Music Finder and OTS link...

[alfaholic]

Hello everyone,

Every time I enter Music Finder it turns OTS Link ON. Is there a way to disable this annoying function?

[Fred Smith]

Hello everyone,

Every time I enter Music Finder it turns OTS Link ON. Is there a way to disable this annoying function?

No. It's one of the "features" of the keyboard. A popular workaround is to use registrations instead.

Cheers,
Fred

[alfaholic]

Thanks Fred. I will then erase all OTS data chunk from my styles so it does not change anything, any way to do that?

[Toril S]

Not on the presets.

[Bruce Breen]

I use Music Finder a lot...even more than registrations.

I just trained myself to turn off the OTS link each time I enter Music Finder (or at least before I start playing the song).

Once you are in it, you can select more than one song without it linking the OTS again.
Sometimes I'll play 3 or 4 songs before I leave the Music Finder.
Then the next time I go into it, I just turn off the OTS link once again.

[overover]

... Every time I enter Music Finder it turns OTS Link ON. Is there a way to disable this annoying function?

Hi alfaholic,

you can try the following workaround (tested for example on Tyros5):

1. Be sure that "OTS LINK" button is OFF.

2. Instead of pressing [Music Finder] button directly, press [Direct Access] first, then [Music Finder] button and then [Exit] button (once). This should bring up the Music Finder screen WITHOUT turning on "OTS LINK".

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

[travlin-easy]

For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would want to turn off the OTS - just doesn't make sense at all. Those OTS voices are usually fantastic, and, they usually go quite well with the selected style for the song you are playing.

Gary

[overover]

For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would want to turn off the OTS - just doesn't make sense at all. Those OTS voices are usually fantastic, and, they usually go quite well with the selected style for the song you are playing. ...

Hi Gary,

we are NOT talking about "turn off the OTS" here, of course:

It's just about the "OTS LINK" feature (button) of Yamaha arranger keyboards. If you turn ON this button, the OTS are "coupled" to the Main Variations (MV). That means, when MV A is playing, automatically OTS 1 is activated, MV B ist linked to OTS 2, MV C to OTS 3 and MV D to OTS 4, in the same way.

May be, this behavior is helpful in SOME cases (e. g. to test new Styles and their OTS voices in a fast way), BUT in many (most) Cases, i think, the player wants to be able to change the OTS independently from the Main Variation that is currently used. Normally, you simply switch OFF the "OTS LINK" button, to play in that way.

BUT: Pressing [Music Finder] button ALWAYS turns ON the "OTS LINK" feature, automatically, and this behavior can NOT be deactivated, unfortunately.

At this point, my workaround can be used: Pressing [Direct Access] button first  and THEN the [Music Finder] button brings up the "Music Finder Search 1" screen. Then press [Exit] once, and voilà: You will have the normal "Music Finder" screen, but "OTS LINK" will NOT be activated, automatically.

[alfaholic]

For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would want to turn off the OTS - just doesn't make sense at all. Those OTS voices are usually fantastic, and, they usually go quite well with the selected style for the song you are playing.

It is not about OTS but OTS Link, which turns ON every time you enter Music Finder. This is really annoying, they should give us an option to choose whether we want it or not.

Hi alfaholic,

you can try the following workaround (tested for example on Tyros5):

1. Be sure that "OTS LINK" button is OFF.

2. Instead of pressing [Music Finder] button directly, press [Direct Access] first, then [Music Finder] button and then [Exit] button (once). This should bring up the Music Finder screen WITHOUT turning on "OTS LINK".

Thanks, this is great.
I managed to solve this problem by erasing the OTS chunk in all my styles with WinHex, now it stays ON and does not change anything. I do not really need OTS, their architecture is are archaic in Yamaha, and have too many limitations.

I finally have good workflow with Music Finder where I can record all my songs, and then choose registrations for solo manually. This is great for me because Music Finder remembers only style location so if I change something in my styles (mix or the whole track) Music Finder still works well. The same with registrations, instead of having 200 or 300 for every song, now I have 20 or 30 for my solo patches, so if I need to change anything (effects or balance) I can do it all in 15 minutes without need to re-do all 200 or 300 registrations (songs).

Thank you all...

[EileenL]

Why not just take a note of the style and then save it to a registration bank as you want it and using your preferred voices.
  I must admit I have never used MF as I like to select my own style and voices for performing.

[alfaholic]

Well, that is a very good advice, thanks.   

I believe Music Finder way will be little bit faster because my solo registrations are always there and active while my prepared songs are just one button away, so while I am in MF I can use my solo registrations as well.
If I use registrations for styles as well as you recommend, I will need to go back and forth using folders and that will slow me down. There is also that famous balance problem which now works well, but if I use registrations to call my styles it will always reset it to saved value.

I started playing when I was 13 years old and did it for almost 20 years, then I just got tired of this job and people in general, sold all my keyboards and entered my studio more seriously. Back then I never used registrations or Music Finder, everything was in my head. It was great because I prepare 20 to 25 styles, and 15 to 20 preferred solo patches and I am ready to go. Now I do not remember all those songs, also I do not like music genres we are playing now (the money counts) and I need help to memorize everything so Music Finder is great for me because I have everything set for playing, also if I need to re-do the mix or anything else, it will be much faster than with 300 registrations.
In this part of the world they say: the wolf is not hungry, and all the goats are still there.

