😀 That's a great name for a synth, I like it!
I doubt that Yamaha would use that for the Montage replacement name if it's a Montage+ type of revision, but it would be a great name for some new product that they release in the future. Maybe a reface synth!?
If they stick with the Motif, MOF, Montage, MODX type naming, then it likely wouldn't be used for their flagship synth line. The best I could come up with that I think might fit for a future full hardware synth replacement is the 'Mosaic' 😉

Yeah it must begin with an "M" I suppose but they did call it "Sayonara". They didn't write "Sayonara Montage" in a proper grammatical sequence. Could also be "Masterpiece" or "Mural" or "Monument"

They also wrote "Today we are discontinuing the MONTAGE music synthesizer." Which suggests there will be no more "Montage" whatsoever. Because a Montage2 by deductive reasoning is still a Montage synth, just a more advanced version.

So all the chosen words are either very intentional to be confusing or they didn't pay much attention to how it could be interpreted. It's really just all over the place. Just tell us the name because it's ridiculous.

Same as Motif XF the name Motif wasn't dropped or like "S", "ES" etc. We wouldn't write Montage bye bye or Montage so long or Montage arrivederci unless we're Yoda. OR we'd have to add a common and exclamation such as "Montage, sayonara!".

So how it's written in not grammatically correct unless it's a Montage Sayonara. So either it was written poorly or it's indeed a clue to the new Montage Sayonara. Which do you think that it is?

Maybe it's the way that language is spoken but it's not proper English and clue number two is that Sayonara is capitalized. Why would you do that if it's not a proper name? So I think it's a proper name or bad grammar in more ways than one.

I suppose the article name is proper to be capitalized and in that right you could take the liberty. Still feels wrong though.

Is “Sayonara” Considered a Sad Word?
In Japanese “sayonara” (さようなら) is often considered a sad word because it implies that you will never see the other person again. It is not a casual goodbye but used as a final farewell and means “goodbye forever“. It can also indicate that you don’t want to see the other person ever again.

After learning this it's probably not a polite word to use suggesting you never want to see or use a Montage ever again. I can only assume Yamaha approved this language. It also probably means the new synth isn't named Sayonara. We would use it very lightly just as a casual goodbye just because it sounds hip.

Sayonara is too long a word to add to the Montage to be part of a new name.

More importantly there are no patent external redesigns out there for a new product beyond a Montage+ like replacement. The only patents out there that haven't been used yet are the AN-X and one that dealt with pianos I believe (perhaps a modeling based effect?), so I highly doubt there is a full new flagship replacement...

The big clue to this mystery could potentially be sitting inside the MODX+
If someone would just crack theirs open and take a pic of the board, we might see a second SWP70 or a newer more powerful tone generator (SWP90?) or two..!? A more powerful tone generator would tell us that they likely added two of those in the new Montage+(?) replacement so it can handle the AN-X engine and increases in polyphony for the other two engines. 😉

If/when locating the patent and it's freely observable disclosing secret information and anyone can find it including competitors, why then would Yamaha go to great annoying lengths to hide the specs and name from customers? I would also think such documentation has to be submitting well in advance of release.

That doesn't make any sense or at least it would signal a major reconfigure but I've obviously not looked that up. How does one check that BTW? Can you go to the government site and search for Yamaha recent patents and look for processor and product name? They have to detail it out explicitly and is it available to the public and other companies for spying?

It's hard to keep a secret once the government knows all about it. Is it called temporarily "widget A" and then under the classified into. it defines "widget A" as the Yamaha Montage+?

Yamaha's Sayonara says conflicting things. That Montage is gone forever and Montage is back in October. I often wonder if they proof read the stuff they print or just playing semantics. If it's just a next generation called Montage then it comes down to what it can do that's different. Following Yamaha tradition it will just do double everything with an added twist probably ANx. Maybe AWM2 with a few new sections. Maybe the YC organ engine and assignable faders. If it get to fancy it will cost a fortune so thinking about cost alone they really can't do much more than we're speculating. Then we'll have to wait 2,4,6 years for it to be fully expanded. I'm slightly positive I won't be keeping mine. Just too many wonderful real analog options and Osmose and do everything type boards coming and available like Iridium.

The question is, is it a catch-up release or a lead-the-way release and seems suggested based on patent into that it could be a catch-up release. Maybe a big twist for Yamaha would be poly touch but I doubt it will be MPE. They lagged behind leaders who had a touch screen forever before getting onboard. I think the same will likely be true you won't see MPE/MIDI2 until the following generation in another 7 years? I love MPE while others might not care but EE just made it attainable to all. Nothing new actually it's been widely known since 2019 and prior and Yamaha only offers poly/wiggle on Electone and not since CS80 not sure why. I'm not even a real keyboard player and the moment I used the Osmose the world made sense again. I Just don't understand why this wasn't demanded in 1980/90 the rise of the synth machines? I guess all the pieces couldn't come together to make it practical and cheap. We could walk on the moon but couldn't wiggle keys.

I don't have any answers for most of the questions.

One possibility on what Yamaha may be planning to do is that they market the new Montage replacement differently than the MODX+ and call it something like 'Montage X', whereby it has the AN-X, FM-X and AWM2 engines, but the MODX+ remains as is with no AN-X engine, and less compatibility with the new 'Montage X'...!?

Although in terms of sales, it would be much better for the MODX+ if it received the AN-X as well, as their sales would really go up and there would be all new reviews & demos, especially new comparison reviews between it and the Fantom-0. In this scenario it would likely mean a Montage+ and not a Montage X, which would likely maintain compatibility with the MODX+. That way the Montage+ might get a fair bump in sales and the MODX+ would get a triple bump...

