Hi, welcome to Yamaha Synth.

Various Issues:
Can't play notes with on-screen editor keyboard.
The Motif icon in is grayed out in the AudioMidi Setup Utility
The Yamaha USB-MIDI in System Preferences opens but is grayed out.
Same with the Yamaha Steinberg FW app in System Preference.
In Cubase, I receives a Port Open error message. In the MIDI track output: Yamaha Motif Rack missing. 1913822097.

Okay we can help you straighten all of these issues out.

Can't play notes with on-screen editor keyboard.
The reason you cannot play the notes with the on-screen Editor's Keyboard is a routing issue. Only when you have properly setup the Editor and it is brought ONLINE will you be able to click on the keys and have the hardware respond.

The Motif icon in is grayed out in the AudioMidi Setup Utility
The Yamaha USB-MIDI in System Preferences opens but is grayed out.
When you select to use the Yamaha Steinberg FW driver, the USB connection is no longer used. The FW driver takes care of both MIDI and Audio for your setup. So the fact that the icon is grayed out is a correct indication that you are NOT using it. (It is unnecessary when you are using FW).

Same with the Yamaha Steinberg FW app in System Preference.
In Cubase, I receives a Port Open error message. In the MIDI track output: Yamaha Motif Rack missing. 1913822097.
Okay we will begin our trouble shooting here. We are a little unclear about your setup, as you don't mention any keyboard (or other) Midi controller... Except for the keyboard in the Editor. Are we to conclude there is one or not? If you are using the Motif-Rack XS as a MIDI interface for an external controller - plug the MIDI OUT of that controller to the MIDI INPUT on the back panel of the Rack XS.

What you need and don't need:
_ Yamaha Steinberg FW Driver v1.7.3 (check)
_ MOTIF-RACK XS Extension V1.6.1 for Mac OS X - this will allow you to read the Motif-Rack XS's stereo and 14 assignable outputs by name.
_ Motif-Rack XS Editor Standalone/VST v1.6.5 (check)

_ If you have an FW16E, then you do NOT need the IEEE1394 update for the old mLAN16E2, your FW16e already comes with 1.08 it's current firmware. The firmware will be reported by the Control Panel's center tab: "Motif-Rack XS"
_ If you are using the FW driver you do NOT need the USB-MIDI driver 1.3.2 (you do not have to uninstall it, you simply will not be using it)

Here is a step-by-step setup guide for using the Motif-Rack XS via FW:
When you are using the Motif-Rack XS with the Yamaha Steinberg FW driver (YSFW) you need to verify the following settings in your Motif-Rack XS:
Press [UTILITY]
Select “GENERAL”
Press [ENTER]
On page 2 of 5 (2/5) ensure that the IEEE1394 Driver = FW
If this is not the setting, change the setting from "mLAN" to "FW" (because you will be using the new FireWire driver for audio), then press [STORE] to write this preference to your Flash ROM.
You will need to reboot the Motif-Rack XS for this setting to take place.

This setting will cause your Motif-Rack XS to automatically load the system necessary to use the Yamaha Steinberg FW ASIO Driver, versus the older (pre-2007) mLAN Driver. The Motif-Rack XS came out as one of the products that transitioned from the old mLAN network driver to the newer YSFW "peer-to-peer" FireWire Driver. You want your unit set to use the FW driver. Once this setting is made, STORED and you reboot, your Motif-Rack XS will remain set this way until you either change it or Factory Reset your unit.

Next, you want to make sure that the MIDI communication is set to mLAN:
Press [UTILITY]
Select “MIDI”
Press [ENTER]
On page 1 of 6 (1/6) ensure that the MIDI IN/OUT = mLAN
Press [STORE] to write this preference to your Flash ROM.
Connect your Motif-Rack XS to your computer with a FW cable
Set the Motif-Rack XS to MULTI mode (press the front panel button [MULTI]).

On your Macintosh computer:
Go to SYSTEM PREFERENCES in your Dock
Find the Yamaha Steinberg FW icon
Double click the icon to open the control panel.
Here you will be able to set the Sample Rate (44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96kHz), the Word Clock Master (Motif-Rack XS), and the Clock Source (Internal)

Click on the tab(s) that identifies your connected device(s): Motif-Rack XS
The current IEEE1394 Firmware version of your mLAN16E2 will be shown. This should read: V1.08 if you have a FW16E installed. If you have an older mLAN16e2 installed then your latest version will be 1.07-2

If your Control Panel only has two Tabs (let us know) it means your do not have a working connection via FW between the Rack XS and your computer. If this is the case STOP, let us know... because nothing will work without a successful link via FW.

