Question: Is that possible?

Yes. It is.

How could I make that happen? Any ideas? I think it is possible, at least theoretically. If anyone knows exactly how to make that happen and is willing to share it would be incredible. Of course ideas and suggestions are also very welcome. Thank you very much.

You would setup a Performance on the MODX. This Performance will be able to sound an Acoustic Piano from the MODX Tone Generator and trigger and control an Organ sound on your external keyboard. The MODX can also Send a Bank Select and Program Change message to the external device (if it is capable of receiving and responding).

Concept: How it will work — You can setup a Performance that works exactly like the “CFX + FM EP 2” Performance, where when the Super Knob is fully counterclockwise you are playing the Acoustic Piano and when the Super Knob is fully clockwise you are playing the FM-X Electric Piano.

You are just going to substitute your external synth for the Electric Piano.

That’s correct, as you may know, the MODX can have 8 Part slots active simultaneously. Naturally, the factory Performances all have internal Parts in each slot. But what you can do is build a Part slot (called a “Zone” ) which will be designed specifically to control that external synth.

You will be able to play it from the MODX keys, you will be able to mix the two with the Super Knob, you can smoothly morph between them, or even abruptly switch from one to the other. You will be able control the external synth’s Volume, Pan position, even apply MODX’s cutting edge effects to it.

This is possible by using the MODX’s “Zone Master” — Master Keyboard function, and by plugging the main audio outputs of that synth to the AD Input on back panel of the MODX. This will give you the maximum control over the combination.

Below is gathered from several of my recent previous posts… take your time… if you get stuck, post back.

Building a Part/Zone slot for your External device
Press [UTILITY]
Touch “Settings” > “Advanced” > Set the “Zone Master” = On

From the Performance [HOME] screen — let’s create a Zone/Part slot to control your external synth.
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH]
Set “Bank/Favorite” = All
Set “Attribute” = All
Touch “Init” > “Init Normal (AWM2)”
Press [ENTER

Touch Part 1 in the screen to *select* it.
Press [EDIT]
You should arrive at the “Edit - Part 1” level of the architecture
You want to see “Edit Part 1 - Common” parameters (You can tap the Part 1 and Common boxes in the lower left corner of the screen to navigate).
Touch “Part Settings” > “Zone Settings”

Turn the “Zone Switch” = On

You do not want to use this Zone for internal MODX Parts so set the “Int SW” = Off (Internal Switch)
In the “Transmit Ch” box select the MIDI Channel you want to use to communicate with the External synth…
Press [ENTER]
__ Here we are *replacing* an internal MODX sound with the information that will address your external synth… if no internal sound occupies the slot, the Part slot is completely inactive (so we mention it as an important concept to understand).

If you wish to send a “Bank Select”, a “Program Change”, a “Volume” setting, or a “Pan” position setting, leave the four option boxes ON (green)
If you do not need any of these, set the ones you are not going to use to OFF.

The “MIDI SEND” box in the lower right corner makes the items you are sending from this screen, “live” - typically these parameters will be output via MIDI when you recall a Performance containing this data, but if you wish to send a live message to say make it louder, with the MIDI SEND active (green) the “MIDI VOLUME” parameter on this screen is “live”.

In the second column, tap “Zone Transmit”.
Here you can determine which of the MODX’s physical controllers are going to be output from this Zone slot.
Green is ON (active); Grey is OFF (inactive)
You will want, for example, to have the Sustain pedal (SUS) = Off for the Organ, (no doubt). You can make that setting and Store it with this ‘profile’.

Finishing touches: select PART 1
Touch “Part Settings” > “ General” > on the top line set a “Part Category Main”, a “Part Category Sub” and give this Part/Zone a Name that will help you recall this whenever you want to use this setup.

Go to the COMMON/Audio Edit screen level — you can do so by tapping the box in the lower left corner - a pop-up menu appears, select “Common” at the top of the list - this is Performance Common.
Tap “General”
Tap the “Performance Name” box
Give this entire Performance a Name… something that lets you know exactly what this is (include “Ext” so you know it is for external use)

Press [STORE]

Concept - you have setup a Part/Zone slot in a New Performance that can recall a specific sound on your external device. Or you can skip setting a specific BankSelect/ProgramChange — and simply recall this configuration anytime you wish to use the MODX as a controller for the external device. A single Performance can hold multiple setups for your external devices, by naming and storing them this allows you to recall them as easily as you would internal programs.

