pjd

It's insidious how this works. I swore I wouldn't buy any of them and now I have three... :-) iPad apps don't excite me like hands-on keys and boxes. BTW, my latest "toy" is a Modal Skulpt SE. My review: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/modal-skulpt-se-review/ The "toys" are cute, fun and feature-packed for the bucks, but collectively, man, it adds up to real money! Like the old saying, 'A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money." All the best -- pj

Hi -- The ARM processor in the Raspberry Pi 4 is a much different design than the processors in the RPi models 1, 2, and 3. For an overview, please check out: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/raspberry-pi-4-mini-review/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/raspberry-pi-4-arm-cortex-a72-processor/ There are also super-deep dive articles about the ARM Cortex-A72 (Broadcom BCM2711, the processor in the RPi 4): http://sandsoftwaresound.net/arm-cortex-a72-fetch-and-branch-processing/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/arm-cortex-a72-execution-and-load-store/ Bottom line, the RPi4 processor is similar to and competitive with contemporary x86 processors (superscalar, out-of-order execution). It's a more powerful beast than the earlier Raspberry Pi models (1, 2 and 3). Hope this helps -- pj P.S. I used to do this kind of analysis as my day job. :-)

Hi -- If anyone would like to explore audio/synthesis on Raspberry Pi, here are links to tutorial articles (written a few years ago): http://sandsoftwaresound.net/get-started-raspbian-jessie-rpi2/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/get-started-alsa-jack/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/rpi-soft-synth-get-started/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/usb-audio-raspberry-pi/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/qsynth-fluidsynth-raspberry-pi/ Given everything else going on, I haven't tried the same apps and instruments on Raspberry Pi 4, but I expect a significant increase in performance. The RPi4's ARM processor is a big step up from models 1, 2, and 3. Hope this helps -- pj

Hi Brent -- After all your work, I wouldn't leave you hangin'. :-) I ran off some screen shots over breakfast and posted a short tutorial about customizing the editor. I hope it's enough to get you started. All the best -- pj http://sandsoftwaresound.net/customizing-the-sonogenic-voice-editor/

Hi Brent -- Thanks for trying the SHS-500 for MIDI Designer. The neat thing about MIDI Designer -- it lets you customize layouts. So, you should be able to edit the existing layout and delete/add voices. It's not much harder than editing a synth preset. If I remember right, there are two kinds of voice buttons in the layout: SHS-500 preset voices and GM voices. The main difference is the bank select and program select values. In order to create your perfect set-up, I would recommend deleting the unwanted voices from the MIDI Designer layout and adding ten more GM voice buttons. That way you can allocate screen space/buttons to the mix of voices that meet your requirements. Thanks to editing, everybody can create their own "perfect" sound set for the SHS-500. Hope this suggestion helps -- pj

Novation are teasing new Circuit hardware. February 9 announcement.

If you DIY, be sure to notice the orientation of the original diode before removing it. Take a picture with your phone or tablet. Most diodes have a black ring or marking on one end of the body. In a keyboard switch matrix, you usually have many other examples to look at. But, please observe polarity. Direction of signal flow through a diode is important. â pj

One thing to consider â Do you play your keyboard wearing nomex gloves? All the best â pj Blog: sandsoftwaresound.net

Man, I totally agree. This session was outrageous. Their gig disaster stories show that no one is immune to tech flubs. Loved it! â pj Blog: sandsoftwaresound.net

Thanks, Fleer! Joy for the holidays -- pj

Looks like Roland has an entry-entry model, the Aerophone-01 ($299USD). I tripped over it while Christmas shopping for me. :-) I haven't given it a serious listen as yet. The fingering is roughly the same as recorder. Definitely a starter instrument. Can play additional sounds through its app (Bluetooth MIDI). I have a WX-11 that hasn't gotten much love lately, but I do like the all-in-one aspect of the Aerophone. The WX-11 needs a module and maybe an amp. Joy for the holidays -- pj A worthwhile demo:

