Anyone using DP with a Yamaha MOXF6/8?

Babz · Post by **Babz** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 3:40 pm

After nearly 20 years, I have to replace my main keyboard controller and now have to learn some new ways for what has been the heart of my studio.

I have a Yamaha MOXF6 arriving tomorrow and may have some set up questions. Would love to hear from another DP user using this or a similar Yamaha keyboard. For starters ...

Does anyone know if there is a .midnam patch list available for the MOXF synths?

Best,
Babz

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:31 pm

http://digicake.com/midnams/ maybe... maybe not. Couldn't find anything else.

It certainly makes using internal patches a lot easier.

FYI, I have run into ground loop issues with Yamaha synths (MotifES6 and S90ES) when connected via USB, easily rectified by cutting the shield and ground wire in a USB cable. Ground wire is supposed to be black.

http://www.moddiy.com/pages/USB-2.0-%7B ... nouts.html

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:14 pm

As for the patch list, you could make your own with the newest version of Cherry Picker. The author did do an update to it. There may be a link to the new version on the board somewhere.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:20 pm

Here's the topic. Bottom of the 2nd page of posts has the link to the latest version of Cherry Picker.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=57752

Babz · Post by **Babz** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:24 pm

HCMarkus wrote:http://digicake.com/midnams/ maybe... maybe not. Couldn't find anything else.

No MOXF list there. Closest seems to be the MOTIF XF7. Think they might be the same sound list. Anyone know if this XF7 .midnam works with MOXF?

HCMarkus wrote: FYI, I have run into ground loop issues with Yamaha synths (MotifES6 and S90ES) when connected via USB, easily rectified by cutting the shield and ground wire in a USB cable. Ground wire is supposed to be black.

Those models are different, but I'll keep and ear out for that.

That does segue into my next question... USB vs. MIDI Din/analog i/o.

I've never actually used USB connection for a keyboard. Currently I'm using a MOTU 828 Mk3 FW and Cuemix for zero latency monitoring. The hardware synths all get their MIDI via 5-pin and the sound come in the analog inputs.

If I hook up a keyboard w/ USB, the MIDI part seems straightforward, but not sure about the audio part. How is the audio going to be monitored? I assume it can't be part of Cuemix monitoring? Do I need to create an aggregate device? Am I better off just doing it the old fashioned way? What are the pros and cons? All that needs to get sorted out...

Thanks,
Babz

Babz · Post by **Babz** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:31 pm

James Steele wrote:Here's the topic. Bottom of the 2nd page of posts has the link to the latest version of Cherry Picker.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=57752

Wow! Thanks! Who knew? I have been hanging on to Mountain Lion on one of my old computers just in case I might ever need to run CherryPicker. (Also CDXtract.)

I wrote some patch lists back in the day. By oh my... Been so long since I did this patch list stuff.

The MOXF is one of the most popular keyboards, I'm still holding out hope someone else may have a list before I go creating one myself.

Best,
Babz

Kurt Cowling · Post by **Kurt Cowling** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:52 pm

I have an MX-61, which is the previous model. I really just use it live so I don't actually use it with DP (but somewhat with MainStage). I don't know if it has a .midnam file. If you use the USB audio functions be aware that it only runs at 44.1. Let me know if you have any other questions and I might be more help [WINKING FACE].

Kurt Cowling · Post by **Kurt Cowling** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:03 pm

I think you could do an aggregate device. I use the USB audio along with a MOTU Microbook 2 inside of Mainstage. Audio from the keyboard gets mixed with audio from MainStage and comes out the Microbook all over USB.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:58 pm

Babz wrote:Wow! Thanks! Who knew? I have been hanging on to Mountain Lion on one of my old computers just in case I might ever need to run CherryPicker. (Also CDXtract.)

Not a lot of people do know... and I guess it's not been well publicized. I got a hold of the author a while back and he released a new version with the caveat that it had some behind the scenes issues that only a programmer might be bothered by, but frankly laymen don't see them.

I just checked and it launched and ran under El Cap, and I have used it regularly on my MacBook with Yosemite. So if you're not averse to typing, that might be the way you'd have to go.

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:01 pm

I use USB for MIDI only Babz. So no difference when it comes to monitoring audio.

David Polich · Post by **David Polich** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 11:57 am

Kurt Cowling wrote:I have an MX-61, which is the previous model. I really just use it live so I don't actually use it with DP (but somewhat with MainStage). [WINKING FACE].

The prevous model was a MO X 61, not an MX61. The MX61 is a different product line.

Kurt Cowling · Post by **Kurt Cowling** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 2:36 pm

MM, MO, MX, MOX, MOXF, WTF I can't keep them straight. They're all underlings of the Motif line, yes?

David Polich · Post by **David Polich** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 8:04 am

Kurt Cowling wrote:MM, MO, MX, MOX, MOXF, WTF I can't keep them straight. They're all underlings of the Motif line, yes?

The MM and MX series are based on Motif engines but are the lowest-priced lines. The MO series
are also based on Motif engines and are the "mid-priced" line.

Kurt Cowling · Post by **Kurt Cowling** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:15 am

So Babz, did you get the keyboard? How's it working out?

Babz · Post by **Babz** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 8:05 pm

Kurt Cowling wrote:So Babz, did you get the keyboard? How's it working out?

Thanks for asking. Yes, got the MOXF6. The hardest part (and I wasn't expecting this) is getting used to only 61 keys after nearly 20 years with a 76-key keyboard. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, but it's been kind of a culture shock.

But I'm still in the initial days. I haven't really been able to sink my teeth into it yet. Spent a whole day trying to figure out how to transfer my user patches from my XP-80 into my XV-5080. Then I have to transfer over my expansion boards (and decide which one I'll have to get rid of, because the 5080 doesn't have enough free slots). So I had to spend another whole day listening to the expansion boards trying to decide which one I could live without. Plus, I got a new set of monitors so I've been getting those set up.

Once I get all that resolved, I'll be able to move aside my beloved XP-80 and put it out to pasture [ sniff, sniff :"-( ] and fully replace it with the new MOXF6.

I never found anyone who had a MOXF patch list, so it looks like I'll have to create one myself -- possibly by hacking a Motif XF7 midnam.

And I still haven't sorted out the pros and cons of USB vs. 5-pin and analog.

Mostly the MOXF seems pretty straightforward, but I'm finding a few weird things I hate about it, like the fact that it doesn't remember what patch you last used when you shut down and takes you back to User patch 1 every time you restart.

So far all I've done is audition some of the patches -- a tiny fraction of the thousands -- and haven't really integrated it into DP yet.

Best,
Babz

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