I've got the external vocalizer. I can't get it to recognize the notes.

The most I can make sense of it is to change the vocalizer status to "none", because at least it clearly says that it disables the on board vocalizer, but STILL sends the information to the midi out. Ok, that's Step 1

Big problem though. The track you "choose" as vocalizer no longer is allowed to be designated that. It switches back to voice and you can only choose between that, drums and drums 2.

So when you play it, it plays an instrument sound.

So NOW the question is, how the hell do you send it to the external vocalizer and stop it from playing a sound on the track?

The midi section of the manual is very poor on the midi menus. It barely explains anything about how to use it. I ASSUMED if I went to the part with the tx transmit and put the vocalizer to the channel it was on in that song, then that would work.

Nope.

Why couldn't Ketron have a simple "This is what you do for an external vocalizer" section? Do they people like to guess? AGH.

Could anyone please help me?

Kendall

Kendall

Please explain to me what exactly you are trying to do.

1./ Are you trying to control an external vocalizer (in place of the internal one) as you play LIVE (with styles using either your left, right hands or full keyboard mode) OR
2./ Are you trying to play a MIDI FILE on the SD1 and have IT control the external vocalizer?

With case (1), you will have to just play normally and have the External unit pick up on either LEFT/RIGHT or full mode (esp. if using Digitech, you will have to define the keyboard range to pick up .. unless when using VOCODER in which case you will tell the Digitech what KEY you are playing in and it will proceed from there regardless of midi connection to unit.

With case (2) you will have to go into MIDI and set the required track that you want to control the vocalizer to VOCALIZE. Now be carefull!! Certain disks (such as TUNE1000 already have vocalizer 'notes' encoded within their songs. In this case you DO want the notes from the actual tracks to be played back and so will have to set this track to VOICE and NOT VOCALIZER. When set to VOICE, the actuall NOTES are transmitted to the DIGITECH. As an example let's say track 5 is what has the vocalizer notes, you will have to to go MIDI, select track5 and make sure it is at voice (usually piano). Now on the DIGITECH, it should be set to receive on track 5.

Again, let me know exactly what you are trying to acomplish. The MIDI settin within the VOCALIZER (along with all the ohter functions under VOCALIZER-EDIT are for the internal Vocalizer only!!

Thanks,

AJ

"1./ Are you trying to control an external vocalizer (in place of the internal one) as you play LIVE (with styles using either your left, right hands or full keyboard mode) OR"

Yes, that's ONE thing. I pretty well always use the pianist mode, so that's all I'd have to worry about right now.

First off, it's the TC Helicon QUINTET.

I have to know what basic settings to have the keyboard at. For example, Do I have to have the channel TX screen that has the part that says:

Vocalizer --

Changed to a channel that it's transmitting on?

And do I set the internal vocalizer to "none"?

When I do this in midi file mode, it changes the vocalizer track to a voice and then you can hear it being played by an instrument. Obviously this is undesirable....Is the solution to put the velocity to 0?

Basically I'm simply trying to set up the Quintet vocalizer to function the exact same as the one internally.

I just have to

A) Get it to work first,

B)Find out if it will recognize things like global transpose, song transpose, and INDIVIDUAL track transpose if I have a song with the vocalizer track (-12) or something...

So what do you suggest?

Plus yes, when playing live with the styles, how do I get it to recognize the same way as the internal one?

The quintet has the "chord" mode which is where it recognizes that chord coming into it with the note you are singing. Same as the SD1. So far I haven't gotten it to recognize the Sd1 info at all, and I'm just first making sure that everything is set up properly on the SD1 FIRST so then I'll know I have to adjust the Quintet side of things.

Quick note: Waiting to hear back from Ketron seller in Montreal. Talked briefly and he claims to know how to set it up properly. Started saying I have to put the microphone through the SD1 first, NOT into the Quintet (which is what you would normally do...).

He has to run and I was on my cell, so I'm waiting for an email back to get the full story of what he's talking about.

That's the basis there. Sorry it's a lot of info, but trying to do this on your own is like swimming in the ocean. you have no bloody idea where to go.

This is as simple as setting the midi channels to the same number. Unless you are trying to use a sequence track to trigger the harmonies, just set the keyboard TRANSMIT channel to "x"(whatever - pick one) and the Quintet RECIEVE channel to the same "x". That's it!

Because of the holidays, this was put on the back burner. I didn't bother fooling with it.

Now I'm about to try again.

