proper voice to match a style

Started by Axxa78, December 01, 2019, 02:32:10 PM

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Axxa78

If we dont have a registration bank with songs arranged and ready (voice,style,tempo,etc) and we use just styles, how do we know which voice is appropiate?how do we know what voice to select from the preset voices?just our ear is enough to try to match the right instrument?sometimes i think it is not enough for me on my tyros2.

Toril S

I try the OTS settings first. If I do not like them I change them and save the style as a new style. If I like the voices, that is good enough for me. The intros and endings are also a good indication of what voices will fit well to the style.
Toril S

Genos, Tyros 5, PSR S975, PSR 2100
and PSR-47.
Former keyboards: PSR-S970.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVwWdb36Yd3LMBjAnm6pTQ?view_as=subscriber



Toril's PSR Performer Page

mikf

Of course you use your ear - what else is there, someone else's ear??
Mike

DrakeM

For a second option you can search YouTube for an instrumental arrangement and hear what somebody else used. ;D


Axxa78

Tx everyone. I said ear but i meant to use our hearing, Mikf. In any case, im interested in what TorilS reccomended, does it mean every style.comes also with preset voices that we can append using ots?that would be nice, it would save us time and effort. And of course, Drake, i do that all the time but many covers dont show the settings used (style,voices,tempo,etc)

Fred Smith

Quote from: Axxa78 on December 01, 2019, 09:53:52 PM
Tx everyone. I said ear but i meant to use our hearing, Mikf. In any case, im interested in what TorilS reccomended, does it mean every style.comes also with preset voices that we can append using ots?that would be nice, it would save us time and effort. And of course, Drake, i do that all the time but many covers dont show the settings used (style,voices,tempo,etc)

Every preset style comes with 4 OTS voice settings. Almost all user styles also have OTS.

Load the style, then press an OTS button to preview them.

Cheers,
Fred
Fred Smith,
Saskatoon, SK
Sun Lakes, AZ
Genos, Bose L1 compacts, Finale 2015
Check out my Registration Lessons

Axxa78

Wow.that would be great.ill check the ots buttons. Tx.

mikf

Axxa
My point is there is no 'proper' voice, because this is music, not math, and it's not about right or wrong. It's about what sounds good to you, personal taste, and preference. Experiment, listen, decide for yourself what you like. 
I see posts all the time from people asking for recommendations for styles, voices, effects, and I ask myself why they need this. Why do they want someone else's registrations? If they are trying to achieve a close cover of a recorded song, OK, I get it that a short cut may be helpful. But mostly, the whole point of music is to do your own thing, and improve by trial, error and practice.
I often feel the same about the sound quality discussions on the forum. Within reasonable quality limits ( and all PSR arrangers and up have been well inside those limits for years) sound quality IMHO represents about 10% of the overall result. In blind tests these quality differences between modern electronic instruments can be hard to pick out.  What people mostly 'hear' is how well it is played.
Mike

Axxa78

Quote from: mikf on December 02, 2019, 11:15:52 AM
Axxa
My point is there is no 'proper' voice, because this is music, not math, and it's not about right or wrong. It's about what sounds good to you, personal taste, and preference. Experiment, listen, decide for yourself what you like. 
I see posts all the time from people asking for recommendations for styles, voices, effects, and I ask myself why they need this. Why do they want someone else's registrations? If they are trying to achieve a close cover of a recorded song, OK, I get it that a short cut may be helpful. But mostly, the whole point of music is to do your own thing, and improve by trial, error and practice.
I often feel the same about the sound quality discussions on the forum. Within reasonable quality limits ( and all PSR arrangers and up have been well inside those limits for years) sound quality IMHO represents about 10% of the overall result. In blind tests these quality differences between modern electronic instruments can be hard to pick out.  What people mostly 'hear' is how well it is played.
Mike
You're 100% right, and i agree with but although i try to match for myself all the time styles with voices, it is good to hear somebody's else opinion just to be sure you're on the right track or you chose right or you thought about same ideas...many reasons..
For ex, if i want to play lambada, which is the best combination of style/voice(s) using the presets on t2? I downloaded alot of styles but i havent found something which "sounds" right. The same with brother louie (modern talking). Plus, harmony/echo does nothing when i play, switched off is the same voice. What do i do wrong?maybe i dont tick the right chords?i really dont like songs which change many chords, i am not good at chords play

browzer

Axxa,

Try listening to intros and see what voices they use, may give you some ideas.

