...and it's responsible for something happening here. Lots of research, trying things, 6 hours of a Sunday afternoon wasted, etc...
I'm using a PC, Cubase Pro 8. Multiple outboard synths. Trying to use my Montage as the main controller. I have Steinberg Midex8 units as midi devices which work flawlessly in the Win7-32 environment. Montage is going into Port 1 of a Midex unit, not using the USB port on the Montage.
Have everything setup in Cubase as it should be. I have ONE midi track in a project with the receiving instrument (FS1R) on midi channel 1. The FS1R hardware unit is setup on the unit to receive on Channel 1 only. For the Montage, Local Off. It's ending on the midi port as it should on multiple midi channels depending on which Performance is selected.
When I use the Montage on ANY multi-part patch (say, CFX + FM EP), I get the usual weird, hollow sound our of the FS1R indicating there's a midi loop going on when stuff isn't setup right.
If I turn off one, ANY one of the Kbd Ctrl green icons on the Performance page of the Montage, the sound on the FS1R clears up and it sounds like it should with one midi send. It doesn't matter which one, as long as one is turned off. Midi-Ox shown only one midi channel one send, but obviously there's a loop or double midi send happening.
Obviously I'm lost here, frustrated to the max. It's like trying to get Studio Manager to work consistently 10 years ago; about lost my mind.
Set the MIDI I/O mode = Single.
Press [UTILITY]
Touch "Settings" > "Advanced" > set MIDI I/O = Single and select a single MIDI Channel to transmit on, 1-16.
This would be sufficient for LOCAL OFF, and wanting to ensure you are transmitting on a single channel only.
Extra Credit
Your other option is to use the "Zone Master" function, instead of transmitting via a Performance like "CFX + FM EP" on multiple channels (?). Why? The Master Keyboard feature is to be used when you need to use the Montage as a controller keyboard in a big configuration, or when you need to Control both internal and external devices simultaneously from the Montage .
Transmitting on multiple channels should only be used when you actually have a requirement to do so (for example, recording a Performance that requires separate MIDI Channels to a DAW - as when recording your direct playing and the output of multiple arpeggiators, simultaneously). In such a case, you want to keep drum arp phrases separate from the bass arp, and guitar arp data, etc. by channel.
The Master Keyboard Zone functions override any other Midi out assignment.
I would not recommend just connecting Montage to an external device without recognizing its transmit capabilities.