Background: I am using an iPad with the APP Bandhelper.  Bandhelper can send midi data (program change) to keyboards connected and set to receive on different midi channels.  I have my Motif XF8 set to receive on channel 1, and a Kronos X on channel 2.  At first, I only connected the XF8 using the USB midi port.  The APP successfully changed patches.  I then disconnected the XF, and connected the Kronos (same USB cable).  Patches also changed successfully on this keyboard.  This tells me that my patch programming and midi channel assignment is working on both boards.

Current Issue: I reconnected the iPad to the USB midi port of the Motif FX.  At first, I thought I could connect the midi thru to the midi in using the 5 pin ports, but then remembered that I had set the Midi to USB in the Utility section.  I tried connecting the USB to Host port to the USB in on the Kronos.  In this configuration, the APP changes patches on the XF (first in the connection), but is not allowing the midi information to go through to the Kronos.

Questions: Can the USB midi port be used as a thru port?  Is there something in the XF keyboard settings that needs to be set to allow this to happen?  Do I need to get an iMidi adapter to connect the iPad to the 5 pin ports, which should then allow the midi thru to function properly?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,
I ran into a similar problem when I was trying to use my Laptop running Karma Motif Software with Motif XF. Laptop connects to USB port. It seems that Motif USB MIDI and MIDI in/out ports are physically/electronically isolated.
Wondering if Yamaha has plans to support this via a FW update in future?
Regards
RW

So I have actually progressed today.  I went and purchased an iConnectivity Mio 1+1, to connect the iPad to the 5-pin midi in port on the Motif XF.  This has worked, and I used the thru port to connect my Kronos X, and the same from the Kronos to the Jupiter 80.  The XF and Kronos X have successfully been programmed and are communicating with BandHelper, and patches are being changed from the APP.  Unfortunately, I have hit a wall with the Jupiter, as it just does not want to communicate with the BandHelper APP.  I did an extensive amount of troubleshooting with all 3 boards and connections, and can confirm that the issue is communication between the APP and the Jupiter.  So as far as this thread on Motifator is concerned, the XF issue has been resolved.  USB midi does not have a way to use the midi Thru for connecting additional devices, but the 5-pin midi ports do.

See MIDI channels and MIDI ports on page 57 of the XF Owner’s Manual. When the Utility mode Interface MIDI In/Out setting is “USB”, Port 3 acts as MIDI Thru. If the app can send the MIDI data to Port 3, it will appear at the 5-pin MIDI-Out connector.

The app has a MIDI Thru (Soft Thru). The default setting is off. Settings>Audio & Midi>Midi Options. I’ve never used it, and I’m unsure if it transmits on Port 3. I’ve gone Bluetooth MD-BT01. 50 bucks and it works flawlessly.