[SOLVED] Having Cubase To Play PSR Yamaha Keyboard Using Styles

[Chikitin]

Hi,

Using Yamaha PSR keyboards ( I guess Korg synths), one can play a melody using right hand and accompany it via Styles using right hand!

I was wondering if I could have two MIDI tracks created on Cubase, the first track corresponding do the right hand and the second corresponding to the chords playing with left hand so that when I play back the two cubase midi track, it would play the song as if I was playing it on my PSR keyboard using styles.

Here I am assuming that I would enter in the second cubase MIDI track the chords one by one ( by step recording in key editor).


Similar to this task is possible using the iPhone app Chord Tracker. Chord Tracker analyzes the music in an MP3/audio file and displays a chord chart. One can then choose a style in PSR and play the chord chard from the app. The psr follows the chords received from app:

Chord Tracker - Overview - Yamaha USA

The performer can change any parts during playback and recording:

the keyboard parts (LEFT, RIGHT 1, 2), Song parts, Style parts (Rhythm 1, 2, Bass, Chord 1, 2, Pad, Phrase 1, 2) , and Multi Pad parts. I can successfully record a song from PSR to cubase and import midi files created using my PSR-A3000 into cubase.

A Song consists of 16 separate channels. You can independently turn each channel of the selected Song playback on or off. Usually, each part is recorded to the following channels.
Channels 1 − 3: keyboard parts
(RIGHT 1, LEFT, RIGHT 2)
Channels 5 − 8: Multi Pad parts
Channels 9 − 16: Style parts

Source ( PSR manual). I am sorry if I am stating obvious.

I have attached the sections of manual for Sys/Ex messages for chords and Style control. I was wondering If I could do this using Cubase SysEx editor and generic remote or via defining new midi instrument. Sorry, my knowledge on MIDI is very limited and I do greatly appreciated it one can help me with that.

Regards,

CS

[Martin.Jirsak]

Hi,

I’m afraid this is not possible because of two reasons:

• You would need some kind of synchronization to make sure Cubase and Yamaha plays exactly in the same tempo.
• I wouldn’t expect Yamaha routes external MIDI data to the “style” engine to trigger the styles. In the past it wasn’t the case (today, I’m not sure).

If you can solve these two issues, then it would be possible to do so.

[Chikitin]

• You would need some kind of synchronization to make sure Cubase and Yamaha plays exactly in the same tempo.

I think I can synchronize it with not problem. I basically slave PSR clock to cubase and it works very well. I just need to make the process an offline process, just like when I compose music in Finale, rather than in Real-time.

Maybe I did not explain it well.

To simplify the problem. Let’s assume I have a music sheet of an 8-measure music with melody played with Right 1 ( keyboard part) and few Style parts. Please see attached.

I enter the melody notes in cubase track 1 and chords and style parts via mapping from PSR Sys/Ex to cubase.

[Martin.Jirsak]

Use Cubase SysEx editor.

[Chikitin]

Thank you Martin. I greatly appreciate it if you could help me to get started.

Here is how chord track sends midi style messages to PSR:

Chord Tracker generates three MIDI metadata records for time signature, key signature and tempo, followed by three System Exclusive messages:

F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7 GM reset
F0 43 10 4C 00 00 7E 00 F7 XG system ON
F0 43 60 7A F7 Accompaniment start
The preamble is followed by a slew of Yamaha System Exclusive messages for the chord changes:

F0 43 7E 02 34 00 34 7F F7 Chord control (F maj/F)
F0 43 7E 00 08 7F F7 Section control (MAIN A ON)
F0 43 7E 02 23 00 23 7F F7 Chord control (Eb maj/Eb)

Chord Tracker does not generate the Yamaha proprietary CdS1 chunk in the MIDI file. All playback is controlled by metadata and System Exclusive messages.
Source: link = > Chord Tracker revealed - Sand, software and sound

I just imported the midi file generated by Chord Tracker into cubase and tried to play it.

The midi file is basically two midi tracks 1) Chord Data and 2( the other SysEx Data. Both contain (meta) midi data and sysEx data. I have attached the screen shots of the list editor for both track. The chord track only contain Chord Symbols and NOT the actual chords. I think there is a way to get around this.

I set the MIDI setting on PSR so that I receives All midi parts. I plays back the styles parts ( change the variations from Intros and A-D), how ever, the chord are not played back. Just the drum section is played back. I guess I need to enter Sysex data manually in list editor or to use my PSR keyboard and midi input transformer.

I was wondering what channel(s) contains progressions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much,

CS

[Martin.Jirsak]

Chord event in Cubase doesn’t send the SysEx data Yamaha expects.

The only one way is to send relevant SysEx data from any MIDI editor in Cubase.

[Chikitin]

@Martin.Jirsak

Chord event in Cubase doesn’t send the SysEx data Yamaha expects.

The only one way is to send relevant SysEx data from any MIDI editor in Cubase.

I figured how to send the chord events. I could send the chord progressions from my DAW to PSR. PSR is detecting the chords sent from cubase and playing the chord progression coming from a MIDI chord tracker ( of course after I did Chord to MIDI). I guess I am getting there. I can see the SysEx data for style variations in cubase. In fact, I when I export it, it looks like this in the text editor ( It contains only the Style parts say, Intro 1, A, Break, Ending):

…
0000 3300 0036 0000 3614 8f00 3600 001f
4c8f 001f 0000 234c 0031 4000 3349 0036
288f 0023 0000 3100 0033 0000 3600 0036
148f 0036 0000 2c3c 0033 2600 3622 8f00
2c00 0033 0000 3600 0023 1400 3614 8f00
2300 0036 0000 1f5e 0033 3a00 3652 8f00
1f00 0033 0000 3600 0036 148f 0036 0000
ff2f 00


Now, I need to find a way to create (or edit) and save a midi track with ONLY SysEx data entered in it, measure by measure and then import it in cubase. Are there any tools for that?

I see Midi Editor http://www.midisoft.pl/en/. But this software edits the existing one. Cubase SysEx editor is very limited. I want to have an software with ( graphical user) interface that I enter repeatedly four pieces of data: 1)measure, 2)beat number, 3)chord root, 4)chord type; and at the end the SysEx midi track is created and stored on the disk. Then I import this file into cubase project containing the chords. Then cubase will play as I wanted:)

I am pretty good at programming (Java, Python, C++), how ever my knowledge about midi files is limited. If someone give me a little help, I really appreciate it.

I guess I am getting there!

CS