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Hello - I've been mulling over ways of improving the selectivity of sound types on Montage. 8 Libraries are simply not enough, while 640 sounds within each creates a major selection problem, especially as sub-libraries aren't possible. After several false starts, I now think that USB keys provide an answer, insofar as I can have as many Libraries as I want on a USB (within its capacity). Each Library would contain a certain genre of sounds (2 Pianos, String pads, Orchestral, Atmospheres, etc) and can be added to or taken from as required. It is only necessary to ensure the Montage is never asked to load more than 8 at any time, deleting unwanted ones in favour of required ones, ensuring they have been backed up to the USB first.
This is devised to suit my particular interest, which is in the sounds themselves, but it may be of use to others.
So to my question. I am far from knowledgeable on how things work (you can drive a car without knowing how the engine works), so am asking if there is any basic, possibly fatal, flaw in my thinking? I've tried it out in a limited way, and it seems to work - but before launching on a big-scale re-hash of the entire structure, it is prudent to ask informed opinion. Please - and thank you.
To Yamaha ...
It would be perfect if the USB key were accessible directly from Montage, thus eliminating the to-ing and fro-ing required by my workaround (in much the same way as the system employed on the Tyros series). It may not be technically possible - but it would be nice ...
Posted : 02/01/2017 5:42 pm
Your USB drive costs you about $10 but has little in common with the kind of memory necessary/used to store and retrieve audio in a realtime synthesizer. Your USB drive can (barely) stream 2 tracks of audio (stereo) and they don't give you the Latency figures but surely they are not anywhere near what would be required to play music by pressing keys. The type of memory that stores and allows realtime access (measured in nano seconds) to more than 128 stereo channels of audio is not only way more expensive but way, way faster and robust.
Defying gravity so that heavy items float in air and would be light to carry around is a "nice" idea too, it's just that gravity doesn't work like that. Not even close. Neither does memory... glad you recognize you are not knowledgeable about such things... so it shouldn't be a shock that it's simply Not possible. Sorry. That is if I'm reading your post correctly.
You can keep as many Library Files on USB drives as you desire. You can simply only have realtime access to eight Libraries plus the current User memory area. The design concept is to eliminate the possible scenario (as was the case with XF) that you have orphaned data. Orphaned data is when you have the Waveform and Samples installed in memory, but you don't have the rest of the data required to make everything play properly.
An installed Library has everything needed to make its Performances play as you expect. No more juggling with directing Waveforms and Samples to one place, while directing Individual User Programs to another place, as in the XF.
A Library must be installed to Montage internal Flash in order for you to play it live.
Here is another benefit: when using an application like "Montage Connect" you can organize and keep all your Performance Library data accessible and organized as may prefer.
The internal 1.75GB of memory means you can extend not just the number of Performances, but the basic Wave ROM of Source Waveforms for the AWM2 engine.
Posted : 02/01/2017 6:01 pm
Topic starter
Hello BM, I thought the 'Tyros' system of employing 2 USB drives as directly usable memory may not work with Montage - it was just an ill-informed thought! I did wonder about the 'Connect' facility, but thought it may be slower to use than a simple USB key. I'll have another look at that though. My proposed use of a USB key as a store for specialised Libraries may not have come across too well though. I use one now as a back-up for Montage stuff, including Libraries, and I can swap them to and fro with no loss of playability. BUT, the USB will accept any number of different Libraries (within its capacity), and in the way I operate having just 8 types of sound is nowhere near enough, and searching through 640 sounds for a particular type just won't do. I want quick access to a large number of types of sound - so rather than a small number of massive libraries, I need a large number of small Libraries - so long as no more than 8 of them are loaded at any one time, I don't think there will be a problem? Provided I don't forget to back up before deleting! Remember my interest is not in the music, but in the sound music is made with. As I go along (with masses of help! ) I find Montage becomes increasingly useful (to me), and I suspect that many others find the same thing.
Posted : 02/01/2017 8:27 pm
