Ok,
i now have 2 plg150an cards in my es6 and i must say, it does sound impressive. now, i want to use the expert editor that came with them. how does it work?
does the virtual synth on the pc transmit control data in real time to the plg 150 in the motive so you can here the result of your edits? and if so, what interface do you use? midi, usb?

Re: plg 150an

Hi,

The following thread that I started, has some very good advice supplied by Bad Mister.

[url=http://www.motifator.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=1]http://www.motifator.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=1 [/url],2,4&Board=Plugboard&Number=381715&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

The PLG150-AN “Power User Guide”, which Bad Mister pointed me towards, is also essential reading.

[url=http://www.yamahasynth.com/download/plg_series.html]http://www.yamahasynth.com/download/plg_series.html [/url]

I haven’t dug too far into setting up controllers yet, but that’s one of my jobs over the next few days!

Re: plg 150an

The simple answer is: yes you can hear your edits in real time, even tweaks to the step sequencer. The program is just an editor, it might look like a soft synth but it’s not.

When I owned the AN boards I just used the USB port of my ES for editing, it worked perfectly.

Re: plg 150an

Hi All:

I’m new, but I’ve been lurking in the shadows for some time now.

I’ve got an S90ES and recently installed a PLG150AN.  I also installed the standalone AN Expert Editor. 

My only interest right now is in working with the voices.  Do I need midi software also?  If so, what is recommended?

I’m new to all of this but fortunate that I could start off with some good gear.  I love what I’ve got, but I’m really trying to get some of the sounds I grew up with (YES, ELP, Genesis).  I’m hoping that the board and the software will help get me there.

Any advice is greatly appreciatted.


Thanks!

Re: plg 150an

Hi, I’m not sure what you mean by “MIDI” software?

If your MIDI interface between your S90 and computer is working then you should have all the software you need.

Is the AN editor sending patches successfully to the PLG150-AN?

You should be able to get some great retro sounds out of the PLG150-AN, after all Igor Khoroshev did Yes’s “The Ladder” tour with two AN1xs in tow (and an EX5 and EX7 amongst other things).

Although TBH (and probably heresy on a Yamaha forum!), I think my Nord G2 modular does a better “mellow” Moog impression (think the mournful synth lead on the intro of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond)! But I do love my AN1x and PLG150-AN as well.

Re: plg 150an

Is there not tech support for the card/software?

I’ve installed the driver on my pc (XP), and can see the hardware and it Windows says’ it is working ok.

I’ve changed the midi in/out source to USB using the Utility mode.

I’ve go AN Expert Editor 1.0.1 installed.  There is a dialog box ‘midi setup’ that refuses to go away.  I’ve chosen Yamaha S90 ES-1 as both the MIDI In and MIDI OUT and it has automatically changed the MIDI Thru to the same value.

So How do I know that I’ve attached.  I thought there was a way to sample changes at the keyboard while making modifications, but I can’t find anything like that in the software.

I don’t have anything other than AN Expert Editor and the drivers installed.

Can anyone offer some assistance or is there a tech support line at Yamaha for this?

Thanks

Re: plg 150an

First, you will want to download a much more recent version of the AN Expert Editor. The version you have (v1.0.1) must be from 1998…

PLG15-AN Expert Editor version 1.2.2 (2005) for WindowsXP/Me/98/2000. This is the last one created for the the PLG150-AN. I don’t recall the the version you are using, but you can run the new version within the Studio Manager host application or as a standalone.

Studio Manager will allow you to run additionally the S90 ES Multi-Part Editor and the S90 ES Voice Editor (available for free download:
[url=http://www.yamahasynth.com/download/s_series.html]http://www.yamahasynth.com/download/s_series.html [/url]

The Studio Manager is a host application that will serve as a launch pad for all of the Yamaha hardware Editors (including your PLG150-AN and any other PLG boards you may have) as well as the Editors for your S90 ES.

However, you can run the PLG150-AN Expert Editor as a standalone editor (without the Studio Manager).

There are tech support lines for Yamaha throughout the world - In the USA you can call 714 522-9000 weekdays between 8:30am and 5:00pm Pacific Daylight Time. They have a call back procedure, they will take your name and number and assign you a Case Number - an Application Specialist will call you back and walk you through the process.

