Yamaha Motif 8 Owners Manual

31MOTIF  Basic Structure
Mode
Basic Structure
■Performance mode
Basic Structure (page 42) · Basic Operation (page 67)
Quick Start Guide (page 88) · Reference (page 160)
●Performance Play mode
In this mode, Performances can be played — letting 
you use Voice splits, layers, etc,.
●Performance Edit mode
In this mode, Performances can be created and 
edited. 
●Performance Job mode
In this mode, you can copy and initialize 
Performances, and perform other similar operations 
(Jobs) on them. 
●Performance...

32MOTIF  Basic Structure
Mode
Basic Structure
■Utility mode
Basic Operation (page 67) · Reference (page 249)
This mode is a sub-mode of the Voice/Performance/
Song/Pattern mode. Press the [UTILITY] button in 
each mode to enter the Sampling mode and press the 
same button after sampling to go back to the previous 
mode. 
In this mode, you can set parameters that apply to the 
entire system of the MOTIF. These include MIDI 
settings and global setup parameters.
●Utility Job mode
In this Mode, you can...

33MOTIF  Basic StructureSystem Overview
Basic Structure
System Over view
This section provides an overview of the MOTIF’s wide range of sophisticated and versatile features.  The MOTIF is 
made up of several blocks, as shown here.
Controller block
Basic Structure (pages 37, 48)
This block consists of the keyboard, Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheels, Ribbon Controller, Sound Control knobs, 
and so on. The keyboard itself doesn’t generate sounds, but instead sends note, velocity and other information (MIDI...

34MOTIF  Basic Structure
System Overview
Basic Structure
Tone Generator block
The tone generator block is what actually produces sound in response to the MIDI messages received from the 
sequencer block, the controller block, and from the MIDI IN connector or the USB connector. 
The following example illustrates the signal flow within a Voice. 
nFor details on the Voice structure, see page 40.
Internal AWM2 Tone Generator and optional Plug-in board
The tone generator block in the MOTIF consists of the...

35MOTIF  Basic StructureSystem Overview
Basic Structure
Plug-in board line-up
●Single Part Plug-in Boards
Single Part Plug-in Boards let you add a completely different synthesizer or tone generator and play its voices by 
using a single part of the MOTIF.
•  Analog Physical Modeling Plug-in Board (PLG150-AN)
Using Analog Physical Modeling (AN) synthesis, the very latest digital technology is used to accurately reproduce 
the sound of analog synthesizers. With this board installed, you have real-time...

36MOTIF  Basic Structure
System Overview
Basic Structure
Maximum Polyphony
The maximum sonic polyphony is 62 for AWM2, plus the polyphony of the Plug-in Board (if installed). The actual 
note polyphony will vary depending on the type of tone generator unit used, the number of Elements in the Voice, 
and the note polyphony of the Plug-in Board.
In the case of AWM2 Voices, the polyphony figure of 63 is divided by the number of Elements in the Voice. 
Part structure of the Tone Generator block
The MOTIF...

37MOTIF  Basic StructureSystem Overview
Basic Structure
Relationship between the Part structure of the Tone Generator block and the 
Controller/Sequencer block for each mode
●Voice mode
nIn the Voice mode, the MIDI port number is 1. 
nThe Multi-Part Plug-in Board cannot be used in the Voice mode. However, other Plug-in Boards can be used.
●Performance mode
nIn the Performance mode, the MIDI port number is 1. 
nThe Multi-Part Plug-in Board cannot be used in the Performance mode. However, other Plug-in...

38MOTIF  Basic Structure
System Overview
Basic Structure
●Song/Pattern mode
External sequencer
MIDI sequence data
(Song / Pattern)
Tone Generator block (example)Sequencer block
Port 1 Port 2(Multi-Part Plug-in 
Board)Port 3(Single Part Plug-in
Board)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 15
Track 16Part 4
Part 15Part 17
Part 18
Part 30
Part 31
Part 32
PLG1 part
PLG2 part Part 16Part 33
Parts 33-46
are not
used. Part 34
Part 46
Part 47
Part 48
In the Song / Pattern Mixing mode, the...

39MOTIF  Basic StructureSystem Overview
Basic Structure
Effect block
This block of the MOTIF applies effects to the output of the tone generator, processing and enhancing the sound 
using sophisticated DSP (digital signal processing) technology.
Effect structure
The MOTIF’s effect processing features the following effect units.
■System Effects (Reverb, Chorus, Variation) 
System Effects are applied to the overall sound, whether it be a voice, an entire performance setup, a song, etc. 
With System...

40MOTIF  Basic Structure
System Overview
Basic Structure
Effect connection
●In the Voice mode: 
Reference (page 137)
You can select the Insertion connection among three types. 
nThe parallel connection is not available for Plug-in voices. 
●In the Performance mode: 
Reference (page 169)
The diagram below indicates the connection when the Vocal Harmony Plug-in Board (PLG100-VH) is installed to slot 1. 
nThe Vocal Harmony Plug-in Board (PLG100-VH) can be installed only to slot 1. It cannot be installed to...