Hey Scott!! It's me again...Just bought the Modx 7+ 4 days ago...and Voila!! It's a beast alright. Tried out the piano sounds; agree that they sound weak compared to the other instruments. What I did though was to layer it with another piano, eg Bosendorfer Imperial & adjusted the intensity to enhance the 'body'. But after adjusting the velocity offset, the overall piano sounded much much better. Thanks for the tip man!!
@pluviosealphe2427 Hi FunGuy. Not sure if you bought the Modx or Modx+ model. If Modx+, the firmware should already be updated in the hardware. Version 2.5 is intended for the older ModX series...
Hey bro how in the world do I turn off the sustain on the bass patches like electric bass or finger bass . The sustain is killing me.. I play bass and keys at the same time, split
Note that in many cases you are better off increasing the 'Velocity Depth' instead of (or more so then) the 'Velocity Offset', because it will maintain some dynamics and allow you to play softer notes, yet still be able to cut through on medium to harder notes. With increasing the 'Velocity Offset', it will cut through, but if you try to play something softer/dynamic/with feel, it just sounds like you are hitting the keys really hard no matter how softly you touch them. For example, if there is a signature piano part that needs to stand out during the intro & chorus of a song, but then you want to blend the piano in a bit more during the verses by playing a bit softer, it may cut through too much during the verses if you increase the 'Velocity Offset'. There are definitely certain scenarios though, where 'Velocity Offset' does have some usefulness, maybe even for live pianos in certain songs...just be aware of when to use it vs using 'Velocity Depth'. In some cases using both in varying degrees might be best, depending on the song and your playing style. It's great that both types of velocity adjustments are available, as you can then figure out what the best fit is & adjust it for a particular song.
Well so I though too. But then one day I played a piano sound “CFX Concert” were tones from it keeped dropping out. So no sound all the time with the sound “CFX Concert”. And the volume of the pianos really are low too. Try it yourself. You’ll be surpriced that the man in the video and I are right. I have a Yamaha Montage myself. So I know what I’m talking about.
I watched this video a year ago and really helped on my Montage-centered gigs. I had the synth for some time already, but had not done any editing to its sounds. And, yes, pianos were weak. This changed my playing life and also opened my mind about editing sounds, which now I do quite a lot. So, BIG THANKS!!! As a late comer musician (began at 50, now I am 55), this kind of information from the pros is INVALUABLE to get me fastly on track. I am playing with a pop/rock band for a year and it has been possible thanks to videos like this one. Thanks Scott 🙏
Great tip! Another option that works fine for my playing style is to simply go into "Utility" and change the global "Velocity Curve" to "Soft". Make sure to test with a piano sound while you change between the different curves to find the one that suits your playing style the best. Done in a few seconds and worth checking before editing each patch. :)
I used this for years and found it super helpful, but I will note: I eventually started using some software (VST) piano plugins that had sounded amazing in the audio demos, but when I started playing them myself I found they sounded fairly flat. I realized I'd been used to that playing-with-the-full-band super-fast-velocity-curve style, and was pretty much only playing hard, without taking advantages with the variations in tone color that taking a more delicate approach to velocity would give me. When I brought this knowledge back to my keyboards, I realized that I was limiting my playing by doing this. If you're not able to put compression at the end of the signal chain, this may sometimes be the only way to stand out in a mix with a live band, but while I found it super helpful for years, it's worth revisiting down the line, to see if you can get more tone colors out of your piano sound.
@@kiahwilliamcould be a lot of reasons. Message or email gospel musicians, they respond fairly quickly. I’ve had to message them before. Maybe they can help you out. But give them lots of details about your setup so it’s not just a vague question.
Now we know! I've had my MODX7 for over a year now. 30 to 40 gigs and LOVE it ... BUT ... those pesky pianos just didn't sound as good as the very impressive piano demos. I'm definitely not a techie/programmer-type so this is very helpful. Thank you! I'll give it a try.
I combine 2 pianos together to add depth Rock Grand and Aggressive Grand for example I also will drop the pitch an octave on one to get the lower full sound It’s effective for cutting thru a mix in a live band situation It’s all in the experimenting and combining different patches then tweaking them for your preference
This makes my day. I had a MOX8 a few years ago and after it fell apart (lol) I got a Roland FA08 and couldn’t believe how the piano stood out. For example I do “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel and before the chorus there is a line on piano that starts on A below middle C up past the octave and resolves on Bb above middle C. It stood out from the rest of the band beautifully on the FA08 and not the MOX8. I replaced the FA08 because I didn’t like the way it was setup or the other sounds, but now with the MODX I’m back in the old boat with pianos that just don’t stick out. So I appreciate this advice! I’m sick of buyer’s regret
You hit the nail on the head there! When I first bought my Montage, It was depressing the heck out of me with my own lame performance in comparison to the LOUD and crisp Audit Demo songs. However, there are other velocity settings in the entire box, that one parameter you found there, will help - but there's so many places you can affect by the velocity settings.
Thanks. I've just purchased a MODX 8. The one thing I was expecting from Yamaha, with its deep piano traditions behind it, was strong piano. I agree, they seemed a little weak. The Bosondorfer download is a little better, but now I've watched this I will be right on to it. Great video
Very interesting observation. One of the first things that I noticed when I bought my montage was what I felt was a very low output level on many of the patches. Thank you
My preferred approach to handle this on my MODX8 is to go into the utility menu and set the velocity curve to "Soft." This applies the correct velocity for my playing style across all performances.Wide will have a similar behavior except it de-emphasizes the velocity on the lower notes.
The reason Montage is better sounding then the MODX is not the velocity but different parametres set in oscillators for the same samples.I figured this out when i was having MOX8 which was sounding weak in comparison with Motif XS.So i compared the values of the oscillators in programs and guess what?They were different.So,if you want to have same sound ,is actually easy, but time consuming process.You have to take XS and just edit the values of oscillators on MOX so they are the same as the ones on MotifXS.Same goes for MotifXF and MOXF.The same for Montage and MODX.Yamaha deliberately made cheaper synths sound weaker,but they didn't do it with cheaper electronics, but with software differences.When you figure this out, you can easily take the cheaper Yamaha synth for live gigs and it will sound the same as their flag ship model.The only really bad thing in cheaper models of yamaha is their keyboard.It's awfull.But still they are so much lighter, that if you earn the money by playing gigs, it's still no brainer.:)
What if you do not have a montage or motif to compare to? I would take the time, but have no reference. Do you know of a place to track down that information?
