Disklavier

Good morning, everyone.

Aaron, I have tested iTunes on the Mac and Windows. Below is a full  
explanation which I posted on 9/12. At this point, it really only  
works for Windows. Yes, you will be able to use a USB MIDI interface  
connected to the Disklavier.

Regards,
PianoBench

**********
iTunes has intriguing possibilities. When you import an audio song  
file from CD, it checks an Internet-based database for cataloguing  
information. You can accept or reject what it finds (or even update  
the database on the Internet yourself), or you can enter any of the  
cataloging data yourself directly into iTunes. There are many fields  
that cover the crucial areas of composer, title, album, performer,  
date, etc.

Unforutnately, the online database does not apply to MIDI files.  
However, you can catalog and access your MIDI files within iTunes  
very conveniently. On a Windows computer, you can even play the MIDI  
files on your Disklavier using a MIDI connection. Also, you can use  
iTunes to play PianoSoft Plus Audio CDs (assuming that you turn off  
the Sound Enhancer feature of iTunes and make the appropriate audio  
cable connections to the piano).

There are basically just 6 problems:

(1) Copy Protection
Although most MIDI files are unprotected, Yamaha-published files are  
delivered on protected media that cannot be read on your computer  
without breaking the protection (and then only on a Windows computer).

(2) Smart PianoSoft
You cannot coordinate the synchronized MIDI/CD playback of Smart  
PianoSoft recordings (i.e. MIDI recordings that synchronize with  
commercial audio recordings).

(3) Ideal Piano Playback
Ideally, piano MIDI files should be played by the Disklavier itself  
from an internal drive. Playback is more accurate in that situation.  
When the Disklavier receives MIDI data over a MIDI cable, the data is  
received serially (i.e. one event at a time) and that serial  
transmission microscopically changes the timing of MIDI events. For  
most people, however, this is unnoticeable.

(4) Lyrics
iTunes does not display MIDI lyrics on playback.

(5) MIDI Adjustments
iTunes does not give you the opportunity to adjust MIDI channels or  
other MIDI parameters.

(6) Playback of MIDI Data on a Macintosh
Remarkably, you used to be able to use iTunes to play back MIDI files  
on externally connected MIDI devices (such as a Disklavier) under OS  
9, but this feature was removed in OS X. However, you can do this on  
Windows if you know how.

To playback MIDI files from iTunes using a Disklavier connected to a  
Windows computer:

--Connect an appropriate MIDI interface and MIDI cables or USB cable  
between your computer and Disklavier, install any necessary MIDI  
drivers on the computer, and set up the Disklavier appropriately.

--Use the QuickTime control panel to designate "General MIDI" as the  
"Default MIDI Synthesizer" (instead of "QuickTime Music  
Synthesizer"). You can find this setting under the Audio tab.

--Set your system-wide MIDI output default to the MIDI connection  
that sends MIDI data to your Disklavier. The exact way that you do  
this varies slightly with various flavors of Windows:

Windows 98
Start:Settings:Control Panel:Multimedia
click the Multimedia tab in the Multimedia Properties window
choose Single Instrument
under Single Instrument, make your selection for the desired choice  
for MIDI output

Windows ME and Windows 2000
Start:Settings:Control Panel:Sounds and Multimedia Properties
click the Audio tab in the Sounds and Multimedia Properties window
under MIDI Music Playback, make your selection for the desired choice  
for MIDI output

Windows XP
Start:Control Panel
(1) if the next window is set to Categories View, click Sounds,  
Speech, and Audio Devices
then click Sounds and Audio Devices
click the Audio tab in the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window
under MIDI Music Playback, make your selection for the desired choice  
for MIDI output

or

(2) if the next window is set to Classic View, click Sounds and Audio  
Devices
click the Audio tab in the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window
under MIDI Music Playback, make your selection for the desired choice  
for MIDI output

**********

On Oct 4, 2006, at 12:52 PM, Aaron Zornes wrote:

>
> Before I run out and test this ...
> (I know PianoBench has a 100% track 'good'
> track record on technical advice IMHO),
> is this "theory" or "practice"?
>
> Will iTunes not only play the MIDI on my laptop
> sound card, etc. but also output to my MIDI USB
> interface which I would connect to the DK control unti?
>
> THANKS!
>
> --Aaron in San Francisco
>
>
>
> From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com  
> [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of George F. Litterst
> Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 11:11 PM
> To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [disklavier] Making Discs
>
> Good afternoon, everyone.
>
> Another alternative, on pre-Mark IV Disklaviers, is to use a Windows
> computer and iTunes as the library/playback program for your
> collection of MIDI files.
>
> Regards,
> PianoBench
>
> On Oct 4, 2006, at 12:08 AM, Mark Fontana wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 3 Oct 2006, Aaron Zornes wrote:
> >
> > > It is maddeningly difficult (some say impossible for mere
> > mortals) to copy
> > > tens, hundreds, or thousands of MIDIs onto CD-ROM for use onto
> > Disklavier.
> > >
> > > Has any one cracked the secret yet to making Mark II, II or IV
> > series read
> > > standard CD-ROMS as file directories as the system does standard
> > floppies?
> >
> > There is no secret to figure out; this feature is simply not
> > present in
> > the Disklavier's firmware (at least not in the Mark II and III
> > models).
> >
> > It would be extremely difficult for a third party to implement
> > support for
> > reading data CDs without Yamaha's source code and development
> > environment.
> > And even then, I doubt anyone would be willing to PAY a third  
> party to
> > develop this enhancement, so it would be a labor of love. Our best
> > bet is
> > to continue to express interest in this feature to Yamaha.
> >
> > Without iPod-style hierarchical navigation, I personally think this
> > feature would be of limited use once the number of tracks on the  
> disc
> > grows larger than a few dozen.
> >
> > Perhaps a better solution would be to hack an MP3 player to support
> > playback of MIDI files, converting them on the fly to "analog MIDI"
> > output
> > through the headphone jack. That would solve the large library
> > navigation
> > problem, plus you could also store MP3 files of Pianosoft Plus
> > Audio CDs
> > in the same playlist.
> >
> > Mark Fontana
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>