I’m looking for advice on the best way to connect all my instruments to be able to record using my Motif XS6 w/mlan, cubase 4 essential and the rest of my gear. The rest of my gear includes a nord electro 2, moog little phatty and a roland sh-201. I’d like to get everything connected so that i can record both audio and midi using cubase and pattern mode of my yamaha for sequencing. I also have an m-audio audiophile firewire and a 12 channel behringer mixer. Thoughts?

I just bought the mlan and haven’t had a chance to get it into the mix but with all these devices and connections i’m a little overwhelmed of where to even start to get everything connected without having to move midi and audio connections around.

If you want to use the Motif XS with mLAN/Firewire (which will give you the option of connecting everything to your computer using the Motif XS as the audio interface), you can donate or sell the mAudio firewire device to your best friend. It will not be used here. If you want to use the mAudio firewire device as your interface you cannot use mLAN/Firewire from the Motif XS.

The advantage of using the mLAN/Firewire connection is that it gives you multiple audio bus outputs and multiple audio bus returns. You will have 16 audio buses from the Motif XS to your computer. These audio buses can carry audio from Motif XS Parts or from any of your external synth devices. What you would do is connect the stereo output of your mixer to the Left/Right A/D inputs on the back of the Motif XS.

Set the Motif XS for LINE input.

The Motif XS will connect to your computer with a single Firewire cable. The mLAN16E2 turns your Motif XS into a multiple channel audio interface for your computer.

You would connect your monitor speakers to the Left and Right main output of the Motif XS. You will monitor everything through the Motif XS.

The 12 channel mixer, will be retasked here as a sub-mixer. It will allow you to connect all your other synthesizers and microphone inputs and bring them into the setup. Probably you have it feeding your speakers… but in this setup it will simply be used to combine and prepare signal for the Motif XS’s A/D INPUTS. It is the XS that will route signal to the computer and take signal from the computer and route it to your speakers!

The Motif XS as your mixer
On your Motif XS mixer, you will see that you have 16 PARTS for internal Motif XS sounds… Each PART can be routed as necessary. Here’s how to navigate to the mixer

From SONG or PATTERN mode
Press [MIXING]
the [F1] tab shows PARTS 1-16
The [F2] tab shows your Audio channels

“AD” and “mL”
The Analog-to-Digital input is your mixer coming into the Motif XS
the “mL” is one of the three pairs of audio returns coming back from Cubase.

Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON EDIT]
Press [F4] Audio In
Here you can see the parameters for the A/D and mLAN INPUTS

Here you can setup the A/D INPUT for STEREO IN and you can find the OUTPUT SELECT parameter. Normally set to L/R which sends the signal to the main L/R outputs (your speakers), however, when you want to record say the Nord Electro2 as a stereo audio track you would select any of the stereo mLAN/Firewire pairs m1/2, m3/4, m5/6, m7/8, m9/10, m11/12, or m13/14

If you wish to record it as a mono track, you will find individual output selection for mono.

In Cubase, you can setup a VST CONNECTIONS > INPUT that will receive the audio coming from these Motif XS mLAN/Firewire OUTPUTS. And finally create a track to record the audio.

The Reverb and Chorus sends are for when monitoring only, when you assign soemthing to an individual output, it naturally bypasses the SYSTEM effects. If you wish to apply any of the Motif XS’s effects to your AD INPUT, you can.

Press [F4] CONNECT, here the A/D PART can have its own two INSERTION EFFECTS!!! These can/will be recorded into Cubase.

Now because you are using your 12 channel mixer as a sub-mixer, you will need to record the Nord, Moog and Roland separately if you want them to go to separate tracks. Or you can simply play each and cut and paste the data after you record it in Cubase. (Thing is, you cannot play all three at once… ha,ha… I mean you cannot play them simultaneously and have them each go to a separate track) they are all going wherever you assign the OUTPUT SELECT parameter for the A/D INPUT.

