DCP Productions Motif XS User manual
DCP PRODUCTIONS'
OWNER'S MANUAL
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the “Vintage Keys” sound library for the
Yamaha Motif XS. This sound library contains 128 voices and 1 user
arpeggio which is required for use with one of the voices.
“Vintage Keys” was the second DCP Productions sound library made
for the Yamaha Motif series synthesizer/workstations – dating all the
way back to 2003 and the original Motif “Classic”. This, the “XS”
version, represents a considerable leap forward from the Motif
Classic and ES-series versions, and includes significant re-workings
of the original voices, as well as a large number of brand new voices.
Additional research into the keyboards and synths emulated, plus
extensive use of the new features in the Motif XS (such as assignable
switches, 8 element architecture, key-off triggering, etc.) result in
what is the most comprehensive and authentic collection of vintage
keyboard and synth sounds ever created for any Yamaha
workstation.
The library is divided into two groups of 64 voices each. The first
group (A1 to D16) consists of electric pianos, clavinets and other
“keyboard” sounds. The second group (E1 to H16) consists of classic
“synthesizer “sounds. By "vintage", we refer to keyboards and
synthesizers built before 1987.
It would be impossible to include emulations of every electric
keyboard or synth ever built. For that reason, this collection largely
contains emulations of what could more or less be considered the
"greatest hits" of vintage keys - the Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric
pianos, the Hohner clavinet, Yamaha CP70, Yamaha FM
synthesizers, the Moog Minimoog and Memorymoog, ARP Odyssey
and 2600, Sequential Prophet 5 and T8, Oberheim OB synths, and
Roland Jupiter/Juno synths, with the occasional “honorable mention”
synth such as the Korg Polysix and EMS Synthi AKS.
There are a number of voices which are emulations of the hallmark
keyboard or synth sounds for particular classic songs, such as Van
Halen's "Jump", Edgar Winter Group's "Frankenstein", Emerson Lake
and Palmer's "Welcome Back My Friends (actually the song's title
was "Karn Evil 9 First Impression Part 2"), the Who's "Baba O'Riley"
and "Won't Get Fooled Again", and so on. Again, there simply wasn't
room to include every emulation for every synth sound that ever
appeared on a hit recording. This is where the Performance mode
comes in handy - any voice can be altered in Performance mode (for
example, changing the filter cutoff or resonance, or the attack time or
release) thus creating, in effect, as many variations on the existing
Vintage Keys voices as the user so desires.
TO LOAD THE VOICES:
FROM THE DOWNLOADED ZIP FILE TO USB DEVICE (JUMP
DRIVE or FLASH DRIVE):
CAUTION: Before you load “Vintage Keys” into your
Motif XS, MAKE SURE you have backed up any data you
want to save onto a USB storage medium (and your
computer). Loading “Vintage Keys” will overwrite the
data that exists in the Voice and Performance banks.
1. Insert your USB device into your computer’s available USB slot. It’s icon
should appear on your desktop.
2. Navigate to the “VINTAGE KEYS MOTIFXS” folder and double-click on it
to open it.
3. Navigate to the folder called “Vintage Keys Motif XS ALL File” and double-
click to open it.
4. Copy the file called “VintageKeysXS.X0A” to your USB device’s icon (by
either dragging the file directly to the icon, or going to your file menu and
choosing “Copy” and “To” and selecting the USB device as your
destination).
5. When the file has copied completely to your USB device, properly eject
the USB device and insert it in the slot labeled “TO DEVICE” on the rear
panel of your Motif XS. You will see a screen message that says
“Connecting to USB device…”.
6. Press the FILE button on the front panel of the Motif XS. Use the cursor
buttons to move up to the top of the screen so that the “Device” field is
highlighted and turns blue-green. If necessary, turn your jog wheel to the
right until you see the name of your USB device in the field. This will
indicate that your USB device has been selected.
7. Using the cursor down buttons, cursor down to the first named folder in
the display and then turn the jog wheel to further move to the file called
“VintageKeysXS.X0A”. The file name will highlight in blue-green.
