NAMM 2024: Yamaha releases ESP – Expanded Softsynth Plugin, bringing the Montage M as a virtual instrument in your DAW.
Last October, Yamaha released the Montage M, the successor to the Montage synth workstation. The highlights are the new AN-X synth engine, an additional display for more intuitive operation, poly aftertouch on the 88 version, and a new plugin.
It’s called Expanded Softsynth Plugin – ESP. At NAMM 2024, Yamaha released the plugin as a free download for all existing Montage M users. It’s an exclusive plugin and not available without the keyboard.
Yamaha ESP – Expanded Softsynth Plugin
The new ESP plugin is a standalone software Synthesizer that replicates the Montage M sound engine in your favorite DAW. In easy, you get the Montage M as a virtual instrument for Ableton Live, Logic Pro…
It gives you in your hands the same engines as in the hardware, including the new AN-X, even without it being connected. Very handy when you are on the move, and your Montage M is on stage or in the studio. So you always have the sounds with you.
Also neat, you can make new sounds with the ESP soft synth and export them to the hardware or vice versa. So you can visit another Montage M in his studio and take your sounds with you.
Yamaha is currently not planning to open the plugin for non-Montage M users. To be honest, I hear similar lines with the MiniFreak plugin, which was initially exclusive for hardware users. Then, later it came for everyone. Maybe Yamaha will change their opinion in the future.
Nick from Sonicstate met Blake Angelos from Yamaha at NAMM 2024 and talked to him about the new Expanded Softsynth Plugin (ESP).
First Impression
I think it’s an exciting idea to bring the Montage M into the DAW as a plugin. We have seen these steps with other products in the last few years as well: the MiniFreak or the digital Korg synthesizers modwave, wavestate, and opsix. Something is certain: at a max of $4499 it is one of the most expensive plugins ever made, and you can buy it.
Yamaha ESP is available now as a free download for existing Montage M owners. To access the plugin, you need an access code that is written on a piece of paper that is in the packaging of each Montage M. ESP runs as a VST3 and AU plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Yamaha
Roland started a bit witg Zenology, you can use your sounds everywhere from the hardware to the computer.
Korg broughr it to the next level with a perfect replica of the Wavestate / Modwave / Opsix. Some said it was a plugin in the box, missing the fac thant now you can use your synth everywhere and create sound on the run, then download a sound in the hardware and use its full power.
Finally Yamaha is doing it on its flagship, because it is not even the future, it is the present: once you used such a versatile system, you want it.
It is also interesting to note these vst version are well optimized compared to pure soft vst, because they were made to run on a small computer inside a hardware synth. Roland Zencore and Korg’s synth on a PC are stable and don’t need too much CPU compared to other resource hogs. This is invaluable to be used in the real world. I am pretty sure it is the same with the Montage.
“Something is certain: at a max of $4499 it is one of the most expensive plugins ever made, and you can buy it.” BS. You can’t buy this plugin. Only owners of Montage M have it for free. Get the facts before you post anything
if you buy the Montage M, you buy automatically the plugin with the Montage M in the same package. It’s part of the price. So you bought it with the synth. It’s available for purchase but exclusively with the hardware synth. This is a purchase process! That’s fact!
I remember seeing some podcast/talk/inteview with Blake where he commented that it might go public once the final version is released. Current state it’s treated as a librarian/editor for your DAW, similar to the previous MODX/Montage Connect plugin, but now with sounds.
I can just hope that this is really the case and I understood correctly. Can’t justify getting a Montage M8X when I have a perfectly working MODX6 that fulfills my needs. But I’d jump on a Montage M plugin even if it’s expensive, I’d think something like $600 USD would be a good price to expect.
Still Yamaha/Steinberg are not known for letting people buy individual plugins. I recently got a Yamaha RuIO16-D and it included some fantastic Yamaha VST plugins which you can’t actually buy separetely. So I would not hold my breath to be able to purchase the VST separetely from owning a Montage.
I have a Yamaha MODX6. To be honest with you, it’s the very first Yamaha brand synth I ever paid money for to use professionally as a keyboardist and composer. I think it sounds incredible for all that it offers.
If the ESP is released publicly, which I think their website alludes to the summer of 2024, I would certainly consider purchasing this. To me, this would be Yamaha’s version of Spectrasonics Omnisphere.
Being that I focus more on soundtracks and scoring for film, the MODX lacks a few of the Cinematic percussion I would like to have, which my sound libraries all ready cover.
I think this could be a game changer for those that want all the sounds and power of a Montage, but might not want to invest the money in the h/w. This may even replace Steinberg Halion, which I own, and love.