Hello, 

A .Y7L is an original MONTAGE extension, so files featuring .Y7L, .Y7U and .Y7A will all load fine, but E.S.P. cannot save a file with that extension. It can only save MONTAGE M file formats:

• Library file (.Y2L)
• User file (.Y2U)
• Backup file (.Y2A)

You cannot load MONTAGE M files into an original MONTAGE: Only the other way around.

Here's an edit ...

An .X7L is an original MONTAGE (classic) extension, so files featuring .X7L, .X7U and .X7A will all load fine, but E.S.P. cannot save a file with that extension. It can only save MONTAGE M file formats:

• Library file (.Y2L)
• User file (.Y2U)
• Backup file (.Y2A)

You cannot load MONTAGE M files into an original MONTAGE: Only the other way around.

OP said 'saved file has .Y7L extension.' That doesn't square with ESP not being able to save with that extension. 

Hopefully OP will explain the disconnect.

Typos aside - the question has been answered.  Montage M files cannot be loaded into Montage classic.   

Going further ... Soundmondo doesn't have a translator either - looks like it only translates between Montage and MODX (MODX plus) both ways since those are more closely related.  

One could hack up a quick and dirty converter that would throw out anything that can't be done and hopefully flag that there's loss.  Either a converter of the sysex (like Soundmondo does) or the library/user/all(backup) files.

I take it with the abundance of pros dealing with this issue that something will come in and fill that void.  Seems close to a must-have which serves Yamaha as much as serves the users.   "Just buy an M" (directed to the backline companies) may be an answer but it seems like playing hardball.

BTW - one thing you could do assuming you have ESP on a laptop that works reasonably well is that you should be able to USB connect your laptop to the Montage Classic which would be a great controller for ESP.  ESP would use USB Audio so you could use the Montage's balanced (or unbalanced) main outputs.   That would be a "last resort" suggestion since you'd still have to manage switching to the correct Performance on the laptop which could be cumbersome at the gig vs using live set on the keyboard itself.

argh, stupid AI slop with factual errors.

"export the patches as Standard MIDI files or individual performances" lol no

... it's good people are getting out of the business of critical thinking since AI's got that job perfectly covered.

The new version of ESP (not yet available) does advertise some features that bring Montage Connect like functionality to the M.  So it seems you can do a bulk dump to/from ESP once the new version is released.   It won't, if it works like Montage Connect did, export your user samples (Waveforms) or user curves or user microtuning, or ... But for vanilla Performances it may become an option in the future.  No less of a factual error - but in being wrong the stuff almost is (accidentally) partially right.   And not in answering the original question - but on some tangential question not asked.

I'm sure this gig is long past and whatever the musician used to make it through the gig is a done deal.

Lol sorry guys I asked this question in desperation months ago when I was in a fix and forgot about it completely, never checked back until now when searching for some related topic on google brought me back to this post. So yeah it was a typo from my side the format was .Y2L instead of .Y7L, also the workaround I used was SampleRobot Montage, a copy of which I had. I used a VST2 wrapper for the VST3 ESP and loaded it into SampleRobot and autosampled some of those patches and exported it to .X7L, not recommended when your number of patches is in double digits, but in this case I only needed a few. Cheers

Thanks for posting back with the update. That's really helpful to others that come across the same issue because it brings closure by providing a workaround.

I have a gig planned in a couple days and the organisers have rented the original Montage 7 as Montage M was unavailable.

That must have set your head spinning to have that 'no M available' dropped on you at the last minute.

Your initial issue highlights a 'hole' that sometimes doesn't have a solution - moving user-created things (performances, waveforms, curves, etc) between different models of instruments especially an older model.

There generally is no 'backward' compatibility so you really have to plan ahead.

May I offer some info that you, and others, might help in the future for a similar problem?

1. Update your M model to the recently released OS 3.0 - both the M and ESP updates were released at the end of June, 2025

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/music_production/synthesizers/montagem/downloads.html

2. Update your ESP to release 3.0 from Steinbergs site - there is no need to uninstall your current ESP version

3. The ESP can be used with other instruments, such as the original Montage 7.

The 3.0 update for ESP has brought it much closer in functionality to the M itself. 

So rather than transfer your material from the ESP to the Montage M, or classic Montage, you can keep the material on ESP and use it along with an M, or classic Montage, at a gig.

The M8X is over 62 pounds but an M6/7 is much lighter. So even if you use an M8x in your home or studio you could have that same functionality by taking an M6/7 on the road with you.

The biggest adjustment will be the need to have your computer (laptop) with you at the gig to run the DAW and ESP.

You might want to try to find some time to do some testing of that sort of setup to get the process worked out where, at a gig, you use your laptop, ESP and a venue-provided instrument (Modx, Modx+, Montage, Montage M) and work out the cabling, setup and configuration needed for your use.