...that can only play with a Yamaha arranger.

YOUR TABLET OF CHOICE NOW TAKES THE FULL PLACE OF THE MODULE

THE YAMAHA OUTPUTS STILL DRIVE THE AMPS

IF YOU CAN USE A MODULE LIVE, THEN YOU CAN USE GROOVYBAND LIVE!

No ordinary Yamaha or Roland or Korg styles will play on it. Same as with any other module. Why one might consider using it:


Compared to i.e. a PSR S770

1. MANY more effects
2. 4 lead voices each harmonizeble individually to a different harmony type simultaneously
3. 8 variations
4. 8 fills
5. 8 OTS's
6. 2 breaks
7. Round robin drums like on the Genos
8. Humanized played lead notes (similar to round robin drums but applied to what you play with the lead voices) that includes i.e. decent guitar strumming
9. Style immediate reset
10. Half bar fills
11. Extremely advanced editing capability
12. Intelligent transpose splitpoint that follows where you play your chords and lowers/raises the splitpoint accordingly
13. Also uses registrations
14. You can bind any Yamaha or any other midi transmittable outputs to soft inputs
15. Store pre-setup effects in memory to use in any other place
16. Instantly select a part from another track to play in current variation whilst playing live
17. ONLY connection to Yamaha single USB cable
18. Touchscreen that can also facilitate a mouse
19. Current OTS plays out in FULL in the background whilst new OTS kicks in
20. This is the only place I will update demos of what I am personally able to achieve with it as a user.
21. Pitch or octave shift ANY accompany part even on the fly - listen to the choir voices in my demos

...To name but a few of the improvements over the standard older Yamaha's. The list above are only the ones that I've discovered and can understand. The manual states many more that are currently beyond my grasp or direct needs.


And because it's software driven, the sky is the limit to whatever they choose to ad to it in future WITHOUT you having to change your arranger every time. And there is the user memory on the arranger itself for any newer voices that might be required as an later upgrade (I will not be surprised should they pursue this route in future). Heck, I've already added voices from the GHENOS pack to it & I'm only a novice...

List of BINDABLE midi commands

SEQ SS – Sequencer Start/Stop
SSTART – Syncro Start on/off
SSTOP – Syncro Stop on/off
HOLD CHORD – Hold Chord on/off (if on accompaniment plays even with raised left hand)
BASS INV – Bass Inversion on/off
HOLD LEFT – Hold Left Voice(s) on/off
INV RIGHT – Invert Right Voices
OCT UP – Transpose Octave Up for Lead and Aux Voices
OCT DOWN – Transpose Octave Down for Lead and Aux Voices
FADE – Fade on/off
TEMPO HOLD – Tempo Hold on/off
TEMPO LOCK – Tempo Lock on/off
INC TEMPO – Increment tempo bpm
DEC TEMPO – Decrement tempo bpm
TRANSP UP – Transpose one semitone up
TRANSP DOWN – Transpose one semitone down
ACMP LEAD BAL – Balance volume between acmp and lead voices
LEAD PEDWAH – Controller for pedal wah in lead parts
AUX PEDWAH – Controller for pedal wah in aux parts
VAR PEDWAH – Controller for pedal wah in var system bus
LEAD ROTSW – Controller for rotary slow/fast switch in lead parts
AUX ROTSW – Controller for rotary slow/fast switch in aux parts
VAR ROTSW – Controller for rotary slow/fast switch in var system bus
MAIN[1÷8] – Select Main Section (i.e: MAIN3)
FILL[1÷8] – Select Fill
FILL CUR – Select Fill into current Main section
FILL PREV – Select Fill into previous Main section
FILL NEXT – Select Fill into next Main section
BREAK[1÷2] – Select Break
INTRO[1÷3] – Select Intro
ENDING[1÷3] – Select Ending
OTS[1÷8] – Select OTS
OTS LINK – Ots Link on/off (if on, when switching Main Section the linked Ots is selected as well)
OTS LINK MODE – toggles between Ots Link Modes (immediate or delayed to measure start)
APG[1÷8] – Select APG
BEAT RESET – Activate the beat reset

In the following commands [part] can be: DR | PC | BS | CH1 | CH2 | PAD | PH1 | PH2 | A1 | A2 | A3| A4 | L1 | R1 | R2 | R3