Either way, I'm sure they are working on a design and roadmap for a complete new hardware replacement with all new Screen, Buttons, Knobs, MIDI 2.0, etc. Maybe they call it the Yamaha MOSAIC to fit with the Motif, Montage themes ? 😉

That's a possibility of two new releases keeping the Montage2 truer to the original and MODX+ compatible at a relatively similar Montage price point. Then perhaps a higher end CS80 analog something to compete with all todays analog rebirth.

Folks, to clarify, "A trademark protects names, short slogans, or logos. A patent protects new inventions, processes, and compositions of matter (such as medicines). Importantly, ideas cannot be patented—your invention must be embodied in a process, machine, or object."

"AN-X" is a trademark -- the text "AN-X" and its stylized logo. Period. It is registered in the field of musical instruments. That's it. Nobody knows the technology behind the name. Rephrasing Phil's recommendation, look at the history of Yamaha products and you MIGHT get an idea about the technology.

Yamaha -- nor anyone else -- patents the complete technical design of a keyboard. Patents typically cover one specific technological invention. For example, there isn't an SWP70 patent per se. Yamaha's patents cover the NAND flash interface and related functions, specifically.

Thus, you will not find a Montage or MODX patent that describes the internal design of these products. You WILL find so-called design patents which cover the physical shape and appearance. Design patents are filed a long time after product release. Examples are US D889,532 (MODX6) and US D879,870 (CP88). The "D" is important in the patent number because design patents are in a class of their own.

Most of Yamaha's patents are filed under non-descript names like "sound generation apparatus". Good luck searching through those bland names! Patents are not scientific papers and are written in legalese. Some of the legalese is translated from Japanese. Good luck with that, too. 🙂 😮

All the best -- pj

So it's encoded essentially which is why it's typically not or can't be discovered prior to release. Else someone would have found something about it by now. However we don't need some fanfare and parade about what it is. Just tell us already so I can decide how to plan for purchases.

Fun Facts: Like with many people, Sayonara is often thought to be a Spanish word.

@Paul Thanks you for explaining trademarks & patents. 😉
The most interesting and telling thing you said was "Design patents are filed a long time after product release."

Now maybe I'm mixing up patents with another thing or type of filing not yet mentioned in this thread, but someone had posted on a Yamaha Forum (possible this one) that we knew about the CK series keyboard long before release because Yamaha 'supposedly' had to file certain types of public documents for it (it might have been for somewhere in Europe, but can't remember for sure & can't find the post). Maybe that was all misunderstood, but hopefully someone can correct me that knows..!?
This seems to be the basis that a few people on different forums are saying that we would know about a new flagship Synth in advance, because the company would have filed public records, possibly with pictures... If this is not the case, then all bets are off, and everything is out the window, such that we could very well be looking at a completely new full flagship hardware synth replacement in October.

@david That is a fun fact, thx!
Here's a fun fact. Sayonara is not pronounced by people in Japan anywhere close to how we pronounce it in North America.
I learned this from youngest daughter who because of Manga and Anime videos, self taught themself to speak Japanese fluently in 4 different dialects, and therefore understands the proper pronunciations, and corrects me everytime :p

Something Paul wrote a few years ago titled 'Musing about Montage VA'
https://sandsoftwaresound.net/musing-about-montage-va/

And something Bad Mister said a year or so ago
https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/genos-vs-montage-cubase#reply-24548

The change in name, is not trivial. It is expensive, time consuming (both names were leaked by musicians working in the Patent Office years ago) but is done to signify a change in direction. A change in concept, focus. If we wanted you to think it was the same we’d have kept the series name, (duh!)
. . .
The new focus of MONTAGE is based on creative sound design utilizing the previous series' tech and combining it with an FM-X engine. Interaction between the engines is achieved via a new controller matrix that includes motion control, side chain modulation, etc,.

[quotePost id=122737]@Paul Thanks you for explaining trademarks & patents. 😉
The most interesting and telling thing you said was "Design patents are filed a long time after product release."
[/quotePost]

Hi Darryl --

No prob. I hate to be that darned pedantic in a friendly user forum. 😀 It's just that I sat through soooo many corporate training classes on this stuff and help my reports file applications for this stuff. :p

[quotePost id=122737]
Now maybe I'm mixing up patents with another thing or type of filing not yet mentioned in this thread, but someone had posted on a Yamaha Forum (possible this one) that we knew about the CK series keyboard long before release because Yamaha 'supposedly' had to file certain types of public documents for it (it might have been for somewhere in Europe, but can't remember for sure & can't find the post). Maybe that was all misunderstood, but hopefully someone can correct me that knows..!?
[/quotePost]

Your memory is good. It was CK. A diligent soul found two documents on-line. One of which was a filing (Italian?) which listed the recyclable content of each Yamaha product, e.g., 28% ABS, 14% metal, etc. It confirmed the names "CK61" and "CK88", which were already known from the trademark filing. The other document was, essentially, an other list of Yamaha products, confirming the names and that they were "synthesizers". That's it -- no pictures, no specs. http://sandsoftwaresound.net/ck-its-almost-here/

Trademark names are not "leaked", BTW. Trademarks (and patents) are published and public for good reason. Trademarks are published as part of the review process in which some third party can file an objection to the name/application. Companies know that trademark applications and patents (applications, too) are public. If something is secret, that something must be treated like a secret, i.e., never published. That is the meaning of "trade secret" protection. Again, too many seminars. 🙂

BTW, when it comes to new unannounced products, I'm not interested in apparitions, visions, dreams, conspiracies, seances, or hot tips about which horse will win the third race at Ascot. 🙂

Take care and all the best -- pj