded SEARCH for Waveforms and Arpeggios (arp Search shown below) – with option to set FAVORITES.

Tap Tempo
Manual synchronization of the tempo is possible. The speed with which the TAP button [F6] TAP is repeatedly pressed determines the tempo. The result of this manual tempo input can be read in the top right corner of the display. The TAP-function is available on the main display screen of each mode: VOICE, PERFORMANCE, SONG, PATTERN and MASTER.

Effect On/Off
The EFFECT BYPASS switches of the MOTIF XS were replaced by EFFECT ON/OFF switches on the MOTIF XF, which function in reverse. If the LEDs light up red, the effects are on. By this all EFFECT switches work in the same way, for the MASTER EFFECT switch already worked like this on the XS.

Assign 1 + Assign 2 Value
The knobs Assign 1 and Assign 2 can now be set separately for each Performance or Mixing Part as a parameter ([F1] Voice > [SF2] Output). At the MOTIF XS, these parameters were only globally available for all Parts in COMMON EDIT.

Special Factory set for the new MOTIF XF sounds
As on the MOTIF XS all user data are reset to the factory settings using the job [UTILITY] > [JOB] > Factory Set. On the MOTIF XF there is a new, additional variant of the Factory Set. If “ALL” is not checked only the following data is reset:

• The Voices of the User Voice Bank 1
• The Voices A01~ A08 of the User Drum Bank (UDR)

These are the Voice Banks, which include the new MOTIF XF content. This partial reset may be useful for example if you want to play the new Performances of the USER1 Bank, because they are based primarily on the User Voice Bank 1.

Fixed SD/BD for Drum-Arpeggios
This parameter is available only for Drum Voices and can be found in the EDIT mode ([F3] > ARP OTHER). If this parameter is turned on, “D1” is used as the note for the snare drum and “C1” as the note for the bass drum in the Arpeggio playback, even if another assignment is programmed in the Drum Arpeggio. So if you want to play multiple Drum Arpeggios with a certain Drum Kit, this parameter ensures that the same basic sounds for kick and snare are used.

Arp Play only
The parameter “ARP Play Only” is available only in Performance and Mixing Parts ([F1] VOICE > [SF1] VOICE – top right of the display). If the parameter is set to ON, the relevant Part only plays back the MIDI note events from the Arpeggio playback. This is especially useful for Drum Arpeggios in Performances. If the Arpeggiator is off, usually single drum sounds are played when you play on the keyboard. Which is usually not desirable when you want to play the instrument Parts without Arpeggiator. If “ARP Play Only” is set to ON in the drum Part, it won‘t produce any sound when the Arpeggiator is off.

Drum Voice Edit in the Mixing mode
On the MOTIF XS it was not possible to edit Drum Voices from within the Mixing mode [SF6] Vce Edit(shown below). On the MOTIF XF this is now possible. The edited Drum Kits can be saved as a User Drum Voices.

Integrated Sampling created Voice Conversion
On the Motif XS it was not possible to quickly convert a Sample recorded to the Integrated Sampling Sequencer to a MIX VOICE. You had to exit the SONG or PATTERN and construct the VOICE manually, then insert it into your MIXING setup. The Motif XF incorporates a new “VCE CONV” (Voice Convert) function to the MIXING screen that allows you to build a MIX VOICE directly from the XF Mixer without having to exit the SONG or PATTERN you are working on. This means it is now quick and easy to apply Insertion Effects, assign controllers, apply LFO, Pitch/Filter/Amplitude EGs, EQ, etc., etc. You can bring the full power of a normal Motif XF Voice to your sample track, immediately.

LOAD Multiple Wav/AIFF
New option in [FILE] area, allows you to load multiple WAV or AIFF files from a single folder to the keys chromatically starting on a specific KEY. They will be loaded to different KEYBANKS of the same WAVEFORM

New Release Adjustment parameter(AEG Time Key Follow Sensitivity Release Adjustment)
Determines the sensitivity of the EG Time Key Follow Sensitivity to EG Release. Setting this parameter to “+63” will set the EG Time Key Follow Sensitivity to the value of Decay 1 or Decay 2. The lower the value, the lower the sensitivity. Setting this parameter to “-64” will produce no effect in the EG Time Key Follow Sensitivity.

