My Configuration:
Mac OS X 10.10.3
Cubase Pro 8.0.10 Build 147
Motif XF Firmware ver 1.50.4
USB-MIDI Driver for Mac OS X 1.3.2
Motif XF Editor VST ver 1.6.5 (running as plugin in Cubase)

What I want to do:

. Performance Record on the Motif XF, using SF1 to SF5, AS 1&2;to change arps/sound in real time.

. Import the Song created into Cubase Pro, and have it play back sounding exacting the same.

Steps I’ve taken:

Motif XF
. Performance Record (the song plays back as recorded, with arp changes and AS changes.

. Stored, saved to USB key.

Cubase Pro
. Imported Motif XF Song

. set to XF port 1 for each of channels 1 to 4

. run Editor

. open saved file from Editor

. synced (PC to Motif FX) global and common selected

The Problem:

When playing back from Cubase there is no sound on track 1, even though the voice assignment is correct in the Editor, and there is MIDI data on the track, and the track is not muted.

I’ve tried the above procedure with two Performances, with the same result, no sound from track 1:

USR A01 Piano Electro

USR1 D01 Gentle Chill Groove

Thanks for any help!

Lawrence

I’ve tested again, In this case using the Citrus and Cinnamon performance from Chill Xprerience sound set.

Imported the performance into Cubase Pro 8, following the exact same steps as above, and this time the playback is correct, i.e. sounds the same played back from the Motif sequencer and also Cubase Pro sequencer.

So, what’s going on here?

Procedure worked for Citrus and Cinnamon but not for Piano Electro or Gentle Chill Groove.

In this thread ( Bad_Mister thread: “Cubase: Motif XF Song Import”) Bad_Mister stated

“. . . there are some Motif XF Performances that require you record them as audio”

Is that the issue I’m having with Piano Electro or Gentle Chill Groove?

How can I tell when a Motif XF performance must be recorded as audio in order to be properly played back from Cubase?

From Performance mode…
Press [EDIT] > [F1](Voice) > [SF1](Voice)
Select Part 1
Notice whether ARP Play Only is “on”.

See http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/recording_arps_to_external_daw

5pinDIN - 29 April 2015 10:22 AM

From Performance mode…
Press [EDIT] > [F1](Voice) > [SF1](Voice)
Select Part 1
Notice whether ARP Play Only is “on”.

I’m confused. When in Performance mode, I don’t get the choices you’ve listed above. I get:

[EDIT] > [F1] (General) > [SF1](Name)

Sorry, somehow I got that out of order. Let’s try again…

Press [EDIT]
Select Part 1
Press [F1](Voice) > [SF1](Voice)
Notice whether ARP Play Only is “on”.

5pinDIN - 29 April 2015 11:10 PM

Sorry, somehow I got that out of order. Let’s try again…

Press [EDIT]
Select Part 1
Press [F1](Voice) > [SF1](Voice)
Notice whether ARP Play Only is “on”.

Thanks! Since I’m new to the Motif, I’m following instructions literally. Ha!

Anyway, I checked both performances, Piano Electro and Gentle Chillgroove, and the ARP Play Only is “on” in both cases.

Melodialworks - 30 April 2015 12:09 AM

[...]I checked both performances, Piano Electro and Gentle Chillgroove, and the ARP Play Only is “on” in both cases.

OK. Please see the support article I referred to.

Thanks so much, 5pinDIN. :)

Melodialworks - 30 April 2015 10:45 AM

Thanks so much, 5pinDIN. :)

You’re welcome - I hope that resolves things.

It’s strange. I’ve identified some factory performances that will useful for my style of music, and also some performances from the EasySounds Chill Xperience and Nature of Chill sounds sets.

All of the factory performances that I want to use will not play back properly in Cubase, whereas all of the Easy Sounds performances that I want to use will.

Someting to do with that blasted Arp Play switch, being set to ON for the factory performances, but OFF for the EasySounds ones.

I’m thinking that I really need to read up on the different types of arpeggios . . . .

