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PSR520

Yamaha PSR520 Panel voices
Yamaha PSR520 Articles

Accessing PSR520 Panel Voices via MIDI

Accessing Panel Voices on a PSR520 requires that System Exclusive (''SysEx'') data be added to the MIDI file.

NOTE: This information should be transferable to other sequencing software applications, as it explains the SysEx command for accessing Panel Voices via MIDI.

In Cakewalk with a MIDI file loaded:

1) Choose VIEW, then SYSX, then double-click on the first bank (Bank 0).

2) Enter the data stream: F0 43 76 1B 00 01 F7. The fifth byte ''00'' tells the PSR keyboard to play panel voices on MIDI Channel 1. You will need to repeat this for other MIDI channels. For Channel 2 the fifth byte is ''01''. For Channel 3 is the fifth byte is ''02'', etc.


Reference: Owner's Manual p.90

3) Next click on OK, then click on SEND. Close the Window.

4) Double-click on the Patch box for MIDI Channel 1. Click on Assign Instruments, then assign MIDI Channel 1 to Generic (Patches 0-127). Click OK.

5) Enter 1 in the BANK box if you want to access a Panel Voice above 128, then enter 0-48 in the PATCH box to access voices 129-149 in the Panel Voice list. Click OK

(Enter nothing in the BANK box to access Panel Voices 1-128. Entering 0-127 in the PATCH box will access Panel voices 1-128.)

6) Click PLAY button
NOTE: Use these pre-made banks if the sequencer program has the ability to load ''.syx'' files.

 

PSR520 Panel Voice & GM Drum Kits

 

GM       PSR520            Voice                MIDI

Voice    Panel                Name                Program

Number Voice                                        Number

            Number

129       142                   Standard Kit                    0

130       143                   Room Kit                         8

131       144                   Rock Kit                        16

132       145                   Electronic Kit                 24

133       146                   Analog Kit                     25

134       147                   Jazz Kit                        32

135       148                   Brush Kit                       40

136       149                   Classic Kit                    48

 

The Program number is the same for both the GM and the Panel Voice Drum Kits

 

Be aware that only about a dozen or so notes are altered in the different panel voice drum kits - typically G1, A1, B1 C2, D2, E2, F2, G2, A2, B2, C2 and D2 and a few others depending on which kit you pick - for example the Standard Kit and the Room Kit all use the same drum sounds for all the other notes, except those I just mentioned - G#1 plays the same 'Sticks' sound no matter which kit you select - on the other hand, A1 should produce a 'Bass Drum H Soft' sound (whatever that is) in the Standard Kit and should produce a 'Bass Drum Room L' sound if the Room Kit is selected -

 

Be aware that the GM drum kits and the panel voice drum kits ARE IDENTICAL - GM voice numbers 129 to 136 are exactly the same, item for item, with panel voice numbers 142 to 149 - that is, the sounds produced by notes C#0 to C6 on GM voice 129 produce exactly the same sounds as the notes C#0 to C6 with PSR520 Panel Voice 142 - GM voice 130 is identical with PSR520 Panel Voice 143 - and so on -

 

 

Accessing PSR520 GM Drum Kits via MIDI on channel 10

 

A bank select for MIDI channel 10 has already been set to MSB 16256 (the rhythm voices), which will use the drum kits instead of melody voices - so as long as you use MIDI channel 10 for the drums, you shouldn't have to change the bank select -

 

1) Double-click on the Patch box for MIDI Channel 10. Click on Assign Instruments, then assign MIDI Channel 10 to Generic (Patches 0-127). Click OK.

2) Enter nothing in the BANK box to access Panel Voices 142-149. Entering 0, 8, 16. 24. 25. 32. 40 or 48 in the PATCH box will access the GM voice drum kits. Click OK.

 

A MIDI program change to 0 on MIDI channel 10 will use the GM voice Standard Kit when a MIDI channel  notes are received - and a MIDI program change to 24 on MIDI channel 10 will use a the GM voice Electronic Kit when a MIDI channel 10 notes are received -

 

Accessing PSR520 Panel Drum Kits via MIDI on channel 10

 

Again, a bank select for MIDI channel 10 has already been set to MSB 16256 (the rhythm voices), which will use the drum kits instead of melody voices - so as long as you use MIDI channel 10 for the drums, you shouldn't have to change the bank select -

Accessing Panel Drum Kits on a PSR520 requires that System Exclusive (''SysEx'') data be added to the MIDI file.

In Cakewalk with a MIDI file loaded:

1) Choose VIEW, then SYSX, then double-click on the first bank (Bank 0).

2) Enter the data stream: F0 43 76 1B 09 01 F7. The fifth byte ''09'' tells the PSR keyboard to play panel voices on MIDI Channel 10.