@@matthewallen1715 I was surprised also.First when i bought modx was because i wanted lighter keyboard.In store i was playing motif xs8 and modx8 and i heard the difference.I asked why is the difference in sound because it was declared that they use the same sample base for keyboards,They said Ah,but you know the DA converters are not hte same.It's not truth.They use the same shit DA converters of 5 dollars a piece in both keyboards.So i went to my friend who had XS keyboard and i checked the programs.The programs and parameters there were different.So i set the parameters of my modx on xs parameters and they were sounding identical.So much of honest marketing.But they made mistake.Every owner of cheaper version of yamaha keyboards can have instrument sounding the same.Just set parametres the same.Copy it from a friend.There is no info about it on the net,because it is not something yamaha would endorse.
@@davebassP5 I was surprised also.First when i bought modx was because i wanted lighter keyboard.In store i was playing motif xs8 and modx8 and i heard the difference.I asked why is the difference in sound because it was declared that they use the same sample base for keyboards,They said Ah,but you know the DA converters are not hte same.It's not truth.They use the same shit DA converters of 5 dollars a piece in both keyboards.So i went to my friend who had XS keyboard and i checked the programs.The programs and parameters there were different.So i set the parameters of my modx on xs parameters and they were sounding identical.So much of honest marketing.But they made mistake.Every owner of cheaper version of yamaha keyboards can have instrument sounding the same.Just set parametres the same.Copy it from a friend.There is no info about it on the net,because it is not something yamaha would endorse.
THIS IS BRILLIANT. Thank you so much, as you solve the EXACT problem that I was experiencing. I just picked up my MODX Jan 31 and was puzzled until I saw your video. TY, TY, TY.
Good work! I had the same problem, I traded in my MOFX6 on a MODX7 and found I had to hit the keys harder for both my new patches and the ones from the MOXF. The MODX7 seems to be set up for players who prefer a heavier action. I just changed the global setting for key response to Light instead of Medium and that worked for me. When using layered sounds, I vary the depth and offset of different layers to make some sounds pop out while others lay back depending on velocity. Nice vid.
I think a better fix would be to lower the Velocity Step between the softer Part 1 and the bolder Part 2. You then retain the ability to play softer notes while engaging the bolder notes with less key velocity.
thank you so much you have no idea how helpful this is. i actually felt like I was gas lighting myself for the longest time just thinking that this is what a piano is supposed to sound like.
Great tip. Keep in mind also that playing style has a lot to do with it. As musicians it's exciting to watch demo videos for all the different plug-in's you can get these days.. and while the sounds are cool when you download them, somehow they don't sound quite as rich or expressive as the demo video guy's playing makes them sound. It's when you start dissecting HOW the guy is playing that you discover things like, ok.. he's using a jazz chord right there.. Or things like purposely not resolving chords in a short phrase to build up musical tension. We hear all of that in plug-in demo videos and never really process the fact that, our playing is probably QUITE different than those guys. They aren't using too many basic triads. So always remember that it isn't always the board. A champion motocross racer can probably outride any teenager on an old beat-up dirtbike, even if the kid was riding the pro's bike. =)
Good point, I noticed his playing and thought what about the sensitivity? dynamics? I just bought the MODX 6 for my studio. I'm a drummer learning keyboard world. I almost bought the NORD Stage 3 until I heard this on line, went to Guitar Center and was impressed with the sounds for half the price of the NORD with the MODX having the big touch screen was a big plus. I'm still learning how to, layer, split and tweak keyboard. Thanks for your comment regarding the "player" no disrespect for this guy but good point.
The demo sounds in your face cause the keys are being smashed as hard as possible. Though now what you've done is make it sound like you're smashing the keys no matter how you play. Dynamics are now lost. No more expression other than expressing hard hit keys. Unless that's what you want of course. Why not just layer the piano's? Keep 1 dry and the other with reverb where you can adjust the amount you want or even introduce a different piano as another layer. You'll be surprised at what you can achieve doing this. The piano sounds on the modx/montage don't need fixing as they are engineered/programmed for expression amongst other reasons. Depending on the environment (studio or live) if one feels it's not cutting through the mix, just layer the sounds and even add a little subtle mid range if you like. Though I still give your vid a thumbs up cause of your enthusiasm! Keep it up!
You're right, and on a weighted keyboard (particularly the Montage 8's weighted keyboard) it works very well. On synth action keybeds, and in particular the non-weighted MODX keybed, you really have to smash the keys hard in order to trigger the higher velocity samples. That's why adjusting the velocity offset helps. Layering the sounds or adding reverb will not have the same effect, as you're still just triggering more layers of the same lower-velocity samples. To get the brighter, higher velocity samples, you either have to mash the keys harder, or adjust the velocity offset.
Thanks for confirming what I did the other evening ( more by guesswork)to improve the sound of some of the pianos that stopped me having to bash the keys😊
For myself, I experimented and found moving the offset from 64 to between 70 and 74 was perfect for my playing style. I added this new "brighter" performance to my favourites. Now when I go back and compare, the pianos DO seem a bit muted to me, or slightly "understated", unless I really push them. I am much happier at "72". Thx for the tip.
Can't speak to live use, but for studio recordings the pianos are absolutely fine. I don't think they sound too thin at all. I use a MODX8 (also a XF6) and I have set my vel. curve to soft, but other than that no EQing or effects tweaking is needed. I play the Bösendorfer, CFX concert and the old XS Full Concert Grand.
Thanks so much for post this. I just got one of these (waiting for it to arrive) and got it because I liked the piano compared to the Kurzweil and Roland. I was shocked to see the title but I knew what this was about when you played the demos. This velocity setting exists on DAWs and I use it all the time and I usually bump them up for sound level consistency. I have an old E-MU that has various settings for this expression so you don't have to edit one. I would like to make a couple of suggestions for your videos. 1. Don't do a Christmas Light display on the other keyboard , it distracted me and I didn't hear a word you said while I watched the pretty lights flashing. 2. Please say what you are pressing before you select it. I couldn't tell what you pushed you did it so fast. I am thinking I will need to play that section about 10 times and slow it down just to see what you selected. Think of new people not just those who are familiar with it.
