I recently got an XF6, and I’m amazed at it’s sounds and capabilities.  I previously was able to get it to communicate with Cubase through the USB port.  Today, I installed the firewire card, and updated the drivers.  My MacBook pro seems to be able to recognize the card, but when I start a project (new or old) in Cubase, it tells me that all of the ports are missing/unmapped.  When I click on the ports, trying to map them, I’m told they are “not connected.” I can’t get data to flow either direction between my computer and XF.  I did set the midi in/out to “firewire” in the XF. 

On a possible related note, Cubase does not give me the option of installing a Motif XF as a device.  When I connected with a USB, using either “Yamaha Motif category” or “Yamaha Motif device” seemed to work.  I’m not sure this is part of my current problem.  Is there a step I’m missing, or this the correct way to do it?

Thank for your help!  I’ve gone through the manual and previous posts, but I’m not able to get further by myself.

Welcome to the forums.

If your computer software (Cubase) is reporting that these ports are missing, this is a status report and is exactly what is occurring. So let’s start here with WHY your computer thinks the ports are missing.

When you boot up Cubase it scans the connected hardware and attempts to prepare itself for that hardware. It is reporting that it does not find an FW16E (the optional Firewire board) that is required for these ports to exist.

Make sure you have the following:
Yamaha Steinberg FW Driver version 1.6.0 for Mac OS X
Yamaha Motif XF Extensions version 1.0.0 for Mac OS X

If both are installed, when you boot up Cubase, if you are connected via a firewire cable, you will be asked if you want to use the Yamaha Steinberg FW Driver as your ASIO driver.

Let us know.

Thanks for your help.  I was missing the second file.  I still get a message that the Motif XF6 main in and out are still unmapped, but I’m able to record multiple audio tracks and the midi coming from the keys I’m pressing, using the multi channel recording in Cubase.  Am I still missing something that I need, or is this just saying something like I don’t have the midi cables hooked up?

The Problem with the NEW PROJECT Templates is, if you don’t understand what they are for you assume they are going to help you do something that perhaps they were not designed to do.

I highly recommend that you learn how the whole routing thing works, then decide if the template you have selected works for you. Having 1 unknown or missing port is easier to understand, easier to fix and easier to learn from… opening a wrong template is going to frustrate you, cause you to have multiple wrong ports, cause you to have multiple wrong ports to fix and will undoubtedly cause you confusion.

Try opening a New Project using the “EMPTY” Template
Set up your first Track… learn how to route 1 track.
Feel the brain ripples start to connect
Set up a second Track… more AHA! moments will happen.

And in this fashion you will learn how the routing takes place. Then you can actually create your OWN Template based on how you like to work...or at least you will be in a better position to understand if the existing templates will even serve you at all.

All those templates are - are suggestions that someone else has for how YOU should work. You do not have to work like they suggest. I’m suggesting you learn the routing first, then develop a Template based on your understanding of the basics.

I have prepared an article that may help you get the rest of this setup clear (hopefully).
It involves getting an understanding of the Motif XF Editor;
Setting up the Motif XF Editor VST for audio routing:
A Getting Started Guide: Motif XF Editor VST

Hope that helps. If you get stuck, post back here.