Disklavier

"Thomas N. Wheeler" wrote:
> 
> Robert,
> 
> Thanks for the clarification.  I think the term "analog" midi is a poor term.
>  It is used by Yamaha in the manual which accompanies the DCD1 and, if I
> recall correctly, in their web site descriptions of the DCD1.

+++ A term possibly invented by a sales executive without the guidance of
engineering.

  While I do not
> argue with your assertion that the data on a CD is digital, whether it is
> audio data or midi data, it is certainly true that the midi data on a Yamaha
> PianosoftPlus Audio CD is different in file type than the SMF midi file stored
> on floppies or on your computer's HD.

+++ Your statement has to be correct, if only for the reason that the format of
*.mid file, say on floppy, is well-defined, and the same data represented on a
CD is formatted further in accordance with the Red Book, Yellow Book, or some
other book and is encapsulated in frames accompanied by subcodes.  You can no
longer say that the data on the CD is MIDI because the program selected to read
the CD data could as easily interpret it as E-SEQ file, MIDI file, MIDI stream,
or some data stream that would drive a Mark III.

  As you pointed out a function of the CD
> devices on the Mark III disklaviers and the DCD1 (for the Mark II disklaviers)
> is to decode the midi data on the CD and send it to the control unit of the
> piano. Thus to be able to prepare CD's like the Yamaha PianosoftPlus Audio
> CD's you will need to encode the midi data in the format that Yamaha is using
> to place the midi data on the CD.
> That is what I do not know how to do and I
> don't even know whether such encoders of SMF midi files are available.

+++ What it should take is a program functionally like Cakewalk's SONIC, or any
of a number of others that edit and write files that combine and synchronize
digital audio and MIDI, and a program that transforms that file to a CD image in
accordance with Yamaha's specification.  The program that Yamaha uses to produce
such a CD would be far more useful than their specification of how its done.
(Everyone burns CD-ROMs, but who understands the Yellow Book?)

The Mark III is like a computer with a secret proprietary operating system--you
can use it with the software Yamaha will sell you, but you are limited to doing
only what they will allow you.  If you wish play and reproduce your own
combinations of audio and MIDI yourself, there are other ways and they don't
require a Mark III.

Bob


  In
> summary, unless I am missing something, to prepare CD's which will play on the
> Mark II's or the DCD1 you will need to transfer the midi data to the CD in the
> format that the CD player is expecting to see the midi data in order for it to
> be properly sent to the piano.  It is this format (whatever it is) that the
> term "analog midi" is being used to describe.  I am assuming that the vocals
> and instrumentals on the CD are in the standard CD audio format since they
> will play back correctly on a computer CD ROM.
> 
> Tom
> 
-- 
Robert Welcyng
Anchorage, Alaska