Specifications

Now, a sample - in contrast to an
oscillator - can already include all possible
modulations and effects etc. So a machi-
ne that plays back ready-made samples is
sufficient to generate sound. Such equip-
ment is called a sample player, ROM sam-
ple player, or in short „Rompler“. Only the
possibility of actual sound processing, for
example using filters, envelopes, LFOs, etc.
allows the comparison to the original syn-
thesizer.
Whether the - as an example - sine wave
is generated directly from an oscillator or
is the result of playing back a sample can
be neglected at least for the terminology. It
is obvious that a saxophone sample should
in principle sound like a saxophone without
any processing. But it is this sample that
may result in sounds, that can‘t be achie-
ved with a traditional oscillator (or only with
much effort), if it is processed by the modu-
lation capabilities of a synthesizer.
Keeping that in mind we can make abso-
lutely clear that the sound generation in
each of the instruments discussed in this
workshop series can definitely be called a
synthesizer.
A closer look at the Yamaha editor soft-
ware shows the vast variety of parameters
that each of the up to eight Parts (similar
to oscillators) within a Voice offers to pro-
cess and modulate a signal. Both the pre-
sets as well as the „sample-free“ versions of
used to create extremely complex sounds
with - to express it traditionally - up to 128
oscillators. I‘m not sure if Mr. Moog has da-
red to have this vision at his time.
So the preliminary summary is: Every
instrument from the MOTIF / S / MO / MOX
series includes a full-fledged synthesizer.
tHe wOrkstatIOn
anD samPlInG
Taken literally, one might translate the term
workstation to perhaps as a „machine
doing the main workload“. If you enter the
term in Wikipedia, you get the explanation
of a powerful computer system.
Strictly speaking the workstation for us
musicians is both. Modern electronic
instruments are specialized computers
that are restricted to musical applications.
They become a „machine“ by the enhan-
cing combination of applications that go
beyond just playing sounds. In principle,
one can see it again as a modular system,
only within a single unit.
An important component which elevates a
synthesizer to a workstation is a recording
and playback ability. So a built-in sequen-
cer has probably the widest distribution for
that purpose.
pre-produced audio or MIDI data.
A workstation‘s sequencer can record mul-
tiple tracks, extensively edit the recorded
data, delete or add individual data, resolve
the recordings in pattern or song structures
and much more. Even the integration of au-
dio data is possible.
The latter leads us to another option of the
workstation: sampling.
Samplers were also separate devices in the
past. They were used for recording, editing
and playing back audio data, but not in
the style of a tape recorder. The audio data
was cut into small individual samples, then
edited and prepared to be played with a
keyboard or the pads of a drum machine.
For the proper processing of the recorded
audio data (graphical representation of the
waveforms) the first samplers had their own
monitors or at least a monitor connector.
Many modern workstations, including the
MOTIF series from „classic“ to XF, feature a
full-fledged sampler, which can perform all
necessary edits directly on the instrument.
Additional options of a workstation - but
not limited to - can be master keyboard
functions, that make it possible to control
multiple instruments and expanders from a
single keyboard.
The remote control of a computer software
such as Cubase can be part of a work-
station, too. (A brief glance here: Softwares
The MOTIF XF is the current top model of the MOTIF-series
optional soundsets include plenty of great
examples.
The ability to play 16 Voices in parallel has
not necessarily to be used as a multi-mode
for working with MIDI files. It can also be
In earlier times generally available as a
standalone device, the sequencer is used
in a workstation for recording and editing
your own performance and playing back
such as Cubase, Logic, Ableton Live, Pro-
Tools and many more are often referred to
as a DAW = „Digital Audio Workstation“
- so here‘s this term, too.)
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