Adding ambient drums to imported midi files?

[pax-eterna]

I'm importing midi files into the G2, however whenever I go into mixer and try to change the drum kit, to an ambient drum kit,  it keeps defaulting, as soon as the song starts, to the Standard kit.

How can I change the drum patch on the G2...or is it possible to only do this on a PC DAW?

ON that score, is there a INS file for the G2 anywhere? I need it for Reaper, but I think (from memory, have not done it for years) Reaper can read Sonar INS files.

[overover]

Hi @pax-eterna,

The procedure for writing changed Mixer settings to an existing MIDI file is almost identical for all Yamaha Arranger models. For older models this is done under "Song Creator > Setup", for newer models such as Genos2 under "MIDI Multi Recording > Setup".

Please first read the section "Recording Panel Setups to a Song" in the Genos2 Reference Manual, page 85 (chapter "MIDI Song Recording/Editing").


- After you have made the desired settings for the MIDI file in the Mixer display, go to "[RECORDING] button > MIDI Multi
Recording". The MIDI file in question should already be displayed here.

- Important: Touch the STOP icon ( ■ ) here to ensure that the song position is at the beginning of the song.

- Then touch "Setup" icon.

- Make sure the top 7 checkboxes ("Voice" - "Tempo") are TICKED and the bottom 5 checkboxes ("Keyboard Voice" - "Guide Setting") NOT TICKED (or only if really needed).

- Touch "Execute" > "Close" > "Save" icon.

- Now the new Mixer settings should be in the MIDI file.


Best regards,
Chris

[Amwilburn]

Please note that this might not necessarily work *if* you're editing a GS midi file, as they often uses sysex commands rather than 'prog' events; sysex can overwrite even the Setup Execute. Unfortunately in that case you'll need to actually go in and delete the offending sysex lines (they'll be in sequence showing 0-15 in Hex in the same column), and be sure you aren't deleting any of the dsp setups in sysex (although if you do, you can always go in and set them again in Setup Execute. But you'll need to look at all the DSPs's to see what they were set to before you start wiping out the wrong sysex.

I haven't come across  gs midi in a while, where they set the voices via sysex rather than prog, but there are a lot of them out there. If you try Setup Execute and that doesn't reassign the voices and dsps? You can also try running it through Yamaha MegaEnhancer for G2; the 'unmodifiable' channels will show up as skipped (ie not changed to megavoice) but *will* allow you to manually force them to a megavoice, at which point the sysex voice settings are usually overwritten. However, if there is more than 1 voice present in a channel, it automatically won't let you 'mega enhance' that channel.

pjd & Bogdan can explain further. Then again, it has been a while since I came across this type of midi file; it's *possible* the G2 can even overwrite sysex voice settings...let us know how you make out (If you aren't dealing with a gs midi file, then ignore everything I just typed except the Megavoice Enhancer, that's still really useful for really making a difference with midi files)

I had previously posted the results of G2 midi with and without Megaenhanced vs same midi on the Pa5x,
I can't find my post with all 3, but here's G2 mega vs non mega enhanced
https://forum.psrtutorial.com/index.php/topic,68569.msg517319.html#msg517319

Same midi file revoiced on PA5x
https://***.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=122622&hilit=fever+pa5x+genos#p122622

Mark

[pax-eterna]

Please note that this might not necessarily work *if* you're editing a GS midi file, as they often uses sysex commands rather than 'prog' events; sysex can overwrite even the Setup Execute. Unfortunately in that case you'll need to actually go in and delete the offending sysex lines (they'll be in sequence showing 0-15 in Hex in the same column), and be sure you aren't deleting any of the dsp setups in sysex (although if you do, you can always go in and set them again in Setup Execute. But you'll need to look at all the DSPs's to see what they were set to before you start wiping out the wrong sysex.

I haven't come across  gs midi in a while, where they set the voices via sysex rather than prog, but there are a lot of them out there. If you try Setup Execute and that doesn't reassign the voices and dsps? You can also try running it through Yamaha MegaEnhancer for G2; the 'unmodifiable' channels will show up as skipped (ie not changed to megavoice) but *will* allow you to manually force them to a megavoice, at which point the sysex voice settings are usually overwritten. However, if there is more than 1 voice present in a channel, it automatically won't let you 'mega enhance' that channel.

pjd & Bogdan can explain further. Then again, it has been a while since I came across this type of midi file; it's *possible* the G2 can even overwrite sysex voice settings...let us know how you make out (If you aren't dealing with a gs midi file, then ignore everything I just typed except the Megavoice Enhancer, that's still really useful for really making a difference with midi files)

I had previously posted the results of G2 midi with and without Megaenhanced vs same midi on the Pa5x,
I can't find my post with all 3, but here's G2 mega vs non mega enhanced
https://forum.psrtutorial.com/index.php/topic,68569.msg517319.html#msg517319

...

Mark

Thanks Mark. Nope, no XGs or GS, all mine are written for GM, and the commercial ones (ie the ones I bought and did not create) are all GM specific.

Dennis

[overover]

@pax-eterna
Hi Dennis,

Please don't be confused by what Mark says. Genos2's own MIDI file format is Yamaha's XG standard, but Genos2 is also fully compatible with GS files (Roland) and of course GM and GM2 files.

XG, GM2 and GS are just extensions of the original GM standard (which only had a total of 128 voices ("programs") and no voice banks, switched by Bank Select MSB (CC 0) / Bank Select LSB (CC 32) commands.)

And yes, there are occasionally MIDI files where the Voices are set by SysEx messages. Sometimes they additionally contain the normal MSB/LSB/ProgramChange commands. But such MIDI files are absolute exceptions. To use such files on Yamaha arranger keyboards, you need a certain level of expertise in MIDI file programming.

In this context, I recommend the free programs MixMaster and PSRUTI for MIDI file editing. Both tools have an "Optimize XG" function, among other things, and you can delete "non-Yamaha" SysEx relatively easily, partly automatically.

My absolute recommendation is "Midifile Optimizer 12" by the German company Midiland. With this program (available for Windows and Mac). With Optimizer 12 you can adapt any MIDI file very quickly and professionally to Yamaha keyboards (and of course also to keyboards / MIDI sound modules of other brands). Optimizer 12 knows the voice settings and effect settings (including insert effects) of all Genos2 preset voices and offers, among other things, graphic access to all System and Insert effects parameters. It is a paid program (around 200 euros), but it is worth every cent. In many cases a MIDI Sequencer/ DAW is no longer necessary for editing MIDI files.


Best regards,
Chris

[pax-eterna]

@pax-eterna
Hi Dennis,

Please don't be confused by what Mark says. Genos2's own MIDI file format is Yamaha's XG standard, but Genos2 is also fully compatible with GS files (Roland) and of course GM and GM2 files.

XG, GM2 and GS are simply extensions of the original GM standard (which only had a total of 127 voices ("programs") and no voice banks, switched by Bank Select MSB (CC 0) / Bank Select LSB (CC 32) commands. And yes, there are occasionally MIDI files where the voices are set by SysEx messages. Sometimes they also contain the normal MSB/LSB/ProgramChange commands. But such MIDI files are absolute exceptions. To use such files on Yamaha arranger keyboards, you need a certain level of expertise in MIDI file programming.

In this context, I recommend the programs MixMaster and PSRUTI for MIDI file editing. Both tools have an "XG Optimize" function, among other things, and you can delete "non-Yamaha" SysEx relatively easily, partly automatically.

My absolute recommendation is "Midifile Optimizer 12" by the German company Midiland. With this program (available for Windows and Mac). With Optimizer 12 you can adapt any MIDI file very quickly and professionally to Yamaha keyboards (and of course also to keyboards / MIDI sound modules of other brands). Optimizer 12 knows the voice settings and effect settings (including insert effects) of all Genos2 preset voices and offers, among other things, graphic access to all System and Insert effects parameters. It is a paid program (around 200 euros), but it is worth every cent. In many cases a MIDI Sequencer/ DAW is no longer necessary for editing MIDI files.


Best regards,
Chris

Thanks Chris, I will have a look at both programs - 200 euros is around $400 (or pacific pesos as we call the Oz dollar at the moment hahaha!), but if it avoids perhaps using a DAW for doing MIDI files, it might be a worthwhile investment!

D