New here, bought new Yamaha PSR, have questions

[Doctor Blue]

Hi,
I am a returning keyboard student after many years away. I learned piano as a kid, hated the lessons, and then started up again, and then quit because my teacher at the time only knew how to teach classical. I am back with keyboard after a long absence but think I can pick it up fairly easily. I also play acoustic and electric guitar but I need a break from it.

I got inspired to take up the keyboard again after watching that "Piano Guy" and his infomercials. I thought, I play by ear, I can do that, I should start again. I would LOVE to play my favorite songs.

So I traded in my old Yamaha stage piano that was collecting dust and bought a PSR-e363 yesterday. It's so light and portable and full of great sounds and possibilities. The manual has a lot of facts but not much in terms of how to get going making music. That is what lead me here.

I am interested to know what apps I can connect with to expand my learning opportunities? I would like to know from the forum members if I can connect it to my iPad and access the Yamaha app called Notestar (and/or other apps) that would allow me to access and learn songs, beyond the onboard educational capability? I saw a couple of You Tube videos on Notestar and other apps but I wanted to make sure that my new PSR e363 is compatible with them.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Yes, you should be able to connect your PSR-E363 to an iPad. What version iPad do you have? With my old iPad 2, I have to use the Camera Connection Kit, but I think I remember seeing something about Apple changing the name for the later versions. Yamaha's web site should list the apps that will work with the PSR-E363.

 

[Ted Nicoson]

Blueser
Michael

I have a full sized iPad 3, and it uses the large 32 pin connection and corresponding Camera Connection Kit. Use of the small 8 pin "Lightning" connector was introduced on the full sized iPad 4 and all of the iPad Minis.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Yes, you should be able to connect your PSR-E363 to an iPad. What version iPad do you have? With my old iPad 2, I have to use the Camera Connection Kit, but I think I remember seeing something about Apple changing the name for the later versions. Yamaha's web site should list the apps that will work with the PSR-E363.

I have an old first gen iPad but my guess is that I will need to upgrade. I have access to an Ipad 2 that I can try it out on first to see if it works.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Blueser
Michael

I have a full sized iPad 3, and it uses the large 32 pin connection and corresponding Camera Connection Kit. Use of the small 8 pin "Lightning" connector was introduced on the full sized iPad 4 and all of the iPad Minis.

Ok that is good to know. So if I get a newer ipad with the Lightning connector then I won't need the Camera Connection kit or another adapter?

 

[Ted Nicoson]

With a newer iPad, you would need the "Lightning" Camera Connection Kit. The kit for the older iPads consisted of two plastic blocks - both with 32 pin connectors on one side that connected to the iPad, and one with a USB connector on the opposite side and the other with an SD memory card slot on the opposite side. You use one or the other, depending upon what you are connectng to at the time. The "Lightning" connector kit consists of two short adapter cables - both with an 8 pin "Lightning" connection on one end, and one with a USB connector on the other end, and one with an SD memory card slot on the other end. They are more than just passive physical "adapters", as they also contain active electronic interface circuitry that draw their power from the iPad. There are also third party kits being marketed for both original and "Lightning" iPads that combine both the USB and SD card adapters into a single unit

 

[Doctor Blue]

With a newer iPad, you would need the "Lightning" Camera Connection Kit. The kit for the older iPads consisted of two plastic blocks - both with 32 pin connectors on one side that connected to the iPad, and one with a USB connector on the opposite side and the other with an SD memory card slot on the opposite side. You use one or the other, depending upon what you are connectng to at the time. The "Lightning" connector kit consists of two short adapter cables - both with an 8 pin "Lightning" connection on one end, and one with a USB connector on the other end, and one with an SD memory card slot on the other end. They are more than just passive physical "adapters", as they also contain active electronic interface circuitry that draw their power from the iPad. There are also third party kits being marketed for both original and "Lightning" iPads that combine both the USB and SD card adapters into a single unit

I am going to get a new ipad today but am not exactly sure about what the adapter looks like/is called. Could you kindly post a link (Amazon, best buy) etc to the one I need thank you.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

For an older iPad:

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-Camera-Connection-Kit/dp/B003RV3N1C/

For a newer iPad:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VGHG0U/

The difference has to do with the data port on the iPad. The older models had a wider port ("30 pin"), whereas the newer models have a lightning port which is much narrower.

