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Hi, I have recently purchased a Montage 8, I simply fell in love with the sounds and the expression possibilities, but it seems as though I have bought more with my heart than my head as I am having a hard time translating what information is in the manuals to practical use. Can someone please direct me to useful entry level tutorials for the Montage as I am coming from using vintage analogue and this format is alien to me.
Posted : 09/03/2017 8:28 pm
Hi Jason,
Not to worry... although this has been called "alien technology", it is doable, knowable and there is a method to the madness. There is no one way to enjoy the Montage - and you will begin to see that it was truly designed for those who love to swim near the surface and those who love to dive deep into it. Take your time.
I would highly recommend starting by just enjoying playing the sounds. The Factory Preset Performance serve not only as a showcase for the basic sounds but stand as examples of what you can create yourself.
Using the on-board content to begin exploring is highly recommended. We each will gravitate to a particular sound or set of sounds, sounds that resonate for us - begin your exploration there. One of the main purposes of this site is to have timely answers - and help in those explorations.
It is not clear from your post exactly what is baffling you the most at this time. Programming, navigation, concepts... Let us know.
Posted : 09/03/2017 8:43 pm
I personally like the tutorial series (currently 10 part) by Michael Tan. The videos are clear - nice visual effects to laser-focus your attention on exactly what to press or look at. Lots of practical topics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAtlU9iVkLY
The rest of the videos can be found from the 1st in the series (as other parts are recommended as additional links and eventually Youtube will recommend all 10 in the series).
Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R
Posted : 10/03/2017 4:54 am
Definitely the Mastering Montage series. The basics of synthesis don't change but yes navigating through the parameters can be daunting at first.
Posted : 10/03/2017 5:34 am
Hello Jason 2 - Commiserations! It is baffling, but take heart! I thought I'd bought a pig in a poke, but the capabilities of Montage are more than enough for everyone. Listen to Bad Mister (BM) and take your time - push the button marked 'Category Search' (top tow on the right) then tap the screen pad marked 'All' (top left of screen) and just play the patches (Performances, or Pfs, in Yamaha-speak). If you have OS v 1.50 installed, you can tap 'Favourites' as you go (at bottom of the screen) but if not it doesn't matter at this stage. Hundreds of the Pfs will do nothing for you, but hundreds of others will. Think of this as casting off from the dock on a voyage of discovery ... there is far too much to absorb all at once. Your own curiosity will lead you - why has that light come on? What happens if I turn it off? Or just press it? Specific questions will arise of their own accord, which you can ask here of the Manuals don't help enough. I've had mine for 10 months now, and I'm constantly surprised by what tricks Montage has up its sleeve - and I'm very much an amateur surface dabbler.
Posted : 10/03/2017 7:03 am
