Welcome to the article four in the ESP Series, a deep dive into DAW Remote and ESP Control. If you missed any of the previous articles in the series find them linked below:

• Exploring ESP Part I
• Exploring ESP Part II
• Exploring ESP Part III

DAW Remote and ESP Control

DAW Remote turns your MONTAGE M/MODX M into a hands-on controller for Cubase, Logic Pro, Pro Tools and Live. I’ll be working with Cubase in this article, but the functionality is similar between different DAWs. When paired with ESP you can control the full synth engine from the MONTAGE M/MODX M, automate parameters, and move fluidly between MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP versions of the same sound. Let’s break down each DAW Remote section—including where to configure Remote settings in Cubase—then explore ESP Control and how to customize it with MIDI Learn.

DAW Remote Setup in Cubase

First, set up MONTAGE M/MODX M as a remote device in Cubase. Here’s how:

DAW Remote Overview

DAW Remote is accessed directly from the MONTAGE M/MODX M front panel using the [DAW REMOTE] button. Here’s an overview of the four primary control modes:

• Track Control: This setting turns MONTAGE M/MODX M into a DAW mixing control surface and track navigation manager:

You can use the Part Buttons on MONTAGE M and MODX M to select DAW tracks, the faders to adjust track volume and the knobs to adjust pan position. Additionally, you can:

1. Select previous/next track
2. Arm/disarm tracks
3. Mute/Solo tracks
4. Customize operations in the User Command section in Cubase Studio Setup

• Plugin Control: This setting allows you to map MONTAGE M/MODX M knobs and faders for DAW plugins apart from ESP:

You can completely customize control for your favorite virtual instruments with Plugin control. Set specific CC numbers for faders and knobs, and configure buttons for latch or momentary behavior. See the screenshots below:

• Transport Control: Uses the MONTAGE M/MODX M transport controls for DAW operation, leaving the faders, knobs, and buttons free for hardware sound editing—ideal when you want full front‑panel editing while still controlling DAW transport.

• ESP Control: Introduced in OS v3.0, this mode lets you control ESP using MONTAGE M/MODX M.

ESP Control turns the entire front panel of MONTAGE M and MODX M into a special control layer whenever ESP is the focused plugin in Cubase. Here’s how the MONTAGE M front panel interacts with the plugin when ESP Control engaged:

MODX M works in a similar fashion:

ESP Control is set to work like the hardware in many ways and adds specific workflow operations between ESP and MONTAGE M/MODX M.

• Direct ESP Control via MONTAGE M/MODX M knobs, sliders and buttons.
• Performance Common, Part Select and Part Element/Operator/Oscillator select for detailed editing.
• Super Knob macro control operates just like the hardware.
• Bidirectional syncing using a simple button combination.

Customizing ESP Control with MIDI Learn

Cubase and ESP both support MIDI Learn, letting you customize assignable controls to specific ESP Parameters. Open assignable controls include:

• Six Display Knobs
• Foot Controllers 1&2
• Modulation Wheel
• Assign Switch 1&2
• Assignable Footswitch
• Channel Aftertouch (MONTAGE M6/7M8x)
• Polyphonic Aftertouch (MONTAGE M8x)
• Ribbon Controller (MONTAGE M)

ESP MIDI Learn is easy to set up. In the example below I chose the Preset Performance Vari Pad 1, a single Part FM Performance. Check out the image below:

Vari Pad 1 uses Algorithm 67. Operators 1,3,5 and 7 are modulators and Operators 2,4,5 and 8 are carriers. Assigning Operator level control to the modulators will give me cool real time control over the timbre of the sound. Here’s how I set up level control using MIDI Learn:

1. Right-Click (or Control-Click) on the OP1 Level slider and the “Learn” dialog box appears
2. Click on the Learn dialog box to open the MIDI LEARN list
3. Move Display Knob 1 to assign to OP1 Level
4. Repeat the same process for OP3, OP5 and OP7 and assign to Display Knob 2, 3 & 4.

Now I want to assign the three FM Color parameters—FM Depth, FM Harmonics and FM Texture—to Display Knobs 5 & 6 and, since I’m using MONTAGE M, Aftertouch. I just repeat the same process listed above and that’s it. Here’s my completed MIDI Learn assignment:

The last step is to save this as a custom Performance in ESP. Note that if I synchronize this Performance with MONTAGE M the Display Knobs assignments will not transfer because they are used for hardware navigation. It’s not an issue as all the parameters above are accessed in Quick Edit with the physical knobs and sliders.

