If ProTools has no bridge to plugin formats supported by Montage Connect - your only other option is to run Montage Connect as standalone if you want to use it. Looks like there are work-arounds if you're dedicated to supporting VSTs in ProTools - https://masters-of-music.com/how-to-use-vstau-plugins-in-pro-tools-12-first-videos/

Montage Connect is a helper app to facilitate save and recall - but is not essential.

If ProTools has no bridge to plugin formats supported by Montage Connect - your only other option is to run Montage Connect as standalone if you want to use it. Looks like there are work-arounds if you're dedicated to supporting VSTs in ProTools - https://masters-of-music.com/how-to-use-vstau-plugins-in-pro-tools-12-first-videos/

I would say it's the other way around. Avid have been making it clear that they 'only' support AAX plugins since a while now. Yamaha decided to only provide VST3 & AU plugins for Montage Connect. Why would they not also provide an AAX plugin, since even AU plugins are no longer supported by Pro Tools 12.5? I like to think Pro Tools is big enough in the world wide market place to justify this, but maybe it's a competition thing with Yamaha's Cubase? I agree, it would be so much better if Avid would just support VST3, and I don't know why they won't support it, but they don't...

Montage Connect is a helper app to facilitate save and recall - but is not essential.

This is the part I am hoping to get clarification on and fully understand. It's sounding like I may not even need Montage Connect... Up until now I thought that Montage Connect was essential and necessary in order to connect the Montage MIDI & Audio to Pro Tools or any DAW.
Is it 'Montage Connect' necessary to make the MIDI & Audio connections in Pro Tools for recording MIDI from the Montage to MIDI tracks, as well as recording USB Audio to audio tracks, or is it the Yamaha Steinberg USB driver that allows Pro Tools to connect to/from the Montage for both MIDI & USB Audio data?

If it's as simple as that, whereby the Yamaha Steinberg USB driver is the key for Pro Tools to connect to/from the Montage when configuring the connection settings in Pro Tools, then that will work great.

In these links/videos, it appears that although the connections in Pro Tools show up as 'Montage', that this is likely the 'Yamaha Steinberg USB driver' & not 'Montage Connect' that allow these inputs & outputs to show up as 'Montage'. Is this correct?
Because up until reading the last part of your post, I thought it was 'Montage Connect' that needed to be installed in order for the inputs & outputs to show up as 'Montage'..!?
https://yamahasynth.com/montage-category/montage-os-v2-5-using-the-new-daw-remote-feature-with-protools
https://yamahasynth.com/resources/cubase-setup-guide-workflow-midi-rec-on-daw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5a_YhjTQg

The audio and MIDI flow through the Yamaha Steinberg USB drivers. DAWs and all other software, including Montage Connect, use the drivers to communicate with Montage.

Montage Connect facilitates using a DAW since it can transfer (both ways - save and recall) settings. Saving and recalling Montage settings is not necessary for a DAW to work as without Montage Connect you can:

1) Manually recall/save settings using Montage directly
2) Automatically recall settings (that have been previously saved - or presets) using MIDI commands from the DAW

Montage Connect will never show up as an input/output in any DAW for the purpose of MIDI or Audio communication. That's simply not what it does. DAW usage has Montage Connect save and recall settings.

would say it's the other way around.

... I wasn't arguing the merits of choices companies make in compatibility. Commonly when a DAW doesn't support a plugin type - there's a workaround by installing a bridge. Something that is the supported format type yet the plugin itself supports the ultimate non-supported plugin. The link provided seems to provide a path there for VST3.

Why companies do not support standards is above my pay grade. I'm just trying to facilitate use of what's available.

Another example from my own usage - I had lots of great plugins that are 32-bit. No longer supported. So I have something called J-Bridge which facilitates loading them.

The audio and MIDI flow through the Yamaha Steinberg USB drivers. DAWs and all other software, including Montage Connect, use the drivers to communicate with Montage.
Montage Connect will never show up as an input/output in any DAW for the purpose of MIDI or Audio communication. That's simply not what it does. DAW usage has Montage Connect save and recall settings.