[Bruce Breen]

I believe Music Finder way will be little bit faster because my solo registrations are always there and active while my prepared songs are just one button away, so while I am in MF I can use my solo registrations as well.
If I use registrations for styles as well as you recommend, I will need to go back and forth using folders and that will slow me down. There is also that famous balance problem which now works well, but if I use registrations to call my styles it will always reset it to saved value.
...so Music Finder is great for me because I have everything set for playing, also if I need to re-do the mix or anything else, it will be much faster than with 300 registrations.
In this part of the world they say: the wolf is not hungry, and all the goats are still there.

My sentiments exactly!

I made my own Music Finder file, with MY settings for all the songs I play.
I also numbered the entries according to my binder numbering system...very easy to find!

And I do use Registrations, but just for the songs where there are many alterations to the settings required.
(For some, like Stairway to Heaven, I use a whole bank of a Registration.)

I am happy with both (Music Finder or Registrations), and find they both work well for me.
And I really like the "DJ" effect I get when I call up the next song (settings) onto the screen (this works in either), then select it while the current song is finishing...the keyboard changes everything immediately, and I don't lose a beat nor anyone on the dance floor!

[tyrosaurus]

BUT: Pressing [Music Finder] button ALWAYS turns ON the "OTS LINK" feature, automatically, and this behavior can NOT be deactivated, unfortunately.

At this point, my workaround can be used: Pressing [Direct Access] button first  and THEN the [Music Finder] button brings up the "Music Finder Search 1" screen. Then press [Exit] once, and voilà: You will have the normal "Music Finder" screen, but "OTS LINK" will NOT be activated, automatically.

Although I prefer to use registrations rather than Music Finder, this is a useful tip, and one that is worthy of inclusion in any update to Michael Bedesem's 'Frequently Asked Questions'  (link to current version:  https://psrtutorial.com/lessons/faq/PSRFAQ.htm )


Regards

Ian

[Bruce Breen]

Although I prefer to use registrations rather than Music Finder, this is a useful tip, and one that is worthy of inclusion in any update to Michael Bedesem's 'Frequently Asked Questions'  (link to current version:  https://psrtutorial.com/lessons/faq/PSRFAQ.htm )
Regards
Ian

Hi Ian,
FYI - you have to press three buttons to do the "press [Direct Access] first, then [Music Finder] button and then [Exit] button (once)" method.
It's easier to press the Music Finder button and turn off the OTS link - only two buttons are pressed...!

[tyrosaurus]

Hi Ian,
FYI - you have to press three buttons to do the "press [Direct Access] first, then [Music Finder] button and then [Exit] button (once)" method.
It's easier to press the Music Finder button and turn off the OTS link - only two buttons are pressed...!

Thank you for teaching me that 3 is 1 more than 2!  I would never have worked that out by myself! 

Whilst using the MF button directly requires one less press, you have to remember to turn the OTS Link off before you select a record in the MF, or your current voice parts will be overwritten with the relevant OTS of the style in the record. 

Since I prefer to use the significantly enhanced possibilities of registrations, I don't use MF very often (other than to get a laugh from some of Yamaha's style suggestions for songs in their preset MFDs).  So I tend to forget to turn the OTS Link off, and I would rather endure an extra key press than risk forgetting to turn it off and unwittingly losing an existing voice setup, which could have taken a lot more than one key press to set up!

Of course its each to their own, and at least on Yamaha keyboards, there is often more than one way of doing something!  Its just a shame that Yamaha's manuals don't always inform users about all the possibilities.


Regards

Ian

[overover]

Hi all,

thanks for your feedback to my little MF workaround "Direct Access ---> Music Finder ---> Exit".

I think, this method is not much slower than pressing [Music Finder) button directly and then switch off "OTS LINK", because you can press [Direct Access] with your left hand and then pressing [Music Finder] ---> [Exit] very fast in succession, using two different fingers (e. g. middle finger and thumb) of your right hand.


Best regards,
Chris

[Bruce Breen]

Whilst using the MF button directly requires one less press, you have to remember to turn the OTS Link off before you select a record in the MF, or your current voice parts will be overwritten with the relevant OTS of the style in the record. 

Since I prefer to use the significantly enhanced possibilities of registrations, I don't use MF very often (other than to get a laugh from some of Yamaha's style suggestions for songs in their preset MFDs). 

I hear you about losing a voice set-up!!
But, for about 1/2 of my MFD song settings I actually want the OTS to pop up...!
And, yes, I laughed at many of Yamaha's settings too, so my MFD file is completely different from their preset MFD (and only has my portfolio of about 850 songs in it).

And, as you also said "to each their own".
Yes, it is remarkable how every one of us seems to find a different solution that works for us, or a different style for each song, or a different voice to use, etc.

[alfaholic]

Of course its each to their own, and at least on Yamaha keyboards, there is often more than one way of doing something!

Or there is absolutely no way to do some other, very simple things.