Hello,

Is there a way of assigning a different midi receive channel to voices in performance mode?

I want to add a second keyboard to my setup for live use, using a simple midi controller keyboard, and want to be able to play different voices from each keyboard. I know how to layer up voices in song mode and assign different receive channels, but this has the limitation of not being able to use the sliders to control volume levels while playing; you can only control them in the digital mixer screen, as the sliders become a ‘bank’as they are obviously on the same midi channel.

Therefore it would be great if I could use performance mode, assigning say parts 1 & 2 as normal, and 3 & 4 on midi channel 2. Is this possible? Thanks.

adrian@maaction.com - 11 May 2012 06:29 AM

Is there a way of assigning a different midi receive channel to voices in performance mode?
[...]
Therefore it would be great if I could use performance mode, assigning say parts 1 & 2 as normal, and 3 & 4 on midi channel 2. Is this possible?

No. Not possible.

No, you cannot change the definitions of the modes. But as you learn a bit more about your Motif XF, and about MIDI, you will find that you can use the Control Sliders to control the volume of multiple individual sounds by placing them on separate MIDI channels (As the rule is a MIDI CHANNEL VOLUME message does affect all receiving device on the MIDI channel.

What you need is a mode where you can put the sounds you want to control on separate MIDI channels, and you need a mode where you can transmit on multiiple MIDI channel simultaneously, and you need a mode where you can transmit in on a separate MIDI channel to control XF sounds from an external keyboard.

It’s not VOICE mode. No
It’s not PERFORMANCE mode. No
It’s not SONG or PATTERN mode (although these show great promise because you can:
1) Put the sounds you want to control on separate MIDI channels
2) Transmit IN on a separate MIDI channel to control sounds from an external keyboard.

If you could only transmit on multiple MIDI channels simultaneously so you could have individual CS for each sound…

Hint: er… what’s this [MASTER] mode about?
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a mode that fulfilled all of your requirements (and then some)?

When you are ready for this type of setup, explore MASTER mode, it does everything you need… because it is a mode where you CAN transmit on multiple MIDI channels simultaneously… so If you associate your MASTER with SONG or PATTERN MIXING setup, you should be able to (easily) accomplish your goal, and more…

So you can either be defeated or you can roll your sleeves up and dig into MASTER mode. A MASTER program can control as many as 8 separate MIDI channels of data. You can even control the Volumes of the sounds you are playing from the external keyboard with their own dedicate CS (Control Slider).

It’s true!

Thanks Bad_Mister. However, I would appreciate some advice on Master mode then, as the manual really doesn’t make things clear.

I already use Master mode to store my live patch set up. I know there is a Zone mode, where you can set up midi channels and assign them to areas of the keyboard, along with transmitting various other midi data. I also know you can use this to transmit on multiple midi channels. However, it only seems to be transmit settings with no ability to set up receive channels and how they are mapped.

So, are you suggesting the following...? 1) Use song mode and configure voices as normal, on separate midi channels. 2) Assign the song to a master patch. 3) Zone the keyboard and then set the midi channels that you want the ‘internal’ keyboard to control across the keyboard, so in effect it transmits on multiple channels. 4) Use the external keyboard on other channels to control remaining voices. ?

If I understand this correctly, then of course I can use the sliders and this is an elegant solution, with one possible limitation. External midi keyboards that still have 5 pin din sockets are a little thin on the ground, and the only ones I can find only transmit on 1 (configurable) midi channel; therefore using the above scenario I would have to limit the voices that the external controller accessed.

I look forward to your response and thank you for your time.

You can use PERFORMANCE mode to play some PARTS from an external controller and still you can use Motif XF sliders to control volume of each individual PART. Read this thread: Play three voices with XF keyboard and one with external midi keyboard

You can also use MASTER mode with a SOMG/PATTERN. For details, read this article: Understanding Motif XS Master Mode

There are MIDI Controllers with the ability of Multi MIDI Channed Transmission. Novation ReMOTE SL (and MKII) are good examples and those have a nice keybed. Even those controllers have 2 MIDI out ports for even more possibilities.

I already use Master mode to store my live patch set up. I know there is a Zone mode, where you can set up midi channels and assign them to areas of the keyboard, along with transmitting various other midi data. I also know you can use this to transmit on multiple midi channels. However, it only seems to be transmit settings with no ability to set up receive channels and how they are mapped.

Yes, the MASTER mode will deal with the Motif XF and when you are playing on its keys. This you understand.

The SONG MIXING setup will allow you to play from your external keyboard the PART or PARTS you assign to its MIDI channel. You want to make sure that MIDI IN/OUT is set to MIDI (as you will be connected from the external keyboard to the XF via MIDI. External keyboard’s MIDI OUT to XF MIDI IN

The MASTER ZONE setup will apply to the Motif XF keybed
The SONG MIXING PART’s MIDI channel assignment will apply to the external keybed.

