Yamaha has introduced its MM6 Music Synthesizer, a younger cousin of the MOTIF series of instruments. It features high quality sounds, real-time control of sound, dynamic music creation tools including Authentic Pattern and Arpeggiator generators, performance memory, and versatile song recording.It’s a 61-note (5 octave), 32 note polyphony synth featuring Yamaha’s AWM2 sounds, 418 voices and 22 drum kits, 8 performance banks, a wide variety of effects, and 5 master equalizers.
The current specifications page doesn’t give much away about how versatile the MM6 is when controlling sounds, which, after all, is what you generally want a synth for. However, the “sales pitch” talks about tweaking sounds, by changing filter cutoff, resonance, EG attack and release, in real time, as well as a large number of built-in “jamming” rhythms, and 213 arpeggiators.
It sounds as if is an entry-level keyboard, and those serious about sound synthesis could be left disappointed. I may be wrong, but the rhythm sections sound more like glorified accompaniment sections found on many home keyboards. That’s not to knock the MM6 for what it is, but an observation.
Also, for those who like their additional touches on keyboards, the MM6 seems to have just initial touch sensitivity, but no aftertouch.