New function of the [PERFORMANCE CONTROL] button in the Master mode
When the Mode is set to “Song” or “Pattern” and Zone Switch is set to “on” in the Master Play mode, the [PERFORMANCE CONTROL] button works as follows:
• [1] – [8] buttons
Each of these will turn the Internal Switches of Zone 1 – 8 on/off.
• [9] – [16] buttons
Each of these will turn the External Switches of Zone 1 – 8 on/off.
NOTE: The on/off status of the Internal Switch/External Switch can be confirmed via the corresponding lamp.

New REFERENCE MANUAL in PDF format
The MOTIF XF Reference Manual (in PDF format) is equipped with special features that are exclusive to electronic files, such as the Link function and the Search function which lets you jump to the desired page by clicking the page number of the specific term.

Screen layout customization and Color Scheme preference

New Functions in MOTIF XF Version 1.50
Yamaha has upgraded the MOTIF XF firmware to Version 1.50, adding a new function.
Additional New Effect Types

The MOTIF XF offers following new effect types:

Reverb
The following new Reverb types are now available.

HD HALL Reverb emulating the acoustics of a concert hall with high-density sound.
HD ROOM Reverb emulating the acoustics of a room with high-density sound.
HD PLATE Reverb emulating the acoustics of a metal plate reverb unit with high-density sound.

Insertion
The following new Insertion guitar effect types (in the Guitar Efx category) are now available. The basic parameters are common
with the existing Distortion effect types, but these new effect types reproduce more realistic and characteristic amplifier sounds.

US COMBO A simulation of an American combo amp.
JAZZ COMBO A simulation of a famous combo amp.
US HIGH GAIN A simulation of a famous American high gain amp.
BRITISH LEAD A simulation of a famous British stack amp.
MULTI FX A simulation of multiple effect devices for guitar sounds.
SMALL STEREO Stereo distortion effect for guitar sounds.
BRITISH COMBO A simulation of a famous British combo amp.
BRITISH LEGEND A simulation of another famous British legend amp.

SONG or PATTERN MIXING programs are ideal for assembling multiple sounds that you want to play. Each of the 64 SONG and 64 PATTERN locations can contain a “MIXING” – which is a configuration of all the available input PARTS: [F1] PART 1-16 and [F2] AUDIO (an A/D Input Part and if an FW16E is installed, a firewire Input Part).

You can easily and seamlessly switch the sound you are playing (without any glitches) by using the TRACK buttons to access the assigned Voice PARTS. You transmit from the XF keyboard on the MIDI channel of the currently selected TRACK. The lighted front panel [TRACK] buttons [1]-[16] will indicate the current transmit status.

Setup all of the VOICEs you will need to switch between in a MIXING program, side-by-side…

• MIXING program lets you place different VOICESs on separate MIDI channels…
• To move between sounds you simply use the numbered [TRACK] Select buttons to change transmit channels.

Therefore: organize the Voices that you need for any particular song into one MIXING program – then you can switch between them glitch-free!!!!

A Mixing program can be thought of as a mega program: It includes 16 internal synth sounds and all their parameters and settings; it includes the 8 selected PARTS that each have two Insertion Effects active and all those parameter settings; it includes controller setups (6 per Voice), including those controllers assigned to manipulate Insertion Effects in real time; it includes 16 3-Band PART EQ’s, and all of those settings, etc., etc… It is the equivalent to an untold number of analog devices and cables interconnected via a massive patchbay – yes switching all of this glitches, you betcha! The thing is once you recall this program you can move around freely and intelligently within it. Solution: Recall everything you need in this one program.

Tech-talk Background:
There is a reason that synthesizers like the Motif XS/XF send an ALL NOTES OFF message when you move from one program to another program. The sophisticated and advanced signal routing within the eight Element architecture found in these synthesizers while is ideal for deeply complex individual sounds, means that necessarily you will have sound being cutoff when you move from one complex program to another complex program. For more details on this you should read the article on how your effect processors are allocated in each of the different modes.

Each Element within a VOICE is a multi-sample and has its own routing to one or the other or both or neither of the powerful INSERTION EFFECTS that are available. This means that a Voice that is Piano & a Synth Pad layered, can have the Elements that are making up the piano go through a special piano Damper Resonance Insert Effect, while the Pad Elements can be discretely routed to their own Dual Modulator phaser. These Insertion Effects include Yamaha’s cutting edge physical modeling technology (VCM) and features real-time performance control over parameters within these processors. This adds to the complexity of this particular Voice and it is this type of complex routing that is important to how you are able to express yourself on each individual Motif XF instrument program.

