def/ins/pat file for Yamaha PSR-K1 (XG voices)

Hi Ian,
the only way that I know of to get the specific sounds out of your hardware synth is to use the audio output and record that.

you can record MIDI from the keyboard on a MIDI track, then after editing to taste, set the output of the MIDI track to your keyboard
insert an audio track and set the input of that to your sound card's input
make sure you have an audio cable from your keyboard ouput to your soundcard input
then arm the audio track and hit record on the transport.

the MIDI data will go from the MIDI track to the keyboard, the synth sounds will go from the keyboard to the audio card input and get recorded onto the audio track.

Thanks, Beagle and Zungle !

I think, Zungle, you're probably in effect pointing me at the Yamaha.insfile (Remember, I'm not wanting to use this in Cakewalk, which I have but don't use much) ?

Anyway, to cut a long story.............parallel enquiries elsewhere have led me to a PSR XG-lite patch list which I think is going to do the job.

If anyone wants more details, let me know.

Many thanks!

Iandg

i'm not a MIDI expert, i'm sure others will chip in, but if your Clavinova can send midi control information you can use the ACT function to set up the Clavi to change info in a midi track in shs (which could be set up to your PSR as the sound output) and thus change patch settings in the PSR.

however, not meaning to be disparaging, but is the sound from a $300 yamaha keyboard really worth all this messing about for? you'll be able to get a far wider range of sounds (with better quality too) from using softsynths on your pc, and using the Clav as an input controller - then outputting the sounds to an amp/monitors.

FWIW if your determined to carrry on using the psr, something like ABleton Live! is probably more suited to this kinda thing than CW's products...

Everyone:
I'm not sure exactly what iandg is trying to accomplish and I think we're all trying to help him with respect to Sonar - which is what one would expect when he asks this question in a sonar forum, but clearly he's trying to accomplish something OUTSIDE of sonar:

I think, Zungle, you're probably in effect pointing me at the Yamaha.insfile (Remember, I'm not wanting to use this in Cakewalk, which I have but don't use much) ?

after he posted that, I haven't been trying to chime in any more because I'm really not sure what he's trying to do nor do I know how to help him do it. so telling him to use ACT is not going to help him because he's not wanting to use SHS for this situation he's trying to do.

iandg: everyone has been trying to help you based on using your keyboard(s) in SHS - that's the reason for the reference to ACT. ACT is a MIDI controller tool in SHS. your "handbook" for your keyboard is not going to mention it because it's a function of SHS. everyone is confused here because they think you're trying to accomplish something inside SHS, which you state that you are not. if you are not using SHS for this situation you're trying to accomplish, then I'm not sure how much help we can be here. someone might know the answers for you, but so far they haven't stepped up to say so. you might do better asking this question in a general forum which is not specifically tied to a software recording program like this one. you might want to try forums for your specific keyboard, or forums for live keyboard playing to get better answers.

Further to my previous:
the following are notes I've made on formatting by analysing a file that does work for me. But it's still not the whole story - another file I've edited by these rules (unless my proof-reading has missed something!) still isn't working.

The following is derived from analysis of a
YamahaPSR280_282_GX76v100.ins file,
which Notation Composer will read as an *.ins file.

; introduces a line of comment. It appears to be required at the beginning of each such line, at full screen scale in Notepad.

The text throughout this file is italic

Introductory comment 'para' is 'bracketed' by dashed lines, which are themselves preceded by semi-colons - so these lines are probably for visual effect only

One blank line then:
.Patch Names that is: period/full stop followed by text, italic, initial capitals

One blank line then
[PSR280 Bank 112] that is: open square bracket: form of synth name: Bank number i.e. lsb
NO LINE BREAK before
list of patch numbers and names in the form
0=Grand Piano
At end of list, single line break, then new "open square bracket: form of synth name: Bank number i.e. lsb" line for next bank (most following banks are short, some as few as a single patch.

After all these, but formatted in the same way, a full GM voice list, 0 - 127 (the first list was bank 112 - i.e. the particular synch's preferred tweaks of the basic GM set)

Then Drum kits as a bank

Then a comment dashed line preceded by and followed by a blank line

Then
.Note Names that is: period/full stop, initial capitals
blank line
followed by a series of 'banks' which are lists of note-to-percussion instrument matches for each of the drum 'banks' just listed

Then a comment dashed line preceded by and followed by a blank line
Then
.Controller Names that is: period/full stop, initial capitals
blank line
Open square brackets Standard Close square brackets

Then blank line before a further 'bank'-type list,
[PSR280 Controllers]
each line a Midi control number, in the form
1=1-Modulation
Then a comment dashed line preceded by and followed by a blank line
.Instrument Definitions that is: period/full stop, initial capitals
Blank line
[Yamaha PSR280/282/GX76] that is: open square bracket: fuller form of synth name:
Control =PSR280 Controllers where 'PSR280Controllers' is the title of the previous 'bank'
There is then a line for each bank in the whole file in the form
Patch[0]=PSR280 GM Voice
where the text after the equals sign is the 'title' of a bank, and the patch numbers BEFORE the sign are the lsb nos for the bank

Finally, there are sections for .RPN Names and .NRPN Names, 'bracketed' by semi-colon dash lines and blank lines, but no entries for these categories. .

Ian

I've just finished a 'Cakewalk'/*.ins file for the K1. It's not 100% inclusive of the keyboard's 400+ voices, because some I can't ever see myself using. But if anyone would like a copy, or advice, please contact me. I've ticked the auto-notification box, so a reply to this post will find me (while I have the same email !)

As previously noted, I have assembled a Cakewalk / *.ins file specifically for my Yamaha PSR-K1, using information from its own manual. HOWEVER, it is becoming clear to me that, conversely, the Yamaha XG omb.ins which comes with OneManBand 'has' voices which are not included in the K1 manual voice list, but which the K1 will produce if so addressed.

I have no means of telling whether this is an oddity of the K1, or if may be more generally true of Yamaha devices - but I suspect the latter may be the case - i.e. existing technology gets repackaged for sale in various ways and with an eye on specific markets. If that is so, it is clearly worth doing some explorations around base patch numbers that interest you - you may find attractive sounds you were not aware of ! One example of this is an 'Arco Strings' voice in bank 24. Those generic voice lists are more useful than you might think !

Ian G