Anyone have any suggestions on getting a Yamaha Motif ES6 connectected to BIAB 2014 MAC in order to play the keys? Obviuosly a bonus would be as a controller but primarily I'd like to at least get the ES's physical keys playing the BIAB's internal sounds. I've tried everything in Audio/MIDI setup but BIAB does not see my Motif.

Thanks

Don't know if this helps or not, but sounds like it could be a driver problem.

Do you have the latest driver for your OS?

http://download.yamaha.com/search/product/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&product_id=106372

Verifying USB midi driver installation & connectivity:

http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/keyboards/synthesizers/motif_es_power_pack/730/4209

Bruce

Thanks for the reply. Yes I do have the current driver installed.

I am now noticing that as I play the Motif ES6 keybed I can see the keys being played on the BIAB 2014 piano window Thru keys, but no sound. And although I click and select a THRU patch change, it doesn't occur. It reads 'Instrument: No Patch Change' every time.

In addition mouse clicking any of the other track's piano keys does not produce a sound but clicking Play will play the song file.

The Motif plays LOGIC patches and functions well as a controller in LOGIC. I have tried several scenarios in the BIAB MIDI setup but think this should be it:

MACOS X CoreMIDI
MIDI In set to Port 1 (Motif ThruPort is also 1)
All out ports set to FireWire 410 (my audio interface)

I just want to be clear: I am trying to be able to select a track to play and/or record that track's assigned patch via my Motif keybed. Although I don't expect any control functions I'd welcome that capability.

Thanks again and thanks to anyone that has any input.

If you can see the piano keys being played in the BIAB mixer window when you play your keyboard, then your ES6 IS communicating with BIAB. Good to know that much.

I believe that by default, you can only play on the thru channel while a song is playing in BIAB. Can you tell me if you can hear anything if you play your keyboard while BIAB is playing?

Also, can you tell me where you are selecting the THRU patch change, and where is the message you quote appearing?




Now I may be off base on this, but I think BIAB will only allow you to play the THRU track, and not any of the other tracks. Of course, if you want to play the bass track, for instance, you can mute the BIAB bass track and play the bass part on the THRU channel.

Now you mention using Logic... what I generally do is drag and drop my BIAB tracks to Logic, which gives you WAY more power to play around with them, assign different synths to midi parts, etc.

Bruce

Hi babarton,

Thanks for taking the time to help.

<Can you tell me if you can hear anything if you play your keyboard while BIAB is playing?>
Just the BIAB song being played.

<Also, can you tell me where you are selecting the THRU patch change, and where is the message you quote appearing?>
The Patches tab that is to the right of Piano tab and extreme right of Mixer tab. The message appears where the patch name should be displayed.

Thanks again!

OK, dMurphy - I get the same message you're describing ("Instrument: no patch change"), but it actually DOES change the patch for me. This message is obviously a program bug.

Can you select an all midi style and tell me if you get any sound at all when you play BIAB with that (select one of the old ZZ styles way at the bottom in the style selector (these are all midi styles). You may hear drums if you've got real drum substitutions enabled (I think that is the default). I'm suspecting that you are hearing the real styles (which are audio) but that you are not hearing any generated midi sounds.

If using one of the ZZ styles produces no sounds (or you hear drums only), then I'd suggest to go to the MIDI menu in BIAB, and choose the item "** select MIDI driver or Apple DLS synth". Open this, and select "Apple DLS synth (built in Mac sounds)". Now play BIAB using one of the "ZZ" styles. Do you hear all the band sounds now? If so, now try playing your keyboard - you should hear sound. Again, on my end, selecting a patch DOES work, but I get the same message you describe in the mixer.

Wow, hope that helps some.

Bruce

Hi babarton,

<Can you select an all midi style and tell me if you get any sound at all when you play BIAB with that (select one of the old ZZ styles way at the bottom in the style selector (these are all midi styles). You may hear drums if you've got real drum substitutions enabled (I think that is the default). I'm suspecting that you are hearing the real styles (which are audio) but that you are not hearing any generated midi sounds.>

I tried ZZJazz and nothing but drums. Mouse clicking piano roll does not make sound on any patch including THRU. My Motif does not generate patch sounds.

<If using one of the ZZ styles produces no sounds (or you hear drums only), then I'd suggest to go to the MIDI menu in BIAB, and choose the item "** select MIDI driver or Apple DLS synth". Open this, and select "Apple DLS synth (built in Mac sounds)". Now play BIAB using one of the "ZZ" styles. Do you hear all the band sounds now? If so, now try playing your keyboard - you should hear sound. Again, on my end, selecting a patch DOES work, but I get the same message you describe in the mixer.>

I was able to hear MIDi being played, I could mouse click the piano roll and hear patch sounds being played, but not THRU, my keyboard did not generate patch sound. And the piano roll THRU did not show keyed activity as before.

I feel like my MIDI setup is missing something to link the MOTIF to the M-Audio FIREWIRE 410. I've tried creating another device and linking port 1 via that but it was just a guess and no luck.

Thanks again.

dMurphy, we're getting closer now. At first - when you could press keys on your keyboard and see the onscreen keys move, your keyboard WAS communicating with BIAB, but you weren't hearing anything because no midi sounds were being synthesized. Now, you've got midi sounds being produced (by the Apple DLS synth), but your keyboard is no longer communicating with BIAB. Is your keyboard still communicating with Logic or any other apps? I'm assuming that your keyboard is plugged into the computer via USB?

From Audio/Midi setup help:

"If a MIDI device isn’t working

Try these suggestions.

Make sure the MIDI device is properly connected to your Mac or to a MIDI interface that's connected to your Mac.
Make sure the device is turned on.
Make sure you installed any software provided by the manufacturer. Check the manufacturer’s website to see if you have the latest version of the software.
Make sure you set up the MIDI device correctly in Audio MIDI Setup.
Make sure the app you’re using is compatible with Audio MIDI Setup. Refer to the app’s documentation for more information. "

To me, it sounds like the keyboard is not set up correctly now - in which case it shouldn't work with other apps either.

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Sorry to be so late responding, I have not had a chance to work on this issue. I do appreciate your help and look forward to trying your suggestions soon.

Thanks Again.

Hi I use the Motif XF 7 and Logic X as well and finally got it to work...I will look now at the settings and get right back with you...

I had to set all the instrument out ports to Apple DLS Synth and that made it work just fine...

Just a thought here:

When you launch Audio Midi Setup ( Applications/Utilities ) and then select MIDI Studio and setup a virtual interface to/from keyboard have you done Test Setup to "hear" and "see" if your midi connections (communications) are working ?

My experience has been that if midi communication does not work in the Utility Audio Midi Setup then it will not work in any application.