I have never sampled on my Motif ES before (I know 15 years later, its about time). I understand sampling records as MIDI vs analog.

Let's start here. No. "Sampling" records audio at 44.1kHz, 16-bit resolution (CD quality audio). The sequencer only records MIDI. It is the "Integrated Sampling Sequencer" that was the innovation that made the Motif king of the workstations.

So it is always the case that a sequencer Track in the Motif ES contains MIDI data. That MIDI data always "triggers" playback of audio. For example, a Motif ES Drum Kit Voice has various audio samples housed on each Key between C0~C6. That audio, let's use a snare drum hit as an example, was originally recorded in front of a microphone. Some drummer smacked that snare. It was mapped to a KEY and placed in a Voice. Now when you hit that key it triggers playback of that audio. Same for the piano sounds, the strings, etc., etc., etc.

You can play your ukulele in front of a microphone, while playing along with your ES sequence. Your audio will be mapped to a Key (C3) of a new User Sample Voice. Unlike the snare drum, which lasts for about 200ms or less, your recording can be as long as 6 minutes and 20 seconds long. But the significant point is the audio is placed in a Motif ES "Voice", and assigned a specific MIDI NOTE (C3), such that when you want to sequence with it, you will need to place that Voice in a MIXING PART, place that Part's TRACK in record, and then you need to press the Key C3 and hold it until the entire audio recording plays back. If you recorded for 4 minutes, the Key will need to be held for the entire 4 minutes.

Can I sample to record (mic) a few bars from my Ukulele into a pattern track in the sequencer and then mix/ edit such as I would with as other on board voice and phrase?

Yes.

It plays back as an audio clip, it is not an arpeggio. Arpeggios are an entirely different thing. The Motif ES features an Integrated Sampling Sequencer... Any track can be designated for 'audio playback' - the User Sample Voice assigned to that Track can store 128 separate audio recordings (one per Key, C-2 thru G8)!

Beyond the marketing term, Integrated Sampling Sequencer means that it can sample audio to the sequencer, and even though sequencing is always just MIDI data, it is MIDI data that "triggers" audio data. So it is "as if" the audio was recorded to the track, but in fact, all audio, whether placed there by Yamaha in the factory in Hamamatsu Japan, or by you in your living room, is housed in a Motif VOICE, and is triggered by MIDI NOTE-ON events.

And the term "Integrated" means it will automatically create the NOTE-ON Event based precisely on your Punch In and Punch Out points, so the duration of that MIDI NOTE-ON event precisely matches your audio clip. This is all handled by the technology (so you really don't have to sit there and hold the key for four minutes!) 🙂

We will have to dig in our archives and find the original article on the Integrated Sampling Sequencer for the ES (2003)... In the meantime, you can attempt to find two matching DIMMs boards - please see page 289 of your Motif ES Owner's Manual for details.

Got it (I think). I already installed DIMM boards years ago, I just never actually did any sampling...Let me ask...am I trying to do something unusual with the sampler or it this a typical use? I understand much of the power is used by DJs in vocals, slicing, scratching, etc...I am just trying to integrate the Uke sound /short riffs and strums into some songs and thought it would be give me more song construction flexibility to move such sampled phrases around a pattern within Motif vs overdubbing additional parts through my DAW. Am I thinking correctly?

Got it (I think). I already installed DIMM boards years ago, I just never actually did any sampling...Let me ask...am I trying to do something unusual with the sampler or it this a typical use?

Not unusual, actually quite normal... Not necessarily a Uke, but guitars, vocals, all manner of acoustic instrumenrpts. While there are plenty of tools for DJs, the concept was to leave what you record up to you, the user. I'd say you thinking is fairly typical... And will work quite well.

So even though its audio samples only triggered by MIDI, will the Motif adjust the samples in sync to whatever tempo changes I make in the sequencer? Will they adjust to key/octave changes?

So even though its audio samples only triggered by MIDI, will the Motif adjust the samples in sync to whatever tempo changes I make in the sequencer? Will they adjust to key/octave changes?

No. Of course not, its audio. It is recommended you decide what tempo and key before you record audio... You can adjust the tempo of audio using the sample SLICE feature.

If you are not sure of the exact tempo, then you would need to use the audio SLICE feature to split your audio into separate time segments. Each time slice will act like a single cell drawing in animation... a cartoon is a series of still pictures that can be flipped past the eye to make the picture animate (move)... Time Slices will work the same way for audio, you can play them back at different tempos without pitch change. Results are fairly good on phrases of 4-8 measures, maximum of 8 measures can be Sliced in this manner. It is quite effective.

If you don't know what key, I suggest you figure that out ahead of time... changing the pitch of audio will cause audio to suffer much faster than changing the tempo.

I've attached the two articles that will help you through this:
Motif ES: Mastering the Sample SLICE function
Motif ES: Sampling in Sequencer Mode

Ok - I understand about pitch and tempo and will read about slicing, to the extent I can't make up my mind before sampling.
One last conceptual issue/question to clarify. Earlier, you said that mixing and editing samples is possible within a pattern. Let me be a little more precise to make sure I explain what I am wanting to do. I want to add(sample) a couple of strummed chords/patterns on the Uke. I now understand each sample would be a new user voice keyed to a specific note. I would then want to use / insert these sampled user voices into various motif pattern sections. I might want to have them repeat or loop all to match the length of each section where I insert them. In other words, I will want to use the same sample over and over / back to back on many different sections within a pattern. Is this all possible?

Yes, it is.

The audio is contained in a USER SAMPLE VOICE - and the VOICE can be used in a similar fashion just as any other Voice. And depending on how good you get at the SLICE skill, you will be able to use the sliced uke "phrase" at various tempo and at various lengths. The mileage varies on the musical part. But if my mind's eye picture of your ukulele phrase is on-point, it will be rhythmic in nature - making it the perfect kind of audio for the SLICE segmenting I described previously. This will mean you can vary the tempo a great deal before the ear/brain realizes some kind of magic trick is going on to time-stretch the phrase.

The more staccato and defined the time sliced time segment - the farther you can alter the tempo "undetected". For example, with Drum grooves it is possible to isolate each hit as a separate slice (some times) when that happens you can stretch the tempo the full limit of the sequencer. So the results of SLICING is not always perfect - but it will certainly give you a greater than 10 or 20% increase or decrease in tempo with great results.

Mileage varies...

There is a function in the ES that does allow you to transpose your audio sampled phrase up or down by key (it will rewrite the audio) ... But as you will hear, the sonic results are 'detectable' a lot sooner - 'munchkin-ization' of the audio; and this can be disturbing if you are not going for a comic effect.

I think I will keep my knife in the drawer for awhile and first start with fixed tempo and key until I get used to creating good samples, and inserting them around my various pattern sections as needed to assemble songs. THEN surgery if needed. Thanks very much for taking the time to explain all this.