The problem with purchasing a programmable synthesizer is sometimes you actually have to program it. 🙂 I promise you'll be working this at the end of this post...

The difference between the sound in VOICE mode and the sound when you place it in an ensemble setup like a Performance, Song or Pattern mode, is easily understood.

The difference is: in Voice mode the sound has two Insertion Effects (InsA and InsB) which are part programmed as a part of the Voice. It also has access to the two System Effects (Rev and Chorus) which are not apart of the Voice.

When you go to Song mode, for example, those two System Effects are now different. It's like joining a band and plugging your instrument into the studio's mixer. Your Insert Effects are apart of the Voice (so there you are okay). The others, the Reverb and the Chorus belong to the studio. You access these via a mixer with Auxiliary Sends. I'm sure you've worked with a mixer before... All channels of the mixer have send amounts to the Rev and Chorus processors.

Take the Lead sound you are interested in: "Progressive Rock Lead"
From its main screen press [F6] EFFECT to view an overview of its processor blocks...
Move the cursor around to highlight the different Effect blocks

In Voice mode its two Insertion Effects are:
VCM EQ 501 - a boutique class 5-band EQ
Compressor/Distortion - a powerful multi-effect processor
These are apart of the synth lead Voice. And are automatically carried to the new mode.

The System Effects are:
Cross Delay - this time delay effect gives the multiple repeats
SPX Hall/b] - as the general overall reverberation chamber
These are effects that belong to the "studio" (think of the Song mode as the studio)

All you need to do is tell the studio owner, in order to get your sound, you need a "Cross Delay", and a "SPX Hall". 🙂

If you think of each VOICE as a musician. Each musician has 2 personal (Insert ) effects.
When that musician goes to the "studio" Song/Pattern mode (they become a PART in a band), they can bring their 2 personal effects (Insert effects), but all musicians must share the studio effects via a SEND/RETURN situation, just like you find on any mixer.

You have come to like the original programmer's use of the "Cross Delay". Now that you know this is what was making that "some kind of delay" you can easily program it yourself. And given time with a powerful programmable synth, you probably can make it even more to your liking! 🙂

Or you can claim the synth is too programmable, too flexible, and way too much fun and you can return to a simpler, easier to work, less flexible instrument 🙂

Seriously, all you need to do is setup in the current program, the two System Effects that make the most sense for your combination of instruments. And then SEND some of the channel in question to the Effect.

Reverb... If you've ever been to pro studio... Is something that all channels share via a Send/Return situation, because the goal is to make it sound like the musicians are all in one space playing as an ensemble. Set the REV = SPX Hall

Reverberation and the Chorus Effect (more properly called "Time Delays") are accessible by assigning them to your MIXING setup. Then SENDING the amount that works for you (not even the great programmers at Yamaha could know exactly the Send amount that is right for your particular composition... So take control. Set the CHO = Cross Delay

Here's how:
Call up the SONG you are using to combine the sounds
Press [MIXING] - this is where you get access to the synth sounds
Press [F6] EFFECT>
This is a shortcut to the Effect routing Edit screen

Move the cursor to highlight the CHO block.
Select CROSS DELAY (using the Data Dial or DEC/INC buttons.
Press [SF4] CHORUS to access the parameters (in the original both the left and right delays are set to 500.0ms)
There are two pages of parameters ... Cursor right-left to see the pages

The REV block is SPX Hall... Set that up if you like it or use another. If you don't change stuff - you are not taking advantage of this being a very programmable synth!

Now each Part (a PART is what you place the Voice in) each Part has a Send amount to these System Effects
Press [MIXING]
Press [F3] EF SEND

See, you probably already know how this stuff works. At Yamaha we build digital mixers (real ones) 🙂 we also build a small digital mixer inside each of our synthesizers, as well.

Try this out and let us know. Hopefully, it is clear and helps.

Hey,
Thanks for your help! I programmed it the way you wrote and it worked just fine.
I realized that this (using the same system fx for a song) limitation is one I can absolutely live with in a live setup. I actually had not realized to that point that the chorus and reverb here (called chorus and reverb in the fx slot) could be changed to any fx other in the song mode (still being called cho/rev 🙂 )

Thanks a lot!!! Gone jamming now 😉