Piano numérique Yamaha DGX-640

Introduction

Yamaha DGX-640 est un "Ensemble Piano", c'est-à-dire un piano numérique comportant accompagnement automatique et d'autres fonctionnalités utiles à la création et l'apprentissage de la musique.

Voir aussi:

• Yamaha CVP-509 digital piano‎‎ (produit haut de gamme)

Daniel Schneider a acheté cet instrument pour STIC:STIC IV. Ce cours - qui est adressé aux technologues de l'éducation - introduit les principes de la micro-fabrication et de la conception assistée par ordinateur. Le cours comporte notamment trois modules :

• Module 1: Broderie assistée par ordinateur (BAO/CNC)
• Module 2: Conception et fabrication assistées par ordinateur d'objets 3D (CAD/CAM/CNC)
• Module 3: Musique assistée par ordinateur (MAO/CNC)

Yamaha DGX-640 a été acheté dans le but d'explorer le potentiel et la pertinence des pianos numériques dans un contexte de formation musicale. Ces instruments faciliteraient - entre d'autres - l'apprentissage de l’improvisation et de la composition musicale. Ce piano coûte environ 800 ChF. Daniel K. Schneider croit qu'il s'agit notamment d'un excellent rapport qualité prix. Selon Donato Cereghetti ce genre d'instrument pourrait être intégré sans trop de difficulté dans les écoles primaires et secondaires : les coûts seraient limités et les bénéfices multiples.

Cette page résume les fonctionnalités principales de ce clavier et comporte ainsi des informations techniques susceptibles d'intéresser les éducateurs. Pour en savoir plus, nous vous renvoyons au manuel d'utilisation :

[1]

Fonctionnalités

Touches et Écran à cristaux liquides (LCD)

• Le clavier dipose de 88 touches à marteaux gradués (graded hammer standard action). “À l'instar d'un piano acoustique traditionnel, les notes inférieures ont un toucher plus lourd, tandis que les notes supérieures sont plus sensibles à un toucher léger. La sensibilité du clavier peut même être adaptée à votre style de jeu. La technologie Graded Hammer permet également au DGX-640 d'offrir un toucher authentique sur un instrument léger.” ([2] consulté le 9 janvier 2012.
• Écran à cristaux liquides (LCD), 320x240

Les voix - instruments - "Voices"

• L'instrument dispose d'une polyphonie maximale de 64 notes
• Les voix (instruments): 142 voix d'instruments, 381 voix XGlite, 12 Kit de batterie (Drum/SFX Kits)
• Types d'effet : réverbération (Reverb), choeur (Chorus), DSP

Accompagnement automatique - "Styles"

• 165 styles différents couvrant un large éventail de genres musicaux
• Chord Fingering : Multi / Full Keyboard, AI Fingering
• Contrôle du style : ACMP ON/OFF, SYNC STOP, SYNC START, START/STOP, INTRO/ENDING/rit., MAIN/AUTO FILL
• Fonction Easy Song Arranger

Morceaux - "Songs"

• 30 morceaux internes
• Possibilité de lire des morceaux à travers une mémoire flash USB connectée à l'instrument
• Enregistrement de la performance / 5 performances peuvent être sauvegardées en tant que morceaux utilisateur / possibilité d'enregistrer les morceaux sur un périphérique de mémoire flash USB / séquencer à 6 pistes (dans le format SMF)
• Base de données musicale - "Music Database"
• Fonction Easy Song Arranger

Fonctionnalités pédagogiques

• Voir en:Yamaha education suite

Connectivité

• Interface Midi
• Port USB

L'interface

Terminologie et principes de l'interface

• Song se réfère à des morceaux de musiques pouvant être reproduits par la machine : des fichiers MIDI
• Style se réfère à l'accompagnement automatique, cet-à-dire les styles et les accords
• Voice se réfère aux voix (instruments de musique)
• Music Database se réfère à des combinaison de sons et de styles

Côté gauche du panneau

Le côté gauche du panneau comporte une une bonne partie des commandes de l'instrument, et notamment les commandes pour la gestion de l'accompagnement automatique, pour la reproduction des morceaux et pour le séquencer.

