Yamaha MOTIF XS7

The Yamaha Motif XS7 is an in depth keyboard based workstation and is on the newer side of the keyboards in the Motif series. However, I don't believe that they're making the XS7 any longer as I believe it's been replaced with an even newer model at this point. The XS7 in particular has 76 keys, but there's also a XS6 and XS8 with 61 and 88 keys respectively. The Motif series keyboards in general aim to be all in one workstations where you can both use it as your traditional keyboard and synth, but also for creating and recording music right on board. It's fully polyphonic and has all the features you'd expect with a modern keyboard workstation.

UTILIZATION

There's a ton of stuff going on with the Yamaha Motif XS7! I've used older models of the Motif, so adjusting to this newer model wasn't too hard. I've really only used it a few times so I didn't get to check out all of the new features it has but was at least able to use it for it's most basic functions. The big upgrade is the LED monitor that's now a lot more visible and more in depth with what you can do with it - it's also the thing that's going to take the most time to get used to when compared to the older Motifs. Even if you haven't used any models of the Motif, it's pretty intuitive to use. However, like any in depth workstation it's going to take some serious use to learn all the ins and outs of it. The manual will definitely be helpful in this endeavor, but not necessary for more basic usage.

SOUNDS

The sounds heard from the Yamaha Motif XS7 are quite good in general. However, I don't see much of a different in quality or realness when compared to the older models of the Motif. It does have more sounds in general, but your basics like the acoustic and electric pianos, organs, and the like aren't a huge step up in my opinion. I understand that if you get the XS7 that you're not really buying it for these basic sounds but for it's more in depth controls and features, but that's pretty much what I've used it for...

OVERALL OPINION

It's hard to go wrong with an instrument like the Yamaha Motif XS7 as it has so much to offer. However, I'd highly recommend checking out all the major workstations like the Tritons and Viruses and the like as each of them are different and bring different good and bad qualities to the table. The XS7 is really cool but I don't know if it's the best overall choice if you're just looking for sounds, in fact, I'd say it's not. If you want to work all in one workstation this will do it, but with DAW's there's a lot better ways to go about it in my opinion. Still, the Yamaha Motif XS7 is a great workstation that's worth of investigation at least for those in the market for an all in one workstation.

See the website yamaha CONCERE characteristics Motif XS7!

I just got it, I give you below my first impressions!

UTILIZATION

Reason XS7 configuration is much simpler than the pattern or MO because the screen is finally larger, color and light. So, editing is easier navigation as well. One can easily search by style in a lite box. The eight faders can intuitively control parameters, very convenient.

Finally, a keyboard with seven octaves is a good compromise!

One regret: the toothed wheel is not enough for my taste, are often made too quickly, the wheel is not accurate enough.

SOUNDS

The grounds are amazing (especially for people who are looking for techno and trance styles, such as a can RM1X at the time, but this time with the pitch control on the keyboard). Many effects of high quality.

The acoustic sounds are good (especially wind instruments and electric pianos), but big disappointment for the acoustic piano, it is not (by far) the piano sound found on the Roland SRX.

We must therefore choose this keyboard for its performances "cause" a bit like an arranger, but a little more acoustic oriented but mostly electronic music.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it only for one day, so I am far from having been around and my opinion may change with time as new discoveries.

I hesitated before buying the new Korg, I discovered the show in Frankfurt. But according to the demo of the show, the Korg seems to impose democratic but in reality to make music, it seems more limited (progression arpeggios with height adjustment by moving from one pad to another and not using the keyboard: a rather DJ a musician! It loads the system Karma, which is great but difficult to use). While the Motif XS is more oriented musician with recognition agreements, arpeggios very much worked.

I "played" with a lot of the keyboards we last (various shops of Pigalle) and I must say that it was particularly amazed! I put the note will be clarified when I have acquired ...

UTILIZATION

Very top, you come very easily to leave a professional sound and the possibilities seem endless.

SOUNDS

At first a professional sound but I have played with the presets effects Wrapped in my opinion. To see the length.

OVERALL OPINION

Very impressive at first glance, it appears very clearly from the lot (arrangers and workstations) and we really want to dissect all the possibilities as the ergonomics are good.
I will say all this after having tried a little longer with me.

76 Notes version is more adapted to the sounds available, version 88 is really too large and too heavy, it's a shame.
Too bad the memory must be added, I put the max, 1GB is more than ncessaire and not too expensive.
T says it all, but I would add that the filters are quite well done and Varis, but it is mostly the effects are good and sound good trs.
Otherwise, trs CHARACTERISTICS are classic and the "Expended articulation" is new, but Yamaha has existed for over 15 years, for example all the Ensoniq sampler (EPS, EPS16, ASR10).
Moreover cot sampler, the features are trs limits and standards for: a single loop, no algo aid loop, no sound APRS loop, no d placement of the closure as TRANSWAVE. I think it's a marketing choice because it is not difficult to establish a modern machine as it exists on the Ensoniq dating back 15 years.

Cot more: squenceur with its function and squenceur Motif classic, mLan I installed but not yet test the 4 arpges, one could say only 4! because there are more of a PSR bte (I PSR2100), or the Tyros (horrible plastic box but super arranger), AIM Yamaha I would have put a few more features arranger this machine: it's about soft, the hardware is more than capable ....

The catch: yes it is in color and large, I wonder how did the other to use the original pattern and the ES as a notch on this type of machine is essential, against the quality is dplorable : a scandal for a synth of this price! The viewing angle is limited trs low contrast, brief low-end of trs, dplorable, and far from what is done on a single PC screen (eg Samsung), or any LCD TV, or any softphone (Nokia or iPhone screen). In short I wonder what the manufacturer refourg stock notches color technology of the 90s Yamaha ... I wonder if we could not find a way to change it ..
Among the regrets: given that the system is Linux based and is close to a PC, it would not cot much more expensive to add a notch out .. I always ask more ...

No more expansion card hard: damage so even if I personally MODELS old synth that I do not care a bit.
However, I have a small card apprci FM synthse for me is the most "alive" (set apart from the physical MODEL), the samples FM (DX), make pales by Report of the true FM. In fact on this machine, the only real part synthse are the filters, the rest is just good trs samples.

UTILIZATION

Is it simple?

Not at all! As they say, is a "gas factory".

Unlike what others say, the grip is not easy because some dtails are not logical. For example, the "Enter" key could be used to enter the names but not is another key.
We lost a little in all those menus and submenus, and the identical design of all pages does not help much.

The manual may be too short (as usual with Yamaha as one of the worst FS1R), and you have to go on the Web, or better express to understand the logic of ingnieurs from Yamaha. I note they have done a little work with practical examples, but it becomes ds technique (eg use of mLan), there is almost no info, just the list of functions without explanation! Fortunately there is the Web!

The keyboard: trs well and I got above average as I know, the worst as those of the Yamaha PSR SERIES.

SOUNDS

Ha: while it is there no picture: even if the hard is not original, same view is set back from all that has made 30 t of synthetic to the samples and are squence imbalances.
It is a machine to impress the non-musicians (!), But also full of inspiration as the samples are good and Varis.
BMOL A: There are not many good sounds like analog, but this should not be hard to schedule

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 1 month.
I do not regret my purchase (quite the contrary), I no longer use the pattern (for now).
Overall it is trs "musical" and that's what we want a synth.
Sure, it's a "bte" reader samples and is below a complete Sampler, but the samples ditants PC should overcome this default. I also believe that it is a machine-like "ready play" and few players will make the programming of sounds a bit like all the Yamaha machines (which can t get a good sound on an FM-type SY DX ????).
Functions mmorisation configurations are trs compltes: it's also a live keyboard. There are some good tips as safeguarding the sound with the squence.
I still spend quite some time before being comfortable.

Single large default: it is too expensive!