Section 17 — Sequencing/MIDI Applications
MIDI Connections
1
This section covers a number of advanced sequencer applications, including using the ASR-10
with a variety of external MIDI devices.
Using the ASR-10 as a Master MIDI Controller
The MIDI Connection
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) — that magical connection that lets you play one
instrument (or a whole roomful of them) from another — is a standard that has been agreed upon
by manufacturers for translating musical events into specific numbers that are transmitted and
received by MIDI instruments.
For instance, when you play middle C on the ASR-10, it instantly transmits a series of numbers
out its MIDI Out jack. These numbers represent a Key Down event, along with the location of the
note on the keyboard and how hard the key was struck. When you release the key, the ASR-10
transmits a number meaning Key Up. Any MIDI keyboard connected to the ASR-10 can receive
and translate those numbers and will play the middle C itself. The same thing happens
whenever you move a controller, such as the Pitch Bend or Mod Wheel, or when you select a new
sound — each of these events is translated into a series of numbers which are transmitted out the
MIDI Out jack.
Controlling Remote MIDI devices from the ASR-10 — MIDI Connections
You can use the ASR-10 banks or performance presets to drive external MIDI instruments, greatly
enhancing the number of available voices and timbres. With the Edit/Instrument MIDI STATUS
parameter, an instrument, and its associated sequence and song track can be assigned one of the
following settings:
• EXT or MIDI status — so that it will play only out via MIDI
• LOCAL status — so that it will play only locally on the ASR-10
• BOTH — in which case it will play a local sound and will transmit on its designated MIDI OUT
CHANNEL
Remote MIDI
Device #1
Remote MIDI
Device #2
MIDI Out
MIDI In
MIDI Thru
MIDI In
Remote MIDI
Device #3
MIDI Thru
MIDI In
To additional
MIDI
MIDI Thru
When controlling multiple
remote MIDI devices, first
connect the various devices to
the ASR-10, and to each other, as
shown here. Connect the MIDI
Out jack of the ASR-10 to the
MIDI In jack of the first device.
Then connect the MIDI Thru jack
of the first device to the MIDI In
jack of the second device.
Connect the MIDI Thru jack of
the second device to the MIDI In
jack of the third device. And so
on, for as many devices as you
will be using.
ASR-10
With this arrangement, once you set up the proper MIDI channels, etc., each remote MIDI device
will receive and play only the data that is intended for it, and will “pass along” all other data.
Also, each can be played from its own keyboard (as well as from the ASR-10’s) without affecting
the others, because MIDI Thru jacks only pass along incoming MIDI data, and do not transmit
what is played on the instrument.
