Roland AT20s owner manual If You’re Using Midi, Connecting the AT-20S to a Midi Instrument, 100

Connecting with External Devices

If You’re Using MIDI

●What’s MIDI?

MIDI stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface,” and is a unified standard for the exchange of performance data and other information between electronic instruments and computers.

The AT-20S is equipped with MIDI connectors and a Computer connector to let it exchange performance infor- mation with external devices. These connectors can be used to connect the AT-20S to an external device for even greater versatility.

●About MIDI Connectors

The AT-20S has two kinds of MIDI connectors. Connecting these to the MIDI connectors on a MIDI instrument makes it possible for the two instruments to control each other.

For instance, you can output sound from the other instrument or switch tones on the other instrument. You should also set the MIDI send channel as needed.

❍MIDI Out Connector

Only the notes played on the keyboard, movements of the Damper pedal, Expression data, and data indicating that a Registration button [1]–[4] was pressed will be transmitted to the external MIDI connector.

❍MIDI In Connector

Performance messages from an external MIDI device are received here.

These incoming messages may instruct the receiving MIDI instrument to play sounds or switch tones.

The AT-20S contains two sound generators: one sound generator for its own keyboards and one GS sound generator (p. 113). Normally, musical data transmitted from an external device to the MIDI In connector is sent to the GS sound generator, but you can also set the “MIDI IN Mode” parameter (p. 96) so that the keyboard sound generator is controlled.

■Connecting the AT-20S to a MIDI Instrument

1.Turn off the AT-20S.

2.Set the Computer switch on the bottom of the AT-20S to “MIDI.”

Computer

Mac

PC-1

PC-2 MIDI

*When the AT-20S is powered up, the setting doesn’t change until the power is reset, even if the computer switch is operated.

3.Use a MIDI cable (sold separately) to connect the MIDI connector on the external instrument to the MIDI connector on the AT-20S.

4.Turn on the external MIDI device and AT-20S.

5.You should change the setting of TxMIDI chan- nel as needed.

Connection Example:

❍Connecting the MIDI Device

AT-20S

	Output	Computer		MIDI
Pedal	R L(mono)	Mac	Out	In
		PC-1
		PC-2	MIDI

MIDI

Out In

External MIDI Devices

984

*A separate publication titled “MIDI Implementation” is also available. It provides complete details concerning the way MIDI has been implemented on this unit. If you should require this publication (such as when you intend to carry out byte-level programming), please contact the nearest Roland Service Center or authorized Roland distributor.

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