Yamaha Motif-Rack XS

The Yamaha Motif line of keyboards are all good and well made, the rack version is right with them. The disappointing thing to me with this rack is that editing sounds and adding effects are so difficult like they are with all rack modules. You have to do it with a little barely back lit screen. But using the XS rack is easy otherwise and it works great with Cubase, Reason, and I have even synced it with Logic. Once you get the drivers squared away, which could take some patience depending on which machine you are running, you will have to download new drivers from the website.


UTILIZATION

The manual came in PDF format and it was easy to read and understand. You can rack this unit up and it will only take one rack space. You can save all of your favorite settings or self made presets to your own user banks.


SOUNDS

All of the synth sounds and basses, horns, and fx’s are really good. I think they are way better than Korg or Roland synths. But the drum kits need a lot of work, they drums weren’t realistic enough for me. It comes with 65 drum kits but for some reason I just didn’t like them and that’s where I think Roland wins between the two.


OVERALL OPINION

Finding the presets and sounds you want on the Motif XS rack is pretty easy its just editing those sounds and adding effects can get a little difficult. I had to refer back to the manual several times to figure some things out I was actually glad that the manual was in PDF format so I didn’t have to flip through a book every time I hit a bump in the road. If you want some really good synths this is the rack to purchase. It is very affordable and it beats actually paying for the actual keyboard. Just use your MIDI keyboard with the XS rack and you will be good to go!

The Motif Rack XS is definitely now one of the most powerful expanders market.
1U expander is incorporating the sounds of the Motif XS.
It is equipped with a new sound engine, 355 MB of waveforms and stunning effects VCM enable it to produce and integrate all types of music: Orchestral, Rock, Hip Hop, R & B, Electro etc.. GM mode, 4 simultaneous arpeggios, 6000 pre-programmed patterns
It has 5 assignable knobs for instant control.
Assignable outputs, digital output, USB, MIDI, Firewire / mLAN option (thanks to the map mLAN16E2 optional)

UTILIZATION

The manual is very complete
The Motif Rack XS is relatively simple to implement, but like all expanders of this type are difficult to edit sounds from the front panel and LCD.
Yamaha provides a free editor for Mac and PC that allows access to all features of Motif Rack XS.
OS upgrades, drivers from the publisher, the studio manager (for managing multiple devices in the same environment Yamaha) are downloadable on the site YamahaSynth.com
drivers and other utilities are now available for Win 7 (32 and 64bit)
It comes with a lighter version of Cubase 4AI
It fits perfectly into the environment of the editor of Cubase Motif Rack XS is seen as a VSTi for Cubase (without taking any resources from the computer) it is also possible thanks to the card to record digital mLan 8 tracks simultaneously in Cubase and apply to sounds from the Motif XS Rack VST effects while playing or recording.

SOUNDS

The polyphony is 128 possible pathways
The sound palette is extremely broad Voices 1.152 and 65 Drum Kits are availables and made from 355 MB of waveforms, for a total of 2670 waveforms. (128 General MIDI voices GM)

main categories of sounds are:
MAIN CATEGORY
- Piano (Acoustic Piano) - Keys (Keyboard) - Organ - Guitar - Bass - String (String) - Brass - SaxWW (Sax / Woodwind) - SynLd (Synth Lead) - Pads (Pad Synth / Choir) - SyCmp (Synth Comp ) - CEPROC (Chromatic Percussion) - Dr / Pc (Drum / Percussion) - S. EFX (Sound Effect) - Mr. EFX (Musical Effect) - Ethnc (Ethnic)
Multi-mode can be pre programmed sets of mix and arrangement of "voices" for different styles of music besides there are already three banks of 128 presets, programmed for different styles of music such as R & B, hip-hop, jazz, film soundtrack, electronica, Latin styles, ballad, rock and others.
The sounds sound excellent in every category and have good dynamics (very few of them are not usable as is)
The quality of the effects is also very high level and not only allows the insertion of two voices but also by effects of general effects.
6.633 Arpeggiator types are available 4 can operate simultaneously allowing combinasonts similar to those of an arranger (he is indeed possible to have a battery for the arpeggio, arpeggio playing a bass line, a guitar arpeggio playing a rhythmic and one for a piano it is possible to assign out different areas on the keyboard ..)

OVERALL OPINION

I have this module for over a year and I could not find on the market module more versatile, and possesses such a quality sound.
What I can blame the Motif Rack XS is the inability to add expansion cards as it was possible to do on the previous model (Motif Rack ES) and the absence of the module as the sampling keyboard versions, but this is offset by the sound quality and impressive capabilities and seamless integration with Cubase and is communications capabilities with other peripherals Yamaha (KX8, N12, N8, ...) and integration Editor's also in Cubase.
Since purchasing e module I also purchased the card that allows me mLan the recording 8 PSTE simultaneously in Cubase.
The price may seem high, but the first uses of this module, the quality of timbles, the potential effects and integration with music environment (DAW) you quickly reinforces your choice
I would do the purchase without any restriction