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#5398 - 09/27/05 10:57 PM Yamaha PSR-300 MIDI Problem
Anonymous
Unregistered


I'm not sure if this is the best forum to post this, but I'll give it a shot.

I have an old Yamaha PSR-300 that I'm trying to use as a MIDI controller in Reason 2.5. I am using an M-Audio Uno MIDI-to-USB connection to route the MIDI singal from the MIDI-out on the back of my PSR-300 to a USB port on my computer.

When I try and use my keyboard as a MIDI controller in Reason, it does actually play proper notes. The problem is this: at random, for reasons unknown to me, the note will come out of my speakers as being held forever, even after I release the key. Or It will play a number of octaves lower than it should and just keep playing, long after I release the key. Other times it seems to work just fine. But it messes up way too much to play anything more than two or three notes long.

I found this comment in a review of the PSR-300 at:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Synth/Data/Yamaha/PSR_300-1.html

"I would like to add that in its default setting this keyboard transmits MIDI timecode. This generates very many events and may possibly jam the line, so unless you want to control tempo from the keyboard you better turn it off as described in the manual."

After checking the manual, I found nothing about how to do this, and I don't even know if such a problem could cause the things I'm hearing in the first place.

I paid $40 for this MIDI-to-USB adapter, and I'm rather annoyed that things aren't working properly...but I guess that's life. This same problem occurs when using Fruity Loops, too, so I don't think it's the fault of Reason. I haven't tried a different Synth (although I will soon once a friend's roommate gets back), so I don't know exactly what's up.

Any suggestions would be more than welcome. Thank you.

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#5399 - 09/28/05 08:17 AM Re: Yamaha PSR-300 MIDI Problem
TheSonicEnergyAuthority Offline
Member

Registered: 07/14/00
Posts: 307
Loc: Peterborough,Cambridgeshire,UK
Arh! The dreaded stuck note problem..

Yamaha like using 'active sense' MIDI message that sends regular MIDI data saying "I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!" this is fine and dandy if the device on the other end understands 'active sense' as if for some reason (no not the program Reason) the keyboard stops sending data (gets turned off), or the MIDI lead is unplugged the "I'm here!" message no longer gets sent, and then the recieving device shuts off any sounding notes.
MIDI timecode / clock can also generate masses of MIDI data too.

Question, are you only plugging the MIDI out into the MIDI in of the interface, or do you also have the MIDI out of the interface connected to the MIDI in of the keyboard?
Reason I ask, I'm wondering if there's MIDI loop, the keyboard is getting MIDI data back that it's just sent, and causing confusion.
Thing is, I didn't think Reason (the program) sent any MIDI data out.

See what happens when you try a different controller keyboard.
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