Chord Looper questions

[scifidude]

Hi All,
  I'm new here.  Presently, I don't own a Yamaha keyboard although I've been looking at the PSR-SX700/900 and viewed a number of youtube videos featuring them.
  A number of years ago I took piano lessons along with my son, who at the time was in high school and considering a degree in music education.  It seemed like I didn't have the necessary hand/eye coordination to keep my left hand fingering in sync with what my right hand was playing.
  I have a question on the Chord Looper feature of the 900.  From what I've seen demonstrated it appears it may help with my un-coordinated left hand.   Is there a limit to the number of chords that can be contained in one "loop" or is that something that's limited only by available memory?  I looked at the 700/900 manual online but couldn't find anything related to a limit.
  Also, are the Chord Looper "loops" saved with a "registration" or are they only there until while the keyboard is powered up?

Thanks
Weiman Kissinger (scifidude)

[Fred Smith]

Hi All,
  I'm new here.  Presently, I don't own a Yamaha keyboard although I've been looking at the PSR-SX700/900 and viewed a number of youtube videos featuring them.
  A number of years ago I took piano lessons along with my son, who at the time was in high school and considering a degree in music education.  It seemed like I didn't have the necessary hand/eye coordination to keep my left hand fingering in sync with what my right hand was playing.
  I have a question on the Chord Looper feature of the 900.  From what I've seen demonstrated it appears it may help with my un-coordinated left hand.   Is there a limit to the number of chords that can be contained in one "loop" or is that something that's limited only by available memory?  I looked at the 700/900 manual online but couldn't find anything related to a limit.
  Also, are the Chord Looper "loops" saved with a "registration" or are they only there until while the keyboard is powered up?

Thanks
Weiman Kissinger (scifidude)

I haven't found a limit for chord looper files. My bet is they can handle 1000s of chords.

Yes, you can save a chord looper in a registration.

Cheers,
Fred

[overover]

Hi All,
I'm new here.  Presently, I don't own a Yamaha keyboard although I've been looking at the PSR-SX700/900 ...

I have a question on the Chord Looper feature of the 900. ...

Thanks
Weiman Kissinger (scifidude)

Welcome to the PSR Tutorial Forum, Weiman!

Please note that the PSR-SX700 does NOT have the Chord Looper feature. It's only available on PSR-SX900, PSR-A5000, Genos and CVP-809/805.

By the way, if you have only studied the SX900 Owner's Manual so far: The Reference Manual also contains important information about the Chord Looper feature. You can download all SX900 manuals here:
>>> https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/psr-sx900/downloads.html#product-tabs


Best regards,
Chris

[DerekA]

You don't even have to save them in a registration. You can save a standalone "chord looper bank" file, which contains up to 8 individual chord sequences.

A registration can link to this bank file, if you want.

[vlbrgt]

@scifidude
First of all playing keyboard is not really the same as playing piano.
Piano is much more difficult than keyboard (that is my opinion).
To play piano you need a very good coordination between the two hands.

To play keyboard, with your left hand you play the chords, whilst the right hand plays the melody or solo ...
The left hand has much less to do on a keyboard than the right hand (I'm only talking about the chords, not all the other stuff like selecting the variation, intro, ending, ...).

If that is not working for your coordination, then you can always play together with a midi file.
This way you do not need to play the chords, you only play the right hand melody, solo  ...

Another way of playing : you make a midi file that includes the chords in it.
When you now select a style and you start the midi file synchronised with the style, the style will follow the chords of the midi file.
You only need to play the melody, solo with the right hand, and you can use yoyr left hand to switch between variations, registrations, ..., ...

Regards
Etienne

[DerekA]

If that is not working for your coordination, then you can always play together with a midi file.
This way you do not need to play the chords, you only play the right hand melody, solo  ...

Another way of playing : you make a midi file that includes the chords in it.
When you now select a style and you start the midi file synchronised with the style, the style will follow the chords of the midi file.
You only need to play the melody, solo with the right hand, and you can use yoyr left hand to switch between variations, registrations, ..., ...

That's true. The drawback of the MIDI file approach is that the structure is completely fixed. And this is fine if you are sitting and playing a whole song once through. But the benefit of the looper is that you can have (say) one sequence for a verse, one for the chorus, one for the bridge etc and trigger them when you want to. This works well when you are just noodling around for your own pleasure, trying out different sounds etc. It may drive anyone who is listening round the twist after an hour or so of hearing the same thing, but too bad

[scifidude]

Chris,  thanks for the info on the manuals.  I already knew the 700 lacked the Chord Looper feature.  My questions were mainly to help me decide if the Chord Looper feature was a good enough reason to spend the extra $700 for the 900 model and it appears so.

I have three young granddaughters, two play saxophone and guitar and the other one a clarinet.     I also have a four year old granddaughter who is not old enough to make the instrument decision although she does like to tap on the piano keys.    The three older ones regularly get together and play whenever there is a birthday or holiday and I thought it would be nice to add another instrument to the ensemble.   I know for sure my youngest would love to have a go on a Yamaha keyboard.

Thank you all for the helpful responses.

Weiman Kissinger (scifidude)

[overover]

Chris,  thanks for the info on the manuals.  I already knew the 700 lacked the Chord Looper feature.  My questions were mainly to help me decide if the Chord Looper feature was a good enough reason to spend the extra $700 for the 900 model and it appears so. ...

Thank you all for the helpful responses.

Weiman Kissinger (scifidude)

Thanks for your detailed feedback, Weiman!

The SX900 has many other advantages over the SX700 (although of course the latter is already a very good instrument). I recommend you to buy the best instrument that your budget allowed, i. If a geno is out of the question, but a SX900 would be possible, take the SX900. You will not regret it.


P.S.
The keyboard ("keybed") of PSR-SX900/700 was significantly improved compared to the PSR-S models, but there is still a big difference to the FSX keyboard of e.g. Genos or Tyros5. If you have the opportunity, I recommend you to try the Genos or Tyros5 keyboard compared to SX900/700.


Best regards,
Chris

[Mikram]

Hi scifidude: have you noticed the one/two/three finger left hand chord fingering option on the Yamaha keyboards? With accompanying style selected can play a major chord with one finger, minor/7th chord with two fingers and m7/M7 with three.