Thinking of moving from XS8 to XF8....

I need to be able to move everything from my XS8 to the XF8. I believe I have seen it mentioned that I could do an All File save on the XS and that could be read and uploaded to the XF.

My question is....does this transfer also include all the samples I have saved in my XS?

Yes, an “All” file saved on your XS will include any samples in the DIMMs (SDRAM) at the time, and that file can be loaded to an XF.

Your XS might have up to 2 GB of SDRAM installed. The XF comes standard with 128 MB of SDRAM, but it isn’t expandable. Just as with the XS, that XF memory is volatile - data in it is lost when power is turned off.

Long-term storage of samples in the XF is done to optional flash modules. Ones made by Yamaha are available in 512 MB and 1 GB capacity, while Mutec offers those sizes plus 2 GB. The XF can have up to two modules.

If the samples you use with your XS are 128 MB or less, the XF can be used just like the XS, and loaded each time you turn it on. If your samples total more than 128 MB, they would have to be installed to a flash module. That can be done from an XS “All” file, and the flash module data will be nonvolatile.

OK...I now have an XF7.....I am a bit confused with the Flash file loading.
I have installed a 1G Flash board...I loaded two different XS All Files into the Flash.

Since the data in the Flash board does not get overwritten...both All Files should be there.
How do I retrieve them?
Shouldn’t I be able to retrieve them without having the USB drive connected?

What’s contained in your XS “All” files, and exactly what settings you made when loading them, determines where your data is.

The flash modules can hold Waveforms/Samples from your XS “All” files. The XF’s User banks can hold Voices, Performances, etc. If you loaded two “All” files in entirety, the User Voices, Performances, etc., of the second file will have overwritten those of the first file. The samples from both of the files will be in the flash modules if you set the load options correctly.

Please read these…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/motif_xf_flash_memory_expansion_modules

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/support/view/flash_board_session
...and let us know what you did, and what’s in the two files you loaded. With that information, it should be possible to help you further.

I read both of these articles several times before attempting to load anything to the XF....and still managed to screw it up.

Both of the XS All Files contain the same samples. The difference in the two All Files is largely the Performances.

If the Flash board only saves the samples...then installing only one All File is correct. Then for the second All File....I should only load “without samples”....

Am I on the right track?

I think I should wipe the Flash clean and start over.

I work with several bands and I have an XS All File for each band. I need to be able to go from one “All File “ to the other “All File” routinely.

I need “Loading To The XF Flash Board For Dummies”......

You appear to be on the right track, but details are important.

A question before I make suggestions…
Do both of the XS “All” files have identical samples? That is, are they the same samples, and in the same order?

alanb - 31 May 2016 09:09 AM

I read both of these articles several times before attempting to load anything to the XF....and still managed to screw it up.

I need “Loading To The XF Flash Board For Dummies”......

The DVD

As a Download

5pin DIN......

Do both of the XS “All” files have identical samples? That is, are they the same samples, and in the same order?

Yes…

alanb - 31 May 2016 04:33 PM

5pin DIN......
Do both of the XS “All” files have identical samples? That is, are they the same samples, and in the same order?

Yes…

OK, then here’s an approach…

1) Since if you loaded both of the XS “All” files in entirety, it’s likely that the samples in the flash module are duplicated, it’s probably best to begin by deleting all the FL1 content.

2) Load either one of the XS “All” files, with these settings:
USR > FL1
FL1 > FL1
FL2 > FL2

3) Save an XF “All” file with these settings:
Save FL1 without sample
        FL2 without sample
Name the file so you’ll recognize its content.

4) Delete all the FL1 content again. (That prevents sample duplication in the next step.)

5) Load the other XS “All” file, with settings as in step #2.

6) Save another XF “All” file, as in step #3.

From that point on, load the “All” file made in either step #3 or step #6, with the following settings:
USR > USR
FL1 > None
FL2 > FL2

--------------------

The above approach will require loading an “All” file each time to switch between User Voices, Performances, etc., but since no samples will be loaded, it will happen quickly. It will also allow for all the User banks to have different content in one “All” file versus the other. Both “All” files will access the same samples on the flash module.

