What and how are Multipads used?

Multipads are used to add a bit of 'spice' to what you are playing. Here are some YouTube videos explaining what Multipads are and how they are used. And also how to SAVE Multipad choices to your Registrations.

Tyros 5

A very clear explanation of what it's all about.




PSR-S900

His explanations of what he is doing are written along the bottom of the video.




PSR-S950

This ones a bit more technical! He has used Cubase to get some audio clips into his Multipads.



Hugh

There has been another discussion on this subject which was put up by Steve (steveclarke) in July 2014, so as this is relevant to this topic I am putting what was discussed below.

Hugh

Hello everyone

Not sure if this is the right place, but could someone please tell me what multipads are for?

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve

I'm not sure what keyboard you have, however on the Tyros they are used to trigger sounds or musical sequences to enhance the tune that you are playing. They generally MIDI Files so the list is endless. On the later keyboards you can also use Audio files. The midi files can be set to play the sequence then stop or can be set to repeat until you push the button again.

Fred

Sounds a little like an arpp ?
Brian

That's only a tiny part of it.

There are several different uses for Multipads
1-extra percussion sounds, you might add bongos and congas to a rhythm. These loop and play along with the rhythm.
2-extra rhythmic instruments, primarily guitars, but you'll also find brass figures and those arpeggios you mentioned. These also loop.
3-stabs, one off sounds, perhaps short brass phrases or chords, orchestral hits, or 'one-off' arpeggios. These do not loop but stop at the end of the pad.
4-sound effects, again these are one-off and don't loop

Then comes the most exciting type, for me anyway. Programmable pads. These can be made to do anything in the above four groups but can do rather more. I now tend to use them as an 'extra hand', playing extra chords or a counter melody along with what I'm playing. Obviously, you have to record them exactly right, and trigger them at the exact right time for this to work! You can record them within the keyboard itself, but if you want to take things to the ultimate level, you can take a very basic set of pads across to something like Cubase (or a MIDI editor) and then get really creative. You can add in all sorts of things that you can't do in the keyboard itself, like fading instruments in and out, or even changing instruments part way through. This is a bit like multi-tracking in a way, as it uses the same techniques whether you record the pads live or use a computer. But the playback of the pads is done manually as you play live.

As a group of four User pads can be a mixture of any of the above, the sky's the limit!

... and below is a ZIP file with Organ Multipads for a Tyros 4 that Mike put up in 2012 which you can Download from the BoxLink.

Two sets of organ multi-pads for the Tyros 4

https://www.box.com/s/7a915b8e8c0e250f0a7d

Hi Mike. Clicked your post. Nothing happened. Any ideas. John

Hi John,

It worked for me https://www.box.com/s/7a915b8e8c0e250f0a7d


Brian007

Hi Brian. On my iPad it just says preview not available. Must be doing something wrong. John

John,

I think you are mis-reading what Mike had put up. When you click on Mile's LINK I think maybe you had in mind what happens when you click on some 'music' .. namely that the music is 'ready to play' (this is called a Preview). You must look at 'Box' as a 'storage area', which basically is what it is. And Box will 'Preview' music (so you can play it), pictures (so you can see the picture), PDF files (so you can 'view' what is in them).

Now Mike's file is a ZIP file, which you cannot 'view' or 'play' as it contains files specific to keyboards. Also a ZIPPED file needs a program (App) to 'Unzip' the contents. So it's not surprising that Box says that ZIP files are not currently supported .. it's not their scene. But what you will see on the page is a Download button. And that is what you must click on to 'download' the ZIP file to your computer.

What you do with it then depends on whether you can 'Unzip' it or not, and put the files stored in the ZIP file onto a Memory Stick to use in your keyboard.

So to reiterate, "No, you didn't do anything wrong. You weren't looking at Box as just a 'storage area' and you were expecting 'something to happen' .. and it didn't."

Hugh

Hi Hugh. Yes that’s what I was expecting. However will look at it later as I am off to play the keyboard with the gang at 6.30pm. Then it’s golf in the morning at 7.30. It’s a hard life. John

Hi John,

You would probably be better of downloading this onto your laptop and then onto a memory stick , which you can the use on your Tyros 5
Just unzip them onto the memory stick and you should be able to audition them on your keyboard to see which one you want to load permanently


Brian007