Ableton Forum

Posted: **Sun Aug 18, 2024 1:31 am**

Hey guys n gals,

I've got ableton 12 suite and a Yamaha motif 6 synth. Ive got the audio inputs into ableton well sorted but I'm struggling in controlling the Yamaha motif 6 via USB midi.

What I want to do is have ableton send the midi sequence ive got programmed to the motif, and have the motif return its delicious synth sound via audio.

Ive got the audio out piping into ableton just fine via my dac. I just can't seem to get the motif to play the midi.

Ive got flashing sync lights on ableton. Anyone know what ive missed?

Thanks, Wik

Posted: **Sun Aug 18, 2024 4:23 pm**

For my setup with my Motif ES8 I had to get this USB driver from Yamaha:
https://faq.yamaha.com/usa/s/article/U0001559
The ES8 is showing up in the Live's MIDI options, and in all the other DAW I have installed on my machine.

Posted: **Sun Aug 18, 2024 10:31 pm**

Thanks for the link but those legacy drivers do not work on win11.

I have the yamaha drivers loaded on win11, and it appears as though my system is chatting back and forth with the motif 6 via usb midi...

Ableton Recognizes it as a Yamaha MOTIF6 with 3 ports on in the input, and 8 on the output port.
Ableton is flashing on the midi sync in light, and also in the midi sync out light (when playing the midi clip).
The midi clip is set up on an ext instrument in ableton, with the midi sending to the motif6-3, subchannel 1.

My problem is I do not know if I am missing a setting in the motif 6 to get it to start playing when I am sending midi data.

Can you elaborate on your configuration of the midi in both ableton and the motif?

Thanks, Wik

Posted: **Mon Aug 19, 2024 1:59 am**

Oki Doki. Solution:

How to get your 2001-era Yamaha Motif 6 accepting midi input and outputting audio to Ableton.

USB Cable from PC to Yamaha. Install the drivers here: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/content ... k=motif+es

The device should show up in device manager (Sound, Video and game controllers) as "Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver (WDM)".

In this example: Ableton 12 Suite:
Options -> Settings -> Link, Tempo & Midi.
Select your control serface to none, Input "Yamaha MOTIF6-2" and output "Yamaha Motif6-1"
Input ports, for Yamaha MOTIF6-1, -2, and -3: all track, sync, remote, MPE enabled.
Output ports: Yamaha MOTIF6-1, thru 8: Track Sync, Remote enabled.

Then create a ext instrument, and set it to: "Yamaha MOTIF6-1, ch 3. Audio input from your input source (in my example 1/2. Set to record, auto, in the mixer.

On the motif 6:
Utility -> MIDI ->
Ch -> BasicRcvCh: 3, KbdTransch: 1, Deviceno Al1, FileutilID 1.
Switch: Bank on, Pgmchange on, ctrlchange model, localctrl on, rcvbulk on
Sync: Midi sync internal, clockout on, seqctrl in/out, MTC Startoffset 0000000's.
Other: Midi in/out USB, Thruport 1.

Hope this helps! Wik

Posted: **Mon Aug 19, 2024 11:56 pm**

Wikwyre wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 19, 2024 1:59 am
Oki Doki. Solution:

How to get your 2001-era Yamaha Motif 6 accepting midi input and outputting audio to Ableton.

USB Cable from PC to Yamaha. Install the drivers here: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/content ... k=motif+es

The device should show up in device manager (Sound, Video and game controllers) as "Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver (WDM)".

In this example: Ableton 12 Suite:
Options -> Settings -> Link, Tempo & Midi.
Select your control serface to none, Input "Yamaha MOTIF6-2" and output "Yamaha Motif6-1"
Input ports, for Yamaha MOTIF6-1, -2, and -3: all track, sync, remote, MPE enabled.
Output ports: Yamaha MOTIF6-1, thru 8: Track Sync, Remote enabled.

Then create a ext instrument, and set it to: "Yamaha MOTIF6-1, ch 3. Audio input from your input source (in my example 1/2. Set to record, auto, in the mixer.

On the motif 6:
Utility -> MIDI ->
Ch -> BasicRcvCh: 3, KbdTransch: 1, Deviceno Al1, FileutilID 1.
Switch: Bank on, Pgmchange on, ctrlchange model, localctrl on, rcvbulk on
Sync: Midi sync internal, clockout on, seqctrl in/out, MTC Startoffset 0000000's.
Other: Midi in/out USB, Thruport 1.

Hope this helps! Wik

I am glad everything is working out for you. I am still using WIN 10 and Live 12. Your post is useful to all Motif owners knowing the driver on WIN 11 will be fine.

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