Got a half million dollar studio and have never done this before. I have always just played live to the track, but this time however, timing is critical.
I have a Mac G5, an Axiom 61 keyboard controller and Cubase Essential 5 sequencing software.
I’d like to be able to play the MOTIF with the keyboard (which I am) into the Cubase sequencing software and have the software play the MOTIF back.
Is that possible?
I am the owner of the Motif. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
I am not sure how to check this forum for the answer. It seems quite confusing.

Thanks,
Steve

Please see the second column of page 19 of the Motif-Rack Owner’s Manual

This will give you a basic idea of the connection. Your keyboard (even though not a sound module) can connect to the Rack ES via MIDI cable and the ES can act as a USB MIDI interface for your computer.

You will need to set the MIDI IN/OUT parameter to USB
You will need the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver for your particular computer Operating System - installed on your computer.

the Motif-Rack ES will be identified as “Yamaha Motif-R ES-1” for MIDI IN and MIDI OUT.

Well, being Dyslexic unfortunately reading the manual is all scrambled to me. Could someone post the correct driver here? I did go to the driver page and downloaded the latest driver so I thought, but under the “Devices” window, then MIDI, I only show “MIDI Port setup” and nothing else. Not sure if that means anything. Actually, because I have never done this before, I don’t know a step by step procedure.....
Would anyone be willing to help me?

Official Yamaha Motif-Rack ES Driver page

OK - That’s done. This is a G5, could you tell me the next step?

Press [UTILITY]
PAGE to the MIDI screen
Cursor down and set MIDI IN/OUT = USB

This will allow your Motif-Rack ES to communicate with the computer.

You don’t mention anything about how you have your keyboard controller connected now. Could you give us a few details - I don’t know anything about the Axiom keyboard you mention - how do you have it connected? What type of connection options does it have? Anything…

Well I could hook it up any way you would like. Either Midi cable or USB cable. They both work. However, I prefer to connect the keyboard to the MOTIF module with a midi cable so that if needed I can use the usb for the computer.
I did hit Utility then paged to MIDI, then scrolled down to MIDI IN/OUT USB and however, it doesn’t stay that way. Is there possible an “Enter” button I should hit? Because I shut it down, then turned it back on and it went back to “MIDI"( from the “USB” that I just set it to....)
With the Axiom it’s simple. Plug in and play. My kind of keyboard.

Well I could hook it up any way you would like.

It is not at all about how I like, it is about how YOU like. I’m not working with it, you are! :-)

Either Midi cable or USB cable. They both work. However, I prefer to connect the keyboard to the MOTIF module with a midi cable so that if needed I can use the usb for the computer.

I don’t think you understand how this will work. Yes they both work. If you connect your keyboard to the Motif-Rack ES via MIDI, then you will be using the Motif-Rack ES as a USB-MIDI interface. It will allow you to send signal on to the computer where you can route it wherever you wish.

Here’s how:
_ Connect the MIDI OUT of your Keyboard to the MIDI IN of the Motif-Rack ES. Do whatever you have to in that controller to select MIDI as its OUTPUT function.
_ Connect the Motif-Rack ES to the computer via USB
_ Set you Motif-Rack ES to MIDI IN/OUT = USB.

What this means now is your Motif-Rack ES will communicate with the computer on “Yamaha Motif-R ES-1” (port 1) for INPUT, and “Yamaha Motif-R ES-1” (port 1 for OUTPUT).

The MIDI data generated by your controller keyboard will be merged and sent to the computer as “Yamaha Motif-R ES-1” (port 1). But it will only trigger the sound of the Motif-Rack ES when you THRU the signal back to the Motif-Rack ES by assigning a MIDI TRACK’s MIDI OUT to the Motif-Rack ES.

In Cubase:
DEVICES > DEVICE SETUP… > MIDI > MIDI PORT SETUP
Set the “IN ALL INPUTS” column so that “Yamaha Motif-R ES-1” is checked (and the others are not checked).

I did hit Utility then paged to MIDI, then scrolled down to MIDI IN/OUT USB and however, it doesn’t stay that way. Is there possible an “Enter” button I should hit? Because I shut it down, then turned it back on and it went back to “MIDI"( from the “USB” that I just set it to....)

All [UTILITY] mode settings in the Motif-Rack ES can be stored, set the MIDI IN/OUT = USB then press the STORE function.
Press [SHIFT] + [ENTER] = STORE
Now your UTILITY mode setting will remain (when in doubt, check the manual - actually some useful stuff in there).

:-)

Thanks a bunch. If I offended you, my apologies.

I think you took it otherwise. Bad_Mister, as many long-time members here would agree, has tremendous patience and a great sense of humor. He, by the way, is the most helpful man on these forums and is almost always there when you’re in need. Having more than 28,000 replies and a large number of well written and very helpful articles to his credit and having helped thousands of Motif users in making good use of their investments, he deserves a little leeway, IMHO. Your frustration is understandable but he only tried to help you in achieving your goals - give him some latitude.

OK. Thanks.