Yeah, I wish I could "draw" or "make" a superknob travel pattern that hit all of the 8 parent PARTs so each of the original FM PARTs could be "dialed in" with no morphing and then also travel between them which would morph in different interesting ways. This would allow for interesting SCENE button induced superknob settings that would plant you into one of 8 different FM-X sounds using a single PART - or turn on a motion sequence that would automate this and land you between while still hitting each of the 8 (or less) parents through the sequence.

I think when we both looked at this feature we came to the same conclusion. I documented these thoughts a couple of days ago on ideascale: https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/dtd/FM-X-Morph-Improvement-Enhanced-superknob-path/251255-45978

I didn't suggest this one - but another interesting way to get there would be to assign a "gravity" to each of the white dots (FM-X parent PARTs) that would pull the current setting towards each of the parents according to proximity and gravity. So the position on the matrix would pull away from the path if close enough to the gravitational "pull" assigned to a point. And maximum gravity - say 127 - would mean it'd pull the point all the way to the parent (multiple at 127 would place you at an average of those at 127). Then if gravity was something that could be modulated/offset by motion sequence or assignable knobs - then superknob could also play a role here. It could setup a user curve where only very small areas of superknob could "snap" to one of the up-to-8 parents at a time then use the rest of the travel for following along the line (perhaps leaving the gravity of all the parents at 0 for that section). Lots of interesting possibilities here - not sure what will "stick" or how this may be enhanced in the future.

Smart Morph adds a new level for sound design and is really cool, however I was a bit shocked to see it's travel pattern for the super knob limited to one linear line. It would be much more interesting to mark several points for a the travel merge of the super knob. An easy one to image would be a Z shape or a W shape, etc. Will this be added in later versions? I see a lot of empty gray boxes on the command screen and thought maybe those are for future added end points. Would love to see this.

The Super Knob is not the only way to morph the result.

From the HOME screen touch “Smart Morph” > “Play”
Use your finger to create your Z shape or W shape or circles, spirals etc. Not sure why those particular shapes are important for the Super Knob movement. Super Knob movement has always been 0-127 — here to there and back. The results are certainly not always linear and that’s what’s important here.

The Super Knob movement can be automated along the two point plot — and while we can blame/thank Euclid any two points do form a line! What takes place along that line is certainly NOT linear.

There are 1024 pixels on the map... real-time access is available by interacting directly with the map.

It is always interesting to see initial reactions. I would only say work with it for a few months (or at least past where you’re shocked) and observe how your initial requests start to change. At first it looks innocent enough, but as you’ll discover it goes way deeper than you can possibly imagine from your first glance. Morphing between point A and point B is by no means a limitation given all what can change between any two points on the map.

Proximity and gravity are exactly how the self-organizing map works... your input selections (R/G/B) weigh the results toward that type of result. Take your time — work with it for an hour or two before writing it off as limited. If you want to move from the initial white ‘parent‘ pixel to another - because you want to play that sound, press [PART SELECT 9-16] to play the parent sound directly — since the Parts are in the same Performance, Performance rules apply, so you can seamlessly activate any Part, at any time, by simply *selecting* it.

Naturally, 1st Impressions... evolve
At first you think that ‘morphing’ (the verb) is the most important thing. It’s a Motion Control Synthesis Engine, so Motion is your focus. Then you spend a bit more time discovering that creating ‘new unique sounds’ becomes more of your focus... then you once you’ve created all of these totally unique FM-X sounds... and you think, what if I start assigning these as ‘parent’ Parts.... and off you go....

Most will find that compared to their previous *best* efforts at programming new FM sounds, they will have a method to create unique, fresh, playable sounds with relative ease. And not one Bessel function gets hurt in the process (you don’t have to be an FM Jedi Knight programmer). The “let’s see what happens...” thing is in full effect. It certainly allows things you may never have even thought about when programming FM!

Not every pixel is going to result in a playable sound (some pixels can sustain a tone, but because the Attack Time setting for that pixel might be in transition and momentarily set so it will not trigger...some pixels will not be able to initiate a tone, but support sustaining the tone).

