I have a kn5000. Even in 2011, that keyboard does things that the competitors are just starting to do!! that keyboard was so far ahead of its time it is sad that panasonic isn't making keyboard lines any longer (can you imagine what a kn10k would do?!

I am looking into getting another keyboard (and will probably keep my kn5000). Do you know if tyros 4 or audya will work as controllers of that keyboard?
I have never worked with midi so I would be totally new to this (I am not a professional keyboard player, just do it for fun)

Hi Philip

Here is an article that will teach you the basics of Midi, Basic Midi this will allow you to understand the Midi implementation chart for the keyboards you mention, (Usually at the back of the manual) to see if they can do what you want. (Remember arrangers were not really designed to be Midi controllers so there will be limitations)

To see what you can do with an understanding of basic Midi, you may be interested in this article here, which while not directly relating to the keyboards you mention, should give you an idea of what can be achieved with minimal work.

Hope this helps

Bill

Hi Phil - you don't say why you want to midi another keyboard across to your KN5000?

Phil,
If you go midi to any depth there will be a bit of a learning curve. Years ago I had a controller keyboard with 2 sound modules and a rhythm machine; my opinion – It was not worth the effort for what I was getting. I was no longer playing my keyboard as much.

Again opinion; Stay with Yamaha there’s lots of help and an ocean of styles. This equals fun and enjoyment. There will also be a learning curve but you can build on that.
Once more, opinion; After playing your new Tyros 4 you will lose the desire to play your Kn5000. I own a Kn7000 and a Kn5000 and I was I was able to compare them side to side to a Tyros3 which I owned for a year. I decided to sell my Kn 5000 as good as it is the Tyros 3 was much better. I still have my Kn7000. (Sweet)

How I rate a keyboard;

1-The overall sound.
2-How easy it is to operate.
3-The options it offers.
4-The support that is offered. --- There are many many tutorials on “how to” and the available styles are almost endless.

With all of this I am betting you will not want to invest time learning midi.

Hope this helps, John C,

the reason I would like to keep my kn5000 is I don't want to lose the music and styles that I made.
(is there a way to convert them to a yamaha format?)

with regards to midi, if there is another way to allow the yamaha (or other keyboard) to pass through my kn5000 so that I can play both that would be my ideal situation.
(and then I can record my sounds and styles directly into yamaha?)
I will check out the links about midi...
If anyone knows the best way to link a kn5000 to something else, that is what I am after

I want to be able to link 2 keyboards....if not midi then another connection (easier? would be fine too.
I know the kn5000 has limited ways (compared to boards now) of interfacing with other boards (it has a floppy drive for heaven's sake!!)....I know it has speaker in/out and midi ports.

I also am looking to freshen up the sounds (maybe all I need are some new accompanyment patterns

I would also like to be able to back up my files to a usb stick instead of a floppy

very detailed first site....I will need to study that a bit more....but it certainly gives some basics!
thanks

So you don't want to lose the music and styles that you have already made.
You would like some new sounds and styles that can be readily used.
You would like to be able to back up your material to something bigger and faster than floppy disk - a memory card/stick of some sort.
Finally you would like to be able to use style files from other manufacturers keyboards e.g. Yamaha.

The answer is simple - go out and buy yourself a used Technics KN7000 which will meet and exceed all the above requirements.

Phil,
Many have wanted to hold on to the sounds, styles songs created on our older keyboards but there is a price to pay.

Songs-Midi Files; There are two ways of saving a midi file that you have created. 1- Saving with the sounds of the Kn5000. The other is saving the Midi file with General Midi sounds. Most like to save their work with the Kn5000 sounds they are better than the General midi sounds. However if you are trying to bring your song to another make keyboard you can only do that to midi file that has been saved with General midi sounds.

Since the message that is given to another keyboard from your Kn5000 is not a word but computer data the second keyboard will have no way of selecting a Kn5000 sound to match.

Simplified;
1-Kn5000 has a number 1 which selects a trumpet. (I am using number 1 only as a example) the second keyboard may be using number 1 for a Grand Piano. So the part that the trumpet was playing is now being played by a Grand Piano when you load it to another keyboard. In short, you must have the knowledge and patients to change the instruments that are not correct. There have been many times when the drum part was being played by a Piano. (ouch)

2-Note; If the midi file was created using the styles in the Kn5000, (and I call that a technics file) the file must be resaved as a midi file.

3-Having said all of that; I have tried editing Yamaha files and styles so they could play on my Kn7000. At a later time I tried editing Kn7000 songs and styles to use with my Tyros3. After a bit of work I got fair to acceptable results. Styles created for Technics were created for a Technics keyboard having a different overall sound than a Yamaha and it the same every time you take data/song/style from one keyboard to another. Some of our gifted forum members have made have edited other make styles with much effort.

Phil, there is more – I am suggesting that you walk slowly into the midi file area and invest your time learning options in the Tyros4 – if that’s your choice. Doing just that is a handful. Then re-record the songs you love n your new keyboard – they will sound much better.

I’m scrambling to help but I feel knowing more about you and your knowledge of keyboards is a must if we are going to go further.

Take good care, John C.

Hi philip2000

If you want to convert styles, the best software is EMC Styleworks however you will still need to do some work on the styles to make them sound OK on a new keyboard.

Hope this helps

Bill