I think I(we) might have helped them make the announcement with our justified endless speculation and complaining. I actually pre-pre-ordered it, both the 61 and 76 new generation by getting on a fictitious list for the original. So I could get it day one. Problem is I got tired of waiting even speculating they were doing nothing this year and literally just bought (2) Osmose units, the Iridium module and the Oberheim OB-X8 module this week so they are way too late announcing.

I wondered two things mainly: what current Montage owners are going to upgrade and what non-Montage owners are going to convert? We might as well be at the height of the most available, affordable, spectacular synth time in history. I bought (3) vintage Oberheims in a small box costing around $30,000 originally for about $3K. The Iridium does 5 engines in 3 or 6 combinations and the Osmose will likely become legendary. I think Yamaha missed the optimum window of opportunity a few years back. We shall see what they unveil and sure I'll try it out within the 30 days return window.

If it's a double stuff Oreo that's not really very exciting to me. I was fearful that would happen. They do anyways include a twist or unexpected inclusion (ANx is not really unexpected at this point) but will that be enough to overcome the current insane other offerings available all around us? Unless this is on the level of the DX7, CS80 were in there day at a "cheap" price it's going to be interesting. Fantom is still around too probably nearing the Fantom X release.

Decisions, decisions however I have one burning question? Will it have a brilliant UI and snappy touch screen response, logical and intuitive or "thinks for itself" like the CK or will it require 7 years and 1000 pages of BM's and others much appreciated explanations to figure it out? You know I'm slow and blind.

Will it have a tilted screen visible in daylight and XLR outs! Will it be a module or MPE or at least poly touch? Cost? Will it respond to voice commands and report weather conditions during stage performances? Integratable with your smart phone? MIDI2? A complete & comprehensive workstation without a computer if you don't want one? Our speculations now move in a new direction. How will they compete? and that's great news for all of us. All in good fun!

Oh, almost forgot the "get it eventually" philosophy where 7 years later after release they hand you a farewell severance package. Like on the YC had the rotary been correct at release they might have swept the floor so although I like goodies for free coming twice a year DO NOT BUY this unless you love it at the release because you might be waiting a really, really long time and then some.

I also noticed that every time that "MONTAGE" was used it is in yelling caps. So that fact might diminish the other most important statement that it's going to be a "MONTAGE" because now the emphasis has been normalized. Am I reading too much in or is this a code that it might not actually be a "MONTAGE"? I think a valid argument can be made that it's not indeed a "MONTAGE". However against all hope it probably still is a "MONTAGE".

We have two opposing theories or driving factors mainly: 1) 7 years of MONTAGE and two other trickle-down versions is long past due for a new synth line even historically speaking OR 2) Today's Yamaha, as I have heard from sources, are not revolutionary pioneers and risk takers but tend to play it safe.

One of those two will win the day inevitably and safe always holds the advantage. Past risks might have included the DX7, CS80, FS1r, VL1, CP1, Electone etc. and we know the DX7 sold 4 times as many as originally projected so one never knows exactly. Some risks really paid off and some haven't. I have no idea how many Montages have sold whether good or bad. Anyone know?

I guess throughout our lifetime we might only witness a few very special boards that have really paid off and that we can all actually own too which is very big deal. I never dreamed to be getting an Oberheim and yet it's now available and that sound is beyond belief. That was slightly before my time and I wasn't going to buy a vintage original. There's the Deckard's Dream MK2 but was more and a custom ordered. The 80s were simply the best. Ironic we have unlimited instrument sampling but now we're headed back to the past. With the Osmose it's like the hybrid of realism and a nuance of imagination that plays like a real instrument. Plus it's affordable and might be limitless.

I realize this probably should have been my first post, but better late than never!
Thank you Bad Mister & Blake for all the information, demos, teachings, etc. You've made a very sophisticated, but powerful synth much easier to learn and showed what it is capable of. And thanks to Yamaha for the vision, as having both the AWM2 and FM-X engines, it is the perfect Synth for me, seeing as the previous synth that I bought is a DX7II-FD.

