MIDI is MIDI, same as it ever was. What do you mean by this question?

Although you can safely say, the MODX has more in common with MONTAGE than it does with the MOXF.

There are 8 Libraries.

A Library consists of:
640 Performances
256 User Arpeggios
256 User Motion Sequences
2048 Waveforms
2048 Live Set slots
8 User MicroTunings
32 User Curves
128 Audition Phrases

It is a cool Montage JR.
The 8 Lib's is Much easier than switching via Flash on the MOXF. Every time you want to change a lib.

Now Phil
comon....
There have been many, many Discussions about the Montage MIDI being 'pre-assigned'.
So It looks like It is going to be the same for the MODX. And after watching the MODX videos.
I sorta knew it was a Rhetorical question.:D
But I like to get things Clarified.

I sort of knew you knew it was a rhetorical question...

If you want to operate as you did, transmitting via a Sequencer to the Tone Generator, you can with an external Sequencer... using Single Part programs, one per. In that setup you accomplished layering by setting the Tone Generator Parts on the same Receive Channel. On the MONTAGE/MODX each Part occupies its own channel... because the keyboard can transmit on multiple channel. That’s what is different. If you wish to play multiple Parts -each Part will generate data for itself on the corresponding channel. This way when you play it back - it plays correctly.... drums to drums, piano to piano, bass to bass, etc.,
To accomplish this “layering” or stacking with MONTAGE or MODX, you simply duplicate your transmit data... if recording to a DAW - you can simply *copy* the track data and feed it to the Parts you desire... Because each Part occupies a Channel of its own. (That can be accomplished in most any DAW with a click, a drag and a drop... really).

We think people can hear that difference, or at least feel a difference that it can mean in the sonic results... particularly when controlling more than one Part where they are actively interacting with each other. A big part of what Motion Control brings to the table is the interaction via side chain modulation, and the various ways to morph instruments and control the performed result. Arpeggiators are or can be an integral part of the interaction; beyond being used for the traditional Note flourishes, they can be all manner of tempo driven modulation.

The MONTAGE and MODX, happen to be gateway products to a synth future that is all about breaking conventions; simultaneous control of multiple streams (each) with not only standard controllers, but their own independent messages designed for the type sound being manipulated on that Channel.

MIDI is confusing for many. (Same as it always was). Working around the fact that you can’t make multiple simultaneous stacks on various channels using Parts is the issue for some, but they if they just look at it from the other side the solution is easy enough.
Of course, being able to set the Receive Channel to accommodate a different workflow has been suggested (and I’m sure is under study), but it is not the only thing different about Motion Control. And in the meantime, if you need to work around this, the solution is think Transmit, not Receive.

Super disappointed to discover MODX simply duplicating the glaring MIDI problem with Montage. The inability to assign a MIDI receive channel per part means that you cannot effectively use either Montage or MODX as a master keyboard because you cannot program splits or layers for an external controller.

Well.....
I can hear a sonic difference between My MOXF and My Montage.
But at MP3. Does it matter?:p
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However
There is Room for both types of Keyboard.
But now that Roland is out of it. No Hope of Competition driving Continuing change to A product.

The MoxF Could have had a Upgrade. That would have Satisfied a lot of players. *See new Request to update the MOXF.
I have my MOXF for 3 reasons.
1. Montage Keybed spacing is too tight for me.
2. Karma (But that is now ????).
3. Moxf Keybed Spacing was/is correct.
Komplete Kontrol as Master Keyboard. And the Montage is 2nd/3rd. in the chain.(Unless I am using it on it's own.)
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Now. When playing. I hate Looking at computer Screens.
But After Using the "Komplete Kontrol MK 2" and the insanely good VSTi mapping. With Cubase. VSTi-s Like OmniSphere 2.5, Ect.....
I am Toying with or starting to lean Toward. DAW's and Controller. No more Keyboards. And Sell The ones I have.(I can not play out anymore).
But again
Any deep discussion of all this. Would then involve. All kinds of Things. Like forget workstations and just use a Controller and DAW.
There does not seem to be anything. I can not do With DAW's and VSTi instruments. Except Press a power on button. And play immediately.

*1 of the biggest hits on sales of Workstations.

Well.....
I can hear a sonic difference between My MOXF and My Montage.
But at MP3. Does it matter?:p

Well, yes, actually, it does matter. If you take a high resolution picture but it is placed in the local tabloid newspaper on that rough paper, it will translate better than a low resolution picture on that same paper. So yes, it does matter!

@Robert

Super disappointed to discover MODX simply duplicating the glaring MIDI problem with Montage. The inability to assign a MIDI receive channel per part means that you cannot effectively use either Montage or MODX as a master keyboard because you cannot program splits or layers for an external controller.

Either that’s a typo or you don’t understand this at all.

What does setting MIDI Receive Channels have to do with being a Master Keyboard?

