Multiple Yamaha keyboards connected to PC at the same time

[matthewjames88]

Hi everyone has anyone tried connecting say a tyros, genos to a computer via usb midi and having them both recognised at once. Would the Yamaha USB driver pick up both keyboards?

[RayClem]

You should be able to do it as long as you have the midi set to different channels.
I currently have my Genos2 and a Novation Launchkey connected to my computer. I have the Genos2 keyboard split and the Launchkey has both a keyboard and pads so you can effectively control four different channels on the computer. The Genos is set to channels 1&2 and the Launchkey is set to channels 3&4.

One of the biggest issues you might run into is space. You are not supposed to use a USB cable more than 10 feet in length to carry midi signals, Trying to locate multiple keyboards and other midi devices within that 10 ft limit can be a challenge.

[GeirH]

Hi,

Would the Yamaha USB driver pick up both keyboards?

Yes, it normally does, and the MIDI input/output port names will reflect the instrument type or model.

It is even possible to have two identical instruments connected at the same time, but only as long as you can assign a different Device Number to each of them. This setting is changed on the actual instrument, but I would caution that an arranger keyboard like the Tyros/Genos may not have the option.

• Note: When you click the USB icon in Windows' system tray, some older USB-equipped instruments are presented with a generic "Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver (WDM)" moniker, but the actual ports that the driver exposes to software will have more recognizable names so that you can identify and select the appropriate one(s) in your software.


• Note: Two instruments from the same product family (e.g. a Motif ES6 and a Motif ES7, which only differ in the size of their keybeds) may be treated by the driver as identical instruments.

The driver installation is straightforward: Connect the first instrument and power it on. When Windows' auto-detect routine reports that a driver couldn't be found, you manually install the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver. Next, repeat the procedure with the other instrument. I'm not familiar with the routine on a Mac, if that is what you use, but it shouldn't be too different.

I currently have my Genos2 and a Novation Launchkey connected to my computer.

I believe the question was about connecting two Yamaha keyboards, that both use the same driver software. The Genos2 and Novation Lauchkey does not.

You should be able to do it as long as you have the midi set to different channels.

I would point out that both MIDI ports and MIDI channels are used to separate MIDI data. When connecting via USB, each MIDI port that appears in software mimics a traditional MIDI cable and carries up to 16 channels. Each port belongs to a specific keyboard, however, and all 16 channels of that port will relate to the same keyboard. When using software to record from or play back to two different keyboards, you must therefore pay attention to ports and channels.

• Note: Most USB-equipped instruments expose multiple ports over a single USB cable. Some instruments only use one port for note playback (16 channels/parts), while others can handle two (32 channels/parts, as in the Tyros) or even four (64 channels/parts, as in later MU-series modules). Others, like the Motif series, have 4 output and 8 input ports, to facilitate various MIDI functionality (data to/from editor software, remote control, etc.) on separate ports.

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[matthewjames88]

Thank you for your response.

'H' would these two ports for 32 channels on tyros show up as digital workstation 1 & 2;(I use sonar).. I'm guessing if I have a secondary Yamaha keyboard connected to another USB there will be another diesel digital workstation 1&2 that will show on the list?

Thanks for the info!

[GeirH]

'H' would these two ports for 32 channels on tyros show up as digital workstation 1 & 2;(I use sonar).

Yes, I think so. I don't have a Tyros myself, but I've seen those port names mentioned in the past.

I'm guessing if I have a secondary Yamaha keyboard connected to another USB there will be another diesel digital workstation 1&2 that will show on the list?

That is basically correct, but it depends on which two specific keyboard models you try to connect:

Two completely different instruments (e.g. a Tyros and a Motif ES) are generally no problem, since they will report unique Model IDs to the driver. This allows the driver to automatically identify the instruments, and set up their respective ports properly. It then forwards the ports to your software, where they appear with different names ("Digital Workstation-1" and "Yamaha Motif ES-1" ... "Yamaha Motif ES-4" on the input side; "Digital Workstation-1", "Digital Workstation-2" and "Yamaha Motif ES-1" ... "Yamaha Motif ES-8" on the output side). Except for having to install the driver manually twice, as described earlier, it is almost plug-and-play.

With two identical keyboards connected, however, an issue arises because both will report the same hardcoded identification (Model ID, Sub ID, etc.) to the driver. When identical Model IDs are detected, Sub IDs provide further identification, which may differentiate a Tyros 5-61 from a Tyros 5-76, or in some cases even different firmware revisions (unfortunately, these fixed values aren't specified in the Tyros/Genos MIDI documentation). If all IDs are identical, the driver can only use the instruments' reported Device Number (which on many instruments is a user-definable parameter) to tell them apart. The looming problem here is that no Device Number setting is mentioned in the Tyros/Genos manuals, so there is a possibility that you can't change it. If this suspicion turns out to be true, connecting two identical Tyros keyboards to your computer will lead to port configuration problems.

Ultimately, you may have to test the setup for yourself: In a best-case scenario, the driver is somehow able to configure both keyboards' ports properly, and you'll see an additional set of MIDI inputs and outputs in Sonar, something along the lines of "Digital Workstation-1(2)" input; "Digital Workstation-1(2)" and "Digital Workstation-2(2)" outputs, just like you described. In a worst-case scenario, however, the ports are misconfigured when both keyboards are turned on (ports missing, not working properly or a combination of the two). You would then have problems using both keyboards at the same time, but it will not break your equipment, so try it if you can.

PS: Sonar lets you define your own "friendly" driver/port names for convenience, but please note that it only applies to how the ports are displayed within Sonar. It has no effect in other applications, doesn't change the actual driver, and also can't solve any underlying Model ID/Sub ID/Device Number issues.

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