Bill wrote:

I would like to know if there is any way to increase the overall volume coming out of the audio output and headphone jacks. With the volume knob turned up all the way, the signal is weak at best. Any suggestions woul;d be greatly appreciated.

Yes. There are several ways to ensure you are getting the best level from your Yamaha MX.

_ Make sure your MX49/MX61 is updated to the latest firmware 1.01
http://download.yamaha.com

_ the MX is designed to be used both as a multi-Part tone engine for sequencing in a computer DAW scenario as well as for use in "live" performing situations. Necessarily the output levels split the difference between being optimized for multi play and for being used as a solo instrument. Given every one today is obsessed with getting maximum volume out of everything this can have you thinking its "weak at best". The rather conservative output level is by design. There is plenty of gain inside the MX engine. And you can customize the sounds yourself... Highly recommended. We can show you how. Please see the MX Resources area... You will find how to build huge multi-Part Performances using the (Free) VycroMX Performance Editor, and if you want to go really deep, look into the John Melas MX suite - a highly recommend third party endorsed that gets inside the MX engine! The power is within the engine. There is plenty of headroom (plenty of room to build into) these articles will show you how:

Yamaha MX49/MX61 Resources link

_ If your need is recording, I highly recommend the John Melas MX suite of Editors... Because buried in the sound engine of the MX is the heart of the Motif-series. The Voice, Performance, Mix Editors unlock the full power of the MX.

_ the output of the MX is just fine for live play. Once you begin building your own multi Part Performances you'll appreciate the headroom.

_ Finally, when properly gain staged into a live system you will be feeding enough signal to be handled by your sound system. Headphone compatibility could be simply a matter of the resistance.

I appreciate your response. I interpret the answer as the low level audio output is the way that the MX is designed. I use the MX for live performance exclusively and it is not practical to have a computer or tablet attached to it during a performance. I will just have to live with it. Thanks.

To be more specific, I do not have any interest in creating huge multi part performances. I got the MX for its Motif voices. I play one voice at a time - occasionally two voices split or layered. I use the B.O.M.B. set of performances, which are real basic. I will be creating a few of my own performances and will try the add-ons you suggested. I'll also check the firmware version. Thanks again.

Hi Bill,

I just wanted to chime in real quick here. I use Yamaha keyboards for gigging live so I get where you're coming from. What Bad Mister is saying is that all the preset levels -- Voices or Performances -- are intentionally set very low, so that if a inexperienced user starts layering a ton of patches in performance mode, the output doesn't start clipping.The first thing I do with any of these boards is to create User Voices of my favorite patches, and then adjust the output levels to my taste. So it's quite easy to go in and in a few different ways increase the output level of a Performance or Voice. Here are some general ideas:

1. Create User Voices of your favorite sounds and then adjust the general output. If this isn't loud enough, then you can also adjust the output levels of the insert effects, or add your own insert effect. For example, the VCM EQ can be set to flat and then you can adjust the overall gain to increase the volume.

2. In Performance Mode, increase the general EQ equally in the Low, Mid, and High section, this will produce an even increase in volume. You can also increase/check the volume for whatever channel you're Voice is in.

I would recommend getting the Melas Suite of editors that Bad Mister recommended. They're very easy to use and they make the complicated Yamaha architecture much more intuitive. These keyboards have a lot of features that are very cool to use live, it just takes a little digging to get how they work.

~Ben

Hello.
This is my first post on this forum.

The reason you do not have the right output level is because the MX is designed to be used in a multitimbral environment primarily. the voices level has been set so that voices could be added to a performance without worrying about mix level. you will notice they just fit in when you build your performance, the mix is perfect, each voice cut in perfectly in the mix. I just bought an MX for Christmas and using it reminds me of the XG MU series from Yamaha. Multitimbral sound engine setup primarily in performance mode.The big difference that make this board such a value for the price is that YAMAHA made available the low level engine through MIDI and published the specs. this made the board able to be programmed to the motif level at a fraction of the price.

If you want to enhance the sound ouput you should first build your own performances usig Vycro MX and up the level of part 1 and 2. Next step is to to use John Melas editor (not free) or program your own (free) editor to take the voices you want to perform single and boost the output level of the waves then save them in user voices to use in your own performance for stage use.

The MX has plenty of output Volume. this is what I have done to program single performance.

Bill,
After some live jobs with the MX61, I'm definitely in your camp on the rather "dim" voices (pianos, in particular). However, I have since tried the Performance EQ settings suggested by Ben, and I think that may prove to be the ticket (for me).

Ben,
I'd like to just out all the EQ levels at +12db, but maybe +6 would be a more prudent approach...? Also, I've found some references to VCM EQ, but being a non-midi/synth guy, I don't really how to implement that method. Can it be done through the MX interface, or the free Vycro, which I have installed? Just looking for a bit more guidance on that...
Thanks!
Ol Will

Hi Will,

When you raise the gain on the EQ in performance mode, just make sure it's even on all frequencies and that it's not causing your output level to clip. I would recommend purchasing the John Melas Editors for the MX. There is a bundle you can get that's not too expensive and it's makes "getting under the hood" much more intuitive. You still have to wrap your head around the MX architecture and the Yamaha terminology, but once you get that, things start to make sense pretty quickly.

