Roland BR-864 owner manual Synchronizing with MIDI devices, MIDI Fundamentals, Section

Synchronizing with MIDI devices

In this chapter, you will learn the basic features of the MIDI interface and how to synchronize output with a MIDI sequencer.

MIDI Fundamentals

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. This is a worldwide standard that was developed in order to allow music data and sound data to be exchanged among electronic musical instruments and computers. Devices that are MIDI-compatible can exchange music data according to their capabilities, even if they are different types of device or were made by different manufacturers.

MIDI Connectors

MIDI messages (the data handled by MIDI) is transferred using the following three types of connector.

MIDI IN:

Receives MIDI messages from another MIDI device.

MIDI OUT:

Sends MIDI messages from the BR-864.

MIDI THRU:

Sends out the MIDI messages that arrive at the MIDI IN connector.

* The BR-864 is equipped only with a MIDI OUT connector.

MIDI channels

MIDI allows you to independently control two or more devices over a single MIDI cable.This is possible because MIDI provides for multiple channels of control.

You can think of MIDI channels as being similar to television channels. Although many broadcast channels are in the air at any one time (many channels of MIDI data are moving through a single cable), a television set receives only the channel to which it is set (the MIDI device receives only the channel to which it is set).

Similarly with MIDI, if the MIDI channel being used by the transmitter is “1,” the MIDI channel of the receiver must also be set to “1” or else the MIDI messages will not be received.

About MIDI Implementation Charts

MIDI allows a wide variety of electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other. However, it is not necessarily the case that every device is able to transmit and receive every type of MIDI message. Only MIDI messages that are supported by both devices can be conveyed.

The operating manual of every MIDI device includes a “MIDI implementation chart.” This chart makes it easy to see the types of MIDI message that can be transmitted and received. When you wish to connect two MIDI devices, you should compare their charts to see which types of MIDI message can be conveyed between them.

*For more details about MIDI of the BR-864, please refer to “MIDI Implementation” (p. 185).

Using the rhythm guide to play an external MIDI sound module

Perform the procedure given below to use a MIDI sound

module and choose the sounds you desire for the rhythm

guide.

1.Use a MIDI cable to connect the BR-864 and your MIDI

sound module as shown in the diagram.

fig.05-401

MIDI Sound Module MIDI IN

MIDI OUT

2.Press [UTILITY].

3.Press CURSOR [ ] [ ] to move the cursor to

“SYNC,” and press [ENTER].

fig.05-402d

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