 

[Doctor Blue]

For an older iPad:

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-Camera-Connection-Kit/dp/B003RV3N1C/

For a newer iPad:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VGHG0U/

The difference has to do with the data port on the iPad. The older models had a wider port ("30 pin"), whereas the newer models have a lightning port which is much narrower.

Okay thanks I got the kit and the other cable that goes with it. I downloaded a bunch of Yamaha apps to my new ipad. I have my cables all plugged in. Unfortunately, I cannot get the Digital Controller app to talk to my PSR-e363. Looked so easy on the You Tube video. The keyboard manual is not too helpful, and says to download a couple of different PDF manuals, "Computer-related operations" and an ipad manual. I downloaded those and can't make heads or tails. It looks very old school 1980's when I only had MIDI. Any suggestions?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

"Digital Controller" app? I'll have to see what that is.

EDIT: I don't see a "Digital Controller" app. Do you mean the "Digital Piano Controller" app? I'm not sure whether it works with Yamaha keyboards in general, or only with specific models, such as the Clavinova line. I'm installing it now on my iPad 2, but I seem to have misplaced my Camera Connection Kit, so I can't connect my keyboards to my iPad right now.

EDIT #2: Or do you mean the "Sound Controller" app? That one should be compatible, as far as I know. Is whichever app you're talking about giving you any sort of message, or just not working?

 

[Doctor Blue]

"Digital Controller" app? I'll have to see what that is.

EDIT: I don't see a "Digital Controller" app. Do you mean the "Digital Piano Controller" app? I'm not sure whether it works with Yamaha keyboards in general, or only with specific models, such as the Clavinova line. I'm installing it now on my iPad 2, but I seem to have misplaced my Camera Connection Kit, so I can't connect my keyboards to my iPad right now.

EDIT #2: Or do you mean the "Sound Controller" app? That one should be compatible, as far as I know. Is whichever app you're talking about giving you any sort of message, or just not working?

Sorry for the confusion. Yes I meant the "Digital Piano Controller" app. It probably doesn't work with the PSR, as I noticed in the setup on the app it only gives a selection of certain digital pianos (e.g., NP12, P115, YPT etc) but no PSR. I probably got confused because I had been considering just buying a no-frills digital piano like an NP12 or NP32 but decided I wanted a PSR type keyboard instead. I had watched a You Tube video demo of the digital piano controller app but it was demo'd with the NP12.

I was able to get my keyboard to talk to the NoteStar app without any trouble, so I know that my setup is working.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Was it YPT, or YPG? The reason I ask is because YPT is just another name (presumably for export reasons) for certain PSR-E models-- e.g., the YPT-360 is the same as the PSR-E363-- whereas YPG is just another name for certain DGX models-- e.g., the YPG-235 is the same as the DGX-230. So if it was YPT, that might suggest that it could potentially work with the PSR-E363.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Was it YPT, or YPG? The reason I ask is because YPT is just another name (presumably for export reasons) for certain PSR-E models-- e.g., the YPT-360 is the same as the PSR-E363-- whereas YPG is just another name for certain DGX models-- e.g., the YPG-235 is the same as the DGX-230. So if it was YPT, that might suggest that it could potentially work with the PSR-E363.

My bad. It is "YDP" and there are only a few model options to choose from within the app, none of which is a PSR. I guess it's redundant since I can control a lot of these functions on the PSR.

I had a chance to download/purchase a few good piano songs from Notestar ("Hello" by Adele, and "Imagine" by Lennon). But I notice that I am almost running out of keyboard real estate on the bass side if I play the songs as written. But it sounds great!

I started fiddling around with the built-in style patterns but I notice that the backing styles/drum patterns are very low volume compared to the level of the grand piano and other keyboard sounds. Is there a way to balance this out?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

You can't change the balance between the different parts of the internal styles, but you can change the overall balance between the style as a whole and each of the keyboard parts using four volume functions-- StyleVol (or Style Volume), M.Volume (or Main Volume), D.Volume (or Dual Volume), and S.Volume (or Split Volume).

