No.

And - in keeping with Yamaha's preference for what they call "Sweet" sounds - we have a bag full of samples and all of them with a heavy dose of vibrato. Not one (Waveform) in the bunch could I find without it. All preset Performances have plenty of vibrato no matter if you want it or not.

Just make sure AEG and other settings aren't tripping you up. "Init Normal (AWM2)" should be a reasonable starting point. I assume you're already past this level which is why you're asking to hyperspace into later sample points.

Is there a way to start the PCM sample/element later start the attack at a different place?

An AWM2 (sampled based) Waveform will always play from the start point to the end or loop point, depending on the Element setting. If the XA CONTROL setting for the Element is set to “legato” when you execute a Mono lead line you can access an instrument Waveform especially prepared so that the distinctive attack portion is not played. These Waveforms will have the abbreviation “offset” attached to their name (ofst or of), signifying that the audio of the Waveform is after the instrument’s attack portion has passed.

When sampling solo lead wind and string instruments, the player is asked to play whole notes across the instruments range. The result is an attacked audio clip for each note throughout the range. When you attempt to create a music phrase with these samples it sounds like the player attacks every note. As if there was a breath before each note triggered.

The XA CONTROL feature allows you to execute a more natural result by whenever you execute a legato gesture, playing a note before releasing the previous note, the system will trigger the offset version of the instrument Waveform. This allows you to perform a musical phrase where *you* control the player’s breath. A note where you lift your finger before striking the Key, you will hear the attack, subsequent notes played legato will trigger the Waveform sans the attack portion.

This allows you to control the phrasing of the musical line. XA CONTROL is used to control how samples behave in response to the keyboard, it can determine when an Element will sound. It is sonically invisible within the Part and you can control when an Element is going to sound. Used in conjunction with “Fingered” Portamento you can create solo instrument sounds that can better articulate a realistic phrase. Fingered Portamento allows you to again use your playing technique to determine the behavior of the movement between notes in a phrase. “Hit and quit” for staccato phrasing, and the legato gesture will connect notes in a more fluid way... learning to work the phrasing is worth the effort.

For example, I'm using Tenor sax Hard, and the attack is later than when I hit the key. Can I change the start time to match my key hit?

I’m not at all sure what you mean when you say the attack is later than when you hit the key?
Can you please explain what you’re talking about.

Key On Start can be delayed... this allows you to separate the Key being pressed and the start of the Element. But it does not change where in that Waveform Audio begins. In the Yamaha A-series samplers Controllers could be mapped to the physical sample start point within the audio but this is not implemented in the current engine. XA CONTROL was developed in the years between then and now.

You answered it pretty well. I meant there's a breathy sound (probably like areal wind instrument) before the actual note/attack sounds. I just dived into using offset waveforms and it helps, but I actually like the attack sounds for my playing (no soloing so much, mostly chords, stabs). .

Thanks again for answering my questions, got a bunch of gigs I bought this new keyboard for, so I'm think I'm now in shape to wow them. I'm using some user sampled background vocals to supplement us, I can't wait to try onstage.