That's exactly what I'm trying to do, and my MODX7 doesn't seem to respond to the rotary speed parameters. How did you accomplish this (what parameters did you change, and to what settings). The manuals are very unclear. Thank you!
Hi Charles, I think the rotary was too fast. When editing, I went to Effect/Ins A/and set the horns fast to 5.38 Hz. I like that speed. I have a screen shot of it but can't get it in this reply. Post your email address and I can send you the screen shot.
Good video thank you for sharing. People have to realize that you need to make some adjustments to ANY brand of quality keyboard you buy. I own several Yamaha keys, Nord Electro, Korg and Roland. I always take time the first week or two that I own them to make these types of tweaks and save my favorites. I have a Montage and the factory priest for velocity is a 1 to 1 ratio. You really need to tweak this and you can do it globally (check owners manual). You can set it exactly to your style of play.
After days on this problem I have found another solution : Put a Compressor and Control the Compressor Send level with an assignable Knob (or the modulation Knob). With this customized preset You can adjust the low velocity level to your convenience when playing.
That was actually very helpful! While there are many nice piano performances, most are thin like you described. I was really disappointed with the Grand Concert piano as it was not very "grand". I'll take a look and see if I can improve the one's I use with your idea. Thanks for posting it!
From my experience the piano patches work fine if you have the 88 weighted key version of MODX. The problem is that piano voice naturally has a very high dynamics range, and the semi weighted keys just cannot handle that much dynamics. By adjusting the midi velocity you can certainly make it easier to hit high velocity on these semi weighted keys, but at the same time you are also making it harder to control the dynamics precisely. Unfortunately this is an inherent problem for any semi weighted keys playing the piano voice, not just for the MODX.
I think this issue honestly boils down to the astonishingly flimsy keybed on the smaller MODX's. I have to wonder if this comes up as much on the Montage/MODX 8
I suspect the light touch on the MODX6/MODX7 keybed does it, and that for the piano sounds, the velocities are tuned more for the weighted keybeds of the MODX8/Montage 8.
Hi Scott, I love the video and I will try your suggestions. You have more velocity but the sound isn’t that warm. Do you know what button or knob can make the pianos more warm and rounded?
Btw, the velocity curve issue isn't unique to the MODX. My old Kawai MP6 had a standard velocity setting which didn't allowed me to hit the highest velocities values (even with maximum force), my new Roland RD 2000 is even worse. I would really like to know why these manufacturers set the velocity curves up by default like that - doesn't make any sense, except to prevent people from purchasing their keyboards.
You are correct .. but is fine when you are layering over other a sine wave or -1 octave synth layer. I would also say that most guys making real music are creating all their own performance patches! But yes ❤
Or, if you're lazy as me, go to utility and select a light velocity curve for the whole keyboard. I have my Modx for less than a day, and the first thing I noticed was that the pianos wasn't loud enough on my 80ohms beyerdynamic 770. Thank you for the video.
I have a MODX8 arriving tomorrow. When you first played the piano my heart sank because my MOXF8 has great pianos, and that sounded terrible. Glad it's fixable.
A lot of the sounds are quieter on the MODX/Montage, as they are designed to be layered. If you have all the sounds putting out maximum levels and velocities by default, you'll get a distorted mess when you start layering. But when you have something like pianos where you aren't layering in that way, it makes sense to offset the velocity (and gain, if desired) to make the sound punch through. Don't despair, the pianos sound FANTASTIC on this synth!
@@ScottsSynthStuff Nice thing is, I'll keep my MOXF8 until I'm comfortable with the MOD. So I'll be able to A/B them. The MOXF default concert grand is my go-to patch for church gigs.
I did this the very first day I listened to those pianos. Nice pianos all around but excactly as you described them. THIN and I thought I would smash my keyboard (and my head :p ). Then it came to me. The bloody velocity. While it's in "64" in most pianos and performances, in pianos sounds like shit. Turned it up , saved a grand, acoustic and poprock piano as new, and voila. Can play live. Using a sustain pedal will help as well!
@@annnjet You can save as a new preset. Trying this with your favorite piano sounds would be ideal :) I use pop and s700. For some pieces I need acoustic da piano but this is not good when you change velocity.
Wow big difference in sound with those velocity tweaks. How is the key bed action for playing piano on this? I don't have the room for the 88 note action model and already have a Kawai ES8 dp. I am even considering the smaller 61 key MODX6 model due to it's compact size, with the octave buttons onboard I could probably still manage piano playing on the 61 key version.
If you're used to a weighted piano-style keybed, the synth action will take some getting used to, particularly in adjusting your playing to get the various dynamics you want.
They are perfectly EQ to cut through in the mix in a loud church that's why it's such a popular sound . I take other boards and EQ them so the pianos sit in the mix correctly. A very popular gospel trick is to remove reverb and have zero decay. It sounds weird by itself but that fast playing in the mix there's nothing to compare it sounds amazing with the right style
Thanks for this great video! I have a similar problem with the MODX when I want to play a VST instrument in Cubase via Midi. The VST instruments always sound different when I use the keyboard of the MODX compared to when I play the keyboard of the VST instrument with the PC mouse. The sound is always too weak or too quiet when using the keyboard of the MODX. I now always use the Midi Modifier effect in Cubase to increase the signal strength. I can't find anything in the MODX.
Hi Scott, great video! Once you make changes like the ones you did with velocity, is there a way to save the sample under the same name? Or do I have to change the name? I can’t seem to figure it out
Thank you! I haven't played live with this synth yet, but I know this tip and the comments others left is going to help me a lot because I play in a group.
Thank you very much. That was crystal clear....wondering if you can make a video on how to create a whole song using the MODX's sequencer on the new updated 2.0 software version...many thanks
With the Montage 8, I never noticed this as a big problem. A few comments: 1. You can always adjust your volume and EQ, which will accomplish a lot of the same effect, but preserve your dynamics. 2. If you really prefer the Motif XF pianos (I don't), then all of them are included. 3. You should download the Bosendorfer Imperial piano, which is fuller and fatter than the default CFX
The Bosendorfer piano is great, but it's HUGE, and would mean I would no longer have room for many of the other libraries I have loaded in my MODX. Also, volume and EQ can only do so much - remember that the pianos are playing different samples depending on the velocity with which you hit the key. By changing the velocity offset, you're causing it to play the louder, harder-struck samples at a lower playing velocity than they would normally play. You can't do that just by volume and EQ.
