John Joseph Benares

Yamaha MOXF8 The Yamaha MOXF8 88 Key Synthesizer Workstation Keyboard is the ultimate keyboard of choice that provides high quality performance whether for gigs or for use in a studio. With the MOXF8, Yamaha has really built up their MOX Workstation with the MOTIF XF sound engine that provides greater sounds and effects. It now even comes with a Flash board option slot. You get a huge array of instrument sounds and voices including pianos, string instruments, winds, EPs, orchestral sounds, guitars, basses and even drums. It comes as well with some old school and modern synth sounds. The 88-key Graded Hammer Standard Keyboard gives a realistic feel and response when playing it much like playing a true acoustic piano with heavier keys at the bass that changes to a light touch in the treble. The Yamaha MOXF8 combines the beauty and elegance of a classical piano with the modern capabilities of a modern day keyboard and synth. The Yamaha MOXF8 also comes with a strong MIDI keyboard control with extensive DAW and VST control, a multichannel USB MIDI/Audio interface, a robust onboard sequencing and powerful software bundle all in one workstation. NEVER RUN OUT OF SOUNDS AND EFFECTS AGAIN Building on the impressive power of the Yamaha MOX Workstation, the Yamaha MOXF8 Workstation offers you an impressive and almost unbelievable range of production-quality sounds. The MOTIF XF sound engine allowed for a detailed digital recreation of two of Yamaha’s grand pianos which give realistic acoustic piano sounds. The MOTIF XF sound engine of the Yamaha MOXF8 comes with a whopping 741MB of waveforms with new content not previously heard in previous MOX Workstations. There are 136 new voices which includes the superb S6 grand piano. Keyboard sounds such as the clavinet and the organ are also available along with a range of new sounds from different genres ranging from classical orchestra to even hip-hop. The Yamaha MOXF8 also makes it possible for you create vintage analog and modern digital synth sounds using the MOXF8’s 8-element voices, 18 filter types and its exhaustive effects section. The MOXF8 gives you access to all the sounds and effects that you need whether it is a for a live performance or for a studio production. With the Flash board expansion option and the it’s compatibility with MOTIF XF and MOX Data, you can really get a huge library and collection of sounds and all the additional software right at your fingertips. Producing high quality music and sounds has never been so easy with the Yamaha MOXF8. HIGH QUALITY SOUNDS YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO TWEAK As you can expect from Yamaha, not only did they pack high quality sounds, but each sound were expertly crafted to the finest detail making it easy to pull up sounds just like that. You never have to worry about having to tweak sounds because there is a preset for your every taste. Yamaha MOXF8 also comes with its proprietary Virtual Circuitry Modeling or VCM technology. VCM Technology simulates the effects of vintage EQs, compressors and phasers at the circuit level. This technology has enabled Yamaha to vastly improve the quality of the instruments in the MOXF. With the VCM technology, you are guaranteed to never run out of creative possibilities. FLASH MEMORY EXPANDABILITY We already mentioned Yamaha MOXF8’s flash memory expandability. The MOXF8 is compatible with many of the sound content available especially ones developed for the MOTIF XF and MOX. This means you get a wider array of options and possibilities when playing and producing music. The optional Flash board actually allows you to expand up an additional 1GB of new samples to your MOXF. You can then customize and tailor fit the sounds that you need using promotional content such as Inspiration In A Flash and CP1 Piano from Yamaha, as well as many of the third party libraries available in the market. SOFTWARE INTEGRATION MADE EASY The Yamaha MOXF8 brings world-class music production at the fingertips of a bold and young generation of artists by including USB computer integration with Yamaha’s MOTIF Technology. With a single USB cable, you can fully integrate the MOXF8 Workstation with your Mac or PC for both audio and MIDI sounds. You will be able to get your creative juices pumping with your favorite music software using your Yamaha MOXF8. The MOXF8 comes bundled with a music production software so that you can even make computer integration be as easy as 1, 2, 3. The music production bundle comes with the MOXF Editor so you can get detailed voice and mixing parameter editing. You will also get the MOXF Remote Editor, a very useful tool for editing and creating control templates for your favorite VST instruments. And finally, you also get Remote Tools that makes integration with Cubase DAW software a breeze. PERFORMANCE MODE TO BOLSTER CREATIVITY The Yamaha MOXF8 comes with the Performance mode that allows you to combine up to 4 voices together as one and play them on one MIDI channel. This allows for a dynamic layer of sounds or even solos that go with drums or bass backing tracks. The interactive Arp engine also allows you to play simple chords or notes so that you can create a complete musical performance. There are also 256 preset performances in a wide variety of styles and genres of music such as rock, hip hop, jazz and many more. BUILT-IN SEQUENCER This robust keyboard features a built-in sequencer that lets you produce high quality music even if you are not in front of a computer or other external devices. This is a very powerful tool that Yamaha made sure to include in this keyboard workstation that you can do real-time recording that records your performance as you play or step recording that is suitable for recording precise phrases or difficult passages. By simply pressing the REC button, you can record particularly creative performances directly to a song or pattern. No need for other external devices to do the recording for you. Yamaha MOXF8 88 Key Workstation Keyboard Specifications (http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-YAM-MOXF8-LIST) Keyboard: 88 keys, GHS keyboard (Initial Touch) Tone Generator: AWM2, with Expanded Articulation Maximum Polyphony: 128 notes Multi Timbral Capacity: 16 parts (Internal), A/D input part Wave: 741MB (when converted to 16-bit linear format), 3,977 waveforms Voices: Preset: 1,152 Normal Voices + 72 Drum Kits, GM: 128 Normal Voices + 1 Drum Kit, User: 384 Normal Voices + 32 Drum Kits Performance: User: 256 (up to 4 parts) Filter: 18 types Effects: Reverb x 9 types, Chorus x 22 types, Insertion (A, B) x 54 types x 8 parts, Vocoder x 1 (uses both Insertion Effect A and B blocks), Master Effect x 9 types, Master EQ (5 bands), Part EQ (3 bands, stereo) Note Capacity: Approx. 