Insertion Effects are programmed as an integral part of the VOICE, while the System and Master Effects are more about recreating the “outside” environment. For example, Insertion Effects can be the Rotary Speaker for an organ sound, or a particular distortion for a guitar. These are Effects the ‘real world’ musician would plug into and control in real time. While the System and Master Effects are used to recreate the room acoustics (outer environment) in which the music takes place. The individual musician has less control over the outer environment. Real time control over room size would require a wrecking ball and construction crew! (You do have real time control over the individual PART’s SEND amount to that bus but not over the Reverb or Chorus processors directly.)

On the Motif XF mixer screen you can quickly see which of the eight PARTS are recalling their dual Insertion Effects from Voice mode. The red checkmark on the “Ins FX Sw” row indicates active processors. A maximum of eight red checkmarks can appear at once.

 How it works
If the Effect processors are already in place when you recall a sound, then there does not have to be any interruption in the sound. The outer environment (SYSTEM and MASTER effects) will be shared by all instruments in a MIXING program… this eliminates the need to recall a different configuration of these effects. This mimics the real world – where all the musicians would naturally be in the same room playing at the same time. Different SEND amounts, available per PART, can be used to place the instruments closer or farther away from the listener in the stereo panorama. And because when you recall a MIXING program all the processors are recalled at once. There is no need for the dreaded ALL NOTE OFF command, and therefore there is no interruption in the sound as you move from one sound to the next within the program.

When you recall SONG MIXING or PATTERN MIXING program, 16 VOICES assigned to 16 PARTS are recalled, eight of these PARTS recall their Dual Insertion Effects, the shared System Reverb and Chorus are recalled, the Master Effect and Master EQ (if used) will also be recalled. You are now free to move to any PART of the program without having to worry about sound interruption.

This works because all the System Effects, Master Effects and Master EQ remain in tact, while the INSERTION EFFECTS that are active for PARTS do not have be reprogrammed. The tremendous amount of on-board processing that is available to you is still a huge advantage. Any eight of your PARTS (with the exception of the optional FW Input Part) can recall a Dual Insertion Effect configuration, customizable on a per MIXING program basis. This means you can have tons of the cool VCM Effects at the ready. And even with all the effects active, you will never hear an audio interruption when you switch between the PARTS while in this completely programmable MIXING environment. You switch between PARTS by changing the MIDI channel you are transmitting through.

There is certainly nothing wrong with having all this processing power… You simply have to PLAN to use it wisely. What you want to do is construct an environment for your ensemble of instruments. If you were going to actually have multiple instruments that you were going to play live you set them up in advance and then pick them up as you needed them (you wouldn’t unpack on stage), no, you would set them up for the easiest possible access. This is what MIXING mode is about: QUICK ACCESS to multiple sounds with optimum use of the available cutting edge EFFECT processing that is what the Motif-series is all about. Stop thinking of the SONG MIXING and PATTERN MIXING setups just in terms of recording to the sequencer. The MIXING setups allow you to make optimum use of the powerful processing including the most advanced routing ever within a synthesizer – you do so by recalling all the processors at once in a single program – then you move around within that program. Much like there is a great similarity between a Mixing Console in a recording studio and a Mixing Console in a sound reinforcement scenario. The concept of the Mixer is the same – it is to bring together all the musical instruments, the settings and routings. The MIXING is also an assembly of instruments to be recalled simultaneously but played individually. It is completely logical to use these SONG and PATTERN setups (MIXING) to assemble the multiple instruments you are going to be using “live”. Why use these for live performing:

1) It places the sounds, effects, and everything else exactly where you can get at them quickly, easily, and glitch-free
2) It’s so smart, so flexible, and so powerful, why wouldn’t you use it?

