This is not a question topic, I just wanted to share how I setup and installed the Yamaha MX61 Keyboard on my Windows 7 PC. There are lot of info on the web and on printed documentation that comes with MX61 but some of the information are redundant and/or did not work for me. I thought a quick workable HOW 2 will benefit the community. Also I think the procedure will be the same for Yamaha MX49 keyboard as well.
My setup:
Windows 7 Pro updated as of Feb 2015, for Audio interface I am using Steinberg UR 44. I also made Ghost back up of my PC, before trying to install the Keyboard software, couple of times the software failed to install and left my USB drivers messed up or installed and did not start up telling me “I do not have Cubase AI” installed, which is pretty bad since I have Cubase Artist installed in 3 versions, so I went back and restored my PC back to its previous configuration using Ghost 15 to make sure I deal with a clean setup.
During installation one of these software had 32bit and 64bit choices, I selected both, selecting 64bit did not work for me, while my setup is all 64bit. Some of the gotchas here.
Assumptions.
A. Cubase Artist 8, 7,5 and 7 are installed and fully updated and working
B. Yamaha Steinberg UR44 is also working and fully updated. You can do this by going to “Windows Globe / All Programs / Steinberg UR44 / dspMixFix UR44” and click the “i” tab and click “Check for update”.
Keyboard software installation:
All software mentioned below are downloaded form this URL (downloads for MX61).
http://download.yamaha.com/search/product/?site=usa.yamaha.com&language=en&category_id1=16244&category_id2=16381&category_id3=&product_id=1716497
This was the Parent download URL Yamaha Downloads
Only Download and Install below stuff:
A. [Install First ] USB driver (go with the latest) as of Feb 2015, it was “Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver V1.9.2 for Windows”
You can verify your current and/or updated versions by going to “Windows Globe / All Programs / Steinberg UR44 / dspMixFix UR44” and click the “gear” tab and then click on “Control Panel” button.
B. Download/install the latest version of “YC-3B (VST Instrument) V1.1.2 for Windows”
C. Download/install the latest version of “MX49/MX61 Remote Tools V1.0.2 for Windows”
D. Download/install the latest version of “MX49/61 Voice List for Cubase”, this is an XML file that will be imported to Cubase for mapping MIDI behavior between MX61 keyboard and your Cubase.
Note: Lot of PDF documents are there as well I suggest you download all related PDF documents to the software you were downloading.
Configuring Cubase 8, same works for 7.5 and 7:
A. Connect MX61 to your Windows PC using a USB cable using port named “TO HOST”, connect the power supply to your MX61 and turn MX61 on and let Windows 7 discover and configure the USB device.
B. Start Cbuase, in my case I chose UR44 not the MX61 ASIO driver.
C. Setup your MIDI Port, on Cbuase click on “Devices / Device Setup / MIDI / MIDID Port Setup” and make sure your setup looks like this. (pay attention to All Midi column)
D. Repeat step C and this time select remote device and make sure it looks like below, the SF1-6 keys can be mapped and here are the location of the keys as well. You can click on the mapping column and choose your Transport or Device categories and sub categories. (see 2 images below)
Note: “Yamaha MX49/MX61-1” is for MIDI keyboard and “Yamaha MX49/MX61-2” is for MIDI remote controller.
SF Key mapping
E. Repeat step C and this time select “Yamaha Steinberg USB ASIO” and should look like this.
F. Importing the XML file, Unzip and place the “MX49/MX61 Voice List” folder somewhere on your hard drive, next click on “Devices /MIDI Device Manager” click on “Import Setup”, walk it to where you save the XML file and click “Open”, this should flash quickly, Now click on “Install Device”, choose “Yamaha MX”, set the “Output” to port 1 which is “Yamaha MX49/MX61-1”, and click on “+” for “MX PERFORMANCE MODE” and you should be able to see the below screen.
Now adding MIDI tracks in Cubase few different ways for MX61 keyboard
First MIDI Track
In this Cubase project, I have few Audio tracks, for Guitar, Vocal and Drums, So I added a Midi Track by going to Menu “Device / VST Instrument (i.e. F11)” click on the + sign on top Left of the menu, give your track a name and drop down the “VST instruments” chose “HALion Sonic SE”. In cubase set the input as “Yamaha MX49/MX61-1” and set the output as “HALion Sonic SE” See image below
Second MIDI Track
Next, do the same as above but this time we are going to choose YC-3B as our VST instrument and set the output and input for your track as shown below.
Third MIDI Track
Now to the last track, click on “Track types Column” in cubase, (second column from left) and choose “Add Midi Track” give it name
Set the input as “Yamaha MX49/MX61-1” and click on the output and choose “Yamaha MX (Yamaha MX49/MX61-1)”
And click on “Program Selector” which is area right under the Output selection and choose one of the thousands of voicing available to via “Yamaha MX”
Note
More information can be found here on Yamaha Site