The Radd rig still is:

Windows 7 Home Premium(64bit)
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 760 @ 2.8GHz 2.8GHz
Motif XS6 - with mLAN
IEEE1394 Firmware updater V1.07
Cubase 7.5 (64 bit) (running beautifully)
Yamaha Steinberg FW Driver V1.6
Motif XS Editor VST V1.6
Motif XS Extension

The other day I finished a short, (7 second) jingle with vocals.  It was a rather complex mix, with lots of sounds coming from the Motif and Halion Sonic, all grouped into like Group channels, etc. and then to the final mix.  No problem there. . .

As I’m about to finish, the ad agency called and wanted additional background music to go along with the project. This should have been simple - -

I had initiated this project by jamming on one of the “trance"-styled performances, and all I needed to do was go back to performance mode, jam on that for a few minutes, pick :45 seconds of it that sounded cool, record it and get include in the delivery to the agency. 

Ideally, I would have preferred to simply record this onto an audio track in Cubase, begining AFTER the end of the original project. (same tempo)

I’m familiar with returning control of the Motif back to local control, and powering down the VST Editior, etc., but I’m actually not sure how, under these circumstances, to easily make a simple audio recording of a Performance onto an audio track.

(there are exactly four audio lines (two in, two out) and one firewire line hooked up to my Motiff.

Can you kindly make me aware of what is probably staring me in the face here?  Thanks! - Pete Radd

Recording a Performance as Audio to Cubase via FW
Let’s follow the signal path from the Motif XS/XF to Cubase Input to Cubase Audio a Track:

First, the audio signal generated by the XS/XF is sent on two paths… One sends audio direct to the main analog outputs to your monitor speakers… The other sends audio digitally (FW) to the computer, where it is recorded and then Eventually this recorded signal is sent to the XS/XF’s main outputs. Obviously we only need to hear one path, if both are allowed you will get doubling. The direct signal arrives first, and several milliseconds later the signal going through Cubase arrives at the speakers. To avoid this you need to select what you need to monitor. Monitor direct - this is zero latency monitoring.

Local Control ON
When recording audio to your DAW, you definitely want LOCAL CONTROL ON - this allows you to play a key, the key’s signal triggers the XS/XF tone engine, which outputs audio directly to your monitor speakers (that is what you are going to listen to). It also sends audio (digitally at 24-bit/up to 96kHz) via the FW to your DAW’s audio Track where it is documented. We will prevent the audio signal that goes to the computer from reaching the outputs initially.

Monitor with PC (Direct Monitor)
The mLAN MONITOR SETUP (XS) / FW MONITOR SETUP (XF) deals with “where”, at what point in the signal pathway you choose to listen in (monitor) what you are doing. By selecting “with PC(Direct Monitoring)” Your XS/XF sends audio directly to the main outputs. It also sends audio to the PC but prevents it from returning. The DAW (Cubase) will record, but the audio you are listening to is the direct path, audio from the DAW will only be heard when you playback.
Press [UTILITY]
Press [F2] I/O
Monitor Setup = with PC (Direct Monitor)

Motif XS/XF OUTPUT SELECT
Each PART of the Performance defaults to the Main L/R output assignment… And this may be fine for your needs but we’ll mention this here just to be thorough:
Press [EDIT]
Press a PART SELECT button [1]-[4] to view Part edit parameters
Press [F1] VOICE
Press [SF2] OUTPUT
OUTPUT SELECT is found here and allows you to remove a Part from the main output and send it on a discreet bus to the computer. The 14 assignable FW outputs appear here, configured as odd/even stereo pairs or as individual mono buses.

Signal arrives in Cubase
You don’t want to use the VST routing here since we want to record audio only. This means we will receive the Motif XS/XF Outputs as Cubase Inputs in the normal routing scenario:
Go to DEVICES > VST CONNECTIONS > INPUTS > here you will need to setup a STEREO Input (if one does not already exist). If one exists you can simply use it. The inputs that appear here are just like real inputs if not being used you can connect to them. You can create an input by clicking the ADD BUS button, and selecting a Stereo bus. You can Name the input if you wish, or just use the default name “Stereo In”.

AUDIO DEVICE = The audio driver being used “Yamaha Steinberg FW”
DEVICE PORT = the ports from the XS/XF: Motif XS/XF MAIN LEFT, Motif XS/XF MAIN RIGHT

Of course, you can see how you can create as many stereo and/or mono buses as you may require. Basically it is simply connecting Outputs of the Synth to Inputs of Cubase.

Audio Track
Next, on the main Cubase Track screen we need to create an audio track to receive audio from the VST CONNECTION INPUT we just created.
Go to PROJECT > ADD TRACK > AUDIO TRACK > create a stereo audio track
Set the Input to the Input we created ("Stereo In")
The Track’s Output should default to the main system output (back to the Motif XF as your audio interface).

Clock Synchronization considerations
By setting Cubase as the master MIDI clock and the XF as the slave, any arpeggios, tempo effects, etc., used will line up with measure markers in Cubase.
Go to TRANSPORT > PROJECT SYNCHRONIZATION SETTINGS… > MIDI CLOCK OUT > DESTINATION = Motif XF Main
You can set the Tempo in Cubase

In the Motif XS/XF
Press [UTILITY]
Press [F5] CONTROL
Press [SF2] MIDI
Set MIDI SYNC = auto
The “auto” setting allows the XS/XF to run whether or not Cubase is running, it simply uses the last received external tempo… This is useful when trying out arpeggios etc.
Make sure you reset your arpeggios by toggling the ARP ON/OFF button

Set the Cubase Click to ON, and set the Pre-Count to count in… You will need to begin playing after the count-in

Setting Record Level
On your Cubase audio track you may notice that the meter is not responding… This is because we are not yet in record. Test the level by switching our monitoring setup temporarily to monitor through the computer:
_ you can do so by deactivating the red Record Ready light
_ activate the tan Monitor speaker icon
_ switch the mLAN/FW MONITOR SWITCH temporarily to “with PC” - [UTILITY], [F2] I/O
This allows us to temporarily monitor through the computer route _ the meters will react so you can work on levels.

Once you have tested the levels, set the mLAN/FW MONITOR SWITCH back to “with PC (Direct Monitor)” and deactivate the tan monitor speaker icon, and light the red Record Ready button.

Toggle the Arp On/Off to reset it.
Click Record to start the count-in.

Oh boy . . . is this cool or what??? GEEZ!!! 

Thanks Mr. Bad Mister!!!!  I followed your instructions, and it worked like a charm.  You cannot know how my head exploded (in a good way) when I saw this happen and I realized the musical possibilities . . . plus an improved workflow.  WOW! 

I had never even contemplated that I’d be able to send the four individual voices in a performance to their own tracks in Cubase . . .  . . 

I’ve got two jingles to start today, and I’m going to start them both by jamming on similarly styled performances, grabbing the audio I want from there . . then dropping in the vocals . .  Can’t wait. 

Thank you thank you thank you!  If you ever get to Vegas . . !  - Pete Radd

You’re very welcome!

Hi

I want to record 8 tracks at once from my XS6 into cubase le5 which I just got.

I’m using usb. Will this set up be the same? if not, how should I go about this?

thanks