PSR 540 out of tune due to pitch bend wheel?

by Jay
(San Diego, CA)

It seems I have a pitch bend wheel problem which is causing an out-of-tune problem with the PSR. The PSR remains out-of-tune even after factory reset.


But - If I set the range of the pitch bend to zero (in a way dissabling it) then tuning problem disappears and everything is OK.

Is there a way to fix the wheel (if that's the problem) or should it be replaced? Or is there something else I'm missing?

Jay

Comments for PSR 540 out of tune due to pitch bend wheel?

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Dec 10, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Buying a Keyboard/Digital Piano
by: Alfred

Dear Dick: Spectacular!
Dec 10, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you!
by: Anonymous

Thank you again Dick! It is a joy to become better educated regarding these things so I can help my daughters. They are violinist, but need keyboard /piano for many aspects of their conservatory class work. You have been very helpful and I truly appreciate it! Have a joyous holiday with your family.
Sincerely,
MzzB
Virginia, USA
Dec 09, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Stay in tune
by: Dick Rector

Hello MZZB again,

Maybe you are new to this keyboard-world so I like to explain a little.
Any keyboard or digital piano is tuned the same and it stays that way, it can't get out of tune by transport, hot or cold, it is digital!
You don't need to have it tuned so now and then, NEVER. Don't worry about that at all.
Also, if you want to play with another instrument what is tuned different (some brass instruments or others) you can TUNE every keyboard totally with a knob to adjust it in a second or two.

I am a keyboardplayer for years and also played on them but never had a digital piano myself.
If the study for your 'ladies' is more traditional, for a better word, I would go for a full size digital piano. Full size meaning the same amount of keys as the 'real' instrument.
If the study is more a popular type a 61 key- keyboard will do fine.
You have to make a choice in a good musicstore and try or let someone demonstrate the one you like.
I can't give you advice what to buy!
It is for a great deal also a matter of the 'pocketmoney' you can spend.
A good and realistic sounding digital piano or grandpiano cost money, let alone how much the original instruments are.
You get what you pay for so to speak, but if you buy a good one it is even for profs difficult to hear the difference from the 'real' instrument.
By the way, also digital piano's have some 'jinglebells' to stay in tune with the time of the year!
I have nothing to do with them but Yamaha is still my favorite and they have a great choice from relatively cheap to expensive for the 'Steinways'.

Between you and me, what a joy for the rest of the family, they can study in silent wearing headphones!!!

I wish you a good choice and a great Christmas.

Dick
Dec 09, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		keyboard vs. digital piano
by: MzzB

Thank you Dick for your quick, and helpful response. One more thing, would a digital piano possibly be a better fit for their needs since they don't need the bells and whistles that comes with a keyboard and if so, are they also tuned to the 440A? Would you happen to have a recommendation regarding a specific unit - either keyboard or digital piano - that you've had a positive experience with?
Thanks!
MzzB
Dec 09, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Stay in tune
by: Dick Rector

Hello MZZB,

If I understand your question correctly you want a keyboard that is tuned to the standard of A (that is 440.0 HZ).
To put your mind on ease, ALL normal keyboards are tuned to this standard.
A pitchbend-wheel however is used to CHANGE that (for an effect) like, to say it popular a yanking (sp) guitar-sound or mouth-harmonica.
Nomally when a pitchbend-wheel is not in use your keyboards Central C = the same C as on all other instruments like a piano(if the piano is properly tuned of course)
So the A (right of central C) is the same as the world-standard A as used for instance to tune a (classical) orchestra.
So any keyboard will be allright for your daugthers study.
Hope this answers your question.

Regards
Dick Rector
Bali (Indonesia)
Dec 09, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Help?? Advice needed to purchase keyboard!
by: MzzB

I have two daughters in music conservatory that are in desperate need of a keyboard for solfege and other homework assignments. The only real stipulation is that it is pitched to a 440A or a 442A and will stay there.... help!! Should I look for a keyboard with a "pitch bend wheel" or other component for this?
THANKS!
MzzB
Oct 12, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pitch Bend Wheel
by: Alfred

Dear Jay: Thanks for reply. I think I speak from experience after 30 plus years of DIY fiddling. I don't mean to discourage you in any way. To the contrary, as you obviously recognize your limitations, I say bravo! It's just that there are problems with keyboards which will require specialized testing tools. Thanks again, and good luck. Regards, Alfred
Oct 12, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pitch Wheel bend - cont.
by: Jay

Alfred,

Specifically to my case, the dirt was somehow caught in the spring itself meaning that the PSR had to be opened. Don't know how it got there but it was there and after cleaning the spring from the dirt it made the problem disappear. However, thinking about this again, it could be that "touching" the mechanism from the inside could have released something else which prevented the wheel to reset to zero.

You are correct about keeping our demons and in the past I've "opened" some other stuff (including a Clavinova and even a 1973 VW Beatle) and coming to understand my limitations without proceeding further.

I apologize not following your direct warning in advance but I wouldn't go further besides trying to "clean" what needed cleaning.

Regards and thanks again,
Jay
Oct 11, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pitch Bend Wheel
by: Alfred

Dear Jay: Good for you! Like you, I always have the tendency to open up things. First,satisfy my curiosity. Did you have to open the unit to get rid of the dirt obstructing the movement of the wheel? Next, read COMMENTS IN OPENING PAGE of the Q & A title (left of this post). Mantius, Dick Rector and I offer some sound advice to all keyboardists. Know your limitations,and don't risk spoiling your unit. We mean well, and believe you me, I really have to keep my demons in check whenever I feel an "open up" tendency. I look forward to your response. It should be of interest to the Forum community. Thanks.
Regards.
Oct 07, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks + Update
by: Jay

Thanks for your replies.

I have this tendency to open things up and so I did with my PSR...

Yes - the PB wheel uses some sort of a spring mechanism. I found some dirt which was blocking a bit movement, cleaned it up and... Voila! seems to be back to normal.

Jay
Sep 30, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pitchbendwheel
by: Dick Rector

Hi,

The answer of Alfred is correct. If you release the wheel it should return to its zero-position by a spring. That is: the notch should be in the middle, or in other words, pointing straight upwards.
In that position you keyboard should be in tune as normal. If it doesn't jump back to that position the spring is broken or something is blocking it's free movement.

If a keyboard has a 'modulation' wheel as well it can be set in ANY position, it doesn't have a spring.
The sound of the keyboard can sounds horrible 'out of tune' or 'strange' when you have for example a piano or violin voice activated. This 'effect'wheel is used for instance to make a distorted guitar-voice even more distorted.
For normal use, without any effect, the notch on this one should be all the way down to it's zero point.
Let us know what the problem was please so other people can benefit from your experience.
Hope you solve it soon.
Regards
Dick Rector
Bali (Indonesia)
Sep 30, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pitch Bend Wheel Problem
by: Alfred

Dear Jay: You are probably correct that the problem is with the Wheel. As I understand it these Wheels are normally spring-loaded, automatically returning to their neutral position each time they are released, after applying the "bending". Is your unit different? My recommendation is to have the part repaired by the nearest authorized Yamaha service facility, or by a qualified and reputable professional. DO NOT TRY OPENING YOUR KEYBOARD TO EFFECT A REPAIR! Keyboards are complex machines and fiddling will only pave the way to additional problems. Good luck.

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