PLEASE HELP! Pedal issue - sustain / tone

[promateur]

So my pedal started to malfunction.

 

It doesn't work! To be more exact, it gives the sound as if the pedal is pressed when the cable is not connected,

 

but when you connect the pedal cable, sustain ability does not work.

 

Simply put, if i connect the pedal there is no sustain. If i disconnect the pedal there is full non-stop sustain.

 

 

Is this setting issue, or is there something wrong with the keyboard itself?

 

Should I get an A/S?

 

 

Also, the tone of the piano is quite weird.

 

I disabled the Auto Resume function, the tone is still quite funky. When I connect to a VSTi, the sound is fine

 

as I'm using the sound within the sound installed in my program.

 

 

I don't know what is wrong with the keyboard, I even bought a new sustain pedal today and realized after

 

that the pedal wasn't the problem.

 

 

[Null]

The PX-5S has Pedal Polarity Detection built in.

 

This means that if you plug your pedal in before you turn it on it will automatically detect the polarity of the pedal on bootup and should default to a sustain off position as long as you don't hold the pedal down while booting up.

 

Is this is the procedure you are following or are you trying to plug it in after you've powered it up?

 

Gary

[promateur]

Hi Gary,

 

thanks for the reply.

 

I connected the pedal after the boot up, and it still automatically gives full sustain even when pedal is not pressed.

 

I tried connecting the pedal, then pressing the pedal down while booting it up, and now it doesn't read the pedal signal,

 

as there is no sustain whatsoever even when I press the pedal or not press the pedal.

 

In this case, when I disconnect the pedal AFTER the boot up, it gives full sustain now.

 

A note is being fully sustained, and when I connect the pedal sustain suddenly stops.

[Null]

OK, first of all try this.

 

1) Connect the pedal

 

2) Turn on the PX-5S

 

3) DO NOT PRESS THE PEDAL WHILE THE KEYBOARD BOOTS.

 

4) Pedal should function normally

 

If the above procedure does not give you the desired results, then there's a few other things to check before sending it back for repair.

 

1) Back up all of your stage settings and try a factory reset. 

 

If this works, then great.

 

If this does not work then

 

1) Back up all of your settings, reinstall the latest firmware, then initialize the keyboard with a factory reset.

 

If none of these procedures works, then you have some sort of hardware problem and need to get an RMA to return the unit for repair.

 

Gary

[Null]

BTW, what is the make and model of the pedal?  Does it have a TS or a TRS connector?  Is it an ordinary sustain pedal or is it a half damper pedal or CC expression pedal?  Does it have a polarity switch on it?

[promateur]

Gary,

 

2 pedals are M-AUDIO SP2 and YAMAHA FC3. M-AUDIO pedal had been working for about a month, but now it's not.

 

That's why I thought it was a pedal problem, and I bought a new pedal which is Yamaha FC3.

 

But it gave me the same problem, making me realize it actually could be a problem within the keyboard itself.

 

I already tried initializing/resetting to a factory setting several times, and when I connect the headphone

 

directly to the keyboard the concert grand piano sound still sounds very funky and weird.

 

And pedal doesn't work. I don't really know how to "instal" the firmware update to my keyboard,

 

but I think probably it's the keyboard's problem, as resetting to a factory setting doesn't solve the issue.

 

It's weird because sustain being there when pedal is NOT connected, and not being there when it IS connected,

 

means that the machine can still read the connection. However, I don't know why it is in backwards.

 

 

I may have to get a customer service on this one... but even then I don't know where to begin.

 

I bought it from a guitar center with pro coverage for 2 years, but I also know that there is a CASIO warranty of 1 year

 

that came with it. Is there a difference which warranty I use? And how should I begin getting customer service on the product??

 

 

It's sad that this happened within like a month after purchase.

[Joe Muscara]

To redo the firmware update, see this thread. The video posted in the thread goes through the steps.

 

http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/5717-privia-px-5s-firmware-update-v112-available/

 

Where are you located? Maybe there's someone near you that can help with all this.

