I've been trying to convert a KN7000 sequence, which includes a Composer Style, to SMF Format, but am having a bit of a problem.
I've consulted the KN7000 manual, which as usual, is not much help. I've also had a look through Alec's 'How Do I Do That' but suprisingly, didn't find the answer there either. (Pages 65 - 67 get very near the answer but not quite )

Using the advice in HDIDT, I've successfully converted the APC data to SMF using Parts 5 through 13 (Tracks 9-16), which then reside in the sequencer. When played back, all these voices are set to Piano, which of course, is not the voicing for the APC parts, in the original style in the Composer.
Track 5 (Drum 1) should be Jazz Kit, Track 6 (Drum 2) should be Live Rock Kit, Track 7 (Bass) should be Acoustic Bass and the other tracks Accomp 1 - 5, should be various instruments. I can temporarily set the correct voices, in the sequencer page 2 (Mixer) which produces the desired sounds, as long as the style variation is not changed, but as soon as the sequencer changes the variation, the track voices change back to Pianos and cannot be recovered.

What I can't figure out, is how to reset Tracks 9 - 16 to their correct instruments. The process is further complicated, in that Intro, Ending, and all 4 Variations, use a different setup for the 5 Accompaniment parts.
So my question is : How do I allocate the correct voices, for all the Variations, Intro and Ending, to Tracks 9 to 16. I know what the voice allocation is, for the original style, since I can determine this in the Composer edit facility. I'm sure someone has carried out this process successfully and I would be grateful for some enlightenment. Taa

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Willum

[This message has been edited by Bill Norrie (edited 03-20-2003).]

Hi Bill,
accidently I recently converted your beautifull 'Unforgettable' from Technics Format to Midi-song. (This was a Easy Record include a composerrhythm).However the original is the best, the midi was also relatively OK. I have placed on my 'other' page (see profile, the Cels CreaProject Site) the procedure 'how to convert' step by step. The intro's and endings were good in the midi-file.
Pherhaps this info could help? Although it seems to me that you already have experience with this isue? Midi is a complex stuff to me. But I don't want to withhold this information for you .
Greetings,
Cees.

did you save with panel header and one measure space? it sounds as if this could be one problem.

Also a midi file is one voice for each track, if you have different voices for intros, variations etc, or have used panel memories it will need further treatment.

if you carry out all the exercises in "how do I do that" from beginning to end you will have all the principles of this job. It is not in a specific step by step because I've done it many, many times and just cannot raise any enthusiasm for it. The midi files never sounds as good as the original technics format, and require expert micro editing to sound close. It's just a function of gm sounds and controllers being so basic compared to the technics capabilities. Now with mp3 available its not worth the effort for the result. Just my opinion.

Hi Alec, point taken. I tried saving with and without panel header and one measure space but no joy. I do realise that each voice is assigned to a separate track but I assume that a 'Program Change' command can be included to dynamically change the voice in any particular track. Perhaps I'm asking too much of the KN's conversion system and would be better using an external editor to do the job.
The reason I wished to convert the file was to include it in one of my web pages, since I believe that a midi file is the only reasonable format to use in such an application.

Cees, thanks for the tip, I'll have a look at that later today, but as Alec says, maybe it is not worth the effort It's the first time I've tried the procedure and may be the last

Thanks to both for your response.....

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Willum

Hi Alec,
I agree to that. It is complex material. I know there are plenty who likes working with midi, no problem. The K7 has enought features on board for midi. Software like Cubase and Cakewalk could help with this stuff, but althought you have to learn a lot 'new skills' to handle midi, as well as the hardware as software. And that is what one has to consider, is it worth to invest in that, and why do I want it?
Regards,
Cees.

Bill,
If you follow Cee's instructions from his web site, everything works just fine. The problem is that you probably won't like what you hear. After being spoiled by the wonderful voices of the KN7000, the MIDI GM equivalents are very poor and the DSL enhancements, ETC, are not there.
If you must do this, try to record using all voices(including the acc. voices) that are similar to the GM voices. It takes a lot of fiddling but you can change the voices in the KN7000 before recording or afterwards using MIDI editing software. The KN7000 is probably the easiest because you have a pretty good idea of what the final result will sound like.
Lot's of luck,
Walt

Hi people!
Small phrases trying to give good answer

1. To transform a "easy rec" sequence the first thing to do is to know what instruments use each part of the composer.
ex: acc1 variation 1 guitar
acc1 variation 2 piano.
When tranforming to SMF this will generate two diferent instruments in the same midi track, so you must watch closely the composer in all its parts.
And every acc1,acc2, intro fill and so on can be diferent inside the same composer and this will generate a lot of information you have to separete to achieve the final goal a SMF. The SMF will play in other Keyboards and sequencers, but don´t forget that you always may use NX sounds if you want use the files generated again in the KN.
2. Work with a computer based sequencer (Cakewalk, Cubase ) I use Studio Vision Pro, it is the best way to "see" what kind of information the KN generates in every track.
3.You must learn what is the meaning of every information in the tracks. There are 128 parameters you can define with 128 steps for each one, beside the notes.
4.When generating SMF on a KN keyboard you must decide in which track you "put" the composer parts , drums 1 and 2 , bass, acc1,2,3,4 e5, and if use the acc pads, pad1 and2.
And you only can do this in the free tracks, because you have to preserve the "melody" tracks. You will see small signs on the tracks where are the melody lines and you cant use.
5.Try to use the same midi chanels numbers for your tracks numbers, this will help you to find easily what and where.

These are the the first steps, there are much more things to learn working with midi, and this depends of the keyboard you are using.... GM, GM2, NX , XG ... the bases are the same the routes are diferent

José

Thanks for all the responses - very much appreciated. Due to the amount of work required, just to convert one file, I think I'll give it a miss. I have more rewarding things to do. Apologies for wasting your time

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Willum