Mastering MONTAGE: Inside the Performance Video Series

Your MONTAGE can meticulously re-create the expressive sound of the Yamaha CFX 9' concert grand piano. How? Learn that and more in this 4-part video series on MONTAGE Music Synthesizer Performances with Blake Angelos, Yamaha Product Specialist.

Part I: Single Instrument, Multi-Part Performance concept inside the MONTAGE Music Synthesizer

This video explores the MONTAGE Performance, “CFX Concert”- a meticulous re-creation of the Yamaha CFX 9' concert grand piano. Blake discusses how each Part of the Performance reproduces exceptional dynamic and expressive sound:

Part II: The Super Knob

The Super Knob is a powerful macro control of the MONTAGE Motion Control Synthesis engine. Blake discusses how the Super Knob simulates proximity effect on the MONTAGE Performance “CFX Concert”. This is done by moving multiple parameters at the same time for a musical, dynamic and expressive result:

Part III: Introducing Gallery Performances

Gallery Performances provide a “Gallery” or “collection” of instruments running into a single amp - or - the same instrument running into a variety of amps. ”Gallery Performances can utilize different Parts of a Performance as different instruments or they can contain different versions of the same instrument. In this video, Blake highlights the Gallery Performance “Rd 1 Gallery”, a 5-Part Performance with four different historical iterations of the Rhodes™ electronic piano. The video also shows how the Audition button provides insight on using a Performance:

Part IV: Gallery Performances and Scenes

Blake shows how Scenes can select and mute Parts in a Gallery Performance. Exploring the “8 Amps and a TC” Performance, he shows how each Part has different effects applied to the same guitar. Blake also explores his User Performance “Blake’s Gig Gallery.” This Performance has typical gig instruments assigned to each Part and selectable via the Scene buttons – perfect for playing an entire gig in a single Performance:

Want to discuss what you've learned? Join the conversation here on the Forum.

And stay tuned - more video series are available - with more coming soon!

About the author

Blake Angelos

Yamaha Synthesizer Product Specialist Blake Angelos has over thirty years of experience with music hardware and software. An expert in music technology, Blake has conducted numerous clinics, master classes and presentations throughout the United States, Europe and Canada. In his role as Product Specialist for the Synthesizer Department Blake appears in many product videos and artist interviews, writes many articles for YamahaSynth.com and co-hosts a regular Podcast called “Behind the Synth”.

Before his work with Yamaha, he taught music theory and jazz studies courses at Arizona State University; managed a technology-focused music store in Seattle and was a production supervisor at Microsoft, where he led a team that developed groundbreaking interactive music content for the Microsoft Network. Blake holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Music degree from Arizona State University. Blake currently resides in Bellingham, Washington with his family, and between his travels around the world for Yamaha, he performs as much as possible with several jazz and creative music groups in Bellingham, Seattle and other places in the Pacific Northwest.