Yamaha MD 8 9

The MD8 & MIDI 73

MD8—Owner’s Manual

9 The MD8 & MIDI

MIDI sequencers and MIDI controlled musical instruments have become essential tools for

modern recording. It’s common these days not to record MIDI instruments until the ﬁnal

mixdown. This has the beneﬁt of freeing up tracks for acoustic sounds and reduces the need

for recorders with many tracks. The MD8 is ideal for recording vocal, guitar, and other acous-

tic sounds, and can easily be integrated into a MIDI system using either MTC (MIDI Time-

code) or MIDI Clock.

MTC and MIDI Clock are MIDI messages used to synchronize MIDI devices. The MD8 only

transmits these messages, it does not receive them. So the MD8 must be used as the master

device in a synchronized MIDI system. This means that the MIDI sequencer responds to

MTC or MIDI Clock information coming from the MD8. The MD8 does not receive MTC

or MIDI Clock from the sequencer.

The MD8 can be remotely controlled, however, using MIDI Machine Control (MMC) com-

mands, yet those commands do not include synchronization information.

In some cases it may be necessary to use the MD8’s MIDI THRU connector for MIDI daisy

chains. This connector retransmits the MIDI messages the MD8 receives via its MIDI IN

connector.

The MD8’s MIDI OUT jack should be connected to the MTC input of your MIDI sequencer

if you are using MTC, or a normal MIDI IN if you are using MIDI Clock. The MD8 transmits

MTC or MIDI Clock during play, record, and rehearsal. When the MIDI sequencer receives

MTC or MIDI Clock from MD8, it locates to the same time position as MD8 and plays along

in synchronization. To control the MD8 using MMC messages, connect its MIDI IN socket

to the MIDI OUT socket of the device that transmits MMC messages.

Each MD8 song starts at 00:00.00. So you should start the MIDI sequencer song at

00:00:00:00. Your MIDI sequencer may allow you to specify a timecode offset. This allows

you to start the MIDI sequencer song at a different time.

For use with MIDI Clock, a Tempo Map programmed using the Song Tempo function allows

you to specify song tempo and meter (time signature). Each Tempo Map allows up to 26

tempo and 26 meter changes. Tempo and meter changes are organized in steps from A to Z.

You can insert and delete steps as you like, and they are automatically sorted. If your song

does not contain any tempo or meter changes, the Tempo Map contains only a tempo and

meter setting on the ﬁrst beat of the ﬁrst measure, which is step A.

Each song can have its own tempo map, which is stored automatically.

A Tempo Map Chart is provided on page 82 to help you organize your Tempo Maps. Please

feel free to photocopy it.