Best MODX demo I’ve seen so far
I haven’t seen any truly awful MODX videos, but too many of them focus on the rompler sounds one might hear on a cruise ship or perhaps a lounge act, and when FM-X does get covered it’s that overused DX piano sound.
So let’s hear more of the Beast mode of this synth! Somebody stop playing it safe with the MODX demos already 
Ah yes nothing like the sound of distorted metallic crystalline FM daggers 
Forgot to mention that user’s comment on the other forum - don’t have enough FM synthesis skills to be worried about the last sentence, fwiw:
first sound I’ve made with it
it’s an extremely powerful FM synth
88 algorithms
my only complaint so far - feedback is only available on one operator per algorithm and is a stepped control
Feedback on an operator is when the output of the operator modulates itself. Kind of makes a sine sound like a saw wave. Standard on all hardware synths that I can think of to only have it on one operator.
NI FM8 for example though allows feedback on any and all operators.
Stepped feedback means when applied the feedback jumps in values rather than modulates continuously in a linear fashion
The Reface DX has continuous feedback on each operator, and on the TG77 you can have feedback on multiple operators (stepped). In the manual (might be in the Montage manual) Yamaha explains that the reason they have included operator feedback in the FM-X engine is only to emulate DX7 patches accurately, otherwise they think the additional waveforms & ‘skirt’/‘resonance’ parameters are more useful.
Yeah true
Had a reface DX and remember now feedback on each op.
What a terrible interface. Chucked it out after a few weeks I think
The Reface DX is 4-op, right?
In the original DX7 literature, it sets out an approach based around things like “if you want a square wave, do this with the operators, if you want a sawtooth, do this”, etc. So the philosophy was based in part around assuming you will often use two or more operators (or operator feedback) just to get a different basic waveform. So I guess the theory is partly if you add different waveforms in from the start you need fewer operators and/or fewer feedback loops in the algorithms. Similarly, if you have more operators you don’t need to use as many feedback loops. Maybe?
Edit: they actually have something very similar online still -
I’d totally buy a module or rack version of this. No room for more keyboards right now though 
This might have been posted before, but whatever, it’s gives an overview of what the workflow would look like. Some lounge-y sounds but also a taste of FM-X.
Formfactor ----its much smaller and lighter then Montage 6 so i can take this to band practice every week.Also has a much simpler button UX, 128 songs vs (64 songs)
Here is another way to get samples into MODX/Montage
DRUMKIT
KEYGROUP
I’m using the MODX as a playback device for my Quantum programs–set up is simple a laptop,sample robot (montage edition that works with modx) and modx6 own internal sound card (44.1khz 24 bit) and USB midi (rather then a computer sound card). It gives me more voices then the 8 on the Quantum and provides a lightweight 6.8kg portable solution
Next step for me is to take the Quantum even further with integration Quantum AWM samples and FMX and come up with sounds totally new
exact set up in clip below
AWM2 looks pretty capable. From the product site:
Only found in Yamaha music synthesizers, the AWM2 engine offers much more than just sample playback. Each of the 16 AWM2 parts feature eight fully-programmable synthesizers with a filter (18 different types!,) amplitude, pitch and filter envelope generators, nine LFOs, 3-band EQ and a dedicated dual insert effect with Virtual Circuitry Modeling.
Still learning about the power of AWM --Think it has been overlooked maybe because it was too hard previously to use without a big screen and too hard to quickly load your own waves in without sample robot.
SampleRobot Development Team
Concept & Production: Christian Halten
Code, Concept & Graphics:Nils Zweiling
We would like to thank:
#####Aphex Twin#####
http://content.samplerobot.com/Manuals/SampleRobot_6_Montage_Manual.pdf
I think AWM2 is overlooked as it is basic sample based stuff they have been regurgitating over the years from their previous products.
From what I can gather they haven’t updated that side of the machine much?
If you have any good sample based libraries as most do I.e. Kontakt or Omnisphere, the AWM2 stuff isn’t the selling point of this synth at all.
Just an added bonus really
Been around since the SY77 from the late 80’s
I guess the last significant change Yamaha made to their AWM2 engine was the addition of XA (Expanded Articulation) to the Motif line around 2006. They developed Super Articulation for the Tyros first, then adapted it for the Motif.
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/expanded_articulation_rules
I couldn’t find info on whether modulation of sample playback a la Octatrack was possible - eg. modulation of sample start time - but I wasn’t expecting it. Sample start modulation was possible on the Emu XL-7.
Some discussion on XA in the Montage, which probably applies to MODX. I’ve seen “Bad Mister” posts on this stuff dating to 2007 - whoever he is, he seems to know his Yamaha stuff. Also some Q&A about the AEM tech in the later Tyros models and Genos, and lack thereof in the “serious synth” products.
Yamaha refuses to call the Performance Recorder a “sequencer” on account of no editing capability, as stated in the FAQ: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/music_production/synthesizers/modx/faq.html
I think most peeps here will think “If it ain’t a step sequencer, it ain’t a sequencer”. My memory is probably faulty but it seemed like Richard Devine used an external sequencer to drive his Montage in the video posted a while back.
Same FAQ says MODX can play MIDI files (SMF and MODX format), so that’s something. Cool that MIDI files can be converted to arpeggio data! I wonder if MODX can be set up to play MIDI clips, or if import into Arpeggio is the only option. I’m sure the answer can be found in the manual too but I wouldn’t mind if you can answer.
Digitone seems like a a great choice of external step sequencer for MODX, especially for those who already own one. I’d probably use my OT and/or iPad, with SunVox being one of the top choices.
Just read the Modx thread on GS.
The last page of the thread there are users expressing my primary concern with this synth, and precisely why I haven’t bitten the bullet yet.
Programmability
Some fundamental issues that knowing myself could shit me to tears when tweaking this thing.
Definitely seams like more of a preset box this one