Hi! I recently purchased a new, sealed-box Motif XF8 for a VERY good price ($2994.14 including sales tax) along with a dual-tier z-stand.

Anyway, I have recorded several tracks in Song Mode and saved them as one song. I also made a Performance with an organ (All Bars Perc. AF1) and a jazz guitar (Arched-Top) layered together for a Jazz combo. I need to be able to play the Performance live, while also having the song playing, like a backing track. I thought that this was possible with Master Mode, but I can’t seem to find any information in the owner’s manual or online. I need to perform live, on stage, soon.

Question Two: I downloaded the Inspiration in a Flash expansion, as well as several other samples of larger libraries from right here on Motifator. I do not have the Flash Memory Boards installed, as they are not in my budget right now, but I have a 64GB empty USB drive. Is it possible to load some of the voices from the above expansions to the Motif by USB without overwriting anything internally? And, would any of them stay after powering down?

I’m really enjoying my XF8, and I know that it will take me a minimum of several years to fully master it!!! ;-)

Thank you!

-Max

Here is the short answer, without really getting into any of the “How To” instructions:

Yes, you can LOAD VOICES from the USB drive into the XF.  You will always be overwriting something by LOADING in the new VOICES, but you are able to direct the VOICES you are LOADING into USER BANK locations of your choosing within VOICE BANKS 2, 3, and 4.  These BANKS came to you out of the box with duplicates of Preset VOICES, which are simply acting as placeholders.

USER Bank (1), however, contains unique new VOICES, which you may wish to leave intact.  They can, however, be overwritten if you desire...unlike the Preset VOICES, which cannot be overwritten.

The machine came to you with Factory USER PERFORMANCES installed in the PERFORMANCE BANKS.  New custom PERFORMANCES, when STORED, will always be required to overwrite an existing PERFORMANCE.

Any VOICES that have new Samples associated with them will be LOADED into VOICE locations as outlined above, but additionally the Sample Data will need to be LOADED into the machine also.  Inspiration In a Flash falls into this category, as it contains required new Samples to function.

There are only (2) places in the machine that can STORE new Sample Data:  The optional Flash Module..which you do not yet have...and the 128MB User Memory.

When Sample Data is LOADED to the optional Flash Module, it survives intact between power cycles.

When Sample Data is LOADED to the 128MB User Memory, it is lost between Power Cycles, and must be re-LOADED each power cycle if you wish to continue using VOICES which require those Samples.

VOICES (or PERFORMANCES, SONGS, and PATTERNS) which are LOADED into the machine (or simply created and STORED internally) are never lost via power cycling.

You have apparently already started overwriting internal USER locations, with at least the new USER SONG and PERFORMANCE creations you mentioned, which is a good thing.

However, it is good practice to first SAVE an ALL file of the “Factory” conditions right out of the box to USB thumb drive as an archive.  This will allow you to selectively re-LOAD Factory USER PERFORMANCES, SONGS, PATTERNS, etc...should you so desire, in the future.

welcome.
I know very little. (that is a true understatement.)
that said, regarding question 2, I can try to help you get rolling a little. (and I mean try.)
first, menus are context sensitive.
the Mode you start from (before you press the File button), is important.
here are some links.
one is a video.
the other is text, and talks about the inspiration in a flash file.
hopefully others will be a long to help you better than I can.

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/flash_board_session

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/videos/view/motif_xf_flash_memory_video/

edit: cmayhle and I were posting at the same time.
cmayhle is extremely knowledgeable.

Thank You! That helps some with the second question!

-Max

cmayhle said:
“You have apparently already started overwriting internal USER locations, with at least the new USER SONG and PERFORMANCE creations you mentioned, which is a good thing.”

Yes, I overwrote some heavy-metal and grunge presets. As for the songs, there was extra space.

-Max

Mighty Motif Max - 30 April 2016 05:34 PM

cmayhle said:
“You have apparently already started overwriting internal USER locations, with at least the new USER SONG and PERFORMANCE creations you mentioned, which is a good thing.”


Yes, I overwrote some heavy-metal and grunge presets. As for the songs, there was extra space.

-Max

The key point is:  If you create a “Factory Condition” ALL file as an archive, as you overwrite Factory PERFORMANCES with your own, you have preserved a path back to selectively (as in individually) re-LOADING the overwritten PERFORMANCES in the future, should you wish.

Of course you always have the option of restoring the original Factory User Condition, by doing a Factory Set.

Thank You! Now all I need is an answer for the first question!

-Max

Mighty Motif Max - 30 April 2016 10:57 PM

Thank You! Now all I need is an answer for the first question!


-Max

Again, the short answer:

Yes, this can be done.

You would first record your SONG, using a single track or multiple tracks, in the sequencer.

You can then assign the VOICE(S) you wish to play live, to PARTS of that SONG which have not been used to sequence, by going into MIXING Mode/PART Edit.

Now, during playback of the SONG, you would press the MIXING button, go into MIXING Mode, and press the numbered button of the PART you wish to play live, and play along with the sequenced tracks.

For example, say you record your SONG on tracks 1-6 using the sequencer.

Now, by going to MIXING Mode (from your SONG), you will see the (6) VOICES assigned to PARTS 1-6 (after all, you put them there to record the SONG!).

Put your “play-along” VOICES in, say, PARTS 7-10.

Now, when you are playing back the SONG, press the MIXING button, and then press the number (9) PART button, and you will be able to play that PART along with the SONG playing back.  Now try pressing the number (7) PART button, and play along using that PART.  The other live - play PARTS will respond in similar fashion.

If you want to “play-along” with two PARTS together, they will need to be assigned to the same Receive Channel to sound at the same time.  Again, Receive Channel is a PART Edit parameter in MIXING Mode.

For example, if you want PARTS (7) and (8) to sound at the same time, set them both to Receive Channel (7) or (8).

Now, when you press either the PART (7) button or the PART (8) button, both of these PARTS will sound as you play.

Thank You! I will try this later today!!!!

-Max

By the way, how would I make the pitch bend controller not affect the organ, but affect the guitar (both still simultaneously)?

-Max

Mighty Motif Max - 01 May 2016 06:52 PM

By the way, how would I make the pitch bend controller not affect the organ, but affect the guitar (both still simultaneously)?






-Max

How a PART responds to Pitch Bend is a PART Edit parameter, in SONG(MIXING) Mode.

In MIXING Mode, you enter Edit, select the appropriate PART, and select MIDI Receive Settings—[F6] RcvSwitch(Receive Switch). 

See Page 195 of the XF Reference Manual.  It will send you to the same settings found in PERFORMANCE Mode on page 116.

Switch off/on Pitch Bend for the PARTS as desired.

You may find This Article useful.

Thanks! I just found that about two minutes before I checked this forum! The XF8 sure has a steep learning curve! Now all I need to do is press a button, and everything is there. Thank you!

-Max

Edit: P.S. Do you guys want me to upload the final audio recording, just for fun?

You’re welcome, glad it is working now.

Yes, let us hear your project when you’ve finished.

Mighty Motif Max - 30 April 2016 03:43 PM

I need to be able to play the Performance live, while also having the song playing, like a backing track.

If you mean for recording, this is possible.

If you mean for live performance, it is not.

meatballfulton: cmayhle fixed it by suggesting Mixing Mode. The performance was only a combination of two sounds, and I was able to replicate it in this mode. Now I CAN perform live! Thank you, though.

-Max

Edit: Please elaborate on this. Thanks!

My file is way too large to upload (20.3 MB)! Is there any other way to get it here? It is a .wav file.

-Max