Midi master volume?

[wa7bqb]

Is there some kind of a tweak to equalize the volume level between midi and song / styles? It seems my CVP is considerably louder when playing midi music than when doing anything else. It about blows the socks off me if I have forgotten to turn the volume down after using the keyboard and then play a midi.

I checked the midi pages and didn't find any midi volume setting. I also checked the balance settings and didn't find any midi settings there. So I am beginning to wonder if there is one.

[Scubacpa]

Maybe I'm greatly oversimplifying your question because I am not advanced enough to understand it ... but ...

I have noticed the same thing. Sometimes I want to play along, or jam, with the midi file, but the midi file way overpowers me and you can't even hear what I am doing on the keyboard (which might be a good thing!). I solved that problem by going to the main screen, hitting balance, and then turning the volume level of the "song" slider down to about 75 +/-. That seems to put the midi file and the keyboard at about the same place. You can do the same thing with the "style" slider to adjust the volume of a style.

Was that the question?

[wa7bqb]

No, I wasn't clear on that, I'm sorry ... I am referring to a midi file being transmitted via an external USB or MIDI connection from a source, say, media player or BAIB, Sonar, etc.

There is a specific midi message code for volume, which could be embedded in a midi file. It's purpose is to adjust volume, but that would need to be sent before the midi file begins, and might be modified within the midi file. It seems a lot of midi files start out at max smoke for this volume message, which is probably the default setting.

What I was after was a CVP panel setting that would set the volume from an external midi source in the same way it does for setting the volume of a song or style (using the balance button and finding a MIDI software slider like the Song and Style sliders). The process now is to send the file from the pc, when it begins to play, run like hell to the CVP and turn the master volume DOWN! Then, of, course, when I want to do anything else with the CVP, I now have to turn the volume back up again. I didn't measure it, but there is probably close to a 3 dB difference, meaning the volume is nearly twice as loud with the midi data as the rest of the CVP audio chain. We need equalization here.

[Scubacpa]

Well, I guess I did way oversimplify your question.

One help (not a solution but it would save you from "running") to this would be what I put down in the "wish list" section. A remote control that had a volume button on it!

[Midi Magic]

Hi

On my 209 there is a "Balance" button. This selects the balance between the various parts of the CVP. Just select "Song" and bring down the volume.

Any song file it plays, be it on floppy or via the Midi port will be turned down.

[Scubacpa]

Midi Magic - That was my original suggestion, but he said that's not what he was referring to.

[Midi Magic]

Hi

Well in that case, you will have to send a System Exclusive Message . However, you do not say which cvp you have, so I unable to say which message needs to be sent.

You will have to look in the Data List book.


Why can you not use the sliders?

[wa7bqb]

Hi folks. No that isn't much help. For instance:

While playing happily away at the piano, I decide to take a little break. So I trot over to the computer, and something triggers my attention to play a midi file from the pc. The midi file begins to play .... oops, I forgot to turn the CVP master volume control down! The external midi file now plays much louder than the comfortable level I was playing at.

I had already turned up the "Song" and "Style" sliders, to full blast using the Balance button. This helped, because it attempted to raise those levels closer to the midi level. But it doesn't help very much.

So if there were some setting that would allow the midi (not song) level to be set it would be very convenient. From a technical point of view, I wonder if there is an internal audio level preset trimpot for this? I should just send a note to customer support about this. Maybe Martin Arroyo can suggest a solution for this?

-Dale-

[Midi Magic]

Hi

Would you just try this for me?

Turn down the "Song" slider most of the way down and play a midi file from your PC.

The "Song" slider is for ALL songs internal, floppy or via midi.

[wa7bqb]

The problem with sending a sysex message is that it would have to be configured to be a part of an initialization string for every midi program using the Yamaha USB drivers.

That might also mean that it would have to inserted into every midi selected! (Depending on the versatility of the particular program.) I use several midi programs, sometimes using the local pc sound card drivers, sometimes using the two CVP309GP Yamaha USB drivers. Sysex isn't going to be practical for this situation.

[wa7bqb]

Ahh. ... I see your point! That does work. Now I might need to turn it up for a local midi file, which is ok. At least the difference is equalized using your suggestion. Thanks!

Part of the issue was that song data from media files seemed to be about the same as the keyboard or could be conveniently tweaked to be so while sitting there. External midi files were always much louder so I was trying to match the midi to the system level ... instead of matching the system to the midi level using the song slider. I know that sounds convoluted, but it makes sense to my little mind.


At least if I leave the Song slider at a certain level things should not be any big surprise between the two volume levels.

-Dale-

[Scubacpa]

So why didn't you believe me when I said it :)

As a follow up. I use that song slider myself, but when you turn the power off it goes back to 100. Also the repeat button which I always change to "random" goes back to none when you turn the power off. (for using the CVP like a juke box).

I wish there was a way to "save" those settings. I find myself leaving the power on for hours in between uses.

[Midi Magic]

Hi

"That might also mean that it would have to inserted into every midi selected!"


That's why I suggested the slider option.

Glad it works.

73's

[wa7bqb]

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. I still think there should be a selectable level setting slider or system level initial setpoint for equalizing the volume levels between on board media sources and external sources of midi data.

The idea of turning down the song slider works, but there is still this considerable difference in the sources. This is why I was hoping for an alternative 'pre-set' somewhere, Scubacpa.

Since there is a slider for song and one for style, then having one that would match the external midi level to those two would keep everything at predictable levels.

I think I've about beaten this subject into ad nauseum, so I'll try not to wear out any more of anyones patience on this.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Whether the MIDI file comes externally or internally should not make a difference - hence the one single Song slider. It is still a MIDI file, regardless of where it is stored.

Perhaps what you are seeing is the difference of the volumes on the individual tracks in the files you play. Some files I've downloaded have had the volume at around 80, some (quite a lot actually) have had all tracks at 127. Check the Mixer console on the individual files you're playing.

Kudos on scubacpa for getting it right the first time (which I thought he did and was surprised to read he didn't :eek: )

Brgds

Danny