DGX-660: A key in a style playing wrong...

[MiddleC]

I have been studying, practicing, watching Youtube vids etc. to learn how to use this keyboard. And of course taking lessons at PGS. I am new to the keyboard and piano.

I am finding that occasionally when I am using a style, one of the keys doesn't work right at first hit. I can replicate the issue, and have it in the linked video below.

The off tone happens at ~ 29 seconds into the 37 second video. Playing Lean on Me. At the bottom of the video, left thumb is hitting C. I put the 30+ seconds there to provide more sound context. You will hear me hitting that C and it sounding fine, but then at the 29 seconds point, it sounds off. I hit it again almost immediately after the off tone, and it sounds fine.

Is anyone else experiencing anything like this? I have experienced it in other playing, but had written it off to my learning curve. I was wondering if I was hitting the wrong key, maybe D or something, so I made this recording to validate that I was not hitting the wrong key.

I plan to call Yamaha support and see if they can give me any thoughts. My first call...I don't know how good their tech support is.

Hope to hear if this is happening to anyone else, of if maybe this is a problem with my keyboard.

Thanks in advance!

 

[anotherscott]

I don't know whether this would make the difference, but does the problem occur if, at the start, you let it go around and start the song on the "one" (red flashing LED) as they would normally expect you to? (You started on the "two.") Or instead of having to pay attention to a count-off, I think the keyboard has a sync start feature that just starts up when you start playing. Either way, it's possible that making sure your one is on the one could be a factor in how the board follows your key commands.

 

[MiddleC]

I don't know whether this would make the difference, but does the problem occur if, at the start, you let it go around and start the song on the "one" (red flashing LED) as they would normally expect you to? (You started on the "two.") Or instead of having to pay attention to a count-off, I think the keyboard has a sync start feature that just starts up when you start playing. Either way, it's possible that making sure your one is on the one could be a factor in how the board follows your key commands.

Thanks so much for the input

I will give that a try. I know I just quickly played that to capture the video...although I may certainly have not paid much attention to starting on the red light. I haven't seen or heard before that we are expected to do that, as the synch starts when I make that happen by hitting a bass clef key.

BTW...I believe I have had that happen with other keys as well.

I'll definitely post back the results.

[EDIT]
Just tried that, and it did not help. I'm beginning to think there is an issue with my keyboard. Not sure how large the audience here is, but after some more time, if I don't find anyone else with this issues, that strengthens the case of my keyboard having an issue.

I was thinking maybe I need to apply a firmware update, but checking on Yamaha's site, it does not list any firmware updates for the 660.

 

[anotherscott]

Another place you could try asking is

Yamaha PSR/PSS/DGX - YamahaMusicians.com

 

[MiddleC]

Another place you could try asking is

Yamaha PSR/PSS/DGX - YamahaMusicians.com

Thanks. I have registered over there...

 

[MiddleC]

Just to update...

I need to check the other forums you guys mentioned.

But at any rate, I have opened a case at Yamaha USA. I'm finding them to be either just inundated, or lousy support. I think it is inundated. When I tried calling, I was number 40 in the wait. So I tried chat.

The gentleman on the chat that I first chatted with thought it sounded like a voice issue, and wanted to know if I have tried with other voices. I hadn't, so I then did so, and found it did it on other voices as well.

So I went back to the chat, and had them update the case. The person I got hold of wasn't a keyboard guy. He said that a gentleman named Isaac would call me.

After a couple days having not heard from him, I opened another chat. Theyi said he must be busy, and will get with me. That was on December 7th. I guess I'll try again.

 

[Biggles]

Sorry to read that you are still having problems and it sucks that you are not getting any support from Yamaha but that does seem to be the norm not just with Yamaha.

Try resetting your keyboard just in case you have a OS glitch.

 

[MiddleC]

Sorry to read that you are still having problems and it sucks that you are not getting any support from Yamaha but that does seem to be the norm not just with Yamaha.

Try resetting your keyboard just in case you have a OS glitch.

Thanks. I actually did do that, but I'll try again.

 

[Ralph Hunt]

Thanks so much for the input

I will give that a try. I know I just quickly played that to capture the video...although I may certainly have not paid much attention to starting on the red light. I haven't seen or heard before that we are expected to do that, as the synch starts when I make that happen by hitting a bass clef key.

BTW...I believe I have had that happen with other keys as well.

I'll definitely post back the results.

[EDIT]
Just tried that, and it did not help. I'm beginning to think there is an issue with my keyboard. Not sure how large the audience here is, but after some more time, if I don't find anyone else with this issues, that strengthens the case of my keyboard having an issue.

I was thinking maybe I need to apply a firmware update, but checking on Yamaha's site, it does not list any firmware updates for the 660.

I have a similar problem with my DGX660. If I’m playing a song in the key of C and I drop down to G and come back to C, my instrument does not want to come back to C sometimes. It may be because I play only with my right hand (left is partially paralyzed) and when the right hand is playing melody and chords, you have to hit at least two (out of the 3) key’s simultaneously (that make up the next chord) in order to get It to change. I try to make sure I do that but I still have the problem sometimes. Not all time, just sometimes.

 

[MiddleC]

I have determined that for sure, it is based on using a style. The style has to have the split point set at middle C, as middle C is a big part of the bass clef.

I spoke with a tech at Yamaha, and he suggested that I set the split point higher up the keyboard. I could only set it at D3, as the treble clef in the song uses E3.

I gave that a try and it made no difference. I am thinking I'll need to have it looked at by a tech. Fortunately, there is one in my town.

@Ralph Hunt, I wonder if you can use Smart Chord and if that will help you. Is your keyboard on warranty still?

By the way, since the pandemic, Yamaha support has been slammed. The first time I called, I was number 40 in the queue. I ended up using Chat. They got to me quicker. Yesterday, it wasn't as bad, and I was number 12 in the queue, and they got to me in maybe 20 minutes.