4. SCORE - Affiche la partition pendant lorsqu'un morceau est reproduit (fichier MIDI)

5. LYRICS - Affiche les paroles d'un morceau MIDI. Cette fonction marche uniquement avec des fichier karaoké commerciaux

Séquencer

6. REC - Permet d'activer le mode d'enregistrement

10. Piste du morceau (séquencer)

R/1. Piste 1 (destinée typiquement à la main droite)

L/1. Piste 2 (destinée typiquement à la main gauche)

3. Piste 3 (mélodie)

4. Piste 4 (mélodie)

3. Piste 5 (mélodie)

A. Piste destinée à l'enregistrement de l'accompagnement automatique.

Tutoriels et technologie d'assistance

7. Contrôles dans le panel "LESSON START"

WAITING - La reproduction du morceau est mise en attente jusqu'au moment où l'utilisateur joue la note correcte

YOUR TEMPO - Le tempo de la reproduction du morceau varie en fonction de la vitesse à laquelle l'utilisateur joue

MINUS ONE - Le morceau est joué au tempo normal, sans la partie que l'utilisateur a choisi de jouer

8. P.A.T - Activation/désactivation de la technologie Performance Assistant. Maintenir ce bouton enfoncée pendant plusieurs secondes pour afficher le type de la technologie Performance Assistant

9. EASY SONG ARRANGER - Active la fonction Easy Song Arranger

Tempo

11. METRONOME ON/OFF - Active/Désactive le métronome. Maintenir ce bouton enfoncé pendant plusieurs secondes pour régler le type de mesure. Par exemple : 4/4, 2/4, 3/4, 6/8

12. TEMPO/TAP - permet le réglage du tempo du métronome

13 Morceaux / Song (Reproduction fichiers MIDI)

REPEAT&LEARN - Fonction permettant d'exercer de façon répétée une partie problématique de la leçon

A-B REPEAT - Permet la reproduction répétée d'une partie d'un morceau

REW - Retour rapide sur un point antérieur du morceau

FF - Avance rapide à un point postérieur morceau

PAUSE - Interrompe momentanément la reproduction.

START/STOP - Démarre/arrête la reproduction du morceau

14 Accompagnement automatique / Style

ACMP ON/OFF - Active/désactive l'accompagnement automatique. Maintenir ce bouton enfoncé pendant plusieurs secondes pour sélectionner la fonction « Chord Fingering ».

INTRO/ENDING/rit. - Commence et termine le style par une introduction et une coda

MAIN/AUTO FILL - Partie principale A/B et variation automatique du style

SYNC STOP - Active/désactive la fonction d'arrêt synchronisé

SYNC START - Active/désactive la fonction de début synchronisé

START/STOP - Démarre/Interrompe l'accompagnement automatique

Côté gauche du panneau

Partie centrale du panneau

La partie centrale du panneau comporte l'écran à cristaux liquides et les mémoires de registration (registration memory). Ces dernières permettent à l'utilisateur de stocker les réglages préférés. Attention : l'écran affiche la plupart du réglage fait par l'utilisateur : utilisez-le !

Partie centrale du panneau

Côté droit du panneau

Le côté droit du panneau permette - entre d'autres - de sélectionner le fichier midi (Song), l'accompagnement automatique (Style), et la voix (Voice).

Buttons de sélection et de navigation

16 CATEGORY - Touches permettant de passer directement au premier élément de la catégorie suivante ou revenir sur le premier élément de la catégorie précédente.

19 DATA ENTRY cadran, touches -/+ et touches numériques. Permettent de modifier des valeurs et sélectionner des éléments. Les touches -/+ peuvent être utilisées dans

17 EXIT - touche permettant de revenir à l'écran principale de instrument (MAIN)

18 FUNCTION - permet d'accéder à 53 fonctions utilitaires du piano. Certains de ces fonction sont accessibles depuis d'autres menu

22 PORTABLE GRAND - permet de jouer la voix Grand Piano sur tout le clavier

Sélection de la fonction du piano

23 SONG - touche permettant de sélectionner et écouter des morceaux (fichier MIDI)

24 STYLE - touche permettant de sélectionner un accompagnement automatique

25 VOICE - touche permettant de sélectionner une voix, instrument. Maintenir ce bouton enfoncée pendant plusieurs secondes pour changer les voix d'un fichier midi.

