Hey everyone:

I am new to the Motif (and still sorting through the video DVDs trying to figure this thing out). I also have been using Cubase SL3 up until last week when I finally found the key to my Cubase Studio 4 upgrade. Got the update done. Still having a few snags with the SR sounds in HALionOne. I also have the option of upgrading from Studio 4 to Studio 5 for $99 or I can jump on up to Cubase 5 Full Version for $249. Would it be worth my while to update? Or is that something that can wait? Looking at the comparison charts, I’m seeing the Reverb, a few more VST intstruments as being the main advantages of Cubase 5 over Studio 5. Am I missing anything else here? Surround is not something I need nor care about right now but may come in handy down the road.

My other questions involve integrating Cubase and the Motif ES. What am I going to need. A already have a M-Audio UNO USB MIDI Interface. A also have a USB cable for connecting the Motif ES to the PC via the USB port. I have installed Studio Manager and inside of that resides the Multi Editor and the Voice Editor (I am still missing the PLG150-VL Editor for some reason). So I really want to hook this thing up to the PC and use the ES6 as a VSTi inside Cubase. Is that even possible or is that just an XS series thing? Can it be done with the firewire card? What would be the advantage of using the firewire card as opposed to just plain old MIDI? Pardon the stupid questions but I’m sure all of you were there (where I’m at) at one point yourselves. If you can be gentle and point me in the right direction I’d be ever so thankful. Thanks and have a great week!

If you are interested in using the Motif ES as a VSTi (which I assume you know means being able to record multiple audio outputs to Cubase simultaneously)… There is no VSTi Editor for the ES.

The VSTi EDITOR (recently introduced) is for the Motif XS. What it does basically is allow you to establish MIDI communication between Cubase and the XS, and to establish a method to RETURN audio to Cubase. (Significantly this type of simutlaneous bus routing was not available in any but the top-of-the-line versions of Cubase)

When you have a VSTi that exists on the computer, you basically create a MIDI track to record the data, then Cubase routes that MIDI data internally (in the computer) to the virtual synthesizer. It is this audio return that can be rendered to an audio track, processed with VST Effects, use Cubase automation, Audio Mixdown, the FREEZE function etc.

In the past this type of functionality was only available for VSTi that were internal to the computer… But when SX3.1.1 was introduced you had the abiity to setup for “EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT” routing. This type of integration was only found in the top-of-the-line versions of Cubase (Cubase SX3.1, Cubase 4, and of course Cubase 5).

So you can setup this type of routing but you must have Cubase 5 to do so. The EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT function allows you to setup multiple audio returns from the ES… to truly take advantage of this it would make sense to have the mLAN16E installed in your ES. What that gives you is multiple digital outputs. 16 audio buses: 14 mono + the main stereo, or 8 stereo pairs, or a combination that totals 16 channels out

Without the mLAN16E you can still setup the Motif ES as an EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT, but you must isolate each PART individually and transfer your data in multiple passes - one, or two at a time. Obviously with the 16 audio buses of mLAN you have greater flexibility to do multiple track simultaneously.

Cubase 5 is the current top-of-the-line - you should read up on it. It really does (once again) up the ante for DAW software. If you want to read up on the EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT function - visit the ARCHIVES and do a search for that term in the old Steinberg forum:  See one of my posts in this thread

Hope that helps.

I appreciate the reply. First off, I can handle the “not being able to use the ES6 as a VSTi”. I’ve got SampleTank 2, Sonik Synth 2, Scarbee VKC, Omnisphere, Oddity, Roalnd VSC, just to name a few. It would just be nice to have the ES right there internally with the others. Using the External Instrument function sounds like it wouldwork fine for me. If I understand you correctly, only the “big boys” (Cubase SX, Cubase 4, and Cubase 5) support this. This makes my upgrade option clear for me ... Cubase 5 it is! Next is the mLan issue. I suppose I can watch ebay and craigslist for someone wanting to get rid of one. It seems to me I read that different Motif’s use different mLan boards (or maybe there are more than one mLan board available). So which one do I need for my ES6? Also, in the thread you linked to, it got me wondering what benefits a used 01/X mixer would bring to the party? Haven’t looked for any used ones there yet either, but it may also be time to upgrade my mixer (I’m currently using a Behringer UB1204FX. FWIW it does fine for right now, but that Yamaha 01X looks sweet. So many options ... so many ways to go. I’ve got to learn to take this slowly ... step-by-step. It can all be very overwhelming! But it also opens up all sorts of possibilities! Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction(s).

Brad