User guide

Multi Part Editor for Motif ES 6/7/8
This powerful tool is an OPT (Open Plugin
Technology) Editor/Librarian for your Motif ES.
You will find it more useful than an Instrument
Definition or Mixer Map script when it comes to
remote controlling your Motif ES while sequencing
in your computer. While definitions and scripts
speak generally to your Motif ES for selecting
Voices for tracks (and they can still be used for
this purpose), the Multi-Part Editor is a remote
controller for every Mix parameter. It can save
and recall by name all the Voices (Preset and
User) currently in your Motif ES. It can memorize
the Effects routing, the send levels, the pan
position, the tuning, the EQ setting, etc., etc. –
every Mix parameter. OPT is Yamaha’s protocol to
make Voice and Multi Part Editor functions
available to synth workstation users when they
are working in a computer environment. OPT2 is
what is now growing to be Studio Connections
Recall – a method to integrate hardware editors
for synthesizers, rack mount effect processors,
digital mixers, etc., into your preferred software
Digital Audio Workstation’s software environment.
It also addresses the constant request for a larger
screen – by providing a fully graphic interface to
their Motif ES. Your computer screen can be the
best resolution and when you think about it…
when do you really need the graphic user
interface? It is when you are working in your
project studio. “Studio Connections” is a industry-
wide initiative launched by Yamaha and Steinberg
to try and bring the functionality of Voice editors,
Multi-Part editors and Digital Mixer controlling
software editors to some kind of universal
standard – so currently you can run Multi Part
Editor and even the Voice Editor for Motif ES in
the background while your sequencer software is
open. Eventually, however, software sequencers
will have a fully integrated way of addressing the
various editors – so that when you save a
“project” or a “session” it will save your synth
settings (all your synth settings), your mixer
settings, and your effect processor settings as well
– be they virtual or actual. Stay tuned… Although
Yamaha and Steinberg spearhead this initiative,
you can anticipate that all music/MIDI/Audio
companies will be involved. Yamaha, as the
world’s largest manufacturer of musical gear, and
Steinberg, as a company that can address both
Windows and Macintosh computer software, were
a natural choice to get the initiative started.
Hopefully we can see the fruits of this initiative
very soon. When you save a Multi Part Editor for
Motif ES file (.m4e) it will be the current Mix and a
Voice Editor data that contains the current User
Voices. You can bulk the data to and from the
Motif ES, as necessary. Store your Multi Part
Editor files in a folder along with your computer
sequencer data – this way when you recall the
song file you can go and get the Mix data as well.
You will immediately see the benefit that the Multi
Part Editor has over the definition files or mixer
script files because it contains everything you
tweaked about the Motif ES. The Multi Part Editor
is every parameter in your Motif ES MIXING mode
setup including how you have the signal routed
per Part.
If you are using either Cubase SX3 or Nuendo3,
the Studio Manager data is automatically saved
when you create your Project file (.cpr –in Cubase
and .npr – in Nuendo).
If you use instrument definitions or script files to
select sounds in your software sequencer, you can
then bulk your selections to the Multi-Part Editor
for archiving.
Remote Control
You activate the Remote Control function of the
Motif ES by pressing the Remote ON/OFF button.
Pressing [F6] + [Remote] will toggle between
Mode A (audio) and Mode B (MIDI) Remote
Control. Please refer to the documentation in the
Data List booklet for your particular software
sequencer – page 58-62. Spend some time
exploring the functions available and adopt those
that seem to make sense for the way you like to
work. In general, you should find that you can
operate the transport, select tracks, mute/solo,
arm tracks, adjust EQ, add tracks, locate
measures, turn loop on and off, zoom tracks view
horizontally and/or vertically, etc. The Remote
mode lets you turn your Motif ES front panel into
a giant mouse (with “Mackie Control” level
functions). The Knob Control Function buttons, the
Knobs, the Track Select buttons, the cursor
arrows, the Data Wheel, the Transport buttons,
the Function and Sub-Function buttons are all
involved in remote controlling your software
package. The best (and only) way to become
familiar with these functions is to spend time
using them. Each software package is a little
different in its implementation but if you follow
the Data List booklet and the section of the
Owner’s Manual (page 150-152) you may find
functions that are just what you need.
How should I work?
This very common question is one that has no
specific answer. I can only hope to suggest
methods of working, but I find that each project is
different and dictates how you should proceed. In
general (if I had to make a suggestion) I
recommend that you use each type of record for
what it offers you. In other words, the key
advantage of recording tracks as MIDI is that you
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