This is a really nice article! Thanks! In case people are looking for direct links to the Montage articles, they are: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/yamaha-montage-internals-revisted/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/musing-about-montage-va/ I wrote the Montage VA article before Yamaha released the YC61. The YC61 got me thinking that my VA article was a little too pessimistic about adding VA to the Montage hardware. I need to deep dive YC61 some day... The MODX and Montage digital audio busses need a deep dive, too. Both instruments have a Yamaha SSP2 processor for handling the external audio interface (USB To HOST), but Montage has far more extensive routing and rate conversion. If I were choosing between Montage and MODX as the center of a recording studio, I'd go Montage. It's like having a mini-UR built in. PAC is a plus, too. Best for the holdays -- pj Technology Blog: sandsoftwaresound.net

I'm good with the Behringer 205D (the SRM150 equivalent, not the B208D). I play in a crazy small church space and can place the monitor at ear level. We don't play at gut-busting volume. I compared the B205D against Roland CM-30 and QSC K8 in order to EQ it for the sound I like. It gets close at modest SPL and is lighter. Recommended. All the best -- pj

I worked for Digital Semiconductor (Alpha), AMD and various computer manufacturers. There are a lot of business decisions that surround choice of processor and vendor, most of which have nothing to do with the "best technology." The number of customers for commodity microprocessors is small (Apple, HP, Sony, etc.) and few suppliers (Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, etc.) Yep, customers include video game console companies, too. The playing field is not level. There are few genuine opportunities to win a closed platform like Macintosh or a video game console. When the opportunity arises, the knives come out and deals are cut. In the past, the x86 market has seen its share of anti-competitive behavior by large suppliers with deep pockets and best technology does't always win. Apple has been actively building IC design staff and they've done quite well. That's a lot of non-recurring engineering cost (salaries, etc.) to be spread across units. More units, more spread. Move Mac to ARM, more units and better amortization of design costs. Apple is a bit of a "customer from Hell." You won't hear Intel AMD, or nVidia say it. (I'm retired now.) :-) Apple are perceived as a flagship, trophy customer even though their volume is smaller than other x86-based vendors. For x86, Apple can only play Intel vs. AMD. So, where do you get price leverage? Ta-da, that IC design staff doing Apple silicon. Now, you can play yourself against Intel and AMD, knowing that you have already ported to ARM. Lord knows there are other factors and instruction set, thread count, etc. aren't the show-stopper issues. Of course, we'll have to see how this affects music applications and our work platforms. All the best -- pj Blog: sandsoftwaresound.net

Agreed. Yamaha published a group picture of the Montage team when it was released. I counted 50 heads. That's just staff at Yamaha Japan and didn't include developers, marketing or manufacturing people in other countries. I don't have a way to estimate staff size for Genos, but the Genos UI is a complete re-write just like Montage. Yamaha's current keyboards are based on a new generation tone generator/effect integrated circuit -- the SWP70 -- which first appeared in a mid-level arranger, the PSR-S970. Yamaha spreads the cost of chip development across all affected products: arrangers, synthesizers and digital pianos. Yamaha also have their own integrated circuits specifically for lower end keyboards. They also share the SSP2 mixing/effects IC between Steinberg UR, digital mixers, Reface DX/CS and Montage/MODX. All of this chip development adds to non-recurring costs and, of course, the price. As to Genos, retailers advertise Genos at $6,000 in the USA. That['s the "Minimum Advertised Price" or "MAP" which is set by Yamaha in the retail agreement. "Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)" is $6800 USD. Neither MAP or MSRP run afoul of U.S. law. Nothing forces a retailer to actually sell at either MSRP or MAP. "Open box" is one way around MAP, BTW. The recent action against Yamaha, Roland, Korg, etc. is initiated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Anti-competition laws, of course, vary across countries and economic zones. Quoting the CMA release "All of these companies have been fined for implementing resale price maintenance (RPM) designed to restrict retailer freedom to set prices online by requiring their musical instruments to be sold at or above a minimum price." That's the difference between "suggested" and "required." Genos is kind of orphaned in the U.S. Most units are sold by independent retailers -- not SW, GC and the rest of the usual suspects. I bought from an independent retailer and paid around $4,000. I compared against Nord Stage, for example, and the prices are ball park. Yeah, there's apples vs. oranges, different use cases, yada-yada, but Genos and Nord Stage are "premium" offerings. Sorry for the length and detail (tl:dr) -- pj Blog: sandsoftwaresound.net

Go directly to "Yamaha YC61 Basic & Artist Sound Set". UJIIE is the man. Fifteen seconds of that guy from Andertons and I was screaming and swearing at the screen. ICYMI UJIIE and YC61 at NAMM 2020: All the best -- pj

