selecting/converting to GM or XG voices

[jimbuist]

Here's my background. I remember the days when General Midi (GM) first came out (I was selling Clavinovas and other digital instruments at the time). What a concept! After I left that company, I heard of "XG" and "GS" but really had no idea what or how they worked other than that they both expanded the capabilities of GM. I now realize that they must do that through "bank" changes.

I recently purchased a CVP 307 and am now getting back into the "programming" end of things beyond just playing the instrument. I've experienced the same thing that some others have in regards to midi files either not playing on the CVP or files recorded on the CVP not playing on other instruments. I, too, have found that the problem seems to lie with the "bank" changes. Changing the banks to 0 seems to allow the playback of files that originally had banks not associated with the CVP.

Now, here's the question: Is there an "easy" way to have the instrument automatically disregard bank information? Or, will it require manually changing each bank on each and every channel/track on each and every song???

I am curious about this for both playback of previous recordings on other instruments as well as for new recordings on the CVP to use on other instruments. FYI, I also have/use Cakewalk which will allow me to make these changes, but again I have to do that for every track/song.

Thanks for any insights.

Jim

[jimbuist]

One thing I forgot to ask/mention: Is there a way to simply select "GM" voices in the first place when recording songs? I've played some instruments in the past that allowed you to go into a "GM" section in the voice select area, but I don't see that option on the CVP 307.

Jim

[Martyn]

Hi Jim,

For playing and recording, you can select GM/XG as well as GM2 voices by selecting any instrument button ("Piano" for example) and pressing the "Up" button when you will see one folder for each group from Piano to Perc&Drum. After Perc&Drum are the folders GM&XG and GM2 (which there are no separate button for), where you can select those individual voices, which can be assigned to Right1, Right2 and Left etc.

For playback, you have the Revoice function, but it has it's limitations. You could also try MidiPlayer (details of which can be found elsewhere in the forum), which enables comprehensive revoicing of individual songs from "panel voices" to XG and GM.

[jimbuist]

Martyn,

Thanks. I didn't realize that I could "page up" in the voice menus. So, that should solve my recording issue. I'll also have to check out MidiPlayer which I have seen talked about previously but haven't yet looked at.

Thanks again,
Jim
CVP 307

[mikemilton]

Hi, Jim

I'm new here (and to the newer clavs) too and it took me a while to scroll through that menu as well LOL.

If you are working on the clav, you can step edit the individual tracks (and filter the content for program changes - although they mostly seem to just be at the beginning anyway).

My own background is in computer-based synthesis and sequencing - so my (related) question is about simplifying the creation of suitable midi files on an external sequencer (I use Logic Pro).

There were data sheets in your documentation, but a guide to their appplication would be nice. Perhaps I'll try to write one as I work through this if nobody else has already made that effort.

So, for example, it would be nice to have a document that discusses managing the accomp in the midi track including the messages for selecting the pattern, variations, breaks, ending, etc

cheers, and best of luck
m