"This is as simple as setting the midi channels to the same number. Unless you are trying to use a sequence track to trigger the harmonies, just set the keyboard TRANSMIT channel to "x"(whatever - pick one) and the Quintet RECIEVE channel to the same "x". That's it!"

Well in MOST cases yes I am trying to get my midi sequence to play the harmony because I have a specific track with note by note harmony complete with pitch bends even.

So that's one, and when I do want it be recognized as whatever chords I'm playing (in pianist mode), I have to know how to arrange that. Where is the keyboard transmit channel? If I keep that the same "transmit" channel as the midi default (channel 5), will it work fine when I'm playing styles, or even the keyboard alone? I assume that only when doing a midi file would it automatically override my keyboard playing and listen to whatever notes were being transmitted by track 5, right?

justforfun000
In this case (since you want the MIDIFILE and not the keyboard to control the external harmonizer, you will have to go to the MIDI RECEIVE of the external vocalizer and set it to recieve on the same channel the MIDI FILE transmits the vocalizer notes from.

Thanks,

AJ

I use an external digitech vocalist, and have the instructions imbedded in my midi files, on Ch. 16. I have no problem using the midjay to activate the vocalist. I just have to be sure it is set to receive on ch. 16.

Ok. I'm getting very frustrated.

I called TC Helicon, and I walked through the whole thing with the tech. I know now exactly how it should be set up on their side.

I have two different modes ready to go. 1 preset for receiving the midi files exact track info, and the other for receiving the chord I'm playing on the keyboard.

So that's ready.

Now the problem is on the SD1 side.

First of all, I still have NO idea what to switch on the keyboard for it to recognize the midi track.

I went into the midi tx page, I did numerous things. I changed the left and right both to "5" which is the channel it's receiving on, and although in the chord mode where it's recognizing the keyboard I had limited success, (it only recognizes the chord change on lower keyboard notes, like below middle C. This is not good enough either, I want it to recognize ANY chord across the whole thing. I'm pretty well ALWAYS in pianist mode.)

So in any case, I changed the left and right to 5, tried the global to 5, vocalizer to 5, switched the bass channel over to the right to -- since it already said 5, tried master keyboard, user 1. etc.

I've made sure the track was in the midi file saying 5, i scrolled between vocalizer, voice, velocity up and down, etc.

Can you see how frustrating this is? NONE of these things work. I cannot get it to "see" the notes. I sing through the vocalizer and I get no harmony.

The biggest problem here is that the SD1 manual gives you almost no useful information when dealing with the pages on midi and how to use the selections.

Quite frankly, it's really not fair that us SD1 owners are not given access to complete and comprehensive information regarding ALL aspects of the SD1. It's not that it's a simple tool to figure on our own. I'm not particularly computer inclined, and trying to figure some of this technobabble on my own is very frustrating. It's simply too difficult.

At this point I have rented this vocalizer for two weeks, and I haven't been able to use it once. I would strongly appreciate a phone call from you AJ. At this point I think I deserve a few minutes of your time to help walk me through everything I need to do from the SD1 end. I have it all set up and ready to go.

I left my number when I last called you, but in case you don't have it, 647-436-0454.

Please get in touch with me. Thank you.

Kendall

Kendall,

I'll call you first thing today after 10am. Sorry but I did not get your message. Maybe you called New York (our distributors)?

Again, sorry for the delay.

If you are sure your midi notes are being transmitted on Chanel 5 ... I'll just call you later today!!

Thanks,

AJ

I never received your phone call AJ. Maybe you called when I wasn't here and didn't bother to leave a message. In any case it doesn't matter anymore. I'ts been a month and I had to return it to the store. Thanks anyway.

I would still appreciate a full description of the midi page and how to use it. In case I want to try again for the future. The manual section "The parameters of the midi menu" only describe in one line each, a general description of what each thing is. Absolutely no instructions on how to use each thing, what the effects really are, the pattern you would use to do something specific, ergo no useful information.

I emailed KetronUS and no reply, Italy just sent me back this email:

Please contact our distributor in Canada : FMZ MARKETING DIGITAL MUSICAL
INSTRUM.
292, JEAN-TALON EST MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA Ph. 001 514 273 9912.
Best Regards
K E T R O N s.r.l.


Unfortunately nobody there really fully understands the SD1 either.

So AJ it looks like you are the only living God of the keyboard. I hope you can enlighten me before you leave the company or something.

bump