26 MUSIC DATABASE - Propose une combinaison "idéale" de sons et de styles

Voix partagées (Split keyboard)

27 SPLIT ON/OFF - Activation/désactivation des voix partagées. Elle permet de jouer des voix différentes avec les deux mains. Maintenir ce bouton enfoncée pendant plusieurs secondes pour changer les voix d'un accompagnement automatique.

Les Effets

28 DUAL ON/OFF - Active/Désactive la fonction "voix en duo". Maintenir ce bouton enfoncée pendant plusieurs secondes pour choisir la deuxième voix.

29 HARMONY - Active/Désactive la fonction Harmonie. Cette fonction permet d'ajouter des notes d'harmonie à la voix principale (celle jouée par l'utilisateur). Maintenir ce bouton enfoncée pendant plusieurs secondes pour sélectionner le type d'harmonie désiré.

Note: d'autres effets peuvent être définis (DSP) à travers le menu fonction.

File controls

20 - FILE CONTROL

21 - EXECUTE

32 - Memory stick for writing/reading MIDI and other files. Not meant for connecting a computer. Use the USB AB cable and the square slot in the back for this.

Right side of the panel

Using the functions

By pressing the FUNCTION button you may set a total of 57 functions, i.e. all the functions available through the other interface buttons plus some extra stuff.

• Use the category buttons for navigation
• Use the dial wheel, the number buttons or the -/+ buttons when required.

The full function is list is defined in the user manual (p. 87-89)

Basic operations

Selecting an instrument

• Press Modèle:If-number VOICE - Select an instrument using the data input panel Modèle:If-number. Use either the wheel, type in numbers or use the category buttons Modèle:If-number to navigate quickly between groups of instruments.

Split voice

1. Play two voices by turning the split voice on using the Modèle:If-number SPLIT ON/OFF button.
2. Hold the button down for more than second to change the split right voice

• Split voice is also necessary for using most style (accompaniment) varieties

Look at auto-accompaniment styles

1. Press Modèle:If-number STYLE - Select a style using the input panel (wheel, number or category)
2. Press the START/STOP button in the Style/Song panel Modèle:If-number.

• You only will hear the rhythm (see below)

Play with auto-accompaniment

1. Press Modèle:If-number STYLE - Select a style using the input panel (wheel, number or category)
2. Press Modèle:If-number ACMP ON/OFF - Turn accompaniment feature on or off. In the LCD you should now see a ACMP icon on (lower left)
3. Turn Modèle:If-number SYNC START on. Bass, rhythm and chord should now play automatically as soon as you start playing.

Tips:

• The LCD will show the chord played.
• The manual page 27 includes a table with basic chords.

Use easy chords with auto-accompaniment.

• Hold down the Modèle:If-number ACMP ON/OFF to select a mode

Playing MIDI files (Songs)

• Press Modèle:If-number SONG
• Select a song
• Hit START/STOP

Tips:

• You can read songs from the USB key, Songs on the USB memory stick are numbered 36 and upward. Files on the USB stick must either at its root or not be nested deeper than two sub directories.
• You can rewind, fast forward and Pause using the Modèle:If-number Song (MIDI playback) buttons.

We now shall introduce more detailed functionality through topics.

Learning Rhythm

The piano helps learning rhythm in various various ways, in particular:

• Using the metronome
• Playing along with a rhythm section

The metronome

Important basic interface elements:

1. To turn the metronome on/off, press the Metronome button Modèle:If-number
2. Use the dial wheel Modèle:If-number to select the tempo

Interface elements to set the time signature:

1. You can set the time signature, e.g. define a 3/4 Waltz of a 2/4 Foxtrot, by pressing the the Metronome button Modèle:If-number for more than a second.
2. Use the wheel to select the number of beats per measure, e.g. 2,3,4
3. Press the Category buttons Modèle:If-number repetitively to to select the Time Signature–Denominator tool.
4. In this tool, use the dial wheel again to select the beat length, i.e. 2,4,8,16 for half notes, quarter notes, etc.

