@Jason

Natalini/Darryl - which keyboard(s) have you tested? Between Montage and MODX. UPDATE: looks like Darryl tested Montage (pulled from other more dedicated thread).

Yes you are correct, I tested from the Montage!

Excellent!

Excellent, thanks - I had to tell Reaper to stop using the port 2 for input/output as well, since it was doing that by default in the MIDI device settings. Once I'd done that, it worked.
Many thanks for your help - great work.

And that does it! This is working for me with the DAW setting on the Montage set to Cubase at least:


(EDIT: Even nicer when you add the output too)

The Remote Control commands that address Cubase are different from those that address Logic Pro, which are different from those that address Pro Tools, which are different from those that address Ableton and so on, and so on. In order for the Remote Control to work it must follow a particular map (configuration). In the MONTAGE/MODX you must select the DAW you are controlling by name, so that the available controls (including the Transport controls) are addressed according to that manufacturers product.

As you can imagine each DAW can have unique features.

The Remote Control for both the MONTAGE/MODX are via USB using (discreetly) Port#2. Make sure when setting your DAW to receive Control Surface commands, that you isolate USB Port #2 exclusively for this task— if you cross the streams, that is, allow other Port commands into the Remote layer, or allow Port 2 messages into other areas of your DAW, pressing keys and touching buttons on the normal front panel of the synth will start opening windows, and making setting changes that you don’t want to happen. And/or you might touch a front panel button and it plays a note. These are clear indicators that you have allowed either Port 1 or Port 3 to cross paths with Port 2. Avoid this...

Port 2, and only Port 2, is reserved for the Remote Control commands. In your DAW you must ensure that ONLY Port 2 is used for Remote Control protocol.

The protocol used by MONTAGE/MODX is “Mackie Control”... if you are attempting to see what may work in a non-supported DAW, see if it responds to “Mackie Control“... if it can be set to respond to this protocol some functions may work. Your mileage may vary. And be sure to isolate commands on MONTAGE/MODX MIDI Port 2

Poking around quickly, it appears that the transport buttons (play, record, etc.) do not transmit a CC value, so I don't think you can bind them in Reaper at the moment (perhaps something for Ideascale). With the mode set to Plugin on the Remote page, the scene buttons do transmit a CC value, so you could bind those instead.

I had a quick try to get the new Remote transport controls working with Reaper (on PC) last night and failed miserably. I'll try again, but just seemed worth asking if anyone has already figured this out? The 'remote' section seems a bit technical in UI terms and lacking in any info from Yamaha at this time, as far as I can see.

Thanks folks!

Smart Morph is similar to vector synthesis embedded in FM-X. Without a joystick, but I will do the same on the touch screen
Bravo Yamaha!

Smart Morph is not a vector synthesis where only levels of source sounds are crossfaded.
Here it is real morphing, that means the interpolation of selected parameters of source sounds, based on clever analysis and self learning.
Which is not quite without certain difficulties. Because some parameters in FM-X engine are stepped, not smooth, like algorithm select, filter type, oscillator frequency mode, coarse tune, feedback, spectral parameters... When these parameters will differ significantly in source sounds, we will get stepped changes in result, similar to wave sequencing. Which is not bad, of course.
Probably we can get smooth changes when these key parameters will have similar or the same values in source sounds... Lot of space for experimenting!

Natalini/Darryl - which keyboard(s) have you tested? Between Montage and MODX. UPDATE: looks like Darryl tested Montage (pulled from other more dedicated thread).

Jason; Controllability" - one aspect of this is enhanced resolution on the pitch bend. Someone will need to verify with a Roli to see if not only the internal controller is enhanced - but also "external" MIDI receive and response.

stepping issue have not been fixed in anyway; i can confirm

I like how that last link runs down the new features with some extra context (vs the release notes). This summary, however, did not cover pitchbend resolution.

Love the new update overall. Disappointed that it appeared from what I read about the pitchbend resolution that it might have been fixed, but unfortunately it was not. It still steps and is not smooth at all even when set to just -10 or 10, whereas the DX7-II is smooth as silk. So they couldn't have fixed it...
Can @BadMister or @Blake comment on when the fix for pitchbend will come!? Next update 4.0 maybe?

Is there an easy way to audition/play the new performances without having to search for each new one by name individually?

32 New Performances were added to the end of Factory Preset Performance list by the firmware update:
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH]
Set “Bank/Favorite” = Preset
Set “Attribute” = Smart Morph

“Glavinet” is the first of the 32 added by the 2.50 update... added after “Wired” the previous last Performance on the list.
You can now increment through the new Performances using the [INC/YES] button.

Thanks for that. I was making the mistake of going into the Performance and touching other parts of the screen whilst experimenting with the performance, which made it so that the INC/YES button wasn't working because I hadn't got the performance name highlighted - a rookie mistake

Smart Morph is similar to vector synthesis embedded in FM-X. Without a joystick, but I will do the same on the touch screen
Bravo Yamaha!

Is there an easy way to audition/play the new performances without having to search for each new one by name individually?

32 New Performances were added to the end of Factory Preset Performance list by the firmware update:
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH]
Set “Bank/Favorite” = Preset
Set “Attribute” = Smart Morph

“Glavinet” is the first of the 32 added by the 2.50 update... added after “Wired” the previous last Performance on the list.
You can now increment through the new Performances using the [INC/YES] button.

Is there an easy way to audition/play the new performances without having to search for each new one by name individually?

A few more sources of information ...

