Features:

  • Motion Control Synthesis unifies and controls AWM2 and FM-X sound engines
  • The Super Knob controls multiple parameters simultaneously for highly expressive sound interaction
  • Send 10/receive 4 audio channels plus 16 channels of MIDI via a single USB cable
  • Live Sets allow Performance organization without copying, changing order or renaming
  • 4-Part Seamless Sound Switching: change Performances while holding notes without sound or effect cutoff
Packed with features for a bargain

I learned from the Modx8 to not judge a synthesizer by its looks and hardware features. At first glance, the Modx8 has 4 knobs, 4 faders, and a whole lot of missing buttons on the right side- half of the physical knobs, faders, and buttons of the Montage. Makes sense that Yamaha had to compromise to maintain the price of the unit. Yes the Modx8 lacks the hardware, but the software is great, if not the same, as the Montage. The Modx8 is packed with features to experiment with and boost creativity. There are hundreds of patches, keyboard, synths, organs, strings, percussion, FX, and much more- in excellent quality. Perhaps not at the quality level of Korg Kronos level, but still reasonable quality. The touchscreen is the centerpiece of the unit which controls the unit. It is very responsive and immediate, unlike other keyboards that take seconds to register the touch. I would suggest to turn off animation and blur options in settings to increase performance and speed of the screen. The only issue with the touchscreen is that if it malfunctions, the synth will not be usable because it's the only visual aid. The software is very simple to understand and navigate. The colors blend together and are easy on the eyes. The UI design and workflow is simple. The live screen, category screen, and performance screen are well designed. Even though there are not as many features to customize compared to other synths, especially in the sequencing and production aspect, the Modx8 has functions to tweak and layer sounds to generate powerful sounds. Powerful sounds! The super knob is so fun to twist! It adds a new element to the sound and also can be used to shift multi-layer sounds for example, piano <-> strings mix. Be sure to pickup the Yamaha expression pedal to control the superknob with your feet which is convenient when both hands are occupied on the keys. The rhythm pattern option that adds drum is also very simple to enable during play. There are variety of styles to choose from. I wish there was an option to customize and sequence drum fills on the spot. The scenes are another feature that adds a punch to the synth. You can render a full song by changing the scene that adds a preset intro, chorus, bridge, and mix of instruments and drums. It's exciting to experiment with. The 88 weighted keybed is also excellent. The keys are fully weighted and natural for a pianist to practice and play on. Look at the Modx6 and Modx7 for synth weighted keys which may be more compatible for synth players. There are some cons of the synth. It takes around 10 - 15 seconds for the unit to boot up which may inconvenience those without patience. The pitch bend and modulation tab is awkwardly placed in the top left hand side slightly out of reach. Also, the empty space on the right side of the keyboard is a visually displeasing. Perhaps I could place my laptop on it. Overall you can't go wrong with this synth for the price. It may lack the producing functionality and no aftertouch feature on the keys, but the positive aspects like the massive sound module and ability to customize the sounds make up for it. Also to mention the price and weight which is 1/2 of the Montage. Be ready to spend hours on this synth!

Love it!

Its a lot for the price.

Very light weight for a weight piano keyboard

It is much easier to operate than the Yamaha Montage and much more affordable. Plus it is very light weight and great sounds.

Really Fun To Play!

The MODX6 is so fun to play, I jam on it for hours. Love it! Using the Yamaha FC5 pedal for sustain, and the SanDisk SDCZ33-032G-A46 USB flash drive to save new patches when I make changes to the presets. The Yamaha soft case fits really well and I like the shoulder straps. The hard case was too big for me. For dust the Gator Cases GKC-1540 Stretchy Keyboard Dust Cover I liked the best. Playing through the stereo aux input of an Ampeg BA-108 bass combo amp. Sounds really good with amplification that can support the lower frequencies. Portability was the reason to choose the 61 keyboard. Yamaha music soft has downloads for everything. Also tried Soundmondo.com online social sound sharing community that was cool. Lot of people putting MODX patches on there. I use the AmazonBasics USB 2.0 Cable A-Male to B-Male to connect to the computer.

There is a learning curve

This will be a little lengthy...So I purchased the 76 key version only because I did not have the money for the 88. Regeardless this keyboard is amazing. people should know this is a synth not a workstation so if you plan on doing a lot of production hopefully you have a desktop or laptop to use with this board. The daw integration is amazing. The sounds actually sound exactly like the more expensive version the montage. A problem people had with the previous board the Yamaha moxf8 was that it sounded great but just a bit watered down compared to the motif xf but this keyboard delivers the full sound. The biggest thing people should know about this keyboard is that there is a learning curve involved in this keyboard. That being said at first the system may seem a bit weird to use to people who have previously owned a motif but after a few minutes sitting down the system is revealed to be far more intuitive and easy to use and edit and create sounds. I suggest that before getting this keyboard doing some research so you can get the most out of this keyboard.

Worth every penny

Easy to use, sounds are top notch

Impresionante!

Fabuloso, me llevara bastante tiempo dominar minimamente las capacidades de este instrumento.

An outstanding synthesizer.

This synth is amazing. I'm not a composer, but if I were this would provide unlimited possibilities.

The MODX8 is a very powerful and creative instrument.

This review is for the MODX8, which has the fully weighted piano-like keybed with 88 keys. Some of the reviews here appear to be for the MODX6 and MODX7, both of which have less keys (61 and 76 keys respectively) and don't have a fully weighted keybed unlike this one. This is my dream keyboard. The FM-X and AWM2 engines were both major selling points, eliminating the need to buy many software synth VSTi's for a computer DAW. Let's talk about things I have been able to do with the MODX8. First, as a MIDI controller and USB audio interface, this keyboard is class compliant. There is an app for Android that is like a mobile DAW studio, called Audio Evolution Mobile Studio. I was able to use the MODX8 as a MIDI controller and low latency audio interface with this app. Recording and soundfonts work great, with high quality audio. Because of this, I can also route my guitar audio through the keyboard to the app. Nice. I was also able to convert and transfer synth parameters for the DX7 and Sega Genesis, (the DX7 and Sega Genesis use Yamaha's older FM synthesis technology, hence MODX8 is backwards compatible). Instruments used in Sega Genesis' games playable on the MODX8? Pretty cool! Using John Melas' Wave Editor software, I was able to convert the SGM soundfont floating around online and store it on the onboard 1GB flash memory. The conversion process has bugs, I've contacted the developer to see about getting those fixed, will update this review when he fixes them. Other than that, this is no doubt a powerful production synth. Dubstep, Hip hop and Electronica artists will love this keyboard. Jazz, Rock, Metal, film and game soundtrack composers will also find they have everything they need to put out some high quality music with this keyboard. I'm impressed with the feel of the keyboard. The keys feel like real piano keys. The design is sturdy and there's space to set a laptop on. The touchscreen interface is infinitely more navigatable than the MOXF8, which had more buttons and knobs and was more confusing. This keyboard is highly customizable, many different parameters can be assigned. I really could go on and on. But ultimately, Yamaha has a winner here. It's worth the price and I look forward to seeing and hearing what new musical universes I can craft with the MODX8. Definitely 5 stars.

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