Using an External MIDI Controller with the Yamaha GENOSI explored all the functions on the GENOS that can be remotely controlled by connecting a MIDI Foot Controller.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the simplicity of the MIDI implementation making it idiot proof to configure any controller.
Everything is clearly explained in the GENOS Reference Manual, Page 149:
Genos Reference ManualThere are 95 different functions you can control remotely:No Assign
Sustain
Sostenuto
Soft
Portamento
Modulation (Alt) Right 1
Modulation (Alt) Right 2
Modulation (Alt) Right 3
Modulation (Alt) Left
Articulation 1 Right 1
Articulation 1 Right 2
Articulation 1 Right 3
Articulation 1 Left
Articulation 2 Right 1
Articulation 2 Right 2
Articulation 2 Right 3
Articulation 2 Left
Articulation 3 Right 1
Articulation 3 Right 2
Articulation 3 Right 3
Articulation 3 Left
Effect Right 1
Effect Right 2
Effect Right 3
Effect Left
Effect Mic
Keyboard Harmony/Arpeggio On/Off
Vocal Harmony On/Off
Vocal Harmony Effect On/Off
Talk
Score Page +
Score Page –
Lyrics Page +
Lyrics Page –
Text Viewer Page +
Text Viewer Page –
Song A Play/Pause
Song B Play/Pause
Style Start/Stop
Tap Tempo
Synchro Start
Synchro Stop
Intro 1
Intro 2
Intro 3
Main A
Main B
Main C
Main D
Fill Down
Fill Self
Fill Break
Fill Up
Ending 1
Ending 2
Ending 3
Fade In/Out
Fingered/Fingered On Bass
Bass Hold
Percussion 1
Percussion 2
Percussion 3
Right 1 Part On/Off
Right 2 Part On/Off
Right 3 Part On/Off
Left Part On/Off
One Touch Setting +
One Touch Setting –
One Touch Setting 1
One Touch Setting 2
One Touch Setting 3
One Touch Setting 4
Registration Sequence +
Registration Sequence –
Registration 1
Registration 2
Registration 3
Registration 4
Registration 5
Registration 6
Registration 7
Registration 8
Registration 9
Registration 10
Transpose +
Transpose –
Multi Pad 1
Multi Pad 2
Multi Pad 3
Multi Pad 4
Multi Pad Stop
Song Control SP1
Song Control SP2
Song Control SP3
Song Control SP4
Song Control Loop
This is a pretty comprehensive list.
All you need to trigger these functions is to send a Control Change message or a MIDI Note ON message.
You can chose from the following 30 Control Change messages to trigger these functions.
CC 0
CC 5
CC 6
CC 8
CC 9
CC 10
CC 11
CC 12
CC 13
CC 14
CC 15
CC 16
CC 17
CC 18
CC 19
CC 20
CC 21
CC 22
CC 23
CC 24
CC 25
CC 26
CC 27
CC 28
CC 29
CC 30
CC 31
CC 32
CC 33
CC 34
If your MIDI Foot Controller has 30 pedals, you can utilize all of them at once, with each CC message mapped to any of the 95 different functions.
The Nectar Pacer has 10 pedals.
I decided to map them as follows:
Pedal Function1 INTRO 2
2 INTRO 3
3 FILL DOWN
4 FILL SELF
5 FILL UP
6 BREAK
7 INTRO 1
8 ENDING 1
9 ENDING 2
10 ENDING 3
To keep matters simple, I decided to use the default mapping of the GENOS factory preset named “All Parts”
MENU | MENU 2 | MIDI | External Controller | All Parts
CC Default_MappingCC 0 Style Start/Stop
CC 5 Fill Down
CC 6 Fill Self
CC 8 Fill Break
CC 9 Fill Up
CC 10 Synchro Stop
CC 11 Main A
CC 12 Main B
CC 13 Main C
CC 14 Main D
CC 15 Style Start/Stop
CC 16 Fill Down
CC 17 Fill Self
CC 18 Fill Break
CC 19 Fill Up
CC 20 Synchro Stop
CC 21 Intro 1
CC 22 Intro 2
CC 23 Intro 3
CC 24 Tap Tempo
CC 25 Style Start/Stop
CC 26 Fill Down
CC 27 Fill Self
CC 28 Fill Break
CC 29 Fill Up
CC 30 Synchro Stop
CC 31 Ending 1
CC 32 Ending 2
CC 33 Ending 3
CC 34 Fade In/Out
Note: You are free to change this factory default mapping to relate any of these 30 CC numbers to any of the 95 functions.
You can save your custom mapping in a User Preset.
You can create as many User Presets as you like.
This brings tremendous flexibility and power to the GENOS.
Besides CC messages, you can also trigger any of these 95 functions by sending a MIDI Note ON message (1 through 30).
The lowest note of an 88-key digital piano is A0 which is MIDI Note 21.
MIDI Note 30 is F#1 on your digital piano.
This means you can use the lower portion of your 88-key digital piano to control 10 different functions:
MIDI_Note, Note_Name21, A0
22, Bb0
23, B0
24, C1
25, C#1
26, D1
27, Eb1
28, E1
29, F1
30, F#1
This is a great solution if you do not have a MIDI Foot Pedal! You can make the 10 lowest keys act like pedals to trigger anything you wish from the pool of 95 different functions.
Clearly, Yamaha engineers put a lot of thought in designing the GENOS to bring this level of flexibility.
Special thanks to the Yamaha Documentation Team for publishing easy to understand reference manuals.
I will write up a User Guide with screenshots showing how to configure the GENOS with the Nectar Pacer MIDI Foot Controller with an example SysEx file that you can download and play with.
I will also write up a second User Guide showing how to configure the GENOS with the Behringer FCB1010 MIDI Foot Controller with an example SysEx file.
David