I downloaded the new pianos and the U1 is great for an upright. I'm sure I'll find a use for it in some song.
After a bit of time to think, I really can't complain when a Montage 8 is sitting in my studio with the Superknob light pulsing and there's almost nothing I can't make it do!

I really need to thank Yamaha's engineers and visionaries for the sounds & features they came up with and implemented in this monster synth. I know one of the engineers worked on a smoother pitch bend after I pointed out an issue with it, and he went above and beyond with it. When you added KBD CTRL to Scenes, that was so awesome since Mute just cuts off the notes. To repeat something I posted in another forum, Yamaha always seem to come out with a synth or feature that no other synths can do that is unique to their product. For me the feature highlight on the Montage is that it has the Extended LFO that no other synth can do! Also, the Wavefolder & Symphonic effects are quite awesome, unique & favorites of mine, the FM-X engine, the Garritan quality CFX grands, and more... 😀

October will be an exciting month for sure, with much activity on the forums and YouTube demos/reviews. I think it's great that this announcement came now, rather than closer to October, as there are customers looking to buy a new flagship synth who are just on the edge of purchasing a Fantom, Nautilus or something else, and some of them will likely now wait to see what Yamaha's new flagship has to offer! 😉

Well, well. We knew it was coming, but we didn't know exactly when. I suggested awhile back, late August or early September, based on what online retailers were saying, specifically American Musical Supply, who basically let the cat out of the bag in a round about way. The Montage will go down in the history books as a giant slayer synth. At the time of its release in 2016 it received rave reviews and still does. Kando is the Japanese word for simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement experienced when people encounter something of exceptional value. That's what a lot of people certainly felt when Yamaha released the Montage. Can they do it again? Most definitely, in my opinion. It will be Yamaha's next Flagship... fill in the blanks... but most think it will be a combination of several things. With possibly the AN1x and perhaps the AN-200 virtual analog sound engines updated with the latest current technologies. I'm expecting a huge virtual tone-wheel organ upgrade. And a new, exciting library of sampled pianos and maybe even a couple virtual instrument Pianos? October is right around the corner and the excitement will continue to grow needless to say. Even more so if Yamaha decides to give us an early glimpse of what we can expect in the days and weeks ahead. Two thumbs up. ??

Ok, ok I've purchased about every Yamaha synth board since the DX100 including all the arrangers and stages boards etc. and I know we obviously have big Yamaha fans here which is what we all expect and we understand Yamaha can build anything. Just pushing for affordable and ease of use as a very important characteristic. Sometimes Yamaha is smart but implementation is more on the programmer level than it is the musician. Musicians aren't necessarily programmers or scuba divers. Lets see if Yamaha can pull off a simplistic workstation easier than the Fantom or some other new creation that demands attention.

We already know it is guaranteed to sound good. Telling Yamaha how great they are, well, you might wait and see what this is first. The Montage & MODX+ can handle the obvious work flow so how many here are going to sell theirs now in expectation? Will you wait a year for all the reviews and fixes to take place? IF it follows the CP to YC to CK path of simplification that's probably good and will very likely be a Montage+ because the wheel is not being reinvented. Is that good enough to compete? Some fans will buy whatever it is no question and it will be at least as good as the Montage. IF the Montage already does 75% or however you would measure that weighted comparison (not based on feature to feature but just music making ability) is it worth a $5K purchase for the additional 25% of improvement? Could it be less expensive but pull double duty since Yamaha seems to be headed toward affordability. Thus it can't really be too similar to the Montage otherwise what's the point? How different will it really be? Will it have an open-ended architecture that you have to wait 2, 3, 4, 5 years to fully enjoy? We can't wait to find out. IF it spans another 7 years we might not all be around for the 3rd offering.