Awesome, I definitely had it bass ackwards 🙂 Great that the Yamaha Steinberg USB driver is the connection. Thanks for clarifying! Understanding it better now, I don't know if I'd even use Montage Connect that much for what I want to do...

Commonly when a DAW doesn't support a plugin type - there's a workaround by installing a bridge. Something that is the supported format type yet the plugin itself supports the ultimate non-supported plugin. The link provided seems to provide a path there for VST3.

Yes, I've used (still do) wrappers in the past. Actually mainly to wrap VST to RTAS...

Another example from my own usage - I had lots of great plugins that are 32-bit. No longer supported. So I have something called J-Bridge which facilitates loading them.

Yeah, I've read about J-Bridge; however it is limited for me because I have so many RTAS plugins and it definitely doesn't support RTAS to Pro Tools 12.5 (64bit) 🙁 so all my rtas plugins are worthless in my new Pro Tools environment...

https://yamahasynth.com/montage-category/montage-os-v2-5-using-the-new-daw-remote-feature-with-protools

After reading through this along with the images, I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer regarding the following part:
"In the Pro Tools SETUP Menu go to Peripherals. Select the MIDI Controllers tab and set the parameters as indicated below: #2 (port 2) HUI; Receive From-MONTAGE Port 2; Send To-MONTAGE Port 2; # of Channels=8:"

Does Pro Tools only connect on 8 MIDI channels and not 16? If so, is there a way to connect all 16? Or is this just regarding how many MIDI channels it can connect to at any given point in time and not which specific channel #'s it is connecting to?

Does Pro Tools only connect on 8 MIDI channels and not 16? If so, is there a way to connect all 16? Or is this just regarding how many MIDI channels it can connect to at any given point in time and not which specific channel #'s it is connecting to?

There is no music data communicated on Port 2. Apparently, all the controls necessary to work with Pro Tools HUI can be done on just 8 of the Channels of Port 2. Each Channel on the Remote Port represents 128 Switches, and scores of continuous Controllers that go 0-127.

Sounds like you are mixing up the data that makes and represents your music/playing/performing (which is limited to the 16 MIDI Channels of Port 1) with the data that is used to REMOTE CONTROL Pro Tools (which is limited to Port 2).
You shouldn't worry about how many Channels are used for Remote Control... eight is enough to completely control what Pro Tools has to offer.

There is no music data communicated on Port 2. Apparently, all the controls necessary to work with Pro Tools HUI can be done on just 8 of the Channels of Port 2. Each Channel on the Remote Port represents 128 Switches, and scores of continuous Controllers that go 0-127.
Sounds like you are mixing up the data that makes and represents your music/playing/performing (which is limited to the 16 MIDI Channels of Port 1) with the data that is used to REMOTE CONTROL Pro Tools (which is limited to Port 2).
You shouldn't worry about how many Channels are used for Remote Control... eight is enough to completely control what Pro Tools has to offer.

Sorry, I copy and pasted that from the "MONTAGE OS v2.5: Using the new DAW Remote Feature with ProTools" tutorial link from above as reference for how it 'can' be setup. I am 'ONLY' enabling "Port 1" on my setup and even though it says 8 channels, it appears to be letting use all 16...kinda odd!?

Well actually only 15 (sorta kinda)! I am having an issue with Channel 1. I followed along with your video series "https://yamahasynth.com/montage-category/montage-and-cubase-setup-guide", and everything was going great. I setup all 16 channels and assigned them to their own respective channel for input and output, as I don't know if Pro Tools has the ability to record everything on one MIDI track and then turn that track into 16 tracks. The issue I ran into was on PART 1, track 1, channel 1. I somehow left MIDI track 1 set to 'All' (Drums). I didn't notice until I went to do some mixing with the sliders and Slider 1 would not move PART 1's volume. Other sliders would move the volume, but not Slider 1 for PART 1. All other sliders moved their corresponding PART's volumes fine...just not PART 1.
So, I went back to Pro Tools and set the Input for MIDI Track 1 from 'All' to 'Channel 1'. It would not play the MIDI anymore. All other Tracks work fine. So I set Track 1 back to 'All', and noticed that as long as I "Don't" have PART 1 selected on the Montage, I can have it play (with the Record button enabled for Track 1 in Pro Tools)...I can select any other PART and PART 1/MIDI Track 1 (drums) will play fine, but if I select PART 1 on the Montage it will not play off Track 1!

