How is the sequencing and how many *different* ways can you sequence on the PSR keyboards?

I've consulted the manual but I can't find the answers I want.

To give you an idea of what I'm looking for,I used to sequence on an Alesis MMT-8 Sequencer,back in the day and it was a joy.You could build patterns(not to be confused with "styles")out of a certain number of measures and work on songs/compositions in small chunks at a time and then go to song mode and string those chunks together to make a complete composition.You could copy and delete measures and even give your "chunks" names so you always knew where you were at.

I'm not expecting the PSR-S900 to follow the same MO as the MMT-8-I just need to know what to expect and see if I could adapt to Yamahas way of working,so to speak.

For the most part,I would build my sequences up without the use of styles and auto accompaniment,like for orchestral/soundtrack work.If I was working on a song,I'd want to be able to use the onboard rhythms(again,without the styles and AA) to cut a rough track and then go back and insert fills and breaks.

I need to find out about this because I don't want to put the 900 on order and then get disappointed with it.This whole bunch of questions would be totally unnecessary if Alesis still made hardware sequencers-I always thought they should revive the MMT-8 as the MMT-16,but I don't think that is ever going to happen.

All answers greatly appreciated!

I used to have an ensoniq vfx sd1 and the sequencing was very similar to what you describe. You could break up a song into verse bridge etc, then on the fly in real time put it together any way you want.
I never saw anything like that on the psr 3000 or tyros but there are alot of guys here with a lot more experience than me.
Have you tried a computer sequencer? powertracks pro ( pgmusic.com) is what I use.
In power tracks you can make what they call "scraps" and then string them together. You can name and save the scraps and then load them back up with the save scrap and load scrap commands. Thats the closest I've found to what I think you are talking about. A few years ago I decided I was going to stop spending all my time learning new software so I stuck with what I already knew about, there is alot of new fancy stuff out there but powertracks serves my needs and wants.




[This message has been edited by mikeathome1 (edited 09-02-2007).]

I also used an old mmt8 back in the day. The psr works nothing like the old alesis. But then it doesn't have to. The alesis had such a low ammount of memory to work with that linking/repeating patterns (reccorded passages) was needed in order to conserve memory. It did have other advantages as well, but if you get into computer sequencing you will be much happier than you would be with another alesis. There are many good programs out there both expensive and more reasonable and even free. The free ones will do most of what you would want, and you can always upgrade as you learn more.
Good luck,
Jim
ps I do own the s900 and am very happy with it. Whatever you record midi files on you'ld still want to play them with a dec ent sound source. A module or a great board like the S900 will have fabulous sounds compared to all but the most expensive computer soundcards.

[This message has been edited by OldNewb (edited 09-02-2007).]

The sequencer software on the PSR and Tyros series of keyboards is a piece of cake. Very easy to use, and produces excellent results. The user manual, however, is just awful. Best bet is to visit www.psrtutorial.com then register and click on the lessons tab. You'll find easy to follow instructions, and if you get into trouble, there are lots of helpful and very knowledgeable folks that are happy to provide any assistance you may require.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I'm afraid I can't use ANY arranger sequencer for much other than a little corrective stuff. Once you get used to the whole screen displays, simple selection and vastly better editing tools that a computer gives you, it's hard to go back to a tiny window and no mouse...

I tend to do all my sequencing (except for basic arranger capture) on my trusty Cubase VST5, and can work faster and better with that than ANY keyboard sequencer I've ever used.

For those of you on a budget, you don't need to go to the full Cubase SX3 (or the new C4), the old VST5 can be got for a song, and IMO still beats the new Cubase for MIDI stuff. And USB in and out of the computer means fast and easy sequence transfer. When it's THAT easy to run a sequencer alongside your arranger, why struggle with a tiny screen, no mouse, and 20th century sequencing workflow?

But why carry 2 items around, when it can all be done in 1, with all the same capabilities?

Bill

That's assuming anything has to be carried of course. If you can use a computer when you are composing your music, then a software sequencer just might be the way to go. Much better workflow for most than any internal sequencer. Cubase and Sonar are both very good at the mid to high end of the scale, while Power Tracks and Cakewalk Music Creator are good values at the lower end, and Jazzware is a freebie that works well enough.

If, however, your primary focus is building and stringing patterns together, than I would recommend a look at FL studio or Orion Pro / Platinum. Both have pattern sequencers that allow you to quickly make and string together patterns and make music. I have both. If I had to choose one, I'd say I prefer FL ( slightly), but both are rather good at what they do. I prefer the midi editing capabilities in their sequencers vs Cubase and Sonar because I can erase unwanted notes quickly simply with a right click, as opposed to having to change "tools" in Sonar and Cubase. I would say Orion's piano roll more closely resembles the ones in Sonar etc, but I prefer FL's because I can change the pattern length at will as I am working, ( just by introducing a note or controller into the next measure, while in Orion I have to preset the pattern lengths and change them manually via a menu.

The added fringe benefit of course, is the ability to add DXi and VST sounds and effects. If you haven't tried them already, you might be surprised at how many good freeware VST's there are out there, and how many more inexpensive ones as well.

Regards,

AJ

[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 09-04-2007).]

Casiobot in short none of the psr range have anything onboard that can be truly called a sequencer. Yes you can get software to use with a computer but i doubt you would have posted this post if that were the route you wanted to go down.

However i owned the yamaha psr 8000 for about 4-5 years and have squeezed what value i could through its limited sequencer function . Here are some work arounds

1. The composer function ( editing styles ) has far more editing functions similar to normal sequencer functions than the song recorder 16 track sequencer. I believe the styles can record up to 32 bars of music before repeating. So i would programme chunks of songs whether 4-8 bars of music at a time and allocate them to my own user styles. Doing it this way i had much more controll over things like quantising for parts of a track, copying and pasting parts of a track, changing instruments, velocities etc. (none of these functions are available on the song recorder or the so called sequencer). Once you had built up the entire song and stored each element into the user spaces. You would then record the song in style mode and simply hold down the chord you wanted the song to commence in and press record. Then in real time change tyhe user styles as and when you needed to. When you had finished press stop. Then in the multi record function you could re-edit the song you just recorded and play live parts over the top if you wish. You can edit the song further by punching in over ANY track whther it is ACC Comp or Seq track and record live in real time. I would do this often with the drum and bass track to make it sound more live and less repetative.

I managed to get some very good results but it was a cumbersome way to work and you had to think through how you wanted the song to sound much more deeply before actually recording a note. This method might not be so easily adapted to orchestral type pieces as its not so easy to piece continuous sounds like stringed instruments together without hearing very obvious breaks when a pattern/syle has been changed.

If you want an all in one performance and recording hardware instrument i am afraid you cant look to the psr range. Thats simply and very sadly the truth.

As mentioned in my previous post, why use 2 separate systems, when it can be done on 1. (No substitute to putting the song together on the board your going to play it on, whether using VSTs, 3rd party samples or the boards own voices)
Regards

Bill

Jim, I’m happy to see you have your S900, I hope you are enjoying it.

John C.