226,000 notes Note Resolution: 480 ppq (parts per quarter note) Maximum Polyphony: 124 notes Tempo (BPM): 5 – 300 Song recording type: Real time replace, Real time overdub (with the exception of the Pattern Chain), Real time punch in/out (Song only), Step (with the exception of the Pattern Chain) Song tracks: Song: 16 sequence Tracks (Loop on/off can be set for each Track), Tempo Track, Scene Track, Pattern: 16 Phrase Tracks , Pattern Chain: Pattern Track, Tempo Track, Scene Track Songs: 64 Songs, Mixing Voices: 16 Voices per Song/Pattern (up to 256 Voices) , Mixing Templates: 32 for all Songs and Patterns Patterns: 64 Patterns (x 16 sections), Measures: 256 maximum Phrases: User Phrases: 256 per Pattern Arpeggio: Preset: 7,981 types, User: 256 types (MIDI Sync, MIDI transmit/receive channel, Velocity Limit, and Note Limit can be set. 4 Arpeggio parts can be played simultaneously.) Scene Memory: 6 per Song Sequence formats: Original format, SMF format 0, 1 (Format 1 load only) Master: User:128 (Each master includes Master keyboard settings with 4 Zones, Assignable Knob settings, Program Change table.) Controllers: Pitch Bend wheel, Modulation wheel, Assignable Knob x 8, [DATA] dial x 1, Assignable Function buttons x 2 Display: 240 x 64 dot, backlit LCD Connectors: OUTPUT [L/MONO]/[R] (standard phone jack), A/D INPUT [L]/[R] (standard phone jack), [PHONES] (standard stereo phone jack), [FOOT CONTROLLER], FOOT SWITCH [ASSIGNABLE]/[SUSTAIN], MIDI [IN]/[OUT]/[THRU], USB [TO HOST]/[TO DEVICE], DC IN Accessories: AC adaptor (PA-150 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha), USB cable, Owner’s Manual, Online Manual CD-ROM x 1 (containing Reference Manual, Synthesizer Parameter Manual, and Data List), CUBASE AI DOWNLOAD INFORMATION Dimensions (WxHxD): 52 x 6.6 x 16 inches Weight: 32.8 lbs The Yamaha MOXF8 is currently priced at $1,699 but it’s definitely one of the best keyboards and workstations in the market right now. Most customer reviews show that the MOXF8 is the keyboard workstation of choice in this price range. It’s heavy duty and high quality performance makes it best suited not just for live performances but it’s really built for sound and music production. Below is a product review from one such customer: I was pleased when I bought this keyboard - but after having it for almost a year now, it's time to really sing it's praises! First, the sounds. Incredible. Beautiful. An entire library of great, USABLE sounds including lots of drum kits! Not only that, but with the expansion board and the waveform software you can roll your own sounds and load them up.  Next, the sequencer. There is both a song sequencer and a pattern sequencer, and both are 16 channel sequencers with a well-thought out interface and lots of possible ways to use it with other gear. The only drawback I've found with the sequencer is that you'll run out of song memory quickly - it only holds about 5-8 fully sequenced songs in memory, which is really strange considering how much sample memory there is. I wanted to load all my gig sequences in memory, but that's not happening. Not a biggie tho, because you can load them from USB or use an iPad to run sequences into the MOXF, which is what I do. The keyboard itself is good. Is it great? Debatable. I've heard some folks don't like the feel, saying it's too hard on their hands. It doesn't bother me, and I like the feel, so I'm okay with it. The lack of after touch is a drag - but keeping the price down makes up for that.  When you first get this keyboard, you will be overwhelmed by all of the options and configuration possibilities. It took me a few weeks to really get around it, and even now I still don't know how to create my own arpeggios or create/load my own samples. But I will, when I get time! The bottom line is that there isn't a workstation in this price range that can compete with all that you get with the MOXF. I love it so much I bought the MOXF6 as well, which doesn't have the weighted keys and works well for organ/synth lead stuff. It also provides me with a backup should one go down during a gig.  Overall, this thing is a monster and nothing compares right now to its price, or it's functionality. The Montage series is out now, but waaay more than the MOXF price-wise. If you want one keyboard that can fully produce songs in just about any style, this can do it. You could make an instrumental record with this box and nothing else. In this age of vintage-is-better, analog prissy-ness, Yamaha keeps doing what it does best - creating musical instruments for real music professionals and hobbyists that open worlds of possibility. Bill Vincent on https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MOXF8/reviews In summary, the Yamaha MOXF8, is a heavy duty but lightweight performance machine that outclasses most products of its type in the market. It gives you the familiarity and feel of an acoustic piano but the durability and performance of a modern keyboard. It’s great for studio production as it comes with a wide array of sounds and effects and its Flash expansion slot allows for even additional options. Computer and software integration is a breeze that allows for greater flexibility and creativity and sound production. You can even do your own live recording even when not attached to a computer. If you are a serious artist and would really want to produce high quality music, then the Yamaha MOXF8 is the really the keyboard workstation for you. To find out more about the Yamaha MOXF8, you may visit the official Yamaha website product review at http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/synthesizers/sy-moxf/moxf8/