Yamaha U1 (Silent) - using Midi in/out?

[mikeo38]

I am very psd with my new U1 (Silent) but am wondering about the Midi in/out functions. Of course, I bought the U1 because I want acoustic and not digital, but am mildly curious to know what I might be able to do with these Midi in/out functions. I have never used them but could they be used in conjunction with, say, 'Garage Band', which I have on my Mac?  Thanks in advance for comments.

[oxy60]

Probably yes. But there is a very steep learning curve. I only know about a 10th of one percent about what possibilities exist for midi.  You will need to do some serious studying.

[eric0773]

Indeed, you can use the Midi output with whatever software you want. You will need a Midi-to-USB cable, which you can pick for +/- 20 EUR on Amazon.

Be warned, however, of the mediocrity of Garageband's piano sounds, although I assume you want to try the other instruments.

On the other hand, I recently plugged a 13 year-old MP1 Silent (a modified U1) to Pianoteq, since I had to practice silently with headphones and the integrated sounds were not good enough on the MP1. And for the sake of it, I also tried this using top notch speakers at the same volume as the piano (turned silent, of course). Funny experiment. Predictable result: the Pianoteq setup is more flattering in terms of sound (it sounds like a pro recording, you can switch more easily from ppp to fff)... but using the real thing is infinitely more enjoyable to play :-)

[mikeo38]

Thanks for the comments ... I'll get one of those cables. One other question: is it possible to input a rhythm via the midi?
M

[nystul]

Thanks for the comments ... I'll get one of those cables. One other question: is it possible to input a rhythm via the midi?

It depends on what you mean by "input a rhythm".  MIDI can transfer information about tempo and time signature, when various notes start and stop, the velocity of the note, the state of pedals or other controllers, etc.  MIDI is not designed for transmitting actual audio waveforms like an mp3 or a CD track.  Whatever your silent system is capable of playing when you press the keys, it could play those sounds automatically from a recorded MIDI track.  If using a computer as the sound generating device, you would be able to render any type of instrument sound your software is capable of.  But in that case the sound must come out from the computer's audio (not MIDI) outputs.  I hope this makes sense.

[mikeo38]

Thank you for your reply. Not sure that I quite understand but would I be able, somehow, to generate a rhythm (swing, waltz, bossa-nova, or whatever) with the Mac and input this so that I hear it in the phones when I am playing?  In other words, a kind of metronome.
Alternatively, is there some other device which would input such a rhythm to my Yamaha U1 (Silent)?
M

[mikeo38]

Further to my most recent post, I've just downloaded a metronome to my iPad. Now, when using the Yamaha in the silent mode, I'm able to hear the beats from the metronome and the sound from the piano at the same time. I wear a small pair of in-ear phones from the iPad and, over the top, the larger phones from the piano. If this sounds uncomfortable and awkward, I can assure you that it is. Very!

So can I somehow contrive to feed the iPad metronome into the Yahama's MIDI so that I can wear just the one pair of phones?

M

[nystul]

No, MIDI is not audio.  MIDI can't send a drum recording.  Basically it can send the sheet music for a drum part in a form that computers and keyboards understand.  If you silent system has audio inputs, you could feed a metronome in that way.  Otherwise what you probably want to do is feed the audio from your silent system to something else (from audio outputs if there are any, or else straight from the headphone jack).  If your computer has an audio input and a separate output, you could feed audio from the headphone jack of the piano to the computer, use GarageBand probably to mix a drum track into the output, and plug your headphones into the Mac.

[mikeo38]

Thanks again.
The manual for my Yamaha is at:
https://www.manualowl.com/m/Yamaha/U1-SILENT/Manual/249918
In the manual, there's a section about using AUDIO IN. Could you possibly look at this and tell me whether I'm right in thinking that the output from the iPad (and hence the metronome) could be fed in in this way and thus enable me to wear just the one pair of phones?
M

[oxy60]

Thanks again.
The manual for my Yamaha is at:
https://www.manualowl.com/m/Yamaha/U1-SILENT/Manual/249918
In the manual, there's a section about using AUDIO IN. Could you possibly look at this and tell me whether I'm right in thinking that the output from the iPad (and hence the metronome) could be fed in in this way and thus enable me to wear just the one pair of phones?
M

I had to know so I looked and

Yes!

My Yamaha won't do that. I need to use an external mixer.

[mikeo38]

Thanks for the latest post ... encouraging news. So I'll now rummage through that tangle of leads and cables in the garage and see if I can find the correct cable to achieve what I want to do.

M

[mikeo38]

Success! The metronome which I downloaded to the iPad is now working via the AUX IN socket on the underside of the Yamaha's control unit and I can hear the beats through the standard headphones which came with the U1 (Silent).

Thanks for the help.

I've also got a small drum machine which generates a variety of rhythms but this is elsewhere and so I can't try it yet. However, it seems that this will also work via AUX IN.

Meanwhile, are there any U1 (Silent) users who could tell us what they've managed to achieve via MIDI IN/OUT when linked to the Mac's Garage Band. I know nothing at all about Garage Band but it would be nice if it were possible to lay down some kind of backing, for example a song such as Georgia with chord changes. Perhaps it would then be possible to play along with the U1 ... (?)

[oxy60]

I use Notation as my midi interface because I can write actual music that I can see. Some of the other software programs use symbols, etc., which would be another language to learn. I prefer writing real music. It's nice and it looks a whole lot neater than my ink scores.

[mikeo38]

Thanks for your comment. I can't write music but can things be arranged in reverse? I mean, is it possible to play something and have this printed out in notation?
M

[oxy60]

Thanks for your comment. I can't write music but can things be arranged in reverse? I mean, is it possible to play something and have this printed out in notation?
M

Yes, I can display any midi file in real notes on a real staff.

[mikeo38]

I can display any midi file in real notes on a real staff

That's very interesting but it's something that I'd do only out of curiosity. I mean, I wouldn't want to invest much. But it would be fun to see what gets printed out when I noodle away for a couple of minutes. I've looked up 'Notation' and this seems to be for PCs only, whereas I have a MPB.
M

[oxy60]

I think garage band will do it as well...

[kaomoo]

Hi everyone.
sorry to dig out this old thread.
My wife has had her U1J for almost 10 years before we realised the module seemed to be different.  It doesn't have all the IOs  (midi in/out, aux in/out, USB) that others have.  Not sure why, thought it's not like i can go back to the shop to ask given that it had been so long. 
Anyone know if that module is upgradable after market?

kao

[quantum]

Hi and welcome to Pianostreet.

You will likely get a better response if you start a new thread.