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This is the official website for all things Yamaha Synthesizers. You will also want to bookmark the official download site for all things Yamaha. And it is still active so we are not sure where you were looking but obviously it was not on the official Yamaha download site.

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http://download.yamaha.com

You arrive at the global portal for all official Yamaha downloads (firmware, software, manuals, etc.)
Select your country.
Type in your MODEL NAME: S90 ES
When the SEARCH RESULT appear, verify your model by clicking on: S90 ES

The items for the S90 ES will appear.
You are looking for the USB-MIDI Driver version 1.3.2 for Mac OS X updated November 7, 2014 to include Yosemite.

The download will include the driver and all instructions (PDF) for installing it. This will allow you to connect the S90 ES to your Macintosh computer via a USB cable. Make sure you set your S90 ES to utilize USB communication.
Press [UTILITY] > select MIDI > OTHER >
Set the MIDI IN/OUT = USB.

This driver is MIDI communication only. Your post asks about drivers (plural) this is the only driver you need for MIDI communication.

Let us know.

Thank you. As far as I am aware, this model only sends/recieves midi data via the USB cable, and the later S90 models transmit both audio and midi via USB, is this correct?

Thank you. As far as I am aware, this model only sends/recieves midi data via the USB cable, and the later S90 models transmit both audio and midi via USB, is this correct?

No, that's not correct. None of the S-series transmits both MIDI and audio via USB ("To Host" connection)

The S90 ES could, at one time (2005-2011) utilize the mLAN16e expansion - which communicated both MIDI and audio to a computer via a FireWire connection. But drivers are no longer available for today's computer Operating Systems. If you desire FW connectivity you must get the current Motif-series (XF).

Only the MX49/MX61 (1Stereo), MOX6/MOX8 (dual Stereo) and MOXF6/MOXF8 (dual Stereo) transmit both MIDI and audio via USB.

Thanks. What about studio connections? are they still available for this model?

? What do you mean by "studio connections"? This was an initiative developed by Yamaha and Steinberg to create a method to bundle the setups for your external hardware (synthesizers, modules, digital mixers, effect processors) into your software via MIDI bulk communication.

The S90 ES MULTI PART (v2.2.2) and VOICE (v2.2.2) EDITORS are available for download on the same page as the S90 ES USB-MIDI Driver. You will also need the STUDIO MANAGER v2.3.4 for Mac OS X

I have not tested these on Yosemite (2014) whether the Editors (last updated 5 yrs. ago) still can run under this OS ... You will need to tell us.

Maybe I have got a bit confused. I thought that you needed studio connections for remote DAW control as well as voice editing, it seems not. I will test them later and get back to you.

Studio Connections is more about using the Editors (which run on the computer) responsible for handling/receiving/backing up/restoring every setting on your external hardware. You play an instrument (hardware), computers have always been self-centered in that they can remember everything they are doing, but we're completely oblivious to your external hardware... Yamaha saw this as just silly, and created a method so that the computer could also be responsible for all external devices connected to it.

Simply put software engineers see everything as "in the box"... Meaning in the computer. Yamaha, a musical instrument company that makes synths, digital mixers, digital effect processors, found a way to bundle all the settings of the external devices, including all the signal routing necessary, into a nice neat easily recallable package that could be included in the software's Project file.

Remote Control Surface protocol is handled by a dedicated MIDI "Port". A Port is, in layman's terms, one set of 16 MIDI Channels coming and going. The USB cable carries multiple ports to and from the device. There are 8 Ports that can travel to and from the S90 ES via a single USB cable (equivalent to 16 standard 5-pin MIDI cables).

Now, that said, the S90 ES cannot use all of these, it does not need to use all of them. But each port allows for discreet communication. For example:
Port 1 is used exclusively for the S90 ES tone generator itself. And is an IN and an OUT.
Port 2 could be used for your optional PLG150-series single Part plug-in boards.
Port 3 could be used for a PLG100-XG multi-Part plug-in board
Port 4 could be designated to act as the Port for Remote Controlling your DAW software...
Port 5 could be used as the so-called "THRU Port" that allows the 5-pin MIDI OUT jack to be used for an external device connected to the S90 ES, such that any track in your DAW routed to this Port would not trigger the ES but would travel OUT the MIDI Jack.

Port 1 is always the internal S90ES, the others you could choose what they are set to do.

The USB-MIDI driver allows you to do all of this. The Editors are for managing the S90 ES tone engine.

The VOICE EDITOR is just what you think... It allows you to customize individual Voices
The MULTI PART EDITOR deals with your 16 Part multi-timbral setup.

They work in conjunction with each other. But they have nothing to do with remote controlling your DAW. Say you select Port 4 to control your DAW, when you press the DAW REMOTE button the front panel buttons and sliders are re-tasked to work as control surface devices for your selected DAW software (Cubase/Nuendo, Logic, Sonar, Digital Performer).

I own an Yamaha S90es. I was wondering if I can transfer the "sound bank" from my keyboard to my DAW (Pro Tools), in order to record in Midi yet use the sounds that I've grown attached to on my keyboard. If so, how is this done? Thanks for your help

Sorry, I don't understand the question. The "sound bank" of the S90 ES cannot be "transferred" to any DAW. Perhaps that is a poor choice of words. The "sound bank" of the S90 ES will need to sound from the Yamaha S90 ES.

