Barry Crane is one of the leading experts in MIDI technology and has very politely agreed to do a series of articles on MIDI. He will de-mystify it for all of us and help us learn to get the most out of our wonderful Ketron products. This highly informative article is also quite entertaining and easy to read.
MIDI Magic Part 2
Foreword
This series of MIDI magic was originally written a few years ago for a UK magazine whose customer base was, how should I put this? Of a certain age - even older than me. I think it’s too simple for all you clever folk in the Ketron club and perhaps you may find it patronising, in which case I apologise and promise you some brain stretching info on SysEx shortly.
MIDI Magic Part 2
MIDI Channels, what are they for?
Last time we looked at how MIDI was used to connect a keyboard to another keyboard or sound module. The keyboard being played is the master and t’other keyboard or module being a slave. The “Golden Rule” being that MIDI instructions go out of the master MIDI out socket and into the slave MIDI in socket. Nowadays the master is more often called the “Controller” as it – well, it controls the other devices in the MIDI system, after all, it’s not just keyboards that use MIDI. Guitars have MIDI, drums have MIDI, accordions have MIDI, computers have MIDI, even wind instruments can have MIDI, so it wouldn’t be right to call them master keyboards – they are guitar controllers, wind controllers (I prefer to use a tablet for wind control), etc., or collectively, MIDI controllers.
So far, so good, we hook up our controller to a module, press a note and bingo, 2 notes. This was magic when synthesizers could only play one sound at a time (many could only play one note at a time), you could play a piano on the controller and have the module playing strings. But what if the controller had more than one keyboard? If say on an organ you played a note on the upper, a chord on the lower and a bass note, you would get an awful racket from the module. In the early days of MIDI this was overcome by only having MIDI on one of the manuals, but human nature being what it is, we wanted MIDI on the whole instrument. A solution was required.
The solution being the dreaded MIDI channels; Now, don’t stop reading, I know it’s a thorny subject, it’s where the curtain drops for most musicians, but we really can work round this without too much effort. At least read the next couple of paragraphs before you give up and turn on the TV.
MIDI Channels – How they work
As you’ve previously read, MIDI is a system that transmits (MIDI out) and receives (MIDI in) much the same as radio, but with a cable. In fact it’s so much like radio that radio jargon is used, for example, transmit is shortened to TX and receive becomes RX and guess what, yes just like radio, MIDI even has channels too. So why is it that we’re all so familiar with radio and TV channels but MIDI channels give us the willies - especially as MIDI channels are much easier? With MIDI you don’t have to tune in, select AM/FM, or worry about frequencies, wavelengths, etc., you’ve just got to select the channel number you want.
To explain how MIDI channels are used, let’s stay with the radio analogy. Imagine this. An army General (the controller) is conducting some war games, he has 16 Captains scattered around the battlefield waiting for orders. Each of these 16 Captains has a walkie-talkie radio set to a different channel from 1 to 16. When the General wants to talk to Captain number 2, he selects channel 2 on his walkie-talkie and gives Captain 2 instructions. The other Captains of course can’t hear these instructions because they have different channel numbers. By selecting a specific channel number the General can talk to any of the various Captains as required - obvious isn’t it! Well MIDI’s the same. If your MIDI controller is set to transmit MIDI channel 2 only MIDI modules or other MIDI devices also set to receive MIDI channel 2 can get the MIDI instructions. Modules set to receive any other channel will be blissfully unaware of what’s going on. Oh! And in case you hadn’t guessed, just like our fictitious General, MIDI also has 16 channels.
(Before any old soldiers take me to task about the roles of Generals, Captains and War Games, let me explain that having missed the National Call Up by a couple of years, I have no idea of the “pecking order” or what rank does what within armed forces, the example is for illustration only.)
