There is no DAW Remote Layer available in Montage.

Became aware of that by comparing/reading the MOXF and Montage Docs. I own a MOFX 6.

After I posted, I discovered it can be done there is some functionality that allows the faders on the Montage to control the Daw mixers within Logic Pro x and Presonus Studio one 3 professional.

So your are correct there is no Daw remote layer in the Montage but the capability is there, I just do not understand the process of why.

Leading up to Montage, the former products targeting a similar market (Motif and MO series) had lots of marketing push about the importance of a keyboard as a control surface for DAWs. So, until Montage, Yamaha was touting the tight integration of their keyboard products as control surfaces for DAWs as a differentiating feature for flagship and flagship lite keyboard/workstation/synth products. With Montage, this push was abandoned - at least upon release (who knows what's in the futures) - and whenever you have a de-feature situation, it seems that there's a bit of a scramble to justify the new lack of necessity or "push" for this as a feature. I'm often, when I see the traffic, reminded of a scene from Beverly Hills Cop 2 when I see the scramble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSgWWo4fM1k&feature=youtu.be&t=50

In Motif, menu settings would enable this mode - so there's still some opportunity to perhaps add some DAW integration using new UTILITY menus. However, I see no hints of ongoing work in this area like I have seen for other post-launch features.

The MO series has even "tighter" integration since there's a dedicated button to enable the mode.

The "why" is not something usually tackled - so knowing the facts may have to do for now. No dedicated/complete DAW remote feature in Montage at this time. "Stay tuned..."

If DAW control is necessary using a control surface that is not your computer keyboard - your best bet in the short-term would be to add a dedicated control surface that is designed primarily for DAW remote control. Maybe something like Korg's nanoKONTROL Studio.

It would be nice for Yamaha to be able to claim more marketshare by pulling-in the control surface to the Montage instead of leaving this "on the table" for products like their competition, Korg, to "sweep up".

At the moderate price points that include MX, MOXF, the target customer is actually more likely to desire an all-in-one feature set that includes built-in audio interface, DAW Remote Control, etc.... imho. Certainly, the research shows this is where the Remote DAW Layer winds up getting the most use.

The higher end customer is more likely to have a separate solution for DAW CONTROL... Usually in the form of a separate device (ala CC121) or an entire dedicated Control Surface desk. And while this profile certainly does not fit everyone, it is part of the 'facts' to be considered.

Clearly market research shows that the higher end the customer, the more likely they are to use a separate (elegant) control surface solution, just as they are more likely to be using DAWs over internal sequencers.

To think that as things go up in price, they need to include everything in a lower tier product, is a fallacy- it does not necessarily always follow. We are still very much promoting control Surface features on the MX and MOXF synthesizers (where the feature has proved to be used by customers - according to after market research). Take the physical weight of a product- the regular musician is very concerned about how much the keyboard weighs and what it weighs in a flight case... the higher end customer, not so much! How come? They either have roadies to move the gear or they rent as they travel or it just sits in their studio. Of course, this isn't always the case, just consider these factors. We hear less complaints about weight, the higher the price point (reality). In fact, the more like a battleship it is the better cause it's gotta be able to take a beating...

Of course, if you are a customer who would use a built-in DAW Remote Layer, this is of little solace, I know. You are the one lifting the keyboard into the case, you are the one concerned about the weight. Everyone's profile is a little different. But I can tell from my own interaction with customers, the Remote Layer along with the built-in sequencer, Wifi, and Ethernet, were among the least used feature/functions on the Motif XF series. And while loading samples was used widely, creating your own samples was among the lesser used features (these are not official evaluations, mind you, just an observation based on the hundreds of customer contacts I've had over the past 16 years (Motif/MO era)). And that's not to say this is how it was decided... I was not there... I'm just speculating like the post above (which is based on less direct info than I have). The reality is, there is no remote layer in the Montage.

We all like to think we are the 'average' target customer, understandable. I would use Remote transport control, if it were available. If a feature is not included (and previously it was) this is not done without some thought about it. The decision probably was to focus more design attention on the Montage being a music synthesizer than it was on developing an auxiliary function (like DAW Remote) that very likely is duplicating a function more elegantly handled by another device already in the target customer's studio.

We are still very much promoting DAW remote control and integration in MX and MOXF, along with the built-in MIDI and Audio interfaces. For the target customer at these price points, it is a convenient and economical solution... that has an immediate benefit... until they can expand their studio gear.