Im new to MainStage, i can’t get it to work
is there specific settings i need to do on my Mac, or motif.

Look up my video on the motif master mode… It will help you get started with the external midi that will be required to control the mainstage sounds (volume etc) from the motif system.

“Can’t get it to work” doesn’t tell us anything.

is there specific settings i need to do on my Mac, or motif.

Yes to both.

You haven’t bothered to tell us how you are connecting the XF to the Mac, how you are expecting to hear the audio from Mainstage, etc.

I am resurrecting this almost 4-month old topic/thread. :-)

I would like to offer insight as well as ask a question.

Insight:

I have an older Yamaha, Motif ES6, and Mainstage 3 (MS3) on a 2007 MacBook Pro running Yosemite.

I setup in MS3 the ES6 as a controller and using Mainstage sounds.

Now, I miss my ES6 sounds (specially the strings and piano) so I decided to use the ES6 as a multitimbral source.

I read the MS3 manual and aside from the basic patch from MS3 (patch is basic building block. I have multiple channel strips on each patch which corresponds to a specific MS3 sound which can be layered or split, etc), I can setup a patch to have a combo of channel strips that point to MS3 internal sounds and channel strips that point to ES6.  Example; ChannelStrip1 pointing to MS3 internal EPiano sound and ChannelStrip2 pointing to ES6 Background Strings. I am able to make this setup work.

My Setup:
ES6 USB To Host to MAC USB port (I loaded USB MIDI drivers for ES6 from Yamaha web site)
ES6 L/R Outputs to MAC sound/Mic IN.
MAC main OUT to my monitors.

Note: ES6 is is in Song mode and ES6 Local is OFF.

HOPE this helps!!!

Question/Issue:

However, at the same time, I have a problem.  I am not sure how to make the ES6 a multitimbral source. I seem to be able to only use 1 sound from ES6 at a time (I tried playing with USB Ports and MIDI channels for each USB port in MS3 channel strips).  I am not a MIDI expert so I would like to get info from anyone.  I hope it is just a USB MIDI Port/Channel vs MS3 MIDI channel issue. 

THANKS,
dodgie874

dodgie874 - 05 August 2015 12:57 AM

[...]I am not sure how to make the ES6 a multitimbral source. I seem to be able to only use 1 sound from ES6 at a time (I tried playing with USB Ports and MIDI channels for each USB port in MS3 channel strips). [...]

What mode is the ES in? Motifs are multi-timbral in Song or Pattern modes (not Voice or Performance). Masters inherit the characteristics of the mode of what they’re associated with (based on).

Hi, 5pinDIN.  Thanks for taking the time to reply.

The ES6 is in Song mode.  Actually, if I remember correctly, i tried it in both Song and Pattern mode but right now I would say in Song mode.

You triggered something from my memory! 

Before MS3 was in the picture, I did this trick with the ES6 that someone suggested in one of the forums here ages ago (on how to transition to multiple setup during live performances without voice cutoff) which was to use Song mode and use the individual tracks as elements of a layer/split setup. The more I think about it, I think I play with the MIDI channels for each track where I set , say, multiple tracks on the ES6 to the same channel and each track will have it’s own settings (low/high note limit, volume, velocity, etc) and sound (voice) for complex layers and splits.

Does that mean I change the keyboards transmit channel when I move to different tracks while doing this trick effectively simulating a MIDI controller for different channels but using the same ES6 keyboard? Or am i coming to a wrong realization/conclusion? lol

In short, to reiterate, now that I invested in MS3, I am trying to accomplish this same trick with “patches"(aka individal setups) in MS3 to trigger “one-button-press” splits/layers using a combination of internal MS3 sounds and ES6 sounds using the ES6 keyboard alone.

In a Song or Pattern mode Mixing, you can set the MIDI Receive Channel for each Part. Setting two or more Parts so that they share the same Receive Channel allows for splits and/or layers.  Playing a specific split or layer requires incoming MIDI data to be sent on a matching Channel.

However, not being a user of MainStage, I read this a few times…

dodgie874 - 05 August 2015 10:39 AM

In short, to reiterate, now that I invested in MS3, I am trying to accomplish this same trick with “patches"(aka individal setups) in MS3 to trigger “one-button-press” splits/layers using a combination of internal MS3 sounds and ES6 sounds using the ES6 keyboard alone.

...and I’m still not sure what you’re asking about.

Hopefully someone familiar with MainStage will be able to provide more information.

I will post back about this a little later tonight… or first thing in the morning. I think I understand what he’s asking.

But in the mean time, please look at this video and see it helps you at all.

Yamaha Motif Master Mode Tutorial Part 1

Yamaha Motif Master Mode Tutorial Part 2

Good resource:
https://brianli.com/apple-mainstage-tutorials/

5pinDIN - 05 August 2015 11:32 PM

Good resource:
https://brianli.com/apple-mainstage-tutorials/

his problem isn’t with Mainstage as much as it is with the way he has his motif set.

master mode is going to be the best way to achieve what he’s trying to do.

Apex - 05 August 2015 11:34 PM

5pinDIN - 05 August 2015 11:32 PM

Good resource:
https://brianli.com/apple-mainstage-tutorials/

his problem isn’t with Mainstage as much as it is with the way he has his motif set.

That’s probably true, but that site is still a good MainStage information resource.  :-)

thanks for all the replies. on a different topic, my email notifications for this thread does not work for some reason. But out of the topic, I know.

apex, I will chec out the links you provided. thanks! I am glad you understood exactly what I mean! looking forward to you shedding some light on this situation i have.

5pinDIN, i agree. brianli.com is indeed a good resource. some stuff he has out there are better than the documentation provided by Apple on the mainstage.