Hi all,

I’m having a problem with playing GM midi files.

When i play GM midi file, then change the bass sound (original sound is GM bass sound) with MOXF Preset/User Bass Sound, the new bass sound is always 1 octave lower than it should be.

I have already tried to edit the Preset Bass Sounds, shifting the sounds 1 octave higher, and then saved them in User Bank. But whenever i use these User Bass Sounds, the octave is still too low.

Strangely, if i edit GM bass sound and saved it in User bank, then use it to play GM midi file, the bass sound doesn’t have any problem with octave range.

Could anybody help me with this please?

paulus1971 - 22 July 2014 08:15 PM

Hi all,


I’m having a problem with playing GM midi files.

When i play GM midi file, then change the bass sound (original sound is GM bass sound) with MOXF Preset/User Bass Sound, the new bass sound is always 1 octave lower than it should be.

I have already tried to edit the Preset Bass Sounds, shifting the sounds 1 octave higher, and then saved them in User Bank. But whenever i use these User Bass Sounds, the octave is still too low.

Strangely, if i edit GM bass sound and saved it in User bank, then use it to play GM midi file, the bass sound doesn’t have any problem with octave range.

Could anybody help me with this please?

You probably have set-up data in the file that is responsible for this occurring.

This Tutorial may be helpful to you.

Thanks for your advice,

But i’m very sure this problem has nothing to do with GM file format.

I’ve tried to change MOXF PERFORMANCE’ bass sound, such as THRUST (User 1, number 28) with Preset bass sound, the result is the same. The new bass sound plays 1 octave lower then it should be.

But if you change the bass sound with GM bass sound, then the bass sound plays in the right octave.

Could someone help me with this, please? Thank you

paulus1971 - 22 July 2014 09:58 PM

Thanks for your help.


The thing is i can’t change the midi file.

What happens actually is i bought vArranger2 software, and use MOXF as the sound module.

Whenever i change the bass sound (the preset bass sound of vArranger2 is GM bass sound) with MOXF Preset bass sound (even with the one i have shifted 1 octave higher), the new bass sound will always play 1 octave lower then it should be.

Could someone help me with this, please? Thank you

Your software is a wildcard for me.

I’ll point you to another discussion Here in the hope it helps.

Hopefully someone who commonly works with editing commercial MIDI files will chime in.

Actually this thing happens not only with vArranger2 software.

But also with MOXF Performance sounds as well. If you try to change bass part of any performance sound with MOXF Preset bass sound, the new bass sound will play 1 octave lower than it should be

Thank you

paulus1971 - 22 July 2014 10:34 PM

[...] If you try to change bass part of any performance sound with MOXF Preset bass sound, the new bass sound will play 1 octave lower than it should be

Please post an example - name of the Performance, and an explanation of what you are doing.

I’ve tried many Performance Sounds, such as :

1. BIG WATCHES (User 1, number 19). The original bass sound is PRE
3 - 27.
a. I changed the original bass with any mega bass...RESULT is 1
Octave higher
b. I changed the original bass with any GM bass...RESULT is 1
octave higher
c. I changed the original bass with any other bass sounds
(besides the GM and mega)...RESULT is GOOD

2. THRUST (User 1, number 28). The original bass sound is PRE 8 -
123.
a. I changed the original bass with any mega bass...RESULT is
GOOD
b. I changed the original bass with any GM bass...RESULT is GOOD
c. I changed the original bass with any other bass
sounds...RESULT is 1 OCTAVE LOWER

3. ANDY LUCIA (User 1, number 15). The original bass sound is...i forgot, i’ve changed it to GM sound. The
exact same thing happened.
a. I changed the original bass with any mega bass...RESULT is
GOOD
b. I changed the original bass with any GM bass...RESULT is GOOD
c. I changed the original bass with any other bass
sounds...RESULT is 1 OCTAVE LOWER

Could you please tell me how to fix this?

Thank you

You have the ability to Edit the octave being played by any PART in a PERFORMANCE using Note Shift in PART Edit.

See [SF1] TUNE--> NoteShift on page 68 of the MOXF Reference Manual.

If you decide you want to keep any changes, you must STORE the PERFORMANCE...or it will revert to the original PART and octave once you navigate away or turn off the machine.

Thank you for your advice,

But unfortunately it doesn’t solve the problem.

No matter what we do :
1. GM bass sounds are always 1 octave higher than Preset bass
sounds (except MEGA bass sounds)
2. Preset bass sounds (other than GM and MEGA) are always 1
octave lower than GM and MEGA bass sounds
3. ONLY MEGA bass sounds and GM bass sounds are in the same octave
range

Suppose we work with ANDY LUCIA
1. The original bass sound is GM bass sound
2. Then we shift the tune by 12 semitones (in Performance - Edit
Part - Tune)
3. If we change the original bass sound with MEGA bass sound, then
the new bass sound will be 1 octave higher than it should be
4. If we change the original bass sound with other GM bass
sound, then the new the bass sound will be 1 octave higher than
it should be
5. Only if we change the original bass sound with Preset bass
sounds other than GM and MEGA, the new bass sound will play in
the right octave

So, shifting the tune doesn’t solve the problem, the problem is :
“Why are by default GM and MEGA bass sounds in the same octave, whereas Preset bass sounds other than GM and MEGA are always 1 octave lower than GM and MEGA?” Can we somehow make all these 3 sound categories be in the same octave?

Could someone help me with this please

paulus1971 - 23 July 2014 01:47 AM

[...]So, shifting the tune doesn’t solve the problem, the problem is :
“Why are by default GM and MEGA bass sounds in the same octave, whereas Preset bass sounds other than GM and MEGA are always 1 octave lower than GM and MEGA?”

To meet the General MIDI standard and be compatible with GM files and other GM instruments, there has to be agreement with certain MIDI note numbers.

For other Voices, Yamaha isn’t restricted that way. That’s especially true for instruments that don’t have a particularly wide natural range. A MOXF has either 61 or 88 keys, although MIDI allows for a note range of 128. Since a bass (acoustic or electric) has a much narrower range than those, it can be shifted by octave as desired. That allows for sounds other than ones in the instrument’s usual range to be included on otherwise unused keys. For example, with PRE3:27(B11) Prec Amped AF1, try playing C5 and above - what you hear can be used to advantage via XA (eXpanded Articulation) Control.

 

paulus1971 -

Can we somehow make all these 3 sound categories be in the same octave?

As cmayhle explained, Note Shift allows you to resolve what you are calling a “problem”. Otherwise, not unless you can convince Yamaha to revamp the ROM (making it incompatible with all the units that preceded it).

It is worth noting that you are talking about
using Performances to play GM files. You should
be using Song mode, with a 16-channel
mix. Performances are not designed to
play back GM files.

Thank you all, for your advice, suggestion, etc…

I understand now that this is something that we can’t change.

Again, thanks for your help.