Disklavier

Good evening, everyone.

As both a MIDI software developer and a user of USB MIDI interfaces,  
I can understand your frustration.

USB is an allegedly smart protocol. Unlike the case with serial  
connections, for example, a computer wants to know exactly what is at  
the other end of a USB connection. The installed MIDI driver tells  
the computer what is at the other end, what it is capable of doing, etc.

I have been particularly frustrated with Windows computers when using  
USB MIDI interfaces. After installing the driver and successfully  
using the device, the connection sometimes appears to be unavailable.  
In the worst situations, the Installation Wizard pops up, tells you  
that it has found new hardware, and offers to help you install a driver.

Here are some of the problems and solutions that work some of the time:

--If possible, leave the interface in place, and especially have it  
connected when you start your computer. In my non-scientific  
experience, it seems as though USB interfaces are more stable when  
connected continuously when connected to a desktop computer than when  
frequently connected/disconnected from a laptop.

--Run just one MIDI application at a time on a Windows computer.  
(This is not a problem on a Mac under OS X!) Many MIDI drivers on  
Windows do not support more than one MIDI application at a time. An  
exception are Roland USB interfaces (as well as Roland keyboards that  
offer a direct USB connection to the computer). They support multiple  
MIDI applications running simultaneously.

--If your MIDI application crashes, it has probably not released the  
MIDI interface to be used by another application. Therefore, the next  
MIDI application that you run will not find the interface. The only  
solution is to restart the computer.

--When your computer does not recognize the interface, sometime  
unplugging it from the computer and then plugging it back in will fix  
the problem. Sometimes plugging into another USB port will cause the  
computer to pay attention. When all else fails, restart the computer.

yamahamale , unfortunately, as you have discovered, the task that you  
wish to accomplish is simply not available using the To Host port on  
the Disklavier.

Regards,
PianoBench

George F. Litterst
TimeWarp Technologies
"changing the tempo in music software"
GLitterst@...
www.timewarptech.com



On Nov 29, 2006, at 7:38 PM, yamahamale wrote:

> Thank you Piano Bench for the info. This info was if I had
> MIDI-IN/out connected. I don't. I'm using the "To Host".
> Your input was not wasted however. I will be using that in the future
> when I upgrade the PC.
> I'm now wondering if it is even possible to use the "To Host"
> connection and be able to get the piano part onto the PC software as
> the disk plays. I can hook up the MIDI-IN/out but this is my
> reasoning. I started with MIDI-In/out using an M-Audio Uno USB MIDI
> interface. I had the same problem with it then as I do now. I could do
> everything but get the disk that's playing on the piano to show up in
> the software program on the PC. Now with Piano Benches instructions,
> it looks like I will be able to do that. But when I use the USB
> M-Audio, I am constantly having to reboot the pianos control panel or
> restart the software or both. It seems for some reason the drivers for
> the M-Audio are continually not recognized as the ones to use on the
> software. When I use the "To Host" connection with the Yamaha IBM
> cable at "To Host" I never have a problem with having to reboot either
> the piano or software on the piano. So this is why I am still on the
> hunt of how to get the disks that I play on the piano to be read, in
> realtime or near it, by the PC's software.
>
> --- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "George F. Litterst"
> <PianoBench@...> wrote:
> >
> > Good morning, everyone.
> >
> > I believe that you have a Mark III vintage Pro. That is what the "A"
> > at the end of the model number tells us.
> >
> > In the case of most Disklaviers, there is a choice that you can make
> > for MIDI Out that gives you either Keyboard Out or Ensemble Out. The
> > latter means that when you play a disk, the MIDI data is sent out  
> the
> > MIDI port.
> >
> > To make this setting on a Mark II XG or Mark III:
> >
> > --Press Function
> > --Move the cursor to MIDI Setup and press Enter
> > --Move the cursor to MIDI Out and press Enter
> > --Set MIDI Out to Ensemble Out
> > --Press Stop to exit
> >
> > At this point, when you play a disk, all of the MIDI data will be
> > sent out the MIDI port EXCEPT the data on the tracks that are being
> > played by the piano. This feature enables you to use an external  
> tone
> > generator as an alternative to the Disklavier's own tone generator
> > for the ensemble track. (Depending upon what you are doing, you may
> > want to turn off the speakers that are connected to your  
> Disklavier's
> > tone generator.
> >
> > If you also want to send the piano tracks out to an external device:
> >
> > --Press Function
> > --Move the cursor to MIDI Setup and press Enter
> > --Move the cursor to Piano Part and press Enter
> > --Press the Right Arrow repeatedly to get to the next screen
> > --Move the cursor to PianoPart ESBL Out and set it equal to ON
> > --Press Stop to exit
> >
> > Now the piano tracks will be sent as well when you play a disk
> > recording.
> >
> > NOTE: This feature only sends MIDI data out on the MIDI Out port. It
> > does not send MIDI data out on the To Host port.
> >
> > Regards,
> > PianoBench
> >
> > On Nov 29, 2006, at 7:57 AM, yamahamale wrote:
> >
> > > I'm using a Yamaha IBM cable and I have the CBX driver  
> installed and
> > > highlighted in the software. Software seems to be reading MIDI  
> files
> > > fine. The software plays whenever I manually play the piano.  
> When I
> > > play the software, the piano plays. My situation is getting the
> > > software to recognize the disks that I put into the disklavier. I
> > > would think if I was recording in MIDI format, the software  
> would see
> > > it and play but it doesn't. I'll try looking into the software  
> help
> > > again. Is there anyway that I can tell what format I am  
> recording to
> > > on the disklavier?
> > >
> > > --- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "Carol Beigel" <thecarolb@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > There are also 2 MIDI formats; 0 and 1. However, I see
> > > > no reason to not put a disk into your Disklavier (no
> > > > matter what format), play it, and have the MIDI output
> > > > of the DKV routed to the MIDI input of your computer
> > > > through the ToHost port. Are you using the Yamaha CBX
> > > > cable to do this? If so, did you install the driver
> > > > for it onto your computer? (The driver for it is also
> > > > available on my website). Then the trick is to go into
> > > > the Device setup on your computer software, and select
> > > > the Input and Output devices. I believe you would
> > > > select the CBX driver for the MIDI input to your
> > > > computer. This really should work. Probably all you
> > > > need to do is follow the instructions for the computer
> > > > software about recording MIDI.