New Creative Workflows

The full DAW Remote environment supports multiple workflows within a single session. Here’s a streamlined overview of each control mode:

• Track Control: Ideal for mixing MIDI, audio, or instrument tracks. Faders and knobs provide quick access to transport, level, and pan, while Part buttons let you select tracks and switch banks for larger projects.
• Plugin Control: Customize front‑panel controls for your third‑party plugins.
• Transport Control: Use when working with the MONTAGE M/MODX M internal tone generator while keeping full DAW transport capabilities.
• ESP Control: Offers dedicated control for ESP, as detailed earlier.

In the next article, I’ll show you how to move ideas from the MONTAGE M/MODX M Performance Sequencer into Cubase using ESP Song/Pattern Import.

Welcome to part three of the Expanded Softsynth Plugin (ESP) for MONTAGE M/MODX M series. In the first article I covered system requirements, ESP and Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver (YSUSB) download and installation and a basic set up overview. The second article provides a detailed overview of the user interface. Those articles are linked below:

Exploring ESP Part I

Exploring ESP Part II

In this article I’ll show all the ways you can move sounds and files back and forth between MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP.

Synchronization between MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP

ESP runs the same tone‑generation engine as MONTAGE M/MODX M. Knowing what to sync, when to save, and how file types exist between the plugin and the hardware will help you use this powerful system in the best possible way and maximize creativity.

IMPORTANT POINT: In order for synchronization to work, MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP must all be on the same OS version.

What “Synchronization” means in ESP

ESP and the keyboard can send/receive data in both directions. You can move a single Edit Buffer Performance, an entire User file, individual Libraries, or even a full Backup file. Synchronization can only happen when MONTAGE M/MODX M is connected to the computer via USB. This is different from simple File Load/Save, where you can load files from the computer or a connected USB drive. Synchronization is real time integration between MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP that unites the system in a fluid and dynamic way. MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP must be the same OS version for proper synchronization.

The first article of this series defined the USB Port assignments when connecting MONTAGE M/MODX M to the computer:

• MONTAGE M Port 1 (MODX M Block 1) In/Out: Dedicated for MIDI communication with MONTAGE M/MODX M internal tone generator.
• MONTAGE M Port 2 (MODX M Block 2) In/Out: Dedicated for using the DAW remote control.
• MONTAGE M Port 3 (MODX M Block 3) In/Out: This Port passes MIDI communication received via the [USB TO HOST] terminal to the MIDI [OUT] terminal on MONTAGE M/MODX M, while the MIDI messages received through the MIDI [IN] terminal are treated as “Thru” on the [USB TO HOST] terminal.
• MONTAGE M Port 4 (MODX M Block 4) In/Out: Dedicated for using the Expanded Softsynth Plugin (ESP).

As you can see above, bi-directional communication happens on MONTAGE M Port 4 (MODX M Block 4). Once you’ve connected via USB and opened ESP you should make sure this Port is selected in settings:

Synchronization File Types

With Port 4 selected you can now choose what you’d like to synchronize. Click Data Transfer on the Navigation bar and you’ll see this: 

• Edit Buffer: The current Performance on either ESP or the keyboard. Edits made are in this volatile memory location until it is stored. You can send from ESP to MONTAGE M/MODX M, then press [STORE] on the instrument if you want to save to User Memory, or you can pull from the keyboard and send to ESP for editing. Note that if you transfer new data between ESP and MONTAGE M/MODX M before you’ve stored changes, you’ll overwrite any unsaved edits.
• User Bank: This is the editable “working library” for your Performances plus any additional User assets like User Waveforms, User Motion Sequences, Curves, Micro Tunings, Live Sets, etc., on both ESP and MONTAGE M/MODX M. The User Bank can contain a maximum of 640 Performances.
• Libraries: These are read‑only Performance files you can load alongside User memory. MONTAGE M/MODX M and ESP can contain up to 24 Library files with a maximum of 640 Performances in each file. If you want to edit a Performance within a Library, you’ll have to save the edited Performance to a User Bank.
• Backup: A Backup File saves everything into a single file: User Bank, Libraries, Patterns/Songs and more. Backup Files are safety nets to use when you want to save everything into a single file.  

