The .mid files can be transferred to the 192MB of internal Flash memory or they can be read directly from a USB stick connected to the USB "To Device" port. You can store hundreds and hundreds of .mid files on board and read others from connected USB drives. Selections can be automated via the Seq Chain function.

Thank you! I'm still a little confused. So, if I buy this keyboard, I'm assuming there are no midi files already inside this machine - correct? This is the youtube video I'm referring to with that Dutch guy Bert Smorenburg where he plays a piano ballad and then says "I can scroll to plenty of midi files to play along with what I'm playing." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvShmhN6V9M&list=RDjGS_O0LRnCA&index=16

No MIDI files come with the instrument. You can either create the .MID files yourself (using the S90 XS and Cubase AI) or that you purchase or download and prepare for use with the instrument's playback sequence capability.

Often users will prepare multiple tracks to be played by the S90 XS, leaving out a part that they play along with (as Bert was doing). You can create your own tracks, or take a commercially available .mid file, erase the the part you wish to play live. Some people use .mid files only for the parts they wish to compliment their live band... They erase the tracks they don't need.

Got it - thank you very much!

One more question - getting back to Bert's ballad...I understand he created the backing tracks for that particular song and uploaded it into the S90xs as a .MID file. However, if someone is playing a similar ballad performance on the s90xs, can the Arpeggio section of the s90xs pick up something similar? Like a ballad drum beat, bass line, string section, etc...? Or does that have to be "programmed" into the machine? Thanks...

Paul wrote:

One more question - getting back to Bert's ballad...I understand he created the backing tracks for that particular song and uploaded it into the S90xs as a .MID file. However, if someone is playing a similar ballad performance on the s90xs, can the Arpeggio section of the s90xs pick up something similar? Like a ballad drum beat, bass line, string section, etc...? Or does that have to be "programmed" into the machine? Thanks...

Sorry, I did not see your additional question until just now.

The S-Series can load arpeggios made for the Motif XS (.X0G) but it cannot "pick up" anything. The Motif-series and the MOXF-series have built-in recording Sequencers (a necessity in order to create your own arpeggios). You can and should email Bert if you are interested in how he created the demo in question. But one method would be to use a DAW like Cubase AI (that comes with your S90 XS). You can prepare the backing tracks, leaving Track 1 open for the sound you are going to play along with.

You can export the Cubase data as a Standard MIDI File (.mid) and then install that file on your instrument's 192MB of memory. The MIX can be stored to one of 128 Multi MIX programs, then you can setup a SEQ CHAIN to recall the MIX, then play the .MID file.

As an alternative, you can export your Cubase data as a .wav file (requires an audio interface), the stereo .wav 44.1kHz/16-bit can be streamed from a USB stick or installed to the 192MB of memory.

While the 192MB will hold literally hundreds of .mid file (hours and hours of music), audio (.wav) files take up about 10Mb per stereo minute so you get about 18-19 minutes of audio. The S-series can stream both .mid and .wav files from an external drive so you can have access to every song you know!!!