Roland EM-55 Midi functions, Midi Function parameters, Channels, Sync Rx Midi synchronization

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EM-55 Owner’s Manual

15. MIDI functions

MIDI is short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. The word refers to many things, the most obvious being a connector type that is used by musical instruments and other devices to exchange mes- sages relating to the act of making music.

Each time you play on the EM-55’s keyboard or start the Arranger (or Song), your instrument transmits MIDI data to its MIDI OUT socket. If you connect this socket to the MIDI IN socket of another instrument, that instrument may play the same notes as one of the EM-55’s parts, select sounds, etc.

The EM-55 receives data

EM-55

MIDI is a universal standard, which means that musical data can be sent to and received by instruments of different types and manufactur- ers. Furthermore, MIDI allows you to connect your EM-55 to a computer or hardware sequencer.

Connect your EM-55 as shown below.

External MIDI instrument/computer (*)

(*) Direct connection to computer possible via optional MIDI/Joystick cable.

ENGLISH

The EM-55 transmits data

Channels

MIDI can simultaneously transmit and receive messages on 16 channels, so that up to 16 instruments can be controlled. Nowa- days, most instruments –like your EM-55– are multitimbral, which means that they can play several musical parts with different sounds.

Note: All EM-55 parts are set to receive MIDI mes- sages. If they do not seem to respond to the mes- sages you send from the external controller, you should check whether the external controller’s MIDI OUT is connected to the MIDI INput of your EM-55.

shared by all recent E, G, and RA series instruments. You cannot change them. They also correspond to the track assignments of the 16-track Recorder:

1

Accomp 1

9

Accomp 6

2

Arranger bass

10

Arranger drums

3

Accomp 2

11

®Lower

4

®Upper 1

12

®M. Bass

5

Accomp 3

13

Style Pads

6

®Upper 2

14

D Beam part

7

Accomp 4

15

Melody Intell

8

Accomp 5

16

®M. Drum

The EM-55’s transmit and receive channels of all parts have been set in keeping with a tacit Roland standard and are therefore

MIDI Function parameters

See “Editing parameters (general procedure)” (p. 42) for how to select and set these Function parameters (they belong to the same Function menu as the “General Function parameters”).

■MIDI TxRx (MIDI transmission and reception)

This parameter allows you to specify which EM-55 parts should transmit and receive MIDI messages:

Option

Meaning

ALL

All parts.

 

 

KBD

Only the Keyboard parts (see ® in the

 

table above).

 

 

STL

Only the Arranger parts

 

(A.Drums~Accomp 6).

 

 

OFF

None of the EM-55’s parts transmits/

 

receives MIDI messages.

 

 

■Sync Rx (MIDI synchronization)

Use this parameter to specify how the EM-55 should be synchronized (as slave) to an external MIDI sequencer, computer, drum machine, etc. “Synchronization” is a learned term for the fact that one device (or function) is set to start and stop at the same time as another device (or function), and to run at the same tempo (BPM).

Please note that synchronization is only possible when you connect the external device’s MIDI OUT socket to the EM-55’s MIDI IN socket (though you can also work the other way around; in that case, see the sequencer’s manual for details).

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Contents EM-55 Features Important notes Contents Panel descriptions Style button Keyboard Mode buttonsTone button User PROGRAM/WRITE buttonRear panel First steps Setting upDemo songs Playback of a Tone demo songPlayback of a Style demo song DJ Pad functionPress START/STOP to stop demo song playback Choosing other sets Musical GamesGuess Chord Guess NoteChord Finder To specify the RootTo specify the Type Playing with accompaniment Press the KBD Mode Arranger button its indicator lightsStarting/stopping the Arranger Play another chord or note to change the Arranger’s keyChanging the tempo Selecting other Music StylesStopping Arranger playback Automatic playback start Sync StartStyle selection via EZ Search Selecting sounds for the right handWorking with Music Styles on a floppy disk Tone selection via EZ Search Piano HeavenKeyPlaying one sound Piano Using the metronomePlaying a different sound with the left hand Split Selecting other Drum Sets Drumming on the keyboardPress the M.DRUMS button Drumming on the keyboardUsing the D Beam Controller Listening to your song Recording your musicStart recording in one of the following ways SionSession Partner functions Additional Music Style functionsMuting Arranger parts Track Adding yet another Arranger part Style Pad Value PopSelecting another phrase set Use the TEMPO/DATA dial to select one of the following setsOne Touch Using the EM-55’s Music AssistantPress the Music Assistant button Bass Inversion Bass Inv Melody IntelligenceChanging the Melody Intell harmony type Press and hold the Function buttonStyle Morphing OrchestratorSelecting another B Style Working with Styles on floppy diskStyle Disk Press the Style button the Style icon appearsMore Music Style functions Link To TempoAssigning other Music Styles to the Disk Link memories Select the desired KBD Mode Arranger or Piano Using the Upper 2 partHarpsi More Keyboard part functionsPress the Upper 1 button indicator must light Using the multi-effects processor M-FXValue Rotary Selecting another M-FX typeReverb and Chorus Value HallReverb Assigning the M-FX to other Keyboard partsBalance Value ChorusChorus This selects the CHR functionKeyboard velocity see p Volume of the Keyboard parts see pOctave transposition of the Upper 1, Upper Lower parts see p Master Tune see pPerformance functions Value Kbd VeloKeyboard Velocity Pitch Bend and ModulationFootswitch Footswitch/ExpressionBeam functions ExpressionPitch and chords of those patterns depend This case, the D Beam will play musical notesAbout the recording modes Recorder functionsModes What are tracks? Recorder memoryKeyboard recording mode More about ALL modeYou can also record without metronome if you like Punch I/O Single recording modePress START/STOP to start playback of the old Song data Selecting the Song mode Using a footswitch for punching in/outValue Sustain Playback functionsPlayback before using the √ button Fast Forward, Rewind, and ResetLoop playback Repeat To fast forward jump to a measure later in the song, pressPlaying back Standard Midi Files Press the Song button to switch to the Song modeChanging the song tempo Function menu Editing parameters general procedureShortcuts General Function parametersVolume Upper Rev Reverb Type FX UP1, UP2, LWR FSW Footswitch AssignRev UP1 Chr UP1Resume Mode selection Writing your settings to a User ProgramWorking with User Programs Meaning of the Edit messageTo actually select a User Program… Selecting a User ProgramWorking with User Programs Midi Function parameters Midi functionsChannels Sync Rx Midi synchronizationLyrics Tx Transmit Lyrics messages Style PC Style Select TxRx ChannelPitchBnd Pitch Bend Modulatn ModulationUsing the outputs and an optional pedal Disk functions Possible error messagesLoading User Programs from disk Saving files to diskRepeat steps 4 and 5 to enter the remaining characters Deleting files on diskDEL Sng This allows you to delete a song file on disk Disk Copy copying an entire disk Possible error messages when using Disk CopyFormat Functions for educational purposes MiscellaneousInitializing your EM-55 Factory Deactivating the ArrangerMusic Styles 64 in ROM SpecificationsDisk Link via floppy disk OthersIndex IndexVol Metronome
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