You might want to also save “All” files with sample as backups, but you shouldn’t need to load them that way under normal circumstances.

A possible alternative…
The XS has three User Voice and Performance banks. Since the XF has four User banks, depending on how much space you were using in each XS “All” file, it might be possible to have all your material in the XF’s banks without having to reload. If that’s the case, you could do only steps #1 through #3, copy/rearrange Voices and/or Performances as desired, and then just save another “All” file as a backup.

Never mind, he beat me to it…

OK....got it. I have the samples loaded...and two new XF All Files without samples...and I can go back & forth easy.

Thank you

So moving forward...I have about another 10 XS All Files that all I really need out of them are the Performances and/or Songs.  Loading and deleting the Flash is too time consuming....

I am thinking I could go back to the XS....load an All File....then save an ALL Song....then just load that to the XF which will use the samples already loaded.

What about an “All Performance”....there doesn’t seem to be such a thing. Loading Performances one by one will take too long.....does an “All Voice” include the Performances?

alanb - 01 June 2016 04:19 PM

OK....got it. I have the samples loaded...and two new XF All Files without samples...and I can go back & forth easy.

Thank you

You’re welcome.

 

alanb -

So moving forward...I have about another 10 XS All Files that all I really need out of them are the Performances and/or Songs.  Loading and deleting the Flash is too time consuming....

I am thinking I could go back to the XS....load an All File....then save an ALL Song....then just load that to the XF which will use the samples already loaded.

Presuming that the Parts of the Songs are based on Preset Voices and/or User Voices that are already in the two previous files, the procedure is simple. Using an XS “All” file (no need to save an XS “All Song"), select Load Type “all song” on the XF. That will, of course, overwrite every Song in the XF. Or you could load specific Songs from the XS “All” file, using Load Type “song”, and direct them to particular Song number destinations in the XF. Save a new XF “All” file.

 

alanb -

What about an “All Performance”....there doesn’t seem to be such a thing. Loading Performances one by one will take too long.....does an “All Voice” include the Performances?

Unfortunately, you’re correct - “All Performance” doesn’t exist, and “All Voice” includes just User Voices, not Performances.

The John Melas software would likely help in this situation, although I don’t personally use it. You could load an XS “All” file without samples into the XF, and save the result as an XF “All” file. I believe it should then be possible to move Performances from the just-saved XF file into one of the two (or some other) previously saved XF “All” files. You could verify that by contacting Melas. http://www.jmelas.gr/

I have two formatted flash boards. I have loaded samples to Flash 1......about half full.

I transferred the two flash boards from the XF7 to the XF8 and I get a message talking about loading to the flash....

I don’t get it....the flash boards are supposed to transfer. When I press Utility>Flash I see that only half of Flash one is available...so that must mean that my samples are there....

alanb - 10 June 2016 05:09 PM

I have two formatted flash boards. I have loaded samples to Flash 1......about half full.

I transferred the two flash boards from the XF7 to the XF8 and I get a message talking about loading to the flash....

I don’t get it....the flash boards are supposed to transfer. When I press Utility>Flash I see that only half of Flash one is available...so that must mean that my samples are there....

I’ve seen this message too when I took my flash card to use in a backlined XF.  it scared me the first time too.  Here is how BM explained it to me - I paraphrase so someone please correct where I go astray:

- When you put a flash board with content in a new XF, this new XF needs to “learn” what is on that flash board.  The reason is the XF saves file pointer type data in its own internal memory, it then uses this data to tell it what waveforms are where on your flashboard.  Otherwise, the XF doesn’t know what is on the flash board.

This message is ok, the XF will “load” this information into its internal memory so it can then utilize what is on the flash board.  It won’t hurt the flash board content.

Thanks....but I am not clear on what I am to do. At this moment it is not seeing my samples.

Am I supposed to load them again?....that doesn’t seem right.

alanb - 10 June 2016 05:56 PM

Thanks....but I am not clear on what I am to do. At this moment it is not seeing my samples.

Am I supposed to load them again?....that doesn’t seem right.

Don’t import the sample again from a usb stick, it will create duplicates.  I think.  You do want to “load” the file pointer info on the flash board into your synthesizer.  Not sure, that should occur?