MP3 = Tongue in Cheek ish.;) I wrestle with MP3 quality at least 1 time a week.(OZONE 8 ADV. Dither. Is my Friend).
I only wrestle. Because. It is a far cry. From what I expect music to sound like.
I really can not listen to MP3's. I grew up with Vinyl and a Good stereo system. CD's sort of ruined Listening for me.
MP3's Well they are just Shit fidelity wise. I only listen to vinyl. and at 96K to all my songs and friends songs. And Audio from my Instruments/DAW when playing. Pretty limiting.
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Jason thanks. I thought I was not saying it right: Assign 'Receive Midi Channels' is correct! (Which was my major MIDI complaint about Montage.).

Transmit are assignable. Receive are fixed.

As a controller there much flexibility. It's as a slave that some run into configuration limitations.

Jason thanks!

Midi is not confusing, the only thing that is confusing is the midiimplementation of the montage where you cannot assign midi per part freely. This is similar to the 90s synt alesis qs 6.1....

if yamaha cannot solve this issue over the three years that has passed since the release of Yamaha Montage, may I suggest introduction of a new midi mode to simplify life for us live keyboardists. In addition such a solution would also resolve most of the discussions around the Montage midi implementation which seems very sensitive and personal for some yamaha representatives.

So the suggestion is as follows:
Add a new midi mode(dual keyboard mode) where an external board controls midichannels 9-16 and the internal keys control channels 1-8. That way you can fly in with a montage 61/MODX6 and use whatever 88 the gig provides to control channels 9-16. THis way you would need to set two midichannels going into the Mondtage/MODX, one global and one for the additonal keyboard. Damn, you would save both money and CO2. A similar implementation exists in e.g. Nord stage 3, if you need creative inspiration on how to do this.

Humbly

Fredrik Zetterberg

So the suggestion is as follows:
Add a new midi mode(dual keyboard mode) where an external board controls midichannels 9-16 and the internal keys control channels 1-8. That way you can fly in with a montage 61/MODX6 and use whatever 88 the gig provides to control channels 9-16.

I'm pretty sure you can do this by using a MIDI Solutions Event Processor. I think that will let you take the MIDI events from Channel 1 (or whatever single channel your external controller is transmitting on), and send it out on channels 9 through 16 instead. Bring that little box to your fly-in (or use with whatever single-channel 88 controller you might like to use with you MODX/Montage), having set up your Performances so that you place on channels 9-16 whatever sounds you want triggered from your external board, and I think you're all set. Am I missing something, or could it really be this easy?

The Event Processor Plus should be able to handle this. There are other hardware devices that can also rechannel in a similar manner.

Or an iPad (or PC, linux, Mac OS) can rechannel using Camelot. Blake has a demo. It's more than just Yamaha focused - https://youtu.be/7Fd1U6O4k-Q

Or a PC/Mac/etc. with a DAW to do the same thing.

... and there are other ways.

There are varying degrees of comfort with respect to "what's OK" to add to a setup in order to make everything play nice. Although there are several solutions out there - some are still left wanting a "zero adder" solution.

For live performance (using your own second board or a backline-supplied board to trigger additional Montage/MODX sounds different from the ones you're playing on the Montage/MODX's own keys), the MIDI Solutions box looks like it solves the problem in a tiny box at a non-exorbitant price. Maybe Yamaha should just suggest that to the people who need that function, and there would be less hand-wringing on the topic. (I've seen a Casio rep suggest similar third-party devices to work around the lack of an expression pedal jack on some of their boards.)

As for the other possible ways around it you mention, of course a Mac or PC can do it, but I would understand that a lot of people wouldn't want to bring a valuable, somewhat fragile, somewhat stealable device to their gigs just to do this, nor deal with the complication of configuring it for this.

Using an iOS device makes a lot more sense, and would be an even cheaper solution than the MIDI Solutions box if you happen to already own the iPhone/iPad. Just add the Apple Camera Connection Kit, a basic MIDI-to-USB interface (which there's a good chance you also already own), and the cost of the app. I don't think Camelot is shipping yet? But other apps can do it. But for people without an iOS device (there are a lot of Android users out there!), the MIDI Solutions box would be cheaper than the cheapest iOS setup (i.e. built on an iPod Touch).

Another approach I saw mentioned was, well, just make sure your second board can function as a 4-zone controller. And sure, many of them do, even at reasonable cost and weight to nicely pair with a MODX (I'm pretty sure Kurzweil SP6 and Artis 7, Korg Kross and Krome, Casio XW-P1 and PX-5S, Roland DS and FA models, can all do this). But this is also not necessarily practical advice. For the backline situation, you can't always predict what you will get, nor would you necessarily have the knowledge of how to operate all these boards as 4-zone controllers, nor the pre-gig time to set them up to do what you need. If you're buying for yourself, that could make these better choices than some others, but not everyone is going to want to purchase a new board just to do this, if they have some other board that's working for them just fine. Moreover, there are some very desirable other boards that people may like for their own unique sounds/features/ergonomics and they may want to use those boards in conjunction with their Yamaha. Replacing a Nord Stage 3 or a Korg SV1 or a Crumar Mojo in your rig with one of the boards I mentioned just to get 4-zone capability makes no sense if you'd be losing the stuff you really like from those boards.

But yeah, it seems like, fo live performers, a MIDI Solutions box or your iPhone or whatever can solve this very well. And for studio use, you can get you PC/Mac to do whatever you need. So is this issue really overblown?