If you are exclusively using it for Master Control functions, you can recall this anytime you wish to communicate with the external device.
And by naming it properly, you can find it in your MODX search engine, and you can combine it with any existing MODX Performances you might want to use it in combination with

Routing the External Audio through MODX
Connect the Audio Outputs of the external synth to the Left/Right AD inputs on MODX back panel.
The AD In On/Off button and Gain knob are located left front panel.

The Audio In is available to be customized in each Performance you wish to combine your external source. (You do have a global option so the external devices audio is not customized per Performance, but just passes through the MODX without being apart of the MODX Performance.

From the HOME screen:
Press [EDIT]
Touch “Audio In”
Here you can see parameters for both Analog to Digital (A/D In) and the USB Audio (Digital In)
Set the A/D In settings… this is your organ’s signal.
Setting you make for it can be Stored in the Performance.

Constructing Performances using your External Synth Performance
After you have named and stored your new Performance designed specifically for your external synth, you can now use [CATEGORY] and search for it like you would any internal Part. You can “merges it with any internal Performance with a Part slot available.

When you are using Category Search to *replace* an existing PART, (remember to use your External Part slot, you will need to be *replacing* an internal Part) you are given several options of making the selection and bringing along its “Mix” settings, it’s “Arp” and “Motion Sequences”, it’s “Scene” settings, and/or it’s “Zone” settings.

It is this way you can simply move your external Part/Zone from Performance to Performance same as you would select an internal Part and it’s settings.

Extra Credit — additional reading from the MODX LEARN area of this website:
Zone Master FAQ — although written for the MONTAGE it applies to the MODX
Mastering MODX: Using Category Search

Thank you Bad Mister! I have been reading your posts for years and your knowledge is extremely appreciated. When I posted I was secretly hoping you were going to answer:).

I will be trying to figure this out as soon as possible and will not hesitate to post back if I get stuck.

Again, thank you for sharing all that knowledge.

dua, you might also find helpful info in the thread at https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/1-part-performances-that-only-play-external-midi-sounds

Thank You AnotherScott, your reply and link is very much appreciated also. Have a great day.

Hi Dua,

I'm also considering to buy the Crumar Desktop module, to play it from the MODX keys - combined with sounds from the MODX itself.

Can you let me know if the Crumar Desktop is capable of receiving Program Change messages from the MODX via MIDI, as suggested by Bad Mister?
And do you know if you can control the volume of the Mojo Desktop by the expression pedal of the MODX via MIDI (rather than having to use 2 expression pedals)?

Bad Mister, this question was not asked by me - but I learned a lot of interesting things for myself in your detailed answer (however, as always). This is just amazing support from you for us. Thank you very much from me for your detailed answers, sir, it's always much appreciated!

Just saw this.. My apologies...

Can you let me know if the Crumar Desktop is capable of receiving Program Change messages from the MODX via MIDI, as suggested by Bad Mister? Have not figured that out. This is next on my list. I can tell you I have been really happy with the MODX and crumar combo...

And do you know if you can control the volume of the Mojo Desktop by the expression pedal of the MODX via MIDI (rather than having to use 2 expression pedals)?

That one I can answer: YES. Without any programming - when you are playing the Crumar via MIDI out of the MODX, and the FC7 is connected to the MODX - the FC7 will control the volume of the Crumar ALSO.

Does that answer your question?

Eduardo

Hi Eduardo,

From what I learned, the Crumar Mojo Desktop Organ can only receive Program CHANGE messages via MIDI, so 1 program up or down. Because I don't want to be setting registrations on multiple devices constantly, I had hoped that you could directly select a program number on the organ module based on the zone settings of your MODX performance. This seems to be impossible. Therefore, I did not buy the Crumar Desktop Organ. However, if I'm wrong and this module CAN receive program numbers (instead of only +1 -1 changes), please let me know - and I will order theCrumar Desktop Organ!