The Style Volume should default to 100, but you can turn it-- or any of the other volume functions-- up as high as 127. Yamaha seems to treat the volumes as percentages, so if that's correct then a Style Volume of 100 will play each of the style parts at 100% of their set volumes, whereas 50 will play them at 50%, 127 will play them at 127%, etc. But I haven't confirmed that supposition.

In any case, there are up to 8 style parts, and each one is set to a particular volume by the style's initialization messages. If you're using an external style file, you can load the style file into a program on your computer-- such as MixMaster or one of Jorgen Sorensen's programs-- to modify the volumes of the individual style parts. But there aren't any functions or controls on the keyboard that let you modify the volumes of the parts of the internal styles. On a PSR-S model you can copy an internal style to a user style and then modify it. The PSR-E models don't have that capability, but if you're up for a bit of work you could record each of the sections and variations of a style to a DAW, save it as a MIDI file, and then use Jorgen Sorensen's Midi2Style program to create a style file from the MIDI file.

However, since the overall Style Volume defaults to 100, the problem might not be the volumes of the various style parts so much as the volumes of the keyboard parts. Yamaha seems to use a relatively high volume for a keyboard's Acoustic Grand Piano sound (Voice 001), such as 122 or thereabouts-- it varies a bit from model to model. But then Yamaha will use low volumes for many of the other voices, such as 050!

So rather than trying to crank up the Style Volume to compete with the keyboard parts, you might want to set the Style Volume to 100, or maybe a little higher if you think it's needed, and adjust the Master Volume dial so the style sounds good. Then adjust the Main Volume, Dual Volume, and Split Volume as needed so the three keyboard parts can also be clearly heard but don't overpower the style.

 

[Doctor Blue]

You can't change the balance between the different parts of the internal styles, but you can change the overall balance between the style as a whole and each of the keyboard parts using four volume functions-- StyleVol (or Style Volume), M.Volume (or Main Volume), D.Volume (or Dual Volume), and S.Volume (or Split Volume).

The Style Volume should default to 100, but you can turn it-- or any of the other volume functions-- up as high as 127. Yamaha seems to treat the volumes as percentages, so if that's correct then a Style Volume of 100 will play each of the style parts at 100% of their set volumes, whereas 50 will play them at 50%, 127 will play them at 127%, etc. But I haven't confirmed that supposition.

In any case, there are up to 8 style parts, and each one is set to a particular volume by the style's initialization messages. If you're using an external style file, you can load the style file into a program on your computer-- such as MixMaster or one of Jorgen Sorensen's programs-- to modify the volumes of the individual style parts. But there aren't any functions or controls on the keyboard that let you modify the volumes of the parts of the internal styles. On a PSR-S model you can copy an internal style to a user style and then modify it. The PSR-E models don't have that capability, but if you're up for a bit of work you could record each of the sections and variations of a style to a DAW, save it as a MIDI file, and then use Jorgen Sorensen's Midi2Style program to create a style file from the MIDI file.

However, since the overall Style Volume defaults to 100, the problem might not be the volumes of the various style parts so much as the volumes of the keyboard parts. Yamaha seems to use a relatively high volume for a keyboard's Acoustic Grand Piano sound (Voice 001), such as 122 or thereabouts-- it varies a bit from model to model. But then Yamaha will use low volumes for many of the other voices, such as 050!

So rather than trying to crank up the Style Volume to compete with the keyboard parts, you might want to set the Style Volume to 100, or maybe a little higher if you think it's needed, and adjust the Master Volume dial so the style sounds good. Then adjust the Main Volume, Dual Volume, and Split Volume as needed so the three keyboard parts can also be clearly heard but don't overpower the style.

Okay thank you for that explanation. Is "Main Volume" and "Master Volume" the same thing? You mention both so I want to make sure if they are different.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Master Volume is the knob that controls the volume of the keyboard's speakers.

Main Volume is the menu function setting that controls the volume of the Main Voice.

 

[Rayblewit]

I did not know there was a difference between "master" and "main"
Always learning stuff here. Thanks SeaGt and thanks Blueser for asking.
Ray