Hi,

I’ve just acquired a Motif 6 and I can’t figure out how to do the file transfer to Mac which is described in the manual:

The File Utility software (contained on the included CD-ROM) lets you do that and more — allowing you to transfer files back and forth between a computer and the MOTIF via a standard USB cable connection.

I see no such File Utility application anywhere online, which I find unusual, even if it had been unsupported after a certain Mac OS, you will usually still see these files around. But nothing. Is it really impossible short of getting a SmartMedia card reader (also not easy!) and loading files manually on/off the computer?

I have a number of old keyboards and synths, some much older than the Motif, and I haven’t run into this before where there’s no way to make it work. I’m hoping that’s not the case here!

Thanks in advance for any help!

Welcome to the forum.

The only relevant thing I could find was a PDF description of the CD-ROM contents and loading instructions. See attachment. The software is outdated unless run on a legacy computer system.

I suggest that you contact Yamaha Support and see if they can help.

Yamaha_Motif_6_7_8_Handb_Tools.zip  (File Size: 1511KB - Downloads: 130)

So, as per the OP, has anyone determined what became of the so-called File Utility program for Mac? What about the mythical Voice Editor?

Having pored over the Manual week after week, I feel like I have to managed to work around the age of my Motif 6 “Classic” fairly well. Using Voice Edit bulk dumps and Motif Data List sleuthing, I have even managed to receive and send significant sysex messages (with two’s complement checksums--yikes!)

But I am desperate to take recorded MIDI song data and save and export it to my Mac, for further editing and safe-keeping. It seems like doing a Song->Job->Bulk Dump of .mid files to a program like Sysex Librarian--to say nothing of Ableton or some kind of DAW--would be a no-brainer.

Does anyone have any solutions for this, aside from a buying a new Motif, of course ;) There really is just NO copy of the software included on the CDROM (such as File Utility and Voice Editor). Perhaps I should try yamahamusicians.com?

In any case, it’s great that forums like this still exist when you just can’t take it anymore!

PS. If anyone here is interested in using the Motif to explore microtonal tunings, I am happy to share the hacks I have used to do so (any fans of Erv Wilson’s 31-tone scale??).

I found the original Tools CD that came with my Motif 8. The software versions are from 2001 and probably won’t work with a newer computer operating system. Yamaha still holds the rights to the software so I don’t think it’s legal to upload it. I’m surprised they’ve removed all the later files for the “classic Motif” from their websites since folks are still using the keyboard. Perhaps Bad Mister could be of some help if you contact him at Yamahasyth.com.