MIDI Channels – when to use them
So for a more practical example, your 2 keyboard organ with bass pedals has the top keyboard set to MIDI channel 1, the lower keyboard to channel 2, and the bass pedals to channel 3. This is actually how most are set when you take delivery, but these can be changed so don’t read this as gospel. It’s unlikely, but for the sake of clarity you also have 3 MIDI modules. Set the first to receive (RX) channel 1. This will now play the same notes as you play on the top keyboard, yet notes played on the lower keyboard and bass pedals do not sound because the module is set to receive channel 1 only. Set the next module to RX channel 2, it will now play the same notes as those played on the lower keyboard and the third (I think you’re ahead of me by now) to RX channel (yes, you’re right) 3 which of course will play the same notes as you play on the bass pedals.
Unless you are an avid collector of MIDI modules, you will not have three modules, but in the real world you don’t need to. Modern MIDI modules (that’s easier to write than say) are Multi-Timbral (pronounced Tombral) which is a fancy French word that means they can play several voice characters at the same time (don’t you think it strange how the French speak so beautifully, yet can’t spell; I mean, who else would spell the phonetic “We” with an O?). Each of these voices can be assigned to a different MIDI channel, so just one module is the equivalent of up to 16 individual MIDI modules and can play up to sixteen different voices or sounds at the same time.
Now consider what you really want MIDI to do for you. It’s most likely that you have a 2 keyboard organ with bass pedals – and why not? It’s the classic “vehicle” for playing solo music and frankly, it’s difficult to fault the layout. Unfortunately as we all know, the market is diminishing and so the makers are spending less dosh on developing them. So even if you’re lucky enough to have the vast sums required to buy the very latest organ, you may find the features are not as good as a modern keyboard and to add insult to injury, they are a small fraction of the price. This really is where MIDI can help. Even organs that are well past their “sell by date” can be pressed into service as a controller for the latest MIDI keyboard or module equivalent.
It’s at this point you must understand that MIDI is only as good as the data the controller can send and the way the same data can be processed or controlled by the connected keyboard or module. For example, most organs do not have touch (velocity) sensitive keys, yet the device receiving MIDI has, this will not make the organ touch sensitive. Conversely, if the organ maker has chosen to set the MIDI velocity at some mid-way point and the receiving device does not have the controls for adjusting the velocity, you could end up with very low volume notes. There’s not much you can do about the organ as you already have it, but you need to ensure that the MIDI keyboard or module you intend connecting can correct some of the problems you may encounter.
MIDI Channels – a real-time case study.
For this case study I will use the Ketron XD9 keyboard as the MIDI receiver, the same instructions apply to the XD3 module version of the keyboard. There are a number of reasons I use this as an example: 1) I have one in front of me so I can take notes, 2) It’s very easy to set up, 3) It provides the necessary MIDI adjustment controls 4) It makes any old MIDI organ sound good and 5) My company sells them, so I would be considered daft to use anything else.
First I will tell you how you should go about setting it up, then I’ll tell you how to “cheat”. As with most modern keyboards the Ketron XD range has a central display window surrounded by 10 function buttons. When first switched on the display shows the “home” page and the function buttons do whatever is printed on the case under them. As soon as a function button is pressed they no longer do what is printed on the case, instead they do whatever the adjacent label in the display states. So to get started press F6 (this is Function button 6) marked MIDI on the case. The display will now show the MIDI page. F1 is now labeled MIDI TX (Transmit) F2 is MIDI RX (Receive). As the XD will be receiving MIDI from the organ, press F2.
The display now changes to a table, actually a table divided into 3 parts stating what part of the keyboard is currently receiving what MIDI channel. Look at the F10 label, this will show “General 1” this is the default factory MIDI setting, so although you can change it, perhaps it’s best not to. Instead press F10 repeatedly until you see the label “User 1”, this will be the setting to change. The curser will be in the left side table and to the right side of the “Right” section. This represents the current setting of the upper, right or above the split point of the keyboard. It is turned off and shows a couple of dashes where the MIDI channel number will be. Use the Value -/+ key to change this to 1. Now press the Cursor -/+ keys to move down to the next item called Left, this represents the lower, left hand or below split point. Use the value -/+ keys to change this to 2. Press the Cursor -/+ key several times until you reach the Bass section and use the Value -/+ to set the value to 3. All the channels are now set for use on a 2 keyboard organ with bass pedals; assuming the organ transmits MIDI channel 1 on the upper, 2 on the lower and 3 on the bass (most organs are factory set this way).