8. Using the cursor buttons, cursor down to the field marked “Type” and
make sure it is set to “all”.
9. Press SF2 “LOAD”. Then press the “YES” button on your XS.
10. The Vintage Keys library will load 128 voices to your VOICE User 3 bank.
11.To select the first voice, press the “VOICE” button, then the User Bank 3
button, and then button A1 to begin.
FROM THE DOWNLOADED ZIP FILE TO USB CD DRIVE:
CAUTION: Before you load “Vintage Keys” into your
Motif XS, MAKE SURE you have backed up any data you
want to save onto a USB storage medium (and your
computer). Loading “B’s Knees” will overwrite the data
that exists in the Voice and Performance banks.
1. Connect a USB CD-ROM drive to your Motif XS’ “To Device” slot located
on the rear panel of the Motif XS. Power up the drive. You will see a
message in the XS display that reads “Connecting to USB device…”.
2. Insert a blank CD in your computer’s CD drive. Its icon should appear on
your desktop..
3. Navigate to the folder called “Vintage Keys Motif XS ALL File” and double-
click to open it.
4. Copy the file called “VintageKeysXS.X0A” to the CD (by either dragging
the file directly to the icon, or going to your file menu and choosing “Copy”
and “To” and selecting the CD as your destination).
5. When the file has copied completely to your CD, rename the CD to
something you want (like “Motif XS stuff”), properly eject it and insert it in
the CD-ROM drive connected to your Motif XS.
6. Press the FILE button on the front panel of the Motif XS. Use the cursor
buttons to move up to the top of the screen so that the “Device” field is
highlighted and turns blue-green. If necessary, turn your jog wheel to the
right until you see the name of your CD in the field. This will indicate that
your CD has been selected..
7. Using the cursor down buttons, cursor down to the first named folder in
the display and then turn the jog wheel to further move to the file called
“VintageKeysXS.X0A”. The file name will highlight in blue-green.
8. Using the cursor buttons, cursor down to the field marked “Type” and
make sure it is set to “all”.
9. Press SF2 “LOAD”. Then press the “YES” button on your XS.
10. The Vintage Keys library will load 128 voices to your VOICE User 3 bank.
11.To select the first voice, press the “VOICE” button, then User Bank 3
button, and then button A1 to begin.
About the VOICES
As previously stated, the voices are divided into two groups of 64
each, explained in all the sordid details below.
CONTROLLERS –
The Motif XS features an expanded set of controlling knobs – 8
altogether, with assignable Knobs 1 and 2 at the far right of the row.
Additionally, there are two assignable switches (labeled “Assignable
Function) immediately to the left of the eight sliders on the XS.
The assignable knobs 1 and 2, and the assignable switches 1 and 2,
almost always control some aspect of the voice sound. Turn the
knobs or press the switches to see what happens!
The ribbon controller and arpeggio on/off button are not assigned to
the “keyboard” voices of Vintage Keys. However, they are assigned
to some of the “synthesizer voices, where appropriate. More on that
in the notes preceding the synthesizer voice descriptions.
THANKS AGAIN –
To Julian Colbeck, whose book “Keyfax:Omnibus Collection” once
again proved to be an invaluable source of research data, and from
which I shall often quote liberally.
Thanks also to the entire staff of Keyfax New Media, who maintain
the site http://www.motifator.com, where you purchased and
downloaded this library.
GROUP 1 - electric pianos, clavinets, and
related sounds.
Rhodes electric pianos A1 thru B16.
The most popular electric piano of all time and still cherished and
used in music today, the Rhodes was invented by one Harold
Rhodes, who had the idea for building an electro-mechanical piano
using spun metal rods, or "tines" struck by hammers (you might think
of a tine as a cousin to the tuning fork). Harold's first Rhodes piano
was the 32-note PianoBass, used by notables such as Ray Manzarek
of the Doors for his bass sounds. In 1965 the design for the
PianoBass was modified and enlarged to create an 88-key piano,
complete with amplification and speaker enclosure. Thus began a line
of Rhodes electric pianos, manufactured until 1984.
