I have installed the Yamaha USB for my MX88 and I can record my MX88 through speaker out into a DAC connected to my PC using Reason 9.5.

We have to stop you here and ask, is this your preferred connection? The MX88 has its own builtin audio and MIDI interface via USB. Reason can use the MX88's ASIO Driver for both MIDI and Audio.

No external DAC is actually needed. The MX88 connected via USB is all you need. Connect your sound system to the MX88. Your computer and the MX88 will use the L&R Outputs of the MX to feed audio to your speakers.

If you would prefer to use your setup, can you please give us a general description of what it is and how your connected o monitor yourself.

Bad Mister -
Currently - I have my MX88 L/R outputs connected to My Roland Octa-Capture - The Octa-Capture has it's own mixer and it has L/R outputs to 2 Studio Monitors. This is how I currently am able to record the "tones" within the MX88 to a track in Reason. I have found no other way in Reason to use the USB from my MX88 to my PC and record the tones in the MX88 or control the Synth VSTs in Reason.

I would like the option of using the USB/Midi capabilities of the MX88 to control the Synth VSTs within Reason. Even cooler if I could use the "tones" within my MX88 as the tone generator for the Synth VSTs within Reason. Even Cooler if I could bypass my Octa-Capture completely and just use Reason as the Output of the MX88 whether using built in tones or tones created with the Synth VSTs.

Trav...

I would like the option of using the USB/Midi capabilities of the MX88 to control the Synth VSTs within Reason. Even cooler if I could use the "tones" within my MX88 as the tone generator for the Synth VSTs within Reason. Even Cooler if I could bypass my Octa-Capture completely and just use Reason as the Output of the MX88 whether using built in tones or tones created with the Synth VSTs.

Yeah, let's do that!

Although I don't quite know what you mean by using the "tones" within the MX88 as the tone generator for Synth VSTs within Reason... if you can route that data Out via MIDI and you can set the channel, you most definitely can.

Download and install the "Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver" for your computer type and operating system.
When setting up Reason, you will select this driver as your Audio Driver... this is an ASIO Driver and will give you very low latency. Connect your speakers to the Main L&R Outputs of the MX. All sounds from Reason will now pass through the MX88 because it is now your computer's audio interface.

If you need help setting up Reason, let us know.

Thanks for the Reply Bad Mister -
So there is no way to use the Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver in conjunction with the ASIO Driver that I use for my current Octa-Capture to process audio signals?
It would be a bit inconvenient to have to swap cables on my external monitors from the current setup to the MX. In the process I would lose the ability to record vocals and/or any other instrument other than the MX.

what I want the ability to do is use the MX as a "controller" for the various VST Synth Plug-ins that I have purchased for Reason.

Trav...

So there is no way to use the Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver in conjunction with the ASIO Driver that I use for my current Octa-Capture to process audio signals?

Yes, actually you can. If you have a Windows computer you can switch Drivers when you wish to use a different device. If you have a Macintosh you can build what is called an Aggregate Audio Device which will allow you to address multiple audio interfaces simultaneously.

It would be a bit inconvenient to have to swap cables on my external monitors from the current setup to the MX. In the process I would lose the ability to record vocals and/or any other instrument other than the MX.

Yes, it can be inconvenient to be swapping cables - the logistics can be challenging. And true, the MX88 does not feature an A/D Input, so to record vocals you will want to use your external audio interface.

The goal is to connect all inputs to the audio interface and let it handle converting signal to be recorded and monitoring through to your speaker system. You initially did not mention anything about a microphone or vocals... you were concerned with triggering VSTi in Reason (which is handled by the MX88 MIDI connection to the computer).

In order to record audio in your setup, you will need to connect the analog Main L&R Outputs of the MX88 to two channels on your audio interface. Your software (Reason) will see the MX88 audio as two channels of your Audio Interface. Since you are using the ASIO Driver for Octa-Capture, you will not see Audio coming from the MX88 via USB (only the MIDI data).

In a system with a Macintosh, each devices driver would be allowed to send audio into the computer... by creating this audio configuration, and selecting it you can route audio from both devices into the DAW... You would still need to connect the analog Outputs of MX88 to your Octa-Capture for monitoring purposes.

Hope that helps.

Bad Mister,

We're getting closer to what it is I am looking to do .. I am OK with the Audio of the MX88 coming through the analog inputs of my Octa-Capture. I am particularly interested in getting Midi data so that I can use the VSTi in Reason controlled by the MX88.

Do you know if it is possible to use my MX88 to control the VSTi in Reason? I've tried to figure out how to to it, and can't seem to located the USB driver-
Would it be better if I just use the Midi Ports???

Trav...

Do you know if it is possible to use my MX88 to control the VSTi in Reason? I've tried to figure out how to to it, and can't seem to located the USB driver-

What version of Windows are you running?

The MX88 is designed to control VSTi as your front panel DAW REMOTE mode features on the front panel indicate... you can even construct special Remote Control templates. There are already custom templates for many of the most popular VSTi - see the REMOTE TOOLS for MX

Bad Mister,

I'm using Windows 10 -

I am very impressed with all of the built in tones and capabilities of my MX88. There are just some tracks that I want to record that can only be done with a true "synth". I have Thor, SubTractor, and Malstom synth's plugged into Reason. It is these synth's that I want to control with my MX88. Can the MX88 be used as the controller for these synth's? I don't really want to have a separate device that controls these synth's, as I would lose the touch and feel of the MX88 that I need in my creation process.

Thanks, as always, for the support you provide!!!

Trav...

I have Thor, SubTractor, and Malstom synth's plugged into Reason. It is these synth's that I want to control with my MX88. Can the MX88 be used as the controller for these synth's?

Again, yes... it doesn't care if they are "real synths" or not, as long as they can be triggered with MIDI.

Seems your questions are about how to use Reason.... did you install the driver yet?

Maybe My question is about how to use Reason -
Yes I have installed the Yamaha USB Driver -
When I load a Synth "track" in Reason the Synth is not controlled by my MX88 -
Maybe I was spoiled by Previous Midi Controller - Reason automatically recognized the device and I could instantly use and start recording a Synth track in Reason with it.

Reason does not seem to recognize the MX88 and I can't find anywhere in Reason to tell it to use the MX88 as the controller for the Synth tracks.

Trav...