VOL [part] – Volume (i.e.: VOL DR)
BAL [part] – Balance
PAN [part] – Pan
SND2REV [part] – Send to Reverb system effect
SND2CHO [part] – Send to Chorus system effect
SND2VAR [part] – Send to Variation system effect
DRY [part] – Dry level
SWITCH [part] – Switch on/off the part in the APG
ENABLE [part] – Enable on/off
MUTE DSP [part] – Mute insert dsp on/off
MUTE STRIP [part] – Mute strip on/off
SOLO STRIP [part] – Solo strip on/off

Apart from it being a separate module, or because of it,the capabilities, as well as the sounds, are quite impressive. I have a 12" iPad and Surface Pro. Can either be used, and which is preferable?

Since our software runs only on Windows 10, your only option (perfectly fit for the purpose!!) is the Surface Pro.

Currently no support for Android or iOS devices.

We think, if you do not have it already, a ~10€ bluetooth mouse from Amazon would be a nice addon (when editing/programming). Buy one with the scroll wheel so that you can easily and naturally "turn/move" all the onscreen virtual knobs/faders.

Will any or all of these also work as the Surface Pro is hellishly expensive for someone on a tight budget?

Hi Henni
I bought a reconditioned one. It works flawlessly.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Surface-Pro-3-12-i3-i5-i7-64GB-128GB-256GB-512GB-4GB-8GB-RAM-Win10Pro/162625099952?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Tx Bernie!

Our software uses a tiny amount of CPU, RAM and SSD resources. Any computing device capable of running Windows 10 can run our software.

What is really important is the screen real estate: the larger the better. Ideally it should be at least 12" (or in that ballpark). The bigger the buttons on screen the easier is to hit them in the hurry of a performance.

The minimum resolution needed is 1366 x 768 pixels.

The tablet we use for testing is a 13" model with 3000 x 2000 pixels resolution. Quad core Atom @1.1 GHz (boosts to 2 GHz).

CPU usage is in the 10÷20% range (mainly due to the overkill resolution that exercises a lot the integrated GPU). On the developers' desktop machines the CPU usage is < 2% (below the noise floor).

The screen is stunning (having 6 Millions pixels crammed in a 13" display means that the dpi are so high that you cannot see the individual pixels).




...... then you look at the integrated display of your Yamaha arranger, and you suddenly discover that gravity brought you back to earth!

Tx - I just need an affordable (at least for me) tablet before playing live again.

After using your software for three days already I have absolutely NO concern anymore for playing live with it. Even with my big desktop sitting next to my S770, I find it easy to do as I do not touch the software during the course of a single performance - the bindings take care of all I need.

I could actually use my desktop for that, but apart from the schlep it would appear as if I'm using midi or backtrax when performing live when it's far from the truth.

I am actually looking forward to using a touch screen for all performances!

The ONLY problem I have with your software is that I am so mesmerized by it that I haven't produce any new Revo styles as of late. Because it is my sole source of income, I'll have to snap out of this state some time soon which I find rather hard to do at the moment. I am just having too much fun with it. For me modifying styles have never been more fulfilling than now - the ease with which I change things is hard to relay accurately in words and keep in mind I DO have StyleMagigYA!

Some advice from me: Stop ALTOGETHER referring to your software as a soft arranger or soft synth or whatever. It took me a while to make out what it REALLY is and now that I do, all else fall in place.

It is a FULL FLEDGED MODULE using a touch interface and the Yamaha sound engine - PERIOD! Hence my reason for starting this specific thread. All the flak you've received up to now was because people could not classify your product properly and had all sorts of complaints an weird expectations from it.

Hi Mr. Groovyband Live! (I even searched the inet for photos of the GBL leam but could not find any)

Here I'll list some future software suggestions as I find them - if I may please?

1. Please include a binding for calling up the next registration in the current directory.
2. Please include a binding for calling next style in current category.
3. Please allow transpose to only take effect at next measure.

I will update here if I discover anything else that might be helpful for live performances.

Kind regards,

Your biggest fan - Henni
South Africa

a Tip for those performing for the seniors:

1. The free demo version will do you just fine. You have 10 minutes at a time. The program opens and closes almost immediately.