It seems like Channel 1 is broken or reserved for something else. I can not get Channel 1 to work like I can with Channel 2 - 16.
Even in this MIDI tutorial on the Montage and Pro Tools, you can see that Channel 1 is working fine for him, but I can't seem to use it at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5a_YhjTQg

Is it possible that I have something set wrong on the Montage, or MIDI Channel 1 is being reserved for something, or MIDI Channel 1 doesn't work & is defective on my Montage!?

I am kinda thinking that it might be that the Channel 1 input is faulty, because Channel 1's Output seems to work fine. If I change Track 2's Output to Channel 1, it plays the Drums in PART 1, and then changing it back to Channel 2, it plays the Bass in PART 2. Channel 1 input is the only one that doesn't allow me to control/mix with the Slider 1 for Part 1, nor does it allow me to record MIDI of PART 1 to Track 1 set to Channel 1. It does however allow me to play back MIDI data on Channel 1 to PART 1 from any track that I change the Output to Channel 1 on.

How can I fix Channel 1's Input?

https://yamahasynth.com/montage-category/montage-os-v2-5-using-the-new-daw-remote-feature-with-protools

This link describes how you can use your keyboard as a control surface for the DAW itself. So you do not have to use your mouse and computer keyboard as much to control your DAW software.

If you're not using PORT 2, then you are not doing this and therefore should not follow any part of the above document as it describes a use case you (and many others) do not use.

You should not try to apply suggestions in the above link to your usage just because it matches "Pro Tools". It's not helpful for your needs.

Darryl, Don’t conclude anything is wrong, quite yet. Particularly when you don’t fully know how to operate either device (the MONTAGE, nor Pro Tools). Do not use the Cubase article to setup Pro Tools, that’s first... and it’s clear you missed important subtleties in the Remote Control Surface Setup which is separate (completely) from the normal MIDI music recording.

If you would like help with this let’s go over how you have your MONTAGE setup. The following checklist will be helpful to determine why you can’t get this very basic function to work.

Checklist
Press [UTILITY] > “Setting” > “Quick Setup”
If you’re setting up to record MIDI... touch “MIDI Rec on DAW”
This instantly makes the eight critical MIDI settings for working with an external DAW.
Touch “Advanced”
Make sure that “MIDI I/O Mode” = Multi

Next, return to the HOME screen.
Press [CATEGORY SEARCH] > “Init” > “Multi/GM”
Selecting the Init Performance is a starting point for recording MIDI...
*Select* Part 1
Hold [SHIFT] + [CATEGORY SEARCH] to see the “Part 1 — Category Search”
Select a Drum Kit, “Real Drums 1” as a test.

In your DAW, create a MIDI Track.
please refer to Pro Tools documentation to setup a MIDI Track that will communicate with the MONTAGE on Port 1, Channel 1...
Set that MIDI Track so that it is set to receive incoming data from the MONTAGE on “Yamaha MONTAGE-1 (Port 1)” and is set to Output data on “Yamaha MONTAGE-1 (Port 1)” and is set to Output data on MIDI Channel 1.

Then test the viability of this connection. Play the MONTAGE.
Do you hear MONTAGE Drums?
Can you record and playback those Drums?

Let us know. If this works we can move to the next step... if not, you need to determine why it does not work.

If you're not using PORT 2, then you are not doing this and therefore should not follow any part of the above document as it describes a use case you (and many others) do not use. You should not try to apply suggestions in the above link to your usage just because it matches "Pro Tools". It's not helpful for your needs.