@@ravenmusic932 Yep, that was me. :) Yamaha had the Bosendorfer as a free download on their web site, along with other add-ons for the Montage/MODX (like the Chick Corea Rhodes and CS-80 samples).
@@geoffk777 Great, thanks for the tip. Sometimes I use my MODX7 for small piano+vocals gigs, where I don't want to carry my heavy RD 2000, so it would be really great to have a nice piano sound!
A piano is not a Schlager Weapon. Play the piano at higher velocity. If you want to see what the synth is doing on Audition, record the output to your DAW and look at the MIDI Events. You may find some special controllers. I know the guitars use sample switching. What you adjusted just cut your dynamic range drastically.
Exactly what I was thinking. Now it just sounds like he's smashing the keys all the time just like the demo. Lost the ability to express the instrument.
hi, great video! some preset MODX sounds have echo, but it doesn't have to do with reverb, VarSend or RevSend sometimes (like with Hypnotic AF1&2), I tried. Do you know how to get rid of the echo in those cases and get a clean sound?
You can go into each part of the performance, edit the part, click on Effect, and make sure both insert A and B are turned off. There is also the master reverb and variation. Click on the name in the performance, then click Edit, then Effect. You'll see the variation and reverb settings that affect ALL parts, and in Hypnotic AF1&2 you'll find a tempo cross delay in there that is causing the echo you hear.
Thank you, i will have to try this. IMO, the Yamaha pianos still don't hold a candle to my Korg Grandstage, but maybe this will help. Also... I have a System 8, which is amazing. You don't think Yamaha's AWM is weak by comparison to Roland's ACB? At least for analog modeling, the Yamaha can't compare, imo. That S8 is a beast. In case you can't tell, I'm seriously considering selling the MODX....
Y YR I personally have never played a kurzweil. And that question is all really what you are looking for. My favorite is the Fantom. I really did not like the sounds on my MODX. And you need to get a PhD to figure out to do what you want on a Kronos. It’s not user friendly at all, imo. The Fantom you can just sit and play. I love the clip based sequencing. And the sounds are great. Probably not as great as Kronos, but almost. And it’s so simple to use with so many instructional videos online (ed Diaz synth talk and Roland product support channels). Only things are, it only supports 3/4 and 4/4 time and doesn’t have multi-sampling yet. But updates are coming for it. So if you want to do complex polyrhythms and linear-style recording, Kronos might be for you.
Lmao, I have the Montage, Kronos, and the Roland Fantom6, Montage Piano and EP easily outshines most of the programs on my Kronos except a few, the Fanton doesn't even compare in the piano section, but I love it's synth and Zen core tech. I also own the Kurzweil PC3K8, and none of my other boards can touch it for string, orchestral, and effects...
Hey Scott!! It's me again...Just bought the Modx 7+ 4 days ago...and Voila!! It's a beast alright. Tried out the piano sounds; agree that they sound weak compared to the other instruments. What I did though was to layer it with another piano, eg Bosendorfer Imperial & adjusted the intensity to enhance the 'body'. But after adjusting the velocity offset, the overall piano sounded much much better. Thanks for the tip man!!
Hi: I bought one too but I’m having trouble getting a 2.5 firmware version any idea how to do it ?
@pluviosealphe2427 Hi FunGuy. Not sure if you bought the Modx or Modx+ model. If Modx+, the firmware should already be updated in the hardware. Version 2.5 is intended for the older ModX series...
Hey bro how in the world do I turn off the sustain on the bass patches like electric bass or finger bass . The sustain is killing me.. I play bass and keys at the same time, split
Note that in many cases you are better off increasing the 'Velocity Depth' instead of (or more so then) the 'Velocity Offset', because it will maintain some dynamics and allow you to play softer notes, yet still be able to cut through on medium to harder notes. With increasing the 'Velocity Offset', it will cut through, but if you try to play something softer/dynamic/with feel, it just sounds like you are hitting the keys really hard no matter how softly you touch them. For example, if there is a signature piano part that needs to stand out during the intro & chorus of a song, but then you want to blend the piano in a bit more during the verses by playing a bit softer, it may cut through too much during the verses if you increase the 'Velocity Offset'. There are definitely certain scenarios though, where 'Velocity Offset' does have some usefulness, maybe even for live pianos in certain songs...just be aware of when to use it vs using 'Velocity Depth'. In some cases using both in varying degrees might be best, depending on the song and your playing style. It's great that both types of velocity adjustments are available, as you can then figure out what the best fit is & adjust it for a particular song.
Good observation I was thinking about that.
How do you get to it, my manual is in Spanish can't read it
@@blakeh6250 touch the voice in the performance then hit EDIT in the sidebar
Well so I though too. But then one day I played a piano sound “CFX Concert” were tones from it keeped dropping out. So no sound all the time with the sound “CFX Concert”.
And the volume of the pianos really are low too.
Try it yourself.
You’ll be surpriced that the man in the video and I are right.
I have a Yamaha Montage myself.
So I know what I’m talking about.
@@blakeh6250 !!!Those drop outs really ought not to be necessary!!! 👇😖👎
I watched this video a year ago and really helped on my Montage-centered gigs. I had the synth for some time already, but had not done any editing to its sounds. And, yes, pianos were weak. This changed my playing life and also opened my mind about editing sounds, which now I do quite a lot. So, BIG THANKS!!!
As a late comer musician (began at 50, now I am 55), this kind of information from the pros is INVALUABLE to get me fastly on track. I am playing with a pop/rock band for a year and it has been possible thanks to videos like this one. Thanks Scott 🙏
I agree. UA-cam sent me this video. I'm so glad the algorithm worked for me this time. This video really helped me overcome my fear of editing sounds.