Ronnie
Genos

panos

Hi Axxa,
firs of all did any of the styles you have downloaded for these songs sounds good on your Tyros 2?
As Toril said the OTS usually have appropriate voices for the style or the song.
For example you wouldn't expect a style for lambada or latin music in general to have.... bagpipes or a church organ,right?
So in general apart from what the OTS may tell us we have in mind in what genre of music the song belongs too.
Another help is the song it self.
I bet lambada is using an accordion sound(don't know which one exactly cause I was watching the ladies that were dancing rather than the musicians on the video ;D)
and Moderm Talking were always using synthi sounds(which are in the voice folder Synth & FX and folder Choir and Pad to combine voices).
Even if I told in a cover video which sounds I have used that you liked,your first reaction when you would do the same in your keyboard might be  :o
And this is because the voices need all the appropriate effects to sound similar.

For the Harmony button to work you need to keep pressed the chords with your left hand and play the melody with your right hand,
Try that without hitting the play button of the style.
And listen to the available harmony options that sound nice with the melody you are playing and the voices you have chosen
(Direct Access button+Harmony)
Also don't forget to increase or decrease the harmony's volume and you can also add a left voice to increase the harmony of a right hand voice.(right and left voices are the same or similar.The octave of them may be different.Left voice almost always is in the more bass octave).

Axxa78

Quote from: panos on December 03, 2019, 11:27:42 AM
Hi Axxa,
firs of all did any of the styles you have downloaded for these songs sounds good on your Tyros 2?
I tried only a few but i didnt find a good style (for me to sound as in the song) for lambada and brother louie. I watch many covers on youtube but it seems they sound way too good, for the style and voices i chose, it (vs for ex Robbiedoes - la paloma or Burschi1977 - lambada). I always was like wow when i watched tyros covers and i thought jumping from psr-e443 or korg pa50 to tyros2 would thrill my ears. Definatelly i dont know how to pick the right sounds from this beauty but with your help guys and i liked very much what you wrote here Panos, maybe i will.
As Toril said the OTS usually have appropriate voices for the style or the song.
Il try the OTS , i cant believe i havent realized so far.
For example you wouldn't expect a style for lambada or latin music in general to have.... bagpipes or a church organ,right?
Absolutely. That i know, i mean i know what to ask from a style.
So in general apart from what the OTS may tell us we have in mind in what genre of music the song belongs too.
Another help is the song it self.
I bet lambada is using an accordion sound(don't know which one exactly cause I was watching the ladies that were dancing rather than the musicians on the video ;D)
Hehehe me too but now i know its an accodeon, the problem is i havent found an appropiate one.Plus, i need a good style or maybe i have the good style and i play the chords wrong or maybe the tempo is not good...
and Moderm Talking were always using synthi sounds(which are in the voice folder Synth & FX and folder Choir and Pad to combine voices).
Yep, here the style is my problem, with voices i figured out.
Even if I told in a cover video which sounds I have used that you liked,your first reaction when you would do the same in your keyboard might be  :o
And this is because the voices need all the appropriate effects to sound similar.

For the Harmony button to work you need to keep pressed the chords with your left hand and play the melody with your right hand,
Try that without hitting the play button of the style.
Didnt know that, tx.
And listen to the available harmony options that sound nice with the melody you are playing and the voices you have chosen
(Direct Access button+Harmony)
Tx, great. So harmony options, i didnt know that.
Also don't forget to increase or decrease the harmony's volume and you can also add a left voice to increase the harmony of a right hand voice.(right and left voices are the same or similar.The octave of them may be different.Left voice almost always is in the more bass octave).

Bottom line, i need to work hard. I am not a pro,almost a beginner, i used to have  "toys" like psr-e443 or korg pa50, even a casio (dont remember the code) and i used to play few songs, and trying to learn other songs (i always use covers from internet, its easy this way). Now with tyros 2, all very complicated.

