USB-MIDI Quick Setup - Windows/Cubase / Motif XS Editor

Download and Install the following software by going to the Motif XS download pulldown on this site. 
If you have setup your user profile on the site, the site will tell when there is new software updates for your product and OS available.

Install “Cubase AI” on your computer ( you can also use Cubase 4, Cubase Studio 4, Cubase Essentials 4, Cubase 5 , Cubase Studio 5 or Cubase 6)
Be sure to visit http://www.steinberg.net and download the latest update to your particular version.

Go to http://download.yamaha.com
Go to your country (so your instructions will be in your language)
Model Search: Motif XS
When the search results appear, verify your Motif XS model
You can further refine the search by your computer Operating System

Download and install the latest “Motif XS Extension version 1.6.0” or “Motif XS Extension version 1.5.1” - which you need will depend on the version of Cubase you are working with. the Motif XS Extension 1.6.0 will not, repeat, NOT work for any Cubase series 4 versions, will NOT work for Mac 10.4 or earlier, will NOT in POWER PC Macs.
Download and install the latest “Studio Manager” - Windows version 2.3.1
Download and install the latest Motif XS Editor for Windows version 1.3.0 (in this example we are using Studio Manager, not the VST editor which will be covered in a separate article)

Download and install the “Yamaha USB-MIDI driver” appropriate for your computer’s operating system: (Please check for your particular operating system and computer bit-resolution)

Because the editor uses multiple ports to connect with the Motif XS, you MUST use either USB or Firewire to utilize editors. This guide will assume you are using USB for MIDI communication.

Connect via USB
Connect the Motif XS to your computer via USB.

Set the Motif XS to MIDI IN/OUT = USB
• Press [UTILITY]
• Press [F5] CONTROL
• Press [SF2] MIDI
• Set MIDI IN/OUT = USB
• Press [STORE] to write this to your Flash ROM

Launch Cubase AI
• Click DEVICES
• Select DEVICE SETUP
• Under the “MIDI” folder highlight “MIDI PORT SETUP”
• You should see your Motif XS(x): Example below uses a Motif XS7
• Select only Motif XS(x)-1 as the “In ‘All Inputs’” (where ‘x’ is your Motif XS model 6, 7 or 8)

Under the “Remote Devices” folder highlight “Yamaha Motif XS”
If it does not appear click on the big “+” symbol in the upper left (below circled in red) and ADD the “Yamaha Motif XS” device.

Set it to Port 2 (Motif XS(x)-2) or it may say “Motif XS7-Remote” for both MIDI IN and MIDI OUT

If you are using an audio interface connect that now under the “VST Audio System” (as you can see in this example I am switching drivers to select the “Yamaha GO46” as my audio interface). Your audio interface
maybe different or you may not yet have one at all… use the driver that is appropriate for your interface. If you are only recording MIDI you do not need an audio interface (in which case you can skip this step).

• Click APPLY
• Click OK

Launch the STUDIO MANAGER
• ON the Cubase Toolbar click on DEVICES
• Select STUDIO MANAGER

This will launch the Studio Manager host application within Cubase.

• Go to FILE > SETUP on the Studio Manager toolbar.
You want to “ADD” the “MOTIF XS” editor to your Workspace. There will be a list of Editors on the left side of the dialog box; {ADD} in the middle and your workspace on the right side of the dialog box.
• Click APPLY
• Click OK

This will place the Motif XS icon in your Studio Manager Workspace

Double click the Motif XS icon to launch the Motif XS Editor

Setup the Motif XS Editor
• Click on FILE > SETUP on the Motif XS Editor toolbar
Here you want to setup the communication between the Motif XS and the Editor.
• Select USB as the DATA PORT
• Set the DETAIL = ON
Make settings for Port 1 and Port 4. The USB connection requires a two-way, two port communication.

Port 1:
Yamaha Motif XS7-1 for both MIDI IN and MIDI OUT
Port 4:
Yamaha Motif XS7-4 for both MIDI In and MIDI OUT

Next you make a decision about the direction of communication. There are two things to consider:
1) When you open a New Project in Cubase, how do you want the Editor to behave?
2) When you open a previously saved Project, how do you want the Editor to behave?

Typically, when you create a New Project you will want the Editor to clear a new MIX for you. Therefore you will want to have data sent FROM the Editor TO the Motif XS. When you are restoring a previously saved Cubase Project
you will want the Editor to send your saved data back to the Motif XS. Therefore you will want to have data sent FROM the Editor TO the Motif XS. As you can see I have the Auto Sync Setting set to CURRENT =PC > Motif XS
This is so that the Total Recall will send the Current MIX from the computer to the Motif XS when I open a Cubase Project. Restoring my Mix to my Motif XS. It will do the same thing when I create a New Project. Cool!

