Ok, I’m a f.cking idiot, so anyone responding please forgive the inevitable four questions that will follow your answer. I am trying to figure out what I assume is a basic function of the Motif XF, adding effects to a selected voice in pattern mode. I can’t figure it out. I have clicked, and clicked, and clicked, and jog-wheeled, and stared blankly at the screen hoping something will come to me, and as of this moment, I have had absolutely no luck. I found how to add effects to Voices within the Pattern Mode via the Motif Editor, but another roadblock arose in that I can’t figure out how to save the data I have entered into the Editor, into the actual Motif XF. BadMisteR!!! Help!!!! You saved me with your post on setting up the Motif Editor (again I’m an idiot) and I need your Obi Wan Kenobi skills again! (p.s. I looked for you at N.A.M.M. this year in Anaheim but Yamaha’s little “booth” made it pretty unnerving.)

You must start to envision your Motif XF modes so that finding things is easy. The PATTERN mode - accessed by pressing the [PATTERN] button - gives you access to the SEQUENCER Tracks, 1-16. If you were to press [EDIT] with the PATTERN button lit, you would be looking at the TRACK Event List for the currently selected TRACK.

While in [PATTERN] mode, if you additionally press the [MIXING] button you now have access to your sounds (the PARTS) that assigned to each Track of the PATTERN. If you were to press [EDIT] with the PATTERN and MIXING buttons lit, you would be looking at the PART Edit parameters. Which are subdivided into [COMMON EDIT] (affects all PARTS together) or [PART SELECT 1-16] (individual PART settings).

So MIDI event data is on the TRACKS.
Synth sounds are in the PARTS.

MIDI data is not sound, it is just events… coded messages.

So it would be incorrect to say you put effect on TRACKS. You put effects on the PARTS. PARTS receive MIDI data from Tracks and respond by making sound. It is the PARTS that output AUDIO (sound), it is PARTS that have Effects. Making sense?

So when you want to put effects on a PART you are going to be editing in PATTERN > MIXING mode > select a PART \ then you ‘Edit’ it.

From the main PATTERN screen
Press [MIXING]
You arrive at the Motif XF Mixer - here you can view the 16 internal Synth PARTS [F1] PART 1-16, and the two Audio Inputs [F2] AUDIO (A/D and FW).

If you press the [EDIT] button you will arrive at PATTERN - PART EDIT, the currently selected PARTS, MIXING parameters will be shown. Here you can see details about the VOICE occupying this PART. You can set its MIDI channel, its NOTE LIMITS, its ARPEGGIOs, its Pitch Bend Range, etc., etc., etc., - these PART parameters are OFFSETS to the original VOICE for using it within this setup. Your PART EDIT parameters are applied to the original VOICE without destructively having to store a new version of the VOICE. For example, say for a particular PATTERN you need to NOTE SHIFT the Bass sound down an octave - instead of having to create an entirely new Bass VOICE tuned down an octave. The PART EDIT parameter NOTE SHIFT allows you to OFFSET the Bass down 1 octave without having to create and STORE an entirely new Bass sound. PART EDIT parameters.

That is very convenient - but there are times when you really need to EDIT the original VOICE - well, the XF makes this easy. You do not have to drop out of your PATTERN -you can actually access FULL VOICE EDIT while you are in your PATTERN mode (this is a great feature) instead of having to leave PATTERN mode to return to VOICE mode, to edit the Voice, you can drop directly into FULL VOICE EDIT while you are still in the context of your composition - this way you can try your edits out while playing along with the tracks. (More on this in a moment).... 

You can on the mixer select BANK and NUMBER, Reverb Send, Chorus Send, INSERT FX SWITCH, MAIN CHANNEL VOLUME....

If the Insert FX Switch is active (red check mark) for a PART, (as many as eight red check marks can appear at any one time) - that PART can recall its DUAL INSERTION EFFECTS from VOICE mode. If you drop into EDIT on this PART, you can totally customize which two INSERT EFFECTS are activated on that PART.

While looking at the MIXING screen, notice that [VCE EDIT] (VOICE EDIT) appears on [F6] VCE EDIT. This will drop you into full VOICE EDIT on this PART.

And as with all areas of EDITING there are two levels of EDITING - The [COMMON EDIT] and the ELEMENT EDIT… the lighted front panel buttons and the upper left corner of the screen will always indicate where you are currently.

Say you have dropped into VCE EDIT, and you change the INSERT EFFECTS (COMMON EDIT parameter, by the way) assigned to the VOICE in a particular PART… press [STORE]
You will be asked to STORE this customized Voice in a MV (MIXING VOICE) location. The Motif XF has 256 total MIXING VOICE locations - there are 16 of these per MIXING. These are stored locally within the current PATTERN or SONG in which you create them.

Bring on the other four questions....

You have once again opened up an entire part of the Motif I had no clue about. I have no more questions....yet. Thank you so much for all the help you provide people with on this website. If you get a chance maybe you could check out my little production thing I’m trying to put together. Everything is done with my Motif XF and my MPC 2500. http://www.TrendkillerProductions.com Thank you again.

TK, I enjoyed listening to your Original Songs. My favorite is the Country/Folk Style Track. Excellent! Thanks for sharing.