Yamaha Montage M ESP 2.0: Installation and Testing

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Please vote on my Ideascale request!! yamahasynth.ideascale.com/c/idea/170135

[@RuudJeursen]

Done, Scott.

[@silverlicious2086]

I always like tuning in when I can. Good review and tests. Btw, I saw an incredible show a couple of days ago here in Cincinnati at Memorial Hall downtown. Al Di Meola. Unbelievable show and sound setup. Tour called "The Electric Years". He played all the early stuff from Return to Forever. Two sets with a 30 min intermission. Dream come true to see this. Had great seats too. Center front row Balcony. 550 seating capacity.

[@sonic2000gr]

Looks like Yamaha nailed it with the ESP!

[@danieldion8825]

Smart Morph is not in the ESP yet as per Blake Smart Morph will work but is not yet in the ESP to edit

[@runestone1337]

Thanks Scott. I'm updating my M8x as I type this -- she's a BIG update. I'll try out the ESP 2.0 in Cubase tomorrow.

[@furiobisotti8150]

Great job Scott. Enough to make me check again if I want to buy that beast. Rumors about ESP performance on Apple silicon computers are making me worry a lot...

[@grod640]

Thanks for the walk-through Scott. Job well done, per usual. Were you able to get your midi controller (outside of montage hardware) to control ESP at all? select scenes? Sliders or knob control? Thanks again. Wonder if Apple MainStage would be able to program screen controls…?

[@sjcongo]

Sounds a bit out of time (some nasty timing in the drums sequence)

[@TerrySchmitt-h9m]

Thank you for the video and also thank you to Yamaha for this in credible upgrade. Now for my question - I am using several arpeggios for my M8. I was able to bring in my hardware environment but I have not discovered how to change tempos of my arpeggios. Is there a way to edit the tempo in E.S.P. or does this have to be performed via the DAW?

[@BananasananaB]

I hope they bring this to a more budget friendly keyboard. Or, better yet, just let us buy the VST version outright. I'm not spending 2 or 3 grand on a keyboard when I only want the software.

[@AudioJanitor]

Thumbs up for the clear and detailed walk through!

[@park171]

Montage software on apple silicon previously before 2.0 worked horrible. I wonder if they optimized 2.0?

[@furiobisotti8150]

Yes, I got same information from GigPerformer forum. Here it seems to run perfectly and with low CPU use. Anyone here with Apple Silicon who can confirm?

[@davemolino-hn6rp]

hi Scott so i posted to you 2 weeks ago bout my ESP not working on my PC and all other over 200+ VST all work , well Yamaha Japan has come back with the answer so i have a PC with 2 x CPU so 20 core 20 thread total its a Xeon E5 -2690 v2, 3 gig and apparently ESP does not support this CPU although every other plugin i have does so here is the reason "In conclusion, we regret to inform you that user’s CPU does not support AVX2 and therefore ESP cannot be used. Please could you pass on the following information to the customer? Unfortunately, because the customer’s CPU does not support AVX2, this means that the ESP cannot be used. -AVX2 is an extended instruction set that enables multiple operations with a single instruction. it has been adopted since Haswell microarchitecture. Please refer to here for details." hmmm as you can imagine i am not happy about this and confused as to why

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

That is a very old server CPU, released 14 years ago. It has the older AVX extensions. Apparently ESP is compiled targeting some of the instructions and capability in AVX2...which means they are correct, it will not run on your CPU.

[@davemolino-hn6rp]

Hi Scott I post to you a while back regarding that I cannot get ESP to run at all Can download it I can see all the files but 5 DAW will not run it Cubase does not even see it Everything looks correct And I counted 210 VST 3 and 2 Loaded on my system every one runs on all DAWs not one failed to run Except ESP I was hoping version 2 would fix but no I Spent over 30mins with tech support in uk very helpful he has pushed it up the ladder and nobody knows what the issue is It’s there first VST I was told So I have told Yamaha that someone need to come back with a answer why I cannot run ESP I have been doing this for 45 years and run out of ideas Any thoughts

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Never heard of this before. I've had Cubase not see a VST3 before, but all I had to do was have it re-scan, and it picked it up. On my PC the VST3 file is installed here: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Yamaha\Expanded Softsynth Plugin for MONTAGE M.vst3\Contents\x86_64-win

[@nellysagundo6634]

Well done, Scott! This is very interesting - however, would like to ask a simple question considering my use case: I play in a Coverband and have a Modx7+ each in the Band Room and my home for practicing. I keep them identical, so I have back up. Very happy with the sounds, weight, reliability etc. Playing with the idea of buying a Montage 6m or 7m and use ESP to keep me mobile and have backup infrastructure. Is this a valid idea for a guy with medium playing and technical skill, not operating in a studio environment at all - or is it over the top, and I should keep on waiting for a Modx M model? Thank you for your thoughts.