Changing speed

You can use tap start, i.e. tap the Temp/Tap button Modèle:If-number

• Tap 4 times for time signatures in 4
• Tap 3 times for time signatures in 3

Alternatively use the Tempo/Tap button Modèle:If-number and the wheel

• Press the button once
• Turn the wheel

Change while playing

• Tap the button twice

Listening to rhythms

The piano's auto accompaniment feature can produce accompaniment (rhythm + bass + chords) in 165 styles. For starters one can just explore these without playing.

Exploring styles without playing a tune:

1. Press the style button Modèle:If-number
2. Select a style using the wheel. You also can quickly navigate from category to category by pressing one of the category buttons Modèle:If-number
3. Press the start/stop button in the Style/Song panel Modèle:If-number

Play with perfomance assistance

P.A.T (see below) allows user to play either left or right hand or both and the piano will fix the notes. This allows to intuitively play along a more complex rhythm.

Try for instance the Salsa song using P.A.T. with Melody.

Play with a style

Using auto-accompaniment requires basic understanding of harmony and chords. Being able to generate accompaniment bass and chords by using one of fingering methods (a-3 keys, AI, or full chors), a learner can focus on keeping the rhythm and the melody right.

Play a song (midi file) and change its style

Exchanging one accompaniment style by another can be a fairly motivating activity if the learning goal is become familiar with various music genres. E.g. adding a techno beat to a simple classic melody is something that some young people spontaneously do.

• Prerequisite: Understand how to play midi files (songs)

With the Easy Song Arranger feature you can change the style of a song. However, this only works with certain midi files, e.g. the ones that are built-in.

Interface features:

1. Press the Easy song arranger button Modèle:If-number
2. Select a song by pressing the song button Modèle:If-number
3. Press the START/STOP button in the Style/Song panel Modèle:If-number. In addition, you may have to press the song memory buttons (Modèle:If-number in order to hear the melody or the the accompaniment.
4. Select the style.

In addition:

• You can change the voice (instrument) if you like by pressing the voice button
• Hit the easy song arranger button to turn the arranger off

Learning music notation and playing

A digital piano can assist in two ways:

• Use fairly standard features (such as score sheet display)
• Use special educational features, i.e. Yamaha Education suite in our case.

The education suite includes three functions:

1. Waiting - Learn to play the correct notes.
2. Your Tempo - Learn to play the correct notes with the correct timing.
3. Minus One - Learn to play the correct notes at the correct timing along with the song.

Look at music scores while a song plays

• Press Modèle:If-number SONG
• Select a song
• Press the SCORE button
• When you press SCORE first you will see just the melody on track 1, i.e. single-staff. Pressing it again will also display a right hand track (double staff)
• Single-staff also shows the chords and the lyrics if available
• Press START/STOP. An indicator shows progress

Tips:

• You can slow down the song by hitting TEMPO/TAP button, then use the wheel
• Depending on the midi file you may have to select another track to show. You can do this for SMF formats 0 and 1. Hit FUNCTION and find SONG/LESSON
• To mute a track, press one of the six buttons in the Modèle:If-number Sequencer tracks panel
• To change the instrument for the melody voice, press the VOICE button for longer than a second. You then can define instrument for both left and right (press the button again) using the wheel.

Waiting (Yamaha education suite)

Waiting is mode that allows a learner to play a melody or right plus left hand with on screen display. The piano will util the right keys are pressed and also show their position on a virtual keyboard.

1. Select a song from the Piano ensemble category pressing the Modèle:If-number SONG button and using the wheel. Alternatively, download a file that is in SMF format 0 (see MIDI) and read it from a USB memory stick
2. Press EXIT
3. Optionally you can select tracks (parts) to play: You can turn either or both right or left hands on or off by pressing the R/1 or L/2 buttons in the Modèle:If-number Sequencer tracks panel. The LCD panel (lower right) will show which tracks are on or off.
4. Press the WAITING button in the Modèle:If-number LESSON START panel. The next note to be played is displayed as a dot in small on-screen keyboard. The triangular marker shows playback progress.
5. Press STOP to stop the lesson

LCD in "waiting" mode

Your Tempo

“Song playback tempo will vary to match the speed you are playing at. The song will slow down when you play wrong notes, so you can learn at your own pace. [...] The triangular marker will appear in the score display, and will move to indicate the current note in the song. Try to play the notes at the correct timing. As you learn to play the right notes at the right timing the tempo will increase until eventually you’ll be playing at the song’s original tempo.” (Manual, p. 40).

Minus One

Minus one will play at normal tempo (although you always could slow it down using the TEMP/TAP button) and you will have to play the selected part, i.e. the part that is turned off on the piano

1. Select the song and part (as above)
2. Press MINUS ONE

By default, the piano will give you rating. You can turn this of using the FUNCTION button, Grade item.

Using the repeat feature

In any of this modes, you can repeat a section.

• Press the REPEAT & LEARN button in the Song (MIDI playback) Modèle:If-number panel.

Learning harmony

Understanding and being able to use harmony is a key element for improvising, playing along and composing (in addition to mastery of an instrument, rhythm and creativity).

In somewhat ascending order, basic elements include:

• Be able to read simple sheet music, e.g. notes and chords (see above)
• Understanding major chord varieties
• Understanding lead sheet notation
• Understand diatonic harmony that is based on the circle of fifth

Look up chords with the chords dictionary

Procedure:

1. Press the Minus One button for more than a second in the lesson start panel Modèle:If-number
2. Press a root key, e.g. C
3. Press a piano key in the section labeled CHORD TYPE
4. Play the chord in the left hand (auto accompaniment) section of the keyboard. If you are successful, then a bell sound signals your success and the chord name in the display flashes.
5. Press the EXIT button Modèle:If-number to exit from this tool.

Learn harmony through built-in performance technology

• See performance assistance technology and auto-accompaniment sections just below.
• In P.A.T. mode, the chord information included in the MIDI file is displayed in the lower area of the LCD.

Performance assistant technology

Performance assistant technology and auto accompaniment may be the biggest educational asset of an ensemble piano. It may:

• Motivate learners to learn reading sheet music (i.e. the melody line or a lead sheet)
• Motivate learners to learn about chords and chord symbols
• Play with rhythm
• Explore musical styles

There exist four performance assisting mode:

• Chord - play anything, the piano will fix it. I.e. keys you press will be translated into something that is harmonic with respect to the MIDI tracks.
• Chord/Free - good if you can play simple melodies with the right hand. Only the left hand will be fixed. For the left hand any chord or arpeggio will do fine, but you should keep the rhythm, i.e. play three notes in a waltz.
• Melody - press any keys and it will play a correct melody. All you need to do is finding an approximate rhythm.
• Chord/Melody - The piano will generate the right chords for the melody you play. Make sure to play melody to the right of the split point.

Chord

"Chord" should stimulate recognition of basic patterns to play and the piano will attemp t to have you do it before the song starts playing.

1. Press P.A.T. ON/OFF Modèle:If-number
2. Press P.A.T. ON/OFF for longer, then select CHORD with the wheel
3. Select a song as usual
4. Press START/STOP

• Don't forget to turn of P.A.T. ON/OFF when you don't need it anymore !

Melody

Allows to play with just one finger. I.e. you can press keys in a sequence and a right melody with respect to the right hand harmonics will be played.

