I am having a problem getting the XF8 to receive on all MIDI channels. I have set the Transmit channel to 1 and the Receive Channel to OMNI, yet every different channel in Cubase that I assign to the MOTIF XF VST Device only is transmitting on channel 1.

I am using the USB TO HOST connection and have installed the correct drivers from Yamaha to support the USB connector.

I am an old schooler for using MIDI cables and it seemed less complex that way, but I could be overlooking something. But unless I explicitly set my Receive channel on the XF8 to a specific channel (like 1), I should be transmitting the different parts to trigger the XF8 via my DAW based on the MIDI channels I am using in the DAW when OMNI is selected.

Is there some other setting I am overlooking?

Okay, so I uninstalled the MOTIF XF VST Editor from the system and did a straight midi assignment and everything works fine now.

Maybe I just don’t fully understand the concept behind how the MOTIF XF VST Editor is supposed to be used.

When I had it installed and assigned the MIDI out to it, I could trigger each sound on the XF8 according to it’s channel by clicking on the virtual keyboard in the Editor (as I’d expect) But playing any midi would only transmit on channel 1.

So the obvious use I see in having it would be to Edit Voices and etc. from the computer; but I don’t see any practical way for implementing it to playback my MIDI compositions. I also noted that you cannot assign it to more than 1 channel because attempting to do so gives me a “Port already Open” error.

Totally confusing to me.

First, lets get some things straightened out for you.

The MIDI RECEIVE Channel setting that you find in UTILITY > [F5] CONTROL > [SF2] MIDI refer to the instrument when you are in VOICE mode and/or PERFORMANCE mode. It does not apply, at all, in SONG or PATTERN mode. Song and Pattern mode are the modes you use when using the XF with a sequencer - be it the internal sequencer or an external sequencer. These are the modes where the XF is multi-timbral and can be set to receive on 16 separate MIDI channels (one for each of the 16 PARTS). So the MIDI RECEIVE for each of the 16 PARTS is set as a “PART” parameter within the SONG MIXING or PATTERN MIXING program, not in UTILITY mode.

Please read that again for emphasis. It is important to understand before continuing.

The MIDI Receive Channel for each PART is set as follows:
From the SONG or PATTERN you are working in
Press [MIXING]
Pres [EDIT]
Press the PART you want to view by pressing a button [1]-[16]
Press [F1] VOICE
Press [SF1] VOICE
Here you can set the RECEIVE channel for each PART individually

By default they are assigned PART 1 = CH 1, PART 2 = CH 2, PART 3 = CH 3 and so on. You can freely set these as you require.

You don’t mention which DAW you are using so we cannot help you with it, but in general they receive any MIDI data coming in and re-channelize it to the MIDI channel set in the DAW’s track.

Remember MIDI events include the channel. When you press a note it includes information about which note, what channel and how much velocity. Your DAW will record any incoming MIDI data and then re-channelize it before it echoes or transmits it to the tone generator.

Second, the “Motif XF Editor VST” - is a multi-timbral VSTi. This means, if you only own 1 Motif XF, you can only open 1 instance of the Motif XF Editor VST. That’s all you need. When you wish to use the XF multi-timbrally on multiple MIDI channels open it and set the XF in SONG or PATTERN mode (as mentioned, these are the modes for sequencing)… the Editor will automatically follow you to that mode, and let you manage all 16 PARTS, plus the A/D INPUT PART and the FW INPUT PART.

Third, to make full use of the “Motif XF Editor VST”, you will want to connect the XF to an audio interface. Although you can use it for editing, to use the VSTi functionality to its fullest you will want to route the audio outputs of the XF to the DAW via the EDITOR’s “VSTi SETUP”. You do not mention that you have an audio interface. You can use it only for MIDI and for editing - it is just that you will get a message “No AUDIO”.

Sorry, we don’t have enough information about what you are trying to do, if you want to use Cubase we have posted a guide that shows how the VST EDITOR works in the SUPPORT area:

A Getting Started Guide Motif XF Editor VST

If you are not, be specific, we’d be happy to help you.