Hi -- Usually I blog about music technology, but I just wrote a serious of posts related to COVID-19 and the graphs. charts and data the media have been throwing at us. You're welcome to read it if you'd like to: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/covid-19-numeracy-round-up/ No politics. I wrote this stuff just to get my head around the numbers and maybe provide some resources for STEM educators, etc. I'll be switching back to music posts soon. Finally catching up on those home studio projects that never quite seemed to get done (new VSTi, recording demos for the church group, etc.) Only trips out are grocery runs. Stay healthy, everybody -- pj http://sandsoftwaresound.net

I'm living in one of the hot spots in Washington -- Snohomish. We've had one set of restrictions or another for 2+ weeks and life eventually gets into a different groove after a while. Folks in our area are fairly civil. Financially, I worry most about people whose incomes have evaporated. (My son.) My church gig, almost needless to say, is done for the next few months. Our church is live streaming with minimal music and musicians. The MDs right now are taking the lead in order to keep headcount and contact down. If we learned one thing out here, it's keep COVID-19 out of the nursing homes and other care facilities for the elderly. Many deaths and active cases are directly attributed to just two facilities that are hit hard. Too many hot-spots like that will overwhelm the local hospitals and staff. Stay healthy and, er, distant -- pj

Hi -- Short answer: A Farfisa Mini Deluxe Compact into an Ampeg SB-12 Portaflex (flip-top). Long answer: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/back-in-the-day/ The page has a link to an old Farfisa brochure from the 60s era. Found the brochure when packing the house for a move. All the best -- pj

Hi -- Just wanted to offer new information about the Yamaha SHS-500 Sonogenic keytar. I developed and posted a voice editor for the Yamaha SHS-500 Sonogenic on my web site. The voice editor is a MIDI Designer layout. MIDI Designer is a MIDI user interface development app that runs on Apple iPad. Download the layout from: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/sonogenic-voice-editor/ It's free. I hope to upload the layout to the MIDI Designer site, too. Yamaha don't promote it, but the SHS-500 Sonogenic has a built-in General MIDI tone generator in addition to the 28 "panel" voices. The GM tone generator is only accessible over MIDI. (Yep, you can play GM files from a DAW.) The MIDI Designer layout uses the GM tone generator. So, if you're missing drawbar organ or whatever, you can play its GM voice through MIDI Designer via MIDI loopback. MIDI Designer provides storage for up to twenty voices. (Somewhat confusingly, MIDI Designer calls these slots "presets.") Thus, you can store and recall your own voices using MIDI Designer. If you would like to read more, please see the links below. All the best -- pj http://sandsoftwaresound.net/shs-500-snap-review/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/sonogenic-voice-editor/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/sonogenic-general-midi/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/sonogenic-ui-midi-flow/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/shs-500-sonogenic-midi/

Man, that was tastee. And so was the keyboard. :-) -- pj

I liked the looks, spec and size of this unit, too. However, it is 230V/50Hz and that leaves me out of the game in North America. Wonder how keyboards sound through it? I don't need a lot of SPL for stage monitoring. All the best -- pj

Thanks, Fleer! I'm finally getting back to writing, again. Yep, the SWP70 is designed for the long-run and has much capability which we have not seen as yet. Another use case: Yamaha uses the SWPs in their digital piano products, too. The extra DSP power may be needed for Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM). I included direct links (below) to a few of the recent articles about the internal design of Genos, Montage and MODX. All the best -- pj http://sandsoftwaresound.net/yamaha-modx-inside-stuff/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/yamaha-montage-internals-revisted/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/yamaha-genos-main-cpu/ http://sandsoftwaresound.net/yamaha-genos-tone-generation/

Oh, they exist alright. And it's awful. LOTS of YouTube videos of "professional organists" that sit there and tap their swells. Just shoot me. Amen! Not a fan of that -- pj

Hi -- I didn't and don't endorse the spring return for all organists -- maybe the players who like to pump the pedal in time. I'm an organist and the feature doesn't do much for me, so I set the adjustment for no spring return. Whatever floats someone's boat. At the least the FC7 offers the option. Yep, with spring return, it won't stay in the max position -- one reason why I personally don't use spring return. Seems like a player could compensate for the lower default volume by pushing the gain further down the chain. -- pj