All that remains is to clear out any settings you don’t want, which is everything else, by moving the cursor -/+ until the black cursor is over the number not wanted and press the value -/+ until 2 dashes appear where the number should be. Now press the save/enter key and confirm by pressing F10. This procedure only has to be carried out once as the keyboard remembers the settings.
Now for the cheat! Because many MIDI accordion players use Ketron, they have a settings menu to make it especially easy for them to use. From the home page press F3 Utility, choose F1 Accordion then F10 to change from Inactive to Active. That’s it. MIDI Accordions also use channel 1 for right hand, 2 for chord buttons and 3 for bass, so the jobs done for you. But there is a catch, because when an accordion bass button is pressed, it sends at least 3 notes to make the chord, if you play less than 3 notes on the organ keyboard, the chord won’t change. This actually is a useful mode for MIDI guitarists as they can set the entire instrument to TX on channel 2, play a chord to get the XD started and play solo licks over the top of the accompanying style. Provided less than 3 strings are played at the same time, the chord won’t change. However, back to our organ example, take a peek at the MIDI settings by pressing F6, then F2, you’ll see that by selecting Accordion to “active” it’s auto selected the badge “Accordion 1” next to F10. OK, so go back to the Accordion mode, make it “Inactive”, the MIDI setting in F10 has reverted to “General 1”. Press and repeat pressing F10 until you see “Accordion 1” appear next to F10, now it’s set perfect for an organ and you don’t have to press 3 notes to get a chord change.
As with both examples you need to make a final save by pressing the Save/Enter button, choose F3 Power On Settings, then F10 save. All these settings will take place automatically when you next switch on.
The XD range is particularly good for use as an expander for an organ as many settings can be changed to suit the role. For example you can let it “know” that bass pedals are attached and so you are provided with a choice of polyphonic bass or, the more usual for the organist, monophonic. Sustain can be adjusted to suit and velocity fixed at an overall level. More of these functions in a later article but I must tell you about another neat trick – press the Manual Bass button and instead of the bass being available on the lower - as you would expect, it’s now on the pedals. This gives you the choice of letting the auto-accompaniment play the bass, or you take over on the pedals with the press of one button.
Take some time to absorb the possibilities this presents to you while I go off at a tangent in the next paragraphs.
What’s MIDI Thru?
Having (hopefully) by now grasped the fundamentals of the MIDI out socket sending MIDI and the MIDI in socket receiving MIDI – What’s the THRU socket for? In most respects you can think of this as another MIDI out because it also sends MIDI data, but not from the MIDI device it is attached to. Confused? Of Course! The MIDI Data sent from the Thru is an exact copy of the MIDI data being received at the MIDI in, whereas the MIDI out of the same device will be a mix of all the MIDI data coming in, merged with extra MIDI data that particular device cares to “throw in” or “chuck out”. So given the above unlikely scenario of having numerous MIDI modules all on different channels but controlled by a single MIDI controller you would create a “daisy chain” from the MIDI out of the controller going to the MIDI in of the first MIDI module, then Thru the first one to the next one, then Thru the second one to the third and so on. So to summarise, the Thru is MIDI data being re-transmitted from the MIDI in, it goes straight through the device without adding or taking away any data. Note: All data being sent from the Thru is transmitted data and so must always be connected to a MIDI in.
Using such a MIDI “Daisy Chain” is OK for a small set-up with just a couple of MIDI devices, but a better and more reliable method is the use a MIDI “Thru Box”. These small utilities effectively let you increase the amount of MIDI out’s you have with various multiples of Thru’s. For example, a simple Thru Box has a single MIDI in and 3 MIDI Thru’s. This means that the MIDI signal from the controller is split into 3 identical signals that can be sent to up to 3 MIDI devices.
