The MFC10 is one of those MIDI devices that it is
impossible to tell you everything that it can do.
You have to have a ‘MIDI-need’ and the MFC10
can probably do it for you. It is a true Power
User’s utility device. If you perform live the
MFC10 can add much functionality to your
keyboard. In this article we will be talking about a
few things that it can do for you and your Motif ES
keyboard. The MFC10 was designed for users who
need to change complex setups yet keep their
hands free to play their instrument. This is why it
is already very familiar to MIDI Guitarist (G50)
and to MIDI Wind Controller (WX5) players.
Keyboard players can also use the MFC10 for
hands-free operation of their synth. The unit
features twelve switches and a sweep pedal. In
addition to this there are jacks for four optional
pedals. You can plug in FC4, FC5 (momentary
footswitches) or FC7 (sweep pedals) in any
combination. The jack will ‘know’ what kind of
pedal you have plugged in (use only genuine
Yamaha foot pedals for best operation and reliable
results). It is a highly sophisticated tool and can
be customized so that when you are on stage you
can recall any setup no matter how complex. The
theory of operation is to preset the MFC10 in
advance and use it to recall your setups.
Programming is done ahead of time and you are
provided stickers so that you can label the
footswitches, as necessary.
Programming the MFC10 is like writing in code –
because you are writing in MIDI coded commands,
but once you have locked in what you need it to
do, a press of a footswitch recalls it all. So what
can you do? Oh…for starters:
•
Start the sequencer
•
Stop the sequencer
•
Continue the sequencer from the last stopped
position
•
Trigger a sample (send up to 4 Note-ons on
any specific channel)
•
Change Chord voicing controlling an Arpeggio
•
Send a Bank Select / Program change
•
Select a Song
•
Select Pattern
•
Send Pattern Section change commands
•
Set up foot volume controls for multiple MIDI
channels; 4-ZONE Foot Volume command
•
Send Aftertouch information on a specific
channel from a sweep pedal
•
Send Pitch Bend information on a specific
channel from a sweep pedal
•
Send Aftertouch from a sweep pedal
•
Set up for control of effects processors with
foot controllers
•
Setup a wah-wah pedal
•
Switch portamento ON/OFF
•
Control pan position
•
Control Tempo via a sweep pedal*
(see final paragraph)
and much, much more…
This is why we call it the Swiss-Army™ knife of
MIDI controls – because it can do most anything.
THEORY of OPERATION
There are two main modes on the MFC10:
NORMAL and MIX. You select the mode of
operation by a back panel switch. What is being
referred to here the main working operations…
how you will setup the MFC10 to work. In what is
called NORMAL mode you have 2 functions:
Program Change and Function. PROGRAM
CHANGE memory is where the footswitches are
used to recall preset 128 Program Change
messages. You are in the Program Change
Memory when the FUNCTION LED is OFF. Step on
the Function switch and you move to the
FUNCTION memory area. Function is where the
footswitches can be preset to send various
commands like Section change, start/stop, etc.,
up to 100 Functions can be stored. The other
main mode is called MIX which refers to the fact
that you no longer have to use the Function LED
to toggle back and forth between PC and
Functions, that is, the top row of footswitches can
be Function memories and the bottom row of
footswitches can be Program Change memories. If
you have just a few things you need the MFC10 to
do the MIX mode gives you access to both on one
panel. Which you use will depend on what you
need to do.
Program Changes
Let’s begin with something basic, like setting up a
simple program change sequence. There are 128
Program Change locations (001-128) on the
MFC10. Each one can be preset to send a
command to the Motif ES and select any Voice
from any of the six Preset banks, two User banks,
Preset Drum bank, User Drum bank, or PLG User
banks. Here’s how it does it: when you step on
the pedal assigned to location 001 you can have
that location send data on a predetermined MIDI
channel a bank select and program change
message.
Every bank in the Motif ES has a designation as to
MSB/LSB bank numbers. If you are new to this
here is a brief explanation. Bank Select commands
give manufacturers 128 MSB numbers and 128
LSB numbers to define banks and 128 Program
Changes in each bank…that is a mind boggling
16,384 possible banks, each with 128 Program
Changes. A Voice in the Preset 1 bank of the Motif
ES is in bank 63/0. The MSB and LSB numbers are
control change messages that help locate and
differentiate the Voice in Preset 1 location 001 and
the Voice in Preset 2 location 001, from the Voice
in Preset 3 location 001 and so on.
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