Hi again,  First of all, I am no expert in MIDI systems and music files.
However, I have solved the problem that Mark Crosby wrote about recently,
i.e., the stagger between the piano music (usually channel 1) and the
accompaniment channels (usually channel 2-16) that he notices in some
music files on his Yamaha.

In my experience with my SB-55 sequencer and SC-55 sound patch unit on
our 2,000 pipe Aeolian (ca 1921) MIDI equipped residential pipe organ,
there is no problem with slow _or_ fast music on any standard MIDI floppy
that has up to 16 channels of music.  I have downloaded over 20,000
standard midi music files from the Internet that all perform satisfactor-
ily.  (Sadly, I must also report that several computer viruses in with
several of these files, have done well also.)

 [ Oooh, bad news!  Have others "caught viruses" in this fashion?
 [ I.e., while down-loading data files?  I thought viruses only
 [ traveled with executable programs, etc.  -- Robbie

I have also purchased several dozen MIDI Pianomation floppies for play
using my SB-55 and SC-55 on the organ.  If the orchestrated music (piano
on channel 1 and accompaniment on the other channels) is a fairly slow
tempo, there is no noticeable stagger.  However, if it is a peppy,
orchestrated piece, there is a very noticeable stagger between the piano
on channel 1 and the remainder of the music.

The same is true concerning Yamaha disk music.  Many folks may already
know that there is a deliberate stagger, amounting to a few hundred
microseconds, placed on channel 1 on both Pianomation and Yamaha systems
MIDI floppies.  Perhaps this stagger is there to compensate for the
slower, mechanical response of the piano as compared with the much faster
electronics music in the accompaniment.

Until recently, the amount of stagger on channel 1 was different between
Yamaha and Pianomation systems.  Thus you might notice a stagger if you
played a Yamaha disk on a Pianomation system and vice-versa.  However,
within the past year, Yamaha and Pianomation floppies have used the same
amount of stagger on channel 1.  So the two disks now sound the same on
either system -- no stagger.

The sequencer on the Pianomation and Yamaha systems automatically correct
for this stagger so everything sounds fine.  However, on my SB-55 and
SC-55, the stagger is not automatically eliminated and is noticeable on
fast, orchestrated music.  (If there is just channel 1 piano music, you
will not know if there is a stagger or not;  there is no other channel to
conflict with.)

Any good MIDI software, like Cakewalk, can manipulate all channels in any
manner desired.  The software steps to add a stagger when you want to use
standard MIDI, fast, orchestrated music on the Pianomation/Yamaha systems
or remove the stagger when you want to play fast Pianomation/ Yamaha
music on something like my SB-55, is _not_ proprietary information.
I simply called a QRS (makers of Pianomation  systems and music) program-
ming specialist and he shared all the needed information.  Contact me at
RCCXX@AOL.COM with your FAX number and I will be glad to share the
information.

I suspect that the new Pianomation or Yamaha systems sold today might
have a simple switch to compensate for the stagger, depending on what
music you are using.  In addition, if you are playing the old Pianomation
music on a new Pianomation system or even Yamaha system and notice a
stagger, QRS will update the stagger, free of charge when you send your
music to Buffalo.  Of course, a contact with Bob at QRS beforehand is
recommended.

Are you confused, or am I the only one confused at this point?!  Oh well,
I warned you I was no expert but this approach certainly works for me.

Best regards to all,

Rick Cooley,  Hockessin, Delaware