Here’s how to do so:
Go to SONG mode (or PATTERN mode)
Press [MIXING]
Here as if you were setting up to use the sequencer for recording, select your favorite “go-to” sounds for the PARTS of this MIXING setup.
(If you are new to the architecture: One Voice can be place in a PART. A PART is a set of parameters that allow access to the VOICE you select to place there. The PARTS are numbered [1]-[16])

Light the [TRACK] LED just to right of the numbered Track Select buttons. This will activate the function where pressing a button [1]-[16] changes the Transmit Channel of your keyboard – thus it allows you to select the PART you are in communication with. Since all the effect processing is already in place – awaiting you – there is no cut of of the previous sound. In fact, you can hold one sound either with your fingers or a sustain pedal until you wish to release it, while playing on another channel!!!

Here’s a real world application using this “live”: say you need an acoustic piano at the start of the song, then you need to play an electric piano on the bridge, then in the solo section you want to rock out on a B3 organ sound, and behind the Guitar player’s solo you want to back them up with some strings… and for the big finale, you need a big brass section…

You would simply create a MIXING program that contains those sounds:

PART 1 = Piano
PART 2 = Electric piano
PART 3 = Organ
PART 4 = Strings
PART 5 = Brass

You can simply change the transmit channel of the keyboard – using the Track Select buttons on the front panel – there will be no glitch. Each sound in your MIXING setup can be tweaked to your liking for each particular song that you perform. You have 128 MIXING programs: 64 in SONG mode, and 64 in PATTERN mode. You can name each and recall them with as necessary. Each “live” composition could use a different MIXING program.

Each of the PARTS will be able to recall their Dual Insertion Effects from VOICE mode, but also realize that you can, when necessary drop into full EDIT on any of these VOICES. And you can do so without leaving the SONG or PATTERN MIXING mode. On the MIXING screen you can press [F6] VCE EDIT, this is the secret door that drops you into full VOICE EDIT on a particular VOICE assigned to the selected PART. Here you can even customize the INSERTION EFFECTS (if INS SW= ON), or any other aspect of the VOICE.

Recalling an entire SONG MIXING or entire PATTERN MIXING setup will glitch, quite naturally – it is tons of data and lots of individual control functions – the trade off (benefit) is each individual MIXING program is extremely powerful… capable of housing 16 different sounds on as many as 16 different MIDI channels (of course you can layer multiple sounds on a single MIDI channel so that you can recall complex layers)… Say you need to play piano and strings layered in your right hand and a bass in your left… simply place these three sounds on the same MIDI channel and use the NOTE LIMIT parameters of the MIXING EDIT to accomplish this

PART 6 = Piano (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 7 = new Strings (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 8 = Bass (CH.6) ‘A2’ and below

We still haven’t left the first of 128 MIXING setups!!!

Using the MIXING program to house multiple sounds is the smart way to put together your VOICES for quick access – particularly if you require switching without glitching…

When you use this method, where you switch between PARTS by switching MIDI transmit channels within a single program, there are awesome possibilities: remember the Motif XS/XF have as many as four simultaneous arpeggios that can be activated. You can have a Voice in PART 1 responding to an arpgeggio pattern – which you can hold (either with the technology, with your left hand or with a sustain pedal), you can then switch to a second MIDI channel on your controller and play on top of the arpeggio or start another… If you set the ARP to HOLD, it will play indefinitely or until you hit a foot switch programmed to stop it, but if you are holding it manually (with your hand or a sustain pedal) it will continue, even while you are playing on top on another MIDI Channel, until you release the note or the sustain pedal… it is really very cool. Think of the possibilities!

In practical use you can setup your MIXING programs so that the main KEYBD sound is in PART 1, an alternate KEYBD sound is in PART 2… the SOLO/LEAD Voices in PART 3, SWEETENING (strings/pads) in PART 4, etc. so that you have a general layout for yourself that remains consistent throughout the setups… Each SONG/PATTERN is named (and of course has a number) when song #43 is called you know your main keyboard sound is on Channel 1, and your solo sound will be on Channel 3 – it becomes a no-brainer.

Develop a plan… If you fail to plan, then plan to fail.
Advanced Tip: Any SONG or PATTERN MIXING setup can be associated with a MASTER Mode Program.
Excellent for when you are combining multiple internal sounds with an external MIDI tone engine device.

Summary: The SONG/PATTERN mode MIXING setups are not just for recording to the sequencer. They are for anytime access to multiple sounds is going to be required. Moving between 16 sounds in a seamless fashion is not only possible but enhanced in these modes.