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Re: [disklavier] DKV volume

2014-02-25 by George Frederick Litterst

Good afternoon, everyone.

Sam, have you tried copying any of the Piano-e-Competition E-SEQ files to a floppy disk and then playing them in the Disklavier? That would be a good way of testing your instrument's response to the incremental pedal data on channel 3.

I don't know with certainty, but I think that one of the programs on the Internet that converts E-SEQ to SMF may do so without making any changes to the channel assignments. If so, that is probably your best way of converting E-SEQ to SMF for playback on your Mark II from a computer.

Regards,
PianoBench

On Feb 25, 2014, at 1:48 PM, Skanter123 wrote:


So, E-SEQ files separate incremental pedal data to ch3, while MIDI files retain this data but puts everything on ch 1?

I originally downloaded FIL (E-SEQ) files, but then changed to MIDI thinking they were the same. Also, the only playback program I found that plays FIL is YAMM, which often has problems. Are there any other programs that will play FIL files?

I will experiment later.

Sam

On Feb 25, 2014, at 9:49 AM, George Frederick Litterst <PianoBench@...> wrote:

Good morning, everyone.


The Piano-e-Competition has traditionally made files available in the following formats:

--XP
This type of file is intended for playback on a Disklavier PRO.

This is a Type 0 Standard MIDI File with all piano data on channel 1. It includes the extra MIDI messages (aftertouch and controller messages) that provide the extra bits of resolution that the Disklavier PRO is uniquely capable of utilizing. Although these files can be played on any MIDI instrument, the XP (or Extended Precision) portion of the data will be ignored unless the playback device is a PRO. These files are larger than the SMF files discussed below.

--Standard MIDI File
This type of file is intended for playback on any non-PRO Disklavier that supports the SMF format and which responds to incremental pedal data on channel 1. This means Mark IIXG and later instruments.

This is a Type 0 SMF with all of the piano data on channel 1.

--E-SEQ
This is an older, Yamaha-specific file format and is intended for Mark II and earlier Disklaviers. Note and on/off pedal data are on channel 1 and incremental pedal data is on channel 3.

Sam, for Piano-e-Competition files, I recommend that you try downloading the E-SEQ versions. Given your in-depth use of your Disklavier, I encourage you to get the necessary parts from Yamaha Piano Service that would enable you to replace your current control unit with a DKC-850. This would bring your instrument up to modern standards.

Regards,
PianoBench


On Feb 25, 2014, at 3:03 AM, Skanter123 wrote:


As i look at event lists from DKV files (from eCompetitions) it seems that #67 is soft pedal. Sustain data is all #64, both on/off and incremental.

I don't know how to batch copy all pedal data to another channel (at least with the sequencer I have here at home), but I certainly can move everything to ch 1. Ill try this and report back. Thanks!


Sam

On Feb 25, 2014, at 2:46 AM, Bill Brandom <billbrando@...> wrote:


If you have both on/off and incremental on channel 1, then copy all of the pedal data (Controllers 64 and 67) to channel 3.

If you can't extract the pedal data from the note data, and
if you are making Piano-only music, try just copying ALL of the note and pedal data on channel 1 to channel 3.

Bill

On Feb 24, 2014, at 11:35 PM, Sam Kanter <skanter123@...> wrote:


Bill, not sure what you mean here. How would I copy MIDI half-pedal (controller #67) from channel 1 to channel 3 on MIDI files that have both on ch 1? I am referring to files that already have the half-pedal data.

Sam Kanter
www.keyboardcollective.com
(212) 684-3304


On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 2:04 AM, Bill Brandom <bill.brandom03@...> wrote:

Sam,

I believe you can copy your on/off pedal data from channel one to channel 3 on both types of MIDI files. Leave your on/off pedal data on channel 1 and then make your incremental modifications to the on/off pedal data on channel 3. You should be fine.

Bill

On Feb 24, 2014, at 9:58 PM, Skanter123 <skanter123@...> wrote:


Hello everyone,

Geoff and Spence have both been incredibly generous in trying to help me with the clunking, noisy damper pedal on my MK II DKV when playing back MIDI files.

After trying Spence's pedal on/off program to no avail, we are realizing that the older DKVs like the MKII receive damper on/off data on ch 1, and half-pedal data on ch 3.

Can anyone enlighten us on what type of MIDI files (0 or1) have pedal info on ch 3? Is there a way to extract this data that might be embedded on ch 1?

