Hi, I’m having hard times connecting my Motif XS8 via FW to my MacBook Pro. I’ve never had this problem before but after reinstalling my OSX I cannot figure out what I’ve been doing wrong. The problem is I cannot hear the sound of notes I’m playing when using my Motif as a audio device for Logic X (having headphones plugged into the Motif). After creating external instrument I can see that Logic responses to notes I’m playing (the green indicator of the volume in the header is moving after playing a note) but I can’t hear it. I can hear audio, though. Here is my set up:
Motif:
Song Mode> Utility> I/P> with PC (DirectMonitor)
Song Mode> Utility> MIDI> mLan
Song Mode> Utility> MIDI> MIDI Sync> auto
Song Mode> Utility> MIDI> Local Control (when On I can hear the sound but when Off I can’t)

SEQ SETUP - I’ve tried every set up 1-4

So maybe there’s something wrong with my MacBook Preferences? I’m sure it’s something basic but I can’t figure it out. I’m enclosing some screenshots. Anyone, thank you in advance.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Hi Des_Esseintes,

Two places I’d be very interested in looking at would be:

1 - The audio window of Audio MIDI set up, right now you are showing us the MIDI window.

2 - The audio preferences from within Logic itself.

Could you make screen caps of those?

philwoodmusic - 29 January 2017 09:16 AM

Hi Des_Esseintes,

Two places I’d be very interested in looking at would be:

1 - The audio window of Audio MIDI set up, right now you are showing us the MIDI window.

2 - The audio preferences from within Logic itself.

Could you make screen caps of those?

Hi philwoodmusic,

Thanks for a quick response. Sure, please see attachment.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Thanks for that.

Could I ask if you have any cables plugged into your Motif’s left and right analogue outputs? and if so, where are they currently cabled to?

When using Logic, is your Motif set to Song Mode? (it needs to be set to a multi timbral mode such as Song Mode or Pattern mode.

The other thing I notice is your Logic input and output device settings. (currently set to System Setting)

They should be changed so that they say Yamaha Steinberg FW.  If they aren’t, then Logic doesn’t know to use your Motif XS8 as an audio interface.

The current setting ‘System Setting’ is unspecific and I’m not really sure I know what it is within your set up, unless it means your internal sound card in your Mac.

Local control should be set to OFF.

philwoodmusic - 30 January 2017 08:19 AM

Thanks for that.

Could I ask if you have any cables plugged into your Motif’s left and right analogue outputs? and if so, where are they currently cabled to?

When using Logic, is your Motif set to Song Mode? (it needs to be set to a multi timbral mode such as Song Mode or Pattern mode.

The other thing I notice is your Logic input and output device settings. (currently set to System Setting)

They should be changed so that they say Yamaha Steinberg FW.  If they aren’t, then Logic doesn’t know to use your Motif XS8 as an audio interface.

The current setting ‘System Setting’ is unspecific and I’m not really sure I know what it is within your set up, unless it means your internal sound card in your Mac.

Local control should be set to OFF.

I have my left and right outputs connected to my mixer but I tested this setup also with headphones plugged right into Motif. When the local control is turned on I can hear the sound when it’s turned off I can’t (when listening with headphones and using my mixer). Yes, I tried both Song and Pattern mode and yes I tried my Logic input and output device settings set to ‘System Setting’ and to ‘Yamaha Steinberg FW’.

Recently I installed a Studio Manager which I usually don’t use but I was surprised that after launching it there was no device to add, please see a screenshot. Is it possible that I forgot to instal some drivers? Logic responses to my Motif keyboard as a external instrument because I can record Midi messages through FW but it seems like Logic is not able to use the sound bank from my Motif.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

In your snapshot of Audio/MIDI Setup, the XS8 is greyed out. That means the Mac is not recognizing it, period. I’m not sure what that second device in the snapshot marked Motif XS is supposed to be, but delete it.

Please indicate the following:

Motif XS OS version
Steinberg FW driver (on your Mac) version

meatballfulton - 31 January 2017 11:03 AM

In your snapshot of Audio/MIDI Setup, the XS8 is greyed out. That means the Mac is not recognizing it, period. I’m not sure what that second device in the snapshot marked Motif XS is supposed to be, but delete it.

Please indicate the following:

Motif XS OS version
Steinberg FW driver (on your Mac) version

My Motif XS Firmware Version is 1.60.1
My Steinberg FW driver is 1.1.3.

The second device on my snapshot is Edirol PCR-800, it’s just a midi controller.

And also please see a new snapshot of Audio/MIDI Setup, this time I took it when Motif was connected to my Mac (previously it was probably disconnected) and it’s not greyed out anymore. But it’s still the same, I can’t hear a sound in Logic when having Motif connected as a external instrument via FW.

I also noticed that in Audio Devices window the volume of Steinberg FW is turned down. Is that the way it’s suppose to be?

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Sorry for not being around last few days.

This is one of those problems which will be very difficult to diagnose, unless we all come over to your place, so you need some drastic action.

From your screen caps, I can tell you that I’ve never once had to configure a Yamaha instrument of any kind in the same way that you have, just to get MIDI working in Logic.

What I mean, is that I’ve never had to create an external instrument in the MIDI window alongside the main instrument itself, with a virtual cable between them.

Also, if you look at it, you only have it cabled one way as well, which may be a problem anyway.  I’m with meatballfulton though, I’d bin it, but, for a better result, you should consider uninstalling and removing everything but defaults in the MIDI window, including the PCR. whatever that is, and start again, making sure you have the most up to date drivers.

This time, don’t create an external instrument alongside your Motif. You can use the Motif as an external instrument from within Logic, which is probably what you mean to do, but it does not involve creating an external instrument in the Audio MIDI set up.

When everything is correctly installed, you should also be able select ports for your Motif XS from the left hand bar in the main Logic window.  (currently set to ALL in your picture.)

As far as the Local control goes, it should be set to OFF, even if you can’t hear anything for now.

I wanted to avoid it but thanks for your suggestions. I uninstalled all the Yamaha drivers and indeed, reinstalling the FW driver did the trick. Now I can hear in Logic what I recorded using Motif as a external instrument (while having “Local Control” set to off).

I’m just wondering why it’s impossible to right-click the MIDI region and choose “Export as Audio File” (it’s greyed out). I have to create an audio track and record what is being played in a real time instead. Any idea?

MIDI is MIDI and audio is audio.

Most DAWs...at least every single one I have ever used...require two tracks for external hardware instruments, one to record the MIDI and one to record the audio. I haven’t used Logic but assume it is the same.

You have the following options:

1. Record MIDI track, edit MIDI as desired and then record audio track in a second pass.

2. Record audio track only, no MIDI.

3. Record MIDI and audio to their own tracks at the same time. If you wish to edit the MIDI you will have to rerecord the audio.

“Export as audio file” is probably meant for MIDI tracks used with software instruments. This is common to most DAWs.

Des_Esseintes - 06 February 2017 04:35 PM

I’m just wondering why it’s impossible to right-click the MIDI region and choose “Export as Audio File” (it’s greyed out).?

I can turn meatballfulton‘s probably into a definitely.

The reason it’s greyed out is because that particular function only works with virtual instruments, and your Motif is not a virtual instrument.

Thanks, that makes sense.