Some musicians use software instruments and computer based DAWs to deal with the track limits and polyphony limits of their Motifs , Mox, etc.

I’ve long since dropped the use of DAWs and virtual instruments for this purpose.  I now only use my hardware based Midi studio, and my hardware MTRs for full music production.

But recently I needed 21 midi tracks for a song I was working on. My Motif only has 16 tracks of midi.  I’m sharing this with others who might be in the same trick bag.

I connected my Motif XF8, and Mox 8 and synched the sequencer’s Pattern mode chains.  I had 16 tracks on my Motif, and 5 tracks on my Mox. I had A-F sections on the Motif XF, and a C and D section on my Mox 8.  By synching the two chains, I was able to get 21 tracks simultaneously.  I ran the submix of my Motif XF and the submix of my
Mox 8 into my Tascam Portastudio where I did the final master.

Also in this same setup, I sent one of the channels from the Motif to the MoX to relieve some of the polyphony strain on the Motif.  Since they share many voices, I was able to use the Mox tone generator to augment the Motif’s polphony it worked out great.

I know the old timers know all about these techniques. Especially those that were here during the hey day of the hardware ‘Midi Studio’.  This post is more for those that have either forgotten these techniques, or are not aware of how powerful and midi network of synths, or network of workstations.

Motif XF 16 tracks, + Mox 8 16 tracks = 32 tracks
Motif XF 128 polyphony + , Mox 8 64 polyphony = 192 polyphony

Song Mode, Pattern Mode, Master Mode are things of beauty when connected to other workstations using midi cables and/or MOTU midi interfaces :-)