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how do I use the external midi keyboard and edit the Motif-Rack XS at the same time.

It’s done in the setup of the Motif-Rack XS Editor Stand-alone. You will need to connect the Rack XS to the computer via USB, and the external keyboard to the Rack XS via a standard MIDI cable.

Connect the 5-pin MIDI OUT of your Roland XP80 to the MIDI IN of the Motif-Rack XS

Set the Motif-Rack XS to MIDI I/O = USB
this allows the Rack XS to act as a MIDI interface for your computer. We will use the Editor Setup to merge the signals.

Your computer will see the Rack XS as “Yamaha Motif-R XS-1” (Port 1)
It will now see the XP80 as “Yamaha Motif R XS-3” (Port 3)

When you launch the Yamaha Motif-Rack XS Editor as a Stand-alone application you will see an option to select an input KB (keyboard)...
go to FILE > SETUP...
On the Setup screen at the top “Data Port”, you will select your keyboard as MIDI KB In = Motif-R XS Port 3

Select USB and turn Detail ON
Make sure PORT 1 OUT is set to “Motif-R XS Port 1” - this allows you to trigger the Rack XS with your controller
Make sure PORT 4 IN and OUT are set to “Motif-R XS Port 4”this allows the graphic user interface of the Editor to communicate bidirectionally with the Rack XS hardware.

You will now be able to use your Keyboard Controller and the Editor simultaneously... the software is taking MIDI IN from your Keyboard (Port 3) and is rerouting it to the Rack XS which uses PORT 1 for triggering the tone engine, and Port 4 to address the graphic interface of the Editor. When the EDITOR indicates “Online” any changes you make in the hardware is immediately reflected in the software, and vice versa, changes in the software immediately happen in the hardware.

Take the Editor OFFLINE if you do not want them sync’d.

Hope that helps. Let us know.

Thank you so much for your very quick response and comprehensive answer Bad Mister. I will follow your directions and let you know what I find.
Thanks again

Hi once again Bad Mister

Everything now works!!!

I followed your advice and set up the ports as you suggested and the XP80 now plays my Motif-Rack XS even when the rack is set to I/O USB and I can edit in real-time. Your directions worked perfectly and I thank you so much once again. I'm sure I will be calling on you again as I get to know my Motif-Rack XS. I also have the Motif XS7 bought new a few years ago that I have hardly used, so I will be getting that set up with the appropriate editor version at some point.

Job done 🙂

Best wishes

Helen x

Thanks for the tips on this connection ; After connecting via USB, my Korg Kronos and Motif Rack XS to the Mac OS Standalone Editor as you described above with the Ports 1 and 4 assigned, I'm still getting a "Hardware Error" message and refusal to sync. The Motif is playable via the USB connection from my Kronos, as well as playable from the on-screen keyboard within the Standalone Editor, but no sync is possible yet.

Thanks for any help you can give to make this work...

JT

Hi John,
Please describe your setup a bit better than above. It is not clear what you have connected, I know what I wrote so I need you to describe exactly how you are connected.

Thanks, BM ! I'm on Mac OS 10.13.3, with standalone Motif XS editor. Korg Kronos LS as controller connected via USB. Motif Rack XS, firmware 1.4.0 connected to the Mac via USB.

In Setup Mode in Motif XS editor, I have Port 1 In with Korg Kronos ; Port 1 Out into Motif XS Port 1.

I have Motif XS Port 4 In Editor In Port 4 ; Motif XS Port Out to Port 4 Out on Editor.

Motif Rack is playable from physical and on-screen keyboard thru the Editor, but Data Transfer/Sync is not happening. Moving controllers and editor controls within the editor does nothing, however.

Thanks for the help, and please let me know anything you can as to why I might be getting the "Hardware Error" regardless of configuration.

Best,
John

We assume you have downloaded and installed the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver v1.3.2-2 for Mac OS, and that your Rack XS is set to MIDI I/O = USB
Also which screen is reporting “Hardware Error”?

Let us know.

Yes to both questions, Bad Mister. Attached is a screen shot of the error message.

Thank you,
John

And another screen shot with the Kronos working fine...

Update : Why is it that the Yamaha-created Editor for the Motif XS still refuses to connect to my Motif Rack XS, yet the John Melas Motif XS Tools Suite of Editor, Librarian, etc., AUTOCONNECTS automatically and works straight away with their demo version of their software ?

Here I thought I had wrong connections in trying to get the Yamaha-based editor going, and it was connected right all along, since the Melas version works right away... Something other than wrong connections is responsible for the Yamaha Editor not working.

Your thoughts, Bad Mister ?

Addendum ; I've come to the conclusion that the Yamaha Motif XS editor is really poorly realized, and also, poorly maintained.

It really is completely unusable. From it's refusal to connect to the Motif, all the way to the unreadable fonts and GUI, I can't imagine the person at Yamaha who gave the "OK" to release this horrible excuse for a serious synth editor. The fact that it has the Yamaha name on it is a disgrace. In my opinion, of course.

Has anyone gotten this thing to actually work on their Mac with High Sierra ? The fact that the John Melos Editor Suite works straight away after ONE attempt, shows that my connections are right. The Melos version has no graphics to speak of unfortunately, which also stunts it a bit. But at least it connects with no effort, and updates the edits in real-time, and is just plain usable, unlike the Yamaha version.

One would think that a company with the size and reputation of Yamaha would fix this to support what was their flagship synth line for many years, and something that so many depend upon for their work. 🙁

End of rant.

John wrote:

Addendum ; I've come to the conclusion that the Yamaha Motif XS editor is really poorly realized, and also, poorly maintained.

It really is completely unusable. From it's refusal to connect to the Motif, all the way to the unreadable fonts and GUI, I can't imagine the person at Yamaha who gave the "OK" to release this horrible excuse for a serious synth editor. The fact that it has the Yamaha name on it is a disgrace. In my opinion, of course.

Has anyone gotten this thing to actually work on their Mac with High Sierra ? The fact that the John Melos Editor Suite works straight away after ONE attempt, shows that my connections are right. The Melos version has no graphics to speak of unfortunately, which also stunts it a bit. But at least it connects with no effort, and updates the edits in real-time, and is just plain usable, unlike the Yamaha version.

One would think that a company with the size and reputation of Yamaha would fix this to support what was their flagship synth line for many years, and something that so many depend upon for their work. 🙁

End of rant.

Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner, thanks for the screenshots they tell us everything.

You’ve mistakeningly downloaded the MOTIF XS Editor which sounds similar to the product you own but is actually the keyboard version of the Rack XS. Although similar each device has their own Editor.
If you download the Motif-Rack XS Editor, your problems will likely disappear. Certainly, that is the reason it’s not working. Let us know.

If you get stuck after downloading the right Editor, post back here.

Hello Bad Mister,

Wow - what a dunce I was for not noticing my error, and for also going on a rant before realizing MY error in choosing the wrong editor.

I didn't realize there was a RACK version of the XS editor.

My sincere apologies for jumping the gun in my over-reactive reply here.

Since downloading the CORRECT editor, all is and has been well with it !

Thank you very much for your help and patience with me ; I'm so thrilled I now have a great editor for my new Motif Rack XS !

Best regards,
JT.

Tengo el mismo problema, trato de conectar mi Motif Rack XS con un Kurzweil PC3, en mi caso es con Windows 8.
Trataré de seguir la secuencia de comunicación que han indicado en este forum.

Saludos.,
David