Hey Tracy,

I will try to answer your question and I am pretty sure Bad Mister will correct me if I am wrong.

I will assume that you are using the Performance mode of your MOXF and it offers easily available controls for Arpeggio ON/OFF, Part Select, Part Mute and Arpeggio HOLD, please check the details in the link below. While the article is for Motif XF, your MOXF has exactly the same button configuration regarding the Performance control:

http://www.yamahasynth.com/resources/xf-performance-mode-explored

Basically, the 16 buttons on the right side of the MOXF panel are used to control the 4 performance Parts as follows:
- buttons 1-4 allow you to select (and control/play) the Performance Parts 1-4
- buttons 5-8 allow you to switch ON/OFF the arpeggio for Performance Parts 1-4 (when the button lit, ARP is ON)
- buttons 9-12 allow you to mute parts 1-4
- buttons 13-16 allow you to choose if the arpeggio for parts 1-4 will HOLD (continue playing after your release the keys)

Additionally, you can control the volume and the Panning of any of the 4 parts by following the instructions in the link below:
http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/keyboards/synthesizers/sy-moxf/moxf8/10719/8202/

I hope that helps.

Tracy,
One of the things the manual is good for is learning the ‘local’ terminology. You cannot make real progress learning the instrument without the correct terminology.

Pattern in MOXF-speak refer to a Mode (by that name) in the Sequencer area of the MOXF. Here you can record and playback MIDI data, including for drums. The Sequencer is a device that can record and be made to playback at the touch of the [>] PLAY button. You can also set the Pattern Mode to start playback with the first touch of a key.

Arpeggios in MOXF-speak refer to the more than 7000 musical and percussion phrases that can be associated with a Voice or Part, and can be MIDI note and/or control data applied to a sound. There are four Arpeggiators, each can independently control a Part. Arps require interactive control, so you don’t just press a button to make them play. You must control them... this means the Main Arp On/Off must be active, and the individual Part Arp On/Off must be active, and you must press a Key in the designated Note region of the Keyboard at the designated Velocity.... to start the phrase playing. Arps can be made to play once or loop. You can start play with the first touch, and stop it with the next. You even have a way so they only play while you are engaging the Keys...

This means Arps can be started by touching a key, and/or by touching a key at a specific velocity... but essential is they are controlled by the player with the Keyboard, not a button.

We highly recommend you spend (some more) time with the manuals to gain an understanding of the different modes and the appropriate terminology. While in the common language you might refer to a Drum Arpeggio as a “pattern”, but in the world of your MOXF, anyone who has read the manual knows the term Pattern is used to define something quite different. You can argue that perhaps they shouldnt use a term this way or that way, but that’s a different discussion... fact is they did, and put together an entire series of books to justify their redefining the term for use in this product- if for no other thing, the manuals are essential for learning the local terminology.

Karin response is right on it... however you mentioned pressing a button... Arps never start by pressing a button...
you can design the way you wish to use the Pattern Sequencer or the Arpeggios... Patterns can be started and stopped by a button. Arpeggios are always started by interaction with the Keyboard.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Kalin for your reply, I think I understand what you are talking about and will try it. I was actually talking about being in voice mode and just using a drum assign to keep a beat while I am playing. My question is, can I start and stop a drum kit that I assign while in voice mode manually without striking a key?

In response to you Bad Mister, I agree that I need to spend some time in the manual, it's just that it's hard to stay focused with it because it seems to be written for an engineer and it is hard to follow. I don't understand why they can't pay reference to common things like, how do I assign a foot controller to control things like start and stop of drums or leslie. If they have I cannot find it. I've only had it a week so I'm gonna try to study if some more. You both seem very knowledgeable and I hope I can call on you in the future for more info. Very excited to see where I can go with this instrument. Thanks for your time.

My question is, can I start and stop a drum kit that I assign while in voice mode manually without striking a key?

No. When you understand what the different Modes are, it becomes easier to recognize where you need to be to start and stop a Drum pattern without striking a Key.

I explained above, that would be in the Sequencer Mode. Pattern Mode, not only does the manual explain what Pattern Mode is about, it even has factory examples (they are there only for the purpose of giving you an example or two of how Patten mode can be used... once you learn from them you are to erase them and create your own.