Launch Cubase
Go to DEVICES > DEVICE SETUP… > MIDI > MIDI Port Setup
Here you will be able to select the device(s) that will be your MIDI controller. Typically this is any MIDI controller connected to its back panel jack Motif-Rack XS MIDI IN and/or you may wish to select the Motif-Rack XS Main (this is so you can record knob movements to tracks or as automation within Cubase).
In general, this is where you mark any device that you want to have input to your MIDI Track. It should be a controller device. Make sure that only these devices are marked in the “In ‘All MIDI Inputs’” column

Move down to the VST AUDIO SYSTEM item and verify that the Yamaha Steinberg FW is selected as the ASIO DRIVER.

The option just below VST AUDIO SYSTEM will be “Yamaha Steinberg FW”. If you highlight that you will see the CONTROL PANEL where you can set your buffer size.

In order to launch the Motif-Rack XS as a VST, do the following.

Open a Cubase Project (a New Project or one you are working on)
Go to DEVICES > VST INSTRUMENTS > Under "RACK INSTRUMENTS" > External > Motif-Rack XS VST

This will create a VST INSTRUMENT folder containing the first instance of the Motif-Rack XS VST... in its own Sub Folder... which will contain an AUTOMATION LANE and an AUDIO LANE (for returning audio from the Motif-Rack XS hardware).
You will be asked if you want to create a MIDI Track assigned to this VST plugin... Yes you do, so CREATE it.

Notice the MIDI OUT of this first MIDI Track is assigned to "01: Motif-R XS VST - MIDI In"

This allows the MIDI from the Track to travel through the Editor before it triggers the hardware Rack XS.
Create a NEW MIDI Track for each PART you want to use on the Motif-Rack XS and make sure they are set so:
MIDI OUT = "01: Motif-R XS VST - MIDI In"

To verify setup within the Editor - the graphic interface of the Editor appears and comes ONLINE, if not here's where you can set it up:
Click on FILE > SETUP
Here you can configure the MIDI Ports of the Editor (see below)

As you can see the MIDI OUT of the Editor is routed to the Motif-Rack XS Hardware. This is how the Keys of the Editor will trigger the hardware.

In the Editor Go to FILE > VSTi SETUP and configure your AUDIO RETURNS.

That should get you started. Let us know.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Your incredibly comprehensive outline solved my problem!

I didn't have the MOTIF-RACK XS Extension V1.6.1 for Mac OS X.
Found it, installed it, then proceeded to walk through each and every step in your outline.
Magnificent results!!!

On a side note: Regarding my MIDI controller, I use the Fishman Triple Play MIDI guitar converter. A Novation SLmkll is mostly used without Automap for keyswitching, standard MIDI CC for Quick Controls, transport functions but not for automating plug-ins or mix faders etc.

Thank you again!!!

No problem! You are quite welcome.

Regarding my MIDI controller, I use the Fishman Triple Play MIDI guitar converter. A Novation SLmkll is mostly used without Automap for keyswitching, standard MIDI CC for Quick Controls, transport functions but not for automating plug-ins or mix faders etc.

Awesome!

Will the new firewire driver and setup on the Motif rack-sx allow me to use both the midi din input port for Wind instrument and the firewire port for access to the rack-xs at the same time. I know the mLan driver nor the usb will work with din.

I would like to be able the vst while playing ewi on din. Please advise...

Will the new firewire driver and setup on the Motif rack-sx allow me to use both the midi din input port for Wind instrument and the firewire port for access to the rack-xs at the same time. I know the mLan driver nor the usb will work with din.

Yes, but the MIDI signal entering the 5-pin MIDI jack must be echoed from within the computer... meaning your MIDI signal will travel from the EWI to the MIDI IN jack of the Rack XS, it will pass through the Rack XS and go to the computer via USB, the computer will bounce that signal back Out to the Rack XS tone generator.

When the Motif-Rack XS is set to MIDI IN/OUT = FW, or USB, the 5-pin MIDI jacks become identified by the computer driver as "Port 3".

So you would need to set "Yamaha Motif-R XS-3" (port 3) as the Input and echo that data Out on "Yamaha Motif-R XS-1" (port 1). This will allow the external device to trigger the Motif-Rack XS.

hi there i set up all software like in the pics but for some reason i cant see the mlan midi ports or sync the editor in vst or stand alone mode please help, i

Hi hydero,

You should start your own thread with the information about your system.
What computer, what operating system, what driver version you are using, what software version you are using... etc

The devil is always in the details. If you did *everything* in the thread above and your system was *exactly* the same, you theoretically would be successful as well, but because some detail IS (likely) different, we will need to trace down that difference and fix it so that you are successful. Troubleshooting any setup like this is best handled step-by-step... it's all about Signal Flow... follow the signal from start to finish. Like troubleshooting a pipeline, you follow the flow until you find the problem.

Rather than add to the bottom of this this thread, you should really start a fresh thread of your own. We'd be happy to step through your setup with you. Thanks.