jimmyjames

Not sure if there are actually new samples and/or a firmware update coming out or if it is just a new series of stage settings based on current samples and firmware...anyone know?

ultra.klick, thanks for the tip on the Behringer but it's not what I'm looking for.  I need control for live playing.  I use the PX-5S and its weighted keys to drive the pianos on the NE4 (I have the SW for organ use) and it would be nice to have all the Nord effects controllable from the PX-5S.  I mapped the ones I could to a Stage Setting I posted just after the PX-5S came out.  Seems like twenty years ago but it's only been about eight months. Scott, Mike, any chance this is going to happen or should I just give up?

Lest it be forgotten, I wanted to put in my quarterly plug for the next ugrade, if there is one, to add the ability for the PX-5S to send MIDI messages for cc values 100 or greater.  A few of the controls on my Nord Electro 4 require this.  Thanks and happy holidays!

Thanks Mike...very helpful.

Let me start by expressing my thanks, first, to those that established and maintain this site and, second, to those who have contributed downloads of many different types and varieties. 

As to the latter, I would just throw out there that the Stage Settings Downloads section has, perhaps, grown too large for its current organization.  Here are a couple thoughts if you might consider streamlining it.  Many of the Stage Settings in the Downloads section are really tone-based.  For these, it would be great to be able to categorize these by instrument type.  Suggested categories for these would be 1) AP's, 2) EP's (including Rhodes, Wurlis and Clavs), 3) Organs and 4) Synths/other.  I am betting this will cover up to 80% of the posted Stage Settings.  Then, there are 5) multi-tone and/or arpeggiated settings to create an overall controllable dynamic sound across the keyboard and 6) others with different tones assigned to different portions of the keyboard to cover the multiple keyboard/synth parts in a particular song, for example, the "1901" setting I posted a few months ago.  Anyway, anyone posting a setting could be required to select one of these six categories for their setting as part of the posting process. 

I know that you can search by tags, and this helps, but us posters have not really been consistent in the use of monikers for this purpose.  Anyway, just a suggestion, especially to help those who are newer to the PX-5S and want to selectively add to their Stage Settings library without having to slog through, now, over 100 posted settings with many more to come I am sure.

Of a bit more of an editorial (and selfish) nature, I would love to see more Stage Settings developed that have the keyboard arranged to play cover songs that have multiple keyboard parts, again like the "1901" setting.  I wish I had more time, as I would work on some.  Out of curiosity, how many of you out there are using the PX-5S in cover bands? Would having a library of song-based Stage Settings would be useful?  Any particular song suggestions?  If any of you do and have developed settings for this purpose, I would encourage you to post them!  Thanks!

Thanks Mike!  Got whacked by a stomach virus so haven't had a chance to download 1.11 yet.    I know it is somewhere between a feature and a bug but did 1.11 change the ability of the PX-5S to send MIDI messages for values over CC 100?

Based on that, I'm guessing it might have something to do with 1.00 versus 1.10.  Perhaps I built my setting from one that was originally a 1.00 setting.  That would make some sense because portamento was introduced in 1.10...just a guess.

I gets funnier Brad.  Hit the preset a second time and...voila, the portamento is there...really strange.

Thanks Brad...I thought I was doing something stupid...that is usually the answer.  I posted the my setting but it appears to be a moot point.  I thought I heard Mike say that 1.11 was coming out soon fixing some bugs.  Wonder if this one was on the list....

File Name: Bruno Locked

File Submitter: jimmyjames

File Submitted: 16 Sep 2013

File Category: PX-5S Stage Settings

This is a four zone Stage Setting. From the bottom to the top of the keyboard, it contains a hex layer sawtooth bass sound (Zone 2), the hook sound used during the chorus (Zone 4), Ahh's to cover back up vocals during the bridge - chorus (Zone 3) and, finally, the top note is a hand clap (Zone 1). Other sound effects including woop's and huh's are covered by my Nord.

I am having a problem recalling a portamento parameter that is on the hook/Zone 4 tone. It is enabled when I save it as well as when I recall it, but the portamento is not functional on recall unless I disable and re-enable the portamento. This is located in the Tone Edit - Portamento menu (make sure you are in Zone 4).

