Ok, I finally understand Montage is not a "SEQUENCER" workstation. But firstable, In the features U can see 60 songs per Performance??

I'm not sure I know what you are talking about... I understand your first sentence (excellent, we do have to explain that to some users, glad you finally understand), but the second sentence is not at all clear.

The MONTAGE has the ability to store 64 Songs in the SONGS Folder. You can either create them on board or with your favorite DAW software (load them in as .mid). Once you have loaded a song into MONTAGE, you can link it with a Performance.

The PLAY/REC feature let's you record yourself playing a MONTAGE Performance.
The PLAY/REC feature let's you load a Song that you create on a computer DAW;
Each Song can be linked to a specific PERFORMANCE.

The definition of a song is really up to you. Here's what I mean, if you want to play three song titles back to back to back, simply include them in one .mid file as a medley. A single file can contain as many songs as you decide to include... if, for example, you have three songs, each 100 measures, using Cubase, you can simply create one long file 302 measures- inserting a measure between songs- if you wish, or not. if you need a new mixing setup you can use Bank Select and Program Changes to recall your new sounds in that inserted measure. If you are looking for non-stop (DJ-style) work that out in your DAW.

I'm afraid there aren't any synthesizers more powerful than MONTAGE, in my opinion (MONTAGE is like having several Motif XFs)... if you need to carry around more than 64 songs, the MONTAGE offers players several ways to accomplish the goal. Commit your data to audio, stream audio in real time from a USB stick.

If you are new to computer based recording, we can help you get started or hopefully you will find a keyboard at your level. It is possible MONTAGE is too much...

MONTAGE comes with an entry level version of Cubase AI, which you can use to create your custom .mid files.

Thanks for answer.

mmmm....I work with sequnces (real sequences, thing actually I understand as "song") from 1993, computer based and other machines based. For a lot of years I work wth Roland MC-50, MC-80, and other like this. I already make the song (in this case with Pro Tools) and "transfer" to Montage via USB flash. Other features from Montage (samples, audio file playback and arp) I see is awesome, but let me put an example:

Supose I'm in a performance, and I need to link another song, but a song I decide in this moment is a good song to follow the one is sond at this moment. On MC-80 I just load a new song, but seq do not stop, keep the new song in memory untill finish the song, or untill I decide to launch the new one.

I know I can load song by song in montage, but, I was waiting a way to mix songs as needed, mixin or at list keeping an Arp between songs. something like that.

About other features, I note is a very powerful machine, since old big Akai sampler (I made first sampler stuffs in my old productions) I think this is the real evolution in samples, since synthesizer analog way like Polysix (ovliuosly I worked in 1990) arpeggiator, and so on. montage is a very powerful tool.

Anyway, in my opinion, MOTIF was more powerful in sequencer mode. I'm MOTIF user from the old MOTIF ES8.

So, I think your words "too much for me" is the real opposite, I'm really "too much" for keyboards. Maybe I ask too much from machines. Or, I'm too old to understand the litearute from montage (rare, even if i do not write a good english, I understand, since i have read quick/user/reference manuals of old devices I had)

If someone have a productive suggestion about how can I link in live way (not the obvious way of link in cubase a static sequence I will not modify) I'll be so gratefull. Is the only thing I miss in this montage.

PD: I have worked in computer based DAW's since the very old cubasis, so I think, this is not the case with me.
PD2: Other feature I really miss is time signatures like 2/2. I work woth a lot of songs in this time signature, ans when I transfer to montage obviously become slow and I need to cheng tempo. The solition is make sequences in 2/4??, I think no, because I make parts in sibelius and has to be written in 2/2. Is Still too much for me???

One more question for you Mister Bad mister, you say:

Each Song can be linked to a specific PERFORMANCE

Sorry, I have read the manuals and try many times , but each time I load a perf, play/rec is empty.

Can you explain please how to do this?

Thanks

Ok, I finally understand Montage is not a "SEQUENCER" workstation.

You started this thread saying that you finally understand, that the MONTAGE does not have a traditional Sequencer. We know that you know what that is, we also know what that is; and there is not one in the MONTAGE. There is a Performance Recorder, its purpose, even if it does not quite fit your need, should at least be understood so that we can have a conversation about what your possibilities are.

Again, it does not have a traditional sequencer. You say you understand that but then proceed to prove that your not really sure.

Sorry, I have read the manuals and try many times , but each time I load a perf, play/rec is empty.

I can see that you are looking at this backwards (from how MONTAGE works). You need to load the Song, it recalls the Performance.

If you load a Performance that will not load the song (?!?)... you must Load the SONG, then it will recall the instruments you used, (the Performance). Think about it... let's say you did 5 recordings using a solo Concert Grand... which Song should load when you load that Performance?

You see? any instrument can be used to play any song... it makes sense that loading the Song will recall what instrument you used... not as you are thinking. Each of the five songs will be separately linked to that piano Performance.

