Rather than setting up split points on the same MIDI channel, I was thinking to simply assign one of my four performance parts (bass) to its own MIDI channel matched to the same MIDI channel on the MIDI pedalboard. Is this something done in a template or Master zone?

You can do it… as explained below.

Conceptually, is this something I could do in any multi-timbre mode? Could you recommend the best way to do this?

The way to address Parts on separate MIDI Channels you would use a Song Mixing or a Pattern Mixing.

If you have already setup the Parts in Performance Mode, you can move the Performance to the MIXING mode using a [JOB]
Find a blank SONG or PATTERN you wish to use.
Press [MIXING]
Press [JOB]
Press [F3] COPY
Press [SF3] PERFORM

Set the Performance Bank and Name at the top
Mark the boxes of the attributes you wish to copy.
Direct it to Parts 1-4 of the current MIXING > press [ENTER] to execute

This will move the four Parts of your Performance to Parts 1-4 of the current Mixing, placing each Part on MIDI Channel 1
Press [EDIT] > Press Track [1] to view the MIXING settings
Press [F1] VOICE
Press [SF2] MODE
Set the MIDI Channels as you require… for example, if you want to play Parts 1, 2 and 3 from the ES keyboard leave them set them to Channel 1. You can play them all when you *select* TRACK [1]
If your bass Part is Part 4, for example, you can set its MIDI Channel to match whatever channel your MIDI Pedal board wants to send.

Can this all then be stored outside of an individual song or pattern as a mixing template to include these MIDI channel assignments? And is it then also possible to create such templates for use in performances?

Any Song or Pattern Mixing can be stored as one of 32 Mix Templates. These are stored to the internal MOXF memory and can be recalled whenever necessary. When you recall them they are restored to a MIXING location… they cannot be recalled in Performance mode — all Parts of a Performance are always addressed on a single MIDI Channel… only MIXING supports multiple MIDI Channel operation.

And while Performances can be moved to a Song/Pattern Mixing, the MIXING cannot be moved to a Performance.

What about enabling ZONE setups in Master Mode to incorporate and allow my external MIDI controllers to address internal tone generator voices and/or receive select MIDI signals from the ES? I would like my MIDI pedalboard to send MIDI to my ES via one exclusive MIDI channel in oder to trigger TG voices. I would also like my external voice processor to receive select MIDI data (in vocoder mode) from the ES to create its own voicing...I read there are three Master Zone templates that I could make. Is this an option?

Master mode, short for “Master Keyboard Mode”, is all about transmitting, not receiving.

The only multi-MIDI channel modes are the Sequencer Modes (Song and Pattern).
Master mode always references either a Voice, a Performance, or a Song or Pattern.

The rules of the associated Mode will always apply.
Here’s what that means…
__When the Master program is referencing a Motif ES VOICE, only that one Voice is available internally - you can only play one Voice at a time in Voice mode.
__When the Master program is referencing a Motif ES PERFORMANCE, only that on Performance is available internally — a maximum of four Parts, all one one MIDI Channel, in one Zone — you can play only one Performance on one Channel in Performance mode.
__When the Master program is referencing a Motif ES SONG or PATTERN, each of the 16 Parts can be on a different Channel. In fact you can freely stack multiple Parts on the same channel. So again, Song and Pattern mode rules apply — these are the only multi-channeled modes on the Motif ES.

The Zones in Master mode are setup for TRANSMITTING from the Motif ES as a keyboard controller. It has nothing to do with RECEIVING MIDI Input from external devices.

Thank you Phil:

You cleared everything up for me again.

Tom