I answered my own question...does the MM6 have intro/ending phrases? I checked the manual online and as far as I could tell, the answer is NO. So when you begin to play in auto accomp. mode, the rhythm just starts up cold. There are variations (4) and a fill button. It would have been helpful to have intros/endings. I guess you just have to be a little more creative to make your own.

One cool feature - it DOES have mega-voices!

BTW - Have you seen the new Motifator.com site? It's looks great. Interesting to see them include an arranger keyboard (MM6) on their big-guns site. Encouraging!

Tim

[This message has been edited by CoasterTim (edited 01-18-2007).]

[This message has been edited by CoasterTim (edited 01-18-2007).]

[This message has been edited by CoasterTim (edited 01-18-2007).]

A lot of times you can get by the "no intro" issue by starting with a fill-in...although it would have been nice to have intros, a heavy user would quickly tire of them as on other arrangers.

I never use "canned intros" so it wouldn't be an issue with me.

If the accompaniment is sent out by midi, which it probably is, it would be cool to hear them trigger SA voices as on the Tyros2.

Still, ya gotta love those Mega Voices!!

Ian

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So, they began to add MegaVoice technology on the inexpensive boards. In addition, 70 MB voices, L/R output, arpegiators... lots of goodies there. I'd love to try out one...

ian, i agree that intros are not all that necessary, but believe me you get tired of fading out every time you play existing arps/patterns on the es
dennis

You're right Dennis...perhaps the MM6 will at least do a simple one bar stop type ending...then you could do a fill just before and make some sort of a little flourish at the end.

It will be interesting to see if the MM6 has at least a simple ending, as on the arrangers.

Ian

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Remember to leave good news alone.

hey tim, where did you get the manual from? it does not appear to be on the yamaha manual site??
thanks
dennis

Dennis,

Just go to www.motifator.com and click on MM6. A good deal of info is there, along with a pdf of the manual.

Tim

thanks tim

[This message has been edited by miden (edited 01-18-2007).]

yeah I see it's limited on the intros/endings, but and a "big but"... There's a VERY cool feature for the sequencer. It records EVERYTHING in real-time! You can tweek a sound (such as doing a filter sweep on a bass patch) while it's recording and those edits will be part of the song.

I think the software alone will open up a world of sequencing for this unit. I'm also VERY pleased to see knob settings can be saved with the performance data, so "yes" you can tweek and store sounds.

Now if only a store will carry this puppy locally.

Just had another look at the manual, and read some info under the Newbie Zone for the MM-6.... Arighty..., I'm getting more interested in this thing now

Holy Sh$#@ it has Mega Voices! Folks don't look at the MM-6 as a primary board. You have to look at something like this as an "add on synth". It's not a production station (however the included Cubase Le software will brighten things up)

I would just look at the 8 track sequencer as strictly a "scratch pad", and not sweat it because of the included DAW application. For the price I think the MM-6 is going to sell and sell big time. You get Motif sounds, styles/patterns, decent screen, real-time control that can be saved via performance memories (and recorded in real-time via the sequencer), USB to host/device and standard midi jacks, light weight, simply an amazing package for an amazing price.

I think the wife and I will have a talk about this thing. I just might have to pick one up. I used to own the original DJX and have been waiting for them to release something that compares to the original and they clearly exceded it with the MM-6.

Squeak

Upon closer examination of the voice list, I noticed the MM6 has only a limited number of the 'live', 'cool', 'sweet', and 'mega' voices...not ALL of those which we've come to love and appreciate. I guess Yamaha didn't want to give us too much at this price!

Well I honestly didn't expect them to include all of them Still for the price of this unit it's just a nice added bonus to see the Mega Voices. Sweet, Cool, and Live Voices were I guess to be expected, but the Mega voices are a nice surprise (even if it's just a few)

This new MM-6 really is the "re-birth" of the DJX series IMO. The original DJX was a HUGE HIT, and I wore mine out!! I think this is Yammies way of bringing the DJX back, but now making sure it gets taken more seriously this time--by including it as part of the Motif line, and carrying over Motif Classic features.

The MM-6 is an arranger geared towards "modern" styles such as rap, hip hop, and R&B. That is "exactly" what the original DJX was designed for.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-18-2007).]

yeah it does seem better and better squeak, but importantly, with modern styles in mind, i could not see anywhere in the manual that it supports slash chords...i have posted the question on the mm6 forum, so perhaps dave or phil can let us know...and still nothing from namm as yet...i am like you, this would be an "add-on" board
dennis

I expressed concerns about the PSR-S500 not supporting slash (on bass) chords, and I feel any instrument not allowing such chords as not intended for professionals...or at the very least, serious players.

Not only do many songs contain these chords, it would also severely limit a composer, reducing the types of chord voicing available.

I hope this is not the case with the MM6...if it is, I for one, will not take this instrument too seriously.

