E-Mu EMAX II, Operation Manual

Page: 238 / 257

Emax II operation manual
227
FINDING OUT ABOUT OTHER SYNTHESIZER’S
MIDI CAPABILITIES
It’s easy to find out the controller numbers for parameters on another synthesizer by
patching the Emax II MIDI OUT connector to the other synth’s MIDI IN. During MIDI
Setup select the “Rt Wheel” setup step, use the slider to select a controller number, vary
the right wheel, and note any changes. Select another controller number, vary the right
wheel, and see what that affects. Most synthesizers will only have a few controllers
assigned; note which control numbers affect which parameters, and write them down
for future reference.
For a practical example of how to use this feature, suppose you want to use the Emax II
footpedal to simultaneously fade out the Emax II and a MIDI’ed synthesizer. During
MIDI setup, select the “Pedal” setup step, and use the slider to change controller
numbers until you find the number that corresponds to overall level. Suppose the
controller number is 07. If you assign the Emax II “Level” Real Time destination to the
footpedal and also send the footpedal information out over the MIDI controller 07, both
instruments should fade in and out together.
DEALING WITH “MIDIOSYNCRACIES”
There are occasional compatibility problems between MIDI gear from different manu-
facturers; however, many problems are created by operator error and/or a lack of
understanding of how MIDI works. If you transmit information on one channel and have
the “receiver” set up for a different channel, forget it. MIDI is quite unforgiving that
way...you can hit a bum note and not too many people will notice, but send a computer
a wrong number and it will most definitely notice.
MIDI is a lot of fun provided that you don’t get discouraged when things go wrong.
Many times there is a solution; sometimes there isn’t. In any event, MIDI as it is today
is far better than no MIDI at all. At the very least you can almost always slave two
keyboards together, and drive MIDI keyboards from a MIDI sequencer. If you don’t
understand things at first, don’t worry— keep experimenting and eventually everything
will fall into place.
MIDI SUPPLEMENT
MIDIosyncracies