Originally you said you would like to control PARTs 1 and 2 with separate Volume Control Sliders, and play PARTS 3 and 4 on a separate MIDI channel from an external controller. Here’s how to set this up.

Go to SONG mode
Press [MIXING]
Select the sounds you want to play from the Motif XF keybed, place them in PARTS 1 and 2
Leave the MIDI channels set so that PART 1 is on Channel 1 and PART 2 is on Channel 2.

In PARTS 3 and 4 Select the sounds that you want to play from the external keybed.
But this time you need to stack the sounds on a single MIDI Channel
Set the MIDI Receive Channel of both to MIDI Channel 3

On the main SONG screen: name the SONG location something appropriate…
Press [STORE] to store your SONG and Mix settings to internal Flash ROM

Press [MASTER] to enter Master mode
Initialize a MASTER
Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON EDIT]
Press [F2] OTHER
Associate this MASTER with the SONG MODE and MEMORY location you just created.
Set the ZONE SWITCH = ON
Set the KNOB CONTROL ASSIGN = ZONE
Press [F6] GET NAME to automatically import the SONG name.

Now you can setup how you will transmit to the two internal PARTS (the ones that will sound when you phyically touch the XF keybed)
This will require two of the 8 ZONES… while in EDIT

Press the numbered button [1] to select and view ZONES 1-4

Press [F1] TRANSMIT
Set the TRANSMIT CHANNEL = 1 for ZONE 1
Set the TRANSMIT CHANNEL = 2 for ZONE 2
Check the INT SWITCH (INTERNAL) for both ZONE 1 and ZONE 2

Press [F2] NOTE
If you are layering the sounds set the NOTE RANGE across the entire keyboard or create splits as you may require.

Press [F3] TX SWITCH (TRANSMIT)
Press [SF2] CONTROL
Here you can determine what controllers will work internally for ZONE 1 and 2.

Press [F4] KNOB/SLIDER
here you can assign for each ZONE what the associated Knob and CS are sending, default is PAN cc010 and Main Channel VOLUME cc007

tweak as you desire.
Press [STORE] to store your MASTER to flash ROM.

Now for your external keyboard...:
Simply set it to transmit on MIDI Channel 3
It will play both PARTS 3 and 4 because they are set to receive on MIDI channel 3 in the MIXING setup.

if you need to edit what is going on with PARTS 3 and 4…
Press SONG
you will exit MASTER mode, edit the MIXING setup as usual, when completed.
Press [STORE] to update your SONG MIXING program

Then return to MASTER mode by pressing [MASTER]
The updates you made to the SONG MIXING setup are automatically referenced by your MASTER program

Final touch: If you would like to have a Control Slider to control PARTS 3 and 4, you can setup a third ZONE that only allows the Control Sliders to work in that ZONE. You can do this by creating what I call a “No-fly” Zone - this is where you activate the ZONE (Zone 3, but set the NOTE LIMITS so that the HIGH NOTE LIMIT is C-2 and the LOW NOTE LIMIT is G8

What this does is allow you to transmit controller data to that ZONE but trigger the sound when you play the XF keybed… make sense?

You can set the CS to send cc011 (recommended) as both 3 and 4 will be controlled together, by using cc011 you can maintain the proportional relationship between their volumes.

Now if you require individual Volume control of PARTS 3 and 4, and your external controller is not up to it, let us know. You can certainly assign independent control over them as well… we only need to know a bit about what your external controller has available as CONTROL options.

Hope that helps.

Thanks very much for your replies. Very clear and problem solved.

I am trying to accomplish something similar for live setup but am having challenges.  Specifically around SONG mode…

“In PARTS 3 and 4 Select the sounds that you want to play from the external keybed.
But this time you need to stack the sounds on a single MIDI Channel
Set the MIDI Receive Channel of both to MIDI Channel 3”

In my case I use CH 2 for external MIDI keybed...when I attempt to set up two or more voices to receive input from my external MIDI keybed transmitting on CH2, Any secondary sounds (parts) automatically get switched to the initial Channel 2 part program voice if I use multiple CH 2 receive part settings in the SONG/TRACK (F3)

I do not see in the MIXING mode where I can assign receive channel?

mikevan1963 - 11 February 2016 01:29 PM

...In my case I use CH 2 for external MIDI keybed...when I attempt to set up two or more voices to receive input from my external MIDI keybed transmitting on CH2, Any secondary sounds (parts) automatically get switched to the initial Channel 2 part program voice if I use multiple CH 2 receive part settings in the SONG/TRACK (F3)

I do not see in the MIXING mode where I can assign receive channel?

Setting Receive Channel in MIXING(SONG) Mode is a PART Basic Settings Edit parameter.  See page 194 of the Motif XF Reference Manual.

Ah yes...and thank you, much appreciated!