Melodialworks - 30 April 2015 05:49 PM

It’s strange. I’ve identified some factory performances that will useful for my style of music, and also some performances from the EasySounds Chill Xperience and Nature of Chill sounds sets.

All of the factory performances that I want to use will not play back properly in Cubase, whereas all of the Easy Sounds performances that I want to use will.

Someting to do with that blasted Arp Play switch, being set to ON for the factory performances, but OFF for the EasySounds ones.

ARP Play Only does what it says - when it’s “on”, the MIDI note events are only ones caused by the Arp playing. It’s used when you don’t want the directly played notes. In particular, that’s often the case when the Part is a Drum Voice, where every key usually is a different type of sound.

Do the Easy Sounds Performances that you find work for you have Drum Voices for any of the Parts?

Melodialworks - 30 April 2015 06:01 PM

I’m thinking that I really need to read up on the different types of arpeggios . . . .

That seems like a good idea. I’d suggest also reading about Key Modes. See http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/arpeggio_key_modes

If you haven’t already seen it, this might be interesting as well:
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/recording_a_performance_as_audio_to_the_xf_sequencer

5pinDIN - 30 April 2015 07:10 PM

Do the Easy Sounds Performances that you find work for you have Drum Voices for any of the Parts?

Upon examining each of the EasySound performances I’ve discovered that in the case of “Chill Xperience” they are using loop kits, in other words, loops and in the case of the “Nature of Chill” they are using drum parts.

So, I was wrong to conclude that only the factory performances weren’t playing back properly in Cubase, because I had been testing the EasySound performances that had loops. D’oh!

So, as my understanding is growing of why I’m having the issue I’ve been having, so is my confusion.

I had understood that the best way to work with performances in Cubase was to first use Direct Performance Recording, and then import, following the steps I’ve outlined above.  However, it now seems that if the performance has a drum part this procedure won’t work for the drum part, but the other parts are OK.

So in other words http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/motif_xf_song_import
doesn’t work properly if one of the parts is a drum part?

May I politely ask WTF? Am I missing something?

I will read the articles that you’ve linked. :)

Melodialworks - 30 April 2015 08:52 PM

[...]I had understood that the best way to work with performances in Cubase was to first use Direct Performance Recording, and then import, following the steps I’ve outlined above.  However, it now seems that if the performance has a drum part this procedure won’t work for the drum part, but the other parts are OK.

So in other words http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/motif_xf_song_import
doesn’t work properly if one of the parts is a drum part?

May I politely ask WTF? Am I missing something?

Perhaps I’ve been too subtle.  :-)

The basics…
When you use Direct Performance Recording, MIDI data from a Part that has ARP Play Only “on” will be recorded as the Arp plays it. However, when you play back that data from an external sequencer, you want the Part to be played by the arpeggiated notes which have already been recorded, so ARP Play Only should then be ”off”.

A thread which goes into details - highly suggested reading in entirety…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/464475/

 

Melodialworks -

I will read the articles that you’ve linked. :)

The more you read about Arps, the easier it will become to understand all the possible variables. However, I suspect what I wrote in this post and the thread I just linked to will likely resolve the current issue.

SUCCESS!

I now have my original question answered. ("No sound on track 1 when Motif XF Song imported into Cubase Pro 8”).  However I guess technically I should have said “no sound on drum track . . . “

I had followed the instructions at this link:

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/motif_xf_song_import

But critical steps were omitted:

If the PART is set to ARP PLAY ONLY = ON then the PART will sound only in response to the ARPEGGIATOR>
Press [MIXING]
Press [EDIT]
Press the PART for the DRUMS
Press [F1] VOICE
Perss [SF1] VOICE
Set ARP PLAY ONLY = OFF

Typically the ARP PLAY ONLY is set to ON by default for the drum part, so these steps are required.

The above steps should be added to the Cubase: Motif XF Song Import
document. (I can’t be the first one to have experienced this issue!).

Thanks SO much to 5pinDIN for his patient support with helping me to resolve this issue. (I’ve learned a lot through this process).

Lawrence