In general this may help:

When setting up the AN Expert Editor as a standalone program there are two MIDI setups you must do.

One is the “floating” MIDI SETUP DEVICE box
This connects your host product (S90 ES) to your computer.  Set this to communicate with the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver on Port 1 (Yamaha S90 ES-1) IN and OUT

Then when you launch the AN Expert Editor itself, you have a second set of MIDI SETUP that allows the program to use the S90 ES interface.
When you are using the PLG150-AN in VOICE mode set this to Yamaha USB-MIDI Port 1 (Yamaha S90 ES-1 for both IN and OUT)

When setting up the AN Expert Editor within Studio Manager you setup MIDI ports so that Studio Manager can address your computer “MIDI Ports” and then when you launch the AN Expert Editor you set the program to use those MIDI Ports.

We assume you have the latest Yamaha USB-MIDI drivers for your computer type; which would be version 2.2.2 Yamaha USB-MIDI driver for Windows XP v2.2.2

Let us know if you require more help.

Re: plg 150an

Thanks for the very detailed response.

I’m lost!  I re-installed the AN Expert Editor from the link you provided.  It took 3 attempts.  By the way the 1.1 version I believe was downloaded from the yamaha/synth site.  I was unable to load floppies so I went there.  I also checke the driver and it is 2.2.2, it also appears to be working properly.

I can load the AN editor from either of the programs but I’ve got several issues; in neither case does it save my midi connection information, syncronization fails, the floating midi dialog still appears if I call up AN Editor outside of Studio Manager, and I don’t understand how the keyboard is interfaced (ie what do I need to do at the keyboard side for interactive editing).

I have been referencing the manuals, but unfortunately I don’t seem to get far.  I’m fairly computer literate, but I’m new to the musical aspect of it.

Thanks for your efforts. 

Re: plg 150an

I failed to mention in my last post that when I enter AN Editor through the Studio Manager, then go to the setup screen there are no options listed for MIDI IN or MIDI OUT.

Re: plg 150an

Let’s get you through using AN Expert Editor as a standalone.

Go to START > ALL PROGRAMS > Yamaha OPT Tools > AN EXPERT EDITOR.

The “floating"MIDI SETUP” box should appear separate from the program itself.
Set it up so that you are addressing the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver on PORT 1:

DEVICE IN = Yamaha S90 ES-1
DEVICE OUT = Yamaha S90 ES-2

You do so by making sure these selections are highlighted in blue.
Click OK

On the AN Expert Editor window itself, go to SETUP on the main Menu
Select AN EXPERT EDITOR SETUP…

On the MIDI tab set the ports as follows:
MIDI IN = Yamaha S90 ES-1
MIDI OUT = Yamaha S90 ES-1

MIDI Channel = 1
Part Number = 1
Device number = 1
Board Number = 1
Rec Track = 1
Check the “Output when edited” option

On the INSERT & TRANSMIT tab set as follows:
USER VOICE from 1 to 128
Bulk Dump Interval = 700msec

Place the S90 ES in [VOICE] mode
Press the PLG button corresponding to the slot you have the PLG150-AN installed.
From the main VOICE screen
Press [F2] BANK
Use the [INC/YES] button to change the bank to 036/002

This is the Board Voice bank that the Editor communicates with. This bank contains 128 User RAM locations that the AN Expert Editor will be able to write into.

When you first call it up, it is populated with “placeholder” Voices starting with one named “001: Metallic”

Back to the AN EXPERT EDITOR… on the front panel of the Editor you will see a VOICE button in the lower right corner… if you click on that the “AN VOICE LIST” will open with three banks:

PRESET 1 - this is bank 036/000
PRESET 2 - this is bank 036/001
USER - this is the one that refers to the 036/002 and is the one used by the AN Expert Editor.

As you highlight a sound, you will see the knobs in the program adjust to that sound, and the parameters will be immediately output to the AN board and will be playable and heard when you touch the keyboard. The name will not change (the data is only playing from the Edit buffer) - to actually transfer the Voice to the unit requires you bulk the information over to 036/002 bank.

