I have an MX61 and I am trying to use it for live performance, and what I’m trying to do is save some favorite sounds for quick recall. What I’m trying to do is dead simple on (for example) on a Roland Juno DI but on the Yamaha it’s a totally different deal…

I was successful in saving several of my favorite sounds to the 16 white instrument buttons and storing as performance #2 (user memory), and then once powered up all I have to do is keep the “part select” button pressed, then select one of the 16 white instrument buttons. This allow me to save 16 favorites, though it is limited to single voices but no splits or layers. How to do this is in the FAQ section on the Yamaha site.

That said I’d like the option to save a pair of my favorite voices to each of the 16 white buttons so I can do splits/layers, etc. just like how the unit operates when first powered up. The problem is I can’t get the MX61 to save my two instrument choices to the 16 white instrument buttons, and typically the unit likes to default back to (for example) Piano #1, Organ #1, Strings #1, etc. What I’m trying to do is program the keyboard so that the default piano might be (for example) one of the other pianos and not the first one in the list, same for the Organ, etc, along with another instrument for a split or layer… As mentioned prior I can get it programmed to do this in “part select” mode, but I would like to do it in the dual voice mode so I can setup some favorites with splits or layers.

I noticed that if I power up the unit, select each of the 16 white instrument buttons and scroll to my choice for each, these choices will then be retained when going between the buttons. The trick though is to get this into memory!

I can get one combination to save but any effort to get more than one button programed results in the the others going back to their default.

Is what I shooting for perhaps possible using the Vycro MX editor program?

Thanks!

Here is a more basic way to describe what I’m trying to do. Power on the MX61. Go to each of the 16 white preset buttons, and with the scroll wheel change each instrument to something other than the preset’s default. Now when you select each button your last choice will indeed come up. Then, how does one save this to memory?

When I try the above via the instructions in the manual only one of the 16 white presets will save correctly, the other 15 ditch the changes and go back to their defaults...?

Yes it is now possible. You first have to go to the Yamaha website, and upload their latest software update for the MX49/61. After you have done that, you will see that your volume output has increased. In addition, you will now have the capability to play 16 patches with splits, layers, etc. by following these steps:
1. Power on the MX.
2. Have your keyboard on a patch such as 001, and press the select button.
3. While holding the shift button, press the first part button (piano). 
4. Your screen will now say “Performance Direct”.
5. Now as you press each of the parts, patches 001 to 016 can be played with their layers, splits, etc.

Note:  If you start with another patch such as 005 and follow the directions above, then the 16 part buttons will play patches from 005 to 020.

Awesome thank you for the detailed steps! I already updated the firmware so I’ll give it a go in a few days.

Gordon1949 - 24 July 2014 09:28 PM

you will now have the capability to play 16 patches with splits, layers, etc. by following these steps:
1. Power on the MX.
2. Have your keyboard on a patch such as 001, and press the select button.
3. While holding the shift button, press the first part button (piano). 
4. Your screen will now say “Performance Direct”.
5. Now as you press each of the parts, patches 001 to 016 can be played with their layers, splits, etc.

Note:  If you start with another patch such as 005 and follow the directions above, then the 16 part buttons will play patches from 005 to 020.

Can you explain this in more detail? The note included with the firmware update is confusing:

“Added a “Performance Direct Select” function in which you can switch the Performance number directly by pressing the [SHIFT] button and the Voice Category button simultaneously in the Performance Select display. While this function is enabled, you can change the performance number simply by pressing the Voice Category button, without needing to press the [SHIFT] button.”

On the one hand it is saying you can switch Performance number by pressing the Shift. Then it says change performance number WITHOUT needing to press Shift. ??? I’m still not clear on the purpose and/or advantage of this added “Performance Direct select” function.  Is anyone using this new function? What does it allow you to do on the MX that you could not do before?

Thanks

The Performance Direct function allows you to switch between any of 16 consecutive Performances by clicking the 16 part buttons.  Makes performing live much easier than using the scroll wheel or the increase/decrease buttons.  Also, previously, you could only use the part buttons to play one voice at a time without layers or splits.  Now, with Performance Direct, you can easily switch between 16 consecutive performances with layers and splits.

1. For example, first set up Performances 001 through 016 with various voices, splits, and layers. 
2. Upload the firmware to the MX61.
3. Power on the MX61.
4. Press the select button so the red light is on.
5. While holding down the shift button, press the first white part button that is labeled “piano”.
6. The screen will now show “Performance Direct”.
7. If you then press any of the 16 part buttons, that button will play whatever voices, split, and layer you programmed for that button.
8. Then you can press another of the part buttons, and your voices, splits, and layers for that button will play.

Note: Once you are in Performance Direct mode, you don’t have to press the select button again.  Leave it lit.

Also, suppose you would rather play Performance 005 through 020 or maybe 017 through 032, or any other 16 consecutive performances, first go to 005 or 017, or whichever performance you want to start with, then follow 4-8 above.

While the part numbers on the keyboard indicate piano, keyboard, organ, guitar, bass,......etc, you could have any combination of sounds you want. You are not locked in to having pianos on the first button, keyboards on the second, organs on the third,etc. although I myself set up my first 16 performances with the type of sounds that correspond to the names on the 16 buttons.  After all, if you are in a live situation, most of the time you won’t need more than 16 sounds.

Hope this clarifies the Performance Direct function.

Further clarification: Once you have pressed the shift and 1st voice category (part) button, don’t press the shift button again.  Of course, if you power off the MX61, you will have to follow the directions 4-8 in my previous post to set up the Performance Direct again.  This is because there may be times when you don’t want to use Performance Direct.

Hey Gordon,
That’s a terrific and very detailed reply. I understand that feature much better now. I’m sure glad we have this forum!

I really appreciate the time and effort you put in to answering me. Has helped a lot.

Many thanks!!!

5x5 (Mike B)

Seven years after this post, I am having the same difficulty with a new MX88 - voices keep changing when attempting to save them in part select.  Can the firmware update be applied to the MX88 - there was a warning on the YAMAHA site that said it was only for use with the smaller keyboards.

Any help is appreciated.

robertfloberg@yahoo.com - 14 July 2021 11:04 PM

Seven years after this post, I am having the same difficulty with a new MX88 - voices keep changing when attempting to save them in part select.  Can the firmware update be applied to the MX88 - there was a warning on the YAMAHA site that said it was only for use with the smaller keyboards.

Any help is appreciated.

A little late, but I think the reason the update is not for the MX88 is that the MX88 came out after the (original) MX49/61, and so the MX88 already had this feature implemented (so no firmware update was needed).