Hi everyone,
I'm wondering how you guys use a laptop as a sound source for a yamaha keyboard.

In other words, I want an additional sound source from the computer so that the psr s710 sounds better.

I know about Virtual instruments, but how would I be able to use in live setting?

Probably not much help to you but quite honestly whilst Virtual Instruments work to some extent in a home studio, I don't believe using them in a live setting is a great idea. If you are looking for a specific sound it may be better to find a dedicated specialist module. For instance an XM2 if your after a Hammond Sound (or even an older XM1 will outperform any current Virtual Instrument) or Ketron Klavipro if your looking for Piano. If your after a quality general voice module, then Ketron SD2 or SD4 or Rolands SD20 might be worth a look, both can be connected to a laptop although the SD20 might be more difficult to use directly with your Yamaha.

Good software sounds are extremely expensive. You would also need an extremely powerful computer and good working knowledge of a sampler (like Kontakt).

My suggestion is to upgrade your keyboard instead.

Hi Shim

Pretty much all VSTi that have come out (Or been upgraded) in the last 5 years have been designed specifically for live use, so no problems there.

A super powerful computer is only needed if you are using it as a complete studio workstation, however when using with a hardware board (Which has plenty of sounds of its own) you will only be using a few sounds to enhance your existing instrument.

The best sounds are expensive, but most entry level VSTi will easily blow away any hardware arranger. (TOTL or not)
NOTE: Where talking sound here NOT styles

The most important things are a high quality external sound card with ASIO drivers, (Assuming it is a Windows system you are using) and a keyboard/arranger that has a comprehensive Midi control system.

This is where your problem will start, as Yamaha Arrangers are awful Midi controllers, (They were never designed for pro use) so there will be a lot of work involved to get it to work to your liking. (Only you can decide if this is worth it)

Hardware modules will be a little easier, but with the Yamahas Arrangers limited Midi capabilities, there will still be a fair amount of work involved.

If you’re still interested, do a search on SZ and the web, (Using variations on VST live as the search term) to get an idea of what you want.

Here are some links to help you get started

http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to_get_started_with_midi.html
http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interfaces_1.htm
http://www.synthzone.com/
http://www.kvraudio.com/

Hope this helps

Bill

Shim,
While you could use sounds on your laptop for LEAD/Melody sounds it will be of little use for anything in Yamaha styles. Most Yamaha styles require a XG sound set.
I have not found any of high quality yet.

You might just as well upgrade your keyboaed also, as high quality sample sounds for PC are not cheap. All the good ones are pretty high. Not saying there is none...but my experience is the good ones are high price and require some pretty good PC performance and memory to work well.

Lee S.

Thanks for your replies.

What about Logic Main Stage though? http://www.apple.com/logicstudio/mainstage/
It seems it's meant to be used live.

and also, what would you consider a good (keyboard) upgrade?

Hi Shim
From your reply’s I take it you are using a MAC rather than a PC (Logic only works on a MAC) which has good programs available, but tend to be more expensive.

Another option (Keeping your PSR710) is Kore 2 http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/kore-2/ which comes complete with a hardware controller, that could control your PSR710 and VSTi simultaneously. (Its Performance Pre-sets are similar in operation to Registration pre-sets in that you can program them to set up all your sounds form whatever combination you choose. (Just turn Local Off on your PSR710)

Hope this helps

Bill

Hi Shim,
not sure it's worth the trouble.
Yamaha's don't act as a very good keyboard controller.
I did a lot of experimenting with my psr1500.
To choose external melody sounds , it had to be done , in my case, in the soundmodule itself. The bank & program changes the psr sends won't necessarily match the program & bank changes for a module or a softsynth.

If you want the softsynth to play the style parts, you're going to have to alter the styles bank & program changes to suit the softsynth or module.
Also , with my PSR1500, it was a case of either the module playing all the style tracks or the psr playing all the tracks,
the midi functions didn't allow me to pick & choose , what played which tracks.

Bill's suggestion is interesting, I've never tried Kore, may look into it myself.

If you really want to give it a try,
find yourself a free xg or gm soundfont bank.
There's a demo version of SampleLord available for download. It loads giga samples, soundfonts plus some other formats. Reason I'm suggesting soundfonts is, it's a complete bank.

Might just give you a rough idea of some of the headaches you may encounter, before you spend money.

best wishes
Rikki

Shim,
I agree with Rikki...I have done this and it is not a good solution because the Yamaha PSR's do not have a very good MIDI implementation. On reason I went Korg is that in any track you can have a user voice that sends out Bank/Program change to select the sound correcly on a sound module or softsynth. However, it still is mot a master MIDI controller you need to take full advantage of external sounds. AND remember..the Yamaha styles use a lot of mega-voice...and no VSti or sound module that I know of support it. AND you need full XG sound set to support the styles unless you want to go to each one and re-program the sounds on every track.

You can make it work but I think you will be not very happy.

Maybe get a used T2, T3 (new or used these days)? or even a T4.
If it were me and I wanted to stay Yamaha, and be economical...I would do a deal on a T3.

Lee S.