2. It immediately re-connects with your Yamaha without you doing anything!

3. Play one song. Quickly close and open program. Select next style and you have close to another 10 minutes for your next performance.

Silly? Not if you cannot or will not dish out the funds for a full fledged version.

I will try it,but I am not into editing styles,as you are. Now, that I rearranged my thinking, I want something I can rebuild registrations with as is,to start. With a new keyboard, it is pointless to load all of your old registrations without trying the new. That means I will download the demo to start afresh,but I am not up to heavy editing like you are, and if it is too complicated,nothing lost.

Good luck Bernie awaiting your review..

Good luck Bernie awaiting your review..

Bernie,

Playing live with GBL:

1. You use whatever you've prepared using GBL registrations.
2. At ANY given time, go to midi settings & push one button only!
3. Now continue playing your PSR as always in "normal" mode.
4. At ANY given time, go to midi settings & push one button only!
5. Continue with where you've left of with GBL.

This way GBL does not replace your Yamaha but rather compliments it.

Henni

Henni,

we are already working on all these points. It will take us a few working days. Then we will release a new build for everybody to download.

Ideas to improve the program are always welcome!

Thanks Henni

I am glad it is not all or nothing. This way I can progress at my pace.

Bernie!!!

At last!!! someone else besides me sees the light... Listen to my new demos, especially the enhanced drum fills - they amaze even me This is the most fun I've had in a very long time. I now have a SUPER!!! PSR S770.

Here in South Africa many opt to have the Lexus V8 engine installed in all sort of vehicles, both new & old. I had one installed myself in a Ssangyong Musso and absolutely loved the outcome.

GBL did the exact same for my Yamaha.

Cheers,

Henni

I downloaded Demo, and installed driver and program. I am awaiting help from support because of a hiccup in installation. User error I'm sure.

Bernie

Bernie,

we got your email. But we answer here because it could be of interest also for others.

When you install the program, if you accept the default install folder, the program will be installed where all the programs are installed in Windows: "C:\Program Files (x86)\......", or something like that.

The "C:\Program Files (x86)\" folder can be accessed only with administrator privileges. When you launched the installation program, Windows asked you if you agreed to confer those privileges to the installer. You obviously said "yes" and the installer was run with admin rights and was able to write into that folder.

So far so good.

It should have also created a launch shortcut (icon) on your desktop. Maybe you do not see it because it is in a corner among dozens of other icons, maybe something went actually wrong (we have no idea what, it never happened to us!).

No problem. Now I explain you how to fix that.

1) Open the File mangaer and navigate into the installation folder.
2) Right click over the Groovyband.exe file and drag (while right clicking) it somewhere into your desktop.
3) Release the right mouse button.
4) A popup menu is shown. Select "Create shortcut here".
5) A shortcut (icon) has been now created on your desktop. But it still does NOT work.
6) Right click the icon and select "Properties" in the popup menu.
7) A window opens. Select the "Shortcut" tab, and click the "Advanced ..." button.
8) A new smaller window opens. Check the "Run as Administrator" box.
9) Close all windows clicking on "OK" repeatedly.

Now it should work.


Here we explain why.

Regards.

Thank you for the fast help.
I have the splash screen now,with default midi settings. The PC is working,but no sound.I rebooted both and started style, no sound. Just native sound from PSR.

You have to setup the midi as described in this chapter of the manual.

Do not worry: do it once and forget! (Everything explained in the link)

Hi all,

I made a full live recording using a stock standard GBL style:

In moments

Henni

Pretty!

Sounds good Henni.I finally found the error in my Midi config. I can finally start to learn the program. I will have to learn basic navigation,as my PSR responds to note on,period. Any program takes study-let it begin.
Bernie

Bernie glad you found the error.
I am in awe of your persistence to learn something new.
Looking forward to your experiences moving forward using this.

good luck

Another live performance using GBL & a standard "onboard" style:

Amazing Grace

The purpose for this demo is to demonstrate the ease with which one can perform live using this program - with the correct bindings in place I do not touch the program during play. I am still using a desktop PC for all of this - a tablet resting on the arranger will simplify things even more.

Nother live demo using GBL:

Mellow

Henni