I have a very active rehearsal schedule lately (and into the foreseeable future).  Lugging 100# of Motif + flight case weekly to and from home to rehearsals and gigs with stairs on both ends is getting old fast (as am I). 

I have the means and am considering buying a second, pre-owned Motif XF-8 for rehearsal space + gigging and would then leave mine at home permanently, carrying only a USB drive with any program updates between the two instruments.

How difficult would it be to “clone” my current XF onto another one, moving all sounds and performances such that the two Motifs are mirror images of each other?  I also have an expansion card in the current machine, so would also need to replicate that in a second unit, assuming it doesn’t already have one and wonder about cloning that as well.  Would this be a pretty swift system command/load or something far more sinister and tedious?

I do have the Melas software suite in case that can be of use for this (today, I just use it to edit voices and performances).

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions!

It’s a relatively simple procedure:
1) Save an “All” file “with sample” to USB drive on the current XF.
2) Format the flash module in the “new to you” XF.
3) Load the “All” file you previously saved to the “new” XF.
The default Load settings would be correct…
USR > USR
FL1 > FL1
FL2 > FL2
...if all your samples are on FL1 in the current XF.

Be patient - depending on the size of the flash modules and contents, it will take a while. Just let the XFs do their thing.

The most difficult part of this might be finding an XF8 that you like, at a fair price.

Thanks 5 pin.  Appreciate the usual fast and clear reply!

Anything I’d need to do to format or set up the flash in “new to me” Motif, or does the above process cover that, assuming I’ve installed a “like for like” flash card in the “new to me” Motif?

I hear ya on finding one at a fair price.  $1500 from billy bobs pawn or $3000 from an apparent dealer.  I have time and patience on my side....I’ll find one.  THANKS!

zippydog - 29 August 2018 09:52 PM

Thanks 5 pin.  Appreciate the usual fast and clear reply!

You’re welcome.

 

zippydog -

Anything I’d need to do to format or set up the flash in “new to me” Motif, or does the above process cover that, assuming I’ve installed a “like for like” flash card in the “new to me” Motif?

“Like for like” isn’t necessarily required. As long as the flash is of sufficient capacity to load what’s in the “All” file, there shouldn’t be a problem. For example, let’s say you have a 1024MB (1GB) module in your current XF, but you’re using less than half that capacity and don’t ever expect to need more. In that case, a 512MB module would be enough. On the other hand, you have the option of using one or two of the Mutec 2GB modules (http://shop.motifator.com/index.php/memory.html) if you want to make lots of room.

Installation and formatting information is on pages 76-77 of the XF Owner’s Manual. If the XF you get already has one or two modules, just format.

 

zippydog -

I hear ya on finding one at a fair price.  $1500 from billy bobs pawn or $3000 from an apparent dealer.  I have time and patience on my side....I’ll find one.  THANKS!

OK!

Well I finally landed one.  Low miles & mint.  Sat on a stand in a church.  $2400 shipped, including sustain pedal and heavy duty Gator road case.  Will deliver later this week.  Yamaha flash memory card also inbound.  Let the cloning begin!  Bwwahahaha!

Cloned.
Perfectly!

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

zippydog - 25 October 2018 08:34 AM

Cloned.
Perfectly!

Nice - congrats.

One more question for you 5PIN.

Loading the files from Motif A to Motif B took quite a while (I expected this).

I’m wondering if for future transfers from A to B I can just copy the USER data and not FL1.

Assumptions:  No new waves or samples are added to FL1 in Motif A or B.  Only sound editing and Performances will be done on Motif A using the same FL1 files and sound sets that are resident on both Motifs.

Do I have this right?  I would think the above would all be resident in USER only?  Even if I edit a sound, yes? 

If so, I expect this would shorten the time to move updates from A to B.  Of course, if I add waves or samples to Motif A, then I would need to copy ALL, just as I did the other night.

Make sense?

thank you!

You definitely don’t want to load an “All” file with samples again. That will cause duplication, using up space on FL1 unnecessarily.

To transfer the data you want, you’ll still need to save an “All” file, but “without sample”. In addition, the Load settings on the “B” XF should be…
USR > USR
FL1 > None
FL2 > FL2
The transfer should take little time.

That brings up another possible issue. Which OS is installed in your “B” XF? The “None” setting was added in OS version 1.10. The most recent XF OS is version 1.50. See Additional option in file loading operation on page 16 of the XF Supplementary Manual (http://download.yamaha.com/file/53105).

Since if “B” doesn’t have at least v1.10 installed it won’t have the “None” Load option, you should verify the OS version…
Press and release the [UTILITY] button to get into Utility mode.
Then press [UTILITY], [ ^ ](Cursor Up) and [F1] buttons at the same time.
What Firmware Version is displayed (ignore the second decimal point and anything after it)?

Thanks as always 5PIN!

That’s great to confirm - thanks so much!

Yes, first thing I did with Motif B after confirming it functioned as it should was to update the OS (which was 1.1-something) to v.1.50.  That’s the same OS version I already had on Motif A.
...so I think I’m good to go!

You’re welcome.

Yes, it appears that you have things under control. I suggest that if in the future you add Samples/Waveforms to “A”, individually load any Voices that use them to “B” to avoid duplication of other data. If you need help with doing that, just post.