MIDI

What is MIDI?

The letters MIDI stand for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is the name of a worldwide standard for digital signals and connectors that make it possible to exchange musical data between musical instruments and computers (devices) produced by different manufacturers. MIDI compatible equipment can exchange keyboard key press, key release, tone change, and other data as messages. Though you do not need any special knowledge about MIDI to use this keyboard as a stand-alone unit, MIDI operations require a bit of specialized knowledge. This section provides you with an overview of MIDI that will help to get you going.

MIDI Connections

MIDI messages are send out through the MIDI OUT terminal of one device to the MIDI IN terminal of another machine over a MIDI cable. To send a message from this keyboard to another device, for example, you must use a MIDI cable to connect the MIDI OUT terminal of this keyboard to the MIDI IN terminal of the other device. To send MIDI messages back to this keyboard, you need to use a MIDI cable to connect the other device’s MIDI OUT terminal to the MIDI IN terminal of this keyboard.

To use a computer or other MIDI device to record and playback the MIDI data produced by this keyboard, you must connect the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT terminals of both devices in order to send and receive data.

MIDI IN MIDI OUT

MIDI IN

MIDI OUT

Computer etc.

If a MIDI THRU function provided by the software is being run on a connected computer or other MIDI device, be sure to turn this keyboard’s “Local Control Setting” off (page E- 82).

MIDI Channels

MIDI allows you to send the data for multiple parts at the same time, with each part being sent over a separate MIDI channel. There are 16 MIDI channels, numbered 1 through 16, and MIDI channel data is always included whenever you exchange data (key press, pitch bend operation, etc.).

Both the sending device and the receiving machine must be set to the same channel for the receiving device to correctly receive and play data. If the receiving device is set to Channel 2, for example, it receives only MIDI Channel 2 data, and all other channels are ignored.

This keyboard is equipped with multi-timbre capabilities, which means it can receive messages over all 16 MIDI channels and play up to 16 parts at the same time. Tone and volume settings for each channel can be made using the keyboard’s onboard Mixer, or by an external source that sends required MIDI control messages.

Keyboard operations performed on this keyboard are sent out by selecting a MIDI channel (1 to 16) and then sending the appropriate message.

General MIDI

General MIDI standardizes MIDI data for all sound source types, regardless of manufacturer. General MIDI specifies such factors as tone numbering, drum sounds, and available MIDI channels for all sound sources. This standard makes it possible for all MIDI equipment to reproduce the same nuances when playing General MIDI data, regardless of the manufacturer of the sound source.

This keyboard supports General MIDI, so it can be used to play commercially available pre-recorded General MIDI data and General MIDI data send to it from a personal computer. See the “Tone List” on page A-1 for details about the tones that are available with GM tones numbered 000 to 127.

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