Motif XS: Using a MIXING setup for multiple sounds “live”

You can switch between sounds of a SONG or PATTERN MIXING program without any glitches if you think about it - setup the VOICEs you need to switch between in a MIXING program, side-by-side… A MIXING program lets you place different sounds on separate MIDI channels…To move between sounds you simply use the [TRACK] select buttons to change transmit channels. So organize the Voices that you need for any particular song into one MIXING program - then you can switch between them glitch-free!!!!

This works because all the System Effects, Master Effects and Master EQ remain in tact, while the INSERTION EFFECTS that are active for PARTS do not have be reprogrammed. The tremendous amount of on-board processing that is available to you is still an advantage. You simply have to PLAN to use it wisely. Here’s how:

Go to SONG mode (or PATTERN mode)
Press [MIXING]
Here as if you were setting up to use the sequencer, select your favorite “go-to” sounds for the PARTS of this MIXING setup.
Light the [TRACK] LED just to right of the numbered Track Select buttons. This will activate the function on the Motif XS where pressing a button [1]-[16] changes the Transmit Channel of your keyboard - thus it allows you to select the PART you are in communication with. Since all the effect processing is already in place - awaiting you - there is no cut of of the previous sound. In fact you can hold it either with your fingers or sustain pedal until you wish to release it, while playing on another channel!!! 

Here’s a real world application using the Motif XS “live”: say you need an acoustic piano at the start of the song, then you need to play an electric piano on the bridge, then in the solo section you want to rock out on a B3 organ sound, and behind the Guitar player’s solo you want to back them up with some strings… and for the big finale, you need a big brass section…

You would simply create a MIXING program that contains those sounds:

PART 1 = Piano
PART 2 = Electric piano
PART 3 = Organ
PART 4 = Strings
PART 5 = Brass

You can simply change the transmit channel of the keyboard - using the Track Select buttons on the front panel - there will be no glitch. Each sound in your MIXING setup can be tweaked to your liking for each particular song that you perform. You have 128 MIXING programs: 64 in SONG mode, and 64 in PATTERN mode. You can name each and recall them with as necessary. Each “live” composition could use a different MIXING program.

Changing an entire SONG MIXING or entire PATTERN MIXING setup will glitch, quite natuarlly - it is tons of data and lots of individual control functions - the trade off (benefit) is each individual MIXING program is extremely powerful… capable of housing 16 different sounds on as many as 16 different MIDI channels (of course you can layer multiple sounds on a single MIDI channel so that you can recall complex layers)… Say you need to play piano and strings layered in your right hand and a bass in your left… simply place these three sounds on the same MIDI channel and use the NOTE LIMIT parameters of the MIXING EDIT to accomplish this

PART 6 = Piano (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 7 = new Strings (CH.6) ‘Bb2’ and above
PART 8 = Bass (CH.6) ‘A2’ and below

We still haven’t left the first of 128 MIXING setups!!!

Using the MIXING program to house multiple sounds is the smart way to put together your VOICES for quick access - particularly if you require switching without glitching…

When you use this method where you switch MIDI channels there are awesome possibilities: remember the Motif XS has as many as four simultaneous arpeggios that can be activated. You can have a PART 1 responding to an arpgeggio pattern - which you can hold (either with the technology, with your left hand or with a sustain pedal), you can then switch to a second MIDI channel on your controller and play on top of the arpeggio or start another… If you set the ARP to HOLD, it will play indefintely or until you hit a foot switch programmed to stop it, but if you are holding it manually (with your hand or a sustain pedal) it will continue, even while you are playing on top on another MIDI Channel, until you release the note or the sustain pedal… it is really very cool. Think of the possibilities!

After all, there really is not going to be a situation where you need to smoothly change all 16 pieces (instruments) at a blink of an eye… and if you do need that, simply buy two Motif XS’s (always a viable cure, if that is what you need) :^)

In practical use you can setup your MIXING programs so that the main KEYBD sound is in PART 1, an alternate KEYBD sound is in PART 2… the SOLO/LEAD Voices in PART 3, SWEETENING (strings/pads) in PART 4, etc. so that you have a general layout for yourself that remains consistent throughout the setups… Each SONG/PATTERN is named (and of course has a number) when song #43 is called you know your main keyboard sound is on Channel 1, and your solo sound will be on Channel 3 - it becomes a no-brainer.

Develop a plan… If you fail to plan, then plan to fail.