VCM EQ is whats called an insert effect, meaning it's not part of the Voice itself but an effect you add on. A lot of the Voices come with various insert effects, for example a electric piano with delay would be using one of the different delays as an insert effect. This gets more complicated when you move into Performance mode but that's basically how it works. Anyway, when you open the Melas Voice Editor or start editing a Voice from the front panel, you can open up the Insert Effects (A or B) and you should see whether or not that Voice has a VCM EQ or not. If it's using another insert effect, usually you can adjust the output on one of those as well. The cool thing about the VCM EQ or the VCM compressor is that there are designed to sound like actual analog effects so they can warm your sound pretty noticeably.

Try searching insert effects on this site and see what comes up....

~Ben

Many thanks for the reply, Ben. I bumped all my performances up to +8db, which was easy enough to do with Vycro MX. We'll see how that "plays" out in a live situation.I did notice some of the voices had VCM EQ, but that column showed as "read only," as I recall. Maybe I'll wade into the Melas Voice Editor someday, but hopefully the raised levels will take care of me for awhile. Thanks again! ~Will

Cool!

Also, sometimes the insert effects run parallel, meaning their outputs are independent of each other. This is so you can assign different insert effects to different Elements of a Voice. For example, you might have an EP with a synth pad and you might put VCM EQ on the EP, and VCM compression on the synth. So if you raise the output level of the VCM EQ, you would only be raising the level of the EP and not the synth pad. So raising the insert effect output might not have the desired effect depending on how the Voice is structured.

All good to know, Ben -- thanks! I'll be using the MX on a job next weekend, so maybe I'll have something of "note" to pass along about the increased EQ levels.

I'm also having a problem with very low output of many Voices on the MX88, mostly those that aren't SYN or PAD. Raising both the Voice Part and Performance Volume close to maximum does not seem to allow adequate output. I have the Master Volume at close to maximum with headphones for an adequate listening level.

I've explored many of the above suggestions, including purchasing the John Melas editors. The only thing that has seemed to help is to apply the Insert Effect: VCM EQ 501, and raise either the Gain or Output Level. However, this then limits the possibility of using any other Insert Effect on that particular Voice.

Is there a way to get adequate Volume on a low-output Voice without using an Insert Effect? It seems ideal to have, say, most of the Piano and Keyboard Voices at an adequate output without having to max out most of the Volume and EQ options.

I do love the functionality and sounds of the instrument, but am considering returning in the next couple of days—my window will be up then—if I can't find a solution. Thanks so much for any help you might be able to provide!

Volume is subjective and you should use something to measure the output, (gain should be measured properly with a meter) it is what any service center would do. A subjective judgement about how loud something is based on how far you have to turn something up in your speakers or headphones is non-scientific and much too prone to error to base a conclusion

Is there a way to get adequate Volume on a low-output Voice without using an Insert Effect? It seems ideal to have, say, most of the Piano and Keyboard Voices at an adequate output without having to max out most of the Volume and EQ options.

You should be able to get enough signal from your MX88 to feed to a sound system. Technically speaking, your amplification system is responsible for 'volume'.

We understand you have the doubt that your instrument is not outputting proper output gain. This can be tested and verified.
But let's talk about what you can do. You influence the output of any sound that is "velocity sensitive". I've spent a majority of my life around keyboard players both acoustic and electric, recording and playing live. What I learned is that as soon as electronics are involved some players readjust their playing style... completely. I learned I do, perhaps you do as well.

I only mention this as it might help you... how much effort it takes to play loud on a piano (I'm sure could be measured in calories) is thrown completely out of the window when it comes to playing on an electronic keyboard (w/sound system). Most players get lazy and turn up to get loud, instead of using more energy/effort. While they might have come close to breaking or bending a fingernail on the acoustic, the possibility of that ever happening with the electronic is ZERO. They simply turn up instead.

For some this is a severe difference, for other it is not so much... but the fact that you specifically mention the Piano and Keyboard Voices, makes me suggest what I would probably tell you if I was watching you play. If you are expecting as much volume with equal effort out of all sounds, that is NOT what is happening.

How are the synth and Organ sounds? See how they just jump out of the box because the effort input might have zero influence on the resulting output.

When you move from an Organ sound to a piano sound, the same amount of key-on effort will naturally make the piano sound softer. Do you see what I mean...? this is because to get the same volume output from the piano sound would require what they call "elbow grease" - you would need to apply more effort. This is how Velocity works... the sound is turned down expecting you, the player, to provide the effort for loudness.

You can adjust the velocity curve so that if the effort to make Velocity sensitive sounds "get loud" seems unnatural to you, set it for "Soft" touch. I would work with the Velocity Curve and Velocity Sensitivity long before I would mess with Insert Effects, EQ, or any such thing. Particularly since I'm pretty sure it is a Velocity issue you are describing not an output gain issue (imho).

Anyway, how loud you are is in large part a result of the sound system you plug into. Your overall volume is, in the end, is a combination of the output gain of the source (MX), and the input sensitivity of the amplifier and system you are plugging into.

The MX is rated a LINE level source, what are you using as a sound system?