This is done by clicking on the “TRANSMIT AN BULK DUMP” icon on the menu bar (looks like MIDI cable with an arrow point to the right)… And you can select a range of Voices to transmit (that was the setting on the INSERT & TRANSMIT tab -

if, for example, you were to download a PLG150-AN Library file (.ANS) you could Open it in the AN Expert Editor and then transmit 128 Voices to the 036/002 bank of the PLG board using this method.

For example, there are a couple of tutorials on the PLG150-AN and its Expert Editor on the Sninety.com site in the Beyond the Manual area. (I provided links to them below).

The PDF article that accompanies the data takes you through the process of not only working with the AN board but then integrating them with S90 Voices.

The article although written for the S90 back in 2002, will apply to the S90 ES (and the data will be compatible)

PLG150-AN: A Getting Started Guide
and
Advanced Tutorial for S90 using the Voice Editor and the PLG150AN Expert Editor

This should get you started. Let us know.

Re: plg 150an

Thank you very much, Mister.  I never would have gotten here without your useful and detailed advice.

Is there documentation that I missed?  I did my ‘due diligence’, but if this information was somewere (within reason).  I missed it. 

We’re heading into NYC on Aug 29th to see Fishbone
[url=http://rocksoff.com/concertcruise.html]http://rocksoff.com/concertcruise.html [/url]

If there’s any chance you’re around that end of Manhattan on the Friday night, I’d be happy to buy you a couple of drinks as repayment. 

Thank you tremendously!

Don Halas

Re: plg 150an

Okay, everything works as described except I don’t get the voice on the keyboard.  The voice stay’s on Metallic regardless of what voice is displayed in the editor.

I referenece your documents and suspect that the situation might be that the plug in board needs to have the Dev No. or Port No. defined in the Utility set-up.  They are currently set to ‘all’ and ‘off’ respectively.

Thanks again.

Re: plg 150an

I’ll quote myself from above

“As you highlight a sound, you will see the knobs in the program adjust to that sound, and the parameters will be immediately output to the AN board and will be playable and heard when you touch the keyboard. The name will not change (the data is only playing from the Edit buffer) - to actually transfer the Voice to the unit requires you bulk the information over to 036/002 bank.

This is done by clicking on the “TRANSMIT AN BULK DUMP” icon on the menu bar (looks like MIDI cable with an arrow point to the right)… And you can select a range of Voices to transmit (that was the setting on the INSERT & TRANSMIT tab)”

Once you have completed the Bulk you can recall the Voices from the front panel of the host keyboard…

Re: plg 150an

Either I’m confused about the softwares/keyboard’s capabilities or perhaps I didn’t phrase my quesiont correctly.

What is on the screen is not what the keboard plays, or what the displays says.  I thought that you could tweak voices at the keyboard without having to transfer things.  Is this not the case?

Thanks again.

Re: plg 150an

The AN EXPERT EDITOR software controls the AN engine - this is done without any screen. The PLG150-AN has no screen. When you installed it you were looking at the whole thing… and as you can see it has no screen.

The PLG150-AN’s “screen”, if you will, is always going to be on the computer. I don’t know if I can paint a clearer picture for you than that.

The AN board will respond when you change the AN EXPERT EDITOR, do not expect the screen of the host product to do anything in relationship to working with the AN Expert Editor.

That is, until you actually BULK DUMP the data from the EDITOR to the 036/002 BANK - this takes place when you click on the TRANSMIT BULK DUMP icon and actually transfer the parameters you see in the editor to the 036/002 bank of the PLG board. Once that data has been transferred to the PLG150-AN you can now access it via the front panel of the host keyboard.

The name will now appear in the screen because the data has actually been transferred to the RAM location of the PLG150-AN board. Now you can apply the host products parameters including Controllers, Effects, etc. to it and store those parameters in a VOICE (the VOICE is host product’s parameters that point to a the wave data in the 036/002 bank of the Board.

Yes it is complicated - the AN board is like a separate synth engine which your S90 ES will address as an ELEMENT. The AN sound is like an Element. The other parameters like Controller assignments, Effects belong to the S90 ES and they are simply applied to the AN Element.

Re: plg 150an

Mister:

K’ thanks I think you’ve got me on track.  I thought that the edits would be live on the keyboard.

I downloaded your album today, very impressive. 

Thanks again.