Great tip! Another option that works fine for my playing style is to simply go into "Utility" and change the global "Velocity Curve" to "Soft". Make sure to test with a piano sound while you change between the different curves to find the one that suits your playing style the best. Done in a few seconds and worth checking before editing each patch. :)
I used this for years and found it super helpful, but I will note: I eventually started using some software (VST) piano plugins that had sounded amazing in the audio demos, but when I started playing them myself I found they sounded fairly flat. I realized I'd been used to that playing-with-the-full-band super-fast-velocity-curve style, and was pretty much only playing hard, without taking advantages with the variations in tone color that taking a more delicate approach to velocity would give me. When I brought this knowledge back to my keyboards, I realized that I was limiting my playing by doing this. If you're not able to put compression at the end of the signal chain, this may sometimes be the only way to stand out in a mix with a live band, but while I found it super helpful for years, it's worth revisiting down the line, to see if you can get more tone colors out of your piano sound.
Great one
@@FGCLovesYoubro my vst is clipping when I use certain sounds IPad MKSENSATION extreme from gospel musicians...can you help me out ...any ideas ???
@@kiahwilliamcould be a lot of reasons. Message or email gospel musicians, they respond fairly quickly. I’ve had to message them before. Maybe they can help you out. But give them lots of details about your setup so it’s not just a vague question.
Now we know! I've had my MODX7 for over a year now. 30 to 40 gigs and LOVE it ... BUT ... those pesky pianos just didn't sound as good as the very impressive piano demos. I'm definitely not a techie/programmer-type so this is very helpful. Thank you! I'll give it a try.
I combine 2 pianos together to add depth
Rock Grand and Aggressive Grand for example
I also will drop the pitch an octave on one to get the lower full sound
It’s effective for cutting thru a mix in a live band situation
It’s all in the experimenting and combining different patches then tweaking them for your preference
I've had the MODX8 for almost three years and you just taught me how to make the piano sound like I've been wanting it to sound. Thank you!
This makes my day. I had a MOX8 a few years ago and after it fell apart (lol) I got a Roland FA08 and couldn’t believe how the piano stood out. For example I do “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel and before the chorus there is a line on piano that starts on A below middle C up past the octave and resolves on Bb above middle C. It stood out from the rest of the band beautifully on the FA08 and not the MOX8. I replaced the FA08 because I didn’t like the way it was setup or the other sounds, but now with the MODX I’m back in the old boat with pianos that just don’t stick out.
So I appreciate this advice! I’m sick of buyer’s regret
Thanks - between this and Tony Winston's video on smoothing out the response curve, you've added a lot of value to this product.
You hit the nail on the head there! When I first bought my Montage, It was depressing the heck out of me with my own lame performance in comparison to the LOUD and crisp Audit Demo songs.
However, there are other velocity settings in the entire box, that one parameter you found there, will help - but there's so many places you can affect by the velocity settings.
That System 8 looks very jealous. "Look at me and all the lights I have!"
more like bored =p
So distracting. I wouldn’t want a keyboard which started doing that.
System 8 is an awsome synth!
@@stephaneenglish4661 You can disable that
Thanks. I've just purchased a MODX 8. The one thing I was expecting from Yamaha, with its deep piano traditions behind it, was strong piano. I agree, they seemed a little weak. The Bosondorfer download is a little better, but now I've watched this I will be right on to it. Great video
Thank you so much! I just bought a used MODX. I was immediately struck by the thin piano sound. I thought it was just me.
Incredible! I just got a MODX , Love All sounds, but pianos...
And your video came as a bless!
Thank you very much 👏👏
Finally I found the video and someone who know what I’m going through with my piano
They're not weak, they're flat. They're perfect in a band and a studio mix.
The problem is the feeling of lack of body when we are playing.
Very interesting observation. One of the first things that I noticed when I bought my montage was what I felt was a very low output level on many of the patches.
Thank you
My preferred approach to handle this on my MODX8 is to go into the utility menu and set the velocity curve to "Soft." This applies the correct velocity for my playing style across all performances.Wide will have a similar behavior except it de-emphasizes the velocity on the lower notes.
Only pianos are weak, doing this change affect all other sounds
Yeah, that does the trick. I needed "wide" on MX88, though.
The reason Montage is better sounding then the MODX is not the velocity but different parametres set in oscillators for the same samples.I figured this out when i was having MOX8 which was sounding weak in comparison with Motif XS.So i compared the values of the oscillators in programs and guess what?They were different.So,if you want to have same sound ,is actually easy, but time consuming process.You have to take XS and just edit the values of oscillators on MOX so they are the same as the ones on MotifXS.Same goes for MotifXF and MOXF.The same for Montage and MODX.Yamaha deliberately made cheaper synths sound weaker,but they didn't do it with cheaper electronics, but with software differences.When you figure this out, you can easily take the cheaper Yamaha synth for live gigs and it will sound the same as their flag ship model.The only really bad thing in cheaper models of yamaha is their keyboard.It's awfull.But still they are so much lighter, that if you earn the money by playing gigs, it's still no brainer.:)
they have different dacs also.
llollapovrzan the issue here is not between synths, its between the Audition sounds and playing the same sounds from the keyboard.
What if you do not have a montage or motif to compare to? I would take the time, but have no reference. Do you know of a place to track down that information?
@@matthewallen1715 I was surprised also.First when i bought modx was because i wanted lighter keyboard.In store i was playing motif xs8 and modx8 and i heard the difference.I asked why is the difference in sound because it was declared that they use the same sample base for keyboards,They said Ah,but you know the DA converters are not hte same.It's not truth.They use the same shit DA converters of 5 dollars a piece in both keyboards.So i went to my friend who had XS keyboard and i checked the programs.The programs and parameters there were different.So i set the parameters of my modx on xs parameters and they were sounding identical.So much of honest marketing.But they made mistake.Every owner of cheaper version of yamaha keyboards can have instrument sounding the same.Just set parametres the same.Copy it from a friend.There is no info about it on the net,because it is not something yamaha would endorse.
@@davebassP5 I was surprised also.First when i bought modx was because i wanted lighter keyboard.In store i was playing motif xs8 and modx8 and i heard the difference.I asked why is the difference in sound because it was declared that they use the same sample base for keyboards,They said Ah,but you know the DA converters are not hte same.It's not truth.They use the same shit DA converters of 5 dollars a piece in both keyboards.So i went to my friend who had XS keyboard and i checked the programs.The programs and parameters there were different.So i set the parameters of my modx on xs parameters and they were sounding identical.So much of honest marketing.But they made mistake.Every owner of cheaper version of yamaha keyboards can have instrument sounding the same.Just set parametres the same.Copy it from a friend.There is no info about it on the net,because it is not something yamaha would endorse.