Load and Save Files, Save Individual Performances in ESP

You can also load and save files to ESP from the computer or connected USB device whether the physical instrument is connected or not. The image below shows how to Load and Save supported formats on the right and how to Save a single Performance to ESP on the left.

Of course you can save individual Performances in ESP. This is especially useful when you are away from your MONTAGE M/MODX M. When you reconnect, you can synchronize a single Performance with the keyboard via the Edit Buffer. You can load MONTAGE M/MODX M files and import legacy content from the original MONTAGE, MODX/MODX+, MOTIF XF/XS, and MOXF.

For more information on data compatibly between models go here.

You can load the following file formats:

Instrument	Extensions	Contents
MONTAGE M/MODX M	.Y2U, .Y2L, .Y2A	User File, Library File, Backup File
MONTAGE	.X7U, .X7L, .X7A	User File, Library File, Backup File
MODX/MODX+	.X8U, .X8L, .X8A	User File, Library File, Backup File
MOTIF XF	.X3A, .X3V, .X3G, .X3W	.X3A: User Voice, Performance, Arpeggio and Waveform, .X3V: User Voice and Waveform, .X3G: User Arpeggio, .X3W: User Waveform
MOTIF XS	.X0A, .X0V, .X0G, .X0W	.X0A: User Voice, Performance, Arpeggio and Waveform, .X0V: User Voice and Waveform, .X0G: User Arpeggio, .X0W: User Waveform
MOXF	.X6A, .X6V, .X6G, .X6W	.X6A: User Voice, Performance, Arpeggio and Waveform, .X6V: User Voice and Waveform, .X6G: User Arpeggio, .X6W: User Waveform

Note that you can only save files in MONTAGE M/MODX M file format (.Y2U, .Y2L, .Y2A). Any legacy files are converted to MONTAGE M/MODX M when saved.

ESP Live Sets

In the Navigation bar just to the right of Data Transfer is ESP Live Set:

Here you’ll find 8 User Live Sets each with 16 Pages just like MONTAGE M/MODX M. You can add Performances to Slots, organize them as you like and synchronize with MONTAGE M/MODX M. There are different ways to use this feature. You can keep ESP Live Sets entirely different between the Plugin and the keyboard, or you can mix Live Set Pages and organize them how you wish or you can completely synchronize all Live Sets in ESP with MONTAGE M/MODX M. The main thing to understand is a Live Set slot is just a pointer to a Performance in the Preset, User or Library memory. A best practice is synchronizing Performances first, then updating Live Sets. Check out the image below:

The Live Set Page outlined in red on the left has 12 slots that say, “Not Found”. These slots are pointing at User and Libraries that were not synchronized. The Live Set Page outlined in green on the right shows the correct page, with User and Libraries synchronized. The workflow is synchronize sounds first, Live Sets second, if you want perfect parity between MONTAGE M/MODX M. Synchronizing a full Backup between ESP and your instrument is most foolproof way to ensure your Live Sets are the same.

Three Workflow Situations

To sum up, here are three ways to use ESP with MONTAGE M/MODX M.

ESP as a powerful editor for softsynth and keyboard.

This is a great use for Edit Buffer synchronization. You can start editing on the keyboard, open ESP, click on Data Transfer, select Edit Buffer and send the Performance over. Do your editing in ESP and when ready go back to Data Transfer > Edit Buffer and send the Performance back to MONTAGE M/MODX M and press [STORE] to keep in User memory. You can even do your edits away from the instrument and send them over once you reconnect.

Transfer a third‑party Library from MONTAGE M/MODX M to ESP

Moving Libraries back and forth is easy in ESP. Simply open Data Transfer, click on Library and you’ll see a list of what’s installed in ESP on the left and MONTAGE M on the right. The image below shows my current setup. I typically keep more Libraries installed on my keyboard. When I want to move one to ESP, I select the Library and click “Receive from MONTAGE M8x”. Done!

Mirror your entire MONTAGE M/MODX set up in ESP.

• Open ESP, click on Data Transfer and select Backup
• Receive from MONTAGE M/MODX M to transfer Performances, Libraries and any related assets to ESP:

• Transmit from ESP to MONTAGE M/MODX M. This is a very useful tool when using a backline MONTAGE M/MODX M or a second instrument at school or house of worship.

In the next article I’ll explore DAW Control and ESP Control.