Welcome to MODX M

Thanks for purchasing MODX M, the mobile music synthesizer with flagship sound from Yamaha. This guide is designed to help get you up and making music ASAP!

What’s in the Box?

• MODX M Music Synthesizer
• PA-300C Power Adapter
• Owner’s Manual
• Download Information for ESP and Cubase AI

Quick Connections

Power

Connect the supplied power adaptor to the 15V jack on the rear panel. Connect the other end of the adaptor to an AC outlet.

Audio

MODX M sounds best in stereo, but you can connect a single output too. When using mono output, connect only to the [L/MONO].

MODX M features ultra-high-fidelity sound and we recommend connecting to a mixer, audio interface or powered speakers in stereo. Most of the instrument sounds are sampled/programmed in stereo and many of the effects are stereo effects as well. All these elements sound acceptable in MONO but are best if amplified in STEREO. We don’t recommend connecting to guitar or keyboard amps unless you’re going for a special effect.

Use two standard 1/4″ instrument cables and connect directly to a set of studio monitors or powered speakers. Set the appropriate input gain on your mixer, audio interface or powered speakers. Then adjust the output level to the optimal level for your playing and listening environment. For more information on input gain and gain staging go here.

Audio Input

MODX M features a stereo A/D input. You can route external audio through two Insertion Effects and an EQ block. When using the A/D input you’ll need to choose the input type. To do this:

• Press [UTILITY].
• Touch “Settings” in the first column on the left, then “Audio I/O” in the adjacent column to the right adjacent column.
• In the Input area choose “Mic” for a mic input or “Line” for a standard instrument level input.

Connecting a mic to MODX M requires a dynamic microphone and XLR female to ¼” TS (tip sleeve) male cable. Connect the dynamic microphone to the L/Mono input on MODX M.

USB/MIDI

MODX M features two USB connections, one TO HOST and one TO DEVICE port. The TO HOST connection is for connecting MODX M to a computer or iOS device with a single USB cable.

The TO DEVICE USB port allows two different types of connections:

• USB flash drives for storing and recalling internal content
• USB MIDI controllers such as keyboards or drum pads. You can connect these directly to the USB TO DEVICE port and play MODX M sounds.

Adjust Touch Curve

For best results, do this after setting optimizing your gain staging above.

Velocity scale varies widely from player to player. You can customize velocity sensitivity on the MODX M keyboard to how hard or soft you play. To access this setting:

• Press [UTILITY]
• Touch “Sound”
• Touch “Velocity Curve” in the center of the screen to set (outlined in red below). Choose from Normal, Soft 1/2, Hard 1/2, Wide and Fixed:

Exploring Sounds

Playable sounds in MODX M are called Performances. Want to explore Performances in your MODX M? Press the [CATEGORY] button (outlined in green below):

Touch “Category” in the touchscreen. Use the Page Knob (directly below the word “Page” in the screen below) to search sounds within the selected Category.

Note “Sub” category below “Main” main category in the screenshot above. Here you can further refine your search. Say you are looking for Analog Pad/Choir sounds: Use the touchscreen by first searching the main Category, “Pad/Choir”, then selecting Subcategory “Analog” in the touchscreen:

Want to search for MODX M specific sounds? Touch “Attribute” in the touchscreen:

The Attribute tab allows you to search in a few different ways:

• You can search by synth engine type (AWM2, FM-X or AN-X).
• You can search by different control and behavior type (MC or “Motion Control”, SSS or “Seamless Sound Switching” or Smart Morph).
• You can search only Single Part Performances (Single) or Multi Part Performances (Multi). Note that Single Part Performances appear in green, and Multi Part Performances appear in Blue, and directly below the Performance name is a graphic showing the number of active Parts in a Performance.
• MODX M includes all the Preset Performances and Voices from MOTIF XF and MONTAGE as well as new MODX M Performances. You can refine you search by models: MOTIF XF, MONTAGE and MODX M.

MODX M Additional Information

• The [AUDITION] button (circled in red in the panel view below): Want to hear a demonstration of a specific Performance? Press the [AUDITON] button.
• The [LIVE SET] button (circled in blue in the panel view below):  Live Sets are Performance collections arranged in a single screen of 16 Performance slots.

Select Live Set Performances in the touchscreen.  There is a single Preset Live Set Bank with 16 Pages of 16 Performance slots. You can create your own Live Set Pages in the User Live Set Bank. There you have 8 User Live Set Banks each with 16 Pages of 16 Performance slots. The screenshot below shows the Preset Bank, Live Set Page 1 “Best of MODX M 1”: