Using MULTI PADS to create 'instrumental interludes' in songs you are playing

[Hugh Tyros 4]

I have had a Yamaha AR80 organ for over 20 years and have mostly played with STYLES.  I frequently programmed in PARTS to replace the original ones to make the Style better suit the song I was playing.  Then in July 2020 I acquired a Tyros 4 and found I could do the same with the Tyros 4 Styles.  The one thing the Tyros had that I did not have on my organ were MULTI PADS, so I decided to look into how I could use these.

The keyboard comes with a number of 'default' Multipads which are basically used to embellish the STYLE you are using, but I soon realised that using MULTI PAD CREATOR you could make your own Multipads that were 'specific' to the song you were playing.  The way you use the Miultipad Creator program is similar to the one for doing Styles (Style Creator), but there are major differences.  For starters, a Multipad doesn't follow a fixed 'measure' and then repeat the 'pattern' you have programmed in, so you can have a Multipad playing for as many bars as you like (how long is a piece of string?).  And you don't have to have the Multipad 'following the chord you are playing with your left hand'.  You can play actual notes which the keyboard will 'play back to you, as is' when you trigger the Multipad.

As I was experimenting with using Multipads I took photos and made screenshots of my keyboard so I could explain step by step what I was doing.  In essence, I have been creating 'instrumental interludes' for some of the songs I play.  The beauty of this is that you can have different 'voices' for the melody and the instrumental interlude, making them stand out and complement each other.

One could achieve the same result by 'multitracking' the piece, which is OK if your objective is to make a CD (or something for YouTube) .. but there is nothing like playing something 'live' and hearing these 'instrumental interludes' coming in as you're playing.

Please click on the LINK below to read the topic I have put up.  I have deliberately sent you to a post at the end of the discussion so you can see (and hear) what this is all about.  If it interests you then just scroll back to the beginning of the topic, read what I have had to say about Multipads .. and listen to the DEMOS.  Understandably, the topic is quite long as I was finding out more and more about MULTI PADS the more I delved into them.

https://app.box.com/s/cpgx4gga761emd8axppiw3u7pjg4xcc4

Hugh Wallington

PS.  I have had a chat with Joe Waters and he was quite happy for me to put up this LINK as he thought some of you may be interested in the topic I have done.


Edit 2024-10-19: Link changed at the request of Hugh Wallington by overover

[andyg]

It's a very useful technique that I often use, and one that I teach all my Grade 3+ students to do as soon as they have a suitable keyboard. Use of the pads in this way is regularly commented on by examiners - favourably, of course. One student recreated Tony Peluso's rock guitar solo at the end of 'Goodbye to Love' and some of the brass and sax figures in Glenn Miller's arrangement of 'Tuxedo Junction', for example. That did take some doing, and considerable practice to get right in performance, but the results were amazing. The examiner was almost lost for words!

[Joe H]

Hugh,

You are very talented guy in many ways as well as a good player.  Maybe Joe Waters would be interested in posting your presentation on the main site as an "Article"  He helped me about 8 years ago with an article.  You will find a link to my article in my profile below.  While I focus on dance Multi Pads, the technique can be applied to any genre of music.  The article includes use of the Pad Stopper MP in conjunction with registrations. It's a bit of work to get things set up but once you program your registrations, you can have Pads change with each registration you select and the previous Pads will stop playing while new ones will start playing.

https://psrtutorial.com/music/articles/Calypso.html

Joe H

[music by allen]

Thank you Hugh for this thread,

The link to your forum post was especially interesting. I am a singer/arranger keyboardist who has performed in central Florida
for the last 30 years playing primarily dances for fraternal clubs,Moose, Elks, American Legions etc. plus mobile home parks
during the winter months.

I currently play a PSR S970 but have the new PSR SX900 in the wings. I have been watching some You Tube videos using
the audio multipad feature. It has excited me to go beyond just using the stock Yamaha styles and songstyles found on the
internet which has been my go to for years to digging in to style creator to more fine tune the styles. Especially the drum kits
which I often find less to my liking being a former professional drummer.

The first thing I want to try is to use the multipad feature to add backup vocals to my lead vocals which would allow me to
punch in the harmonies at the proper time. Recording my own backup vocals. I have never really liked the sound of the commercial
harmony vocalizers on the market. They sound too perfect to my ear but at the same time still have that electronic edge.
They are great at what they do and this is only my personal taste.

I also want to thank Joe for his link on style creators and creating custom styles. There is so much content on this website much of
it gets buried in the mix before you are even made aware of it.

Thank you both for your contributions. I greatly appreciate your efforts and time as I am sure we all do.

Allen

[Ronbo]

Hugh, 

That is most interesting and very creative.

I'm going to try making multi-pads soon thanks to your inspiring link to your other forum.

It says this is your first post on this forum; and we tag you as a Novice Poster.

That couldn't be further from the truth; you are quite talented.

Please bless us with more on your insightful ideas

Regards

Ron J.

[Colin D]

Hello Hugh,

Thank you for sharing this information.  I have a Genos, I guess all the commands will be there too.  Do you have this information in an article that could be shared.  I fear it maybe difficult to find later for me.  BTW, I'm in Gloucester, so pretty local to you,

Kind Regards

Colin

[Jeff Hollande]

Hey Hugh :

Did you ever work with programs like PadMaker Style and PadMaker Midi ?
Both programs are made ( free of charge ) by our own Forum members Michael and Etienne.

Your comments would be very much appreciated.

Best regards, JH

[Gleston]

Just remenber....

In more recent models this MULTI PADS could launch a mp3 or wav file in a USB drive ..  This could expand the possibilities.

Special  effects sound that is hard to do with MIDI, some singing, speechs, someone narrating a story while you play some background music, movies dialogue parts, create a virtual radio station with some sounds effects like a real radio so you can make a presentation like you were broadcasting something, sound of machines, animals, nature, spaceships, from famous TV shows, etc, so you can put some taste in your presentation.

This MULTIPAD resource could be very useful......

[Jeff Hollande]

Midi multipads can be edited.
What about audio mps ?

Best regards, JH

[johan]

Very interesting topic, Hugh. Thank you for the link!

Jeff, you can always edit the wave file of an audio multipad with wave editor software. But of course, this is something completely different compared to midi: you will not be able to change notes or instruments, it will be pure digital audio editing manipulations such as copy/paste, insert silences, adding fade in/out effects, etc

[Gleston]

When I suggested using mp3 ou wav file it was just to extend the functionality of the MULTI PADS. Sure one needs to previously edit in a computer software.

With MIDI we also have lots of possibilities.  And you  can even mix the 4 pads with midi and mp3 at the same time.

When I play " Just the way you are" of Barry White version, I always use a mp3 with him speaking about relationships in the beggining of the song and then I press INTRO 1 to play along . At the end I use another Mr. Barry White speech about love ( from another song).

People used to like it.