1. Press P.A.T. ON/OFF Modèle:If-number
2. Press P.A.T. ON/OFF for longer, then select MELODY with the wheel
3. Select a song as usual
4. Press SCORE Modèle:If-number
5. Press START/STOP

Using auto-accompaniment

Basic procedure

1. Press the STYLE button and select a style using the wheel, numbers and/or category buttons
2. (Optional) Press SYNC START if you want the piano to start playing as soon as you play a chord
3. Press MAIN/AUTO FILL. If on, the LCD should the name of the section played
4. (Optional) Press INTRO/ENDING/rit.. This will start playing an introduction.
5. (Optional) Press MAIN/AUTO FILL to change to a B section
6. (Optional) Press INTRO/ENDING/rit. to play an ending. In order to fade out, press this button again.

Variants:

• Press ACMP ON/OFF to play only chords but no rhythm

Fingering types

The piano implements three fingering types:

• Multi Finger (default setting)
• AI Fingered
• Full keyboard

Multi Finger and AI Finger also detect easy keys if the keyboard is split (see below)

(1) Multi Finger

Multifinger recognizes both "easy keys" and up to semi-complex fingered keys. Automatic "Easy Chords" allow beginners to play simple chords. The keyboard must be put in split mode using Modèle:If-number SPLIT ON/OFF

• Press one key = Major Chord

E.g. C = C

• Press two adjacent keys = 7th Chord (root is on top)

E.g. BC = C₇

• Press two keys one full note apart = Minor Chord (root is on top)

E.g. B_bC= Cm

• Press three adjacent keys = Minor 7th Chord.

E.g. B_bBC = Cm7

(2) AI Finger

• Tries to figure out what would sound best based on previously played chord etc. Also recognized fully fingered keys.

(3) Full keyboard

• Recognized chords played on the full keyboard. Also recognizes best complex inverted chords like a seventh add thirteenth (E.g. C¹³)

Composition

Simple recording

The piano can be used to create songs through multiple improvisation.

• You can record up to five songs
• Songs can be copied to a USB stick for archiving (and replay also).

Basic procedure for recording:

1. Press the Rec button Modèle:If-number. The lamp next to the start button should start flashing when recording is on. The first song will be recorded at 031 UserSong 1 and so forth. If 031 to 036 are completed, 031 will be overwritten.
2. Recording starts as soon as you play
3. Press either the Rec button Modèle:If-number or the Start/Stop button to stop.
4. After stopping, the piano will ask whether to save or not. Use the + (Yes) or - (No) button in data entry panel Modèle:If-number.

Playing a song:

• Right after recording, press the start button
• Otherwise, play it like any other song (see ....)

Multi-track recording

You can record a total of five memory tracks, plus a single chords/rhythm track. The procedure is of course a bit more complicated:

1. Press the Song button Modèle:If-number and select one of the user song numbers (031 to 035).
2. Select the tracks you would like to record
   • Just a melody: Hold down the Rec button Modèle:If-number and a melody track button in the tracks panel Modèle:If-number
   • Melody and accompaniment: Hold down the Rec button Modèle:If-number (dont' release). Press a melody track button and finally press the A button. The selected tracks should be highlighted in the LCD "play part" panel. Typically, the main melody should be in R/1 and the main accompaniment piano voice in L/2 (think: right/left hand).
3. Recording will start as soon as you start playing.
4. Press either the Rec button Modèle:If-number or the Start/Stop button to stop.
5. After stopping, the piano will ask whether to save or not. Use the + (Yes) or - (No) button in data entry panel Modèle:If-number.

Recording other tracks

• Go through steps 2-5 again (make sure not to overwrite an existing track by mistake)

Deleting a track

• Select the song with the wheel
• Press and hold the track button for more than a second
• Confirm

Interfacing with a computer

Prerequisite:

• Install the Yamaha Midi driver (download the appropriate version from Yamaha, the one included in the CD may not work with your 64-bit system). See below for a summary of instruction
• You need a AB USB (host) cable of good quality and it should be less than 3 meters. The USB host cable that has a male Type B (square) end and a standard USB flat end on the other side (or whatever your computer has, e.g. a mini-usb can do too). This is a kind of USB cable you may never have seen before.

