I just loaded MIDI file to my Motif 8 Classic and I would like to do some changes (I know how to do changes) but my problem is how to export / save / store that MIDI file as a SONG FILE. Can someone please explain STEP by STEP how to do that? PLEASE!

Before anyone goes into detail, let’s make sure we’re referring to the same thing. Your previous post indicate you wanted to create a .W2S (All Song) file. Such a file can be used as a backup, or loaded to another Classic. Is that what you want?

Hello 5pinDIN,
Thank you for replay.
I know, at the beginning I wrote w2s and later I did remove that. The reason it was because later when I checked a few things I got confused if I need w2s or maybe w3s.
To make a long story short, I would like to do some changes with loaded MIDI like changing the volume for each track, pick a different instrument, etc. and as soon I finish just export as a song file. So, next day when I will power up my Motif instead of loading midi file I will load song file with all of my changes ready to go.

webpoll - 20 September 2017 06:00 PM

[...] To make a long story short, I would like to do some changes with loaded MIDI like changing the volume for each track, pick a different instrument, etc. and as soon I finish just export as a song file. So, next day when I will power up my Motif instead of loading midi file I will load song file with all of my changes ready to go.

To do what you want, there is no need to create a Song file.

Load the .MID file into a Song location.
Edit it as desired.
Press the [STORE] button.

That will store the Song to the Motif’s internal memory, at the Song number where you stored it. It will stay there until you Clear (delete) it, or overwrite it by loading a new file.

However, that assumes the memory battery in your Classic is OK. As long as “Change internal battery” is not displayed, the battery is good.

Do you have the Owner’s Manual?

It might still be a good idea to SAVE an “All Song” file as backup, but it’s not necessary to keep the Song in memory between power-ups.

Hm,… very strange,… I did that and didn’t work. Maybe my battery is the issue but I never receive any message on the screen in regards to low battery.

This is what I did:

1). Save a MIDI file onto a USB flash drive.
2). Insert the USB flash drive into the keyboard.
3). Press the [FILE] button.
4). Press the [F3] button for the Load tab.
5). Set the TYPE to “SONG”.
6). Select the desired MIDI file on the right.
7). Press the [SF1] button to EXECUTE.
8). Set the song location on the keyboard to load the MIDI file.
9). Press the [SF1] button to EXECUTE.
10). Press the song button.
11). Locate the song set in step 8.
12). Make sure that the [TRACK] button is turned on.
13). Press the [EDIT] button.
14). Press the [F2] button.
15). Press the [F6] button.
16). Press the [F1] button.
17). Press the [1] button for track 1.
18). Use the [V] or [Λ] buttons to select any PC (program change), Bank MSB, and Bank LSB events.

NOTE: Bank MSB events display as CTRL 000, and Bank LSB as CTRL 032.

19). Press the [F6] button to delete each PC, Bank MSB and Bank LSB event.
20). Repeat steps 17-19, substituting the [2] - [16] buttons in step 17, to delete PC, Bank MSB and Bank LSB events for track 2-16.
21). When all events are deleted press the [MIXING] button.
22). Press the [F2] button.
23). Press a [1] – [16] button to select a track to revoice.
24). Press the [CATEGORY SEARCH] button.
25). Use the [+] or [–] buttons select a voice category.
26). Press the [V] button.
27). Use the [+] or [–] buttons to select a voice subcategory.
28). Press the [ENTER] button.
29). Use the [V] or [Λ] buttons to select a voice.
30). Press the [ENTER] button.
31). Repeat steps 23 – 30 to revoice each track of the song.
32). Press the [STORE] button.
33). Press the [F1] button.
34). Press the [ENTER] button.

Above step by step instructions I saved long time ago from someone, from this website (Motifator.com) I did exactly as above step by step instruction and didn’t work for me, so I was confused, maybe this is not for what I am trying to do. Still I’m not sure, that’s why I wrote my post asking for help. Please tell me, is this instruction correct for how to save a song file from MIDI ??