FM (Smart) Morpher Demo: https://youtu.be/Qq2L7nsG05E -- this seems more like a pre-announce teaser than a demo that "shows off" the feature.
Firmware Update Overview: https://youtu.be/n6mu0dPG3GI
Dom's Video (mentions there will be another after this): https://youtu.be/Hd3aCDutC5s
Montage "updates" page on yamaha.com: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/music_production/synthesizers/montage/update.html

And from the last link, there are a one more thing worth mentioning:

Sequencer Features ...

Snappier Operation: The Pattern Sequencer is faster and more precise overall. Everything feels better!

... so it appears this is a general clean-up of the sequencer code from the "1st pancake" batch of the previous firmware.

I like how that last link runs down the new features with some extra context (vs the release notes). This summary, however, did not cover pitchbend resolution.

Not sure, but I also thought there would be more opportunities for resolution than pitchbend. Mod wheel has MSB/LSB possibilities - but also the modulation matrix would need to increase the resolution in order to take advantage of controller resolution. I'm not sure that's been done - so pitch bend would only get higher resolution if used natively as a pitch bend source and not if used for destinations if used a source controller in the control matrix. That's my read at least.

I haven't gone back and monitored the PB values spit out to see now that there's indeed more bits used. I'd assume for MIDI control we'd see the higher resolution. It may all be internal, however. Easiest to hear by recording Montage v3.0 with maximum pitch bend range and hearing the step sizes of each "tick". Then upgrading and seeing how much better 3.5 is.

Awesome, thanks Yamaha!

Does anyone know if this also increases the resolution of the motion sequence (Multi OSC) system to reduce stepping?

Thanks to the Yamaha team for adding Undo/Redo to the pattern sequencer main page - that was one of my requests on Ideascale. Much appreciated!

I've been following different Yamaha Forums and Ideascale for well over a year and a half, and I have contributed a fair number of ideas both on the forums and on Ideascale. During the time that I have been posting my thoughts & ideas, there have been a few people that haven't been able to see the longevity in the Montage and felt it wouldn't have many more updates to come, if any (based on Yamaha's past reputation). I kept saying that Yamaha have changed their strategy and their roadmap is to go longer with the same hardware, but provide new enhancements & features via OS updates. I also kept saying to get your ideas up on Ideascale as well as post them in the forums, and that Yamaha are listening! Thankfully many others agreed that the Montage was no where near becoming a dead product and there would be many OS updates to come, and they also voted up my ideas &/or added their own similar/same ones. Many also had ideas for a sequencer to be added... Then I noticed something change for about a week on this forum (not saying what/who it was), but it lead me to think that maybe Yamaha were preparing new Performances for an upcoming OS update release. I think this was sometime around late July/early Aug of 2019 and so I predicted there would be a new update within a month or two. Roland released their new Fantom a little over a month later...

*Then Yamaha responded by releasing the Montage 3.0/MODX 2.0 Update (Sept 23, 2019)

It came with a sequencer (not my idea), and here is the idea I had placed on Ideascale & Forums many months prior to that update, and I'm sure others may have also posted the same or similar things either on Ideascale &/or various forums too ... Yamaha listened to us! :

1. Add [KBD CTRL] to SCENE Mixing! (Montage/MODX)
(Idea submitted by me April 5, 2019) - 41 Up Votes
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Add-KBD-CTRL-to-SCENE-Mixing!-Montage-MODX/230456-45978
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After Montage 3.0, I kept saying the next OS update will come sooner than later & may not be a big one, but rather a medium sided one. I predicted this would happen around March 2020.

*Now Yamaha just released the Montage 3.5/MODX 2.5 Update (June 2, 2020) ... My birthday is tomorrow June 3rd, so thank you Yamaha for this gift, you shouldn't have!
But I blame Covid-19 for the slight delay in this prediction ; however they did deliver at least one or more ideas that I and others had ... again Yamaha is listening to us (so Use Ideascale!). Also, Yamaha are telling us that the Montage is still a long way from being replaced & will remain their Flagship for some time to come, because they included the new feature/enhancement that the MODX User & Library files can now be imported into the Montage ... they are siblings, joined at the hip! What's good for one is good for both long term!

2. Montage/MODX Pitch Bend micro Stepping-like Sound - Not 'Smooth'
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Montage-MODX-Pitch-Bend-micro-Stepping-like-Sound-Not-Smooth/231136-45978
(Idea submitted by me April 17, 2019) - 34 Up Votes
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I'm not ready for my next prediction yet, but here are some other ideas I've had that even more people have Up Voted on Ideascale then the previous two. So I'm hoping that one or both of them come true when the next Huge Montage 4.0/MODX 3.0 update is released LESS THAN ONE YEAR FROM TODAY, in response to either Korg or Roland releasing their next big Synth/Workstation!!! (OK, I lied and made my prediction )
But I am 'hoping' these next 2 ideas are added as part of that OS 4.0 update response to the competition! Fingers crossed...

3.
Expand KBD CTRL to 16 parts on the Montage/MODX (Idea submitted by me Dec 30, 2018) - 76 Up Votes
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Expand-KBD-CTRL-to-16-parts-on-the-Montage-MODX/223218-45978

Yamaha C7 Grand Piano Library for Montage/MODX (Idea submitted by me Nov 20, 2018) - 61 Up Votes
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Yamaha-C7-Grand-Piano-Library-for-Montage-MODX/220797-45978

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*How do I know all this & able to make these predictions? Because I am a JEDI with Psychic powers!!!
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