Chapter 14. Advanced Applications; Taking Advantage Of Midi; What Is Midi - Roland JX-305 Owner's Manual

Chapter 14. Advanced Applications

Taking Advantage of MIDI

What Is MIDI?

The JX-305 records and plays back MIDI musical data,
and when MIDI musical data is received its sound
generator will produce sound.
What is MIDI?
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a stan-
dard specification that allows musical data to be
exchanged between electronic musical instruments
and computers. Devices that have a MIDI connector
can be connected using a MIDI cable, allowing them to
transmit and receive data. Today, MIDI is found on
virtually all electronic musical instruments. Without
MIDI, it would not be possible to use an external key-
board to play theJX-305, or to use the JX-305 to record
and play back a performance played on an external
keyboard. Although you can use the JX-305 without
knowing much at all about MIDI, you might also want
to take full advantage of the possibilities offered by
electronic musical instruments. This chapter will pro-
vide a simple explanation of the JX-305's MIDI-related
functionality.
MIDI connectors
The JX-305 has three MIDI connectors, which function
as follows.
MIDI OUT connector
This connector transmits MIDI messages to external
MIDI devices.
MIDI IN connector
This connector receives MIDI messages that are trans-
mitted from external MIDI devices. The JX-305 can
receive these messages to play notes or select sounds,
etc.
MIDI THRU connector
MIDI messages received at MIDI IN are re-transmitted
without change from this connector.
MIDI channels
MIDI is able to transmit large amounts of independent
musical data over a single MIDI cable. This is made
possible by the concept of "MIDI channels." MIDI
channels allow messages intended for a given instru-
ment to be distinguished from messages intended for
another instrument. There are sixteen MIDI channels
(1–16), and normally the transmitting device must be
set to the same MIDI channel as the receiving device in
order for messages to be received.
When Remote Keyboard setting is "ON," an ernal
MIDI keyboard will be able to play the patch of the
current part, regardless of its transmit channel setting.
"Using an External MIDI Keyboard in Place
of the Keyboard of the JX-305 (Remote
Keyboard Switch)" (p. 165)
* The transmit/receive channel settings of each part are as
follows. It is not possible to change the channel settings of
each part.
Part 1: ch. 1
Part 2: ch. 2
Part 3: ch. 3
Part 4: ch. 4
Part 5: ch. 5
Part 6: ch. 6
Part 7: ch. 7
Rhythm part: ch. 10
The flow of MIDI signals inside the JX-305 is as fol-
lows.
fig.14-1TEXT
MIDI In
MIDI Thru
Controller
section
Local Sw
Sequencer
section
Sequencer Output Assign
If you would like to know more about each
parameter...
"Re-Transmitting Messages Received at
MIDI IN from MIDI OUT (Thru Function) (p.
165)
"Disconnecting the Keyboard from the
Internal Sound Generator (Local Switch)" (p.
165)
"Specifying the Reception Status for Each
Part (Rx Switch)" (p. 165)
"Specifying the output destination for musi-
cal data (Sequencer Output Assign)" (p. 36)
MIDI Out
Thru
Rx Sw
Sound
generator
section
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