You would imagine this would be a very simple task of just adding the extra sockets – It’s not! Every MIDI in socket has to be protected by an Opto-isolator (well I did promise some technical info). This clever component very effectively breaks the direct cable connection with an optical link. At the input the MIDI data flashes an LED, the light, which is collected by a photo-cell, is identical MIDI data to that received. This data is split into however many thru sockets there are and boosted with an amplifier. The MIDI thru box has to deliver sufficient power to drive all the opto-isolators in the other various connected devices and so has to be battery, or mains powered. Every MIDI in on every device has the MIDI in protected by an opto-isolator to safe guard the device – why? Imagine the consequences if mains power accidentally got into the MIDI cable! All connected MIDI devices in the entire set-up would be blasted to kingdom come.
Note for Ketron/Solton owners: If you’ve ever peeked inside the case, you may have noticed 2 x 8 legged IC that instead of being the usual black colour, are white. These are the opto-isolators, one for each MIDI in. Now, it happens that it’s not unknown for these to stop working. If say MIDI in 2 (the one most of us use) stops receiving MIDI, try the MIDI in 1, if this works, swap over the opto’s and you’ll find MIDI in 2 will work – but of course, MIDI in 1 won’t until you replace the opto. Make sure you get the pins in the correct sockets, a little indent in the chip and socket show the correct orientation.
MIDI – the early days.
At the beginning of this series I also promised you a little potted history of MIDI and being as MIDI is now well over twenty years old, it does have more than a little history. When you reflect on the changes and huge improvements technology offers us all over the same period, it is nothing less than a tribute to the original pioneers that today very little about MIDI has changed. In the early Eighties IBM had just launched the very first PC’s, they were slow, had very little memory and probably less processing power than the average mobile phone. Most music synthesizers, the fore runners of today’s keyboards, could only play one note at a time (and only one sound) but almost as soon as a few realistically priced polyphonic keyboards were becoming available their manufactures turned their attention on how to get these new keyboards to talk to each other.
My earliest memory of attempts to let Keyboards communicate was by Roland. This was via a D socket fitted to a number of their products known as DCB. No great fuss was made of this, probably because it only worked if your entire set-up consisted of Roland products. An American synthesizer company (Sequential Circuits) had also developed their own system that again only worked on their own products. Even the UK had an electronic piano made by HH, of amplifier fame (no longer with us), that had a digital interface, not to communicate with their other keyboard products - they didn’t have any, no, it could be connected to the then new fangled IBM PC; now that’s what I call forward thinking.
It was the following year (1982) that Sequential Circuits put forward a scheme to American electronic musical instrument makers that would result in a truly universal interface called USI (Universal Synthesizer Interface), for various reasons an agreement could not be reached. That same day Sequential Circuits met with the four big Japanese makers; Yamaha, Korg, Roland and Kawai. By the end of the day the seeds of what was to become MIDI were sown. Given the combined strength of these important players, failure could not be considered. I have no personal knowledge of which company contributed what, but the consensus of opinion indicates that Sequential and Roland developed the bulk of the work loosely based on the Roland DCB interface.
That’s enough history for now, but later I’ll include some more notes on the early days of MIDI, the miss-interpretations, teething troubles and how the expression “MIDI’s not compatible with…..” came into being.
Barry Crane is the owner of BCK Products in Britain and distributor of Ketron products and some MIDI files and style disks visit him at: http://www.bck.co.uk/ |
Mitch Wooster (AKA Rooster) is a former music store owner and Ketron dealer from Michigan. He has contributed to KNAT in the past. I first made his acquaintance when he wrote the club a great letter regarding Registrations. I asked permission to reprint it in KNAT and he was kind enough to say yes. As we got better acquainted a fine friendship was formed. Enjoy his intimate knowledge of Ketron products. He currently performs on an SD1+.
Last issue Mitch gave us an intro to Registrations and some information on Block Registrations. This time some tips on Single Registrations and some additional resources. Just a note--even though the buttons may be in different locations, the techniques described work for nearly all Ketron Products.
