Let's go over a checklist of items. If you can follow along that would be great.

On your Montage:
Press [UTILITY]
Touch "Settings" > "Quick Setup"
Touch the "MIDI Rec on DAW"
This makes all the critical settings for MIDI communication with your computer. It turns "Local Control" to Off which disconnects the Montage keyboard from the Montage tone generator. Meaning we must complete this routing circuit *through* a Cubase MIDI track.

Let's double check your other Montage Utility settings
Touch "Settings" > "MIDI I/O"
Verify that MIDI In/Out = USB (green)
The very top line of your screen should have keyboard with a cancel line through it (indicating Local Control is Off) and next to it a USB symbol.

Touch "Settings" > "Advanced"
Make sure your MIDI I/O mode = Multi (green)
This allows the Montage to transmit and receive on multiple MIDI channels

Press [PERFORMANCE (Home)]
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH]
Touch "Init"
Select "Multi/GM"
Press [ENTER]
This sets you up to use the Montage as a sixteen Part multi-timbral tone engine.

With the Montage powered On and ready to go launch Cubase.
Cubase should detect the Montage connected to the computer.
You should be asked if you wish to use the Montage driver (Yamaha Steinberg USB driver) as your interface.
If not, don't worry, we'll tell you how to make/verify the Cubase settings.

Once it launches - setup an EMPTY Project.
Go to DEVICES > DEVICE SETUP > MIDI PORT SETUP
Make sure you see the Montage Ports marked in the "In All MIDI Inputs" column. Three Montage Ports should appear.
Montage Port 1 - is for music data: note-ons, controllers, tempo
Montage Port 2 - is not used
Montage Port 3 - represents the 5-pin MIDI IN/OUT jacks on the Montage back panel which can be used to interface one external device

Find the VST AUDO SYSTEM item
Make sure the ASIO Driver = YAMAHA STEINBERG USB

Click Apply and OK

Go to the main Cubase Track view screen
Go to PROJECT > ADD TRACK > MIDI TRACK
The MIDI IN will read "All MIDI Inputs"
The MIDI OUT should be set to "Montage 1" (port 1)

Because we have selected the "Multi/GM" Performance template, you are using one Part, on one MIDI channel, so starting with channel 1 you can record data for Part, create a second MIDI Track for channel 2. Place a new Part in Part 2, and so on.
You can select a sound for each Part by touching the Part Name box to call in the pop-in "Search" function, or by pressing the [SHIFT] + [CATEGORY SEARCH] to see the Part Category Search option.

Let's see if this gets you started in the right direction.

Hi BM,

I can confirm that I followed your instructions as per below. p,s apologies as the web page has removed all of my formatting

On your Montage:
Press [UTILITY] DID THIS
Touch "Settings" > "Quick Setup" DID THIS
Touch the "MIDI Rec on DAW" DID THIS
This makes all the critical settings for MIDI communication with your computer. It turns "Local Control" to Off which disconnects the Montage keyboard from the Montage tone generator. Meaning we must complete this routing circuit *through* a Cubase MIDI track. OK

Let's double check your other Montage Utility settings
Touch "Settings" > "MIDI I/O" DID THIS
Verify that MIDI In/Out = USB (green) YES
The very top line of your screen should have keyboard with a cancel line through it (indicating Local Control is Off) and next to it a USB symbol. YES

Touch "Settings" > "Advanced" DID THIS
Make sure your MIDI I/O mode = Multi (green) DID THIS
This allows the Montage to transmit and receive on multiple MIDI channels OK

Press [PERFORMANCE (Home)] DID THIS
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH] DID THIS
Touch "Init" DID THIS
Select "Multi/GM" DID THIS
Press [ENTER] DID THIS
This sets you up to use the Montage as a sixteen Part multi-timbral tone engine. Yes – but all 8 parts have Piano Acoustic assigned

With the Montage powered On and ready to go launch Cubase. DID THIS
Cubase should detect the Montage connected to the computer. YES
You should be asked if you wish to use the Montage driver (Yamaha Steinberg USB driver) as your interface.
If not, don't worry, we'll tell you how to make/verify the Cubase settings. Cubase did not make me verify the settings

Once it launches - setup an EMPTY Project.- DID THIS
Go to DEVICES > DEVICE SETUP > MIDI PORT SETUP DID THIS
Make sure you see the Montage Ports marked in the "In All MIDI Inputs" column. Three Montage Ports should appear. They appeared as below
Montage Port 1 - is for music data: note-ons, controllers, tempo
Montage Port 2 - is not used
Montage Port 3 - represents the 5-pin MIDI IN/OUT jacks on the Montage back panel which can be used to interface one external device

Find the VST AUDO SYSTEM item DID THIS
Make sure the ASIO Driver = YAMAHA STEINBERG USB DID THIS
I can confirm the bottom result as bottom as my configuration display – however in MIDI out mine is set to ‘Montage-1’
Go to the main Cubase Track view screen DID THIS
Go to PROJECT > ADD TRACK > MIDI TRACK DID THIS
The MIDI IN will read "All MIDI Inputs" YES
The MIDI OUT should be set to "Montage 1" (port 1) ‘Montage-1’

At the juncture below all of the 8 parts have Piano Acoustic preloaded. They are not empty.
"Multi/GM" Performance template, you are using one Part, on one MIDI channel, so starting with channel 1 you can record data for Part, create a second MIDI Track for channel 2. Place a new Part in Part 2, and so on.