Click here to download this file

OK, here's a weird one.  I have created a four zone Setting for Bruno Mars "Locked out of Heaven".  The fourth zone is that little hook riff in the chorus that has a bit of portamento in it.  So I have added this and it is there, but when I save it then recall it, the portamento is somehow disabled.  In the tone edit section and on the data editor it says it is still enabled, but unless I go in and disable then re-enable, it's not there.  I've checked this several times now.  Pretty sure it's a bug of some kind.  Any thoughts?  I'll post the setting if someone else wants to check it out.

maakr, great question and very much on my mind right now.  There is definitely way more than one right answer IMO.  I think it depends on your rig set up, the type of band you are in (or playing solo for the matter) and how rigid a player you are i.e., do you play your parts pretty much the same every time or do you improvise a lot.  I use the PX-5s in conjunction with a Nord Electro 4, am playing in a cover band that does everything from the Allman Brothers to Maroon 5 to Bruno Mars and I would say I'm an 8 out of 10 on the rigid scale. 

The band carries about 30 songs on its play list.  My current thought is to create one Stage Setting for every song that has every sound I need in it for that song (the setting will set the program on my Nord too).  I will line the Stage Settings up on the PX-5S in the order the set list (which I will hopefully get more than a few minutes before the gig), probably starting with 0-0.  I will probably then set up the 4 or the 9 bank with some generic settings: a straight piano, and Rhodes sound, a Wurli, in case we go into something unforeseen.  I have the PX-5s controlling the Nord via MIDI so I have a silent program on the Nord (32-4) if I just want to use the PX-5S.  If use the PX-5S to play any of the piano sounds on the Nord, I have the "Generator Out" setting "Off" on the PX-5S.  When I need them both, but seperate, I have to activate the program change feature, but disable the MIDI so I can use both keyboards.  This is a totally new rig (my dream set-up!) and it's all very complicated for an old man like me, but it is fun and is keeping my brain sharp (I think).  The different set-up possibilities are nearly endless!  Good luck and have fun when sorting this out the way that works best for you...!

Thanks for the reply David.  Not sure how I would access and isolate just that one "instrument" (which is the PX-5S name for a drum wave) to save it as a melody tone.  Anyway, I threw in the towel and totally redid the setting using drums in the first zone and partially overlapping sawtooth melody tones in the other three zones.  It was the first time I had worked with the drums in the editor.  It was interesting to figure out how to isolate the hand clap and assign it to a couple of notes.  There is incredible flexibility in the drum editor.  I will never take advantage of it but I'm sure someone out there will.

My band has decided to play this song so I am trying to create a Stage Setting.  I have a sample for my Nord to cover the "woops and huhs" and I have been able to create the saw wave sounds for the chorus on the PX-5S by modifying the 1901 setting I posted a couple months ago.  These are both Hex Layer tones in Zones 1 and 2.  I now want to add a hand clap sound, just on one key.  The only hand clap sound I can find is among the drum sounds. If this is it, I am presuming it has to go in Zone 1 which means I need to relocate the tone I have in Zone 1 to Zone 3 but I can't do this because it is a hex layer.  Anyone have any work around ideas for this other that trying to use one Hex Layer tone to cover the saw wave sounds in the chorus?

I've actually disabled the mod wheel on my grand piano patches in case I hit it by mistake....which I do on occasion when I am moving the adjacent knob or slider for example.

happyrat...I think you can do that and it is a very clever thought.  It would be a whole new technique to learn how to play it live though...my chops are definitely not up to that!

Wow Scott!  That looks awesome if it works as advertised.  I've worked with the Korg Legacy Collection as well as other Sonar-related soft synths but never took the time to integrate them into a live performance situation.  This might be the motivation!

Thanks for the creative thoughts jaspeter!!  I had started to think about creating a series of MIDI-triggered single chord phrases...my head started to spin with all the work it would take to create them and then to learn how to play them.  I think neither my bandmates nor the audience would really appreciate it...such is the lot of the modern keyboard player I guess.  I would love to hear/see anything you figure out though! 

Thanks for the quick reply as always Mike!  Seems like a simple mode to create with all the technology out there but I know nothing about keyboard hardware and software.  I guess it's just not a function that is in high demand but I'm hoping you could understand how it could be very useful for a live setting.  I usually wince when a hear a keyboard covering horn parts because, well, it sounds like a keyboard covering horn parts no matter how good the underlying samples are. 

I was thinking about setting up a couple hex layers one with a major triad and a second with a minor triad both in the first inversion so the trumpet is playing the root.  I'd use tones for the two remaining zones to somehow create a matching unison sound.  It would still be pretty limiting and it would be weird to learn how to play it.  You definitely wouldn't be able to cover " What is Hip" with it but maybe you could fake "Angels of Harlem" pretty well...we play the latter.  The other option of course, is to sequence it (phrase or song mode I guess) but then the drummer would need to play to a click track...that's not going to happen in our band.

