Hi everybody,

I just purchased a Motif MX49. I was hoping it will connect directly via the USB Host to my MacBookPro, (10.9.5) running DP8. However, the audio is not being transmitted. MIDI is working fine.

I understand that the audio input only outputs through the Audio R/L, but was understanding that the onboard internal sounds would be transmitted via the USB port.

Am I missing something?

Thank you!

It’s difficult to see what you might be missing from what you’ve said so far.

The way that USB audio works on any Yamaha keyboard that features it, is that you have to ‘make’ the keyboard the audio interface for your DAW by installing the Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver and then selecting the MX as the audio interface from within your DAW.  In your case, the DP8 audio preferences, or something very similar to that.

You would then need to create a stereo audio track and set its inputs to MX49 USB inputs 1-2.

You can’t just plug it in and out like you would other USB devices, and in order to use it for USB audio, it will temporally replace whatever audio interface you were already using.

Hope that helps a bit.

If it’s the 2nd generation MX49, I think it’ll be plug’n’play class compliant, so not sure if drivers are needed.

zpink - 07 March 2019 06:06 AM

If it’s the 2nd generation MX49, I think it’ll be plug’n’play class compliant, so not sure if drivers are needed.

I forgot about that.

philwoodmusic - 07 March 2019 09:00 AM

zpink - 07 March 2019 06:06 AM

If it’s the 2nd generation MX49, I think it’ll be plug’n’play class compliant, so not sure if drivers are needed.

I forgot about that.

It’s also not clear if this is a MK1 or MK2 board. ;-)

Hi,

Thank you philwoodmusic and zpink. The keyboard is new, from a Canadian chain. Difficult to establish if it is Mk 1 or 2, as the Fr/It manuals mention MX88 but not the English one.

I had already downloaded/installed the driver on my MacBook (this is for a portable setup...I am currently on tour). However, I noticed when the keyboard is connected to my primary computer, the driver appeared automatically. So I uninstalled it from the MacBook.

Upon reflection, it would seem logical to have a corresponding audio channel; the midi is being transmitted to DP8 perfectly, just no audio (on either of my systems).

My DP8 preferences are not showing the MX, so I am unable to assign it to an audio channel. I’m baffled as to why there appears to be limited information available, aside from the manual saying it is a feature.

FYI, I have used MO8, MOX8, and currently the XF8, but have never directed the audio to the USB until now, only the audio outs in a standard midi setup. My portable setup consisted of an Arturia Keylab 49 controller, which I am attempting to upgrade to the MX49 in order to take advantage of the internal sounds.

Thank you again.

Roger Hewett

You’ll have to excuse my lateness, I’ve been stuck out on a tour for about 4.5 months and getting online is tricky.

No matter what version of the MX you own, you will have to create an audio track in DP8 to hear it and you’ll almost certainly have to either use ‘input monitoring’ on that track or make it ‘record ready’ which is sometimes called ‘arming’ the track.  All that does, is let you hear the input and see the metering without kicking the track into record. 

It could also be that another interface is currently chosen in DP8 audio preferences.

It may also be worth looking in the Audio/MIDI set up utility in Mac OS to see if the MX shows up there when you plug it in.  If it doesn’t show up there, then you have no hope of selecting it in DP8 and that means it’s another problem that we haven’t thought of yet.

At that point, I’d consider either installing or reinstalling the driver and maybe even using another USB cable.

Thank you for your reply.

Creating an audio track seems logical. I have tried it, but cannot assign the MX as an ‘input’. Strangely I can assign it as an audio ‘output’...but I would prefer the output be assigned to something more audio-friendly!

Yes, the MX is appearing in Audio/Midi set up when I connect it. I will try installing the driver again, but I had the same issue before.

Minimally I have acquired a controller that is an improvement over the one I had. It is possible my outdated DP8 is missing a few features...I have become somewhat lazy in keeping things up to date!

Thanks again,

Roger

Have you enabled Multi Record in the DP8 Setup Menu? It should show up there.

Another question is: How are you outputting the audio from DP8?

The signal path for what you are trying to do goes like this:

1 - The USB ‘To Host’ allows a two way connection.  The audio is being routed to DP8 and coming back from DP8 simultaneously, like any other audio interface.

2 - In this situation, DirectMonitor should be on. In the Utility menu. DirectMonitor allows you to choose to hear the looped back signal from your computer, or not.

3 - At all times you need the analog left and right outputs plugged into some suitable amplification so you can hear your MX, regardless of the USB connection. (or some headphones).  Any other audio from DP8 will also be outputted through your MX and its left and right analog outputs.

4- You need to turn the DAW level parameter up on your MX, so that you can hear the audio coming back from DP8, and unlike the MOXF, where you have a physical slider for this, the DAW level is actually under the Utility menu on the MX series.

Thank you Phil. Sorry I hadn’t seen this until now.

Yes, multi-record is enabled, though DP always automatically record-enables enables audio tracks as well as MIDI data.

Re your point 3, I was hoping the audio would be transmitted to the Mac via USB, so I would hear it through the Mac audio system, thus eliminating a separate audio setup. Otherwise, it gets complicated when I am also using a bunch of samples running through Kontakt. I could try to use the MX as the audio master, instead of diverting it to an audio/midi interface, but that would mean hauling around extra cables/equipment.

In my home setup, I am running DP8 through a MOTU 828 Mkll audio/firewire interface. My portable setup, for which this is intended, skips the interface.

In hotel rooms I am using the headphone out of the MacBook, or sometimes running into a pair of B&W;M-M 1s. In the past, I also used a smaller, MOTU Firewire/USB interface, using MIDI instead of USB. This was what I was hoping to eliminate, to remain portable.

Ref your point 2, I will have to check. For point 4, there is no audio being received in DP, so there is currently nothing to monitor!

Thank you once again for your input! It is really appreciated :)

rogerhewett - 15 March 2019 04:30 AM

I was hoping the audio would be transmitted to the Mac via USB, so I would hear it through the Mac audio system, thus eliminating a separate audio setup.

That might be possible.

You can do that and output it via the mac audio system if DP8 supports two interfaces simultaneously. For example, Logic Pro X will let you choose an input interface and then a different output interface, which is VERY useful.  That would be in the DP8 audio preferences, if it is possible.

In that situation, DirectMonitor would need to be OFF on your MX, so that the audio doesn’t loop back, and you’d be listening via your mac’s audio out.

This next part might get you where you want to be.

Going back to my original advice, with the MX being used as the audio interface for DP8, and not the mac audio output, you’d still hear Kontakt or any other audio track, synth or sampler plugin in your mix via the MX, because they are included in the audio when it loops back.  Everything from DP8 would be heard out of the MX’s outputs.  All that would change is where you listen from.

That’s what the ‘DAW Level’ function is all about.

The audio from the MX is routed to DP8 as you wanted, but everything from DP8 comes back, in that two-way USB connection.

Plugging your headphones into the MX would be an upgrade from using the the mac audio output, and that’s all you’d have to do.

It is very neat.