[@fishing4444able]

Hi.. thanks for you videos! How do you deal with the 60 cycle him you get when you attach the montage to your computer with a usb cable?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

I did an entire video on this already: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoS5mKCMpNCkZ80

[@piano6-n7o]

Hey Scott and all of the Scott synth followers. Question. Have the Yamaha M8X. As like most of the players, love it but don't want to drag it around. Like Scott said; too heavy and too expensive. So I purchased a Yamaha MODX8+ as a controller and emergency back up. I want to use the improved sounds of the M8X without the weight, and the layout of the MODX is very similar. Stand alone, I run the MO and the M8X L+R out into a Soundcraft UI24R mixer; then to the input 1&2 of an EV PXM12 monitor. (I could just run mono) Both boards sound incredible. The ESP is loaded into a MAC Pro Book M1 with 1 TB SSD. From there 1 usb C to an interface. (Tried both Presonus 24C and a Steinberg UR-22C) Another usb C from mac to MODX8. Interface to the Soundcraft and out to monitor just like the others. The sound is okay at best. My normal DAW is Studio One. I also loaded Cubase 13 that came with M8X. Sound seems the same. A little hollow. Am I needing to download a driver? What am I missing? Am looking for help. Want to set all my performances on the M8X then transfer to to the ESP. But would like them to sound good.

[@grod640]

Hey Scott, just wondering, since you couldn't get the CC121 AI knob to affect the plugin, - does your MO-DX super knob and scene selection buttons work when connected??

[@YeamanME]

Scott...what is a good way to contact you....I have a few questions....thanks Michael Yeaman

[@djpioneer937]

Wish you could change the patches in ESP from the montage M

[@paepromvongthai8954]

I still have the same “communication error” massage when trying to send my sounds from Montage M to the plug in. I’m on mac with Logic pro, my keyboard and the plug in are on the latest version, so may I ask what was your solution for this problem? Thanks in advance. 😁

[@duncanmartin8965]

Maybe I need to download Cubase as this is the first time Im using ESP and first time of using Steinberg but which one to download ? Got Cubase Ai 13 which I downloaded access code.

[@fizgak]

Very exciting, hope Yamaha sticks to it, it has great features now and huge potential yet!!

[@vanessajazp6341]

I was unable to locate any Mod controls in the software. I wanted to assign Aftertouch parameters to a sound, but was unable to do that. Looks like you found it at 21:23 🙂

[@aloharay]

Thanks for the overview Scott. We look forward to future sessions where you use the plugin for editing sounds for a project or two.

[@JKVisFX]

I just posted asking for ESP to be released as a standalone product for those of us who use only software instruments/cannot afford a Montage M keyboard.

[@sjcongo]

I think they will need to sell the hardware … so no way 😂

[@link2012_KSH]

Thanks. This helped me a lot.

[@JorgeAlexisAragonArce]

Can You share the installer please ( The Expanded_Softsynth_Plugin_for_MONTAGE_M_2.00.zip)

[@noitnova]

so if you have only the software and no montage M. The VSTi sound the same as a 4000 euro cost synthesizer? Than is hope the ESP software will be for sale on the Steinberg website.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Correct, but the only way (currently) to get the ESP software is to buy the hardware.

[@RuudJeursen]

Thanks for your , as always great, explanation of the new ESP 2.0 DAW. I'm planning to buy the hardware version M8X in the upcoming months. I current have a MODX 8. If I understand you correctly I can use my old MODX as a midi-controller for the ESP on my laptop, create a performance and use it on a gig, taking advantage of the portability of my MODX + laptop ? Or am I mistaken?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

That's correct!

[@edwinkeys]

Hi Scott...Great Info...I wanted to know dose this ESP support FM ??? And if so are they Samples or a True FM Engine in this Software update ?? Thank you ,

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

It is a complete replica of the Montage engine, so yes, the FM-X engine is included.

[@DennisD-m2b]

will it run in Logic Pro or Reaper? And any iOS moves in the future?

[@duncanmartin8965]

Got to 6.49 on your video after downloading file but you said open Cubase . Didn’t quite see where you clicked to open it . Can you let me know ? Very informative information . Thank you Scott

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

I have multiple monitors, and it was on a different monitor - I didn't want this video to be about Cubase, I wanted it to focus on ESP.