As with all things in Synthesis, there is going to be no single way to approach this new feature, but before you go running off bemoaning you can only generate one Part, Part 1, and why can’t we have 8, er, why not, 16 Smart morphing Parts (or some other wild request) try to master what’s on tap with one! It is quite spectacular.

Having programmed FM for 37 years, I have to say, this has the most potential to include (rather than exclude) users in FM sound designing! On the 32x32 map every pixel will not yield a completely playable new sound - some are transitioning... but it is a unique approach to expanding FM synthesis programming.

Btw - the Super Knob can still address all 16 Parts (being Super) so while moving (morphing) between two points on Smart Morph Part 1, nothing prevents the Super Knob from simultaneously influencing the other KBD CTRL Parts 2-8 ...as has been possible from day one!!!

The Super Knob can influence all Parts Including those not under common control, 9-16. What the Super Knob gesture does to Part 1 when you move it 0-127, or automate it moving 0-127, could be absolutely unrelated to what it does to the other Parts 2-16, trust me. This is still very true. So the same simple linear movement can actually morph through the other Performance Parts one by one, if that’s your desire... by controlling their Part Levels, Element Levels, Operator Levels as is fundamental to the Motion Control Engine. By placing the parents in Parts under KBD CTRL you can morph between them (always could).
And each Scene could recall a different Motion Seq

When you open that door, and look down this hallway... you usually have to go eat dinner or go to bed ... it’s a long hallway with tons of discoveries down there. Forgive me, but pessimism is not allowed, in the few months I’ve been working with this, I have not failed to have an Aha! moment each day. It’s not that we want to discourage any thoughts, but please recognize you’ve walked up to an elephant in the dark, don’t draw any conclusions based on just touching the animal’s tail.

Have fun!

Bad Mister please don't take my comment the wrong way. I am not trying to be pessimistic, but optimistic, about what this new function could be. I deeply respect not only your immense knowledge, but also the time you take to respond to everyone and help them learn, including myself.

I have been happy since day 1 with my Modx with the first OS, so every new feature to me is just complete bonus.

The point I make about multiple point travel path does not come from an idea I had, It came instantly from my recognition of the similarities to the soft synth Animoog and my experience with it, which kind of operates on some similar principles. The most interesting functionality of Animoog is the ability to control the path of sound motion. I actually think this ability with Super Morph would be even more interesting than its function with Animoog.

I am not focused on the Super Knob itself, I point to the super knob because this is where Yamaha chose to assign this functionality. The ability to control the morph path over time, which can them be controlled in a really cool way using motion control. While yes the Super Knob only has value 0-127 you can still control it in an interesting way by going back and forth across different ranges of those values. The same thing could be applied to a more complex line pattern, it doesn't have to be a single straight line. Just that the beginning of the line pattern represents 0 and the end of it represents 127.

You mentioned the "Play" ability. This is similar to what I was referring to, but there is no way to record that "play" pattern (unless I am missing it). If that feature was added it would be even cooler yet than what I was talking about. The ability to draw circular motions would be amazing, i just figured that was a lot more complicated. What i am suggesting is a much more simple solution of just adding additional points to continue straight lines.

This would open the ability to morph the sounds into more regions in a controlled and repeatable way while allowing both hands free to play. The "play" function is not very controllable and requires both a free hand and attention to do so.

I agree that I have not even scratched the surface of this new feature (I feel this about every part of the synth actually) and already think it is really cool. I can't imagine the complexity that has gone into launching this feature, but I am also certain the ability to control the morph path in a bitt more complex manner would add to its ability to create amazing sounds.

I am sure I am going to have loads of fun experimenting with this new feature over the coming months and expanding my knowledge of it as you suggested. I already stayed up until 2am last night doing so. I am also certain that I will still feel this feature would add a lot benefit.

Added or not added, like I said before, its all gravy for me at this point.

I really do appreciate the effort you put in to this community.

I've reviewed the latest Mastering Montage: Smart Morph tutorial and stand by my original comment that a single straight line limits automation's flexibility.

Further use of the feature would not remove this limitation - and I am not "throwing shade" at the feature overall.

"Simply" (to state, not meaning to imply to implement) that there's an improvement to a great system that would have benefits which have been fairly clearly identified.

BTW: I'm OK with the process determining that realizing the suggestion is not possible. That's another thing entirely.