How to program midi to follow player

[waynegrauel]

Does anyone have any info on how the MIDI "follow" feature is done on the Clavinova's and other software? - what I mean is, how does one program Midi recordings to "wait" for the performer on beats - I'd like to do some sequencing and this would be nice to incorporate so the performance is musical and not "canned"

No mention of this in the CVP manual - even though is it a feature of the yamaha cvp series and the software that is available.

Any specific websites or info on programming for the Clavinova out there?

Thanks
Wayne

[dancaputi]

Wayne,

By "midi programming", I assume you mean to record a bunch of tracks using a sequencer (i.e. Cakewalk) and save the results as a midi file. (When I hear "programming" I'm thinking you mean to write code in a computer language like C/C++)

The CVP's guide feature hinges off the use of a specific "hidden" guide track. If you look at a CueTime song, you'll notice track 1 is muted and holds all the cue points. Track 14 and 15 are the left and right hand used for displaying the score (they may also be muted). The CVP's playback logic will wait whenever it gets to a note in track 1 that hasn't been played from the panel keyboard.

The tricky part is to arrange the song so that it does not sound "choppy" if you vary your performance. For example, most CueTime songs don't have a steady drum beat. The too-perfect rhythm of a drum track would be very distracting if it were to start and stop each time you hesitate at a cue point.

There's a lot to consider in creating a flexible midi sequence that can be used to enhance your performance. But, hopefully, you get the idea enough to give it a try...

- Dan C.

[waynegrauel]

Dan, thanks for the heads up on where to look in the midi tracks.

I assume by your post that these "cues" are a product of the midi software. I have cakewalk studio home and Finale 2004.

I use software on a need to know basis and I guess if I attempt to sequence some things for the new piano there will be a lot of "need to know".

so, am I correct in assuming that these "CUES" are placed in the track in the sequencing software?

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question
.
Wayne Grauel
Maryland

[dancaputi]

Wayne,

Yes... well sort of - the cues are just musical notes that are kind of hidden because the track is muted.

You'll use Cakewalk or Finale to piece the song together. Leave track 1 (channel 0) empty until you're ready to think about when (what measure:beat) you want the song to pause and wait for you to play a particular note (the note itself becomes the cue point). That note should obviously be one you intend to hit as part of your performance. In Cakewalk you can manually enter the cue point (as I call them) notes with edit mode or step recording mode.

When it's all composed, set the volume of track 1 to zero, save it to a standard midi file, then load it into the CVP. By default, the guide mode will key off of track 1.

I think you'd get a better idea of what's involved if you were to load a CueTime song into Cakewalk and just poke around a bit.

- Dan C.

[Midi Magic]

Hi Dan

What is the difference between "CueTime" and "Follow Light" files?
I have been given a couple of demo disks with the same song on but in different formats.


Wayne

You will find that the follow feature WILL work on ANY midi file you put into the cvp. If you put a normal midi file into the cvp press the "Direct Access" and then the "Guide" button. From here you can select which track you want the cvp to follow.
By doing this you can tell the cvp to follow any track you want to play along with, so for instance, you could select track 3 and follow, say, the bass part.

The reason Yamaha turn the volume down on the "follow" track is because when you play the keyboard you will hear what you play. If the track was not turned down you will hear BOTH you and the original track. This can be helpful, for if your timing is out, you will hear double notes. The idea being to play the keys at the right time so you only hear the one note.
Having siad that you can turn down the volume of the keyboard, not the main volume, just the voice you are playing. That way you will only hear the original track.

[dancaputi]

Originally posted by Midi Magic
What is the difference between "CueTime" and "Follow Light" files?
CueTime songs are not guided strictly by the melody (as are the Follow Lights variety). The cue points are scattered throughout both the left and right hands. You must play the piece from the score for it to work (or even make sense). The notes chosen as cues look almost random but they are actually cleverly arranged such that they "lead" the accompaniment from one passage to the next.

Follow-the-Lights songs are geared more for beginners. My 3-year-old has a ball plunking out the melody as the CVP fills in the background accompaniment.

- Dan C.

[Midi Magic]

Dan

Thanks.
I see I'll have to put some on to a floppy and have a play.

Have you ever played with "Phrases" within the DOC files? These are whole sections in a piece of music and it allows you to keep repeating the same part over and over again. Much like an A - B repeat often found on audio CD players.

I don't know if the 2xx series has a "Phrase" repeat, I know the early cvp 50, 75, had it.