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Rod
 Rod
Posts: 0
Estimable Member
Topic starter
 

Hello Yamaha - to the right of the Montage screen is the data wheel, and a group of 8 buttons underneath it. The data wheel is black, and the buttons exactly the same very dark grey as the keyboard body. These are vital to navigation, often under pressure, and mistakes are very easy to make. Would it be possible to have these buttons illuminated, say the same blue as the 'Scene' buttons (dim) so that they 'balance' and are easy to pick out on the fly. If the data wheel was also dimly lit, to match up with the Superknob, that would be a bonus. Too late for us current owners, but future ones would bless your little cotton socks ...

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 3:46 pm
Jason
Posts: 8260
Illustrious Member
 

Not sure if these have LEDs below them or not as I've never seen them illuminate (the buttons). When turning on Montage - there is no LED test pattern - so it would take the service manual to confirm if these can light up (amber probably). I'm not sure I agree with your wish of color selection if one could pick a color. General system buttons on Montage are otherwise amber ([CONTROL ASSIGN], [A/D INPUT], the page up/down, etc).

Certainly the DATA DIAL doesn't have any form of illumination. I personally have not had any issue with this even on a dark stage. You can solve the issue you are having with a small battery powered LED light (white) which illuminates this area. Some have used a USB hub (not supported - but I would recommend self-powered meaning it plugs into the wall with its own power supply) to connect a small LED light which is USB powered and still have USB port(s) open for the USB stick for file transfer.

Note: I'm not dinging the general notion that more illumination can be helpful. In addition to your suggestions, I personally think that all controllers should have some "ring" or "meter" of illumination around them so you can see they are active when using the [AUDITION] feature to know if the mod wheel, ribbon, or pitch bend are being used. Even an aftertouch meter may be helpful for seeing how much aftertouch is being applied - or off if aftertouch is not controlling anything in the performance.

Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 5:21 pm
Sladjan
Posts: 0
New Member
 

On the current version it is certainly impossible to implement because those buttons are probably not illuminated. On a future version...honestly, I don't see a benefit for that. Neither the dial nor the buttons under it have any functions when you use the keyboard live, on stage. At least, there is the touch screen for direct navigating, but I still don't see where I would have to use the dial while performing live.

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 5:54 pm
david
Posts: 0
Reputable Member
 

It's dark in my studio at night. I have a USB hub and it is self powered so I can plug a small UBS powered LED light and move it where ever I need it to illuminate. Many types have a goose neck for adjustments. I have (4) of these, one on the Montage, one on my mixing board, one on my ROLI and Matrixbrute and one over my CP1. I just keep them plugged in although mine are rechargeable. They are very convenient.

Here's a new design:

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-BYB-Dimmable-Sensitive-Removable/dp/B01EWNWYCC/ref=sr_1_18?srs=9621886011&ie=UTF8&qid=1501267169&sr=8-18

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 6:37 pm
Rod
 Rod
Posts: 0
Estimable Member
Topic starter
 

Hello all - thanks for the ideas! I do have a neat little battery powered LED which does help, but doesn't 'belong' there. I'm being selfish in that I no longer enjoy 20-20 vision, and have something of an issue with low contrast situations - so illuminated buttons would solve my problem and hopefully for others, without making things worse for anyone else. I don't mind which colour Jason, just thought the blue would balance with the 'Scene' buttons, but the orange would be fine, How nice it would be if a simple software update could activate already in situ lamps! But that's a bit much to hope for! The data wheel isn't so much a problem as it's jet black and shiny, with a degree of contrast - just thought of the aesthetics of matching up the big glowy thing on the left ... while at it, they may as well illuminate the recording section buttons as well ...

My set-up is permanent studio, no gigging, and incorporates a large external touch screen (eyesight again!), so I much prefer using the nearer buttons whenever possible - faster and neater and keeps the hands free (I need to use a stylus).

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 7:21 pm
david
Posts: 0
Reputable Member
 

I guess you've already seen my Dell LCD remote touch screen setup for Montage. That's saves my neck, sanity and vision. I wonder why high end mixers have those XLR style outlets built-in on the top surface for mounting and powering a goose neck light. Seems like that's a novel idea for any working control interface that could actually be in use in the low light or the dark. Would have been nice to have the Montage boast of such a feature.

 
Posted : 28/07/2017 8:53 pm
Rod
 Rod
Posts: 0
Estimable Member
Topic starter
 

Hello david - sure have! I splashed out on the Dell a few months ago hoping it might work, and it did - reported on here with pictures. The LED lights are a stop-gap solution - they help a bit, but by illuminating part of the keyboard they accentuate the gloom elsewhere. To illuminate the buttons is the best answer - no reflections either - seems strange to have illuminated most of the buttons, but not all of them. Surely not cost-cutting?

 
Posted : 29/07/2017 9:08 am
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