- when "Performance Control" & "Part Select" are lit, the knobs will transmit their assigned values, but the faders are sending SysEx instead of volume.

When addressing itself the Montage naturally "speaks" it's own direct language. Messages like cc007 would be useless as Part volume when you are controlling multiple Parts simultaneously because cc007 forces all receiving devices to the same value. So, yes, the faders send Sysex when addressing multiple Parts under control of the Montage keyboard. This, is not optimum for your goal, but is this way for good reason.

When you designate a Montage slot as a Master Keyboard Zone, then it can send OUT cc007 on the MIDI channel as set for that Zone.
This can be activated, and the FC1 sending Expression deactivated separately.

- when the "COMMON" button (just below "Live Set") is lit, then the faders will send CC7, but then the knobs send SysEx instead of their assigned CC's.

When you are on the HOME screen, and/or when the upper [COMMON] is lit, you are subject to the rules as they apply to best controlling the internal Montage engine, quite naturally. Only when you activate the Zone function can you make meaningful settings for external setups. It is wise to use separate slots of internal and external Zones.

Here's the other problem: if I want all 8 faders to send CC7 on their respective channels, then I have to enable "VOL/EXP" for each zone. When I do that, the expression pedal then transmits CC11 on all channels at the same time. Ugh - MIDI bandwidth clog! I just want the exp. pedal to send CC11 on channel 1, not all 8 at once!

That does not sound right. You should be able to unmark FC1 to prevent a slot from transmitting cc11, independent of the VOL/EXP setting. This way the Faders will still send on each channel, but the Part can ignore the FC1 pedal independent of Fader.

We are talking about OUT via MIDI, correct? Try this, Shown below, I'm using Part 3 (slot3) to address an external device, the Fader still controls the external device but the FC 1 sending Expression is set of Off.

Thanks Phil. Still learning my way around this beast obviously, and I figured out what was causing the duplicate messages across 8 MIDI channels: the "Kbd Ctrl" icon was lit for channels 1-8. Once I turned those off, I'm just transmitting on channel 1 (assuming I've got part 1 selected). I can see this coming in handy for more complicated keyboard rigs 😉

So, just 2 other questions if I may. The knobs are all sending my custom assignments, but their LED rings aren't following. Is there a way to have them follow so I can see visually where they're at? I'm on the HOME screen, with Part 1 selected.

Also, faders 2-7 LED ladders *are* following the physical faders, but fader 1 is not. Having those follow would be handy on a dark stage. Thoughts?

Many thanks for your generous help on this forum!

Jim

If you sweep the values from min to max then back to the final setting - the fader 1 should "catch" or "hook" the LED position. This is common for Yamaha implementation - there are other threads that mention it. First hit I get on "hook" shows BM's response:

https://yamahasynth.com/forum/fc7-controller-assigned-to-superknob-intermittant-issue-when-switching-between-sounds#reply-12763

Not sure if the knobs are following the same behavior because there's a possibility also that the knobs are not in the mode to display the parameters you are interested in seeing the values of (Common Assignable Knobs, Part 1 Assignable Knobs, Part # Assignable Knob [some other part number], Fixed tone/eq/arp setting, or maybe multi = pan or variation or reverb).

What I'm getting at is that the assignable knobs have many different modes.

Take a look at the [ASSIGN] button which is to the right of the knobs - is it lit?
What about the [MULTI] button to the left of the knobs - lit? If so, the green LEDs above the [MULTI] tell you what the knobs are indicating.
What about the [TONE] or [EQ/FX] or [ARP/MS] buttons - lit? This would tell you what fixed value in the matrix to the right of the lit button is associated with the knob.

If the [ASSIGN] button is lit, and you have a part selected - maybe your faders are in Element/Operator mode (for part 1 since you mentioned selecting part 1). Therefore, your knobs will be representing Part 1 Assignable Knobs.

Since these knobs can mean so many things - just making sure there's an understanding of what they are set to when you are looking for changes.

Also keep in mind that if the faders must represent one thing - there are some cases where you cannot "decouple" the choices you get for the knob assignments. For example: I have not been able to find where you can simultaneously set the faders to Element/Operator mode while have the knobs show/modify Common Assignable Knob values. Setting the knobs to Common Assignable Knobs seems to force faders to a part-level (not element level) association.

So, just 2 other questions if I may. The knobs are all sending my custom assignments, but their LED rings aren't following. Is there a way to have them follow so I can see visually where they're at? I'm on the HOME screen, with Part 1 selected.

The red LED values are not what is bring sent as much as they reflect the current internal parameter setting. When they move you are controlling an internal value.

Also, faders 2-7 LED ladders *are* following the physical faders, but fader 1 is not. Having those follow would be handy on a dark stage. Thoughts?

I believe the red LEDs always reflect the current internal parameter value for Part Volume or for Element/Operator Level. Even if the Knobs or Faders are controlling external functions, the red LEDs reflect the internal parameter values.

You could mirror what is sent Out via MIDI, internally.
If the Faders and Assignable Knobs are not set to control internal values, then they are reflecting separate things from what is sent OUT..

When you are changing the volume of an external device with a Fader and the red LED is not moving, that red indicator is reflecting the current internal Part's PART VOLUME setting. To get the red LEDs to indicate what value is bring transmitted to your external device, you need to have it send the same value internally.

Set the INT SWITCH = ON additionally for this Zone, but to defeat it from sounding set the Internal Part's PART OUTPUT = OFF.
This way the parameter can change without audibly playing the corresponding internal Part.

That'll do it.

When you are changing the volume of an external device with a Fader and the red LED is not moving...Set the INT SWITCH = ON additionally for this Zone, but to defeat it from sounding set the Internal Part's PART OUTPUT = OFF.
This way the parameter can change without audibly playing the corresponding internal Part.

Ah... bingo! Thank you so much! After much wrestling, I finally have my Montage doing exactly what I want. I tell ya, I'm a longtime synth junkie and rarely need to consult a manual (even learned how to program a DX7 back in the day!), but Montage is DEEP! 😮

So, for anyone interested, I'd be happy to share my Logic environment for allowing Montage to fully control a B3 plugin. I'm using the faders remapped to drawbars, the Superknob to the 9th drawbar, mod wheel to Leslie speed, and one of the knobs to channel volume. The other knobs control distortion or whatever else you'd want.

Thanks guys for the help - very much appreciated! I can now make Montage the centerpiece for my touring rig 😉

Cheers,

Jim

Excellent!