THIS IS BRILLIANT. Thank you so much, as you solve the EXACT problem that I was experiencing.
I just picked up my MODX Jan 31 and was puzzled until I saw your video. TY, TY, TY.
Thanks this helped greatly. I had no clue how to use this when I bought it. I was so frustrated close to selling
Good work! I had the same problem, I traded in my MOFX6 on a MODX7 and found I had to hit the keys harder for both my new patches and the ones from the MOXF. The MODX7 seems to be set up for players who prefer a heavier action. I just changed the global setting for key response to Light instead of Medium and that worked for me. When using layered sounds, I vary the depth and offset of different layers to make some sounds pop out while others lay back depending on velocity. Nice vid.
I think a better fix would be to lower the Velocity Step between the softer Part 1 and the bolder Part 2. You then retain the ability to play softer notes while engaging the bolder notes with less key velocity.
A big BRAVO for your video. I was blown by auditioning and then scratching my head playing it myself.
Big thanks for this tip! I'm still navigating my way through the ModX and every little bit helps!
thank you so much you have no idea how helpful this is. i actually felt like I was gas lighting myself for the longest time just thinking that this is what a piano is supposed to sound like.
Great tip. Keep in mind also that playing style has a lot to do with it. As musicians it's exciting to watch demo videos for all the different plug-in's you can get these days.. and while the sounds are cool when you download them, somehow they don't sound quite as rich or expressive as the demo video guy's playing makes them sound. It's when you start dissecting HOW the guy is playing that you discover things like, ok.. he's using a jazz chord right there.. Or things like purposely not resolving chords in a short phrase to build up musical tension. We hear all of that in plug-in demo videos and never really process the fact that, our playing is probably QUITE different than those guys. They aren't using too many basic triads. So always remember that it isn't always the board. A champion motocross racer can probably outride any teenager on an old beat-up dirtbike, even if the kid was riding the pro's bike. =)
Good point, I noticed his playing and thought what about the sensitivity? dynamics? I just bought the MODX 6 for my studio. I'm a drummer learning keyboard world. I almost bought the NORD Stage 3 until I heard this on line, went to Guitar Center and was impressed with the sounds for half the price of the NORD with the MODX having the big touch screen was a big plus. I'm still learning how to, layer, split and tweak keyboard. Thanks for your comment regarding the "player" no disrespect for this guy but good point.
The demo sounds in your face cause the keys are being smashed as hard as possible. Though now what you've done is make it sound like you're smashing the keys no matter how you play. Dynamics are now lost. No more expression other than expressing hard hit keys. Unless that's what you want of course. Why not just layer the piano's? Keep 1 dry and the other with reverb where you can adjust the amount you want or even introduce a different piano as another layer. You'll be surprised at what you can achieve doing this. The piano sounds on the modx/montage don't need fixing as they are engineered/programmed for expression amongst other reasons. Depending on the environment (studio or live) if one feels it's not cutting through the mix, just layer the sounds and even add a little subtle mid range if you like. Though I still give your vid a thumbs up cause of your enthusiasm! Keep it up!
You're right, and on a weighted keyboard (particularly the Montage 8's weighted keyboard) it works very well. On synth action keybeds, and in particular the non-weighted MODX keybed, you really have to smash the keys hard in order to trigger the higher velocity samples. That's why adjusting the velocity offset helps.
Layering the sounds or adding reverb will not have the same effect, as you're still just triggering more layers of the same lower-velocity samples. To get the brighter, higher velocity samples, you either have to mash the keys harder, or adjust the velocity offset.
interesting!!
I would've said the same lol.
It's like a silly final story from a long past dj's lost hope.
Thanks for confirming what I did the other evening ( more by guesswork)to improve the sound of some of the pianos that stopped me having to bash the keys😊
For myself, I experimented and found moving the offset from 64 to between 70 and 74 was perfect for my playing style.
I added this new "brighter" performance to my favourites. Now when I go back and compare, the pianos DO seem a bit muted to me, or slightly "understated", unless I really push them.
I am much happier at "72".
Thx for the tip.
Can't speak to live use, but for studio recordings the pianos are absolutely fine. I don't think they sound too thin at all. I use a MODX8 (also a XF6) and I have set my vel. curve to soft, but other than that no EQing or effects tweaking is needed. I play the Bösendorfer, CFX concert and the old XS Full Concert Grand.
thank you.. im like dude these pianos are killin!!!
Thanks, was wondering why my piano wasn't cutting through live..great job..
Thanks so much for post this. I just got one of these (waiting for it to arrive) and got it because I liked the piano compared to the Kurzweil and Roland. I was shocked to see the title but I knew what this was about when you played the demos. This velocity setting exists on DAWs and I use it all the time and I usually bump them up for sound level consistency. I have an old E-MU that has various settings for this expression so you don't have to edit one.
I would like to make a couple of suggestions for your videos. 1. Don't do a Christmas Light display on the other keyboard , it distracted me and I didn't hear a word you said while I watched the pretty lights flashing. 2. Please say what you are pressing before you select it. I couldn't tell what you pushed you did it so fast. I am thinking I will need to play that section about 10 times and slow it down just to see what you selected. Think of new people not just those who are familiar with it.
worked out for me. thank you very much for this advice. i didnt know how to figure it out.
Wow! Thanks so much Scott. Just got the modx8 and had same issue…and u solved it!!! Tks
You save my song😊 ! I spent too much time strugling to find the right piano sound for my song.Thank you👏👍
Thanks! What a difference. I slowed down the Leslie speed on some organ sounds. Big improvement!
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That's exactly what I'm trying to do, and my MODX7 doesn't seem to respond to the rotary speed parameters. How did you accomplish this (what parameters did you change, and to what settings). The manuals are very unclear. Thank you!
Hi Charles, I think the rotary was too fast. When editing, I went to Effect/Ins A/and set the horns fast to 5.38 Hz. I like that speed. I have a screen shot of it but can't get it in this reply. Post your email address and I can send you the screen shot.
I changed the part name, too.
