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MIDI Playback in PX-350 -- Monophonic ?


cpcohen
Go to solution Solved by Mike Martin,

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I'll be doing some experiments in the next few days, but somebody might know the answer:

 

If I play a MIDI file from the PX-350 USB drive, through the GrandPianoConcert voice:

 

. . . Is the output of the PX-350 monophonic (L and R channels have the same signal) 

. . . . . or stereophonic (L and R channels have different signals) ?

 

Thanks --

 

.          Charles

 

PS -- this doesn't come out of the blue.  I just posted a PX-350 playback of a MIDI file, and a knowledgeable listener said "It's not stereo!"  And I'm pretty sure I recorded in stereo, processed it in stereo, and compressed it in stereo.

 

PPS -- you will not be able to arrive at the answer through pure logic.  

 

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I am just spit balling here but I think this has to do with the way the PX-350 allocates voices for MIDI playback. My theory: When you are just using the main piano sound and playing, it uses a lot of system resources to produce that full, rich sound. If you are playing back a  MIDI file the PX-350 needs to "preserve" system resources as the MIDI file can be up to 16 tracks all playing different sounds --- so even if you are just playing back a single piano track from a MIDI file, the PX-350 will still play it in "piano lite" mode.  The GM sounds themselves may be in mono, but you should be able to pan them -- I am guessing if you play back a well produced multi-track MIDI file, you fill find it is in stereo with sounds panned.  I hope all of  this makes sense..

Now there MAY be a way to program the MIDI file so it uses the full Grand Piano sound in stereo by using some Bank/Prog or NRPN commands. I will check into that for you. 

 

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OK, just ran some tests.

 

Found inconsistencies which bear out what BradMZ is saying. All my multi-track .CMS (song) files and multitrack ,MID files play back in stereo, at least from the headphone jack, have to assume the main outs will be the same. However, when I play back piano compositions in .MID format recorded by others (played a few pre-recorded Debussy and Chopin tracks I have as .MID files stored on the thumb drive) these came out as monophonic even if I called up a stereo piano tone-the .mid file will use whatever GM piano program/bank change is embedded in the file and the GM piano tones are not stereo. Which brings up another issue I can't figure out wich may be related to this.

 

I have noticed that the GM pianos in tone moded seem to introduce a phase-cancellation sound-as if 2 tones have been superimposed on each other, but are not in phase-as if these are being layered-not a pleasing effect. I don't notice this as much playing back piano .MID files but this might be due to the rapid passages obscuring the effect.

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  • Solution
  1. The GM tones are not the same as the others / that is part of the GM spec.  Yes its mono not stereo.
  2. The sound you see selected on the screen has nothing to do with the sound the SMF file is playing back

Your best option is to edit the .MID file and change the bank/program information for the track to choose the (better) sounds you want.

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