Yamaha MOTIF-RACK Musical Instrument User Manual


 
20
Basics Section
Overview of the MOTIF-RACK
Multi-Part Plug-in Board
Multi-Part Plug-in Boards let you expand the voice polyphony of the MOTIF-RACK by providing an additional sixteen
independent instrument parts. This is an ideal way to play back song data from a sequencer (from the Multi-Part board), yet have
full polyphony left over on the MOTIF-RACK for your live performance parts.
XG Plug-in Board (PLG100-XG)
This Plug-in Board is a 16-part XG sound generator. You can play back XG/GM song files using the rich variety of sounds and
effects on this board.
About MODULAR SYNTHESIS PLUG-IN SYSTEM
The Yamaha Modular Synthesis Plug-in System offers powerful expansion and upgrade capabilities for Modular Synthesis-Plug-in-
compatible synthesizers, tone generators and sound cards. This enables you to easily and effectively take advantage of the latest
and most sophisticated synthesizer and effects technology, allowing you to keep pace with the rapid and multi-faceted advances in
modern music production.
Maximum Polyphony
The maximum sonic polyphony is 128 for AWM2, plus the polyphony of the Plug-in Board(s) (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 128 is divided by the number of Elements in the Voice.
Part structure of the Tone Generator block
The MOTIF-RACK plays its sounds (with the Tone Generator block) in response to MIDI data, received from the
external keyboard or sequencer.
MIDI data is assigned to one of sixteen channels, and the MOTIF-RACK is capable of simultaneously playing sixteen
separate parts, via the sixteen MIDI channels. However, we can overcome the sixteen-channel limit by using separate
MIDI “ports,” each supporting sixteen channels.
The multiple sound sources of the MOTIF-RACK (internal tone generator and Plug-in Boards) take advantage of the
three MIDI ports included on the instrument.
As shown in the above illustration, up to 48 parts can be used in the modes in the Multi mode. However, the number
of parts that are actually used a maximum of 33 (as shown in the example on the next page).
n See page 31 for details about the modes.
n The USB connection supports up to eight separate MIDI ports. The tone generator of the MOTIF-RACK supports three separate
MIDI ports, as shown above. However, you can control an external tone generator with a fourth port by using the Thru Port
function to relay MIDI data from one of the ports to the MIDI OUT terminal.
n A single MIDI cable connection cannot handle multiple port data.
Port 1 Port 2 Port 3
part 1
part 2
part 14
part 15
part 16
part 17
part 18
part 30
part 31
part 32
part 33
part 34
part 46
part 47
part 48
Tone Generator block
Part for Voice mode
Part for Multi mode