Hi All
My church has a S-90 and I’m going to be creating/editing some patches for it.  In my home studio set-up I already have a Motif XS8 and I use the Editor program through my PC all the time to edit/create patches for that. 

If I understand correctly, I can also use the editor for the S-90.  What I’m not clear on is what other driver and/or editor version I might need to download in order to use the editor program with the S-90. 

What I want to be able to do is copy what I do with the editor program with the S-90 and be able to create new patches for it off my PC, just like I do now with my XS-8. 

What I DO NOT want to do is mess up anything related to using the editor with my XS, which works fabulous for me now.  I have that set up so that when I’m using Pro Tools, I can host the editor as a VST3 in a plugin called Blue Cat Patchwork and that allows me to bring up the editor in a PT session, and I can edit while having a MIDI track play the Motif and tweak on the fly...which is awesome.  So I don’t want to download or install anything that will interfere with that set up, while at the same time I would like to be able to use the editor with the S-90 for my church project.

Can anyone offer guidance on this?  I’m not quite sure what I’ll need.  Thanks.

The same USB-MIDI driver is compatible with both the XS and the S90, so there’s no need to load another driver. The Yamaha S90 Editor can be used stand-alone, and that should have no effect on your DAW setup. The .W4E files the Yamaha Editor produces can be loaded to the S90 via 3.3V SmartMedia cards, which is completely unrelated to any XS data.

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 10:27 AM

If I understand correctly, I can also use the editor for the S-90.

Which S-90 version do you have? There are three, the S-90, the S-90 ES and the S-90 XS. Each has it’s own free editor and are not compatible with Motif editors.

The S-90 XS can load files from the Motif XS and the editor can load files from the Motif XS editor (in both cases any voices using user samples will not play properly).

Earlier versions of the S-90 are not compatible with Motif XS files in any way.

All the Yamaha editors require the same USB drivers, you only have to install it once.

5pinDIN - 24 January 2017 11:25 AM

The same USB-MIDI driver is compatible with both the XS and the S90, so there’s no need to load another driver. The Yamaha S90 Editor can be used stand-alone, and that should have no effect on your DAW setup. The .W4E files the Yamaha Editor produces can be loaded to the S90 via 3.3V SmartMedia cards, which is completely unrelated to any XS data.

Not sure what that last sentence means?  Can’t I just use the editor via the USB/MIDI connection to load patches to a USR bank in the S-90?

meatballfulton - 24 January 2017 11:31 AM

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 10:27 AM

If I understand correctly, I can also use the editor for the S-90.

Which S-90 version do you have? There are three, the S-90, the S-90 ES and the S-90 XS. Each has it’s own free editor and are not compatible with Motif editors.

The S-90 XS can load files from the Motif XS and the editor can load files from the Motif XS editor (in both cases any voices using user samples will not play properly).

Earlier versions of the S-90 are not compatible with Motif XS files in any way.

All the Yamaha editors require the same USB drivers, you only have to install it once.

Thank you for the info. I was hoping that was the case.  Now that you ask, I’m not sure which model S-90 they have, though I’m pretty sure its NOT the XS.  I think I remember seeing ES on it...but I’ll check next time I’m there. 

So all I need do is download the correct S-90 editor.  I assume I can use the USB Midi connection to have my PC “talk” to the S-90 and vice-versa?

meatballfulton - 24 January 2017 11:31 AM

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 10:27 AM

If I understand correctly, I can also use the editor for the S-90.

Which S-90 version do you have? There are three, the S-90, the S-90 ES and the S-90 XS. Each has it’s own free editor and are not compatible with Motif editors.

The S-90 XS can load files from the Motif XS and the editor can load files from the Motif XS editor (in both cases any voices using user samples will not play properly).

Earlier versions of the S-90 are not compatible with Motif XS files in any way.

All the Yamaha editors require the same USB drivers, you only have to install it once.

I am curious as to how a Motif XS file can be loaded into the S-90 since the Motif XS has so many more parameters (ie 8 elements)?

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 06:06 PM

5pinDIN - 24 January 2017 11:25 AM

The same USB-MIDI driver is compatible with both the XS and the S90, so there’s no need to load another driver. The Yamaha S90 Editor can be used stand-alone, and that should have no effect on your DAW setup. The .W4E files the Yamaha Editor produces can be loaded to the S90 via 3.3V SmartMedia cards, which is completely unrelated to any XS data.

Not sure what that last sentence means?

I was pointing out that it would be possible, if you wanted to go that far, to isolate the the S90 from the XS8 to a very great degree.

 

Donald-M -

Can’t I just use the editor via the USB/MIDI connection to load patches to a USR bank in the S-90?

Edited Voices can be stored in the Editor’s Library files, and those Voices can be sent to the S90. Library files have to be saved if you want to keep the contents.

I suggest that you download the Editor and read the PDF for details.

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 06:10 PM

[...] I’m not sure which model S-90 they have, though I’m pretty sure its NOT the XS.  I think I remember seeing ES on it…

What I wrote is based on your statement that the model we’re discussing is an S90. If it’s actually an S90ES, not all of that will be correct.

5pinDIN - 24 January 2017 07:05 PM

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 06:10 PM

[...] I’m not sure which model S-90 they have, though I’m pretty sure its NOT the XS.  I think I remember seeing ES on it…

What I wrote is based on your statement that the model we’re discussing is an S90. If it’s actually an S90ES, not all of that will be correct.

Okay and thanks so much for ALL your responses.  I’ll wait to see which one it is...the ES or just S-90...I just can’t recall as I haven’t looked at it in a while.

Donald-M - 24 January 2017 06:17 PM

meatballfulton - 24 January 2017 11:31 AM

The S-90 XS can load files from the Motif XS and the editor can load files from the Motif XS editor (in both cases any voices using user samples will not play properly).

Earlier versions of the S-90 are not compatible with Motif XS files in any way.

I am curious as to how a Motif XS file can be loaded into the S-90 since the Motif XS has so many more parameters (ie 8 elements)?

Read what I wrote again...only the S90XS can read Motif XS files. The S90ES can read Motif ES files, and probably the S90 can read Motif (Classic) files.

meatballfulton - 24 January 2017 11:31 AM

Read what I wrote again...only the S90XS can read Motif XS files. The S90ES can read Motif ES files, and probably the S90 can read Motif (Classic) files.

Duh...of course.  Thanks!  I really can read...honest!

Okay, so I got the S-90 from my church here in my studio and it is the S-90 ES. So, I’ve downloaded and installed the S-90 ES editor, set it up in the Yamaha Studio Manager and also updated the firmware on the S-90 to 1.03..the most current available (it was at 1.0.  I am connected via a USB cable from the “To Host” port on the S90 to an open USB slot on my Win-7 PC.  No matter what I do though, I can not get the Studio Manager to “see” the S90 USB Midi ports per the manual. 

So, I tried to slave my MotifXS8 to the S90 and vice versa. On the latter, a message popped up on the s90 saying “incompatible USB MIDI device.” Huh? 

At this point, I’m at a loss.  I can’t get my PC via Studio Manager to see the S90, even though everything is properly connected and, as far as I can see, all the MIDI settings on the S90 are correct (yes, I set the MIDI to USB). 

What do I do now?  Any help would be appreciated.

Also, I take it there is no VST3 version of the editor like there is for my XS?  There is for the S90-XS, but unless I’m missing it, I can’t find one for the S-90 ES.  Is that correct?  thanks!

Donald-M - 02 February 2017 04:32 PM

So, I tried to slave my MotifXS8 to the S90 and vice versa. On the latter, a message popped up on the s90 saying “incompatible USB MIDI device.” Huh?

How did you connect the XS8 and S90 ES? If directly by USB, that won’t work.

The manual doesn’t show the “incompatible USB MIDI device” message, but on page 178…
Incompatible USB device is described as “A USB device which cannot be used with the S90 ES has been connected to the USB TO DEVICE connector.”

5pinDIN - 02 February 2017 05:05 PM

Donald-M - 02 February 2017 04:32 PM

So, I tried to slave my MotifXS8 to the S90 and vice versa. On the latter, a message popped up on the s90 saying “incompatible USB MIDI device.” Huh?

How did you connect the XS8 and S90 ES? If directly by USB, that won’t work.

The manual doesn’t show the “incompatible USB MIDI device” message, but on page 178…
Incompatible USB device is described as “A USB device which cannot be used with the S90 ES has been connected to the USB TO DEVICE connector.”

Okay, I see that. I only attempted that to see if the S-90 MIDI was even working. 

But, I’m still not seeing why I can’t use the USB “to Host” out from the S-90 to a USB port on my PC and have the Yamaha Studio see it so I can use the editor.  As far as I can tell I’ve installed all the software correctly, updated the firmware on the S-90 to the most recent available and have the USB connection itself correct. No joy.  Its exactly like I had with my Motif XS before I switched from using USB Midi on that to the Firewire.  Never had a problem with it.  I’m at a loss at this point.

I may have just figured this out.  I have the Yamaha Firewire driver installed, but I don’t have the USB driver installed any longer as I didn’t need it when I went to the FW connection.  So, I’m wondering if that might be the issue. 

Before I do something I’ll regret, can I have both drivers installed simultaneously without causing issues?

Yes, you should have the USB-MIDI driver installed. It won’t interact with the FW driver.