=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- APPLE II MUSIC & SOUND FORUM CONFERENCE LOG August 19, 1992 10 PM ET Topic: Questions and Answers on MIDI Forum Leader: Joyce Madden (AFL JoyceM), Forum Assistant: Gene Koh (AFA Gene) Forum Consultants: Greg Dib (ELECTMUSIC), Ed Rosenblatt (AFC Eddie), Lindsay Hough (LindsayGS) Copyright (c) 1992 America Online All Rights Reserved =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- AFA Gene So, the topic tonight is MIDI :) FredW GS Anyone found a place to get MasterTracks Pro GS? AFC Eddie Fred, did Sound Management run out? FredW GS Yep, it is no more at Sound Management. AFC Eddie Oboy. That's bad news. AFA Gene Does Educational Resources have any? FredW GS I'm not familiar with them AFA Gene ** Contest alert! ** AFL JoyceM Yes, Gene...we have a winner? AFC Eddie Yes, we have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AFL JoyceM :) AFA Gene (I've been away for 6 weeks, I'm eager to find out too :) AFC Eddie There were quite a few excellent entries in this TV and Movies theme contest. But the winner is: PeaceSign, for his Robin Hood Theme, done for Diversitune! AFC DYAJim ()()()()()() AFA Gene ()()()()()() FredW GS ()()()()()()()()()()( AFC Eddie An outstanding arrangement, with a great percussion track as well! AFL JoyceM congrats to PeaceSign. What does he win, Eddie AFC DYAJim I'll have to d/l it :) ELECTMUSIC Its nice to see a Dtune file win! FredW GS Do we have a DTune instrument editor/creator here? AFC Eddie Fred, I wish one of those existed! FredW GS It should not be that hard, it uses digitized voices, no? AFA Gene For his winning arrangement PeaceSign gets FIVE free hours of usage credit! FredW GS I will talk to Bill Basham and see if he will let me know what format the instruments are in and if he'll release it to me. DangardAce What's Bill Basham doing these days.. I knew he was a doctor or something. AFL JoyceM He's doctoring...and I can't use DT with System 6...only if I play and select one song. I can't change, quite, etc. until it is done :( Anyone: if one is to use MIDI for use with synthLAB, what programs would one need? AFC Eddie Hey, I have a MIDI question... AFL JoyceM Sure, Eddie...GA AFA Gene I have one too, once Ed and Joyce are finished :) FredW GS I'll put a question in the que. AFC Eddie Thanks. Does anyone have the General MIDI program parameters? FredW GS Do you mean the MIDI specification (what's in a MIDI packet) ?? AFC Eddie No, I mean the instruments assigned to each program change number under the new General MIDI spec. AFC DYAJim new spec? FredW GS Hadn't heard of a new spec. AFC Eddie Yes, General MIDI, which assigns specific instrument sounds to specific program numbers, to standardize sequences. FredW GS I see, good idea. AFC Eddie There are also 47 standard percussion notes. ELECTMUSIC also many of the older synths will not recognise SOME of the new spec AFL JoyceM When did these new General MIDI specifications come out, Eddie? And from where? FredW GS That would of made some of my stuff a lot easier (standard percussion) AFC Eddie They were standardized by NAMM, late last year, I believe. The newer synths and other MIDI devices have their factory patches pre-set to General MIDI spec. But even older ones can have their patches re-assigned to match General MIDI. I'm just looking for a copy of the list. AFC DYAJim that's really cool! They seriously needed something like that.. Percussion tracks designed on one keyboard could never sound anything remotely simular on another.. most annoying when working with MIDI files (not to mention voice tracks w/o comments too) AFC Eddie They could if the same notes are assigned to the same keys! In other words, C4 is a snare, A1 is a bass drum, etc. AFC DYAJim How would you know tho Eddie? AFL JoyceM So, my Roland D5 could be reprogrammed? AFC Eddie Of course, Joyce, that's what makes it a synth! AFC DYAJim It would be impossible to transmit all that data in the file, and an incredible burden to find out the drum kit settings for the synth that created the file and then set yours to match. AFC Eddie But Jim, that's what General MIDI is all about. You preset your instrument once, then all General MIDI sequences will play on it! AFC DYAJim I know - I'm talking about BEFORE THIS AFC Eddie OK AFA Gene Some manufacturers had foresight in this -- for instance, Korg's DrumKit2 is a close approximation of Roland's standard drum kit. (as far as keyboard mapping) AFC DYAJim The drumkit assigning on my roland d70 rather sucks. AFC Eddie yes, Gene, Roland seems to have set the percussion standard. AFC DYAJim It's configurable, but I've got no way to save different configurations so I'm stuck with using the same one for everything AFL JoyceM Who designated General MIDI? Apple? AFC Eddie My Roland D-20 has the same percussion setup as my Proteus! AFA Gene I think it's that way with all