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Keyboard newbie, PX-5S questions


mphelps06

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Hi All,

 

New to the forum, and new to keys. Have a new PX-5s, and am a bit overwhelmed. I'm sure what I need is lot's of time to goof around, but I have just a couple questions.

 

Also, I need to say that a huge part of my decision to go with the PX-5s is down to Mike Martin. That guy popped up everywhere while I was doing research, and his level of engagement is just really impressive. So if you're out there Mike, a straight line can be drawn from your efforts to my buying this product.

 

At any rate, here's my issues:

 

*When I operate dial k4 while playing, I hear a slight but pronounced popping in the headphones. This is across all tones, stage settings, etc. Bad pot? Should I take it back? Since I'm new to the instrument, I don't know what I should be expecting as far as tolerances.

 

*Hex tones Synth OSC and Filter OSC seem to have lots of white noise behind them. Is that normal?

 

* The several of the Hex EPs seem to have a pronounced key-up sound, even if the key-down tone has decayed to silence. Sounds quite strange. Is this a feature?

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Mike

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Some of the EPs have a key-up sound. Try adjusting slider 3 and see if that changes it.

 

What is K4 adjusting? Usually it's Hi EQ, but not always. If you only get the popping when it's adjusting EQ, I'd wait until firmware 1.10 ships as they changed some of the adjustments. If K4 pops no matter what you are adjusting, that's weird.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys! I couldn't find the thread "px-5s for dummies" so I'll have to swallow my pride and post here. Oh so many questions and yes I've read the manuals. Many times.

First, how do I set zones? I have figured out how to turn off zone 3 GrPnoConcert and turn on z3 StreoString1 but why does the whole keyboard sound both instruments? Is it because it says 0-0 concert grand on top?

Secondly, when I record a phrase and then try to play along with different sounds, the phrase changes to the new sound. Ideally what I want to do is record a phrase in one sound and dub another sound over it. Is this where I use the song button or audio recorder? Last time I dubbed over a phrase my own phrase was playing over ALL the presets. Restarted keyboard to fix that.

I'm sorry I'm so thick! I love the idea of playing this really awesome keyboard but the reality has got me confused big time! A huge virtual hug to any one who has the time to reply to these silly questions. And there are more! But for now I'd be happy learning those things. Many thanks!!!!

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Clubritz,

Welcome to the forum.

First, the operation of the PX-5S is centered around Stage Settings.  A Stage Setting could be 1 zone or 4 zones or any combination in between.  Once you were to get up and running, I'd expect that many Stage Setting names would be replaced with song titles.   First, make sure you familiarize yourself with the 100 Stage Settings that we've already done.  Many common layers and splits are already done.  

 

If you were to start with Stage Setting 0-0 Concert Grand and turn on another zone, then you'll hear both at the same time.  You've created a layer.   Take a quick look at this article:

http://priviapro.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/creating-a-quick-layer-on-the-px-5s/

 

If you don't want the sounds to be layered and instead you want your zones on different areas of the keyboard, you'll want to change the key range of the zones. 

 

In regards to audio recording and phrases let me clarify a few things.  The PX-5S is a performance instrument, not a workstation.  The purpose of the phrase sequencer is to add riffs or other performance elements that may be challenging when your hands are busy doing other things.  A phrase could also be a drum pattern.   As you go through the Stage Settings on the PX-5S, the ones ending in 9 usually have phrases.  So check out 0-9, 1-9, 2-9 and so on.  

 

The Audio Recorder on the PX-5S simply captures a Stereo recording of everything that is occurring on the instrument.  It does not do multi-track recording.

Finally the PX-5S does have a Song mode.  This allows you to chain phrases together into a song.  This most common application of this would be to chain many drum patterns together.   You can use it to play one part, then record another part in a separate phrase but it does not allow you to hear one phrase while recording another.  

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Thank you so much Mike! That's very clear and gives me a lot to play around with for now. I did know about the performance instrument part but thought I heard somewhere about 8 tracks. No worries!

I have been following your work for months and am thrilled you had the time to help me. Thanks again! I'll be posting more silly questions for the technically challenged when I've figure the above out.

Thanks again and a big virtual hug!!

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Hi,

It is possible to do a 8 Tack  multitrack recording, AND hearing the previous recording, by following these steps:

 

- Record a Phrase, or use a converted 16 Bar Drum Track.--> put it in a Phrase e.g. 200

- Create a new song. and press the insert key (located near on Stage Setting1 button)

  and select phrase 200 with no repeatings and no transpose (this advice just as example)

- Store and name the song as "Songtest1" on position 150

- Now if you press song the display "Songtest1" and if you press "play" it will play the recorded track.

But here you will notice that it might use a different sound.

Note that the SongRecorder is independent from the StageSettings and the the Sounds which are configured with the StageSetting.

So you have to create once an 8 Track song as an template to have 8 Sounds for the recording.

This is your "StageSetting" for the TrackRecorder. If you use it, then you will get a copy of the template as a new song

To create the Template, press "Edit" (when "Song" lights) and you will go into the "Song Edit" mode.