 

Also, please confirm that you connect the pedal BEFORE turning on the PX-5S, and DO NOT TOUCH the pedal until the PX-5S has finished booting up. Your earlier post has you describing doing the opposite.

[promateur]

Hi Joe,

 

Thanks, I will follow the procedure and try the firmware update.

 

And yes I tried connecting the pedal before booting it up without touching the pedal, and now after the boot up there is still no sustain regardless of if i press the pedal or not.

 

And if I disconnect the pedal after the boot up, it gives full sustain.

 

And I live in Boston area.

[Null]

If you have an ohmmeter you can check the resistance of the pedal at the plug end.  Just touch each probe tip to the ring and the tip of the TS plug of the pedal and check the resistance of the pedal when you step on it.  It should about zero or 1 or 2 ohms when the pedal is pressed and infinite when the pedal is released.

[promateur]

Uh I dont have ohmmeter, but I won't forget to try it when I get my hands on one! 

[promateur]

I'm uploading a video on youtube about this issue, and it's being uploaded now;

 

I will post it to this thread once it's done uploaded. I recorded the whole thing,

 

and u can hear the funky sound issue AND the sustian pedal issue.

 

I asked guitar center for replacement, and they said if I bring it to there they will look into what they can do,

 

but I just wanted to make sure if this was something related with the setting or it actually is the keyboard's problem.

 

 

Thank you for your help, guys!

[promateur]

 

 

here it is

[gjasko]

Your Modulation wheel (far left side of PX-5S) is turned on.  Move it all the way towards you and the 'wobble' sound should go away.  I'm not sure about the sustain pedal issue.

[gjasko]

 

 

here it is

Your Modulation wheel (far left side of PX-5S) is turned on.  Move it all the way towards you and the 'wobble' sound should go away.

[promateur]

wow I actually solved the problem. The wobble sound did go away. thank you, and I tried connecting the first pedal which I thought was broken, and the keyboard works perfectly with nice sustain. However, the new pedal I just bought still doesnt work. I will look more into this problem, but hopefully I won't have to refund the thing.

[saguaro_48]

CUT>>>>

 

I may have to get a customer service on this one... but even then I don't know where to begin.

 

I bought it from a guitar center with pro coverage for 2 years, but I also know that there is a CASIO warranty of 1 year

 

that came with it. Is there a difference which warranty I use? And how should I begin getting customer service on the product??

========================================================================

 

According to the ONLINE REGISTRATION site, Casio will extend the warranty on certain products when you register.  I do not know it the PX-5S is included.

[Brad Saucier]

Hi Promateur, here are some points for you. 

 

1) Registering the PX-5s online with Casio extends the factory warranty to 3 years.   http://www.onlineregister.com/casio/registration/?category=Keyboards

 

2) The Yamaha FC3 pedal is a half damper pedal.  It's not compatible with the PX-5s.   It's only compatible with a handful of keyboards even among Yamaha's own line.  http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalkeyboards/portable_keyboards/570/3459

 

3) Your PX-5s should've included a Casio SP-3 sustain pedal in the box.  You don't mention it. 

[cpcohen]

Hi Joe,

 

Thanks, I will follow the procedure and try the firmware update.

 

And yes I tried connecting the pedal before booting it up without touching the pedal, and now after the boot up there is still no sustain regardless of if i press the pedal or not.

 

And if I disconnect the pedal after the boot up, it gives full sustain.

 

And I live in Boston area.

OK -- you have identified the problem, I think.   [You have intrigued an ex-programmer . . . ]

 

Two kinds of sustain pedals:

 

. . . normally open  (the switch is _open-circuit_ when you're not pressing it);

 

. . . normally closed (the switch is "short-circuit" (closed-circuit)) when you're not pressing it.

 

The boot-up routine asks:

 

. . . Is the pedal jack open-circut right now?

 

If "yes", it assumes that you have a "normally open" pedal connected.

 

If "no" (it's short-circuited), it assumes that you have a "normally closed" pedal.

 

. . . Your boot-up routine thinks the answer is "no" -- it believes that you're using a normally-closed pedal.

