I assume that FW16E works as a sound card for computer. I wish to record audio coming from some extra Mics during live recording into individual Daw tracks (Cubase) simultaneously playing Motif XF6 (with FW16E installed). Now my question is: - Should I need an extra sound card or audio interface to connect those extra Mics or FW16E alone would be capable enough to record those extra Mics through it. Also please tell what is the maximum time limit to record audio through FW16E, without a break in the recorded audio files. Thanks.

You can plug one or two mikes into the Motif audio in and these can be routed to Cubase via the FW16e while you play.

What you do not get:

-- phantom power for the mikes

-- ability to record more than two mikes to individual tracks

The length of the miked tracks can be as long as Cubase allows (probably no limit).

Thanks for clearing the concepts. The limitation of using only two Mics through Motif XFs is actually no problem but sufficient enough to record vocals etc. There is still one doubt remaining, i.e.- It is shown in a picture somewhere in the Reference Manual of Motif XF - the recordable time as 380 seconds in Sampler Mode. Now please clear my this doubt that what is the difference between Sampler Audio Recording and simple audio recording (e.g. recording live stage performers, Instruments and Vocals etc.)in terms of deciding recording times.

The difference between recording audio to a SAMPLER and just simple audio recording (as to a computer DAW) is that the Motif XF sampler is a musical device. Recording audio to the XF’s built-in audio sampler places the audio into a situation where you are going to trigger the playback and control the playback of that audio with MIDI commands like a Note-On Event, Velocity, and Gate Time (duration), etc., etc.. When recording audio to a DAW or a tape recorder or a hand-held digital recorder - it is not so much a musical experience… it is more just a ‘mechanical’ experience - simple conventional: record - playback. Each has a role.

Press the PLAY or START button - and the audio simply plays back the same every time.
With a SAMPLER you can map the audio across the keyboard, play it at different pitches according to the tuning scale you select, control how loud it plays with the velocity with which you touch the keys. You can start and stop the audio playback by how you interact with the keyboard or how you place MIDI events into the controlling track.

The Motif XF sampler is *integrated* into the sequencer. The only data that is actually recorded to the sequencer is MIDI data. MIDI data that controls the audio data. Whether you are playing your audio, recorded via the A/D INPUTS or you are playing audio that Yamaha pre-set in your unit (like the Full Concert Grand) - you turn on and off and control that audio via MIDI data; which is what gets recorded to the sequencer track. The audio is always placed in a VOICE. MIDI data triggers audio that is placed in a VOICE.

The whole concept of a sampler has been extended/expanded beyond just doing musical instrument recordings, or short loops, to actual linear type “audio clips” (of up to 64MB in length)… like recording linea things: guitar solos, vocals, etc.

The audio data is always placed in what Yamaha calls a VOICE. The VOICE architecture is complex and it allows for simple audio clips (like a vocal) or complex multi-samples that can recreate a musical instrument (like a 9ft acoustic grand piano) in great detail. Because an audio recording in a sampler is mapped to a specific key (one of 128) or range of keys, a vocal lead recording could be placed on middle “C”, while backing (harmony) vocals could be overdubbed to C#3, D3, D#3, E and so on, in successive passes.

A Motif XF track that has been designated as one for “audio” can hold as many as 128 separate recordings.

The maximum length of a single audio clip (sample) is 6 minutes and 20 seconds (44.1kHz). When you sample into the integrated sampling sequencer, a note-on event is created and placed at the precise position (Measure/beat/clock) and the Gate Time (or duration) of that MIDI note-on event is determined by how long the track remains in record.

When you do simple (conventional) audio recording to a computer (like to a track of Cubase) you can play it back. It is not a sample, per se. It is just audio - like recording to any audio recorder. No MIDI events are necessary to make it work.

How it can be used:
There are many ways to use the SAMPLER. Obviously for linear type recording (tape style recording) the computer DAW has really no limit to how long you can record (it is depending on the hard drive).  The advantage of the SAMPLER is that you can easily take audio recordings with you (without the need to bring along a computer) when you want to take some of the “magic” of the studio with you to the stage. you can do remote recording - transfer them to the computer. You can record on the computer and transfer the recording to the XF.  You have to just understand what each does and use your own creative imagination as to how to use the tools.

The Motif XF has several methods to generate audio files. You record audio direct to a USB drive or via a network connection to a computer or wifi device (like an iPAD or iPhone) using the XF’s ability to stream audio. There is a 74 minute limit on file size when streaming audio in this fashion to a USB drive.

FW16E
But using the FW16E is about routing PARTS of your Motif XF tone engine via the 16 audio buses to a computer. This allow the ultimate flexibility when you are going to be doing individual audio tracking to a DAW. With the structure of the Motif XF you have the ability to route individual PARTS of a PERFORMANCE or MIXING setup to any of the available output buses. Also within the complex DRUM VOICE you can route each individual drum to an output bus. Even though your drums may occupy a single MIDI track, you can still output each to a separate FW bus as you might require.

OUTPUT SELECT via FW - allows for the main L/R plus 14 individual bus outputs. the 14 individual buses can be configured in ODD/EVEN pairs or as mono sends as you may require.

This allows for a situation where if you require separate outputs (because you are tracking your session in a DAW) you can have the ultimate flexibility to get the task done. A PART routed to one of the individual FW buses will exit the XF with the INSERTION EFFECT in tact. It is removed from the system and isolated on its own discreet path to your DAW.

Motif XF SONG EXPORT to CUBASE
If you have recorded MIDI tracks and overdubbed (sampled) audio (like your vocals) directly to the Motif XF, Yamaha has “taught” Cubase to open and extract data from an ALL data file (.X3A) - each MIDI track that you record to the XF sequencer will be imported to a MIDI track of Cubase, each AUDIO recording that you did to an XF track will be imported to an AUDIO track of Cubase.

My concept about both types of audio recording,i.e. Sampler Mode and Conventional type is now very much clear after your detailed reply. Sampler Mode built into Motif XF synthesizer and its audio interfaced to DAW via FW16e can be of much interest for me for any kind of music creativity. Thanks.