Harold Rhodes with his first design for the “therapeutic” piano, to be distributed to
disabled World War II serviceman recuperating in hospitals.
Rhodes pianos (also referred to as Fender Rhodes as they were
marketed by the Fender company for quite a number of years) were a
lot like people - each one had its own character. Some were
temperamental, some sounded beautifully chime-like, others sounded
more harsh and squawky like an electric guitar, and many sounded
just plain bad. And so presented here are 32 Rhodes pianos, ranging
from the good (most of them) to the bad to the ugly.
A1 – Suitcase 1965
Modeled after a 1965 Suitcase 88. Called the Suitcase because it
consisted of two "suitcases" - a piano section with a detachable lid
and a curved black plastic top, and an amplified speaker section,
same length and depth as the piano section which fitted on top of the
speaker cabinet. A metal rod connected the keyboard to the sustain
pedal which was housed in the speaker cabinet.
At this time the tremolo circuit for the amp/speaker was mono, not
stereo, and felt hammer tips were used which gave the piano its
characteristic softer, more bell-like tone.
“Silver-top” Fender Rhodes Suitcase 73, circa 1965 (note Rhodes Piano Bass in
the bottom of the photo)
A2 - Suitcase 1971
Modeled after a 1969 Suitcase 73, with a stereo tremolo circuit.
A3 - Babe
Modeled after the Rhodes sound on the Styx hit "Babe". That
Rhodes had a "Dyno-My-Piano" modification – in the late 70’s thru
the mid-80’s,Chuck Monte of Los Angeles retrofitted Rhodes pianos
with a stereo tri-chorus and active equalization controls. The tines
were also moved closer to the hammers, and all this resulted in a
crystalline/metallic chorused tonal quality.
Mark I Stage 73
Probably the most popular model of Rhodes piano. The Stage
series were identical to the Suitcase models, except they didn't come
with a speaker cabinet. Instead the piano rested on four tubular metal
legs which screwed into the bottom of the piano. This is a model of a
Stage 73 with the Neoprene hammers which replaced the earlier felt
ones, resulting in a harder more aggressive sound with a bit less
bottom end and more midrange tone.
Mark I Stage 73 piano.
A5 – Stereo Phaze
Modeled after a Stage 73 run through a phaser pedal.
A6 – Transistor 1
You could say this piano sounds bad, and you'd be right. You
could say it sounds cool and you'd also be right. I actually had a
Rhodes Stage 73 that sounded just like this - there was something
rather strange going on with the pre-amp which caused the piano to
sound distorted and brash no matter what the loudness was. It was
"bitchin' cool" in its own metallic weird way as well, depending on how
you looked at the situation.
A7 – Transistor 2
Variation on the same theme - a Stage 73 with pre-amp distortion.
A8 - Transistor 3
And yet another Stage 73 with cool/terrible pre-amp distortion of a
different color. Notice the uneven timbre and loudness response in
the upper octaves - ah, the memories.
A9 – Rhodes Compressed
Rhodes Suitcase 73, circa 1975, fed through a compressor unit.
You can hear this kind of sound on Chick Corea/Return to Forever's
album "Where Have I Known You Before".
A-10 – Felt Hammers
Suitcase 73 with felt hammers and very soft bell-like tone.
A11 – Neoprene Hammers
Modeled after a 1976 Suitcase piano with Neoprene (hard rubber)
hammers.
A12 - Sunshine
The famous Rhodes sound from Stevie Wonder's "You re the
Sunshine Of My Life" hit song. Warmer, darker Suitcase piano sound
with stereo tremolo engaged.
A13 - Mutron
Classic sound of a Rhodes through a Mutron Bi-Phase pedal. The
Mu-Tron BiPhase featured two independent phasers, which could be
switched on and off independently of each other (both phaser
switches could be on simultaneously as well – which is the effect you
hear on this voice).
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