Reference: Owner's Manual p.90

3) Next click on OK, then click on SEND. Close the Window.

This tells the PSR MIDI generator that when it receives  MIDI program changes (musician's patches) to use the PSR520 Panel voices instead of the GM specification voices -

4) Double-click on the Patch box for MIDI Channel 10. Click on Assign Instruments, then assign MIDI Channel 10 to Generic (Patches 0-127). Click OK.

5) Enter nothing in the BANK box to access Panel Voices 142-149. Entering 0, 8, 16. 24. 25. 32. 40 or 48 in the PATCH box will access Panel voice drum kits. Click OK

 

A MIDI program change to 0 on MIDI channel 10 will use the PSR520 panel voice Standard Kit when a MIDI channel  notes are received - and a MIDI program change to 24 on MIDI channel 10 will use a the PSR520 panel voice Electronic Kit when a MIDI channel 10 notes are received -

 

 

Accessing PSR520 GM Drum Kits via MIDI on a channel other than 10

 

A bank select for MIDI channel 10 has already been set to MSB 16256 (the rhythm voices), which will use the drum kits instead of melody voices - if you use a channel other than 10, you must enter an bank select of 16256 for that channel –

 

1) Double-click on the Patch box for MIDI Channel 9. Click on Assign Instruments, then assign MIDI Channel 9 to Generic (Patches 0-127). Click OK.

2) Enter 16256 in the BANK box to access Panel Voices 129-136. Entering 0, 8, 16. 24. 25. 32. 40 or 48 in the PATCH box will access the Panel voice drum kits. Click OK

 

A MIDI program change to 0 on MIDI channel 8 will use the GM voice Standard Kit when a MIDI channel 8 notes are received - and a MIDI program change to 24 on MIDI channel 9 will use a the GM voice Electronic Kit when a MIDI channel 9 notes are received -

 

Accessing PSR520 Panel Drum Kits via MIDI on a channel other than 10

 

Again, bank select for MIDI channel 10 has already been set to MSB 16256 (the rhythm voices), which will use the drum kits instead of melody voices - if you use a channel other than 10, you must enter an bank select of 16256 for that channel -

Accessing Panel Drum Kits on a PSR520 requires that System Exclusive (''SysEx'') data be added to the MIDI file.

In Cakewalk with a MIDI file loaded:

1) Choose VIEW, then SYSX, then double-click on the first bank (Bank 0).

2) Enter the data stream: F0 43 76 1B 08 01 F7. The fifth byte ''08'' tells the PSR keyboard to play panel voices on MIDI Channel 9.


Reference: Owner's Manual p.90

3) Next click on OK, then click on SEND. Close the Window.

This tells the PSR MIDI generator that when it receives  MIDI program changes (musician's patches) to use the PSR520 Panel voices instead of the GM specification voices -

4) Double-click on the Patch box for MIDI Channel 9. Click on Assign Instruments, then assign MIDI Channel 9 to Generic (Patches 0-127). Click OK.

5) Enter 16256 in the BANK box to access Panel Voices 142-149. Entering 0, 8, 16. 24. 25. 32. 40 or 48 in the PATCH box will access Panel voice drum kits. Click OK

 

A MIDI program change to 0 on MIDI channel 9 will use the PSR520 panel voice Standard Kit when a MIDI channel 9 notes are received - and a MIDI program change to 24 on MIDI channel 9 will use a the PSR520 panel voice Electronic Kit when a MIDI channel 9 notes are received -

 

Notes: Accessing PSR520 GM & Panel Drum Kits via MIDI

 

First off, the bank select only needs to be sent once - no harm in sending it again, but be aware that MIDI equipment 'remembers' the last bank select - if you issued a bank select of 16256 and program change 8 to use the Room Kit - then selecting program change 0 will select the Standard Kit, not the acoustic grand piano - unless you reissue another bank select of 0 -

 

Two, just as Sysex bytes 'F0 43 76 1B 06 01 F7' set the PSR520 to use the panel voices on MIDI channel 7, the Sysex bytes 'F0 43 76 1B 06 00 F7' will 're-'set MIDI channel 7 to use the GM voices - 6th byte '00' -

 

For example, instead of sending a static Sysex once before starting the song, you could code track 16 to include a Sysex message 'F0 43 76 1B 01 01 F7' to be sent on the first beat of the song, which means use a PSR520 panel voice on channel 2 - then very shortly after that (say on beat 2 of measure 1), put a program change 114 on channel 2 to select the PSR520 panel voice flute - then sequence your flute solo - after the flute solo was done, say at bar 17, you could add another Sysex message in track 16 at bar 18, beat 1 of 'F0 43 76 1B 01 00 F7' which means use a GM voice on channel 2 - then on beat 2 of bar 18, put a program change 68 on channel 2, which would select the GM oboe voice - then sequence your oboe solo -