Were you personally disappointed that it ends here without the expected upgrade? With that expectation we understand better how it works. They tell us nothing and we have to like it. I inquired with Hammond concerning the SKpro and they told me it's not open ended and can't be expanded end of story. So I have full closure. I can make a decision based on that information and not sit around for 7 years speculating on what will be added. That has advantages and disadvantages and I'm the type personality that has to know everything now. I hate guessing. So obviously some people will be pissed but they knew it was coming at least. Some people like hope and want to be surprised but not me unless it's totally not expected as in never promised something to begin with.

It's probably a very good practice to not ever expect anything except for fixes to gear errors and malfunctions. I don't really like the practice of adding stuff and expecting something and it turns to be nothing etc. Crushed expectations in many cases when you're promised once or twice a year you're getting an unknown bone. Some people like that which is fine I suppose but don't put your trust in it. Might as well continue to play the Montage for the next 5 years until all the upgrades and fixes have been released and then buy one. It holds one advantage such as if a competitor releases a newer synth with a certain feature perhaps Yamaha can match it such as smart morph and the Fantom.

So when will we know what this is?

I forgot to clarify meaning the differences between "Stage Board" expansions and "Synth" expansions/additions. The stage board is far more unknown and annoying or unpredictable getting a few voices now and then and being stuck with it because it's an OS update. They expanded the organ in YC which was very nice but now no one knows if anything else can or will be expanded. It's a guess so might as well expect nothing to play it safe.

CK I assume is not expandable or not advertised as such and because of the price point probably not. YC should realistically contain all of the CK presets because it is a more premium professional build and system yet CK has double? Always very annoying that the lesser has more which is a Yamaha MO. I have speculated whether YC has deeper or more layers of samples because even the one to one same named voices sound different side by side. I also speculated why Yamaha released the CK, does the world really need another stage board when YC is still the one? or was. Might make sense in the affordability aspect to hit a lower market. I think it was to fill in the gap while the Montage+ was being completed. Totally unexpected, I mean who was expecting the CK or clamoring for it? Still no pipe and other organs on the YC which is organ focused. I assume the FM engine fully consumed the budget which is why it's still not present. I could have traded my YC for the CK and doubled the voices and ease of use but YC is pretty unique so something much bigger, like YC+, could replace it.

Obviously synths are expected to have expansions maybe somewhat more predictable until the system maxes out or gets so bogged down it doesn't function. Everyone hoped for the Montage ANx to be released on the current platform. Isn't there one voice engine type slot still available? I'm sure they tried but probably wasn't working well. The end user will never know when the system maxes out but 7 years? That's a pretty good indication and I know people are upset. I predicted this correctly (missed on timing) and sold my Montage a few years back. I fully expected it to have been long replaced by now around the 5 year mark. I sold it after the smart morph release whenever that was. I guesstimated that was the end of it. Milking the parts if they can adapt is fine. MODX+ was a sure indicator of the end of the current Montage.

I'd like to see the YC fader section on the Montage+ except fully or auto programmable. It's a possibility to add the real YC organ section much expanded (FM is already going to be there) with an ANx engine and double everything else. Your slots would be AWM2+, FMx+, ANx+, Organ+, VL+ or some kind of wavetable or software synth future expansion slot available. Plus MIDI2 or MPE or poly aftertouch to compete and get ahead of current offerings. The Osmose has been available for observation since 2019 and Yamaha has similar offerings in the Electone & CS80 of the past. If it's more of a "++" or double plus only retaining Montage similarities to keep costs down while still competing well into the next 3 years could be interesting. A whole new platform would suck up a ton of cost sacrificing additional features and expandability more than likely.

Thank you Yamaha.

Oh, and thamk you for not putting the KIll Switch in the Montage that some think will activate in October.:D 😀

Has this forum topic been moved into the retired or not current classification yet? To think we'll be beginning again with a whole new library of "how to" instructions for the next 7 years.

If it's a Montage+ and not a full replacement synth (like a 'Yamaha Mosaic'), then this forum will likely stay as is and have Montage+ (or whatever the name will be) added...

Darn. I was searching for a clue in that regard. By it remaining as is, might tell us something or maybe not, maybe they are just slow updating the forum classifications.