When in SONG or PATTERN mode, the [SF] buttons can be used to recall Scenes. Track Mute status is one of the functions that can be captured by a Scene Event. A Scene can manually be recalled at any time by pressing the associated [SF] button. They can be automated in a linear Song or in a linear Pattern Chain. (Track Mutes can be documented as a separate 'special' Event - there is no theoretical limit to the number of Mute Events - use as many as you require).

The fact that the Pattern is associated with a Master Program should not influence the ability of manually recalling Scenes. So we agree, apparently you are doing something wrong! 🙂

Not sure exactly what...

A Scene, when STORED to a SubFunction button, appears as a eighth note icon next to the Scene number 1-5. Do you see this eighth note icon? If not you have no Scene Event stored on that button.

The [SF1]-[SF5] buttons work as Scene recalls in Pattern mode regardless of whether you are using the ZONE SWITCH functions or not.

I did store the Scenes correctly. The eighth note icon appears. That’s not my problem.

I think it would be helpful for me to describe what I’m trying to do. This is part of my “live recording” project, in which I record myself “live” to Cubase.

I have a “backup band” recorded in tracks 1-3 of a Pattern. Section A contains the “verse” of the song, Section B contains the “chorus” of the song, and Section C contains a short repeating progression that I can jam in front of. By pressing the TRACK button, I can switch from one Section to another as needed with the Section buttons.

I have a Master set up for this Pattern with Zones enabled. One Zone sends notes generated by the left half of the keyboard to a bass Part that I can play (i.e. not part of the “backup band”). There are three Zones that send notes generated by the right half of the keyboard to three different possible lead instruments, each of which has its own MIDI channel number.

I have been using Scenes to switch among the lead instruments by reducing the volume of the two that I don’t want to hear to zero. Scene 1 is the piano, Scene 2 is the sax, etc.

This works fine, except that I always get the MIDI Note Events for all three lead instruments recorded into Cubase no matter which one I’m currently playing. I can delete the notes I don’t want from Cubase, but it would be better not to have them to begin with.

So I’ve been experimenting.

I tried turning off the internal transmit switches for the lead instruments I didn’t want and saving the Scene, but apparently Scenes do not remember these switches.

I know I could control the internal transmit switches by using the new PERFORMANCE CONTROL feature for Masters. But I would have to hit too many buttons to do that:

PERFORMANCE CONTROL, turn off previous lead instrument, turn on new lead instrument, TRACK.

I want to be able to do it with one button press.

Then I tried using Muting, which was completely ineffective. I think I figured out why that didn’t work. I was muting the Tracks for the lead instruments I didn't want. Those Tracks have no MIDI data recorded in them, and I think that perhaps Muting cuts the connection between the Sequencer and the Tone Generator. So I’m silencing notes that aren’t even there, and as a result the muting that I have set up in my Scenes has no effect on anything.

I asked my original question in this thread when I saw that the Scene muting didn’t work because I hadn’t yet thought of this theory of what Muting actually does.

So I have two questions:

1) Am I correct about what Muting does?
2) Is there a way to turn off MIDI Note Event generation from the two lead instruments that I’m currently not intending to play and switch from one lead instrument to another with one press of a button on the XF?

I tried turning off the internal transmit switches for the lead instruments I didn’t want and saving the Scene, but apparently Scenes do not remember these switches.

Well, of course, not. You cannot put messages in a Track that turn the track ability to transmit off. That's an oxymoron. Sort of like putting a START command on a Track... Just not how things work, sorry.

I know I could control the internal transmit switches by using the new PERFORMANCE CONTROL feature for Masters. But I would have to hit too many buttons to do that:

Well, at least you "know" the solution. You mean it takes too many buttons to put down one instrument in order to pick up another. 🙂 Sorry, that IS how things work, reality.

Then I tried using Muting, which was completely ineffective. I think I figured out why that didn’t work. I was muting the Tracks for the lead instruments I didn't want. Those Tracks have no MIDI data recorded in them, and I think that perhaps Muting cuts the connection between the Sequencer and the Tone Generator. So I’m silencing notes that aren’t even there, and as a result the muting that I have set up in my Scenes has no effect on anything.

So, there is NO ISSUE, Scenes do remember Track Mute, of course it does. But as you now realize there is no information on the track to be muted. Track Mute works, but again, it is not what you need. Had that Track been broadcasting Note-On event data then TRACK MUTE would stop that data from being played back... But you have no data on the track to mute.

1) Am I correct about what Muting does?

Yes, Track Mutes mute tracks from outputting MIDI data recorded on that track. That allows you to "play" the sound via the KEYS, while stopping the Sequencer from "playing" the notes.

It is not "PART MUTE". PART MUTE stops the instrument assigned to the PART from sounding... Whether they are triggered by the Sequencer or the Keyboard... It literally Mutes the Part from sounding. These Part Mutes cannot be stored or memorized by the sequencer, however. Tracks are apart of the Sequencer, Parts are apart of the Tone Generator.

2) Is there a way to turn off MIDI Note Event generation from the two lead instruments that I’m currently not intending to play and switch from one lead instrument to another with one press of a button on the XF?

No... If by "MIDI Note Event generation" you mean by pressing the keys. Not really.

You already know how to do what you want, but it is too much work, I'm not sure why... Turning one button OFF and an adjacent button ON simultaneously can be done with two fingers locked together. A single gesture turns OFF the current, and ON the new one. It just takes practice.

Alternate methods... Less physically hard....
I'm not sure which Motif XF you own but perhaps you need to look at your situation a bit differently. I remember when I first took on playing the VL technology.... With instruments that sounded this realistic, and that only reproduced notes (oft times) in the range of the instrument being modeled, I became hyper-aware of instrument ranges (and how small the ranges of most lead instruments actually were). Why not place your lead sounds so that they occupy different regions of the same keyboard channel. Lead sound one from the lowest note through middle C, another above middle C... This way "switching" between these sounds doesn't require a button press at all. Simply change the region of notes you are triggering.

Use a MIXING VOICE to edit each of your lead Voices so they occupy the key ranges you need to accomplish the goal. This may or may not work for you depending on what your Lead Voices are... Most "lead" sounds don't require 61, 76 or all 88 keys of the MIDI channel they are on. You can place at least two of them on the same middle channel but on different regions of the keyboard so they don't sound simultaneously.

Alternate Method: Thinking outside the box
Another possibility is to "program" your lead sounds that they utilize the Xpanded Articulation Control feature that lets you switch between sounds using the AF1/AF2 buttons. Create three new Mixing Voices... Set one Voice to sound when "All AF off", another to sound when "AF 1 on" and the third to sound when "AF 2 on"... This will require practice as well but will accomplish your goal. Again, this may or may not work for you because of the Voices you select... You may need to change them dramatically to accommodate your need to press a single button. Worse case with this method you might have to hit 2... But it will depend on what you are doing and if you need to reselect a previous sound.

Anyway, SCENES and TRACK MUTES are working exactly as they should on your XF.

Thanks, Bad Mister.

I like your alternate methods. I'll try them.

Some explanation of why I am trying to minimize button presses might be in order.

Unfortunately for me, I had a bad reaction to taking the antibiotic Cipro. It messed up the tendons in my hands and forearms. As a result, buttons that "click" when you press them (like most of the buttons on the XF) cause problems for me. It's odd, but that tiny little impact irritates my hands. Luckily for me, the keys on the keyboard don't "click" in that way.

When I'm programming the XF, I use a tool that I can grip to push the buttons and that works OK for me. But while I'm playing, I have to use my fingers to push the buttons, and the fewer of them that I have to push that way, the better it is for me.