For 11 years my Motif was inside original box. I went to Europe and left my Motif at home. When I power-up my Motif a few days ago, everything looks okay. So, maybe I have to purchase a new battery regardless. What do you think? - and thank you for your help !!
And yes, I do have manual.

Regards,

webpoll - 20 September 2017 11:22 PM

[...] This is what I did:

1). Save a MIDI file onto a USB flash drive.
2). Insert the USB flash drive into the keyboard.
[...]

If the above is accurate, you don’t have a Motif 8 Classic.
There’s nowhere to connect a USB flash drive on a Classic.
Classics use either SmartMedia cards or SCSI for external storage.

Have you identified your Motif correctly? If so, you’re probably using SmartMedia, and the instructions are for a different model.

If your Motif has a USB TO DEVICE port, then it’s probably a Motif ES. The ES has no battery.

Please clarify the situation.

Hello again,

Yes, for sure I do have Motif 8 Classic and SmartMedia card. That instructions,… well, that was about 11 years ago when I saved that instructions. Probably I saved that without of trying before and now I was looking in my computer folders for any saved document file with message about saving MIDI. Well, I have to delete that file, since it is for MO ES.

In the mean time, I went to FILE and I did load W2S file, whatever I did long time ago. And do you know what happened? Same problem! After doing small changes, I did press STORE, ENTER, YES, and as soon I re-opened that file, looks like didn’t save it.

So, do you think it is a battery problem or something else?
Again, I am not receiving any message to replace or low battery.
Now, it is a question what could be a problem?

Regards,

EDITED: Okay, I just did battery test: Before turning power ON, hold 2 buttons [REMOTE CONTROL ON/OFF]and [REC] - then I checked the battery, it is 3.0V - Hard to believe,… after so many years, still original battery !!!

webpoll - 21 September 2017 02:00 AM

In the mean time, I went to FILE and I did load W2S file, whatever I did long time ago. And do you know what happened? Same problem! After doing small changes, I did press STORE, ENTER, YES,

OK…

 

webpoll -

and as soon I re-opened that file, looks like didn’t save it.

..but what exactly did you do?

Please completely describe what you did after STORING the edited Song.

Okay, I am doing this front of my Motif - step by step:
1. pressing SONG
2. pressing FILE
3. F3 to LOAD
4. File Type = All Songs
5. using arrow > picking folder, ENTER, now I see my old files *.W2S
6. Choosing one of them, ENTER, it’s loading, completed,
7. pressing SONG

This is how I loaded file, now let’s do some changes and STORE it:
1. pressing: MIXING
2. on track #1, I did change volume and voice
3. I’m pressing: STORE
Motif is asking me: Mix Store to Current Song - press ENTER to store
4. I’m pressing ENTER
Are you sure? yes/no
5. now I’m pressing INC/YES
Got message: Completed

Now I’m going and loading the same file again without turning power off.
All my changes are gone! Motif didn’t store it.
Also I checked different folders with hope that maybe file was saved in different folder.

So? am I doing something wrong?
Maybe I need to do FACTORY RESET?
Maybe run some diagnostics?
Any suggestions?

Regards,

EDITED: - I just did backup and Factory Reset. Doing the way I am doing as described above,… no changes! it is the same problem! it’s not storing/saving my changes to loaded file from SmartMedia.

EDITED AGAIN:  OKAY!! I found a problem !! Of course it’s me, not my Motif !! embarrassing !! This is what happen when you don’t use equipment for so many years.
The mistake what I was doing it’s simple:
After all changes instead of pressing STORE while I’m at MIXING, I should press SONG and FILE and SAVE, and of course after that just pick a folder and override that file or choose new folder and save as a new file. That’s all !! What an idiot I am !!
Well, thank you for your time and help !!
Regards,

webpoll - 21 September 2017 11:21 AM

Okay, I am doing this front of my Motif - step by step:
1. pressing SONG
2. pressing FILE
3. F3 to LOAD
4. File Type = All Songs
5. using arrow > picking folder, ENTER, now I see my old files *.W2S
6. Choosing one of them, ENTER, it’s loading, completed,
7. pressing SONG

OK.

