Hi All

I have a special need and interest to play a midi file through my board and record the audio outs to a mp3..... Keeping in mind that there are Korgs, Yamaha, Roland, Technics, Gem, etc.... What keyboard/module would be a good sound source for recording any midi file no what board it was created on

Although my PSR-2000 is old and ancient, it does a good job doing this but it is getting old and begging for a replacement. Ketron midi files sound good so would a SD1 module be good at this ?

Looking forward to all your responses


Ron

Hi Ron

A GM (General Midi) file will play correctly on any keyboard that complies to the GM standard, (I don’t think there is a keyboard made that doesn’t support it these days) however manufactures tend to put their GM voices at the bottom of the pile for quality so in most cases you will need to change them no matter what board you have.

On any keyboard there are more than GM sounds, and if you use these additional voices then the Midi file will only sound correct on the instrument (Or range) it was made on.

It is best to try some of your Midi files on different boards to see what suits.

If you have a laptop you could use a VST that complies with the GM standard such as Goliath to get the best out of GM files.

Hope this helps

Bill

I agree with Abacus that many manufacturers do not equip the GM soundset with the best sounds of the respective instrument. But according to my experience, Ketron is an exception, GM sounds have the same quality as the other banks there.
Instead of SD 1 or SD 2, the best small-budget solution would definitely be the SD 1000. I checked the differences to the SD 2 again, there are a number of newer sounds in the SD 1000, also a more differentiated piano sample, and some of them also in the sound bank relevant for GM sounds.

Thanks everyone..... Good advice from all


Appreciate it very much
Ron

vArranger software

As I upgraded from a Tyros 3 to a 4 then a Tyros 5, I always reworked my midi song library with the newer improved sounding voices from each board( same as my style library).This requires opening the midi file in the Tyros Song Creator, and easy to substitute and hear the new voices and drum kits as the file plays. Usually requires volume corrections for each midi track, but beneficial to balance the midi song voices at this time to match the general sound set of the Tyros (5).

Less work each time you upgrade as you rework your midi song files to the Yamaha format and volume levels. I alway try to find the KAR ( karaoke ) midi song version. Chords and lyrics are embedded or a open the midi file in a PC program to analyze and insert the chord data( and/ or lyrics). The chords and lyrics can be displayed within the Tyros Score display as the file plays so It would be easier for you to play along with the appropriate chords or add parts.

At this point while open in a PC program, I try to think if any Yamaha style or Multipad is suitable to play along with or can enhance the midi song file. If necessary I juggle around the midi channels leaving open certain channels that a style or Multipad can play along with or can appropriately substitute a channel from the midi file.

If there is a certain style or multipads that matches or enhances the midi song file, I setup the registration so that the midi file, multipads, and style loads at the same time. By sync/starting the midi song player and the appropriate style, your first chord triggers the midi file start in sync with the style. The style tempo is always slave to the midi file tempo or tempo changes, plus your appropriate style chords are displayed in the score as your midi song plays to match the original chord progression in the midi song file.

Depending how you modified your midi channels, the style drum part can replace the drum part in the midi song file, even using the audio drum parts from the 75 or so Tyros 5 audio styles. So you can essentially take an older midi song file, and automatically have an audio drum part added. While the midi file and style play in sync, you are free to trigger any main style part or drum fill with the style part buttons.

Of course everything, the midi song, synced style, synced multipads, your keyboard playing and singing can all be recorded to the hard disk recorder. You are limited to the 16 midi tracks, but most midi song files are usually 2 to 8 midi tracks.

These are just some possibilities.

Marcus

With vArranger you can
Load a midifile, tune it
Use Soundfonts SF2 samples with the virtual synth
Use VST reverbs, fx...
Press REC and get a WAV or MP3 of the final recoring
No need to plug anything. Just a PC computer
Sounds can be very good because of RAM limit that can be huge
All stay in digital domain, and there is no ADC converter involved

It is so easy to do...

SD2, SD1000, or vArranger,

Dan
Are you saying that if I load vArranger in my laptop, everything will be in house ?

Ron

This is the " General Arranger Keyboard Forum", so I assume you own and play an arranger keyboard. You can go the pure virtual PC route, but just add expansion voices can be loaded into the Tyros sound set as well. The YEM ( Yamaha Expansion Manager ) and Voice Creator accepts WAV/AIFF samples, plus the Soundfont format as well.

At least going the arranger keyboard route, you can perform along with your midi song file, live, plus the ability to record all your performance parts, live, into the Tyros 5 hard disk recorder. The top sounds, DPSs are already in the Tyros 5 toolset.

Marcus

Yes, it is so easy to convert midifile to mp3 with vArranger

If you want to improve sounds, you can always load your own sounds samples SF2