Disklavier

I will second everything that Carol has said. I have an MPX100II which is a late, non-XG Disklavier. IMO the DKV 850, besides being very expensive, would add little functionality to my instrument. Connecting it to my computer through MIDI cables has given me pretty much all the features I need, especially since I have little interest in Disklavier Radio, TV, et. al. It also makes it quite easy to use the terrific applications written by the talented people here, mentioned by Carol, whose MIDI/DKV information is comprehensive. Thanks Carol!

BTW, I do listen to multi-track and live piano playback using a MIDI sequencer and virtual instruments on my computer. Its simple to add a 500ms delay to the other tracks, and sounds great.






> On Oct 28, 2014, at 12:23 AM, Carol Beigel carol@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
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> To my knowledge there is no such thing as a “very late model Mark II but not quite XG”.  The MkIIXG was the first to have updatable flash memory.  Yamaha did this on purpose, requiring a DKV850 to be an add-on box and not a replacement for the MarkII.  Even if you could make this cable it would not work because the operating systems are different. Learn to work with your MIDI in and outputs on the Disklavier you have.  This means using conversion software to convert your current Yamaha ESEQ files to standard MIDI files.  You can put many MIDI files on your computer and use playlist software to play them through your Disklavier.  Just remember that your Disklavier can only see 99 of anything, such as 99 folders with 99 files.  Have you read the Handbook of MIDI Player Tools 2003 version?  You can find both versions at www.midiplayertools.com.  It was written with early Disklaviers in mind.  The guru of Disklavier technical support is Bill Brandon (on this list) and the guru of all things MIDI is George Litterst (also on this list and who wrote the fancy MIDI book when the MarkII came out!).
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>> On Oct 10, 2014, at 4:29 PM, 'Jon Arnold' jonarnold@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
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>> Carol,
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>> My Yamaha dealer told me that my grand piano is a “very late model Mark II but not quite XG”, and that I SHOULD be able to *replace* the 100R with the 850.   That would be my goal, since the 100R with floppies is quite old and the disk drive has gone out twice already, and even in conjunction with the Yamaha MU50 for the MIDI stuff, he tells me that 850 is far superior to the 100R/MU50 combo.  The only problem I have is finding a cable that can convert the 9 pin from the piano to the 15 pin for the 850.  The cable that comes in the conversion kit is virtually and literally unavailable anywhere, and apparently the computer 9-15 pin converter cable does not have the right pinouts, nor can Yamaha tell me what the pinouts should be??
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>> From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com] 
>> Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2014 6:32 PM
>> To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: Re: [disklavier] Is it possible to copy disklavier music from floppy disks with a generic floppy drive?
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>> I believe the 100R belongs to a MarkII Disklavier and requires the DKC850 to be an add-on thru MIDI cables to the existing control box.  You cannot replace that box or get Disklavier radio.  However, you can still buy Yamaha pianosoft discs = even on eBay if they still work.  You would need the Yamaha floppy drive connected to one of the two USB ports on the DKC850 and put the Yamaha music into memory on the DKC850.  Then put both the floppy drive and disks away somewhere.  You can put 99 folders with 99 standard MIDI files (songs) in each on a USB thumb drive land play them using the DKC850.I believe that if you have speakers to be able to hear audio files (CDs and people singing) you can also play them on the DKC850.  Also called Pianosoft plus audio. You can even get floppies that play the piano while playing the audio files on the CD called PianoSmaft.  So you get all these new features, just not the Disklavier radio.  Crappy!  You con’t even need to know anything about pin assignments because you use standard MIDI cables to connect the boxes - MIDI In to MIDI out.
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>> Carol
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>> On Oct 9, 2014, at 5:57 PM, 'Jon Arnold' jonarnold@... [disklavier] <disklavier@...m> wrote:
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>> Carol, I hear what you are saying and agree to an extent, but in my case where I want to upgrade my 100R to an 850 and Yamaha cannot even provide PINOUT information so that a cable can be made (purchasing one from Yamaha is apparently not an option, according to Yamaha customer service), so what other options are left?
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>> From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com] 
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2014 10:30 PM
>> To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: Re: [disklavier] Is it possible to copy disklavier music from floppy disks with a generic floppy drive?
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>> I am always amazed by the unwillingness to use accessories made specifically for a product.  In the case of the Disklavier it is also the pin assignments of the floppy drive.  We are talking about $150 to be able to put proprietary music into your Disklavier.  These are copy protected floppies that a computer cannot read without special software.  Floppies also wear out over time so it might be better to just buy the music from Yamaha directly over the Internet.  If you want non copyrighted music just download some of the thousands of free MIDI files available over the internet.  
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>> Carol Beigel
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>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>> On Oct 8, 2014, at 9:23 PM, mqphan@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
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>>> Hi everyone:
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>>> I have a Disklavier E3.  It does not have a floppy drive, but there are a lot of Disklavier music for sale on Ebay on floppies.  Is it possible to purchase an inexpensive generic floppy drive (instead of the expensive one sold by Yamaha), connect it to my Mac, and copy the music files from the floppies onto my computer?  I can then transfer these files onto the Disklavier E3 directly or via an USB memory stick as an intermediate step.
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>>> I appreciate knowing if the above steps would work, and the quality of the music on those floppies that are for sale on Ebay such as the Mozart Classical Solo Piano Collection.  Thank you in advance for your comments.
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>>> Minh
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