Ian

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Remember to leave good news alone.

Do you guys actually LISTEN to much hiphop? You hear many slash chords there? (you hear much in the way of a chord structure at all?)

Don't forget, hiphop is not put together the same way as conventional music at all, more a montage of beats and sampled riffs. Trying to apply older song construction ideas to hiphop usually destroys it....

Diki you beat me to it man! I was just about to say the same thing You'll get chords in hip hip, but the "slash" chords aren't there often.

The best way to construct hip hop is via pattern sequencing. The linear sequencer on the MM-6 will be a nice sketch pad, but if you want to really rip out some Hip Hop or Rap on the MM-6 you'll need to use the Cubase Le software that ships with it. The software has me curious though. Will Yammie include "full instrument Defs" to open up the "entire" voice set for recording, or will we have to write those on our own...??

Also another thing I like is that the MM-6 has the "Motif Classic" Power Grand. I like the Classic Power Grand much better than the PSR pianos.

I also am impressed with the arps. Even though you can't create user arps they did include some really good ones from the Motif Classic. There are many good acoustic and electric guitar arps on the MM-6.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-18-2007).]

Diki,

I agree with your view that some hip hop may not contain slash chords, but that's no reason to limit the chord recognition to voicing that are only based on the root.

It would be nice to have the OPTION of arpeggios that could work from a pedal tone, and root only chords would certainly limit any experimentation on the part of the user.

The arpeggiator on the PSR-E403 will do pedal tone arps when in full keyboard mode....perhaps the MM6 will as well.

Ian



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diki and squeak i disagree, a lot of time you get a repeating root running with chords changing and evolving over them(even if they are only roots and fifths), they are in effect a slash chord, not your standard ones sometimes but they still are...
dennis

[This message has been edited by miden (edited 01-18-2007).]

yeah squeak, agree with the piano choice, its one of the pianos on the S90es (under a diffent name!) but it cuts well in a mix
dennis

Well, we've been begging for ages for regular hiphop ability in ordinary arrangers with no luck, so asking for regular arranger capability in a hiphop keyboard might be a bit futile (especially at it's price point)....

Let's just hope that this thing takes off like a rocket, and you might actually see some of it's capabilities trickle UP, for a change!

But I expect that Yamaha's (and all the other's) market research show that the hiphop and ballroom crowd are pretty much mutually exclusive (in general terms), so if ever much of this sound-set and arpeggiation ability makes it to a REAL arranger, expect to see very little except complaints from the older crowd.

And if you put older styles in the MM6, expect to see the hiphop crowd bail on it like a bad white rapper.....

miden.... the reason the bass pattern does not move is that it is set to not transpose, while other parts DO....

In fact, this is one of the main hiphop based functions that ordinary arrangers rarely are capable of - in essence, using a Drum Track for melodic sounds, so they do not transpose when you change the chord. I have NEVER seen why this simple ability cannot be introduced into regular arrangers (after all, it's simpler to implement than transposing a track), a Transpose/Drum Track switch for EVERY Part, sort of a super Hold function....

Little things like this would go a long way towards making regular arrangers at least capable of hiphop production.

yeah i agree with you diki, actually its interesting you know, i sometimes play older songs (70's-80's) at a gig using hip hop, or trance/dance beats and the people instead of ignoring it get up and dance and you occasionally get some positive comments that they love your new "arrangement" of the song..(its exactly the same song structure, just different beat!!), so i reckon yammi and co should maybe take on board that the mm6 capabilities should be added IN FULL to their normal arranger lines...now WHAT a machine that would be!!!!
dennis

Miden, i also played a lot of 'old' songs with 'new' beats at gigs (particularly at restaurants). With a wide range of old and young customers, using the modern style routine you can cater for all age groups simultaneously. The old crowd enjoy it because they recognize the song, the young crowd enjoy it because they can relate to the beat, and also because they see the performer trying to modernize the sound.

I agree that a lot 70's songs fit the bill, and even older songs such as 'Summertime' and 'Stormy Weather' worked very well to this formula. As an added bonus it can extend the shelf life of some songs that may otherwise be wearing thin due to repetitive performance of the exact same arrangement every time.

In the end it certainly can't hurt to have a widen selection of modern styles available.

Kind regards,
Mark

I just finished reading the MM6 manual and it certainly has possibilities for anyone not needing a full-blown arranger keyboard. For those of us who have one foot in hardware and the other in emerging software, this is an attractive and less expensive solution. From the manual it is clear that at least root chording with auto-accompaniment is possible, so it is a basic arranger.

I know little about the Motif line and the use of "patterns" in the Yamaha offerings. Does anyone here have an opinion as to whether new patterns can be introduced into the MM6, as "performance" data or something else? I saw nothing about this. It is expected that patterns from any of the MO line would be usable?