I currently have the motif XF and use it for live performance. I have roughly 50 performances programmed for songs.  Currently, when I play live, I just dial up the performance numbers associated with the songs in the set list for each song.  This works just fine and I have never played around with master mode, although I have just read an excellent article covering master mode and find it quite interesting.

This leads me to the ‘second keyboard’ question.  I am close to pulling the trigger on a Nord stage 3.  When I do so, I will want the Nord to follow corresponding program changes from the motif when I pull up performances for songs.  There are two scenarios I see with the Nord addition:

First, I may wish to replace some sounds in existing performances with sounds from the Nord.  I imagine that I would just take those sounds out of the current performances and play them live on the Nord instead.  Second, I will be learning new songs and creating new performances for them as well, where I will need to integrate between both the motif and the Nord.

Here’s where I want to check my understanding… To do any of the changes above adding the Nord, I will need to shift from playing live in performance mode to master mode so that I can trigger patch changes on the Nord from the Motif.  To do this, I will need to set up master mode presets on my Motif that include any current performances that I want to incorporate the Nord with.  For this, I will need to build master presets that would have my current Motif performance in zone one and in zone two, I would have a midi command that would call up the appropriate patch on the Nord.  Do I have this right in my head?

The Nord also splits into three zones, so I believe it would be possible for me to have a master preset on the Motif that would enable as many as four voices in a performance resident on the motif coupled with a midi trigger to the corresponding song patches on the Nord, enabling the potential for up to seven sounds active on stage at any given time between the two instruments.  Do I have that part right as well?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or course corrections in my thinking about this.  This will be my first adventure in master mode on my Motif.  I am about a month from pulling the trigger on the Nord, so trying to think through how it will all work once I have that new instrument landed.

One last question. I have the full Melas editing suite. Does that enable master mode editing? Thinking that might speed up the process of converting performances into master mode presets.

IF I understand correctly:

You don’t specify what the “excellent article” you read is, so can you verify whether or not it is This One?

If so, you probably remember that the most important rule of Master Mode is that the individual Mode rules will still apply.

So, the short answer to your first question is:  You will not be able to do what you propose by associating a PERFORMANCE with a MASTER location.

You will first need to COPY your PERFORMANCE to a SONG or PATTERN location, which will in turn be associated with a MASTER location.  This gives you an initial MIXING of up to (4) PARTS, with the remaining (up to) 4 PARTS available to be addressed via additional ZONES...either internally, or externally (i.e. the Nord). 

However, you will not be controlling your internal PARTS on “zone one” as you state.  The (4) MIXING Parts (from your PERFORMANCE) will be controlled on (4) ZONES, which give you discreet control over each.  Corresponding external sounds will be controlled with the remaining ZONES...remember, you have up to (8) ZONES available (total) on your XF in MASTER Mode.

Second, assuming the Nord can receive discreet MIDI Channel messages from the Motif on (up to) 3 channels simultaneously (as you suggest), then yes, you will be able to control the initial (4) PERFORMANCE Parts (now SONG or PATTERN MIXING PARTS) plus the (3) Nord zones...now (7) as you suggest.

Finally, the John Melas Master Editor will be quite valuable to assist in what you are proposing.

Thanks that was the article.  Guess I better go read it again!