Midi Data is a series of coded messages that represent a musical performance, in much the same way as notation represents the music, or in much the same way a series of holes punched in a roll of paper were used to trigger playback an old style Player Piano. Without the physical instrument to translate (decode) the messages the notation makes no sound. Without the physical instrument the roll of paper is not the sound.

Say you play the song "As Time Goes By", what gets recorded to your DAW are a series of coded messages that when played back (MIDI OUT of the computer to MIDI IN of your S90 ES) your performance will be heard to play from the outputs if your S90 ES.

Is that what you mean by "transferred"?
MIDI data will not playback if you do not connect the DAW Midi track to an appropriate tone generator. If you want to hear exactly what you played originally, you will need to direct the coded messages to the MIDI IN of the S90 ES and you connect it to speakers.

Now if you have an Audio Interface (a device that takes the audio output of the S90 ES and converts the analog audio signal into digital audio signal) you can record the audio created by the S90 ES to an Audio Track of your DAW.

But no, you cannot transfer the Sound Bank of the S90 ES to your computer to have it play. You can either record the coded messages (MIDI data) or you can record the Audio output (If you have an audio interface).

In the future, Keith, please start your own thread, as your question has little or nothing to do with the discussion of the original poster ... who was asking about the Driver for the S90 ES.

My apologies. I'll try to clarify my question by explaining what I hope to do and then you can tell me if this is possible.

An obvious advantage of midi over audio recording is that one can easily go back and edit a performance (duration, notes, velocity ect.).

I know how to record midi data from the S90ES to my DAW. However I do not know how (or if it is possible) to then apply the patches from the S90ES to my midi performance. All I can do right now is apply the patches that were built into Pro Tools.

I was hoping that the "bulk dump" application would transfer all the patches onto my computer, but from what you said I now doubt that this will achieve that.

If I have any further questions about this topic should I start a new thread or continue off of this one? Sorry I don't know much about forum etiquette, I didn't mean to mess up this thread.

I've read through this thread, and did everything exactly as stated. However, when I plug my USB (to Host) from my S90 ES to Macbook Pro 10.9.5 there is still no recognition in the Audio/Midi Setup Window of the S90 ES. What should I do?

I've read through this thread, and did everything exactly as stated. However, when I plug my USB (to Host) from my S90 ES to Macbook Pro 10.9.5 there is still no recognition in the Audio/Midi Setup Window of the S90 ES. What should I do?

Hi, Michael. Welcome to Yamaha Synth.

There is not supposed to be any recognition in the window of the S90 ES. (Which does not have an AUDIO/MIDI SETUP window... perhaps you mean the Mac's Audio/MIDI Setup window... what version of the Yamaha USB_MIDI Driver did you install? (Exact version numbers are important).

Go to SYSTEM PREFERENCES > Find the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver icon > double click it to launch the Control Panel... let us know what it reports. (Forget about the AUDIO/MIDI SETUP for now, find out what you installed, first.

The question is what do you want to do with the S90 ES and your Macbook Pro... Your Macbook Pro can do very little with the S90 ES with the proper Driver and Software. What is it you are attempting to do?

Okay, I purchased an S90-ES last year and I had no problem using it as an controller for MainStage. I have not since upgraded to OSX Yosemite (10.10.3) and now it no longer works. After finding this thread, I downloaded the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver 1.3.2. I've rebooted everything and it is still not working. When I am connected, the Yamaha USB-MIDI Control Panel shows "Yamaha S90 ES". And MainStage shows I can select "Port1 YAMAHA S90 ES" through "Port4..."

If I unplug the USB cable, MainStage warns me that I've disconnected a MIDI input device. So my computer can "see" my keyboard, but MainStage does not recognize any key presses. Just to check it, I tried plugging in a Korg MicroKey-37 and it worked without a hitch. So there's something going on between my Yamaha and my Mac.

Any ideas?

Douglas wrote:

Okay, I purchased an S90-ES last year and I had no problem using it as an controller for MainStage. I have not since upgraded to OSX Yosemite (10.10.3) and now it no longer works. After finding this thread, I downloaded the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver 1.3.2. I've rebooted everything and it is still not working. When I am connected, the Yamaha USB-MIDI Control Panel shows "Yamaha S90 ES". And MainStage shows I can select "Port1 YAMAHA S90 ES" through "Port4..."

If I unplug the USB cable, MainStage warns me that I've disconnected a MIDI input device. So my computer can "see" my keyboard, but MainStage does not recognize any key presses. Just to check it, I tried plugging in a Korg MicroKey-37 and it worked without a hitch. So there's something going on between my Yamaha and my Mac.

Any ideas?

If I understand you correctly, the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver 1.3.2 is working and is communicating with your S90 ES

Sorry, I cannot offer support for MainStage _ sorry, according to what details you have given everything is fine between your S90 ES and your Mac... it is MainStage(?) that is not responding. I don't know MainStage what is it supposed to do with the key presses?