the Rolands, unfortunately. AFC Eddie No, it was done by NAMM, the National Association of MIDI Manufacturers. FredW GS Ahhh, a Proteus...someday.... AFC DYAJim if I had a real SysEx sequencer I s'pose I could make a different assigned drumkit for each MIDI file I make, but no way with mt/mtjr. AFC Eddie I think that's what it stands for! ELECTMUSIC Yea... the D70 was the for runner of all of the D series by Roland AFC Eddie Jim, you can use SysEx GS! AFC DYAJim SysEx GS did never get along too well with my setup AFC Eddie Oh, sorry Jim. AFC DYAJim Always ran out of room and then didn't show anything, or other weird errors. AFC Eddie It has a 32k limit. AFL JoyceM How about writing to them for the listing? AFC DYAJim and a 32k limit is ludicrous (imo) when you've got 2mb free AFC Eddie Agreed. ELECTMUSIC The limit is a tool limit set by Apple AFC DYAJim then use synthlab or use the midi drivers and write the code to support them yourself ELECTMUSIC Guess you would need to write a new driver AFC DYAJim Is it the driver or the tool, Greg? AFC DYAJim just the tool, I'd think, as I believe synthlab uses the same drivers FredW GS OK suppose I hypothetically know this GS user who really likes to play with MIDI. Soon he'll have the money to buy lots of neat MIDI toys but...he now finds out that he's not sure what can be done with his GS as most software has been discontinued...What sequencing options are availiable now? GA AFC Eddie Fred, the only one really hard to find right now is Mastertracks. Other good ones, like DIversitune, Music Studio and MusicWriter, are still around. FredW GS What else has similar power and CAN be found. AFC Eddie Nothing else has similar power, true. ELECTMUSIC Don't forget SynthLAB FredW GS DT is for someone who can play :) AFC Eddie So is Mastertracks. FredW GS I've done some great stuff with MTJr. and I cannot play...if I could edit more completely it'd sound great. AFA Gene It shouldn't be THAT difficult to find a vendor with copies of MTPro. In fact, AFC Eddie Fred, have you tried Passport Designs? AFA Gene gmta ed AFC Eddie :) FredW GS Passport?? Yes, no luck. FredW GS OK, I'm done...excpet we need another sequencer. AFC Eddie You're right, Fred. AFL JoyceM I will call Passport....again.... ELECTMUSIC Fred... just curious .... do you have Music Studio? FredW GS I have...they informed me they have a Macintosh package avaliable... AFC Eddie Joyce usually gets results..! FredW GS Yes I have Music Studio, never used it for MIDI. ELECTMUSIC Well... it has a very nice Midi Out. Midi In is really for a player AFL JoyceM Still one of the best overall music programs for the GS - MusicStudio FredW GS Does it handle volume and other MIDI stuff? AFC Eddie It does not do MIDI controllers. FredW GS OK, its just a toy then (albeit a fun one) ELECTMUSIC It does recognize program changes FredW GS I'll let you know what Bill Basham says...I can't imagine it's too easy tho', or someone else would have done it. AFC Eddie Thanks, Fred! AFA Gene Question: is there a way to call up a Korg T3's B- bank instruments from a regular program change? FredW GS Does everyone get a clicking sound when listening in AZ? AFA Gene (probably applies to all Korg instruments) LL AndyW That depends on the sound... AFC Eddie Gene, can you assign a program number to a B-bank sound? LL AndyW After using rSounder (to remove zeros), it was nice and smooth in AZ.. FredW GS All sounds click for me when I use AZ, that's why I don't use it. LL AndyW Even with clicking, it is nice to use to remove garbage from sounds.. AFA Gene Yes, but it has a "b" :) -- unless I manually flip the channel in the onboard sequencer to a B instrument, it is stuck in A00-99. FredW GS My sound I digitize so there aren't any zeros. I wonder what causes it. LL AndyW Depends on what is used to digitize it. Some programs do leave zeros.. AFC Eddie That doesn't seem practical, Gene. What if you had more than 100 "A" Sounds? FredW GS Sonic Blaster doesn't I don't think. AFC DYAJim AZ has its rough spots AFA Gene You're limited to 99, Ed. I wish I had the manual for this synth. :) AFC Eddie I bet there's a way to edit those program numbers somehow! You should try to get the book from Alexander Publishing. Probably better than the manual! AFA Gene Never heard of Alexander Publishing... do they specialize in comprehensive replacements for owner's manuals? AFC Eddie Yes, but better. I'll get their number... AFC Eddie Alexander Publishing AFC Eddie 3537 Old Conejo Road AFC Eddie Suite 101 AFC Eddie Newbury Park, CA 91320 AFC Eddie 1-800-633-1123 AFA Gene thanks! AFC Eddie Definitely worth it, even if you have the manual! AFC Eddie And I know they have T3 stuff. LL AndyW Well, if anyone has a sound that has problems (rSound or raw), I can work with them.. AFC Eddie Thanks, Andy, I'll remember that! AFC Eddie ---------------------------- Log Off -----------------------