II. WHAT IS MIDI? 1) Just what is MIDI? MIDI stands for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface," an international standard which will allow you to connect your synthesizer to other MIDI-equipped devices. These include other MIDI keyboards, personal computers, rhythm machines and tape recorders. You can use MIDI to connect these different components together, and create a personal music system with extraordinary capabilities. 2) What can I do with my keyboard's MIDI capability? Well first of all, you can connect you MIDI keyboard to other MIDI keyboards. This simple connection lets you play both keyboards at the same time. &Z&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&? out in &Z&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &3 &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 MIDI &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y in out &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y You connect the keyboards together using MIDI cables. Connect the MIDI OUT on the first keyboard to the MIDI IN on the second keyboard. Then, When you play on the first, the other keyboard will play at the same time! You can use this simple way of connecting with MIDI cables to build a powerful and versatile MIDI system. MIDI also gives you access to the magic of personal computers! Imagine... you have a recording-studio in your living room.. the "albums" you record are played back "live" through your personal music system... you create beautiful arrangements and compositions even though you are not a "master" musician or experienced arranger or composer... these works can even be converted into standard music notation and printed as your own sheet music. Your computerized music center even teaches music theory and keyboard techniques...using additional keyboards expands the number of "instruments" available in your "orchestra" in a concert of pre-recorded music for the enjoyment of you and your family. These and other possibilities allow your MIDI-keyboard to become an exciting and powerful component in your home entertainment center! Whatever your keyboard can do all by itself is just a hint of what is possible when you "computerize" it using MIDI. ___________________________________________________________ III. MIDI and YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER. &Z&&&&&&&&&&D&? &Z&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 HOME &3 &3 VIDIO &3 &3 STEREO &3 &3 Monitor &3 &3 &&&&&&&D &3 &3 &&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&D&B&&&&&D&Y &@&&&&D&B&&&&D&Y &3audio &3vidio &C&&&&&D &C&&&&&D &Z&&&&&D&A&&&&&&&&&D&? out in &Z&&&D&? &Z&&&&D&A&&&&&D&? &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D>&3 &3 &3 PERSONAL &3 &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 MIDI &3 &C&D&D&4 COMPUTER &3 &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C<&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&3 &3 &3 &&&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y in out &@&&&D&Y &@&&&&&&&&&&D&Y ^ &3 MIDI &3 INTERFACE &@&&&&&&&&&&&D 1) How can my personal computer make such a difference? A personal computer makes your keyboard more "intelligent", and expands its capabilities. Different software applications allow you to use your keyboard to record music, play it back, compose and print out songs, and even learn to play better! 2) Would it be difficult to use my personal computer with my MIDI Keyboard? Not at all. The truth is that computers have become such a normal part of our daily lives that most of us take them for granted. So much so, we sometimes use computers without even realizing what we are doing! Automated tellers, information booths at airports and shopping malls, and vidio-games are but a few examples of computers we use day-in and day-out. Connecting your personal computer and MIDI keyboard is simple, too. You do it with the help of Two MIDI cables and a "MIDI Interface". This interface plugs into your computer and allows it to "Speak MIDI". The secret to having fun with the computer in your home is to choose "user friendly" software. In other words, good software should be easy to use, helpful and "friendly" to the people who use it. 3) Exactly what is software? Software lets you tell the computer what you want it to do. The different tasks a computer can be asked to perform are called "applications". When the applications are musical, your personal computer requires music software. The capabilities of your MIDI music system will depend on which software applications you choose to use. 4) What are the different music software applications? There are four categories of music software: a) Music Entertainment Software b) Music Education Software c) Performance/Recording Software d) Music Printing Software. Each category of music software allows your MIDI keyboard to do something different! Music entertainment software lets you play your favorite songs on your MIDI-keyboard while your computer plays pre-arranged accompaniment and rhythm parts! Music education software helps you to develop your knowledge of music and improve your playing skills by transforming your MIDI music system into a teaching studio. Performance/recording software turns you into the producer/engineer of your own digital recording studio...you make recordings of original compositions and arrangements while your personal computer plays back "live" on your MIDI-keyboards. Music printing software converts these and other performances into printed sheet music for almost any combination of instruments and voices! IV. POPULAR MIDI SETUPS. The simplest way to use MIDI is to connect one or more instruments together using MIDI cables. &Z&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&? out in &Z&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &3 &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 MIDI &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y in out &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y The next step with MIDI is a system involving your MIDI keyboard, personal computer,home stereo and vidio monitor. This system provides the basic components of a computerized MIDI system and is useful for Music Entertainment, Music Education, and simple Performance and recording applications. Your MIDI keyboard and personal computer are connected with the help of two MIDI cables and a "MIDI Interface:. This interface plugs into your computer and allows it to "Speak MIDI". &Z&&&&&&&&&&D&? &Z&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 HOME &3 &3 VIDIO &3 &3 STEREO &3 &3 Monitor &3 &3 &&&&&&&D &3 &3 &&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&D&B&&&&&D&Y &@&&&&D&B&&&&D&Y &3audio &3vidio &C&&&&&D &C&&&&&D &Z&&&&&D&A&&&&&&&&&D&? out in &Z&&&D&? &Z&&&&D&A&&&&&D&? &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D>&3 &3 &3 PERSONAL &3 &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 MIDI &3 &C&D&D&4 COMPUTER &3 &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C<&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&3 &3 &3 &&&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y in out &@&&&D&Y &@&&&&&&&&&&D&Y ^ &3 MIDI &3 INTERFACE &@&&&&&&&&&&&D The system shown below includes the addition of a computer printer as well as a drum or rhythm machine. The printer gives you the ability to use Music Printing Software to print your own sheet music. The drum machine will enhance your performance with automatic rhythm accompaniment. &Z&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 VIDIO &3 &3 Monitor &3 &3 &&&&&&&D &3 MIDI &@&&&&D&B&&&&D&Y INTERFACE &3vidio &&&&&&&&&&&&&D&? &C&&&&&D &Z&&&&&&&&&&D&? in &Z&D&A&D&? &Z&&&&D&A&&&&&D&? &Z&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 HOME &3 &Z&&&&&&&D>&3 &3 &3 PERSONAL &C&&&D&4 PRINTER &3 &3 STEREO &3 &3 out &3 &C&D&D&4 COMPUTER &3 &@&&&&&&&&&D&Y &3 &&&&&&&D &3 &3 &Z&&&D&3 &3 &3 &&&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&D&B&&&&D&Y &3 &3 &@&&&D&Y &@&&&&&&&&&&D&Y audio &3 &3MIDI&3 &Z&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y &3 &3 &3 &3 &3 &3 &Z&D&A&&&&D&A&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&A&D&? out in &Z&&&&&&&&&D&? &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D>&3 RHYTHM &3 &3 MIDI KEYBOARD &3 MIDI &3 MACHINE &3 &3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&D &C<&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&3 &&&&&&&D &3 &@&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&D&Y in out &@&&&&&&&&&D&Y