@@mitchellgolomb1594Hey hope u still available 😅 would like that screenshot if possible
Good video thank you for sharing. People have to realize that you need to make some adjustments to ANY brand of quality keyboard you buy. I own several Yamaha keys, Nord Electro, Korg and Roland. I always take time the first week or two that I own them to make these types of tweaks and save my favorites. I have a Montage and the factory priest for velocity is a 1 to 1 ratio. You really need to tweak this and you can do it globally (check owners manual). You can set it exactly to your style of play.
Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo. J'avais ce problème dans mon Modx et c'est réglé grâce à vous!
After days on this problem I have found another solution : Put a Compressor and Control the Compressor Send level with an assignable Knob (or the modulation Knob). With this customized preset You can adjust the low velocity level to your convenience when playing.
That was actually very helpful! While there are many nice piano performances, most are thin like you described. I was really disappointed with the Grand Concert piano as it was not very "grand". I'll take a look and see if I can improve the one's I use with your idea. Thanks for posting it!
From my experience the piano patches work fine if you have the 88 weighted key version of MODX. The problem is that piano voice naturally has a very high dynamics range, and the semi weighted keys just cannot handle that much dynamics. By adjusting the midi velocity you can certainly make it easier to hit high velocity on these semi weighted keys, but at the same time you are also making it harder to control the dynamics precisely. Unfortunately this is an inherent problem for any semi weighted keys playing the piano voice, not just for the MODX.
I have a MODX 88 but the piano sounds not as expected!
Thanks for that info it was so important to me!
I think this issue honestly boils down to the astonishingly flimsy keybed on the smaller MODX's. I have to wonder if this comes up as much on the Montage/MODX 8
I suspect the light touch on the MODX6/MODX7 keybed does it, and that for the piano sounds, the velocities are tuned more for the weighted keybeds of the MODX8/Montage 8.
Hi Scott, I love the video and I will try your suggestions. You have more velocity but the sound isn’t that warm. Do you know what button or knob can make the pianos more warm and rounded?
Btw, the velocity curve issue isn't unique to the MODX. My old Kawai MP6 had a standard velocity setting which didn't allowed me to hit the highest velocities values (even with maximum force), my new Roland RD 2000 is even worse. I would really like to know why these manufacturers set the velocity curves up by default like that - doesn't make any sense, except to prevent people from purchasing their keyboards.
Great Vid Steve Thanks I recently bought a Modx6
You are correct .. but is fine when you are layering over other a sine wave or -1 octave synth layer. I would also say that most guys making real music are creating all their own performance patches! But yes ❤
Thanks for the tip. When playing in a band, the piano sound doesn't cut through the guitar and bass. Hopefully now it will.
Or, if you're lazy as me, go to utility and select a light velocity curve for the whole keyboard. I have my Modx for less than a day, and the first thing I noticed was that the pianos wasn't loud enough on my 80ohms beyerdynamic 770. Thank you for the video.
I fixed it, bought a nord electro. The two keyboards together is awesome :D
I've had a nord electro 3 for years and it is still my go to keyboard live. The modx is for synths and brass etc.
@@wavester46 absolutely! You cannot layer 8 sounds on the nord keyboards.
I have a MODX8 arriving tomorrow. When you first played the piano my heart sank because my MOXF8 has great pianos, and that sounded terrible.
Glad it's fixable.
A lot of the sounds are quieter on the MODX/Montage, as they are designed to be layered. If you have all the sounds putting out maximum levels and velocities by default, you'll get a distorted mess when you start layering. But when you have something like pianos where you aren't layering in that way, it makes sense to offset the velocity (and gain, if desired) to make the sound punch through.
Don't despair, the pianos sound FANTASTIC on this synth!
@@ScottsSynthStuff Nice thing is, I'll keep my MOXF8 until I'm comfortable with the MOD. So I'll be able to A/B them. The MOXF default concert grand is my go-to patch for church gigs.
Nice video, super informative! Was wondering why some of the sounds were weak...
Good video! Love that library also...😉
I did this the very first day I listened to those pianos. Nice pianos all around but excactly as you described them. THIN and I thought I would smash my keyboard (and my head :p ). Then it came to me. The bloody velocity. While it's in "64" in most pianos and performances, in pianos sounds like shit. Turned it up , saved a grand, acoustic and poprock piano as new, and voila. Can play live. Using a sustain pedal will help as well!
i tried it however, but how do you save it? do you overwrite the previous?
@@annnjet You can save as a new preset. Trying this with your favorite piano sounds would be ideal :)
I use pop and s700. For some pieces I need acoustic da piano but this is not good when you change velocity.
WOW...thanks so much. I will be using this method on this and some other Montage patches. Great info!
I never have liked thin and wishy washy...thank you sir!
You could change the velocity curve under utility from normal to wide to achieve similar results.
Definitely it’s very different than preview sounds. But it not only piano sounds! Also guitars and other acoustic instruments!
Very Nice and thank you for sharing how to improve the piano sounds
Thanks for the tip. Your solution works on my Korg Kross as well! Much nicer now...👍
Wow big difference in sound with those velocity tweaks. How is the key bed action for playing piano on this? I don't have the room for the 88 note action model and already have a Kawai ES8 dp. I am even considering the smaller 61 key MODX6 model due to it's compact size, with the octave buttons onboard I could probably still manage piano playing on the 61 key version.
If you're used to a weighted piano-style keybed, the synth action will take some getting used to, particularly in adjusting your playing to get the various dynamics you want.
I have to say I like the Motif engine better. Good video
Hey awesome video! Been really thinking about getting this. Thanks for the vid, this'll help me out a bit in the deciding game.
Parents just ordered the synth I will update when it gets here.
MODX Just arrived and Wow man it sounds amazing. This really helped me thanks Scott you're the man!
They are perfectly EQ to cut through in the mix in a loud church that's why it's such a popular sound . I take other boards and EQ them so the pianos sit in the mix correctly. A very popular gospel trick is to remove reverb and have zero decay. It sounds weird by itself but that fast playing in the mix there's nothing to compare it sounds amazing with the right style
Thanks for this great video! I have a similar problem with the MODX when I want to play a VST instrument in Cubase via Midi. The VST instruments always sound different when I use the keyboard of the MODX compared to when I play the keyboard of the VST instrument with the PC mouse. The sound is always too weak or too quiet when using the keyboard of the MODX. I now always use the Midi Modifier effect in Cubase to increase the signal strength. I can't find anything in the MODX.
