UPDATE: I figured out that set the SOURCE seems to mean name the SMF I want to create...after creating a name I was able to press ENTER and choose my desired PATTERN and SECTION and created my SMF. So now I got my SMF file to export but when I uploaded it into my transcription software, it read and played all 8 tracks using the same grand piano voice instead of the drum, piano, guitar voices I mixed into the various tracks of my pattern....isn't my voice selections exported as part of the standard MIDI data, at least for broad musical instrument categories? Is there some way to assign voices to SMF. I have some of the Twiddly Bits SMF (Funk for example) and they seem to have specific voice assignments by track. Is there anything I can do on the motif side or must I look to the software reading the Motif SMF to see if I can change voices there? What happens when I change grand piano to my drum track? Is there specific assignments for drum parts that the Motif does / can send in its SMF ?

isn't my voice selections exported as part of the standard MIDI data

No. only the events you recorded to the Track. You can look at the data... you’ll see it is only note-on events and controllers.

If you are playing the data back to the Motif ES, it will trigger the correct sounds, you need only recall the Pattern Mixing Setup you were using.

MIDI does not include the sounds only the event data. Program Change events in looping Patterns is not conducive to free movement between Sections... the Motif ES memorizes the Voice that was used when you recorded the data (similar to how it remembers the Tempo, Time Signature, the Volume, the Pan position... this data is stored in the Phrase Header (a packet of data that is not documented in the track but is Send when the Phrase is recalled. When you press a Section button [A]-[P] the Pattern will change at the next beat or the top of the next measure, in the time it takes to read that command the Phrase Header ensure the following data is applied. (The Phase Header Only does its thing when playing the data from the ES).

Are you not playing it back through the Motif ES Tone Generator? If not, what Tone Generator are you playing it through?

I am importing the SMF into transcription software called MuseScore where I am able to assign instruments that will play through the sound card on my PC. I am just trying to put a few of my original composition on paper and improve my note reading skills. I have never exported to work with MIDI before and wasn't sure if any instrument (including drum kits) could be assigned and read on any track. You cleared up that its only note on events and controllers which I guess applies the same to any instrument on any MIDI channel?. I read somewhere that GM only allows drum kits on MIDI channel 10 which got me questioning whether the needed MIDI data is different for say drum kits meaning I must always use a specific track / MIDI channel for drum kits..

The GM protocol does use Channel 10 for Drums... the Motif ES allows you to use drums on any channel, even all channels or no channels depending on your need. It is a convention, if you are sticking to strict GM rules, that the drum kit should be on channel 10. It may be that your soundcard’s requires that you use Channel 10 for Drums. The good news is: you can make adjustments to your sequence data to make it work for you.

Here’s are some options
1) You can Chain your Pattern Sections into a linear Song, You can place the appropriate Bank Select and Program Change events into the track data so that data recalls the correct sounds for your computer’s sound card. SONG rather than PATTERN... in a SONG you can insert the messages that will select the appropriate GM Bank sound.

2) You should be able to import the data from your ES Sequencer, to the notation software, and still route the playback to the ES.
You can connect the ES to your computer via a USB cable for MIDI communication using the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver.
Then see if their is a way to continue using the ES sounds to playback the data. Most software will allow you select a USB connected external instrument.... (instead of the internal soundcard.

3) if you are not able to do the above, let us know... we’ll help you insert the appropriate Bank Select and Program Change commands into a “setup” measure you can create to make instrument selections for your soundcard.

Let us know.

Thank you Phil....As long as I can get my transcription software to accurately read and and write each MIDI channel/track I export for the same "type" of instrument I played into the sequencer on my Motif, that's all I need. Right now, all tracks come in to the transcription program assigned to grand piano. The transcription program seems to allow me to change instruments and allows me to assign drum kits to any track. Maybe then it does not follow the strict GM protocol...I will investigate further. Curiously, when I import Twiddy Bits SMF files into this program it picks up all the correct instrument assignment right away. Are all SMF files NOT created equal? Or are these Twiddly Bit SMF set up as linear pattern chains or songs with the upfront track data to assign different instrument banks? If so, maybe I too can create a setup measure to save a step reassigning instruments later?

It is not that Drums HAVE TO be on 10 but some inexpensive modules restrict you to 10.
It is very true while all GM Files are SMF, not all SMF are GM!