Hallelujah - Disklavier app for my Mark IV working again!

I noticed an update to the Disklavier controller app for iPhone and Mark IV today.  This update notification came on a version  I had loaded on my MacBook Pro with M1 chip.  When I checked on my iPhone the app wasn't listed as an update. So, I deleted the app from my iPhone and then searched for it on the application app for iPhone and reloaded it. 

I was excited that the app loaded with the screen to allow for searching for my piano.  Unfortunately, the search didn't work after a minute or so.  

I then re-booted my piano and that didn't work either. 

Then I noticed that the AirPort Express connecting my piano to my router was blinking yellow. So I unplugged the AirPort Express and waited a few minutes. and replugged it in.  It turned green.

I then shut down my Mark IV and restarted it so it could connect.

That worked!  I now can control my piano again from my iPhone.

 

Tweet

Playing Midis from my iPhone on my Mark IV Disklavier via Bluetooth

Make sure your piano is ON and not in standby.  

I run Disklavier Controller app from my iPhone to activate my piano: I select a song and play, then stop.  

        Note: Use the app that is associated with your piano to play a song to make sure the piano is active or just go to your piano and turn on and play a song.

I connect my Bluetooth device which is hooked to my piano by selecting midimittr app.  

    Note: you may have a different app that allows you to connect your bluetooth device located on your piano in the midi port.

 

If using midimittr, select Devices icon from lower bar on screen.  The following screen should appear.  Click on "Not Connected" next to your device (i.e. mine is m1.1).  Eventually "Connected" should appear next to your device.

I use an app called MidiOnStage for iPhone to store midis and to play via my bluetooth device to my Mark IV Disklavier piano.

If you use MidiOnStage app, you need to click on Settings>General and scroll to bottom of screen to Midi Output and select your device.

MidiOnStage allows multiple ways to load midis from Mac laptop  to the app.  Note: The midis added to MidiOnStage songs list are stored in the Files app on your iPhone.  

You can use Airdrop to move a midi or an entire folder of midis directly from your laptop to your iPhone and into MidiOnStage.  

Click on a midi filename on your laptop, hold down the option key while clicking on filename, then select Share option and select Airdrop to your iPhone.  Then select MidiOnStage from Airdrop menu that appears on your iPhone. 

Note:  If you are moving an entire folder of midis,  you will need to select a path to Files >On My iPhone>MidiOnStage folder from the Airdrop options menu.

Using MidiOnStage, you can create Playlists by using the + icon at top of the Playlists screen. You will be asked to enter a Playlist name to create.  You can then use the various screens and + buttons to maneuver and add songs to your playlist.  

You can select a song to play or an entire playlist.  click on play button to start playing.  Your midi songs should play on the piano.  

Tweet

Adding New Midis to My Mark IV Disklavier Piano

 Over the past few years it has been hard to add midis to my Mark IV Disklavier.  The music store that was accessible using the PRC (remote) and internet connection was not working.  Yamaha decided to move their Musicsoft store online.  The store is accessible on my Macintosh laptop at Yamaha Musicsoft Store  

 

I had tried in 2019 to download a free album from the store using my Macintosh laptop. The download went okay, but the file was compressed as a .PSX file and the album and included midi files had to be extracted. There was no available software for my Mac that would extract the file.  So, after 2 years I decided to pursue this problem and also figure out why the albums I was seeing on my Mac were not available on my piano's internet store (from PRC).

 

Result:  After talking with knowledgeable and helpful staff at Yamaha MusicSoft support, I have found out the following:

* The original Mark IV's that have not been upgraded with new controllers do not have viable access to the store using their piano's PRC.

* But recently the .PSX file type has been eliminated and a new zipfile protocol allows for easy download and unzipping of files on my Mac laptop. 

* Once files are unzipped on your computer, you can transfer to a USB stick (thumbdrive) and use the USB connection under your Mark IV to load the files to your piano.  

* Using the piano's remote or PRC, you can access the USB and then select album or midi file, click on Function and select Copy to place a copy of new songs into your piano library.

I did have one problem with the online purchase and a call to the support fixed an error in my account info.  I was able to enter my new credit card info and purchase an album. (There are phone numbers on the website to direct you to support)

 There is a nice selection of albums online.  Nice to be able to buy some Piano only - again -- thanks to Yamaha!

The "sound of music" playing on my piano has put me in a better frame of mind.  

Support staff, reminded me that any thing purchased in the store is easily downloaded again.  I was able to redownload my free album which had been changed to midi format instead of .PSX

NOTE:  USB stick should be initialized as FAT 32

Tweet

Playing Midis via Bluetooth from my Mac to my Disklavier Mark IV

 I connected the mi1v2 Bluetooth midi device to my Disklavier Mark IV this evening.