Saving to “single” registrations;
Turn on your single registration button on the left side of board. Go through the same process as setting up for a block registration. When you hit save and then registration, save with name again but this time the reg will assign itself a number starting with 001. When you save a new named registration it will automatically save it to 002 and so on. I find that if I’m loading quite a few at one sitting, I save using names and when finished, I turn on single registrations button and start going through the numbers and writing down which song matches which number. Again, if you’ve set up the board for a certain song on 001 then it should come up in just a couple seconds or so. This does take longer then block registrations but easy to deal with.
I use a song book and along side of each song/lyrics I have inked in what reg to use. Some songs are set-up in the block registrations section and some in the single registrations section. Just turn on the registrations button (single or block) and punch in numbers then you’re ready to start your song. I can go almost instantly from one song to another using block registrations and with just a short bit of talking or playing the single registrations come up quickly.
For example:
I turn on board and let it go through its boot-up. Once on, I check out basic functions and set-up PA system, etc. When getting ready to perform, I choose song, turn on my block or single registrations button and punch in numbers for reg. My first song I’m doing is “Folsom Prison”. The board is already set for country-fox at 130 bpm. The drums are “folk”, no rims shot on arranger A part, Volume up high on country guitar in arrangement. Right hand sound up and so on. When I finish the song, I want to do “Mustang Sally”. I hit the numbers and the board instantly is ready with gospel style set at 120 bpm, lots of organ, no brass, etc. etc.
No more searching for the “right” set-up on stage as this already done before hand with registrations.
This is a very basic way to use registrations and Jay’s Newsletter Tips and Tricks has many more ways to use this absolutely essential feature on your Ketron unit. I am including past information with Jay’s permission rather then try to explain it all myself.
More on Registration usage compiled from past newsletters by Jay Salam
K.N.A.T. issue 36
Think of a registration as a electronic photograph of your keyboard settings at a given time. You can use the registrations as a balancing device or more.
If your sound system is bass heavy for example, you may want to lower the bass a bit. if you set the volumes in a registration and left that on, any style called up would then be subject to that setting. How easy is that!
There are some hidden things you can do also. For instance, you can set the equalizer and have it work in just that one registration. You can set the reverb types on some of the models. You can set rotor on or off. You can set the Jump on or off. You can set which Arrangement comes up. There are tons of things you can do.
Don't be afraid to try and above all, HAVE FUN.
K.N.A.T. issue 5
I know of performers who will go for many performances without once using a registration and others who use registrations for everything. Registrations are an incredibly powerful feature that can make your performing life much easier.
Most people think of registrations as a way to save the panel (or desktop) condition to a file to be called up later. That is true and less than true. You can save functions in registrations that can be saved no other way. A great example of this is the assigning of a variable to one of the wheels, like assigning wha-wha to the pitchbend wheel. The minute you turn the machine off and back on, the original condition of pitchbend returns, but you can save many steps by saving the wha-wha condition on the wheel as a registration and calling it up at need. This saves a lot of steps in getting the condition back. There are a lot of internal features that will save as a registration and sometimes no other way.
Find the features you use the most and set them as registrations.
It's worth learning how to do that.
The first thing to learn is how to save a registration.
First get your setup exactly the way you want it. On most Ketron products you will then hit "Save/Enter". On all the newer machines (after the MS series) you will then press F1 (Regis) and then make your selection.
Use the numeric keypad to select the slot (e.g. "Reg_001") and then you can use your Value keys and Cursor keys to rename it to something you would like (e.g. "WhaWha").
Then press F10 "Save" and you are done.
When you turn on the registrations during play and press "001" or just "1" you should get the exact condition that you saved.
K.N.A.T. issue 6
Even a lot of performers who use registrations to set style conditions miss a bet when performing. A lot of people don't know that your can use registrations to call up Standard Midi Files. You can do this either in Block or Single mode. I recommend Single because you can then associate the registrations with the folder the songs are in. The good thing about this is you can sort your folders by song style, alphabet, number, performance sets or in what ever manner is convenient for you.