AndyMark

Hi Axxa,
If you have not enabled the OTS LINK button (above the left part of the keyboard), the ONE TOUCH SETTING buttons (above the right part of the keyboard) will not switch the instrument sounds.
greetings
Andy

Joe H

Quote from: mikf on December 02, 2019, 11:15:52 AM
... Within reasonable quality limits ( and all PSR arrangers and up have been well inside those limits for years) sound quality IMHO represents about 10% of the overall result. In blind tests these quality differences between modern electronic instruments can be hard to pick out.  What people mostly 'hear' is how well it is played.
Mike

This NOT true for some... that's why some of us want to have more editing capability and DSPs. It's ALL about the SOUND.  Yamaha even say so... that an electronic sound can inspire a piece of music.  Those kind of people buy synthesizers usually, but some of us buy arrangers too.

So... maybe I'm in the 10%.

;D

Joe H
Music is the Universal Language!

My Article: Using Multi Pads in registrations. Download Regs, Styles & MPs:  http://psrtutorial.com/music/articles/dancemusic.html

mikf

Joe
You are right, there are some genres of music where the sound is everything. But for the middle of the road country, pop and standards that many of us play,I think the sound is less important to the overall performance than people think, because you are talking about fine differences. Most people can't hear these differences unless compared side by side - and even then they might be a matter of preference rather than good vs bad.
I see all the moans and groans about voice quality on the forum, especially piano voices, but by and large the standard of voices has been pretty acceptable on these instruments for many years.  I think back to the old days when I had to perform on whatever piano that was there, no matter the condition. You still had to entertain. I remember one time removing 27 empty beer bottles from an upright I was trying to play at a dance. 
Mike

panos

Axxa, if you wish a Tyros can be no more complicated than a "simple" keyboard.
You choose a style, you choose voices and you just play and is all fine.
To accomplish a better or a more "pro like" result it takes time to understand all the features and capabilities of such a keyboard.
That's why many of us have joined this forum I guess.

I agree with Mike that first of all we have to learn to play properly a song without caring so much if the style or the sounds we have chosen are the best or not.
I have read that something makes you feel wrong while you are playing with the styles that supposed to be for these two particular songs but you don't know exactly what it is.
Be sure that you hit correct notes,and chords and then mind about the style and voices.

I have just listened many midis of Lambada to find out one which is playing correctly the melody as it is on the song.
Those midis are using different "arrangements",voices,tempos and whatever you might think of.
When we are able to play a song correctly even if in a most simplified version (according to our slow brain and hands ;D)
then we can work to improve the sounds a little,as Joe said.

So keep on working with the songs you like.
Don't forget that it is not that hard to delete parts or add a part from another style according to your taste.

Many times we set the tempo hold or lock and keep on playing the song with different styles to see if there are any parts that fit well to the melody.
The most important part to choose a style is the drum pattern, then the bass (I guess :) ).

To compare the different combinations of R1+R2+L voices to choose for a song, we can easily save them in a temporary registration.
Then we edit those voices to see what we can change.
When there is an improvement we replace the registration(e.g memory button+reg5). Otherwise,we reacall the reg 5 and start over to test other effects.

Normanfernandez

If you're playing lead on the keyboard,
The Ideal Voice would Cut through the Style.

Selecting the Correct Voice is Subjective.

It could also go the other way around.
People sometimes change parts of the style to make it blend with the voice.

Adding to what Panos said.
Learning the functions

Using functions like Voice Set can bring out many different tones from the same voice.
It also has to blend with the Song selected
Some voices Sound better on a certain key.


Norman.
Norman Fernandez Keyboardplayer
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCngm8h5k5NmKnowJpkxlDBQ

PSR S770 - Roland FP 30 - PSR 280
Cubase - Kontakt6

Axxa78

Wow! It's morning here in Romania, Bucharest and i have my coffee next to me and i read all comments! I love this forum! You guys are amazing! This is the place where i should have registered many years ago! 
Tx for all advice, very good start i have on my tyros! I managed yesterday to register a bank (a friend sent it) and the quality of the instruments is wow. I guess custom banks could be very qualitative sometimes.
About the voices quality debate, although i chose tyros2 (second habd bought from ebay Germany but it is like new) because i care about voices/styles quality, there are people, talented people who can make a whip from **** (its a saying here) and play so good using for ex a psr-e323 toy keyb (a gipsy here proved it to me and he playied totally awesome) so i agree with Mike too, instruments are only a help, the people makes them good or bad. But from an amateur like me who plays only a few songs, people react differently when i play on a superior quality keyb  and they think i am very good which in fact im not.