 

webpoll -

This is how I loaded file, now let’s do some changes and STORE it:
1. pressing: MIXING
2. on track #1, I did change volume and voice
3. I’m pressing: STORE
Motif is asking me: Mix Store to Current Song - press ENTER to store
4. I’m pressing ENTER
Are you sure? yes/no
5. now I’m pressing INC/YES
Got message: Completed

OK so far.

 

webpoll -

Now I’m going and loading the same file again without turning power off.
All my changes are gone! Motif didn’t store it.
Also I checked different folders with hope that maybe file was saved in different folder.

So? am I doing something wrong?

Yes, you are doing something wrong.

The Motif did STORE the changes you made to the Song. As I suspected (which is why I asked for details of what you were doing), you loaded a W2S file after STORING, which then overwrote the changes which had been STORED, substituting data from the file.

 

webpoll -

EDITED AGAIN:  OKAY!! I found a problem !! Of course it’s me, not my Motif !! embarrassing !! This is what happen when you don’t use equipment for so many years.

Yes, it’s you, but what you’re doing wrong isn’t what you think.

 

webpoll -

The mistake what I was doing it’s simple:
After all changes instead of pressing STORE while I’m at MIXING, I should press SONG and FILE and SAVE, and of course after that just pick a folder and override that file or choose new folder and save as a new file. That’s all !! What an idiot I am !!

Not quite - you’re not an idiot, you just forgot some operational details.

The problem is very simple - you’re confusing STORE and SAVE. You can press [STORE] when in Mixing mode, and the changes will be stored to the Motif’s internal memory. If you then turn off and repower the Motif, the changes will still be there.

Of course, you can SAVE a W2S file after STORING the changes, and that new file will have the changes included. However, that is not necessary if all you want to do is keep your changes from one power cycle to the next.
Pressing [STORE] (+ INC/YES) would be sufficient.

Try this:
1) Make one or more obvious changes to a Song/Mixing.
2) STORE that. (Do not SAVE a file.)
3) Turn off the Motif.
4) Turn the Motif back on. (Do not load a file.)
5) Check the Song for your changes.
If you make no errors, that will work.

 

webpoll -

Well, thank you for your time and help !!
Regards,

No problem - I hope that clears things up.

Yes, of course, now I understand !! 
Already I did several tests and now it’s working, everything works great !!

Still, I am very surprised, that after so many years the original battery it’s showing 3.0V after doing diagnostics.

One more time, thank you and a have a great week !!

I’m glad things are working properly now.

The Classic Motif uses a CR2450 lithium coin/button cell, one of the largest and highest capacity of the type. Later models eliminated that, and use non-volatile memory.

Thank you 5pinDIN,
I checked some posts in regards battery replacement and looks like it is a lot of work and screws to play with. I wonder how much longer before I will get a message to replace it (???).
Thank you again for all your help !!
Regards,
webpoll

When fresh, and with low current draw, lithium coin cells typically measure around 3.2 volts. After some usage, they settle around 3.0 volts. When the current draw is very low, they can remain at that voltage for a long time - sometimes ten or more years. At some point they start dropping in voltage, and that fall can be rapid.

There’s no way to know for sure when the battery in your Motif Classic will need replacement, but it’s probably about 15 years old now. I wouldn’t expect it to last a lot longer. However, you could wait for the warning message to be displayed - just make backup files if you want to be sure you don’t lose your User data.

Hi again,
Any idea how much time I would have to replace the battery from the moment I will see that warning message ?
Regards,

webpoll - 23 September 2017 10:19 AM

Any idea how much time I would have to replace the battery from the moment I will see that warning message ?

It’s hard to say with any certainty. Probably at least a few weeks, but I wouldn’t bet any money on that. It’s best to make backup files ("All"/W2A, and any others you want) to protect yourself from a sudden loss of memory contents.