Understanding the actual purpose of the PLAY/REC Feature
The purpose of having a MIDI and Audio recorder on the MONTAGE is so that you can capture a real time interaction with a MONTAGE Motion Control Performance, where the performer is interacting with multiple Parts simultaneously, across multiple channels. You can record as .mid or as .wav, that data can then be dragged and dropped into your DAW... where you can then add additional tracks... and finish your Project.

It can playback your completed project as either MIDI data or the final stereo 44.1kHz/24-bit .WAV... So at the gig you can play along with the completed project file.

That is the purpose of the PLAY/REC function in MONTAGE.

If you are recording or playing back a .mid file, and you have selected and stored all your Parts in the Performance... you can touch the box that will "Store Song & Perf Setting"
Then when you are ready to Load a file:

Press [>] Play button in the transport area
Touch the "Song Name" box to see the pop-in menu
Touch "Load"
You will arrive at the Utility "Contents" > "Load" screen ready to select a "Song&Perf" from you Song Folder.

Once you have created your links between your Song and Performances, when you go to the PLAY/REC screen, you can access all 64 Songs - each of which will recall the Performance that you used... one-by-one.

The PLAY/REC function loads one file at a time. Given the powerful workflow available on the MONTAGE when it comes to Audio routing and recording high quality mixes (until you do it, you can just don't appreciate what the results can sound like) - transferring data to Audio is committing to the project. Given that if you were used to using a sequencer "live" that is your comfort zone.

We are taking you out of that comfort zone (many have left it years ago) work can be assembled in a DAW, the audio processed and mixdown. You can play it back from a .Wav file on your USB stick or the more elegant method, would be to mixdown your project to a high quality handheld device. These can store and hold your tracks, recall them instantly, and can be played and controlled by running the audio through the MONTAGE's A/D Input, or if you are using a iOS tablet or smartphone, play them via the USB To Host port.

I prefer the A/D Input, because I can control the playback with the same control I control the MONTAGE. I can derive tempo from the audio, so all my "live" performing on MONTAGE will follow tempo of the track... Arps, tempo LFOs, Tempo Delays, Motion Sequences, etc.,

Also I can mix the balance between the Track and the "live" MONTAGE at any time.

Hi again. Day #2

You say yesterday the keyword to understand the porpouse of the MONTAGE sequencer. Is a Performance Recorder. So, I understand that goal of this recorder is to record what I do in live situation. (I understand I can make a song woth my DAW and transfer, I'm not talknig now about this). For example, if I "discover" some beautiful sound transform with the big knob, combined with arp and stuffs like this, I can record and reply in other performances, exactly as I record.

Is this? or I missunderstand?

In other hand. I understood reading the manuals (even after I saw the Montage structure) Performance can record everything (what is an awesome feature in my opinion), even song, bot, now I get is in other direction?, I load a song and song load automaticaly performance? If this is correct, ok, now I understand how can I make my show.

Now, is there some way to store songs in a LIVE screen?? so I can load the song with perf in oone touch.

Let me be clear, My band make shows for people (public) dance (mostly latin), so, even if I have a basic structure of the songs, I need to load the songs tasting the ppublic temperature (means what kind of music they want to dance). Sometimes, people ask us for some specific song or rythm, so I need to be versatile loading songs. Obviously, I need to be continue in music, I can't stop, people don't like this. son i need to mix like a DJ, drummer help me keeping the beat between songs, but, process to load songs could be not confortable for me, so I just ask now if there is some way to store songs in LIVE USER screen.

Thanks for answer, and sorre if I'm so demanding, I invest 4500 in Montage 8, I know is a powerful machine, but I have specific needs.

I haven't seen it spelled out which type of song data you are wanting to load. Are you looking to load a MIDI song which will play some pre-setup notes or are you looking to load an audio file to play some pre-recorded content?

If your need is for audio (WAV file as opposed to MIDI) - then there's an extra option afforded to you which would not require loading as a song allowing to leverage live set instead.

Thanks Jason for answer.

Ok, song I need to load is always midi song I guess in Montage format (reason is because songs have to be adaptive to current tempo in the middle of performance), I know the process where I make sequence in DAW and transfer to Montage in MIDI format, but once song is inside montage, it becomes to Montage format, is it??.

Hope I explain enough

Thanks

Options for MIDI are more limited. I don't use MIDI like you do - which means I haven't considered adding a computer (laptop or tablet) to my rig since it's just "one more thing" and I try to keep my setup lean.

However, if I was needing to use MIDI (files) and did need quick access to everything - I'd carry a laptop or tablet which serves up MIDI for these tunes that need it - having the laptop or tablet do a bank/PC switch to my performance and start playing the MIDI file associated with that tune. With the laptop or tablet - there would be more options in terms of organizing the set and recalling what I wanted quickly.