Radio Shack MD500 owner manual ˆ Using Midi, About Midi, Making the Midi Connections

ˆUsing MIDI

Your keyboard includes a feature called MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). MIDI is the universal standard for sending and re- ceiving performance data between all types of electronic musical instruments, regard- less of the manufacturer.

Using MIDI, you can play music on your key- board and another instrument at the same time while pressing the keys on only one, record your music to a sequencer, acquire a wider selection of preset tones from a sound module, and much more.

ABOUT MIDI

Every MIDI-equipped instrument has a MIDI OUT terminal, and some also have a MIDI IN and MIDI THRU terminal. Each of these ter- minals serves a different purpose.

MIDI OUT sends MIDI data to (“talks to”) the other MIDI instrument(s).

MIDI IN receives (“listens to”) MIDI data sent by the other MIDI instrument(s).

MIDI THRU lets you connect (“network”) ad- ditional MIDI instruments, and sends along to other MIDI devices a copy of all data it re- ceives through its MIDI IN terminal.

Your keyboard has a MIDI OUT terminal.

The cable that connects MIDI devices does not actually carry sound between them, like a speaker wire carries sound from a receiver to a speaker. Instead, MIDI-equipped devices communicate with each other using digital codes (instructions). One MIDI device sends digital instructions representing exactly what is being played on it. The other MIDI device receives and translates those instructions, then produces (or records) the sound exactly as it was played on the first device.

Note: Connecting your keyboard to another MIDI device requires a MIDI cable (not sup- plied). See “Making the MIDI Connections.”

MAKING THE MIDI

CONNECTIONS

To connect your keyboard to another MIDI- equipped device, you must use a MIDI cable (available at your local RadioShack store). The keyboard’s MIDI data is sent automati- cally as you play.

Cautions:

•Always turn off power to your keyboard and the other MIDI device before you connect or disconnect MIDI cables.

•As you make the cable connections, be sure to align the MIDI cable pins with the matching holes on your keyboard’s MIDI OUT terminal. If you have trouble plug- ging in the cable, do not force it! You might damage the plug or the instru- ment.

Notes:

•The keyboard’s auto-rhythms, prere- corded tunes, sustain information, and transpose information cannot be sent as MIDI data.

•If you send MIDI data to a device such as a personal computer, the computer will need a sound card, software to inter- pret the data, and a pair of speakers (none supplied). Your local RadioShack store carries sound cards, MIDI cable, and software.

•MIDI Channel 10 is preset to percussion data in some MIDI receiving devices, depending on the specific device you select.

12 Using MIDI