Download Getting Started MIDI 1

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MUSC 1331 MIDI 1
Instructor Aric Nitzberg
[email protected]
Getting Started with the MIDI System
Welcome to MIDI 1. This is the first of many labs that will help you in the operation of
Digital Performer, the Roland Juno D, and the Apple iMac, along with many concepts that
will carry over to different synthesizers, sequencers and computer platforms. The first step
in understanding a MIDI system is to understand the components that go into it.
MOTU Digital Performer 5.11: Digital Performer (DP) is an Audio and MIDI program
that runs on the Mac OSX platform. DP’s job is to record and save all MIDI data and
recorded audio tracks. Along with recording, DP also allows you to edit, rearrange, and mix
the various elements into a final product. We will be using DP as our Sequencer, a
program that stores MIDI data for later playback and editing.
Roland Juno D: The Juno keyboards are Polyphonic synthesizers that create a wide
variety of tones from standard pianos, strings and horns to voices and special effects. We
will be using the Juno D not only as the main synth that we get our sounds, but also as our
Controller, a MIDI device that sends out MIDI data for other Synthesizers to respond to.
Roland JV-1010: Another synthesizer used in our MIDI system. The power of the MIDI
language becomes apparent when you start to use multiple sythns from different
manufacturers. Before the advent of MIDI, musicians had great difficulty getting different
keyboards to communicate properly.
MOTU USB Fastlane: This device is known as a MIDI Interface or MIDI I/O. It
connects to the Apple iMac via USB (Universal Serial Bus) and allows MIDI information
to travel to and from the computer and DP. Interfaces are necessary because they provide a
convenient way to hook up many keyboards to one computer for use with the sequencing
software,
Behringer Eurorack MX 1604A: The Behringer MX 1604A is an audio mixer. This
allows us to hear the different sound coming from the Korg and Roland synths. One
important thing to remember is that MIDI is nothing but data, it holds no sound. All the
sound that you will hear when working in this lab will be coming from the synths and going
into the Behringer. Because of this, you must remember to turn up the channels that the
synths are hooked up to. If you don’t, no sound will come through the headphones.
Setting up the Equipment for Use in the Lab
Configuring the Juno D for use with the MIDI system
You will find many buttons on the front panel of the Roland Juno D. The ones that we will
be using for the setup are the SYSTEM, PERFORM, and VALUE [+/ -] keys. Please
follow the following steps to setup the Juno D.
Press the [PERFORM] button on the front of the Juno D (beneath the MODE label).
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Use the [VALUE + / -] buttons to scroll to PERFORM U1: INIT PERFORM.
Press SYSTEM button. Screen should say:
SYSTEM GENERAL
Local Control: OFF
If it is ON, use the VALUE [-] key to turn it OFF. Press SYSTEM button again to exit
SYSTEM.
Setting up the Behringer MX 1604
Turn up both faders for the Juno D and the JV-1010 to unity (0)
Turn up both MAIN MIX master faders
Turn your CTRL R/ PHONES knob to 12:00
Assign the main mix in to the CTRL R/PHONES
Testing Audio
Press Demo then Enter on the Juno D. Four of the buttons will light up and blink. Press
one of those to listen to a demo. Press End to stop playback and return to the normal
operating mode,
On the JV-1010 press and hold the VOLUME knob. This will play the demo.
It is important to check the audio paths because it’s one less problem you need to worry
about later. Troubleshooting is an important part of being an Audio Engineer. By
eliminating variables at the beginning, you be able to spot real problems more quickly.
Getting ready to use Digital Performer
First make sure that the thru button is OUT on the front of the Fastlane. If the button is in,
MIDI information will not pass to DP.
Next, click on the DP icon in the DOCK at the bottom of the screen.
(The programs in your dock may be different from the picture)
The DP splash screen will show and the DP will be loaded.
Go to the top of the screen and choose from the FILE menu NEW if you want to create a
new file and OPEN if you want to open a project you’ve already worked on,
For this lab we will choose NEW. Create a new file and save it using your last name and
Lab 1. Follow the diagram bellow. Be sure you are saving your file in the FILES Drive.
You will not be able to save anywhere else. Once you have typed in the name of file press
SAVE.
A Note about file management:
Be sure to pay attention to where you save your project. One of the biggest time wasters in
a studio is lost and misplaced files. Any time you work on or create a file in this lab, you
will be working in the FILES DRIVE. When you are done, you will drag and drop the file
onto your USB drive. The reason we don’t work off the USB drive is because it doesn’t
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transfer fast enough into the computer. USB drives are great for storage, but poor for
audio.
Once you have saved your file, the main DP screen will open.
The main screen is broken down into a few different sections:
The Transport Window
The transport window provides you with many of the same functions that you would find
on a standard cassette deck. Play, Pause, Stop and Record are the standard buttons that you
will be working with. This window also provides you with the time location of your
sequence. This can be set to show Measures, Bars, Real Time, SMPTE Time Code and
Samples.
The Tracks Window
The Tracks Window, though small, shows a lot of information. You can see where MIDI
data is written, the different MIDI tracks and the MIDI Channels they are assigned to. You
can also change default patches, set record enables, mute and name your tracks.
Creating and Deleting MIDI Tracks
In order to record MIDI data into DP, you must create new MIDI tracks to record on to.
To create a new track click on PROJECT in the tool bar at the top of the screen. Move your
mouse over ADD TRACK and choose MIDI TRACK. You may also use the keyboard
shortcut SHIFT+COMMAND+M. Keyboard shortcuts allow you to work faster in DP
and most other software. To delete a track click on the TRACK NAME in the tracks
window and highlight the track you wish to delete. Click on PROJECT in the tool bar and
choose DELETE TRACK. Once you delete a track it will lose all information on it.
*Note: to create multiple MIDI tracks at once, hold down OPTION while clicking in ADD
TRACK and you will see the option of MIDI TRACK change to MULTIPLE MIDI
TRACKS.
Assigning MIDI Channels
Look at the left side of the Tracks Window. You will find the column labeled OUTPUT.
By changing this you are telling the computer which MIDI port and channel to send data to.
By setting you tracks on different channels, you are able to record different voices.
Click on the OUTPUT column and you will get a list of MIDI devices and available
channels on the system. On your file, create 2 new MIDI track and assign them to channel
Juno D-1 and D-2.
Saving your work
The golden rule of working on any computer system is “ALWAYS SAVE, ALL THE
TIME ”. In the tool bar click on FILE / SAVE. After this you can close DP safely without
losing you work.
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To save to you USB drive you simply need to drag and drop your Project Folder from the
Files Drive to your drive. When you’re ready to work on it again drag and drop from the
USB drive to the Files Drive and open the file in DP from there. You will not be able to
work on projects opened from you USB drive.
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