Recording from a PSR550 into Voyetra MIDI Orchestrator Plus

The Voyetra 'MIDI Orchestrator Plus' application, which is part of the Yamaha 'PC Music Studio' package, can be used with the PSR550 for multitrack recording and playback. However, the version of the application that is included in this package does not have the ability to select 'external' sync (to synchronize the timing of the measures when recording Auto Accompaniments). Because of this, if an Auto Accompaniment is to be used in a song, it should be recorded first, using the steps below.

NOTE: Because the two products can not be synchronized, the measures in MIDI Orchestrator Plus may appear to 'drift out of time' from the recorded Auto Accompaniment part when using this procedure. Since this is only a 'visual' problem, the recorded music will still maintain the correct timing, and subsequent multiple tracks may be added (while listening to the recorded Auto Accompaniment part as a timing reference). Additionally, the 'Quantize Note' feature should not be used, since synchronization is required for it to work properly. Preparation for Recording PSR550 Initial Data Settings to Track 1:

MIDI Orchestrator Plus:

1) Click on 'Window' in the MIDI Orchestrator Plus menu bar.

2) Select 'New' and then 'Track/View' from the menu drop-down list.

3) Click on 'Options' in the menu bar.

4) Select 'MIDI Thru' from the menu drop-down list.

NOTE: This allows the keyboard MIDI signal to pass 'through' the computer and trigger the keyboard sound as it is being recorded.

5) Click in the box of the 'Chn' column for Track 1 and number it '1'.

6) Press and hold the CTRL key on the computer keyboard and then click on the box in the first 'R' column for Track 1. A red 'R' will be displayed in the screen for the Track.

PSR550:

1) Turn ON the PSR550.

2) Press the [ACMP ON/OFF] button once. (The red LED illuminates.)

3) Press the [STYLE] button under the screen.

4) Use the [-] and [+] buttons or the Numeric Pad to select a desired Style.

5) Press the [VOICE R1] button under the screen.

6) Use the [-] and [+] buttons or the Numeric Pad to select a desired Voice for the right hand.

7) Press the [FUNCTION] button.

8) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Midi'.

9) Press the [NEXT] button.

10) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Midi:Template'.

11) Press the [NEXT] button.

12) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Type=Acmp Out'.

13) Press the [NEXT] button; the screen will display 'MidiTemplatLoad?'.

14) Press the [+] 'YES' button located in the numeric keypad.

15) Press the [BACK] button two times.

16) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Midi:LocalContrl'.

17) Press the [NEXT] button.

18) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Midi Local =Off'.

19) Press the [BACK] button once.

20) Use the (DATA) Dial to select 'Menu:Init Send'.

21) Press the [NEXT] button. The screen will display 'Init Send OK?'. The keyboard is ready to send 'Initial Data' to MIDI Orchestrator Plus.

NOTE: The reason for selecting the 'Init Send' (Initial Data Send) function, is to allow the desired Style and Voice to be stored as part of the recording (see next section). MIDI Orchestrator Plus will actually record the Style and Voice settings, ensuring that the correct Style and Voice will be called up every time the Song is played.

Recording the Initial Data Settings:

1) In MIDI Orchestrator Plus, click the <RECORD> button or press the F7 key on the computer keyboard.

IMPORTANT: Even though the green numbers begin advancing, recording does not actually begin until the 'Bar:Beat:Click' window displays Bar '001:00:000'.

2) Press the 'YES' [+] button on the PSR550 after the Bar:Beat:Click display reaches '001:00:000'. This sends the Initial Data settings to the computer, to be recorded at the beginning of the song.

3) When the PSR550 screen displays 'Completed', press the SPACEBAR key on the computer keyboard to stop recording.

4) Press the [EXIT] button on the PSR550.

Preparation for Recording Automatic Accompaniment Tracks:
MIDI Orchestrator Plus:

1) Click on 'Window' in the MIDI Orchestrator Plus menu bar.

2) Select 'New' and then 'Track/View' from the menu drop-down list.

3) Click in each box of the 'Chn' column for Tracks 9 - 16 and number them accordingly. This organizes the MIDI Channels for the Automatic Accompaniment Tracks.

EXAMPLE: Track 9........Chn 9, Track 10........Chn 10, etc.

4) Press and hold the CTRL key on the computer keyboard and click on each box in the first 'R' column for Tracks 9 - 16. A red 'R' will be displayed in the screen for each Track selected. These Tracks will record the Automatic Accompaniment parts.

PSR550:

1) Press the 'MAIN/AUTO FILL' [A] button (LED illuminates).

2) Turn ON the [INTRO] button (LED illuminates).

Recording the Auto Accompaniment:

1) In MIDI Orchestrator Plus, click the <RECORD> button or press the F7 key on the computer keyboard.

IMPORTANT: Even though the green numbers begin advancing, recording does not actually begin until the 'Bar:Beat:Click' window displays Bar '001:00:000'.

2) On the PSR550, begin playing the chords for the Automatic Accompaniment in the left hand section after the Bar:Beat:Click reaches '003:00:000'.

TIP: If using an 'INTRO', allow it to play before changing to another chord.

3) When finished, press the [ENDING] button to end the Song.

4) Press the SPACEBAR key on the computer keyboard to stop recording.

Preparation for Recording a Melody Track:

1) In MIDI Orchestrator Plus, click on the red 'R' in each box for Tracks 9 - 16, to take them out of Record Mode.

2) Press and hold the CTRL key on the computer keyboard and click on the box in the first 'R' column for Track 1. A red 'R' will be displayed in the screen for the Track.

3) Press the [ACMP ON/OFF] button on the PSR550 once, to turn OFF the Automatic Accompaniment and to use the full length of the keyboard.

Recording a Melody Track:

1) In MIDI Orchestrator Plus, click on the box in the 'R' column for the desired Track, Tracks 1 - 8. A red 'R' will be displayed in the screen, showing that the Track is ready to record a right hand melody part.

2) Click the <RECORD> button or press the F7 key on the computer keyboard.

IMPORTANT: Even though the green numbers begin advancing, recording does not actually begin until the 'Bar:Beat:Click' window displays Bar '001:00:000'.

3) On the PSR550, play the melody when appropriate after the previously recorded Tracks begin to play.

4) When finished, press the SPACEBAR key on the computer keyboard to stop recording.

5) Click on the red 'R' in the box for the Track, to take it out of Record Mode.

6) Click on the box in the 'Chn' column for the Track, and type a number to assign the Track to a MIDI Channel.

EXAMPLE: Assign Track 1 to MIDI Channel 1; Track 2 to MIDI Channel 2; etc.

7) To record more Tracks, click on the 'R' in the Track just recorded to take it out of Record Mode, and repeat steps 1 - 7.

Reference: MIDI Orchestrator Plus Owner's Manual, p.46-51, 67-82

Reference: PSR550 Owner's Manual, p.112-117