Connecting:

• Turn on the computer
• Turn of the keyboard
• Connect
• Turn on the keyboard
• Wait at least 6 seconds before disconnecting or turning on/off

MIDI settings

• Leave as is, if not read the manual (p. 98)

Installing the MIDI driver

In order to connect the keyboard to a PC, you first need to install the appropriate drivers. For Win7, you need to download since they are not included in the CD (not in mine):

• Download page: USB-MIDI Drivers

For using “Yamaha hardware from your computer via USB, you’ll need to install the USB-MIDI driver software. The USB-MIDI driver is software that transfers MIDI data back and forth between your music software and the instrument via a USB cable.” (USB Midi installation guide, included in the driver download)

Procedure for Win7

• Unzip the compressed files
• Disconnect all USB devices from the computer except for the mouse and computer keyboard.
• Turn off the power of the instrument.
• Connect the USB connector of the computer to the USB TO HOST connector of the MIDI instrument. The connector is underneath left/back (not left/underneath front)
• Turn on the power of the keyboard
• Windows then will try to install a driver ... (wait !)
• When the message “Device driver software was not successfully installed.” (or equivalent in other languages) appears, continue the installation procedure.
• Install the driver: Double-click the file “setup.exe”. ... (click a few times)

The driver now should appear in the control panel as Yamaha USB midi driver and in the list of peripherals as digital piano (Control panel, peripherals and printers)

Keyboard to PC software test

Testing with a music notation software:

• Download and install MuseScore, a a free cross-platform WYSIWYG music notation program that offers a cost-effective alternative to commercial programs such as Sibelius and Finale.
• Click File->New
• Menu Notes->Note Input
• Play a chord on the piano. You should see it.
• If it doesn't work, try fiddling with the preferences (I/O). Also, unmount USB, turn off Piano, wait for at least 6 seconds, connect USB again, and turn on Piano.

I didn't manage to control the keyboard from this software. I.e. input was ok, but not output.

PC to keyboard test

• Install AriaMaestosa, a free editor/tracker. Other tools that can play a keyboard will do too. See MIDI for alternatives.
• Import a (simple) MIDI file, e.g. a two track piano file like Jump Jive an' Wail from MuseScore.com
• Change the output device in your program, E.g. in AriaMaestosa: Menu Output-> Digital piano
• Hit the play button ... you should hear at least some sound.

Links

Model description

• DGX-640 product description at Yamaha Europe

Manuals and official help

Manuals

All the manuals are available at yamaha, in particular:

• PDF Data List manual

• PDF MIDI reference manual

• PDF Owners manual (Also included in print in the box)

• MIDI basics

Support site

• Yamaha online services Mostly (commercial) downloads of styles plus tutorials and tips

• Yamaha online member. Doesn't seem to do much, i.e. let's your register your instrument (for what purpose) and then it provides a (localized) link to the above website and show links tailored for your instrument(s).

Downloads

• USB-MIDI Drivers. Make sure to select the appropriate one for you system ... Most Windows versions are supported plus MacOsX
  • Note: The Win 7 64 bit driver isn't on the included CD. The downloaded version worked in my setup (see above) - Daniel K. Schneider 11:42, 16 September 2011 (CEST).

User forums and FAQs

• CVP 500-Series Discussions in the CVP Users Group
  • FAQ for the CVP series

• Digital Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Forum in Piano World. My favorite place.

• Yamahamusician.com (low traffic)

Tutorials

• ?

Midi files for download

See:

• List of repositories in the digital music library article.

On some sites you can find files that specifically target the Clavinova CVP series, i.e. it uses Yamaha voices, in particular:

• Clavinova Creations in the CVP Users Group Forums. MIDI files are attached to message
• yamahamusicsoft.com (commercial)
• sheetmusicplus.com (carries PianoSoft titles, search for "pianosoft")

Style files

Not tested so far ! Daniel K. Schneider 00:07, 14 September 2011 (CEST)

• Styles (and Other Files) for your Yamaha keyboard (Made for PSR and Tyros, probably work on CVPs)
• CraftyMusic's Style & Midi Libraries. Made for PSR and Tyros, may work on CVPs ....