Please see pages 23-24 and page 31 in the Motif XF Owner’s Manual for a short step-by-step guide on the Arpeggio Function, Assigning an ARP, and the Performance Recorder — which is the best way to setup to record Arp Phrases to the Song or Pattern Sequencer.

We also have a couple of Motif XF Tutorial articles here on the site that can help you get started:

Link — Motif XF Performance Mode Explored

Link — Motif XF: Guitar Arpeggio Study

If/when you have questions, post back here.

Thank you Phil. Is there any other mode for listening to phrases besides Performance Recorder ?

Yes. VOICE mode and SONG/PATTERN modes. See page 23-24 “Using the Arpeggio Function”.
PERFORMANCE mode allows you to hear the phrases in some context.

Ok, thnx 🙂

Sorry, I got pulled away… there are too many Arpeggio Phrases to audition them all. While it might seem a logical thing to do at first glance, once you begin to get into it, you realize that there are too many to just sit and audition.

First thing you discover after using them a while, they are not static. By this I mean, I’ve heard comments from owners who haven’t dug into arpeggios in any way say “I’d never use an arp because everyone will know where it came from”… their thought is that everyone will sound the same if they choose the same Arp Phrase.

I had someone who wanted to transfer all of the phrases to their DAW.

The thing about these two thoughts is they don’t take into account the Arp Phrases are not static. Perhaps most Drum Arps seem to be static (fixed) in that they often are used to play the same thing over and over. But that is not mandated, you have ways to alter these phrases in real time, adjusting the feel and attitude.

Musical chord intelligent Arp phrases can do different things sometimes by changing a voicing, or changing the number of keys held down. In fact you don’t have to play the entire phrase play, you might just want certain beats to sound - so lifting your hand can alter the phrase - you can interact with the phrase.

The Data List details information on the 7881 Phrases — importantly, the instrument sound used to create the Phrase.
Any Arp can be assigned to any Voice or Part — some times this is good and some times mixing and matching Arps and sounds can be a disaster. Guitar Arp Phrases may do nothing useful for an electric bass.

Then there are Arp Play FX - offsets to velocity, timing, swing quantize - these things can greatly alter what the Arp Phrase feels like within your music. A simple rhythm guitar riff, can be altered - apply swing, and then you can increase or decrease the notes whose timing has been offset… giving an entire different phrase.

What I’m suggesting (and likely how there got to be so many) — they are a part of the Phrase Factory concept. When discussing what technology could do to help composers/musicians who experience writer’s block. The phrases are there to provide inspiration.

If you are looking for something specific, perhaps you’d be better served playing it yourself and converting it to an ARP Phrase.
Use the auditioning to find something that inspires you today. Those that do not appeal to you are simply available for another day.

I highly recommend exploring and experimenting with the various offsets… you’ll discover that the Arp phrases are very flexible.
They are designed to be recorded to the sequencer, they are designed to assist with generating guitar, bass and drum parts for your musical composition. Those that are chord intelligent can be made to play any composition; and often, the only way to know what they are capable of is start working with them.

Find a phrase that peaks your interest and spend 10-15 minutes seeing just how much you can alter it with the parameters available.

Phil, I was just talking about using mostly guitar strum phrases that are hard to get by fingering on a classical keyboard. Thanks for your help 🙂