 

When you pull the pedal plug out of the jack, the jack becomes an "open circuit".   So the piano (not smart enough to know that you've pulled the plug) says:

 

. . . Ah -- "open circuit" -- all dampers raised, please!

 

I suspect that the piano is working perfectly.

 

The most-likely cause for this problem is a bad (probably short-circuited) cable to the sustain pedal.

 

Another possible cause is a bad sustain pedal -- the switch inside (controlled by the pedal) isn't working right.

 

Another possible cause (especially with the M-Audio SP-2 pedal, which can be set to _either_ "normally-open" or "normally-closed", with a switch on the bottom of the pedal) is a flaky switch, or bad contact inside the pedal.

 

It is possible that the pedal jack on the piano is faulty, but you _really_ want to check out the pedal first.  

 

An ohmmeter, or simple "continuity tester", can diagnose problems with the cable and pedal.

 

.            Charles

 

PS -- I'm not sure if the Yamaha FC-3 pedal uses a switch (on/off), or a potentiometer (for "continuous half-pedal" control).  I know the M-Audio SP-2 is "on/off".

[Joe Muscara]

PS -- I'm not sure if the Yamaha FC-3 pedal uses a switch (on/off), or a potentiometer (for "continuous half-pedal" control).  I know the M-Audio SP-2 is "on/off".

 

Great post, Charles! And your point about the Yamaha pedal is a good one. The FC-3 does support half-pedal, so that one may not work at all. I might try plugging my expression pedal into my PX-5S to see if it's just as confused. 

[Brad Saucier]

Regarding the FC3 pedal..... This is a better link than the one I used above. 

 

http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalkeyboards/portable_keyboards/570/3459

[cpcohen]

If the FC-3 supports "half-damper" operation, it probably _won't_ be compatible with the PX-5S "sustain pedal" jack.  

 

Actually, there's an easy test for "Is the piano broken?" :

 

. . . Plug a 1/4" TS ("mono") plug, with two wires coming out, into the "sustain" jack;

 

. . . Turn on the PX-5S.

 

. . . The piano should play normally (no "sustain" effect).

 

. . . Connect the wires together.

 

. . . The piano should play with "sustain" effect (dampers off).

 

If that's what happens, the piano is fine, and the problem is with the pedal.

 

.              Charles

[JaCo]

I am a new (Canadian!) user with exactly this problem.  My keyboard was working perfectly for 10 days.  I had updated the firmware and installed the alternate stage settings.  Yesterday I installed some tones and stage settings and the sound turned wonky and the sustain will not work.  I have turned auto resume off;  I have initialized back to factory settings.  I adjusted modulation wheel which seems to have corrected the sound (however, I had never touched the wheel previously), but the sustain still will not function.  Could a stage setting be responsible? (4slidersRay4knobs)?  I'm using an M-Audio pedal.  I'd hate to have to return the keyboard.

[Brad Saucier]

Try the Casio SP-3 pedal with all of the stage settings.  Does stage setting 0-0 CncrtGrnd or any others work with the pedal?  Also, have your pedal plugged in and not depressed when powering on the px5s.

[JaCo]

I took my pedal back to the store today and they tested it with the meter and found it wasn't working, so replaced it.   The music store owner said it was the first M-Audio pedal he had seen returned in his long career.  Brought the new M-Audio (universal) pedal home, worked fine.  Had a practice tonight, and midway through, again my new pedal doesn't work.  Powered down, back up, etc. 

 

I don't have the Casio pedal. The unit had been rented out once and I bought it used but in perfect condition (from Long & McQuade). The Casio pedal was "lost".  The sustain pedal is ineffective with all tones including pianos and all stage settings including 0-0 Grand. The pedal is plugged in, not depressed, when powering up.  Any ideas on what the cause is and what to try next?    Order a Casio pedal, I guess.

[Brad Saucier]

The M-audio pedal is compatible with the Casio.  Is it possible the replacement also went bad?  It is odd that these usually rock solid pedals from m-audio are not working.  There's really nothing on the px5 that would disable the pedal globally so easy. I suspect the pedal again.