I am still having the MIDI issues where by:

The piano keys while using Chord Pad are not responding to velocity information properly. To confirm in addition to above I have set the Montage midi channel to ‘ANY’ in Cubase Inspector and also 1. When I use Cubase ‘Chord Pad’ (triggers whole chords from a single key) I am only able to trigger the chords when I press the piano key softly. If I push the key assigned to the chord pad with hard velocity only the single note of the respective key plays for example if the trigger for the chord is a ‘C’ then only the C will be heard.

I did not have the above problems before the firmware update.

Have you come across this issue before ?

The piano keys while using Chord Pad are not responding to velocity information properly. To confirm in addition to above I have set the Montage midi channel to ‘ANY’ in Cubase Inspector and also 1. When I use Cubase ‘Chord Pad’ (triggers whole chords from a single key) I am only able to trigger the chords when I press the piano key softly. If I push the key assigned to the chord pad with hard velocity only the single note of the respective key plays for example if the trigger for the chord is a ‘C’ then only the C will be heard.

Before we go here, are you able to record and playback MIDI? I purposefully did not go to this Chord Pad function because until you have MIDI routing successfully setup, we can't move forward. Try to stay with me, please.

Seems everything is working. Follow up by letting us know if you can record and playback, normally. Thanks.

Apologies BM, yes I can record and playback normally (all midi velocities etc) . Chord Pad is switched off and out of the equation.

Okay, forgive me but I have to take things in the order I do because otherwise we find out weeks later that we missed some basic setup item.

The other thing in your original post I can help you with is the following:

Also Montage Connect (MC) does not work for me within Cubase. I fire it up and it displays the performance name but I can get no sounds when I press a Key (Might not have it set up correctly). Cubase is showing that MIDI is being sent from the Montage. To be honest I am not so bothered with MC not working for me as yet but thought I’d include that information in case it is suggestive of something in my set up.

To launch Montage Connect.

Go to DEVICES > VST Instruments
Select "Track Instrument"
Replace "No VST Instrument" with "Montage Connect"
Click ADD TRACK

A heading item will be created in the inspector and the Montage Connect interface should open. (This not a track, just a banner which will allow you to show and hide the "Montage Connect" interface.

If you are properly connected via USB, the Montage Connect should come "ONLINE"

There is no audio component with the Montage Connect. You complete the MIDI circuit when you have a MIDI Track active (selected) - it is that MIDI Track that determine if and what sounds from your Montage. You will create a new Track for each Part you want to communicate with, 1-16.

Because Local Control is Off, remember hearing the Montage requires an active MIDI Track.
Using the functions of the Montage Connect are fairly straight forward;
you can capture your current setup by clicking the "Computer << Keyboard" which allows what's on the Keyboard to show up on the computer.

The capture is time stamped and an * asterisk appears when a change has not yet been saved.
When you SAVE the Cubase Project, the data in Montage Connect will automatically be saved with the Project. If Auto Sync is set On, when you next open the Poject, the Performance will automatically be bilked to your Montage's edit buffer (even if the the Performance is not in your Montage's USER Bank.

Let us know.

Hi BM,

I followed your instructions as per above and have Montage Connect working with Cubase as you described. I created a Multi-timbral pattern, saved it and then opened it up again with no problems.

I think I'm ready for the next stage 🙂

Thanks

Cubase "Chord Pad" is a MIDI PLUG-in - if you are using a MULTI PART Performance make sure the Channel on the track is set to "ANY." This will allow all the channels you are transmitting on to echo back out on the channel they came in on.

Hi BM, I initialized the patch with 'Init Normal (AWM2)' and set Channel to 'ANY' just to keep things simple and unfortunately the synth is displaying the same behavior as per below.

'The piano keys while using Chord Pad are not responding to velocity information properly. To confirm in addition to above I have set the Montage midi channel to ‘ANY’ in Cubase Inspector and also 1. When I use Cubase ‘Chord Pad’ (triggers whole chords from a single key) I am only able to trigger the chords when I press the piano key softly. If I push the key assigned to the chord pad with hard velocity only the single note of the respective key plays for example if the trigger for the chord is a ‘C’ then only the C will be heard'

Can I ask if I initialize the patch would that also initialize any previous editing I had done last time I did some design (about 2 or 3 weeks ago) ?

Not sure what to do next.

Appreciate the help and advice

Everything works - it sounds like you are having issue with the "Chord Pad" plug-in. I tried it for the first time, works fine.
Did you know the INIT Normal AWM2 does not respond to velocity. So that is no mystery, try choosing a sound that responds to velocity when you play it on Montage. That will ensure that it responds that way through Midi, as well. Start with "CFX + FM EP"

What range of keys are you using to trigger the chords?

