Specifications

Part 1: sYntHesIzers anD
wOrkstatIOns
For the past 20 years, Yamaha
releases free Quick Guides to their
respective new synthesizers, tone
generators, and workstations.
For several years, the Quick Guides are
integral parts of the Music Production
Guides (until August 2010 „MOTIF News
Guide“).
Since those guides and workshops were
mostly based on a specific model, we will
try and start a new concept in this series.
Ten years ago, the first synthesizer of the
very popular MOTIF series was introdu-
ced. With the MOTIF 6 / 7 / 8 (or MOTIF
„Classic“) began a success story that was
most recently continued with the MOTIF XF
models and the MOX.
A special feature of the MOTIF series is the
continuity in its sound architecture and ope-
ration. So if you have once understood the
device‘s concept you can apply this know-
ledge on the following models.
Considering this we had the idea of a uni-
versal „Yamaha Synth Guide“, which covers
all eligible topics in a series and one by
one.
The following devices are primarily consi-
dered:
• MOTIFXF
• MOTIFXS
• MOX
• MOTIF-RACKXS
• S90XS
However, owners of older models such as
the MOTIF „Classic“ or the MOTIF ES can
also benefit from this workshop series,
since, as stated above, the basic sound
architecture is unchanged throughout the
complete MOTIF series (including S-and
MO-series).
The workshop also wants to enable new-
comers to the world of the MOTIF series
to step beyond the basic operation. One
goal is to use the enormous potential of the
instruments and to optimize the workflow.
Let‘s start with some basic definitions. The
variety of instruments that are played with
a keyboard is very broad. The question is:
What is a „keyboard“, what is a „worksta-
tion“? Where does a „stage piano“ begin, at
which point is the term „master keyboard“
no longer applicable? What is referred as
„analog“ or „digital“? What instrument is
called „ROMpler“ (Wave-ROM player) and
how does it differ from a synthesizer? There
are many questions like these - we want to
bring some clarity to the confusion.
tHe sYntHesIzer
For centuries the sound generation of mu-
sical instruments based on natural mate-
rials, such as wood, metal, natural furs,
skins, or gut. The extended possibilities of
an alternative sound generation arose with
the electricity. Robert Moog is regarded as
a pioneer and inventor of the first synthe-
sizer, having constructed the first electronic
analog synthesizer in the mid-sixties of the
last century.
A trip into the detailed distinction between
analog and digital technology would at this
point deviate too far from the real issue.
So - at the time of the first synthesizer the
analog technology was the only available.
Analog technology results in almost infinite-
ly variable signals. In contrast, the signal of
the digital technology is always divided into
steps, each representing a fixed value of the
total possible value range.
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