Needing help regarding MIDI, for Casio Privia PX-350M

[JoeyGrace]

I'M REALLY HOPING SOMEONE CAN HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT. Okay, so, I bought an instrument called a laser harp. This thing shoots out lasers, and when you place your hand over the lasers you can play notes. The laser harp itself does not have speakers and cannot be "played" as an instrument... it needs to be connected either to a DAW or to a Midi controller. I connected the Midi Out of my laser harp to the Midi In of my Casio Privia PX-350M. When I turn everything on, I've ONLY been able to get the Casio to produce the sound of a piano. If I change the sound to, let's say, strings, the sound of strings will happen when I actually press the keys and play the keyboard with Local Control on... but the sound controlled by the laser harp is ONLY piano. I figured out how to turn Local Control "off", which is a good first step. But this dang thing still only plays "piano". I guess I need someone to tell me how to assign a different sound (such as strings) to Midi. I understand that I need to hit the "Function" button and then scroll thru to "Midi".... but at that point, I am lost. I've spent three straight days trying to figure this out and I'm going bonkers. If anyone can figure this out, I will be forever grateful!!! 

[Brad Saucier]

The keyboard has 32 different tone parts.  MIDI input channel 1 is assigned to the song recorder track 1 (T1, not to be confused with the system track). 

 

Usually tone selection is handled by the external MIDI device with program change messages.  However, there could be a workaround, although I can't try it since I don't have this specific model.  It does work on some other models.

 

Carefully follow the procedure in the manual called "recording to a specific track (part)".  You'll be creating a user song which you choose a specific tone for track 1, and since this is shared with MIDI input channel 1, your laser harp will also play that tone.

 

Load this song whenever you want that tone.  This assumes your harp is transmitting on channel 1, it probably is. 

[JoeyGrace]

16 hours ago, Brad Saucier said:

The keyboard has 32 different tone parts.  MIDI input channel 1 is assigned to the song recorder track 1 (T1, not to be confused with the system track). 

 

Usually tone selection is handled by the external MIDI device with program change messages.  However, there could be a workaround, although I can't try it since I don't have this specific model.  It does work on some other models.

 

Carefully follow the procedure in the manual called "recording to a specific track (part)".  You'll be creating a user song which you choose a specific tone for track 1, and since this is shared with MIDI input channel 1, your laser harp will also play that tone.

 

Load this song whenever you want that tone.  This assumes your harp is transmitting on channel 1, it probably is. 

BRAD SAUCIER, YOU ARE A LEGEND. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

[IanB]

Brad Saucier: THE LEGEND IS REAL! 😆

[JoeyGrace]

On 8/9/2022 at 5:29 AM, Brad Saucier said:

The keyboard has 32 different tone parts.  MIDI input channel 1 is assigned to the song recorder track 1 (T1, not to be confused with the system track). 

 

Usually tone selection is handled by the external MIDI device with program change messages.  However, there could be a workaround, although I can't try it since I don't have this specific model.  It does work on some other models.

 

Carefully follow the procedure in the manual called "recording to a specific track (part)".  You'll be creating a user song which you choose a specific tone for track 1, and since this is shared with MIDI input channel 1, your laser harp will also play that tone.

 

Load this song whenever you want that tone.  This assumes your harp is transmitting on channel 1, it probably is. 

Hello, Brad! An update... So, I had hoped to be able to "save" 16 different sounds from the Privia 350M, one sound saved to each of the 16 channels. The page you had directed me to in the manual claims that you're able to save sounds AND record songs on each of the 16 channels. I do not need to record anything on the channels, I had ONLY hoped to save 16 different sounds so that when I use the laser harp on stage, I can just choose one of the 16 channels and BOOM! Have the pre-saved sound I want. However, I still have not been able to figure out how to do that. The ONLY thing I HAVE been able to do is hit the "Song Recorder" button twice in a row, so it flashes, and then leave it flashing and play the laser harp... and any time I want to choose a new sound, I just have to go ahead and choose it on the Privia by pushing the corresponding buttons to the sounds I want (like I normally would if I were just playing the Privia). Any thoughts on this? I mean, as long as I hit that Song Recorder button twice so it flashes, then I'm at least able to play the laser harp. (Even though I do not understand, technically, why this works.) Any thoughts/insights you might still. have are appreciated. Hope you are well! Thank you in advance for your ideas.  -Joey Grace

[Brad Saucier]

You'll need to record something to each track with the song recorder to store tone selections for all 16 parts.  The song writes this data for each track as you record something.  It can be something simple like a quick press of the sustain pedal.  You'll need to playback the song to recall the tones.  I'm not sure if tone selections will remain active after playback stops.  Hopefully it does, so you won't have to record a very long silent song.  

[Jokeyman123]

If you don't record your sound selections to a silent "master track"-the system track that is and as a song, the sounds will not be retained. One of the drawbacks of the PX350 if you need to do alot multi-track work. Once you do that, by selecting each "song" track I recall you will be able to select each sound by selecting the track you assigned it to. I don't have the 350 anymore, so i could be wrong but i think that is how I had to do it. And i don't remember if the selected song had to be in song record mode or just playback mode to do this. I'd need to look over the manual again to review-and my old posts here....I did alot of work with the 350 before i decided to go for the 560.