M-Audio 49i manual Channel Specific Settings, Channels, Mute, Solo

KeyStudio 49i User Guide 16

Channel Specific Settings

The M-Audio GM Module has 16 individual channels that correspond to the 16 channels defined in the MIDI specification. All 16 channels of GM Module can simultaneously produce sounds. Each of these channels can be set to a different instrument and has its own Volume, Pan, Tone, Category/Instrument, Chorus, Reverb, Mute and Solo controls. The displayed controls always only affect the selected channel.

Channels 1-16

To select a channel, click on its level meter located above the channel’s number.* The selected channel will appear with an outline around its level meter. The set of controls to the right of the channel meter display will only affect the selected channel. The General MIDI standard provides for 16 MIDI channels, 15 of them with the same set of 128 available instruments. Channel 10 is an exception and plays a special role since this channel is always mapped to the General MIDI drum kit. This assignment is fixed and cannot be changed.

*Important: Clicking the level meter of a channel selects that channel for editing and allows you to change its sound patch, reverb level, chorus level, volume, and pan settings.

However, selecting a channel in the GM Module software does NOT mean that KeyStudio will trigger instruments on that channel. To do that, you need to change the MIDI transmission channel on the KeyStudio 49i hardware to the corresponding MIDI channel.

Example: To play the GM drum kit located on channel 10 of GM Module, change the MIDI transmission channel on KeyStudio 49i to MIDI channel 10 (see chapter 16 for details). To alter the drum kit’s settings, click on level meter 10 in the GM Module software, then move the on-screen controls to alter parameters like reverb or chorus level, drum kit volume, etc.

M (Mute)

This is the GM channel mute for a selected channel. The level meters of muted channels appear in a lighter shade of gray and will not show any meter activity – even if MIDI messages are received on this channel. A muted channel does not output any sound.

S (Solo)

This is the GM channel solo for a selected channel. Soloing a channel will mute all other 15 channels of the M-Audio GM Module software. Accordingly, all channels with exception of the Soloed channel will be displayed in a lighter shade of gray and will not show any meter activity – even if MIDI messages are received on these channels. Only the Soloed channel will output sound while all other channels will remain silent.

Note: If the GM Module is set to program zero in standalone mode so the KeyStudio 49i piano sound is heard, pressing Solo on a different channel on the GM Module does not mute the KeyStudio 49i built-in piano sound.