How do you manage the split point?

The discussion below is taken from a thread launched by "nardoni2002" on the Synth Zone General Arranger forum.  Click here to go to the original thread.

 

nardoni2002 01-25-2003 02:06 PM Hi guys, how do you manage with the split point?  Do you set it and leave it or are you forever changing it?  I have learned a lot of the chords and some of the inversions but still have problems sometimes.  I would like your views many thanks.  -- Mike

Idatrod 01-25-2003 05:17 PM I set my PSR 2000 split point A+L at B2 and leave it there most of the time. It seems to work well with a lot of styles that Joe Waters customizes for the PSR 2000 using the OTS along with the styles. Other styles work well too and it gives me a broad range for both left hand and right hand. I have to keep an eye on the split point though as some styles with OTS will change my split point settings and use a different split point altogether causing me to have to reset it to my original setting afterwards. It doesn't happen very often but it happens. It's no biggie though.  Best regards,  -- Mike

Evangelical 01-25-2003 05:51 PM I usually keep A+L at F#2/G2 except for a small number of songs that I play in C with the root at C2, like a Whiter Shade Of Pale, so that I have room to move to the left in the accompaniment. In that case I set the split at C/C#3.  -- ev

travlin'easy 01-25-2003 05:58 PM B2 seems to work best for me also, and I, too, use a fair number of Joe Waters tuned styles.  -- Gary

nardoni2002 01-25-2003 06:07 PM Hi guys. Yes, I normally set the split point to B2.  But sometimes, if I am using C root and then change to inversion E-G-C in the same piece of music, problems come up.  Maybe this is my lack of experience. Thanks again, -- Mike

Graham UK 01-25-2003 11:49 PM I always use F#2 unless I want to play full keyboard.  -- Graham UK

trtjazz 01-26-2003 02:23 AM I set mine to B2 and that's where it stays.  -- Terry

Pilot 01-26-2003 11:21 AM Never used it. My keyboards have always been set to full fingering.

Scottyee 01-26-2003 11:53 AM Though I'd prefer to play in full keyboard mode, Yamaha's full keyboard mode chord recognition limitations (for me) prevent this. On the Tyros & PSR-2000, I always play in split mode with BOTH left & right parts sounding. I keep the split point set to F#2 as I'm able to easily finger all LH chord voicings (including all inversions) within the 1-1/2 octaves range, leaving 3-1/2 octaves for right hand playing.  I also set my keyboard up so the RH part's lowest note (G2) begins at the SAME pitch as G1 in the left part. This gives me lower mid range notes to play in the right hand, yet still offers me the upper range of an 88 note keyboard. To gain the additional highest octave of an 88-note keyboard, I can conveniently press the octave +/- button.  -- http://scottyee.com

nardoni2002 01-26-2003 01:55 PM Evangelical and Scottyee, I noticed that if you set your keyboards to F/G2 then if you want to play G7 B F G inversion you still have problems. I think this subject is quite important and appreciate hearing from you all.  Thanks again,  -- Mike

TomTomSF 01-26-2003 09:56 PM I keep my keyboard split point set at F#2 all the time. I hate it when something overrides this setting, but I finally figured out how to prevent that from happening.  I don't know how to play a Bb+ with the spilt at F#2, though. I don't think it's possible.  -- Tom G.

DonM 01-27-2003 12:41 AM F#2, except when I play "Color My World".

Idatrod 01-27-2003 03:57 PM Originally posted by TomTomSF: I keep my keyboard split point set at F#2 all the time. I hate it when something overrides this setting, but I finally figured out how to prevent that from happening. -- Tom G. Thanks, TomTomSF, for mentioning that you solved the "Split-Point Takeover" problem that can happen occasionally with different styles. I found the setting in the Functions Menu that eliminates the problem after a little searching. I've had my PSR-2000 for over a year now and I keep learning something new from not only my own delving but from so many others on this Forum and the Yahoo Forums that have shared tips and knowledge and how-to's of my particular keyboard. Thanks again,  -- Mike

Starkeeper 01-28-2003 09:18 AM nardoni2002, Scottyee and Evangelical are setting split point at F# not F. I keep my split point at F# as well. G7 would be played in root position G B D F, not B F G, first inversion.

nardoni2002 01-28-2003 10:00 AM Thanks, Starkeeper, but the point I was trying to make, being not very experienced, is this, sometimes you play a piece of music and during the piece, chord changes to inversions which could affect the split point.  Also, what is the minimum amount of octaves needed to cover all the chords and inversions, thanks, Mike

Joe Waters 02-10-2003 02:41 PM It is easy to figure out the minimum span needed to play all chords in all inversions. If you start on the lowest note, C1, the major would end on G, the sixth on A, then seventh on Bb, and the major seventh on B. So, to play all the variants of the C chord family on the root C, the most distant note you would need to reach is B. Notes for chords above the 7th, can be played within that first octave. For example, the PSR will recognize C-D-E-G as C9. So, look at B1 now. If it is to be the "root", then the furthest inversion would stretch out to Bb2 -- a B major seventh. If you set your left hand split to stretch from C1 to Bb2, you could play all the inversions of all the chords. If you only used major and minor chords, by this reasoning, a B major with the B1 as root would extend only up to F#2. So, with the default split point Yamaha sets, F#2, you could play all the inversions of all the chords -- if you only used simple major and minor chords. I generally have my split point set at G#2. I can't play ALL inversions of ALL chords with that split point, but I can play ALL inversions of most chords and still have some notes below middle C for the songs that require them. If the melody goes down to G2, I have to either change the split point, or simply change the octave for the right hand and play up an octave.

Uncle Dave 02-11-2003 09:44 AM Mine's probably set the highest here at D below middle C. I need that room for playing bass lines and it still leaves me with 3 octaves to pound out chords with my right hand. I need 2 octaves to play juicy lines that move all over in the left hand. I also have my RH section transposed an octave lower so anything lower than the lowest Eb is muddy anyway. This is the best range to compliment my vocals. Sometimes when I solo on a piano sound, I pop the sound back UP the octave to get a nice bright feel, then back down again to comp.