[quotePost id=114777]From what I learned, the Crumar Mojo Desktop Organ can only receive Program CHANGE messages via MIDI, so 1 program up or down....I had hoped that you could directly select a program number on the organ module based on the zone settings of your MODX performance. This seems to be impossible...However, if I'm wrong and this module CAN receive program numbers (instead of only +1 -1 changes), please let me know[/quotePost]
In the MIDI world, supporting "Program Change" means that you CAN directly select any program over MIDI. That is a standard MIDI function. There is actually no standard MIDI program change function to increment or decrement the program by 1, it doesn't exist. So if something supports Program Change, by definition, it does what you're wishing for.

Rob, that would be somewhat of a bummer... But I will give it a shot tonight and let you know. This has been on my list forever...

Do you happen to know how to tell the MODX to send a program change? If you do, please share...
I did a little research and it seems possible...

Theoretically I could "send a MIDI Program change with the program number". If that is true, then I could choose whichever patch I would like to select on the Crumar....

If anybody can chime in, please do...

Do you happen to know how to tell the MODX to send a program change?

Search in this very thread for the below:

If you wish to send a “Bank Select”, a “Program Change”, a “Volume” setting, or a “Pan” position setting, leave the four option boxes ON (green)

There are pictures too. The MODX side is documented here already.

In the MIDI world, supporting "Program Change" means that you CAN directly select any program over MIDI. That is a standard MIDI function. There is actually no standard MIDI program change function to increment or decrement the program by 1, it doesn't exist. So if something supports Program Change, by definition, it does what you're wishing for.

@Eduardo, it sounds like Scott knows what he's talking about, so I've probably been informed incorrectly. Since the Crumar Mojo Desktop is currently out of stock over here, I cannot actually try it out myself. Therefore, it would be great if you can confirm that get this "selecting Mojo programs directly based on zone settings of your MODX performances" working successfully!

update: I was able to send a program change and change the sound on the Crumar following the instructions above.

Now, what I could not do was have a performance with multiple organ settings on the Crumar. It only changes the program in the Crumar when I "instantiate the performance", and the Crumar is not a "Multi-Timbral" instrument (I might be saying something completely wrong here...)

Curiosity: Is there a way to "Instantiate a Performance" by clicking an assignable button? I am able to click the +/- but it would be better if I could go "straight there" without touching the screen....

The reason is I am trying to emulate the Hammond Organ "Presets" - where I can be playing a sound and with the click of a key (button) I can access a completely different preset AND be able to come back to where I was in the first place...

I hope this made some sense. I will be happy to try to explain it better if needed.

Thanks to everybody for their help.

Eduardo

Greetings everybody,

So I have been using the external organ module through the A/D input in the MODX using zones (as I learned from you) and it is working great.
It is amazing, and I am moving in the right direction as far as playing the 2 parts "freely" as if there were "2 keyboard players"... of course I have a long way to go...
But now I am trying to accomplish a few more things, but I don't know if it is even possible or even how to do it.

Here is what I am trying to do:
1) Use a "second" external keyboard controller as a second manual of the organ. The idea would be anything I play in the controller would be assigned to Ch. 2 for example.
I tried using MIDI OUT from controller to MIDI IN Modx and using MIDI Through but then it seemed as the MIDI Through shut down the transmission from MODX to channel 1. Not exactly what hapened, but it did not work.
2) Is it possible to route the audio generated by Ch2 MIDI Messages (keyboard controller -not the MODX) to the Audio Left Output? And have the audio generated by Ch. 1 MIDI messages transmitted to the Audio Right Output?
The idea is behind it is that I would play Bass sounds through a bigger speaker and then play the Synth sounds and more trebly through a tube amp (I just like how it sounds plus I don't want to blow the speaker)

Another possibility would be that I could send separate feeds to the "House" and they could be mixed as necessary.
I hope that made sense. I apologize in advance if it didn't and also you in advance for sharing your knowledge.

Just for clarification: The Crumar is only physically connecting to the MODX.
The other controller is also only physically connecting to the MODX

Any ideas would be really helpful, and probably there is a much simpler way to accomplish what I need but I only know what i know 🙂

Have a great day.

Eduardo