Using The Jm-8'S Midi Functions; About Midi; Using The Jm-8 As A Midi Module; Connections - Roland VIMA JM-8 Owner's Manual

17.

Using the JM-8's MIDI functions

"MIDI" stands for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface." It is a universal standard that allows performance data to be
exchanged among electronic musical instruments and computers. The JM-8 provides a MIDI IN socket so that perfor-
mance data can be received from other MIDI instruments. It is also equipped with a USB MIDI port that can receive and
transmit MIDI data.

About MIDI

MIDI can simultaneously transmit and receive messages
on 16 channels, so that up to 16 instruments can be
controlled. Nowadays, most instruments –like the JM-8–
are multitimbral, which means that they can play sev-
eral parts simultaneously with different sounds.
The JM-8 provides two MIDI presets:
MIDI preset Meaning
EXTERNAL IN Contains 3 MIDI RX parts you can control
from an external MIDI instrument or
sequencer.
This section only receives MIDI data.
SONG PART The 16 parts that are usually controlled by
the JM-8's SMF player and 16-track
sequencer.
This section both receives and transmits
MIDI data.
In addition to the 3 EXTERNAL IN and the 16 song parts,
the following sections can also be controlled via MIDI:
Section/function MIDI channel
Harmony effect 5 ("Music File" option, p. 30)
16 ("Keyboard" option, p. 30)
V-LINK function 16 (see p. 104)
Note: The VOCAL HARMONIST only transmits and receives set-
ting changes and MIDI note messages. The audio signals it
receives and generates are not converted into pitch informa-
tion.
All JM-8 parts are set to receive MIDI messages. If they
do not seem to respond to the messages you send from
the external controller, check the MIDI connection and
the channel settings on the JM-8.

Using the JM-8 as a MIDI module

To control the JM-8's sound source from an external
MIDI instrument, proceed as follows.

Connections

Note: Before connecting the JM-8 to other devices, you must
turn down the volume of all devices and turn off their power
to prevent malfunctions or damage to external speakers.
(1) Set the volume of the JM-8 and of the MIDI equip-
ment you are connecting to the minimum value.
(2) Switch off power to the JM-8 and the MIDI equip-
ment you are connecting.
(3) Use a MIDI cable (commercially available) to con-
nect the JM-8's MIDI IN socket to the MIDI OUT
socket of the external MIDI instrument.
MIDI master keyboard, MIDI-compatible piano, etc.
(4) Switch on the JM-8 and the connected MIDI
equipment.
(5) Adjust the volume of the JM-8 and the connected
MIDI equipment.
(6) If necessary, use the [BACKING] knob to set the
volume of the JM-8's MIDI parts.
Note: The EXTERNAL IN parts can also be controlled when
you connect the JM-8's USB MIDI port to a USB port on
your computer (see p. 102).
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VIMA JM-8
About MIDI
MIDI OUT
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