I found that the new DGB1KE3 seems to be too loud even when I set the volume dial to -10, although I read somewhere that the E3 can play at lower volume than other models. I have looked through the comments on the site on this issue, and have a few questions to ask. Sorry in advance in case I misunderstand what I read.
1. Carol said to use Veloset to pull the bottom up to about 40 and the top down to 65 or so. When I look into the velocity distribution of a certain MIDI file in Veloset, I see a range of 6-98 or so for the distribution. I can certainly pull the top down to 65, but why should I pull the bottom up? By so doing, am I reducing the dynamic range even further, which is something we would not want? In other words, should I or should I not keep the low end as is, and only lower the top end?
2. Assuming the Disklavier is properly calibrated, what is the lowest velocity number that can be still be played and heard (in theory)? Is there a technical reason why the keys can't be played at a lower volume than the current standard setup (max velocity at 100 for Yamaha music and -10 for lowest volume setting)? I imagine that the re-distribution of the velocities can be done in real time at the Disklavier control box, something like a user-adjusted graphic equalizer. Does the E3-PRO have this kind of feature?
3. How do I make velocity change in batch, say for all files in a particular folder, instead of doing it one file by one file? I looked at Veloset but failed to see what I should do for batch processing.
4. Is there any equivalent app like Veloset for the Mac? Veloset is such a neat utility for what it does which is automatic re-assiging the velocity for each note without significantly messing up the overall distribution, hence the human dimension of the music. My understanding is that if we set all the notes to a fixed velocity, that piece of music which will sound robotic.
I appreciate any comments and/or instructions.
Minh
--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
It might be helpful to remind Disklavier owners that the
"volume" has different aspects than can be adjusted by the user, no matter what
model of Disklavier is being used. Basically, there are 3 areas you can do
something about: MIDI data, voicing the piano hammers, and controlling the
sound coming from the piano soundboard.
First, the MIDI data control velocity is set somewhere
between 0 and 128. Most Yamaha Pianosoft disks have a default velocity
(volume) setting of 100. To my ears this is too loud. QRS uses a
constant 64 setting, but has less dynamic range. I sometimes question the
need for a great dynamic range greater than 20 points. The Fix: use
the Veloset utility to lower the velocity settings for the ESEQ files (or MIDI
files). Pull up the bottom to around 40, and limit the top velocity
setting to 65 or so. Remember though, to make copies of your original
disks first, as these programs overwrite the data it is looking at. For my
own enjoyment, I have made a separate set of disks (or files on a playlist) that
lower the velocity and dynamic range. Since many of you already have
playlists of files for your Disklaviers, make a copy of these lists and run a
batch fix on the entire list. This is the data that is sent to the
solenoids that determines how fast they respond. Faster response is
louder, lower numbers are softer.
Second, the hammer voicing on your piano. A piano
only plays as quietly as a person playing it can. Some solenoid systems can
pulse more quietly than others mimicking this effect. As pianos get
played, the felt in the hammers that hit the strings gets harder. You
can probably see grooves cut into the tops of the piano hammers. The felt
in the bottom of the grooves gets more compacted each time the note is
played. What is usually needed is for the piano technician to "needle" the
hammer grooves to soften the felt. Every time I tune a piano, I touch up
the voicing in the piano hammers in this manner. Makes a HUGE difference
in the quality of the sound. Some of you have pianos that were designed
with very hard hammers - especially the smaller pianos. Back in the years
they were released, I needed to steam these hammers to get them soft enough, or
use major voicing needle techiques to get them resilient enough. Your
piano technician should be able to help soften the piano hammers to get a more
mellow voice.
The third aspect to quieting a piano is absorbing the
sound it makes before it goes out into the room. This is done with foam
baffles or placing carpeting or large pillows underneath the piano. I have
never had an unhappy outcome as long as I placed 2 layers of foam stuffed under
the soundboard along with a blanket of foam tucked inside the lid. This
foam sandwich works better than just foam placed on one side of the
soundboard. I use a special pour of foam made for sound absorption, but
even styrofoam egg cartons stuffed with styrofoam packing peanuts will go a long
way to helping this.
The reason "volume control" does not work the same for all
Disklaviers is due more to the pianos than the electronics used to play
them. You can put a different limit to the value of energy that activates
the solenoids, but in the end, what you are hearing in acoustic mode is the
piano hammer hitting the strings. This is why action regulation and
voicing, along with tuning, are essential in keeping your piano playing
beautifully.
Carol Beigel
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:07
PM
Subject: Re: [disklavier] DKC 850 and
Piano Volume?
I was
under the impression that the minimum volume is mostly controlled by the
sensitivity of the solenoids that activate the keys. If that is the
case...no software upgrade will be able to affect that...
From: Mark in Idaho <MarkGMID@...>
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, March 24, 2010 6:22:15
PM
Subject: Re: [disklavier]
DKC 850 and Piano Volume?
Bill Brandon,
Yamaha has made a BIG mistake by not including a
better volume control. This is like Toyota continuing to sell cars with
accelerator problems. They could have hit it out of the park with a volume
control that offered a lower volume and an option of linear or progressive
volume reduction. This could all have been done with software.
Additional volume control only would have almost made the price
worthwhile.
How does Yamaha get their feedback before designing an
upgrade like this?
Mark in Idaho
On 3/24/2010 12:08 PM, Bill
Brandom wrote: