U-CONTROL UMX250 User Manual

◊Channel Messages: Here, channel-specific control information is transmitted. An example of a channel message is the note-on instruction. As soon as a key is played on the keyboard of the UMX250, the device generates an instruction which contains the pitch, channel number and velocity. The receiving sound generator “knows” which tone has to be played.

◊System Messages: These messages are not channel-specific but relate to the entire system to which they are sent. They are divided into 3 groups: System Exclusive Messages (for operating system backup, updates, management of memory contents); System Real- Time Messages (e.g. for remote control of other devices); System Common Messages (e.g. for the synchronization of several devices).

◊Control Messages: Also known as Control Changes or

Controllers, abbreviated as “CC… (Control Change)”. There are 128 controllers in total, which are numbered from 0 to 127. Controllers are always channel-specific.

•Please refer to Table 6.1 to find out which type of controller you are currently working with.

•MIDI data are only control data and contain no audible audio information! The data transmission takes place over 16 channels.

What settings do I have to make? Where? How? Basically, which control element generates which controller must be set on the UMX250, and how incoming controller commands should be interpreted must be set on the receiving device. Regarding controller assignment, there are two possible principles:

◊You use the preset controller configuration set in the factory (see Fig. 3.1, (10) ). In this case, you only need to make the assignments on the receiving device.

◊You use your own controller configuration set up in ASSIGN mode. How to assign controllers to the UMX250 is described in Chapter 4 “OPERATION”.

2.2USB mode and stand-alone operation

The UMX250 can be operated as a USB interface or stand-alone device. The two modes are different with respect to the MIDI signal flow.

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2.2.1 USB mode

When the UMX250 is linked via USB to a computer, the signalflow is as shown below (Fig. 2.1).

After the UMX250 has been connected to the host computer, a virtual MIDI IN and MIDI OUT interface is emulated.MIDI data generated in the UMX250 are first sent over the USB interface to the host computer, where they are received at the emulated MIDI IN. A sequencer software running on the host computer receives the MIDI data via the MIDI IN and relays them to the emulated MIDI OUT—if all sequencer parameters are set properly. The data are then sent back to the UMX250 via the USB interfaces on the computer/UMX250, where they are looped through to the physical MIDI OUT (14). From here, the MIDI data are sent to the devices connected to the MIDI OUT. The MIDI OUT connector (14) can also be used as a normal MIDI interface, independently of the sequencer software operating the UMX250.

Sound-Module

IN

OUT

(intern)

USB MIDI

(intern)

Fig. 2.1: Block diagram of MIDI signal flow

2.2.2 Stand-alone operation

When the UMX250 is not linked via USB to a computer, it is automatically set to stand-alone mode. In this case, the UMX250 can only send out MIDI data from its MIDI OUT connector.

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