I have problems with updating firmware on my Motif Rack ES - from 1.02 to 1.03. I use Sonar to play the midi file at 120 bpm (MIDI IN/OUT = USB on the rack, MIDI Output = Motif Rack ES-1 in Sonar). It transmits all the data via USB (I can see packet names changing on the ES Rack’s LCD) but when the midi file reaches the end and stops (after about 14 minutes), the LCD still shows the name of the last packet (Current packet: 001FFB00h). I know it’s supposed to read the data for about 1 minute after playing the midi file but when I check it after 30 minutes, it’s still there frozen on the last packet. What am I doing wrong? Or should I maybe change the sequencer or try playing it in Windows Media Player? Please give me some advice.

OK, it worked in Windows Media Player!

That’s great, but how?  Windows Media Player is just about the dumbest piece of software on the planet?

I have the exact same problem, couldn’t get Sonar 8 Pro to complete the update, exact symptoms you had.  Actually, I couldn’t get USB to work and I had better luck with MIDI.  After seeing your solution, I opened the file in WMP, but got nowhere from there.  What did you do to trick WMP into thinking it could transfer a file to another device via MIDI or USB?

Can anyone recommend a free sequencer that I could use to update my 1.02 Rack ES to 1.03.  I’m tired of it playing sounds that are not what is displayed on the ES and I hope they’ve fixed it.
TIA,
-Mike

Update:  I found the following response from Bad Mister on May 08, 2008.  My problem is that this doesn’t work for me on Windows Vista.

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Re: studio manager and firmware update

There is 7minutes and 58 seconds of system exclusive data in the firmware update (and it has been known to choke more than a few sequencers)…

I have found that the simpler the playback sequencer the more likely you are to successfully update. If you are on a Windows computer - see if you can route Windows Media Player to send the data via USB

Go to CONTROL PANEL
SOUNDS AND AUDIO DEVICES
Select the AUDIO tab
Set the MIDI Music Playback Default Device to the YAMAHA USB OUT port 1

I have found that Windows Media Player is virtually foolproof in playing back this rather huge file - remember it is almost 8 minutes so go make a cup of coffee (or tea if you prefer). /forums/images/icons/smile.gif alt=

Studio Manager is the host application that houses the Editors. To load a file you will want to look for your options in the Motif Rack ES Editor

Studio Manager could house Editors for all the hardware in your studio… so it is not going to open files for the Motif Rack ES. It will simply be a launch pad for the editor icons.

Double click the Motif Rack ES (Voice) icon to launch the Voice Editor… then on its menu bar look for the FILE function or the EDIT function where you can open or import files of different types for the Motif Rack ES.

hope that helps

Update:  I see where some tried sending the sys-ex to the Rack ES using Performer.  He had to slow the transfer rate to 30 BPM.  I tried that with Sonar, no good.  Still looking for a freebie that will do this OS update on the Rack ES.
-Mike

That’s great, but how?  Windows Media Player is just about the dumbest piece of software on the planet?

Dumbest or foolproof? lol

You have to make sure that you are routing your Windows applications to the Motif-Rack ES… that part requires you to be smart, however. In Windows you have to go to CONTROL PANEL > SOUNDS and setup so that the MIDI data is routed to Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver and the Motif-Rack ES.

Let us know if you can’t find it…

Thanks for asking, but Windows Vista doesn’t seem to have the controls that Szurcio was able to use.  I’m thinking that I may have to remove the unit from the cabinet and take it to somebody that didn’t get stuck with Vista 64.

The main problem that I need to resolve is that the Rack ES will display one sound and play another when the patch is changed via MIDI in multi mode.  For example, Sonar will set the channel 1 voice to Preset1, patch 1, Full Grand, and it will display correctly on the Rack ES.  But the tone played sounds more like a trumpet/sax tone.  Right now it is doing it on channel 1, but sometimes does this on other channels.  I’ve had this problem for years and have been using my MU100R instead.  The ES has fabulous sounds and I want to use them with the scoring program I use.

Side note:  You should hear the ES followed by a BBE Sonic Maximizer.  It adds a whole new dimension of wonder to it and warms everything up.

I’m hoping the update to 1.03 will fix this wrong tone problem.
-Mike

Since you can actually be viewing any of the 16 internal (or 17 PLG) potential PARTS while the unit is sounding something entirely different, I’m not totally convinced that there is an actual issue here.

Sorry, I don’t have access to a Winodws Vista 64 computer to tell you how to route Windows MIDI Player to send data via the USB-MIDI driver - should be on your control panel. It still plays back MIDI file (doesn’t it) should be a way for you to select where the MIDI OUT is going… you want to select your Yamaha USB driver for the output.

The update will do nothing to change how the Motif-Rack ES works in regards to this - so let’s see if we can resolve the issue you’ve had “for years” even before updating your unit.

When you hear the sound Trumpet/sax tone - are you
1) Certain it is the Motif_Rack ES? Try turning the volume down on the Motif-Rack ES - do you still hear the trumpet/sax tone.
This will eliminate other sound sources like your computer’s software synthesizer.

2) Do you have any PLG150 boards installed in your Motif-Rack ES
to check do the following:
Press [UTILITY]
PAGE [>] until you reach the “PLG1SYS” screen
What does it say on this screen?

Hello guys and gals.  All is well with the world.  I took my Rack ES to another computer running Win XP and got my OS version updated to the latest.  I offer many thanks to Szurcio or whomever first decided to use Window Media Player to update the Rack ES.  That was pretty cool and it worked quickly.  It won’t work on Win Vista, because the controls there aren’t there in the Sound configuration tool or in the WMP controls anywhere obvious.

Bad Mister, let’s take my problem with the wrong tones playing back to the “Rack ES plays a different tone...” topic.  I have some news.  I greatly appreciate your help and I have made some progress.
-Mike

I bought a used Motif ES rack.And i am facing some problems with it.current firmware is 1.02 .I want to update the firmware. But i have no idea how to do it.Please help me to update the firmware.

niftywiz@gmail.com - 23 May 2017 03:56 AM

I bought a used Motif ES rack.And i am facing some problems with it.current firmware is 1.02 .I want to update the firmware. But i have no idea how to do it.Please help me to update the firmware.

Go here:
http://download.yamaha.com/search/product/?site=usa.yamaha.com&category_id1=16244&product_id=106378

If you haven’t already done so, download the appropriate USB-MIDI driver for your computer and install it.

Download the 1.03 OS updater. Instructions are in the “Readme” file.

its stuck on ‘ Receiving OS’

niftywiz@gmail.com - 23 May 2017 09:12 AM

its stuck on ‘ Receiving OS’

Have you been able to send a .MID music sequence file to the Rack ES via USB and have it play correctly?