I kinda agree. I just couldn't find any other/better documentation.
Reading/watching other articles/videos, I fully understand that what I need enabled is Port 1 only, which is what I did.
The other settings, especially on the first MIDI track is where I may be going wrong, or maybe this is just how Pro Tools works with MIDI & can't have MIDI input on Channel 1, but 'can' Output on Channel 1..!?

Darryl, Don’t conclude anything is wrong, quite yet. Particularly when you don’t fully know how to operate either device (the MONTAGE, nor Pro Tools). Do not use the Cubase article to setup Pro Tools, that’s first... and it’s clear you missed important subtleties in the Remote Control Surface Setup which is separate (completely) from the normal MIDI music recording.
If you would like help with this let’s go over how you have your MONTAGE setup. The following checklist will be helpful to determine why you can’t get this very basic function to work.

Then test the viability of this connection. Play the MONTAGE.
Do you hear MONTAGE Drums?
Can you record and playback those Drums?

Let us know. If this works we can move to the next step... if not, you need to determine why it does not work.

Will do, thanks! I'll follow those steps to the letter and let you know.
Just an FYI, as a test, without changing any settings I had set on the Montage, I shutdown Pro Tools and opened Cubase AI, set it for Port 1 only and created a new MIDI track. I set that MIDI track Input to 1 (not Any), and it recorded MIDI perfectly while I had PART 1 selected, and I was able to playback and mix via Slider 1.
So, I think that kinda says that it might not be the Montage or Montage settings, and that it could be something set in Pro Tools, or some configuration setting on the Windows workstation. But I'll go through the steps you provided and update you on the results.
I'll also add some screenshots showing my Pro Tools config settings, if the steps above don't work!

I appreciate you guys helping with this. And knowing that I can record, playback & mix via the sliders perfectly on tracks 2 - 16, it's definitely not a deal breaker for me, but rather more of a nice to have at this point. 😉

... previous thread with some help on Pro Tools: https://www.yamahasynth.com/ask-a-question/setting-up-montage-with-pro-tools

I do not see Pro Tools has any limitation against targeting MONTAGE-1 (Port 1) Channel 1. This following video has its flaws (like the USB port circled to plug your computer into - it's the wrong one) - and his use of Pro Tools is not what I would consider mainstream - but it shows him setting up a track to output to channel 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5a_YhjTQg

The video is less of a primer on how you would set everything up - more of a demo that MIDI channel 1 works fine.

I see the color changes for used channels - probably so you do not have collisions with two different devices targeting the same MIDI channel (speculation). Maybe you already have channel 1 assigned in your project.

Darryl, Don’t conclude anything is wrong, quite yet. Particularly when you don’t fully know how to operate either device (the MONTAGE, nor Pro Tools). Do not use the Cubase article to setup Pro Tools, that’s first... and it’s clear you missed important subtleties in the Remote Control Surface Setup which is separate (completely) from the normal MIDI music recording.
If you would like help with this let’s go over how you have your MONTAGE setup. The following checklist will be helpful to determine why you can’t get this very basic function to work.
Then test the viability of this connection. Play the MONTAGE.
Do you hear MONTAGE Drums?
Can you record and playback those Drums?
Let us know. If this works we can move to the next step... if not, you need to determine why it does not work.

Hey BM, so I followed the steps exactly as you said and it does not work on channel 1(input), track 1, PART 1. I have attached screenshots of the Pro Tools setup. The Yamaha Montage setup is exactly as you specified.

I haven't used Pro Tools - so I don't know - but it looks like the software is allowing for you to select MIDI channel 1 for both output and input. I'm not seeing the issue you previously communicated.

If it's a problem of having MIDI come through to your DAW (or MIDI sent from the DAW to Montage) - then that would be a different class of issue. I had thought you said that Ch.1 on MIDI input from Montage's MIDI output could not be selected. The screen shots disagree with this. I may be off base.