I can get midi data to record and register in montage connect on playback but no sound....

To make a long story short, Ableton is the problem. It does not record Sysex data. I have not as of yet purchased a montage but my best guess is some of the controller info sent out of montage may be generated in sysex. For instance, switching scenes or tone adjustments and other parameter adjustments. I do not know all the specifics but I'm willing to bet this is the problem you are encountering. Unfortunately this is one of Ableton Lives drawbacks..

Does logic pro do this? Or bitwig studio 2?

Yes logic does this very well. It will record all sysex information as well as program changes etc. Don't get me wrong, you can use Ableton but with a couple of workarounds and using a little bit more audio.

You mentioned that you can record the midi data but you're not getting any sound? It sounds like you do not have your set up configured properly.

Gary wrote:

Ok so i just bit the bullet and bought the montage. I was hoping i could connect it to my DAW and use the sounds off it and automate them in the DAW using the montage connect software.

Can someone tell me if this is possible? I cannot seem to get it to do this.

So my workflow would be -

Write something on the montage switching between sounds arps etc

then record in my DAW using MIDI

Be able to adjust the arps LFOs - any parameter of the sound / performance using automation in the DAW by assigning MIDI CC to the LFO/filter/ etc etc

Essentially using the montage as my studio controller also for other soft synths.

I use ableton - and am having trouble doing this. Also when i do record on the montage the quantize is not great.. it seems alot of work - am i doing something wrong?

If I were to evaluate your experience, it would be not so much you are doing something wrong, as you are doing what you know to do with any hardware synth and your DAW, without considering what maybe new and very different about Montage.

We'll consider this part of the Montage learning curve.

If you want to work in a scheme similar to what you describe you certainly can. And this may, indeed, be the 'best place' to start (particularly if your in a hurry to get under way). Later you can back track, and learn about the best ways to document to your DAW what is new and different about the Montage.

Begin by starting with an Initialized MULTI setup. This will place a "placeholder" Instrument in each of the 16 Parts, one per channel. And set you up to begin recording in Sequence fashion - one-after-the-other to your DAW.

From the Performance Home screen:
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH]
Select the "INIT" > "Multi/GM" setup

Hold [SHIFT] + [UTILITY] to take the shortcut to the Quick Setup screen
Touch "MIDI Rec on DAW"
This makes all of the settings for Montage to slave to your DAW, turns Locsl Control Off, etc, ready to record MIDI to your favorite DAW.

Press [EXIT] to return to your Performance.
You can select a Part using the [PART SELECT ] buttons
Then use [SHIFT] + [CATEGORY SEARCH] to view selectable Parts for each slot in turn, 1-16

Thank you bad Mister - I think you are right its about learning the NEW with the montage.. I was using the quick setup options but will try the shift + utility Multi option later. I am sure it will all come true - this thing is a beast!

Is there a more detailed manual? For example just trying to use the onboard recording to lay down ideas is proving difficult as i cannot seem to find out how to delete a track in a song? ( i can see you can undo a recording ) but to simply delete a track i cant do and as for choosing a new part or sound for the next track i add another sound but the previous sound is still playing as if i am building a layered sound rather than creating a new track with a new instrument?

I hav read the manual but the recording section is so brief - no instructions on how to delete a track, add a new sound, stop a previous sound sounding etc.. i read that you cannot delete a track with montage recording -

What DAW are you using?

If you are now talking about the internal PERFORMANCE RECORDER... let us know. You started out talking about how to record to your DAW - we are now confused.
The PERFORMANCE RECORDER will record the entire Performance - one Track for each PART in your PERFORMANCE. To "delete" a track you would edit the PERFORMANCE... to remove the PART. Not sure if you are understanding the role of the PERFORMANCE RECORDER versus a MIDI Sequencer. There is quite a difference.

Sorry Bad Mister i went off topic - I am using Ableton as my DAW - the other question was just a quick one about the internal recorder and if there was a manual i couldn't locate. apologies

And that explains it.... its not a sequencer on board - so i can layer parts within a performance and record that to get ideas down...

I will be using the DAW much more i think.

I also looked at using the montage as the audio device but think i would rather keep my existing Motu 828 and use the montage as a hardware synth with MIDI / Sysex

You may have briefly looked at audio device setup for Montage but it is highly unlikely that you have any idea how useful it really is - that can only come through actually using/trying it. It is not an either/or situation between your MOTU 828 and using the Montage as your audio device. This point is often very misunderstood in the marketplace. Using one does not preclude you using the other. Not at all.

Most people have the misconception that everything has to be connected at once. Not true. Just as not all the musicians record at the same time, you reconfigure your setup for the current task.

In any computer-based audio recording system reconfiguring your setup is something you do based on the task at hand. In many instances I record my basic music tracks using Montage long before any vocals or acoustic instruments are overdubbed. I often workout very detailed basic tracks using the full 32-bus routing capability of the Montage setup.... Including separate drum tracks from within a single DrumKit Part.

Later I may use an entirely different audio device to record overdubs (guitars, vocals, backing vocals, percussion, etc). I use the best available tool for the task at hand. For creating and composing my music tracks I don't want to restrict myself to stereo output only... I've hot 32-bus capability, I'm going to use it. When I really appreciate this is, later, when all the various overdubs are done, I've hot individually Track stems of my original music tracks... which I can now tweak, fix, replace or use as they are.

Using multiple audio devices with Cubasebis a breeze as you can "hot swap" audio interfaces mid session - you don't even have to shut down or reboot anything. It's designed for multiple audio device use.

I'm a big believer in using the best tool for the job, over the shortest or easiest route to the goal. Most times I find it very rewarding.

Thank you for that insight Bad Mister - you are correct - I just never looked at it that way. Re-configuring my setup for each task could be the way to go.

BM's way of looking at this is probably the most productive and I might say obvious, though I've never looked at it this way myself. I am guilty of trying to find one optimal set up, this way I don't have to change ins, outs and routings. I must admit this certainly does open up more doors…

I've watched the computer try to replace a recording studio. It is asked to do many things, often too many things simultaneously. I refuse to let it be my instrument too. I play keyboards not a computer! I guess that's been the root of my thinking. I recognize that when recording original data (all inputs go to the computer), when mixing down data (all channels playing back) and when overdubbing (computer is both taking Input and simultaneously playing back) are three different tasks.

As an old school recording engineer, you would reconfigure your studio for these three very different tasks. No biggie, learn those setups so they are second nature. It's why I try to steer people away from pre programmed templates until you understand what they are attempting to accomplish. If you learn the basic three setups and are comfortable with them, the variations on them become much simpler to do, and your confidence grows.

But as long as you look at SETUP as a chore, you'll be stuck limiting your possibilities! Once you are comfortable reconfiguring, nothing is a big challenge. Best tool for the job... let that be your motto.