Motif-Rack XS: Using Multi for multiple Voices live

You can switch between sounds of a MULTI without any glitches if you think about it - setup your sounds in a MULTI… A MULTI lets you place different sounds on separate MIDI channels… So organize the Voices that you need for any particular song into one MULTI - then you can switch between them glitch-free!!!!

Here’s a real world application using the Motif-Rack XS “live”: say you need an acoustic piano at the start of the song, then you need to play an electric piano on the bridge, then in the solo section you want to rock out on a B3 organ sound, and behind the Guitar player’s solo you want to back them up with some strings… and for the big finale, you need a big brass section…

You would simply create a Multi that contains those sounds:

PART 1 = Piano
PART 2 = Electric piano
PART 3 = Organ
PART 4 = Strings
PART 5 = Brass

You can simply change the transmit channel of your controller keyboard there will be no glitch… Each sound in your MULTI can be tweaked to your liking for each particular song that you perform. You have 128 MULTIs… you would only switch a MULTI between compositions… you can name each and recall them with a BankSelect/Program Change from your controller (we highly recommend that you also research your keyboard controller so that you get one that gives you the most benefit for the tone generator you choose)

Changing an entire MULTI will glitch quite natuarlly - it is tons of data and lots of individual control functions - the trade off (benefit) is the MULTI is extremely powerful… capable of housing 16 different sounds on as many as 16 different MIDI channels (of course you can layer multiple sounds on a single MIDI channel so that you can recall complex layers)… Say you need to play Piano and strings layered in your right hand and a Bass in your left… simply place these three sounds on the same MIDI channel and use the NOTE LIMIT parameters of the MULTI to accomplish this

PART 6 = Piano (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 7 = new Strings (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 8 = Bass (CH.6) ‘A2’ and below

We still haven’t left the first of 128 MULTIS!!!
Using the MULTI is the smart way to put together your sounds for quick access - particularly if you require switching without glitching… if you cannot or do not have the time to take to read the manual or figure it out, you might conclude (as one reviewer did) that this is some kind of negative. We, naturally disagree as there are different ways to get around it without crippling the powerful Effects processing (if the effects were only OVERALL, then much like many less expensive keyboards, there would not be an issue when you change programs).

When you use the method where you switch MIDI channels there are awesome possibilities: remember the Motif-Rack XS has as many as four simultaneous arpeggios that can be activated. You can have a PART 1 responding to an arpgeggio pattern - which you can hold (either with the technology, with your left hand or with a sustain pedal), you can then switch to a second MIDI channel on your controller and play on top of the arpeggio or start another… If you set the ARP to HOLD, it will play indefintely or until you hit a foot switch programmed to stop it, but if you are holding it manually (with your hand or a sustain pedal) it will continue, even while you are playing on top on another MIDI Channel, until you release the note or the sustain pedal… it is really very cool. Think of the possibilities!

After all, there really is not going to be a situation where you need to smoothly change all 16 pieces (instruments) at a blink of an eye… and if you do need that, simply buy two Motif-Rack XS’s (always a viable cure, if that is what you need) :^)

Hope that helps give you some idea of how to approach actually using the unit without any glitch between sounds.

In practical use you can setup your Multis so that the main KEYBD sound is in PART 1, an alternate KEYBD sound is in PART 2… the SOLO/LEAD Voices in PART 3, SWEETENING (strings/pads) in PART 4, etc. so that you have a general layout for yourself that remains consistent throughout the MULTI setups… Each Multi is named (and of course has a number) when song #43 is called you know your main keyboard sound is on Channel 1, and your solo sound will be on Channel 3 - it becomes a no-brainer.

Develop a plan… If you fail to plan, then plan to fail.