[@xtra8dj]

Wonderful

[@valleyken]

- Cool.

[@LezMarwick]

I didn't see an option to choose where to install to on your video. There's no way I've got room for this on my C: drive. I install all my music files to D: which is another internal SSD. Is this possible?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

You're right, it doesn't ask. It installs into your VST3 folder, which defaults to \Program Files\Common files\VST3. If you have enough space after it has installed, you could then move the folder containing the Montage M ESP to your D: drive and make sure your DAW knows to look there for VST3 content.

[@LezMarwick]

@@ScottsSynthStuff Is everything the vst3 uses saved to this folder. I know many instances where companies save files all over the place - in ProgramData or hidden away in AppData folders where they can't be moved.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

@@LezMarwick yes it is, there are subfolders in there that contain all the resources it will need.

[@LezMarwick]

@@ScottsSynthStuff ok, thanks for the info.

[@sylburnarthurs4398]

His computer is running at 5.2ghz. I believe this is the reason why it runs so well. I have a m1 pro laptop with 64g memory and 2tb ssd. It didn't work well with version 1 esp and now with version two it uses more cpu than before. Now it's at 40 percent cpu usage without playing anything. I tried it with cubase and does the same behavior. It works if you use sounds from only one engine for eg awm2 which is limited to 128 polyphony. This burns 50 percent cpu before playing anything but because of the 128 polyphony limitation it works. If you load a fm alongside the awm2 engine which can go up to another 128 polyphony and you play a lot of notes it climbs right up to 100% and bogs down the computer. In my experience it uses too much processing power. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong but it's certainly does not work the way I see it working in this video for me.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

I definitely have a powerful PC, which is why I was running 64+ instances of it without dropouts. But you should also not be seeing that kind of CPU usage...perhaps the Mac is different?

[@sylburnarthurs4398]

@@ScottsSynthStuff it does work a little better on windows. Maybe about 15 percent. I tried it on a gpd winmax 2. I've heard the same complaint in other forums. Possibly the clock speed of the m1 is too slow for it.

[@furiobisotti8150]

No. M1 usually runs better with music applications than most Intel CPU. If it runs badly with M1 it means yamaha programmers didn't do a proper job for Apple users

[@sylburnarthurs4398]

@@furiobisotti8150 yes. That's what I believe might be the issue. I still try to use it in a tender way at least it works. But can't push it in the way I would like. And that's even when only using one instance.

[@sylburnarthurs4398]

@@ScottsSynthStuff I was thinking also that your buffer might be high (possible 512) as you would not need low latency for live performance. If this is the case it would stress your cpu less allowing you to pull up multiple instances of the esp as you did in the video. Also in some tests that I ran the program works best if you use only one sound per instance of the esp and one engine of the esp . Thanks for the video though enjoyed it.

[@vanessajazp6341]

So here's a problem I'm having linking my Montage in Cubase: I try to link them using the in/outs like you show at 16:46, but all I get is a pop-up stating "Open Port Error". I'm new to Cubase and have no clue how to resolve this. :(

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Are you running the latest Yamaha USB driver?

[@vanessajazp6341]

@@ScottsSynthStuff Thanks for the reply. I’m not sure what the Yamaha YSB driver is, however after fiddling around with it (for about an hour) I somehow managed to get it going. In Cubase I went into Studio Setup and deselected the “All In Midi….” options for the Montage-M ports. That seemed to do the trick. I’ve only recently come over to Cubase after years of defiantly continuing to use Sonar Platinum, even though Cakewalk/Gibson abandoned it several years ago (I won’t use the Bandcamp ap). So for me right now, Cubase is still a foreign language.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

@@vanessajazp6341 the USB driver I have linked in the description of this video. But yes, you can't have Montage ports 2-4 active in Cubase, because then they won't be available for ESP to open and use.

[@vanessajazp6341]

@@ScottsSynthStuff Thx 🙂

[@evolopterus]

Is this a soft-synth? Or uses the hardware synth attached to produce the sounds?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

It is entirely a soft synth. It does not require the hardware synth at all.

[@BananasananaB]

@@ScottsSynthStuff Yet it currently requires the hardware synth purchase. But after you buy the keyboard you now get the software bundled, to clarify for everyone.

[@DeadManWalking4574]

5000 grand in the bin!

[@lollebolle8]

Didnt catch what computer you have?

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

You can see all about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6vEp6qugbl8n8U