1. Is there a way to not have (disable) the USB audio playback volume from the main volume slider. I would greatly prefer to adjust what I'm playing live via the Montage without effecting the audio level of the USB audio background file.

No. All signal using the Montage as a sound system goes through the main volume slider, naturally. You adjust separately your individual Part volumes to balance the audio levels.

2. It seems there's no way to change a LIVE SET/PERFORMANCE while an audio file is being played back via a USB flash drive. If more than one sound is required during a song (piano, organ, lead, etc), should this be set up ahead of time within one performance and use the SCENE buttons to switch between sounds?

Absolutely, you can setup as many as sixteen sounds in a Performance. I would recommend using the PART SELECT buttons over the SCENE (but you have the right idea). If you need more than the 16 Parts available in a Performance you should use a separate playback system - don't play it back through the Montage or you could use a different method altogether. See below...

3. I know this seems unlikely, but is there a way to link (program change) a PERFORMANCE to a song on the flash drive or vice versa? This would save a step performing live and would possibly save an error if an incorrect PERFORMANCE is selected when the USB audio file starts as there's no way to change PERFORMANCES while an audio file is playing.

Sorry, program changes cannot be input to audio files - that is not how any of this works.

Might I suggest an entirely different approach. Since in your three questions you are attempting to change the physics of how things work in order to convince yourself the USB playback is what you need. What you want to accomplish is "free access" to your prepared audio files while you have free access to your new Montage. Understandable. But, of course, audio from the USB drive playback feature that goes through the Montage traverses the main volume slider - the only way around that is to have a separate playback rig for your audio files. Each internal PART has its own dedicated Volume Fader which is accessible (along with all the controllers on the left front panel) just because the screen does not change when you are accessing the Play/Rec streaming feature, does not limit your access to the synth Performance Controls and Part Controls... You can still select a Part, control its volume, pan position, filter cutoff, resonance, attack, decay, sustain, release, effect sends, etc., etc. so you must set the playback volume of your audio so it compliments the volume of your individual internal Part - knowing they both go through the Master Output (of course, they do).

I suggest you don't seek to use the USB playback if you cannot be comfortable within this. I have worked with several people on this and have discovered that it was that the screen didn't change that was their only problem ( they weren't confident in working with certain screens in front of them... In fact once they realized that they could get to all the sounds they needed and that once they recalled that sound they could control it exactly as they required - they learned to work with it. Because it's new, your not necessarily convinced that if you assigned "Wind Synth" as Part 1, its actual going to be there when you select Part 1, unless the screen tells you. It's human nature when new to a keyboard you rely on your eyes more than your ears.

If you have a different playback device and route audio through a different method all together, you might be more comfortable. One person I was working with on this was still thinking they might want to change their mind about the sound or sounds they were playing - if you cannot commit to the sound you want to play, then this is, again, not for you. In such a case, you definitely should use a different method to playback your 40 audio files.

For example, an iPad or iPod touch could be used to organize and playback your audio through the Montage. The Montage is class compliant - this means you can use any number of playback apps to organize your data- and it will connect to the Montage through the USB "To Host" port.

You then will have free front panel control of the Montage (which while you are new to a system is comforting) you can freely change Performances without affecting audio playback streaming from the external device. Your music will travel through the Montage audio system, of course (but you will have a separate volume). This may be a better solution for you.

Hope that helps.

Bad Mister wrote:

1. Is there a way to not have (disable) the USB audio playback volume from the main volume slider. I would greatly prefer to adjust what I'm playing live via the Montage without effecting the audio level of the USB audio background file.

No. All signal using the Montage as a sound system goes through the main volume slider, naturally. You adjust separately your individual Part volumes to balance the audio levels.
[.

Assignable L/R do not pass the master volume. So A/D input or WAV's via AsignL&R does the job IMHO

True that! But the point here is the USB "TO DEVICE" option to stream audio from a USB stick cannot utilize the A/D inputs. Among the "other methods" include simply running a separate playback device with its own analog output connected to the Montage A/D input and route it to the Assignable L/R. Correct, it is not affected by the main Volume slider. The problem you run into here (for the original poster's requirements) is that switching Performances will necessarily interrupt/impact the audio playback (and you need an additional sound system). This would be a good solution for some users... As long as you are aware that the A/D to AssignOut L/R assignment is a per Performance setting.

If you are aware of this, and you need to change the entire Performance, you would opt for a different method - one where you stay within the current configuration (same Performance) or you choose a playback method that allows you to change Performances freely, without interrupting the audio that is playing back. The "To Host" USB connection, like with an iPad, for example, gives you the separation so that the streaming audio is not traversing the current Performance and therefore is not impacted when you switch Montage programs.