Now as to MIDI:
mLAN/firewire takes care of bi-directionalMIDI Communication as well. The Motif XS only has one set of 5-pin MIDI connections, however. You connect a single device to the MIDI IN and it will arrive in Cubase (passing through the Motif XS without stopping) as “Motif XS MIDI IN” (port 3). And conversely, any MIDI track in Cubase that you set the OUTPUT to “Motif XS MIDI OUT” will pass through the Motif XS and arrive at the 5-pin MIDI jack on the back panel.

So if you need to record MIDI data, you can connect the external device that you physically want to play to the MIDI IN of the XS. It will arrive as PORT 3 (as mentioned). Data coming back can be output from the MIDI jack to the first device, THRU to the next device and THRU to the third. Since each would be on a separate MIDI channel they can probably share the same PORT.

However, you may want to get a MIDI splitter to divide the MIDI OUT of the Motif XS so each device gets its signal simultaneously. With that many thru’s you may notice a bit of lag by the time it gets to the last guy in the chain.

Anyway that should get you started. If you get stuck post back here.

Bad Mister,

Thanks for the detailed reply as I use a similar setup and it cleared up a few details for me.

I have my Rane MP-24 DJ Mixer as a submixer.  Connected to it are my turntables, mic, Microkorg, Korg Electribe and iPad.  The submixer connects to the A/D input on my mLan enabled Motif XS7 connected to Cubase AI4 on my MacBook Pro.

I like the ability to use the Motif as my audio interface. And with this setup I can also sample from any of my other devices easily without changing any connections.

My next step is to ReWire Reason to Cubase (I believe that will require me to upgrade to Cubase 5 from my current AI4) and connect a midi controller to it thru the Motif midi in. The type of project I would like to do in cubase would have audio from the motif on a few tracks in Cubase and a few midi tracks from Reason virtual instruments also. 

The Questions…

1. When monitoring this project thru the return on the motif can I simultaneously play the motif voice selected via the motif and the reason virtual instrument via my midi controller? 

2. Is this setup just plain redundant (would it be just as easy to use the motif as the midi controller also and “easily” switch between motif voice audio on one track and motif midi controlled reason virtual instrument on the next track)?

Thanks,
Mike

Sorry, I don’t know anything much about Reason. You can always play the Motif XS with the Motif XS keyboard. If you want to play an external device at the same time it is a matter of routing. As I say I don’t know about Reason but it is certainly possible to send the Motif XS key-on messages to a track being output to the Motif XS - and to another track being output to a VSTi.

Work with Local Control = OFF in the Motif XS
Make a track with the MIDI OUT targeting the Motif XS
Make another track targeting whatever VSTi you are using.

The Motif XS is a controller at that point where and how you route the MIDI OUT from Cubase and to how many devices simultaneously, is entirely up to you.

Hope that helps.

Bad_Mister, Thank you so much for the info above. I’m going to give this a try today and I’ll keep you all posted on how it works out.

Ok, so I have everything connected per Bad_Mister’s instructions. However I’m unable to hear anything that’s going into the submixer then into a/d inputs on motif. i tried going into pattern > edit > audio in and select the a/d input to m1&2;. am i missing something?

also, i forgot to mention that i have a 4x4 midisport. i guess that will help integrate midi with all the devices in cubase but won’t help me much while trying to sequencing with the external devices. maybe connecting one at a time to the motif is the only way?

Ok, so I have everything connected per Bad_Mister’s instructions. However I’m unable to hear anything that’s going into the submixer then into a/d inputs on motif. i tried going into pattern > edit > audio in and select the a/d input to m1&2;. am i missing something?

We are sure you mean
[PATTERN] > [MIXING] > [EDIT] > [COMMON EDIT] > [F4] AUDIO IN

You say that you are routing the AUDIO INPUT from your A/D INPUT to m1/m2 but you stop there. What this says is you routed the AD INPUT to a stereo pair of Motif XS Outputs, namely “Motif XS 1” and “Motif XS 2”. You then have to follow the “signal flow”

Where do those outputs go?
What happens to your signal after it leaves the Motif XS?

When you route the AD INPUT to L/R Output they go directly to the main L/R OUTPUT of the Motif XS… you should be able to hear it, correct?

But you want to route it to Cubase (I’m guessing) via m1/m2 - so let’s find out what happens to the signal when you route to m1/m2:

In Cubase go to DEVICES > VST CONNECTIONS
When that window opens, click on the INPUTS tab

Here you would have to have a STEREO INPUT setup to receive “Motif XS 1” and “Motif XS 2”.

