NP 30 voice selection in midi

[ambuyer]

I prefer the electric piano sounds on my Yamaha NP-30 over the soft synth samples from my DAW. (Cubase E4 with HALion and Sample Tank) My plan is to send a midi track from my DAW to the NP-30 for playback and then record it as an audio channel. It plays the midi track correctly but it will only play back in Grand Piano voice. The manual covers program change settings but says 'the keyboard voice does not change.' I've tried various toggle conbinations but it still only plays back in Grand Piano voice. If I unplug the midi connection I am able to select the voice normally. It seems to me that I should be able to have control over the voice settings even when playing midi data. Or will midi playback only work in Grand Piano voice by design?

 

[Vctor]

You must have a file with your sound banks and patches definitions to import it in your DAW, so your DAW will know what sounds your keyboard has, and transmit the right voice over MIDI.

 

[ambuyer]

That makes sense, I guess, but from where would I import this file? Yamaha support? All I found there was a pdf of the manual. The DAW's midi setup window has a drop down list of keyboard patches but the NP-30 is not one of them. I tried the GM settings but no difference.

 

[Vctor]

I don't know where you would find such a file, as I tried yesterday a search on Google with no success.
You could ask in this forum http://psrtutorial.com/forumIframe.html , this is for Yamaha keyboard users.

 

[ambuyer]

I checked out the link. Thank you. I also sent an inquiry to Yamaha tech but they have an abbreviated holiday schedule until January so I do not expect to hear anything from them any time soon. I wish I could just play the keyboard part in real time but I am not a keyboard player so I use midi to sequence what I can't play. Much of this technical stuff is over my head. I'm a musician, not a computer tech. There is some info in the NP-30 manual about midi data formatting and Program Change data, but I do not have any idea what CnH, ppH and BnH means. Can anyone recommend a good primer or tutorial on midi connectivity?

 

[ambuyer]

The Yamaha tech line answered my inquiry on the first day after a holiday break. They confirmed I need to change settings in my DAW. I'm using Cubase Essential 4 and the manual does not help much on this topic. I did, however, find better info in a Cubase LE manual. Although the settings are done differently in the LE version, I was able to extrapolate enough info to help me figure out the settings. A little trial and error but I had success. I could still use more training on midi. Anyone know of a good book on this topic?