Does anyone with older DKVs have this clunking pedal issue, and have they found a way to solve it?

Thanks in advance...

On Feb 20, 2014, at 7:40 PM, Sam Kanter <skanter123@...> wrote:


Geoff, the settings are very helpful. Hopefully I can experiment tomorrow and see how they work. I will report back and update. Thanks!

Sam

*(Sent from phone - please excuse brevity and typos.)

On Feb 20, 2014, at 5:57 PM, "Geoff Ward" <gward1211@...> wrote:


Sam

The attached screenshot is of the settings I found best, but it depends on the regulation of the piano. On mine, the dampers just clear all of the strings at a midi value of 60 (I created a test file with various levels to ascertain that figure). So I set it at a max of 70 to ensure strings were undamped. At 40 all strings were fully damped. So a range of 40 to 70 minimises the pedal travel. However, the ramps of midi 64 controllers thus created still descend to 0 if time permits, so I’m not quite sure what the pedal off threshold of 40 determines. It does seem to put a shoulder in the ramp at the 40 mark and affects the position of the ramp. This is always a compromise. The sustain pedal will take effect at a later point in time and will come off earlier and I think that the threshold levels are intended to position the ramps so that the sustain actuation occurs as close as possible to where the former on/off controllers occurred. It’s not perfect because damper lift-off is not perfect. On my piano, which is new, the damper lift-off range is about 50 to 60.

The soft pedal is not so critical. For the soft pedal, the ramp is set to run the full range from 0 to 127, as you would expect. I’m again not sure of the significance of the on and off threshold values, but these settings worked for me.

Kind regards

Geoff

From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Skanter123
Sent: Thursday, 20 February 2014 5:29 PM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Cc: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [disklavier] DKV volume

Geoff, do you have an idea what would be good starting settings for MPX100II?

This is a mark II DKV, not mark II XG.

Sam


On Feb 20, 2014, at 1:26 AM, Spencer Chase <lists@...> wrote:

i wrote the program but Geoff did the testing and has a DKV to test on so he is the authority for appropriate settings, at least for pianos similar to his.

On 2/19/2014 10:16 PM, Sam Kanter wrote:

Wow - this looks like just what the doctor ordered to fix the noisy on/off pedaling issue. Can't wait to test it during day hours. Thanks!


On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 1:05 AM, Spencer Chase <lists@...> wrote:

i uploaded the new version of the pedal modifier program do not use the link in the last e-mail because the name has changed. go to the download page of my site spencerserolls.com and find the On Off to Gradual Pedal converter program (New) actually, this link might work from e-mail but best to visit the download page instead.


On 2/19/2014 8:20 PM, Skanter123 wrote:

Geoff, what is the exact name of Spencer's pedal program? I could not find it...

Sam


On Feb 19, 2014, at 11:18 PM, Geoff Ward <gward1211@...> wrote:

Just following up on Spencer’s comments about his program to apply up and down ramps to on-off pedal controllers. The program works best with type 0 midi files and it works well to remove pedal noise from my MKIV when playing low volume midi files. File of just piano music can be easily converted from type 1 to type 0 in a program like Cakewalk, or Spencer also has a program to do it.

(Spencer, the pedal modifier program on your website is not the latest – the latest version displays parameters for both sustain and soft pedals).

If someone wants to use this program, I have worked out the settings which give good results for my MKIV. If anyone wants them, please let me know.

Kind regards

Geoff Ward

From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Spencer Chase
Sent: Wednesday, 19 February 2014 4:23 AM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [disklavier] DKV volume

my computer is screwing up after that last win8 update. not sure how much i can do while traveling. hope it recovers. it looks like the most recent version of on off to gradual pedaling is on the download page of my web site. Geoff reads this list. he recently had some "problems" with the program but it turned out to be misunderstanding of what it could do. he remembers better than i so can probably answer questions. i know he has successfully used it to reduce both soft and sustain pedal noise. be sure to use the on off to gradual, not the reverse. the program has to interpolate ramped controllers. it does the best it can but you have to choose settings for some strange files??? probably best to use the default settings until you figure out something better.

http://spencerserolls.com/Files4Download.html

On 2/18/2014 9:10 AM, Skanter123 wrote:

Thanks Spence - I would be interested...

Sam


On Feb 18, 2014, at 11:13 AM, Spencer Chase <

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