I have the VOICE option set to OFF, as I don’t often need to reload all the User Voices (but you can set this as your prefer). If set to ON, then the Editor can restore all your USER1, USER2, USER3 and USER Drum Kit
Voices to your Motif XS each time. It is your choice.

Auto Start is ON

Set the USER INTERFACE SETTING as you prefer. The Keyboard Velocity function when set to “FREE” will change how loud the note plays by where on the keyboard icon KEY you click. This is pretty cool…

• Click OK

On the main Motif XS Editor screen you want to make sure that the Editor is ONLINE. A bright blue dot appears next to ONLINE when you are communicating

In the left upper corner you will see the SONG mode, PATTERN mode and the “ONLINE” button.Communication is bi-directional and simultaneous so selecting the mode here will change your hardware and vice versa.

USING the ONLINE/OFFLINE function
The ONLINE option has 3 status conditions. It will read either:
• *ONLNE w/blue dot – This means you are communicating and all is well
• *OFFLINE w/blue dot – you are temporarily offline but all is well
• OFFLINE – you have trouble. Please check your connections

The OFFLINE w/blue dot is important because you will at some point need to make changes on the hardware and not have the software follow you. This can occur when you are looking for a SONG or PATTERN already in the Motif XS – the Editor will attempt to synchronize each time you scroll through a song. Therefore it is useful to click this option when you want to temporarily break communication. You can click ON and OFFLINE as necessary.

If you go to VOICE mode or to PERFORMANCE mode on the Motif XS hardware front panel, the Motif XS Editor will go temporarily *OFFLINE w/blue dot.

On the Toolbar of the Motif XS Editor you will see the BULK option. This is what you use to request a bulk to or from the Motif XS. You can select the Current MIX, and any of the USER Banks or ALL of the USER Banks.
Do not change your preference in the FILE > SETUP > AUTO SYNC SETTING – when you need to send or receive data from the Motif XS use this BULK option. BULK > DATA SYNC

Setup a NEW PROJECT in Cubase: Making your own Template (highly recommended).
• Now in Cubase AI4 click on the FILE option
• Select “NEW PROJECT”
• Select “EMPTY”

You can use any of the pre-made Templates or you can create your own. Ultimately, you will want to create your own once you develop a preference of how you like to work. Cubase will ask you to select a directory for your Project. You can “create” a folder or simply target one you have made previously. Next you will create a track layout. This will be your own personal preference. For our example we will create a Track setup with 8 MIDI Tracks (you can set as many as you require). Remember you can easily add tracks or remove tracks in Cubase by simply right clicking and using the ADD TRACK or REMOVE TRACK option.
• Right click and select “ADD TRACK” > MIDI
• Make the Track Count 8
• Click OK

Each of the eight tracks will be set to “All MIDI Input” and as we know this is the Motif XS port 1. Each of the eight tracks will be routed out to the Yamaha Motif XS, and each will be on a successively higher MIDI channel. Verify this.

• Next click on FILE > SAVE AS TEMPLATE…
• Name the template something descriptive.

I named mine “Motif XS USB 8 MIDI”. Here’s why… It reminds me that this template is for when I’m working with the Motif XS (in my studio I need this information). I include USB in the description because this template will configure my connections via USB; I have a separate template for when I am working with the firewire/mLAN connection. The “8 MIDI” reminds me how many tracks are in this template and what type of tracks.

Try out your TEMPLATE
• Click WINDOW and select “Close All”
• Go to FILE > New Project…
• Click on your new Template
• Select a directory for this project
• Click OK to launch your Template

It will recall your USB connections, your REMOTE Settings, your audio interface settings; it will launch Studio Manager, recall the hardware configuration, recall the MIDI connections, and recall the Current Mix and
Voices if you included them. It will then ask you if want to restore this to your hardware. Why this extra step? Because at some point you may actually start a project in the Motif XS – say you have a quick idea and want to get it down fast. Later you say I’d like to continue my work in Cubase rather than having the Editor automatically blow away your hardware settings, you get this screen that lets you verify that you want to go FROM or TO the Hardware. Very useful… if you have done a setup in the Motif XS and you want to have the Editor capture it: simply select ‘FROM HARDWARE’ option. If you want to send your basic start up template select the ‘TO HARDWARE’ option.

You can customize these instructions to your own preferences. Perhaps you always start with a particular Drum Kit, Bass sound and Keyboard sound; you can make your TEMPLATE that includes the Motif XS Editor with the Voices you like already programmed.

Advantage and Conclusion
The Studio Connection: Recall protocol allows you to store and recall your external hardware settings in your Cubase Project File. Studio Manager will memorize what hardware you were using on a project, it will store not only the Voice list but also the entire mix. That is, every parameter you use, and every voice in your Motif XS, per project.