My band recently kicked back to life.  We have a horn section with us most of time but I would like to be able to cover their parts for some of the songs if we don't have them for a gig.  The problem I have with layered horn settings, programs, etc on any keyboard I've ever played is that each note has all the horns playing when, in reality of course, each horn is playing just one note....usually a different one.  So let's say I want to mimic more precisely a simple trumpet/sax/trombone horn section.  I could create, three two octave zones on the keyboard for each but I would need very large hands to actually play the parts...and certainly playing any other piano or organ part would be out of the question.   It would be great to have a keyboard that had a "horn mode", where if you played a triad it would, for example, automatically assign the highest note to the trumpet, the middle note to the sax and the lowest note to the trombone.  I would set something like this up in one zone, a second zone where the three are set up in unison and a third with piano, organ or whatever as needed.  Anyway, this is a long winded preface to see if anyone has a work around idea to accomplish something like this on the PX 5S...thanks.

Sonny, I am presuming you are trying to modify the Vibe tone.  The tone editing menu is relatively limited.  I would suggest you create a new hex layer using the vibraphone wave which is number 66 or the GM vibraphone wave which is number 76 (I have not listened to them to see how different they sound).  This gives you much more detailed envelopes to work with to try to tame the attack transient to your liking.  You may find it advantageous to employ two or more layers of the same wave or similar waves within you hex layer tone to get the sound you want.  If you get something you like, please post it in the downloads section here!  Good luck...  JJ

Xagerado, I took a stab at creating an improved accordion sound.  You will find it posted in the downloads section.  Let me know what you think and if you have any suggested improvements.  You can work with the sliders and and knobs to re-eq the sound or soften the attack if it suits your ear better.

File Name: Accordion

File Submitter: jimmyjames

File Submitted: 06 Aug 2013

File Category: PX-5S Stage Settings

This Stage Setting attempts to improve upon the standard accordion tones that come with the PX5S. The underlying tone is a two-layer hex layer with the waves being the bandoneon samples. The knob/slider/modulation/pedal settings control the same functions as the ConcertGrand setting except:

• Knob 1 controls layer detuning so that you can increase the "musette" or "wet" effect of the sound as it is commonly referred to in accordion lingo. (* See further note on this below)
• The Mod Wheel adds tremolo as opposed to vibrato to better simulate what happens on the accordion when the bellows are manipulated to provide some modulation to a sustained sound...usually through a hand shaking motion.
  

All-in-all it is just not possible to incorporate all of the physical attributes of playing a real accordion into any tone or Stage Setting on the PX5S (or any other electronic keyboard I have played except the Roland V-Accordion of course), Nonetheless, I am hoping some of you can "squeeze" something useful out of this...(ugh...).

* For some reason, the Bandoneon waves seems to be sharp a fair amount so you will note if you dissect the tone settings, that I made a fine tuning adjustment. That may be a result of the detuning effect in the base waves themselves. When you detune the layers further with a Knob 1 adjustment, your ears may perceive the sound to be sharpening further. If you plan to use a detuned level more often, I would go in and further adjust the fine tune level...unless of course you like that bit of dissonance.

Click here to download this file

Well, no offense intended to anyone at Casio, but less face it...there was not a lot of time spent on the accordion sample.  Certainly Casio does not appear to have the passion about accordions that Mr Kakehashi from Roland has....that's understandable.  I've played the V Accordion and it is amazing.

I listened to my accordion as well as the sample on my Nord which is a very good one.  The Casio sample has an unnaturally strong attack which is both too harsh at the immediate outset and then rolls into a quarter second  "wow"-like sound before easing into the sustained sound.  It makes a run of notes sound like you are jerking the bellows on every note....you don't do that when you play the accordion.  I tried for a few minutes to adjust the amp and filter settings. I succeeded in softening the initial attack by putting a little time into the attack on the amp envelope but I was completely stymied in my efforts to reduce the "wow" thing using either the amp or filter envelopes. 

Also this appears to have only been a single sample spread across the board so the entire sound is very unrealistic once you move more than an octave or so away from middle C.  There is no way to fix this with EQ.  Mike, if you have any suggestions how to get rid of that "wow" thing (except perhaps a little for firmly struck notes which is probably a velocity adjustment of some sort), I think we could give Xagerado 24 or so OK notes to work with. 

I wish Joe...  Using a NE4.