7. MIDI Primer
to be the same Channel as your sound source is set to receive on.
Most commonly used Channel is Channel 1. If you have two sound
sources you would set Controller 2 to another MIDI Channel
(probably Channel 2).
• So, to get your sound source to respond, you need to match the Channel
you are sending on to the Channel your sound is receiving on.
Each Sound or Pitch within each Sound Source is accessed by the MIDI
Note
Number that is sent (just like asking for the person by name
when you reach the correct home).
• So, to get the correct pitch to play (in the sound source you are
controlling) when you hit a Pad, you must adjust the Octave setting
in your malletKAT PRO so that the pitch range is where you want
it. Other than the Octave setting (and Transpose) the malletKAT
PRO takes care of assigning the pitch values consecutively so that
your keyboard plays as a chromatic keyboard.
The Velocity that is sent tells the Sound Source something about the
dynamics of the Sound - usually how loud to play the Sound. A
Note with a low velocity value will play softly. A Note with a
high velocity value will play loudly.
• After you train your malletKAT PRO to respond to your playing
dynamic range (what soft and hard hits are to you), the
malletKAT PRO will send out the appropriate velocity based on
your playing style.
COMMANDS
:
A MIDI Note On Command tells a specific Sound Source to play a
specific Sound at a specific volume. It turns a Sound on.
It contains which Channel (which sound source) to play, which
Note (pitch) to play, and which Velocity (loudness) to play.
A MIDI Note Off Command tells a specific Sound Source to stop playing
a specific Sound . It turns a Sound off.
It contains which Channel (which sound source) and which Note
(pitch) to shut off.
[
The internal Gate Time setting in the malletKAT PRO (separately
for each controller) controls the length of time from when you strike
the pad until when the malletKAT PRO shuts that note off.]
A MIDI Program Change Command is used to tell another instrument to
use a specific Program or patch of sounds or settings.
A Program Change sent to a drum machine will generally call up a
different Kit of drumsounds. A Program Change to a synth would
call up different sounds (flute, piano, xylophone, etc.). A Program
Change Command to a Lighting Effects unit would call up a
different lighting setup.
A MIDI System Exclusive Command is something specific to a
particular instrument. It is typically used to do Data Dumps.
A Data Dump is when an instrument sends its settings out MIDI in a big
group so that they can be saved on some storage device (like a
computer or a MIDI disk drive). Then the Data Dump can be sent
back into the instrument later on to retrieve those settings again.
Data Dumps are used as a back-up against the accidental loss of
your settings or Setups.
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