The Live Set is like a table of contents (or index). It doesn't store Performances - it just indexes ("points to" ) them. The Live Set allows for you to place Performances in any order that suits you, apply colors that may mean something to you, and apply volume offsets that may help. It also allows for a short descriptor I sometimes use as performance notes (like which scene does what).

By the way - a "Live Set" exists inside the User bank. And Live Set(s) exist inside the Library(ies). So Live Set, if you're looking at the User Bank pages of Live Set, is part of the User Bank.

The User Bank is where your custom Performances are stored. It's the only place you can actively make changes to Performances in-place. So as you are still "fiddling" with a Performance - you would definitely want it to reside in your User Bank so you can continue to make adjustments. This includes the ability to make adjustments to the (User Bank) Live Set.

The Library Banks are slots where you can store Performances on a more permanent basis. You cannot alter the contents of a Library. You can only delete the Library in its entirety.

You can create your own Library file by saving your User Bank as a Library File (if you want). I tend to keep everything of my own creation in the User Bank which allows for me to continue making changes to "improve" the Performances at will.

Wow, ok so... it may be smarter to save my created performances (that I currently store in Live Sets) to the User Bank? If so how do I store it to user bank?
If I'm following this correctly, it would be smarter to store my "songs ie: performances I make up" into the user bank. Probably quicker to pull up which one I want at a gig?
I'm really sorry for all the questions, I feel like I should be paying for the instructions! LOL
John

If you're making anything up - I'm not sure how that data would not, by nature, already be [STORE]'d inside the User Bank.

The only way your Live Set would not "point to" User Bank Performances is if you use Presets as-is without any modification whatsoever. Which is valid - if a Preset does everything you want already then there wouldn't be a need to create your own User Performance.

No need to apologize for questions on a platform that only thrives with questions to answer.

Wow, ok so... it may be smarter to save my created performances (that I currently store in Live Sets) to the User Bank? If so how do I store it to user bank?

If you're storing sounds, you're already storing them in the user bank, there's no other option.

You can't store your created Performances in Live Sets, per se. As Jason said, a Live Set "doesn't store Performances - it just indexes ('points to' ) them." Live Set entries are like Mac aliases or Windows shortcuts... they point to data (in this case, Performances) that actually exist somewhere else (in this case, in your User Bank, if they are sounds that you stored). This info from the manual may help:

I think I understand. Problem is I might NOT be "creating a performance". When I want to "create" a performance, I hit the category button, then touch "INT": which brings me back to the other screen that shows the performance "Int Performance". Then I tough the screen and touch the category screen tab and then pick what I want for a sound. Then I hit performance which brings me back to the previous screen, where I and add more parts etc. Then when things are as I want them, I change the name to the name of the song I'm trying to emulate, hit store, then hit Shift + Live set and I store it there. Does this sound right? and if so I wonder why my "User Bank" is empty?

Category Search reference: https://yamahasynth.com/learn/modx/mastering-modx-category-search

I tried to edit for clarity ... I'm not sure what the "INT" button is, but picked the closest matching.

I hit the [CATEGORY SEARCH] button,
then touch "Init" (Main category) touchscreen button,
which brings me to a screen that shows the performance "Init Normal (AWM2)" among others.
Then I touch the screen -- I'm guessing you mean you touch "Init Normal (AWM2)" to select the Initialized Performance
and touch the category screen tab -- I'm guessing you mean you touch the 1st Part which is in vertical rectangle with the number "1" indicating Part 1 and a popup shows up and then you press "Category Search" from that popup
and then pick what I want for a sound. -- You're looking inside Category Search for Performances that match the "sound" you want
Then I hit performance which brings me back to the previous screen, -- you select one of the Performances to replace Part 1 and this brings you back HOME
where I and add more parts etc. -- You see open slots with [+] and press that to select different "sounds" for Parts 2 and above
Then when things are as I want them, I change the name to the name of the song I'm trying to emulate, -- Good, because it would be confusing not to
Press the [STORE] Button

Ok - here, you pressed [STORE] this is a button that saves the current edit buffer (the changes you've been doing above) into the User Bank. [STORE], assuming you do not abort (EXIT) the process - will always store to the User Bank. Always.
And it is this moment where your user bank cannot be empty - unless you have been aborting this operation before committing the STORE

then hit [SHIFT] + [LIVE SET] and I index (point to) the User Bank Performance there.

Lets try to find your User Performances ....

1) Press [PERFORMANCE] (HOME) (physical button) - this is just to take you out of any screen and get you to a "reset" position
2) Press [CATEGORY SEARCH] (physical button) - this will allow for searching for Performances in any bank
3) Touchscreen (TS): Touch "Bank/Favorite" and set this to "User"
4) TS: If not "All", Touch "Attribute" and make sure this is "All"
5) TS: If empty, Touch the "X" under the hourglass to clear out a previous search term. We don't want any search terms to filter Performances
6) TS: Under "Main" (Category) - Touch "All" to select the Main Category as All instead of filtering on any main category
7) TS: Under "Sub" (Category) - Touch "All" to select the Sub Category as All instead of filtering on any sub-category.

The list of Performances (and there may be multiple pages depending on how many you have) represent your User Performances you [STORE]'d

Oh my God! There they are. Thank you so much for helping me on this. It really has been driving me crazy. Now I can just toggle thru them to get to the song we are going to play, instead of going to the live set.
Thanks again!!!

I find it easier to use Live Set myself. Because I default my keyboard to show the Live Set initially. All of the Performances I use on a gig are within a few pages reach and right there in front. I don't have to menu into anything through the entire gig.

Still, it's good to learn how to use the [CATEGORY SEARCH] properly no matter what you ultimately decide. All of these features are there to pick and choose your preferred workflow. No one way is best.

Awesome!! I was hoping the User bank would file alphabetically, but.... can't have everything I guess!! I am still using the "live set" at gigs. The "swap" function is very helpful as I add new tunes to the Live Set pages, I continually swap them into alphabetical order on each page. Nice ModX probably the best synth I've ever purchased!

Thanks again for all your help!

There's a sort feature by "Name" (look at the bottom) which is forward or reverse alphabetical. Did you look at the link I provided?

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/modx/mastering-modx-category-search

It should elaborate on this and more.