Hello, everyone!
I haven’t connected Mlan16e to Yamaha Motif Es +Cubase yet. But I want to clarify beforehand: In Cubase I can record incoming midi and audio tracks?
Who did it, what are your impressions?

Hi,

Yes, if you can get mLAN working, your computer can record both audio and MIDI from the Motif ES using the mLAN16E. Over a single FireWire cable, your Motif ES will have the following digital connections to your computer:

* 4 MIDI In ports (16 channels each)
* 4 MIDI Out ports (16 channels each)
* 4 stereo audio inputs (8 mono)
* 8 stereo audio outputs (16 mono)

With these, you can use the Motif ES as an audio interface for Cubase, and record audio from the Motif ES Mic/Line inputs, as well as audio from the synth parts. You can also monitor your Cubase playback from the Motif ES line or headphone outputs. Combinations are also possible, depending on how signals are routed. The Motif ES can also process audio coming from your computer using its built-in effects, and then send it back.

It’s been years since I sold my mLAN16E interface, but I used it to connect my own Motif ES7 to an old laptop. It was stable, although I never stress-tested it. The only issue I faced - apart from the learning curve - was that I had to get a 6-pin to 4-pin FireWire cable, since my laptop only had the smaller connector. The mLAN system requires a bit of effort to set up (signal routing on the computer and part assignments on the Motif ES), but different setups for different tasks can be saved. The Graphic Patchbay (see image below) can feel small and fiddly on a modern hi-res monitor, but is relatively intuitive.

Things to be aware of:

Your computer needs to have an IEEE 1394 (FireWire) connector, as well as a compatible FireWire driver installed. Use Windows’ Device Manager to check your driver version. While there, you should also try to figure out what FireWire controller chip is inside your computer, and possibly what driver mode it is operating in.

The mLAN drivers are known to work well with certain (but far from all) FireWire controller chips. Please refer to this list. Once you have checked it, and before connecting the instrument, the time has come to install the mLAN driver.

The mLAN technology was abandoned by Yamaha years ago, and there were probably good reasons to do so. The latest official drivers were developed for Mac OS9 and early OSX versions, 32-bit versions of Windows XP and Vista, as well as a 64-bit driver for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.

For the past couple of years, a modified driver based on the XP x64 release has been available, which will run on later Windows x64 versions, although only in Test mode. I never got the chance to try it myself, but you can read more about it here.

- H -

Thank you Henry! As always a very accessible and complete answer!

Is it possible to run 4 ports of 16 channels in Motif Es from Cubase? Will the synthesizer be able to play 64 tracks at the same time? Or no one has tried this?

Will the synthesizer be able to play 64 tracks at the same time?

No, we’ve talked about this earlier. The internal sound engine of the Motif ES can play 16 parts/channels, which is handled by a single MIDI port, as well as up to three PLG boards handled via a second MIDI port. The other ports are there to handle remote functionality and communication with editor software, which also uses MIDI.

- H -