Thank you for all your help. I filled out my profile, as requested.
I was able to install all the programs I mentioned, and all appeared to go smoothly.
However, when I went to do the MIDI setup stage, in File Manager (which I loaded with the “Tools” disk provided when I bought the Motif in ‘03):
1) The options presented in the manual accessed through the “Help” File were different than those which I had available when performing the tasks (for example, instead of YAMAHA USB IN 0-1, I was presented with the option 2-Yamaha Motif8-1).
2) When I reached the “File Utility Setup” step, and clicked “Test,” as instructed, a box appeared stating, “Test is failured. Please check connection with the MIDI deviced. Host unknown device.”

Checking “Properties” in the computer, it appears that the computer reads the connection (It reads “this device is working properly” Yamaha MIDI Driver Version 2.2.3, enabled). The troubleshooter in the computer only offered advice concerning general sound problems.

3)When I tried a “bulk receive” it simply timed out.

4) When I compared the PDF manual to my old DVD training, I noticed that they differed on how to set the Thru settings in the MIDI setup (the manual says set them to NONE, the DVD shows him setting them to the same settings as IN and OUT)

I’m guessing that perhaps things aren’t working because I need to start with a more recent version of “Tools” and “File Utility” (unless there is somthing related to XG Lite I need to know).

Any suggestions, new programs to offer?
Thank you.
Evan

Have you downloaded the latest USB Midi driver from http://www.yamahasynth.com?

( version 3.x is for Vista and 2.x is for XP from what I recall and it does seem to be the case from your post - but just worth a check)

Also, if you are using the USB connection, on the Motif, go to Utilities/MIDI/Other and check that you have toggled from MIDI to USB.

Re the other bits n bobs, file utility is so slow it is simply not useful for anything so if it doesn’t work, no biggie. Though you may have had it in mind for something specific - if so, what, we can probably point to a work around.

Hope this helps

Dear Wellie,
Thank you for your help. I had downloaded the MIDI Driver (see “Software Updates fo Motic Classics” 6 posts earlier). I had NOT, however, gone to Utilities/MIDI/Other and toggled from MIDI to USB. Now that I have done that, my connection seems to work. I must have missed that step in the instructions somewhere. Now it is simply a matter of learning the programs (Voice Editor, File Utility, Editors for PLGs, and Sibelius) to accompany that connection.

You asked my reasons for using File Utility. My aim is to buy, create and store voice libraries and slip voices in and out of the Motif when I need them. I recently bought the “All the Stops” Organ collection along with a collection of Ethnic .WAV files from which I intend to create some voices. I already have a few AKAI S1000 CDs. I hope to use initvoice, integrated sampling, and Voice Editor to develop my own collection of instruments unavailable for the Motif8 (I have yet to see a dobro voice for the Motif Classic).

In browsing the manual for File Utility I noticed that the manual showed access to the Motif hard drive and all the folders within it. When I tried myself, I only found access to the SmartMedia Card, finding no way to select or show the Motif voices, patterns, and such. Perhaps I will learn more about this as I systematically work my way through the manual.

I’m sure I will have more questions as I work my way through this, but I am making progress, thanks to your help.

Evan

Evan,

a thought for you (or maybe a couple :) )

The motif doesn’t have a hard drive - it has ROM memory for its voices and RAM for its samples. The RAM is volatile so that means whatever’s in RAM goes as soon as you turn the power off.

The File utility software is very very very slow. Even moving small sequence files takes a lot of time. Moving samples is like watching paint dry - no its worse than that! As a result most classic users abandoned file utility in favour of the now fairly ubiquitous Smart Media slot in the computer - much quicker than the file utility - a few points of caution - some SMCs don’t like the way windows XP does things and cease to function.
Always back up your card’s contents somewhere.
It is usually best to use the Motif to delete files.
Always ‘eject’ the card
I’m sure others could chime in with their experiences - note, I have not yet had an SMC card failure.

Hope this all helps

Thanks for the advice. I have gotten started with the keyboard/computer interfacing stuff and your suggestions are right on target.