Topic: Help needed to set up midi keyboard

[muzicman147]

Hi, I’m trying to set up a midi keyboard with my Genos, my intention is to mount the keyboard under the Genos, I only want to be able to use it to play an R3 voice.
After a lot of You tube videos about midi, and a fair amount of forum threads, I decided to purchase a short (49 Key) keyboard with full size keys, I made sure that it had a proper 5 pin din out socket and from what I’d read, I hoped that it would be almost “Plug & Play” and to some extent it is……
I have the basic piano sound coming from the new keyboard, but that’s it, I knew that there would be some set up required on the Genos, but stupidly thought I would simply be able to “work it out” and guess what….
I haven’t got a clue.
So if some kind person who knows about midi would kindly give me an idiots guide (hopefully with pictures) on how to set it up I would be extremely grateful.
Here's hoping,
Cheers
Drew
This is the midi board I purchased :
https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/SubZero-ControlKey49S-49-Key-Slim-MIDI-Controller-Keyboard/MVP

[maartenb]

Hi Drew,

I assume you have a proper 5-pin DIN MIDI cable and that's it connected to the MIDI (OUT) port of the SubZero and the MIDI IN of the Genos. DIN MIDI cables transmit key information only in one direction.

MIDI key on and off events are sent on channels: 1 to 16. Just like different radio stations can exist at the same time in the atmosphere (ether) independently of each other, so can 16 different streams of note events flow through one cable independently of eachother.

In order for the Genos Right 1 voice to respond to the notes played on the SubZero, the channel the SubZero sends out its notes, should be the same as the MIDI channel the Right 1 voice listens to. On the SubZero I see the word "Channel" under Function. You probably set the MIDI channel there. On the Genos, somewhere under Menu 1 or Menu 2, there's an item called MIDI where you can set the channel and maybe also whether the Right 1 voice listens to the Genos keybed or MIDI IN.

By changing one of the two devices at a time and cycling through the MIDI channels while playing the keys, you will suddenly hear the notes played on the SubZero by the Genos.


Maarten

P.S. The Genos owner's manual also has a chapter on MIDI settings with pictures.

[overover]

Hi, I’m trying to set up a midi keyboard with my Genos, my intention is to mount the keyboard under the Genos, I only want to be able to use it to play an R3 voice.
After a lot of You tube videos about midi, and a fair amount of forum threads, I decided to purchase a short (49 Key) keyboard with full size keys, I made sure that it had a proper 5 pin din out socket and from what I’d read, I hoped that it would be almost “Plug & Play” and to some extent it is……
I have the basic piano sound coming from the new keyboard, but that’s it, I knew that there would be some set up required on the Genos, but stupidly thought I would simply be able to “work it out” and guess what….
I haven’t got a clue.
So if some kind person who knows about midi would kindly give me an idiots guide (hopefully with pictures) on how to set it up I would be extremely grateful.
Here's hoping,
Cheers
Drew
This is the midi board I purchased :
https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/SubZero-ControlKey49S-49-Key-Slim-MIDI-Controller-Keyboard/MVP

Hi Drew,

I recommend the following approach:

- Connect the MIDI OUT terminal of the ControlKey49S to the MIDI B IN terminal of the Genos using a standard 5-pin MIDI cable.

- Connect the USB terminal of the ControlKey to a suitable power supply (via a USB type A-B cable to a 5V power adapter with a USB-A socket or to a USB-to-Device terminal of the Genos).

- Make sure that the standard MIDI template "All Parts" is activated on the Genos (in "Menu > MIDI").

- Now go to the "Receive" tab in "Menu > MIDI" and go to page 3/4 so that you see "Port2 Ch1". By default, this channel is set to the "Keyboard" part. I suspect that the ControlKey by default transmits on MIDI channel 1. Therefore, the ControlKey should initially work exactly like the internal Genos keyboard.

- Now set "Port2 Ch1" from "Keyboard" to "Right3" in order to only control the R3 part with the ControlKey. (See also the attached screenshot.)

- Now touch the "▶" icon (to the right of the word "Part") to display the further settings from page 3/4. To ensure that the Right3 voice is not changed by Bank Select / Program Change commands from the ControlKey, uncheck "CC" (Control Change) and "PC" (Program Change) for "Port2 Ch1".

- Touch the "SAVE" icon and save the changed MIDI template under a meaningful name like "ControlKey_Ch1" in the user drive.

- Make sure that this changed MIDI template is now activated (instead of the preset template "All Parts").

- Close the MIDI display (touch the "X" icon or press the "EXIT" button) to ensure that the currently activated MIDI template is automatically loaded every time you restart.


By the way, you won't find the MIDI settings in the Genos Owner's Manual, but in the Genos Reference Manual (from page 142).

If you don't have the Reference Manual yet, you can download it here:
>>> https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/genos/downloads.html


P.S.
Alternatively, you could of course also change the MIDI Transmit channel to Ch4 on the ControlKey. Then you could leave the preset MIDI tempate "All Parts" on the Genos unchanged (or only remove the checkmarks mentioned above for "CC" and "PC" for "Port2 Ch4 Right3" on the second display page, and resave the template). However, I would proceed as described first, i.e. leave the ControlKey on Transmit Channel 1.


Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

[muzicman147]

Thank you both very much for your detailed reply's, I'll be giving this a try over the weekend

[Bill]

Have a look at the following video, it may help to understand your options.
Skip the first 3.5 minutes.

https://youtu.be/vqMGZwVF1oA?si=axlsMxhGPBhMF5qH

Bill

[muzicman147]

I was just about to post that Leigh Wilbraham added a video yesterday to You tube all about turning your Genos into a twin keyboard…..
It’s almost like he read my post and made the video for me…. Ha ha
All I can say is Thank you all very much for your help.
Cheers
Drew