I am new to the Yamaha Motif but could not yet find an answer to this question.

How do I store a performance without having to overwrite a performance already stored in the instrument at delivery?

Is there any “empty” storage space, or do I have to save a preset performance with an external device to create space to store a performance on the machine?

tmehltretter - 14 April 2012 11:14 AM

I am new to the Yamaha Motif but could not yet find an answer to this question.

How do I store a performance without having to overwrite a performance already stored in the instrument at delivery?

Is there any “empty” storage space, or do I have to save a preset performance with an external device to create space to store a performance on the machine?

Yes, I would like to know the answer to this also .
I don’t want to lose the factory set performances because I really enjoy them .

How do I store a performance without having to overwrite a performance already stored in the instrument at delivery?

Short answer: You cannot.
How it works: First you will not “lose” anything because the Factory Set of PERFORMANCES are backed up. “Back up” is a familiar computer term for data that is created, then stored for retrieval at some later time. All USER bank data provided when you first got your XF is backed up in retrievable internal FLASH ROM.

So if the PERFORMANCES are “backed up” you never have to worry about “losing” anything because you can always retrieve them by performing a FACTORY SET:

Press [UTILITY]
Press [JOB]
Press [ENTER]
Press [YES]

This FACTORY SET is a very broad stroke (as your options are to restore ALL or just the USER 1 and first 8 User Drum Kits). if you would like to be able to RESTORE any individual PERFORMANCE - you can simply make a BACK-UP file of the Factory Set. You should have a USB stick that you use for your Motif XF data.

Insert a USB Stick into the TO DEVICE port
Press [FILE]
Select TYPE = ALL
Press [SF1] SAVE
Name the file “Factory Set” or something you will recognize as the original data
Press [ENTER] to execute

From any Motif XF “ALL” data file (.X3A) you can select and load individual program data. For example, if you overwrote the PERFORMANCE in USER 1:001(A01) you could restore it by selecting FILE TYPE = “performance”
Then you could highlight the ALL data file and “open” it to view a complete listing of the individual PERFORMANCES in that file.

Using the [USER 1], [USER 2], {USER3], and [USER 4] buttons along with the DATA WHEEL and [INC/DEC] buttons you can navigate, explore and retrieve any individual PERFORMANCE from the four USER PERFORMANCE banks. You can direct it to any internal (USER) PERFORMANCE location - overwriting the target location.

Summary: So you must overwrite a PERFORMANCE when you want to create a new one, you will never permanently “LOSE” any PERFORMANCES because the data is backed up in the instruments permanent Flash ROM and is retrievable either by a RESET or by loading from a FILE.

All PERFORMANCES are in USER memory and are suggestions of what you can do. You are invited to change them, customize them, completely redo them. Trust me, no one likes them all! :-) There are 512 of them ...

Find those that do not appeal to you and re-PROGRAM your own. then Back them up in your own ALL data FILE.

Hope that helps.

Save the factory set as an “All” file onto a USB drive. Call it “FactoryXF” or something like that. Then you can reload the performances
from that anytime you want.

There are no “empty” performance slots. When you store a new performance or edit an existing one to a slot, it replaces what was there.