The Yamaha Motif-Rack represents the essence of the acclaimed Motif workstation series condensed into a compact 1U rack-mountable module. Released approximately one-and-a-half years after the original Motif 6, 7, and 8 workstations, this module was designed to meet high demand for a rack version of the popular synthesizer.

Design and Build

The Motif Rack features a sleek silver-and-blue front panel housing 20 control buttons, a rotary encoder dial, and a 160x64 backlit LCD display. The compact unit measures 35cm in depth and includes essential front-panel controls: master volume, headphone socket, and power switch. The rear panel provides comprehensive connectivity with wall-wart power connection, MIDI In/Out/Thru, six analogue outputs (stereo master plus four assignables), S/PDIF and optical digital outputs, and USB connectivity.

Core Features and Enhancements

Unlike its keyboard counterparts, the Motif Rack omits the onboard sampling capabilities and sequencer functionality, focusing purely on tone generation. However, these omissions come with significant enhancements to the synthesis engine. The module boasts an impressive 128-voice polyphony, more than doubling the original Motif's 62 voices.

The effects section has received substantial upgrades, featuring 20 reverb algorithms (including 8 new additions), 44 chorus options encompassing 25 reverb/delays and 19 chorus-type effects. Both Insert effects now offer 107 effect types each, compared to the keyboard version's 25 and 104 respectively.

Sound Library and Organization

The preset sound library has been expanded significantly, featuring five banks of 128 presets each (totaling 640 voices), compared to the original three banks. User programmability includes two banks of 128 voices instead of one. The Multi mode effectively combines the keyboard versions' Performance and Song modes, handling both layered sounds and multitimbral configurations.

The preset library contains 124 Multi configurations across two banks: Bank 1 offers 59 Performance-type setups with complex layered sounds, while Bank 2 provides 65 multitimbral configurations optimized for various musical genres.

Arpeggiator and Performance Features

The built-in arpeggiator maintains the original Motif's capabilities with 256 patterns, though without user programmable patterns. The arpeggiator offers sophisticated control options including note sorting, velocity acknowledgment, and key/velocity range settings. A notable enhancement is the arpeggiator's ability to transmit via MIDI Out, enabling external synth arpeggiation and sequencer recording.

Expandability

The Motif Rack supports Yamaha's PLG plug-in board system, accommodating up to two boards (compared to three on keyboard versions). Available plug-ins include analogue modeling (PLG150-AN), piano sounds (PLG150-PF), FM synthesis (PLG150-DX), virtual acoustic modeling (PLG150-VL), drums (PLG150-DR), percussion (PLG150-PC), and XG/GM synthesis (PLG100-XG). Each plug-in adds its own polyphony and effects without compromising the main engine.

Software Bundle

The included software package features USB drivers, voice editors for the main unit and all PLG plug-ins, and SQ01 sequencer. The voice editor provides intuitive deep-level sound editing capabilities with librarian functions for sound archiving. SQ01 offers full MIDI and audio sequencing capabilities, though it's Windows-only.

Performance Considerations

While excelling as a performance synthesizer, the review unit exhibited timing issues during multitimbral operation, with delays averaging 40 milliseconds initially and 9 milliseconds after optimization. Yamaha was investigating this issue at the time of review, with UK release delayed pending resolution.

Technical Specifications

Tone Generator

• Type: AWM2 (Advanced Wave Memory 2) complying with Modular Synthesis Plug-in System
• Polyphony: 128 notes + additional polyphony from installed plug-in boards
• Wave Memory: 84 MB (when converted to 16-bit linear format)

Voice Architecture

• Structure: AWM2 sample-based waveforms
• Elements: 4 AWM2 elements per Voice with subtractive synthesis
• Envelopes: ADDSR for Amplitude, HADDSR for Filter and Pitch (per element)
• LFO: 1 LFO per element (3 waveforms), plus 1 Global Common LFO (13 waveforms)
• Filters: 20 types total
  • 6 low-pass filters
  • 2 high-pass filters
  • 4 band-pass filters
  • 1 notch filter (band-elimination)
  • 7 dual filters

Voice Banks

• Preset Voices: 640 normal voices + 48 drum kits (5 banks of 128 each)
• GM Voices: 128 normal voices + 1 drum kit
• User Voices: 256 normal voices + 32 drum kits (includes 128 Preset normal voices and 22 initialized drum kits)
• Plug-in Voices:
  • PLG150-AN/DX/PF/DR/PC: 64 Preset voices each
  • PLG150-VL: 192 Preset voices
  • User: 64 voices per plug-in connector

Multi Mode

• Multi User: 128 configurations
• Multi Library Performance: 59 configurations
• Multi Library Multi: 65 configurations

Effects System

• Reverb: 20 algorithms
• Chorus: 44 types (25 reverb/delays + 19 chorus-type effects)
• Insertion 1: 107 effect types
• Insertion 2: 107 effect types
• Master Equalizer: 5-band (High/HighMid/Mid/LowMid/Low)
• Part Equalizer: 3-band (High/Mid/Low)

Arpeggiator

• Preset Bank 1: 128 patterns
• Preset Bank 2: 128 patterns
• Total Patterns: 256
• MIDI Output: Yes (transmits arpeggiated patterns)

Physical Interface

• Display: 160 x 64 dot graphic backlit LCD
• Controls: 20 buttons total
  • STANDBY/ON switch
  • VOLUME knob
  • Data dial
  • Cursor buttons
  • EXIT button
  • PAGE buttons
  • MUTE/SEL button
  • Part/Element buttons
  • BANK buttons
  • SHIFT button
  • CATEGORY button
  • Mode buttons

Connectivity

• Front Panel:
  • PHONES (headphone output)
• Rear Panel:
  • DC IN (power input)
  • USB connector
  • MIDI IN/OUT/THRU
  • DIGITAL OUTPUT (S/PDIF)
  • OPTICAL OUTPUT
  • ASSIGNABLE OUTPUT 1-4 (mono)
  • OUTPUT L/MONO, R (main stereo pair)
• Top Panel:
  • PLG1 slot (plug-in board)
  • PLG2 slot (plug-in board)

Audio Specifications

• Outputs: 6 total (1 stereo main + 4 mono assignable)
• Digital Output: 44.1kHz, 24-bit (both S/PDIF and optical)

Compatible Plug-in Boards

• PLG150-AN: Analogue modeling synthesis
• PLG150-PF: Piano sounds
• PLG150-DX: FM synthesis
• PLG150-VL: Virtual acoustic modeling
• PLG150-DR: AWM2 sample-based drums with dedicated effects
• PLG150-PC: AWM2 sample-based percussion with dedicated effects
• PLG100-XG: Multi-part XG/GM synthesizer

Power

• External power unit
• Power Consumption: 17W (22W with two plug-in boards installed)

Physical Parameters

• Dimensions: 480(W) x 372.4(D) x 44(H) mm
• Weight: 4.1kg
• Rack Size: 1U

Included Accessories

• Power adapter
• Owner's Manual set
• CD-ROM (containing USB drivers, voice editors, SQ01 sequencer software, and PLG demo audio)

Tags: digital synthesizer