Yamaha Synths Official: Jay Esplana on Montage M7, Expression, and Performance Workflow

Jay Esplana opens the video with a reflection on the unique moments of self-awareness and flow that define meaningful stage performance. He describes those rare times when everything slows down, and musicians step outside themselves, savoring the realization that they’re in the middle of something special. This isn’t just sentimentality: for Jay, it’s a regular touchstone, something he deliberately aims to notice and appreciate more often.

Introducing himself as a multi-instrumentalist, piano technician, and musical director, Jay sketches out a life immersed in music from multiple angles. His daily work encompasses playing piano, keyboards, bass, drums, and singing, as well as technical care for acoustic pianos. He emphasizes a methodical approach to exploring new instruments, always searching for a patch or sound that immediately feels musical before diving into deeper edits or tweaks.

Jay highlights the effortless transition between Yamaha’s MODX M and Montage M keyboards in his live setup. He praises the compatibility and the ability to move between the two instruments with nothing more than a shared USB stick, describing the process as ‘zero friction.’

For him, this integration isn’t just about convenience—it’s about inheriting a consistent palette of high-quality sounds and expressive capabilities across both devices. The continuity in workflow lets him focus on performance, knowing that the instruments communicate smoothly and reliably, which is critical for a working musician moving between different stages and musical contexts.

Among his favorite features, Jay singles out aftertouch on the Montage M as transformative. He describes the tactile feedback and responsiveness as an immediate invitation to interact more deeply with the instrument’s sounds, contrasting it with his experience on the MODX M. The keyboard seems to ‘respond’ to his touch, opening up new expressive possibilities on the fly.

He also points to the keyboard hold function as an unsung hero—especially when he finds himself without a sustain pedal. For Jay, it’s not just a backup; it’s a performance tool that can unlock creative approaches and get him through unexpected hurdles on stage.

Jay shares a memorable story about improvising a sustain pedal with a metal money clip and quarter-inch cable during a mountain gig, illustrating the resourcefulness musicians sometimes need. This anecdote underlines his philosophy: even technical setbacks can become creative opportunities with the right mindset.

His approach to a new synth always starts with seeking out a patch that feels genuinely musical—often brass, drums, or strings—before tweaking parameters. He likens this to tasting food before seasoning, advocating for a patient, listening-first workflow that respects the instrument’s inherent character.

Jay’s favorite patches, especially the brass sounds carried over from Motif to the latest Yamaha keyboards, exemplify this search for authenticity. The expressive detail in sounds like Sforzando brass matters to him: it’s about hearing not just notes, but the personalities of different horn players, the nuances that bring patches to life and inspire performance.