Recent Posts

1

PSR-SX900/SX700/SX600 / Re: Re-Arranging Register Banks

« Last post by Bernie9 on Today at 09:12:26 PM »

Thank you Chris
So, to be clear, if I copy or move file folders that contain songs intact, I am okay.  If I move the song registrations ( songs), as is, from within the folder, I am still okay. Just leave the songs themselves alone, wherever they are moved.

Is that about it?

2

Genos Styles/OTS/Multi Pads / Re: How to find the melody?

« Last post by RoyB on Today at 08:50:32 PM »

From time to time, when reading a piece of music, I sometimes find myself having to look up on the Internet the notes for a less-common chord derivative especially if the music is in a more difficult key. So, having some spare time on my hands the past month or so, I decided I would write my own 'chord lookup' program. Once started, I thought it might be something to share with this forum if it would help others to develop their playing abilities, and it then developed into something rather more than a simple 'chord lookup' program.

It is nearing being completed and a sample screen shot is attached. It might look quite complicated, but it is really dead simple to use. Having made a selection from the area on the left (it starts up with the selection of 'C'), the program provides 2 sets of information. One is information on the CHORD of C, and then being able to select numerous derivatives of chord C from the section on the top left(middle) and to see the notes making up the chord in the keyboard section at the bottom.

The other is information on the KEY of C, which is shown in the box in the top right.

You will see that within the information section for the KEY of C are the most important chords for that key (as mentioned by AndyG and PJD) that fit well together to create nice sounding progressions (and forming the basis for much popular music), under the heading Diatonic Chords. Clicking on any of those chords will show the notes making up those chords in the keyboard section at the bottom. Under the heading Chromatic Chords, there are a further set of chords that also fit well together with the Diatonic Chords (which together would cover most popular songs).

As I said, the purpose is to help others (such as Scannie) to understand chords and chord progressions, and to help develop their playing abilities. There is little actual musical theory - I am not competent enough to instruct on theory (I had less that 12 months' piano lessons when I was about 8 years old, and nearly 70 years later much of the theory I was taught has been forgotten).  So the emphasis, together with a help tutorial and possibly a video tutorial, is on what works in practice, the significance of what I have referred to as Diatonic and Chromatic chords, and how to arrive at them for any key without knowing any music theory.

It is not far off being completed (just the help file and a possible video tutorial to do), and I hope it will be useful to some people. As far I as am concerned, if it helps just one person to develop his/her playing, then it will have been worthwhile.

Regards

Roy

3

Genos Speakers / Foot Pedals / Re: Yamaha HS Speaker Recommendation

« Last post by pjd on Today at 07:21:16 PM »

+1 Angelo's advice.

My Genos is connected directly to a pair of studio monitors (Mackie HR824, long since out of production) and adjust playing volume using the Master Volume knob.

Works for me... I usually play at low volume in order to save my hearing. Never needed a subwoofer as I like flat and balanced best. 

All the best -- pj

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Genos Styles/OTS/Multi Pads / Re: How to find the melody?

« Last post by pjd on Today at 07:12:20 PM »

Hi Scannie --

I just got back into town and saw your question and the replies. The replies have good advice, but might be a bit intimidating.

Most how-to articles begin with the C scale (AKA "C Major"), perhaps because it's the easiest to picture and play (i.e., all the white keys):

https://www.musicradar.com/how-to/music-theory-notes-intervals-scales-chords
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/musical-tricks-transform-your-tracks

In the first article, you'll see seven chords (3 note triads) which use the white keys: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. Don't worry about the Bdim (diminished) chord right now, but try playing different combinations (progressions) of the C, Dm, Em, F, G, and Am triad chords. You'll find that zillions of songs are based on some combination of these chords!

And guess what! If you start with Am, you'll find that you can create minor key (sad) songs with this scale, too. That's why the relative minor key to C major is A minor.

Once you're comfortable with C major/A minor, try other keys/scales. The same basic theory applies.

Hope this helps -- pj

5

PSR-SX900/SX700/SX600 / Re: Re-Arranging Register Banks

« Last post by overover on Today at 06:43:29 PM »

Hi Bernie,

You can move and/or rename Registration Bank files (.rgt) without any problems. Please note, however, that external files used in the registrations (e.g. User Styles, User Multi Pad files, MIDI files or TXT files) may NOT be subsequently moved or renamed (because otherwise the registrations would no longer find these linked files) .

For example, you could copy your previous registrations from the SX900 User drive to a USB stick: In the Registration Bank Selection display touch "File > Copy > Select All > Copy", select the destination path (the connected USB stick) and touch "Copy here".

After you have connected the USB stick to the computer, you can create new category folders on the stick as desired and sort the .rgt files there as desired. Additionally, you could create a folder "A - Z" into which you copy ALL .rgt files so that you can later access them regardless of the category. In this context, note that a maximum of 2500 files per folder are supported. (However, a maximum of 200 files per folder is recommended.)

You don't necessarily have to copy the newly created folders back to the user drive, but you could also use the registrations directly from the USB stick. The only important thing is that external files used by the registrations are still in their original location in the user drive. (Otherwise the registrations would have to be changed.)


P.S.
If you want to access the SX900 user drive directly from your computer, you would have to use the PC (Windows) program "Yamaha MusicSoft Downloader" as the SX900 does not have a USB storage mode function. However, accessing with the MusicSoft Downloader takes some getting used to and is relatively slow because it runs via the USB-MIDI protocol.


Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

6

DGX Portable Grand Pianos (DGX 620,630,640,650,660,670) / Re: Do freeplay styles work in the DGX-670?

« Last post by pjd on Today at 06:40:35 PM »

Hi Rich --

I've created/modified Free Play styles and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't play correctly on DGX-670.

Technically, there aren't any special features or format within a Free Play style. Details are available here:

https://sandsoftwaresound.net/freeplay-style-deconstructed/

Probably the main characteristics: long MAIN sections that hold notes and MIDI CC expression to change timbre dynamically. No rhythm.

Hope this info helps -- pj

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DGX Portable Grand Pianos (DGX 620,630,640,650,660,670) / Re: Do freeplay styles work in the DGX-670?

« Last post by p$manK32 on Today at 06:22:06 PM »

Graham,

I have another question at the bottom of my long post here. Good to know that freeplays and other styles work. That’s big. I read some of your past comments about the button pushing and see that you got used to it. The interface on the 670 looks well thought out and I find I’m doing a lot of button pushing and touch screen navigating on the SX anyway.

I plan to keep my SX900 and add a digital piano because the SX pianos just don’t cut it for me. I find myself using piano quite often on the SX and thought the DGX would be a great hybrid of digital piano and arranger features. My initial idea was to replace the SX900 with a Genos2, however G2 is just so expensive and the 670 would offer a better piano experience in my opinion. Eventually I might sell the SX if the DGX better suits me, but we will see. I would have to evaluate if I still need the more powerful style & registration flexibility the SX900 has.

I have an old DGX-640 in the house and notice I do like the weighted keys, even for lead instruments like sax I think it’s fine. I find myself using non-piano leads like sax, brass, organ, synth much less than piano. 88 weighted keys just has so much more presence and expressiveness than 61 synth style keys. The 640’s action was always extremely noisy, so hoping Yamaha has improved this on the 670.

I read on this forum the 670 has only 20MB of user memory. I calculated that if most styles average 70 KB per style then I would be able to fit as many as 285 styles in the user area. Probably less than that because I am not figuring in registrations. I prefer to use internal user memory instead of USB sticks when playing. If I could fit even just 50 styles in User I would be happy. Do you find the internal memory sufficient for your needs, or are you relying on USB sticks to access external styles and registrations when playing?

Rich
 

8

Genos Styles/OTS/Multi Pads / Re: How to find the melody?

« Last post by mikf on Today at 05:14:55 PM »

Maybe a stupid question, how to play in C?
Is one specific chord the C major chord?

Scannie, it's not a stupid question, but it is a question with no useful answer. It's like asking how do you do brain surgery - well you train to be a brain surgeon.
Thats why you need to get into lessons, and understand the basics. No one here is going to teach you how to play, not matter how well intentioned they appear to be. They can answer very specific questions about arrangers, like how do I save a voice or a registration, but not how to play. You have to either learn by yourself - not a great idea - or get lessons.
Some people here will tell you they managed in their golden years to learn to play an arranger without taking lessons, but hardly any of them started on the arranger from point zero. They either had taken lessons in the dim distant past, when young, but stopped, - or played another instrument, at least a little, - or had friends helping.

Mike

9

PSR-SX900/SX700/SX600 / Re-Arranging Register Banks

« Last post by Bernie9 on Today at 04:23:40 PM »

Over the years I have been sloppy about my files in "User" in particular. I was thinking of making general category files like Midi and Christmas etc, and putting them in these master folders to start.  I am with the understanding that I can move these files as they are self contained.  This is a slow process, moving these files around in the keyboard.  Would it be better to use a computer program ?

10

PSR-SX900/SX700/SX600 / Re: How can I quickly switch on/off the "vocal harmony" function

« Last post by overover on Today at 04:19:20 PM »

Selecting a playlist entry just activates a registration. There's nothing stopping you then calling up *another* registration on top of it to control other things, apart from the inconvenience of having to find it again from the list once you've selected the playlist entry.

Hi Derek,

That's exactly the problem: You can't have two registration banks active at the same time, you can only access them one after the other. If you use a registration bank with multiple registrations to play with a style (as Yamaha provides), it is very inconvenient to switch to another bank during the song to control, for example, vocal harmony on/off.

It would be ideal, as we suggested to Yamaha many years ago, if there were two independent instances of reg banks that could be active at the same time (one bank for normal playing and a global bank, e.g. for basic settings such as pedal settings or reverb/VH settings). Unfortunately, this request has not yet been taken up by Yamaha ...


Best regards,
Chris