Here's how:
Go to the registration number that you want to save and set the conditions that you want on the keyboard. Be sure you are in the folder with the song that you wish to trigger. This is not so important when you are setting the registration, if you are in the Block mode, but it is good practice just in case you want to be in the Single Mode.
Press Save/Enter and when you get the Save screen press F1 "Registr". Check to make sure you have the right number and then in the New Name area write the name of the song file you want. Be sure you write the file name exactly and not the song title. Be careful here because if you are off by even one letter it won't work.
Press F10 to save and you are done.
To use the file, make sure the Registration Button is lit and then call up the number of that registration. You must know the number. If you use Block mode you had better write down the registration numbers somewhere. If you save in the Single mode you can look on the directory for that folder and check names.
After you have called up the registration, press Song Play and the song will auto load. This is cool. All you need to do then is press start and you are off to the races. Also you will have automatically loaded the keyboard condition that you saved as part of the registration so that if you want to have Soft Alto or Piano or whatever your choice, for your right hand you don't have to bother with that. It is done.
If anyone has questions, you can email me through the Solton/Ketron Club group run by Bob Hughes. If you’re not a member and you own a Ketron or older Solton you need to join as this club has many knowledgeable people that may be able to help with your units. |
Opinion Piece
by Jay Salam
This is all about obligation. It has been on my mind a long time and I feel that it must be said. I realize that some people may be offended and really hope so. I have absolutely no apology to make. Customers have obligations to dealers, dealers have obligations to customers and distributors, distributors have obligations to end users, manufacturers have obligations and so on, and so on.
People no longer seem to take personal responsibility and we, as a society have begun to accept that. That is a real shame. And it does not just apply to people. It applies to companies, governments, professional people and nearly every segment of society.
I propose that we quit accepting it! I suggest that we can demand certain things of certain people. We can and should demand that our doctors study what they are doing and not wait for us to diagnose ourselves by going to WebMD.com and looking stuff up. That is only one small example. How does this have anything to do with Ketron, you ask?
First a little history. Back in the "dark ages" like 1950 dealers were franchised and if a store was lucky enough to have the dealership for Selmer saxes or Hammond Organs or Gibson Guitars, they treasured the franchise and learned everything they could about the instrument line including things like construction, how to service it, available accessories and much, much more. If you couldn't live up to your obligations as a dealer, there was a line of music stores waiting to get the line. One of the benefits to the dealer is that a dealer was not allowed to cut price. He could lose his franchise for a single violation. So the dealer could make a living. The benefit to the customer, is that he could walk into his dealer and get 100% service and it was free.
Well those good ole days are gone forever! But you don't have to give up your rights to service. In today's world you can buy discounted product everywhere you look, by going to the internet or a big box store. There are hundreds of places to buy almost any given product. It is entirely our fault as customers, that ALL you get is a discount. We are not demanding service, knowledge, support or anything else. We only care if there is free shipping! So then where do you go for support? Well there is none. You are basically screwed.
Bob Hughes formed the Solton/Ketron club on Yahoo for that very reason. The manual was poorly written or poorly interpreted or both and he needed help. His payback for the people that helped him was to pass it on and he does daily by helping hundreds of individuals either singly or in groups. However, his massive effort should never have been necessary!
What can we, as individuals do about it? First find dealers, internet or local that know the product. Second, if you have a question or need support, CALL THAT DEALER! That is the person or company that made any profit to be made on the sale, so that company owes you support. You should demand it. If you don't get that support, as I haven't from time to time on computer products, make it plain that you will no longer support such a company. Your dollar is one vote. And it is the only vote you have. But that is the only vote that does matter.
From my perspective, as a musician and as a music store employee and a store owner and as a help desk person and all the other things I have done, PRICE DOES NOT EQUAL VALUE! The lowest price with no support, service or knowledge is very often the highest price in the long run. Stop paying it!
I think it is vital that we demand of our dealers, distributors, manufacturers and technicians, the best they have to offer. Stop settling for less. I hope you will demand it of me.
Just a comment: I should say I believe that things may be getting better with Ketron in this regard. I am glad to be a part of that. |