I purchased the Bluetooth midi device from Amazon at
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-MIDI-Interface-mi-1-Rev-3/dp/B01D61QK6W/ref=asc_df_B01D61QK6W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312118595187&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14263083875715554474&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029598&hvtargid=pla-570048501731&psc=1

 Description of device:
Wireless technology    Bluetooth Low Energy
Bluetooth LE MIDI Profile    Apple Bluetooth LE MIDI (iOS 9)
Connectors    1 x MIDI IN (5pin-DIN)
1 x MIDI OUT (5pin-DIN)
Switch、Indicator    1 x Hall element Switch
1 x Magnet
1 x white LED
Power Supply    From MIDI Out 3.3V-5.0V
Compatible iOS devices    iPad (3rd, 4th), iPad Air2, iPad mini, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3,
iPhone（4s,5,5s, 6, 6plus, 6s, 6splus） iPod touch (5th, 6th)
Compatible OS    iOS8, iOS9, OSX (Yosemite, El Captain)
Firmware Update    On the air by using Piano Jukebox
iOS Apps for mi.1    mi.1 connect : bridges mi.1 and Core MIDI music apps
Piano JukeBox : Simple SMF player, firmware updater
Power consumption    7 mW (when MIDI OUT is 3.3 V)
25 mW (when MIDI OUT is 5 V)

Steps:

• Turn Piano off.
• Connected mi1vi2 Bluetooth devices input/output pins to I/O center at front of piano when piano off.  There are arrows on the device to aid in connecting properly.
• Then turned piano on and made sure piano still worked.
• Used instructions from http://quicco.co.jp/products/
• Updated the device using Piano Jukebox app on iPhone  (be sure to get this app for your iPhone to use for update…

Firmware update
Updating the firmware is recommended to ensure that the mi.1 can be used in the most optimal condition. To do this, please download the dedicated iPhone/iPad application "Piano Jukebox" (free) from the App Store.
1. Launch the Piano Jukebox app

2. Tap the wheel icon and select 'Firmware Update'
3. Turn on the MIDI instrument to which the mi.1 is plugged, then tap the 'OK' button
4. Tap the 'Upload' button when it becomes available (blue) †
5. Keep the MIDI instrument turned on while updating the firmware

6. When the firmware has uploaded successfully, a message will be shown .

How to connect to iPhone/iPad
The connection between mi.1 and the iOS is made by Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI. The connection is managed in the “Bluetooth Midi Devices” List which the Piano Jukebox or some other MIDI apps have.
Preparation: Turn on the device to which the mi.1 is connected
1. Launch the Piano Jukebox app
2. Tap the mi.1 icon in the menu bar
3. Tap the “Not Connected” next to the mi.1 in the list.
4. You can now use the Piano Jukebox and other MIDI apps, such as GarageBand, on your iPhone

How to connect to Mac
1.For the connection between Mac, go to Application/Utilities folder and open Audio MIDI Setup.
2. Launch the "Audio MIDI Setup" tool
3. From the titlebar menu, select Window > Show MIDI Studio
4. Double-Click the Bluetooth Icon
5. Click the "Connect" button
6. If the button changes to "Disconnect", the mi.1 has connected successfully
7. MIDI apps can now recognise the mi.1 Bluetooth as a MIDI device.

Next I needed to decide on the best option for playing midis on my Macbook Pro.  I decided to purchase MidiYodi which works with this Bluetooth device, set up using Audio Midi Setup on Mac laptop.  This is a pretty good midi player for my current Macbook Pro running High Sierra  10.13.6.  I decided on this midi player because of the reasonable cost, the extensive online manual and the ability to create and save playlists.  It also has some editing capabilities.  MidiYodi can be found at:  https://www.canato.se/midiyodi/


Other Midi software that I tried out that worked with this Bluetooth device connected to my Disklavier Mark IV included:

Midikit is trial only, would need to purchase the version for 11.99 - good for editing titles and channels. No playlist capability.  Make sure connected to device by: looking under Midikit menubar select Midi Settings. Click on Midi port.  And the mi 1 bluetooth device should show up

Midiswing worked and needed to make sure to select output: Bluetooth (Quicco Sound Corp.) 2

Sweet Midi which has playlist capability. $29.95 USD

Most of these played midis using the Bluetooth device  but lacked playlist capabilities. In order to get some of these to work, I had to go to preferences or audio setup or midi settings in the individual apps and make sure that Bluetooth was selected.


** Update:  After hooking up Bluetooth, I noticed the only channel that was playing was Channel 1.  Needed to access Setup>Midi on my Mark IV PRC remote to set the channels for piano playback.  
  Tweet