How do I save midi files on my SX700

[dlepera]

I have a midi folder "New Midi" on a USB with midi files.  I can load them into the sx700 by selecting :

1. Player which then opens the SONG view.
2. I then select LIST & Add Song
3. This now opens a new window Song with Preset & User
4. I now select USB and my folder "New Midi" which opens and lists the midi files in it
5. I "select all" then "add to list"
6. the midi(s) get loaded and ready to play

I am unable to find an options to permanently save them in the user area so that I can swap out my usb.
Can this be done and if sow how?

The second question I have is how can I change the start key of the midi. So if the midi start in Am for example and I want to play it in Bb, can this be done?
                 
While on a roll here let me ask if it also possible to save the save the midi with my voice/channel changes to the register memory?  I did select the  Midi Song in the Registration Memory panel but nothing got registered but the loaded style even though I had unchecked the Style.
  dom

[overover]

Hi Dom,

you can just COPY the desired files from a USB stick into the User drive.

Please read the section "File Management" on pages 33 - 36 of the SX700 Owner's Manual (especially "Copying or moving files" in this case), then everything should be clear.


P.S.
What you originally described is making a "Song List". Here the Song files are not copied, but only a "List" is created which links to the original file path of the Song files.


Best regards,
Chris

[dlepera]

Hi Chris. You came through again to save the day! I am familiar with the file management of voices and styles but when I searched the manual I searched for MIDI and since the examples did not show Midi, I "assumed" incorrectly. Very simple once you pointed me back to File Management section and made me realize that it is the same for Midi. Had never heard of Midi and Playlists for example until I purchased this keyboard.

  While on this role, to my other two questions, how can I save the Midi with my OTS in the register banks if that is even possible because when I try, it save everything but the Midi. I am learning slowly about midi on the keyboard as you can see.  The other question is how to change the key in which the Midi starts/plays in if that makes sense.   
  Thanks, much appreciated.  All the best!    dom

[Fred Smith]

  While on this role, to my other two questions, how can I save the Midi with my OTS in the register banks if that is even possible because when I try, it save everything but the Midi. I am learning slowly about midi on the keyboard as you can see.  The other question is how to change the key in which the Midi starts/plays in if that makes sense.   
  Thanks, much appreciated.  All the best!    dom

To memorize a midi file in a registration, ensure the Song box is selected when memorizing.
To memorize voices in a registration, ensure the Voice box is selected.
To memorize a style (which includes its OTS), ensure the Style box is selected.

Once you've memorized the registration, you need to save it. After that, it will load everything you've requested it to.

To change the key of a midi, use the transpose buttons. Ensure that Song (or Master) is selected in the Transpose Assign parameter of Utilities. You can get a registration to remember this transposition by selecting Transpose when you memorize.

Cheers,
Fred

[dlepera]

Fred, tried what you said and it works nicely.  At first I thought registration function did not work although everything is always checked off except for the "TEXT" and "MIC Setting".  Same thing I had done before I asked the question.  I treated the MIDI registration like the STYLE, in that once the banks were lite I simply pressed one and a key to activiated the START. With midi nothing started until I pressed the Midi "play/pause' key and then all worked as expected. Also check out our link to your Registration Lesson.  Good job, very informative.

    Thank you!  Regards!  dom

[dlepera]

Have a question on the transpose of the song.  I have never used transpose before. Always played the songs in the their original key. Now I seem to be fumbling with this and hoping that there is a simple way to change it.
Example.  Corina Corina the Midi plays in F and I want to play it E. Quando Caliente Il Sol is in F and I want G.
I can't seem to Pause the midi player and hold a note so I can easily trans pose it. It just keeps on playing so I can't easily work with it.   Maybe transpose is not what I need.  I am not singing to it to change things.  I just want the Midi to play in a different key.
Any advice will be appreciated.     Regards.     dom

[Fred Smith]

In Utility there is a function called Transpose Assign. Set it to Song, so that only the midi is transposed, not the keyboard.

Cheers,
Fred

[dlepera]

Fred,  I followed what you mentioned in the previous post and only the Keyboard part set to +3 was working.  The song was NOT working + or _.  I then decided to just factory reset and now I can use both the keyboard at +3 with Master and Song at zero   or Master and Keyboard at zero with Song set to -3. 
   I guess I have to treat this keyboard at times like our Windows 10 computers. Simply reboot/factory reset  when things don't work as they should. 

Ps:  I thought there was some math behind how the transpose worked.  But I don't see the equation here.
       The first example with the +3 was for the midi Corina Corina gone from F to E
          Now with Quando Caliente Il Sol I had to go to +10 on Keyboard or -10 on Song just to move from F       
        G in order for the Midi to play correctly. 
       
    Thank you again.       dom

[Fred Smith]

Fred,  I followed what you mentioned in the previous post and only the Keyboard part set to +3 was working.  The song was NOT working + or _.  I then decided to just factory reset and now I can use both the keyboard at +3 with Master and Song at zero   or Master and Keyboard at zero with Song set to -3. 
   I guess I have to treat this keyboard at times like our Windows 10 computers. Simply reboot/factory reset  when things don't work as they should. 

Ps:  I thought there was some math behind how the transpose worked.  But I don't see the equation here.
       The first example with the +3 was for the midi Corina Corina gone from F to E
          Now with Quando Caliente Il Sol I had to go to +10 on Keyboard or -10 on Song just to move from F       
        G in order for the Midi to play correctly. 

There is math behind transpose. One step for each semi-tone. So from E to F is +1. If that doesn't work for you, you don't have the keys correct.

Cheers,
Fred

[dlepera]

Thank You Fred.. I think I have it now.  While on this MIDI subject.  Is there a way to lower the volume all at once on all the channels of the song while the midi is playing rather than doing all 16 one by one?    Regards   dom

[overover]

... Is there a way to lower the volume all at once on all the channels of the song while the midi is playing rather than doing all 16 one by one?...

Hi Dom,

use the Song Volume parameter in the Mixer (Panel1 tab) to adjust the "overall" Song volume.

Note: You cannot save this setting directly into a MIDI Song file, but it is stored in Registrations (when the checkbox "MIDI Song" is ticked in the "Memory" window).


Best regards,
Chris

[dlepera]

Chris I tried that and was treating song volume like I would with Styles but the sound of the left hand Chords were still being drowned by the midi even when the volume for the left hand was set to max 127. So, I have no idea if I am playing the wrong chord at times. I will keep trying, may be something very simple that I am missing.   Thank You!     dom

[Fred Smith]

Chris I tried that and was treating song volume like I would with Styles but the sound of the left hand Chords were still being drowned by the midi even when the volume for the left hand was set to max 127. So, I have no idea if I am playing the wrong chord at times. I will keep trying, may be something very simple that I am missing.   Thank You!     dom

Tell us why you are playing chords with a midi file. What are you trying to achieve — left hand voice? Triggering a style? Something else?

Normally when you play a midi file, you don't have a style running, because they almost always conflict with each other.

Cheers,
Fred

[overover]

Chris I tried that and was treating song volume like I would with Styles but the sound of the left hand Chords were still being drowned by the midi even when the volume for the left hand was set to max 127. So, I have no idea if I am playing the wrong chord at times. I will keep trying, may be something very simple that I am missing.   Thank You!     dom

Hi Dom,

many (professional programmed) MIDI Song files are programmed relatively "loud". Try to set the Song Volume in the Mixer to about 60 ... 70. Then you should can hear the Voices of the Keyboard Parts (Left / Right 1/2) when you play with a MIDI Song.

If a certain Voice in a Keyboard Part is still too low (even though the Part Volume in question is already 100 ... 127), you can go to "Voice Edit" (Common tab) of the Voice in question. There you can usually increase the Volume (either by using the "Volume" parameter or by adjusting the "Touch Sense Depth" and / or "Touch Sense Offset" parameters). (Please refer to the Reference Manual for this.)

You can also make Keyboard Voices "louder" by using the Part EQ (either in the Mixer (EQ tab) or in the "Voice Part Setup" display or in "Voice Edit") and thereby increasing the "important" frequency components of the respective Part/Voice.

Another way to get a Voice "louder" is to work with an Insert Effect for the Part in question. For example, many Insert Effect types have their own EQ or offer other options for increasing the Part Volume.

You can just memorize such edited Voices (in Keyboard Parts) to your Registrations, or you can save each edited Voice separately in "Voice Edit" (as a so called "User Voice") to the User drive or to a USB stick.


Best regards,
Chris

[tyros5psr]

Many Thanks super

[dlepera]

Chris that is very good information. Learned a lot.

Fred, you ask why I am playing chords with a Midi.  Well if you may recall from some of my other posts, I play by ear and this is my first arranger keyboard so all this is a learning experience for me.  I have no issues with styles(not style creator yet) as I think I am doing very well with them and decided to see what Midi is all about.  So basically I am learning and experimenting.  I am mixing some styles with midi and oddly enough some work good together and by playing cords, I learn the different cords. Now of course I have to play around with the channels to make things sound well and the volume is the issue that I was having since I was not able to figure how to control it for the midi.

Both you and Chris have helped me get over several milestones here and I am very appreciated of your support and patience with what may sound like stupid questions. One can only learn from these questions and people like yourselves are the ones that make the challenges we face a more enjoyable engagement rather than something to run away from.

Thank you both very much.     Regards.     dom       

[dlepera]

FYI.  I had put in a post saying that I was still having issues with the last advice and I in fact was for a day as little had changed with my attempts at the volume adjustment. So I removed it. After spending about 3 hours at it I decided to reset the keyboard and like magic things worked right away.

   Not sure if having to reset should perhaps be a regular practice. I have had some previous posts where following expert advice did not yield the expected results until after a reset was done.  Is it possible that the incompatibility of some styles, voices, pads and midi files created on previous models could contribute to this need?
                      Regards!     dom

[overover]

FYI.  I had put in a post saying that I was still having issues with the last advice and I in fact was for a day as little had changed with my attempts at the volume adjustment. So I removed it. After spending about 3 hours at it I decided to reset the keyboard and like magic things worked right away.

   Not sure if having to reset should perhaps be a regular practice. I have had some previous posts where following expert advice did not yield the expected results until after a reset was done.  Is it possible that the incompatibility of some styles, voices, pads and midi files created on previous models could contribute to this need? ...

Hi Dom,

I do NOT recommend to perform a System Reset always when you think there is a "problem". First of all, a System Reset sets all changeable parameters back to their factory settings. But usually you do NOT work with these factory settings, because each user normally sets HIS preferred settings for many parameters.

You can eliminate many "problems" if you work with so-called "Setup Registrations": Make the desired settings (e.g. split point, fingering, standard pedal settings) and then memorize a Registration, where you should tick ALL checkboxes (at least tick Style, Voice, Keyboard Harmony/Arpeggio and Multi Pad). Don't forget to save the Registration BANK afterwards, e.g. in the User drive using a file name like "_SetupDom1".

With this Registration you can put the instrument back into the saved, defined state later if necessary.

However, NOT ALL user settings can be saved in Registrations! You will lose these other settings every time you perform a System Reset.

One possibility would be to use the internal BACKUP function (at a point in time when everything is working as desired.) You can use RESTORE to restore this exact state later. BUT REMEMBER: In a .bup file saved via the BACKUP function, the current content of the USER DRIVE is also saved, and with RESTORE this OLD content of the User drive is written back (and thus the CURRENT content of the user drive is OVERWRITTEN!).

So that you can restore your previous System settings after a system reset, I recommend saving the so-called "Setup Files" from time to time (in the display "Menu > Utility > Factory Reset/Backup > page 2/2"). Save at least the "System" file there, but preferably also the "MIDI" and "User Effect" files on a USB stick. (For this, please also read page 133 in the SX700 Reference Manual.)

It is BEST, however, to forego System Resets entirely. A System Reset should be the last resort if the instrument can no longer be operated due to a System error (even after switching off and on again).


P.S.
In the SX700 Data List you will find (in the section "Parameter Chart") complete information whether and where each individual parameter of the instrument can be saved, e.g. in the System Setup (automatically when the relevant display is closed), as User Effect, OTS/Styles, MIDI Songs and/or Registrations.

It often helps to search for the relevant parameter in this list when a certain error occurs (e.g. using the search function of the PDF reader on the computer) in order to then see WHERE this parameter can be saved.


P.P.S.
MIDI Song files can contain so called "Keyboard Voice Meta Events". If you notice that the Keyboard Voices (Left, Right 1/2) change when loading or while playing a MIDI song, the Song contains such events. To remove them from a MIDI file, it is best to use the PC program "PSRUTI". But if you should have such problems, the best thing to do is to get in touch here in the forum.


Best regards,
Chris

[dlepera]

Chris, I am amazed at the wealth of knowledge that you and many members of this forum have on these keyboards. It really helps accelerate our learning curve of the product and features. Thanks again for the detailed information. Always appreciated.

   Best Regards!    dom 

[overover]

Chris, I am amazed at the wealth of knowledge that you and many members of this forum have on these keyboards. It really helps accelerate our learning curve of the product and features. Thanks again for the detailed information. Always appreciated.

   Best Regards!    dom

Thanks, for your kind feedback, Dom!


All the best,
Chris