That’s really helpful! Thank you!
Very nice. I just tried with the imperial bosendorfer. Will have to try with some quiet pieces to see if it is not too bright.
Hi Scott, great video! Once you make changes like the ones you did with velocity, is there a way to save the sample under the same name? Or do I have to change the name? I can’t seem to figure it out
You have to save it as a new (user) performance, you can't overwrite the factory sounds.
Thanks Scott! What does “velocity depth “ do?
Great trick. How would anyone even know how to do this. Thanks for the info.
Uh, never figured that this was a problem at all. Perhaps because mine came with a Bösendorfer Imperial sample pack, which is awesome sounding.
Thank you! I haven't played live with this synth yet, but I know this tip and the comments others left is going to help me a lot because I play in a group.
Thanks for the video... very useful and helpful :)
Good tutorial yeah this haopens a lot with the montage where the piano is just always somehow weak in the performance
Adjust the EQ as well - great video BTW ...
Any recommendation regarding to EQ settings? Thanks!
Great! Needed this!
thank u so much for sharing this knowledge. for new user it is so use full.
Gave you a sub just for the great info!!!
Thanks man.
Thanks, appreciate it!
Thank you very much. It has been very usefull for me. Excuse for my bad english. Kind regards
Thank you very much. That was crystal clear....wondering if you can make a video on how to create a whole song using the MODX's sequencer on the new updated 2.0 software version...many thanks
Excellent video bro ...thanks much !!!
nice demonstration man. Thank you
A thousand likes for this video! Thank you!
With the Montage 8, I never noticed this as a big problem. A few comments:
1. You can always adjust your volume and EQ, which will accomplish a lot of the same effect, but preserve your dynamics.
2. If you really prefer the Motif XF pianos (I don't), then all of them are included.
3. You should download the Bosendorfer Imperial piano, which is fuller and fatter than the default CFX
The Bosendorfer piano is great, but it's HUGE, and would mean I would no longer have room for many of the other libraries I have loaded in my MODX.
Also, volume and EQ can only do so much - remember that the pianos are playing different samples depending on the velocity with which you hit the key. By changing the velocity offset, you're causing it to play the louder, harder-struck samples at a lower playing velocity than they would normally play. You can't do that just by volume and EQ.
Where can I download the Bosendorfer Imperial piano?
@geoffk777: aren't you the guy who wanted to have a coffee with me in Tokyo? :)
@@ravenmusic932 Yep, that was me. :) Yamaha had the Bosendorfer as a free download on their web site, along with other add-ons for the Montage/MODX (like the Chick Corea Rhodes and CS-80 samples).
@@geoffk777 Great, thanks for the tip. Sometimes I use my MODX7 for small piano+vocals gigs, where I don't want to carry my heavy RD 2000, so it would be really great to have a nice piano sound!
so helpful thank you
Great video, But you still have the Motif Pianos. That’s why I bought the MODX+, cause it still has the XS/XF sound banks
Yes, all the Motif sounds are still there!
Omg you are the best ! I've always struggled with the piano sounds not cutting through the mix.
Cool tip, but...
How does that affect your playing if you want to play softly and delicately?
*I know right. That's pretty weird of him.*
Very usefull video
A piano is not a Schlager Weapon. Play the piano at higher velocity. If you want to see what the synth is doing on Audition, record the output to your DAW and look at the MIDI Events. You may find some special controllers. I know the guitars use sample switching.
What you adjusted just cut your dynamic range drastically.
Exactly what I was thinking. Now it just sounds like he's smashing the keys all the time just like the demo. Lost the ability to express the instrument.
hi, great video! some preset MODX sounds have echo, but it doesn't have to do with reverb, VarSend or RevSend sometimes (like with Hypnotic AF1&2), I tried. Do you know how to get rid of the echo in those cases and get a clean sound?
You can go into each part of the performance, edit the part, click on Effect, and make sure both insert A and B are turned off.
There is also the master reverb and variation. Click on the name in the performance, then click Edit, then Effect. You'll see the variation and reverb settings that affect ALL parts, and in Hypnotic AF1&2 you'll find a tempo cross delay in there that is causing the echo you hear.
Stay blessed 🙌
It's all about the touch on the keybed!
Ron Hoogerhuis that’s definitely not true. Yamaha Montage has been know for that
Not with the MODX
Thank you, i will have to try this. IMO, the Yamaha pianos still don't hold a candle to my Korg Grandstage, but maybe this will help. Also... I have a System 8, which is amazing. You don't think Yamaha's AWM is weak by comparison to Roland's ACB? At least for analog modeling, the Yamaha can't compare, imo. That S8 is a beast. In case you can't tell, I'm seriously considering selling the MODX....
Y YR I personally have never played a kurzweil. And that question is all really what you are looking for. My favorite is the Fantom. I really did not like the sounds on my MODX. And you need to get a PhD to figure out to do what you want on a Kronos. It’s not user friendly at all, imo. The Fantom you can just sit and play. I love the clip based sequencing. And the sounds are great. Probably not as great as Kronos, but almost. And it’s so simple to use with so many instructional videos online (ed Diaz synth talk and Roland product support channels). Only things are, it only supports 3/4 and 4/4 time and doesn’t have multi-sampling yet. But updates are coming for it. So if you want to do complex polyrhythms and linear-style recording, Kronos might be for you.
Lmao, I have the Montage, Kronos, and the Roland Fantom6, Montage Piano and EP easily outshines most of the programs on my Kronos except a few, the Fanton doesn't even compare in the piano section, but I love it's synth and Zen core tech. I also own the Kurzweil PC3K8, and none of my other boards can touch it for string, orchestral, and effects...
Hey Scott, my new MODX just arrived and the touch screen isn’t working. Any suggestions or am I doing something wrong?
There's no secret to making it work. I would run the screen calibration, and if that doesn't fix it, contact your seller and get it exchanged.
Thank you for the lesson!! ;)
well… you pretty much turned off the velocity sensitivity.. but yeah pianos sound kinda cheap on the modx
Not turned it off, just adjusted it upwards, so the keyboard thinks you are playing harder than you actually are.
Hi , my sounds cut off when I layer different sounds … for example when I add pads to my piano sounds. Any idea why ?
Can you make a demo on this Modx ? (with the sounds you edited)