Thanks BM,

Everything is not working!

So I have initialized the patch with Init Normal (AWM2) and added Chord pad to the Montage Midi track and set its channel to 'ANY'.

As expected it is not velocity sensitive and the chords play as expected. I removed the Montage midi channel.

I loaded up a VST instance of Kontakt Alicia Keys Piano which set automatically to channel '1'. I then assigned Chord Pads to the Kontakt channel. The VST performed perfectly normally in regards to velocity sensitivity, recording and play back. I then removed the VST.

I initialized the Montage patch again using Init Normal (AWM2), created a new Midi channel called it 'Montage' and set the channel to 'ANY'.

I then loaded the performance 'S700 for Montage'. The keys are velocity sensitive across all of the octaves.

I then load up Chord Pads on the Montage midi channel.

When I press a key within the chord pad range 'C1 to C2' the individual note plays ONLY (NO CHORD) however it is velocity sensitive.

I then go to try and press 2 notes on the Chord pad simultaneously because LESS than 20 seconds ago I was able to trigger a chord doing that and now none of the Keys are producing a sound. The Cubase inspector is showing that no MIDI is being sent.

I remove the Montage Midi channel and then load up Montage Control which displays the 'Online' message.

I create another Montage Midi channel , initialized the patch as per previously and try to play a note however there is no sound and the Cubase inspector is still not showing any Midi activity when I press any key.

These problems have arisen since I updated the firmware. I cannot use the Montages internal sounds as previously with Chord Pad and the Midi data is not working as expected.

Any more advice

Thanks

Sorry, I was one the road last week when you posted the question, I will have to take a look at this. I have never used the CHORD PAD feature, so I will need to learn about it, then look into this. Nothing in the update concerned the reception of MIDI data or velocity so this is unlikely, but I've learned long ago, never say never.

I'll take a look at this, this week, thank you for your patience.

Thanks BM, its all good so hit me when you have the time. Running this website and providing the support that you do means guys like me don't mind waiting 🙂

p.s I saw on another thread about headphone sockets and that you mentioned initialization via 'system' and so I went ahead and selected 'Initialize all Data' etc.

I then loaded up Montage Connect which displayed the the 'online' message.

I then loaded up a Montage Midi channel and initialized to 'Init Normal (AWM2)'

Then added a Montague Midi channel set to 'ANY'

The notes played as expected and could be recorded as Midi for playback.

I then loaded performance 'CFX =+ FM EP' and it played as expected and was velocity sensitive.

I played chords manually and they worked as expected. I was also able to record the chords and play them back as captured.

I then added Chord pad and almost immediately I could hear a prominent lead note in the Chord I was playing. It was louder and stuck out.

I then recorded the chords from chord pad as I played. Only the highest note of the chord played back properly. There seems to be some lower notes playing but they are very very quiet and slightly delayed. I have not added any effects and can see the chord midi data in the midi editor has been recorded (4 notes per chord).

In the midi editor and the chord velocities are at very exaggerated volume levels (41,60, 28 etc) considering I tried to play them at uniform velocities.

I then try and use the eraser tool to delete some of the midi notes however the behavior is not as expected - In order to delete a note in midi editor I need to click and press the eraser icon over the midi note 4 times!! There should have only been one instance of midi data recorded and so this is unexpected.

Thanks for your help.

Your performance must have been a multi part one (guessing 4 part). This was covered elsewhere. Maybe the cubase tutorial. If you want to edit MIDI, montage advanced (UTILITY) and set MIDI I/O to single and pick a channel (1 perhaps). Rerecord the same thing and see if multiple note experience goes away.

Agreed. It's a MIDI plugin which is probably looking for a single MIDI channel coming in. If you wish to use this plugin with Montage you have two choices:
_ Use a Single Part as the input Part
_ If you want to use a Multi Part Performance, set the MIDI I/O mode to Single in [UTILITY] > "Settings" > "Advanced"

When you recall "CFX + FM EP" you are transmitting on 5 MIDI channel (4 from the acoustic piano, 1 from the electric piano). This plugin is likely looking for a single channel input, so Montage in Multi MIDI I/O mode presents it with a challenge. There maybe other creative ways to deal with this (particularly if you are using Cubase Pro, which has the ability to transform incoming data).

As I mentioned, I've rarely explored these types of plugins, but I recognize they have many uses. I suggest you start out by setting up with a Single Part sound, get it to work. Then if what you need to do requires a Multi Part Performance, try setting the MIDI I/O to Single and select a single channel on which to Send in and out of this plugin.

I'll see if we can get some more details on possible workflows. This should get you started...

Also please make sure you have the latest build version of Cubase (the last update had something to do with issues in Chord Pad)! Let us know what you discover. Remember the Montage, different from the previous series, can routinely transmit on multiple MIDI channels, simultaneously.