Roland Fp50 and midi program change not working

[coppo23]

Our keyboard player uses an FP50 and we need some way of automating program changes - need to be able to choose tones on up to two layers, select tuning etc and a few more basic things that change from song to song.

Currently using registrations but there are not enough of those. Also it would be useful to link it in to our lyrics package or midi commander.

I cannot get the keyboard to send or accept program changes.
Currently using android midi commander via usb to midi cable. The midi connection is working - I can record notes and control changes but NOT program changes. I can send notes ok
I have also tried Roland piano app but that fails to connect at all.

Is the keyboard just so basic it doesn't have this capability or am I missing something obvious.

Thanks

 

[Gourockian]

Here's the link for the Midi Implementation data for the FP-50. Page 4 gives Program Change details

https://www.roland.com/us/support/b...manuals/01485a85-a7e9-43cb-8212-17b35f0278a1/.

I hope this helps.

Al

 

[seanL122]

Page four Program Change section says "Not received when Rx. PROGRAM CHANGE = OFF. (Initial value is ON)"

So see page six, where it shows the "GM2 On" or the "GS reset".

I think you should try sending a GS Reset, then Bank Select MSB and LSB, and then a Program Change, and see what happens.

Sean

 

[coppo23]

Here's the link for the Midi Implementation data for the FP-50. Page 4 gives Program Change details

https://www.roland.com/us/support/b...manuals/01485a85-a7e9-43cb-8212-17b35f0278a1/.

I hope this helps.

Al

Thanks for that - unfortunately have been there already. Have been through all that with a fine toothcomb - several times!. I can send notes easily enough but the keyboard neither accepts nor sends program or bank changes.

One possible alley I haven't gone down yet but wondered if others have....
Maybe the the physical keyboard is linked to the sound module using some connection I am not having any effect on. Maybe my transmitted program changes are changing the tone but that is NOT the tone the physical keyboard is connected to???

In theory most settings are at factory defaults apart from some of the registrations. There is a setting to allow control changes which is supposed to be defaulted at ON but I can't help wondering if that is actually OFF. Also - I do;t think it woudl prevent the keyboard sending PC messages so am assuming that isnt the cause. I am reluctant to default the keyboard to find out as there are some useful patches stored in registrations. My gut feel is that maybe the keyboard is a home device not really a stage instrument and the feature simply isn't implemented. (Like you point out though - the documents imply it should be there.)

Page four Program Change section says "Not received when Rx. PROGRAM CHANGE = OFF. (Initial value is ON)"

So see page six, where it shows the "GM2 On" or the "GS reset".

I think you should try sending a GS Reset, then Bank Select MSB and LSB, and then a Program Change, and see what happens.

Sean

Thanks. I did wonder if Rx ProgramChange was involved but the Initial Value ON made me hope not. (Also i didn't want to accidentally screw thing up by defaulting the whole thing. I don't have access to the keyboard till after the weekend but will have a go then.

 

[happyrat1]

Keyboard has to enable TXprog and module has to enable RXprog and everyone should be on the same MIDI channel.

If all conditions are met, it should work.

Also check if everyone is using same addressing mode. ie. Controller 0 or Controller 32 or MSB LSB.

 

[coppo23]

Thanks all for chipping in. I will have access to the keyboard again tomorrow so will do some more playing - see if I can get it working.
Coppo

 

[coppo23]

Sorry for the delay. Have finally got the FP50 keyboard back again and done some more playing.

I can send midi info into from a sequencer into the keyboard to set any midi channel up to any sound I want - that works OK. Program changes work as expected for the midi song data. I can set multiple midi channels to any sounds i want and it all works as expected.

However;- The physical keyboard ONLY ever plays whatever is selected on the front panel. It is almost like it is hardcoded as an invisible midi channel 17. It will sort of work if I turn off local control but the lag via an android tablet using midi thru is too long.

Does this give anyone any ideas as to what I may need to do to get it working?
Many thanks.
Coppo

 

[coppo23]

SOLVED not! - After a long multi message chat with Roland I have a definitive answer. The Roland Fp-50 does not and cannot operate this way. The engine that produces sounds from midi input and the engine that produces sounds from the built in keyboard are different entities. Midi messages cannot control or alter in any way the sounds produced by the built in keyboard engine. Roland's suggested 'fix' is upgrade to a RD2000EX - at over £2k that isn't a feasible option. One sort of workaround that may work for others but wouldn't be applicable for us is to use a DAW of some sort, FP-50 set to local control=OFF and the DAW set to midi through. We than control the sounds via the DAW and the FP-50 becomes a dumb midi keyboard and separate midi synth. I tried this with a tablet and although it works sort of - the lag caused by the tablet is too long. Occasionally we get stuck keys as well - I think the tablet isn't man enough to keep up. This may be feasible with a proper DAW on a decent laptop. The keyboard player then does need to be computer savy to operate this sort of arrangment.