Looking seriously at buying a SX 900 / 700 in the near future and have a few questions to ask the group.

Some background:

I'm trying to avoid paying for features/sounds/etc. I'm unlikely to use. Also, It would be in my interest to reduce the total amount of weight I'm lugging around.

I use a PSRS970, running 1/4' cables out - one goes to the TC Helicon old Voice live rack unit, the other goes into a channel on my powered mixer. There's also a midi cable running from the kb to the back of the TCH, too... My vocal likewise goes inot the rear of the TCH.

I run two patch cables from the TCH to a stero channel on my mixer, then run one cable from the mono (L) out of the mixer to the Bose Compact input...

It sounds clear, strong and I've been really happy with it for a long time. I play everything from Tin Pan Alley to 70's and 80's rock, country, R&B, Motown, Gospel, etc...Audiences are getting younger every month and I'm enjoying playing more contemporary material. I'm using a mix of styles, no accompaniment, MP3 files for my songs...

What I'm curious about is this:

Q: Could I run a mic into the SX900 / 700 and add a pedal to control the kb's harmony? Would that eliminate the following gear:

TC Helicon Voicelive rack & footswitch
Two 14" cables from the kb and the Midi cable
The powered mixer
The utility stand
Etc.

The biggest concern is the on board harmonizer and how it sounds compared to the TCH unit. I listened to the one you tube I could find last night and the on board harmonizer sounded pretty good, but its hard to really tell from a you tube video.

I'd really appreciate any sort of advice, feedback, suggestions that anyone has.

Thanks!

Hello Bill,

I’m pretty sure the vocal effects are the same on the 970 and sx 900. I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong!

Can you elaborate why you need an audio cord from the arranger into the TC unit?

Doesn’t the MIDI (or USB cord) send whatever harmony information the pitch transposition needs?

And yeah, sadly, compared to pro units designed specifically to impress singers, there really isn’t a single arranger manufacturer that makes a standalone vocal harmonizer that is as well regarded as TC. I always feel that, if a company doesn’t make a great anything (harmonizer, vocorder, Hammond clone, whatever) in standalone format, it’s not going to have the code and chips to put one in an arranger…

Bill, yes, you can run another mic through the arranger keyboard, and use the onboard harmonizer. Take a look at: https://www.psrtutorial.com/music/articles/11-VHPrimer.html where Dan provided one of the best and most comprehensive instructional information on using Yamaha's harmonizers. He even provided a few demos and shows you how to avoid dropout.

Keep in mind, though, you will still need a mixer to use 2 mics. You can only route one mic through the keyboard, which will be outputted via your main out from the keyboard, while the TCH has it's own outputs, which will then be fed through the mixer in conjunction with the keyboard, and all terminating in the Bose L1 Compact. On some of the larger jobs, I used a pair of L1 Compacts, which provided excellent coverage for up to 250 ppl. For jobs larger than that, I fell back on my Bose L1 PAS, which was incredible, both sound and coverage area.

Hope this helps, but if you need additional assistance with the hookup, you have my telephone number - it's still the same.

Gary

yes, you can assign a pedal to switch the harmony on and off

George is right. Just plug in a standard pedal, hold down the Direct Access button and step on the pedal. The display will provide you with all the options. Be sure to save all this information into a Start Up registration so it can be instantly recalled when you fire up the keyboard, otherwise the keyboard will open with the default pedal setting, which is sustain.

Good luck,

Gary

I'm on my 2nd TCH Voicelive Rack and I think that's how they instructed me to set it up. My understanding is that the MIDI data is different from the full blown audio signal the unit puts out.

I have one 1/4" going from the RH output on the PSR 970S into the instrument input on the rear of the TCH and the other from the LH output on the kb going to a vacant channel on the mixer I use. It works with just the one line from the RH output, but by adding a 2nd connection for the signal into the mixer, it beefs up the keyboard. My Mic goes straight into the TCH. The signal coming out of the TCH is sent via two 1/4" cables to the stereo inputs on the mixer....

Q: Are you saying the midi cable ALONE should be transferring EVERYTHING the TCHJ requires?

Understood on the comment about a free standing device like the TCH generally out performs any "add on" effects like Yamaha provides...

I've listened to the SX900 harmonizer via a youtube video, and some of it sounded fine, but damn, some of the harmonies the guy demoed sounded like a vocoder setting, except it wasn't, lol...

I don't use many harmony variations. I have three that gets it down for me. Duo, Trio and the Elvis / Slapback effect. That's all I need...


Thanks, Diki...

Thanks for the response.. I think you're right...

Hey Gary, I worded that awkwardly...

I only need one vocal mic...not looking to add a 2nd...

Thanks!

Thanks, George...