If not, click “ADD BUS”
Create 1 STEREO BUS
Set the AUDIO DEVICE = Yamaha Steinberg FW ASIO
Set the DEVICE PORT = “Motif XS 1” for Left, and “Motif XS 2” for Right

What you have done now is connect the OUTPUT m1/m2 of the Motif XS to INPUTS of Cubase. Those inputs have a name typically Cubase gives it a default name with a number, like “STEREO IN 2”, you can name it you like - sometimes this helps in the understanding of how it all works. Say you name it “MOTIF AD IN”

Now go to the main Track view screen of Cubase.

Click on PROJECT > ADD AUDIO TRACK
Create a STEREO Audio Track
Set the INPUT to your newly created “MOTIF AD IN”
The OUTPUT should be set to return audio to the Motif XS L/R

If you are still not hearing your mixer’s signal… lets follow the signal flow again. Go to DEVICES > VST CONNECTIONS
This time click on the OUTPUTS tab.

Make sure there is a STEREO OUT and that it is set to AUDIO DEVICE = Yamaha Steinberg FW ASIO, and the DEVICE PORT are “Motif XS Main L” and “Motif XS Main R”

When you route the AD INPUT to L/R Output they go directly to the main L/R OUTPUT of the Motif XS… you should be able to hear it, correct?

- Still can’t hear anything at this point. Looking for a way to monitor the signal from my mixer even without cubase launched if possible.

- Must admit that i’m also a bit of a newb when it comes to signal flow, buses, etc… i need to study up a bit more on that.

- i’ll follow the rest of the instructions and see if i can monitor the signal in cubase. let me know if there’s a way to do it without launching cubase.

Thanks!

i’m thinking that i must have to remove the m-audio firewire driver because the yamaha driver options are greyed out.

Sorry for the flood of replies. I finally got the mlan driver installed so I’m 1/2 the way there. The only other 2 concerns I have is getting the audio from my mixer to be heard through the yamaha with and without cubase if possible. Also, is there any way to route my general computer audio through the mlan driver? hope this makes sense!

The only other 2 concerns I have is getting the audio from my mixer to be heard through the yamaha with and without cubase if possible. Also, is there any way to route my general computer audio through the mlan driver?

To hear audio from your mixer you must do the following

Without computer:
_ Plug the left and right output of the mixer to the left and right A/D INPUT on the back panel of the Motif XS. There is a GAIN knob next to the inputs.
_ Press [UTILITY]
Press [F2] I/O
Set the MIC/LINE parameter = line
Set the mLAN Monitor Setup = stand alone

Now depending on what mode you are in on your Motif XS you can work with incoming audio.
VOICE mode > while in UTILITY
Press [F4] VOICE AUDIO
Here you can see the A/D INPUT parameters for Volume, Pan, Mono/Stereo input, Output Select, Reverb Send, Chorus Send and Dry Level.
MONO/STEREO = stereo
Set the OUTPUT SELECT = L/R

PERFORMANCE mode or SONG/PATTERN MIXING mode
Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON EDIT]
Press [F4] AUDIO IN
Here again you will see the A/D INPUT parametersfor Volume, Pan, Mono/Stereo input, Output Select, Reverb Send, Chorus Send and Dry Level.
MONO/STEREO = stereo
Set the OUTPUT SELECT = L/R

With Computer
_ Plug the left and right output of the mixer to the left and right A/D INPUT on the back panel of the Motif XS
_ Press [UTILITY]
Press [F2] I/O
Set the MIC/LINE parameter = line
Set the mLAN Monitor Setup = to match the function you are attempting to perform.

Your choices are “stand alone”, “with PC”, and “with PC(direct monitor)”

For an article on these setups, please visit my Clinician’s Corner area for the following article:
Motif XS mLAN MONITOR SETUPS

All your computer audio functions can be routed to mLAN/Firewire system. This is automatic once your YSFW driver is properly installed. If you are not hearing your computer’s audio through your setup, let us know what type of computer and OS you are running.