Hello all
I’ve been a user of the Motif XS since it was released, recently changed my studio a few years ago and picked up a Rack XS instead.  I’ve been looking around for a while for a place to ask some questions so I hope someone can assist me.
As the subject says, I am a blind musician.  Luckily, some other blind users interested in the motif took very detailed notes on what buttons do what and menu layout so I’ve been able to use it.  For example, most menus from what I remember didn’t rap so no matter how many times I pressed the cursor down button, the cursor would stay at whatever selection was highlighted.
Regarding the Rack XS.  I will first be using it with a Native Instruments s61 keyboard as a controller connected to a midi interface.  I can obtain sighted assistance in assigning the buttons on the keyboard to various controller messages, which I assume I have to do for the 2 assignable function buttons which made keyswitch style changes to presets in the XS.  I also assume I would have to have 2 buttons assigned as toggles and 2 more where you can hold them down for on and release them for off?  The manual states those are controllers 86 and 87?  In the assignment program, you can also specify 0-127 values for the messages, do those have to be set a certain way?  You can also assign the knobs on the keyboard, does anyone know what the XS ribbon controller is assigned to?  This keyboard does have what feels like a ribbon strip and it can send control change messages so maybe it can work instead.
Second and most important, I will be using it with a Yamaha WX5 wind controller with 3 libraries of sounds loaded in to the user banks purchased from Patchman Music.  I thought I read somewhere that the rack XS can be set to start in user bank 1, sound 1 when it was turned on.  If true, could someone perhaps walk me through how to do this?  The front panel looks pretty easy, I can feel the 4 cursor buttons, the selector knob, as well as 3 rows of 3 buttons and the 5 real time control knobs to the right.  I can send bank and patch change messages from the wx5 but I’d also like to select sounds from the front panel if possible.  When I turn it on now, turning the selector knob does move me through sounds and luckily turning it to the left when on piano 1 doesn’t rap.  When I am in the user bank area, I assume that once I reach sound 128 of bank one, turning the knob to the right will take me to sound 1 of bank 2.  That is probably what I would want to happen.  However, when starting on sound 1 of user bank 1, turning it to the left won’t rap back to something like bank 3 or end of the presets etc?
If any of what I am asking might take some time, I’d be happy to pay someone to assist me with any of this over the phone or a video call.
Thanks again for any assistance, it is greatly appreciated!
Regards
Jay Pellis

Welcome to the forum.

I’m hoping that a user of the Rack XS will join this thread, but until then I’ll try to help. I own an XS6 and XF6 (but not a Rack XS), so my replies will be based on my knowledge of those two models and what I can determine from the Rack XS manuals.

I’ll provide references to pages in the Rack XS Owner’s Manual when appropriate. (A PDF of the MOTIF-RACK XS Owner’s Manual is at http://download.yamaha.com/file/92690) Since reaching the appropriate screen display will often require multiple button presses, it’s likely a sighted assistant will be required in most cases.

Utility mode settings are covered beginning on page 98 of the Rack XS Owner’s Manual.

The Assignable Function buttons indeed default to controllers 86 (AF1) and 87 (AF2). Sending value 0 (zero) turns off the button. Sending value 127 (7F in hexadecimal) turns the button on. If desired, the Assignable Function Control Number for both buttons can be changed to anything from 1 through 95. See page 102 of the Owner’s Manual.

The Ribbon defaults to controller 22. That also can be changed to 1-95. See page 101.

The Power on Mode setting determines which bank is selected when the XS is turned on. See page 98.

Bank/Part Wrap Around, as described on page 99, can be set on or off.

Be sure to STORE any changes you want to keep.

Hello
Thank you so much for your help. The page numbers will definitely be of huge assistance. I planned on calling someone from my local university music department to begin with, so they will probably be able to help me out.
I don’t plan to change any of the default controller assignments since I don’t need to. I just Will map the keyboard to those numbers.
I live in Missouri so maybe someone from here would even be able to help me in person down the road.  I also forgot to add that I will be using the motif in live gigs with the wind controller as well as composition on computer with both the keyboard and controller.
Thanks again.
Jay

You’re welcome. I hope you get everything set up as needed.