Hi Thomas, Thanks for the question.

If using an external sequencer, meaning the Montage is a sound module via MIDI, each PART (there are 16 Parts) can be assigned to any of the 32 audio bus outputs as necessary. You can, for example, assign all 16 PARTS to the main L&R Output. That is usually the default. But you can assign each PART of a PERFORMANCE to any of the 30 assignable outputs, as you require.

32 Outputs are made up of the Main L/R plus 30 assignable outputs. The assignable outputs can be setup as mono sends 1-30 or in odd/even stereo pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6 etc through 29/30)

Your question is not clear on the MIDI point - if the drum machine (MPC presumably) is your sequencer, and the Montage is the sound module, the Montage does not output any MIDI at that point - unless you play it, or move a controller. It's just a "sound module" (by your definition). Of course, you can route the MIDI data on through to the computer if you want to record it there.

You would connect the MIDI OUT of the drum machine/Sequencer) to the MIDI IN of the Montage... from there the Montage can THRU the data on to the computer where you can farm it out to the sound module you want to sound.

When using the Montage as "sound module" it is 16 PART multi-timbral. But remember many programs in the Montage are Multiple PARTS. This means you will have to decide how you want to trigger it via MIDI.

For example, the "Seattle Sections" Performance is a orchestral string section made from 7 PARTS. Although you can trigger this on a single MIDI Channel, each of its seven PARTs could be recorded to a separate stereo pair of outputs - or of course, to just a single stereo pair. It is your choice.

If triggering drum sounds in Montage, it is flexible enough so that you can send each DRUM sound you used to its own USB audio output. Route the Kick to its own audio track on USB 1, the Snare to its own USB 2, route the Hihat Closed, Pedal and Open to USB 3, the Crash to USB 4, the Toms to a stereo pair USB 5&6, and so on.

In Motif for example - One PART, played on one MIDI Channel and was recorded to one stereo audio track.
In Montage - Multiple PARTs, played on one MIDI channel, can be recorded on multiple stereo audio Tracks

A big part of the workflow in Montage will be rendering audio. because you use PARTs faster than you use MIDI channels. In Motif 1 to 1 was the rule of the day (1 PART, 1 MIDI Channel, 1 Track) ... in Montage, its bigger than that. Sometimes many PARTS are used (that's what makes it so much bigger fuller phatter, sounding) to create more and more nuance and control over what you play... the trade off is you use up your 16 PARTS long before you use up the number of Tracks !!! Rendering AUDIO allows you to reallocate your hardware.

Bad Mister:

A quick followup question on just a portion of what you said above.

"In Montage - Multiple PARTs, played on one MIDI channel, can be recorded on multiple stereo audio Tracks"

I just want to verify that you can set up multiple parts on the same MIDI channel (with different keyboard response ranges). To clarify: suppose I want to drive the Montage from an external keyboard which is only sending MIDI on one channel. I want to split parts on the receiving end (Montage) by setting all parts to receive on that one external keyboard channel, but have each part only respond to a certain MIDI note range.

This is a common use case for me on my MOXF6 (driven from a Nord Stage 2) and I typically accomplish this via Song/Mixing mode (multiple Song parts have the same midi receive channel and different note limits) I'm considering swapping the MOXF for a Montage, but I want to make sure I'm not losing this capability.

I took a look at the Montage reference manual, but I don't see anywhere to set the receive channel on a Performance Part. I see "Transmit Channel" in the Zone settings, but that looks like it is only for what MIDI channel is transmitted from that Montage keyboard zone. I'm guessing I'm missing something obvious.

To clarify: suppose I want to drive the Montage from an external keyboard which is only sending MIDI on one channel. I want to split parts on the receiving end (Montage) by setting all parts to receive on that one external keyboard channel, but have each part only respond to a certain MIDI note range.

You will want to use the MIDI I/O Mode = Single. This allows the Montage to both transmit and more importantly for your use case, receive MIDI data for multiple Parts on the same (Single) MIDI Channel, 1-16. You can trigger up to eight Parts using this method, Note Limiting each Part as you require. The KEYBD CTRL must be activated for all Parts, 1-8, that you wish to engage.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. That helps. I'll take another look at the manual with the above in mind.

Getting close to understanding, but have a couple more questions related to this:

Where s the "MIDI I/O Mode = Single" setting? Is that a global setting in the Utility/Setting/MIDI I/O section of the manual?

Or is set in each performance somewhere?

The only SINGLE vs. MULTI settings I see in the reference manual are the Key Assign Mode setting in the various part edit sections.

The MIDI I/O Mode will be added in the version 1.10.x (due any day now) It will be found on the UTILITY > Settings > Advanced screen.
This will be covered in the Supplemental Manual that will accompany the Update.

When set to MULTI the Montage will send/receive each PART on the correspondingly numbered Channel
When set to SINGLE the Montage will send/receive each "Keyboard Controlled" PART on the currently selected individual Channel 1-16

Ok...glad I wasn't being dense 🙂

I'll wait for the updates before any further queries, since I'm not in a hurry on this stuff. Thanks again.

I see that 1.1 has been released and I read the supplemental Manual section. It appears to do what I was originally asking about (i.e. allow external control of multiple parts on one MIDI channel.)

However, I'm not sure it covers a broader requirement I have (and which my MOXF handles with Master/Song modes)

I would have the Montage and my Nord Stage 2 Midi'd together (Montage OUT -> Stage IN, Stage OUT -> Montage IN)

Here is a typical example of my needs for a song:

Montage:
-------
Lower keyboard -> drives internal Montage sound A
Upper keyboard -> drives Nord Stage sound N on Channel 10

Nord:
-----
Drives two Montage sounds (B and C) both on channel 15 (using Nord external section). B and C respond to two different key ranges (i.e. the split is being implemented on the Montage side). The critical thing is that the Montage keyboard not trigger sounds B and C at all (i.e. they are only triggered from the Nord Stage).

The B and C sounds could be handled by setting "MIDI I/O Mode = Single" with a channel = 15. But I don't think I can implement the A and N sounds because the Zone settings are defeated when MIDI I/O Mode = Single. Is that correct?

Bumping this thread. Anyone with an opinion on my query? Bad Mister?

Sorry, I cannot give you a definitive answer because I do not know the capabilities of the Nord keyboard. But in order for you to trigger two sounds from the Nord, you would need to be able to transmit from it on multiple MIDI Channels.

The only thing that seems to be an issue is triggering two Montage sounds on channel 15... A Montage sound placed in Part 15 will receive on channel 15, a sound placed in Part 16 will receive on channel 16. Not knowing the transmit and receive capabilities if your Nord, prevents me from fully answering your question. Certainly the lower portion of the Montage can trigger internal sounds, while the upper region transmits only OUT on channel 10. The Montage has eight Zone capability as a controller, so that is no issue.

Thanks, Bad Mister. That answers my questions.

A Nord external section is basically a keyboard zone for external control that has a dedicated MIDI channel. The Stage does have two of them, so I could implement what you suggest above for the case I presented (i.e. one external control section could do sound B on part/channel 15 and the other could do sound C on part/channel 16).

But in the general case, I sometimes have to drive more than two sounds from the Nord to my other keyboard (currently MOXF). So it appears that neither MIDI I/O mode(Multiple or Single) would fully cover my use cases. Oh well, I'll stay with my MOXF or find another alternative.

Thanks again.