Then press key down to go into Song Mixer and turn knob 2 in the fields MSB and ProgramChange to select the sound you have recorded.

Have a look into the last pages of the "tutorial". Here you find the corresponding MSB and ProgamChange Numbers for the sound.

At least you find the name of the sound in the 3rd line to control if you have adjusted the correct Numbers.

Tip: If you want to use Track 1 for Drums, you have to select 120 as MSB and 000 or higher for the Drumset.

How to just that I have figured out here.

Then press the "+" Key, which you find near the Tempo key, to switch the Track.

Now you will notice that MSB and ProgammChange can be adjusted to a different sound.

Unfortunately I could not find out why I can not use the Hex Layers for that. Combination MSB 97 does not work.  A bug?

 

Now we start a multitrack recording.

First we select Song (alread having one Track)

Then press Phrase twice (-> flashing "Record")

Then press Start: You will hear Track 1 playing and you can record your track.

If you press record again it will stop recording.

If you are not satisfied, press phrase again to get record flashing and start a next trial.

If you are satisfied, press write and select the number for the new phrase (201).

Before pressing Enter to save you can rename the Phrase.

Now if you press "Start" you will hear the just recorded phrase, because "Phrase" is glowing

Next step will be to put this phrase into the next track.

Turn off "Phrase", Press "Song" and "Edit"

Press Enter for "Track Edit"

Press the + Key (near the Tempo Key) to goto Zone 2

Press "insert" and turn knob 2 and +- Keys to select phrase 201

If you don't hear the correct sound, you must press "Exit" and Select "Song Mixer" and select a different sound.

If you had pressed "Start" you can hear your recorded tracks and can adjust others parameters like volume and pan hall etc.

Now press Exit , exit until you are back on top of the menu to save the song with the write button.

You will get a new version of your song, with one more track it you don't change the number of the song back.

If we can not assign a Hexlayer Sound to a Track or need a 9th track, you will be able record a phrase as a last step and play the Phrase with glowing button for this last track

Now you are able to record the full song with the audiorecorder.

The tempo is stored in the Song and must be adjusted there.

 

Best greetings from Ralf

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Wow Ralf. I can't wait to try that! Thanks so much. I have another silly question. If I plug a mic into the piano, where does it go? In the midi in or the line in? And will the USB record the mic vocals or just the happenings on the piano? I need to know what to buy and what kind of plug the mic needs to have. If the piano doesn't record the vocals I would simply buy a mic for the computer and then use a DAW to mix together I think. Thanks so much for all your help folks! I really appreciate it!!

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The question is aswered here. Use a 6,3 mm jack. But you will find in most cases the mic will be too silent. So use an preamplifier. The cheapest I found is this one. You will able to mix an external MIDI device with your voice and then connect it to the PX5S.

An other cheap alternative is the Behringer MIC100. There is a video review

.

 

But I suggest a better one with an internal effect for your voice, because you can not use the internal hall for audio which comes into the PX5. These signals only pass the equalizer and compressor.

To get voltage for an external amplifier it may be possible to use an USB 1->2 adapter. You can also get voltage from the batteryslot. Here we have 7 V. But I don't know an adapter for that. This would be a cludge. You will have to know how much power consumption you need an be sure that the USB Port of the PX5S will offer that.

 

Ralf

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Thanks Ralf! So with that set up the USB stick will record the voice as well as the music coming from the piano yes on one track? Instead of buying the preamp, mic and cables wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a mic and plug it into a computer and mix through the Daw? No need for preamp or cables then I think.

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Yes of course, but you were asking how to record your voice on the USB Stick which plugs into the PX5S.

It is recorded on one track in WAV File format together with the internal Sound.

Your idea of using a DAW just for amplifying the mic is curious, and I would not recommend this, but lets discuss it.

If you plug the Microphone to the "Mic In" of your computer and insert the "AudioOut" or "headphone out" of your computer to the AudioIn of the PX5 you will get a higher level for the microphone and would be able to mix and record it with the PX5S.

But your soundcard must be able to  "monitor" the input signal directly to the output. It is an more expensive variant to amplify a microphone with the computer but also possible. This soundcard normally will be blocked by this function and additionally can not be used by the DAW software. So if you have a DAW Software, you must have a independent second AudioInput for the computer, because the first AudioInput and AudioOut are used for amplifying the mic. If your computer has 2 independent AudioInputs your DAW Software will be able to record voice and Sound from the Keyboard on the second entry and you would not need the USB recording function on the PX5S.

Ralf

 

 

 

Ralf

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Thanks Ralf. I follow. I am still trying to figure out a really ridiculous way to record without buying any new stuff. You already know why and how what I'm trying wont work but I'm just trying everything I can think of. I'm running ardour in Linux and today I recorded using built in mic in audacity and tried to import wav file to ardour. Didn't even recognize the file. But enough about computers. Next stupid question. I'm playing stage setting 9-9 for example. Something with a drum beat. It is playing in 4/4 time. Is there a way to jam and have that converted to 3/4 or anything else? So far I have only found a waltz arpeggio and that's it. I promise I will take a break from these questions and practice all weekend if you can help me out here. Thanks again!

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