The Flow Of A Midi Messages, And Necessary Settings (Channel, Bend Range) - Roland GR-30 Manual

The Flow of a MIDI Messages,
and Necessary Settings
(CHANNEL, BEND RANGE)
Once you've made the connections, make the
required settings on the GR-30.
MIDI Channel (MIDI "CHANNEL")
When exchanging MIDI performance message with
an external device, the GR-30 and the external device
must be set to the same MIDI channel.
MIDI channels range from 1 to 16, and on the GR-30
you can choose to use one channel per string, for a
total of six channels, or to exchange information for
all six strings on a single channel (Mono mode and
Poly mode -> For details, see the next page, p. 72).
Follow the steps described later to make the MIDI
"CHANNEL" setting.
When using the GR-30 in combination with a multitim-
bral sound module (a sound generator offering a number
of performance parts) or a sequencer system (an auto-
matic performance device), make sure the other instru-
ment parts and channels do not overlap (p. 80).
Bend Range (MIDI "BEND RANGE")
The GR-30 can even send continuous pitch changes
obtained with techniques such as bending, finger
vibrators, tremolo bar usage, and sliding to an exter-
nal device. This is done using MIDI Pitch Bend
Change messages, just as with the pitch bender on a
keyboard. This means that the setting called Bend
Range must be matched up on the sending and
receiving instruments.
The GR-30 normally informs the external MIDI device
of the Bend Range setting on the GR-30, and sends a
message prompting change ( ) every time the patch
is switched.
This means that the Bend Range value on the sound
generator can be set automatically every time the
patch is changed simply by matching the maximum
Bend Range value that can be set on the external
MIDI sound generator to the GR-30 (Setting Bend
Range to as large a value as possible will help enable
smooth pitch changes in a wider range. The settable
range varies according to the receiving sound genera-
tor. For equipment having a different settable width
in the bend up and down directions, match the setting
to the narrowest maximum value.)
About messages that notify the external
MIDI instrument of the Bend Range and
prompt change
The messages used here are MIDI RPN (Registered
Parameter Number) "Pitch Bend Sensitivity" mes-
sages (Control Change messages No. 100, No. 101,
No. 6, and No. 38). (Sending of these messages can be
stopped, if necessary. → p. 84)
If you are using an external MIDI sound generator
which cannot recognize such messages, manually
change Bend Range on the external device to the same
value on the GR-30. Refer to the Owner's Manuals for
the external sound generator for information about its
MIDI specifications.
<Setting the Channel (and Sending Mode) and
Bend Range>
1. Press [EDIT/PLAY] to enter the Edit mode.
2. Set the EDIT TARGET dial to "MIDI" and the
PARAMETER SELECT dial to "C" (CHANNEL).
3. Use [+] and [-] to make the display show "1" to
"11" (Mono mode transmission), then change this
to "1.P" to "16.P" (Poly mode transmission).
4. Select a matching channel and sending mode on
the connected device, then set the PARAMETER
SELECT dial to "D" (BEND RANGE).
5. Use [+] and [-] to switch the display to "0," "1,"
"2," "3," "4," "5," "7," "12," or "24," allowing the
Bend Range to be selected.
6. Maximum the setting to the maximum value for
Bend Range that can be set on the external sound
generator, then press [EDIT/PLAY] to return to
the Play mode. (These are system settings, and not
patch settings, so there is no need to perform a
patch write operation. The latest setting is auto-
matically stored in memory, even after the power
is switched off.)
If the sending Bend Range on the GR-30 is set to "0," an
effect similar to setting COMMON "CHROMATIC"
(p. 40) to "on2" is obtained for the sounds from the
external MIDI sound generator.
When a multitimbral sound generator has been connect-
ed and Mono mode selected in step 3, the tones to be
used are allocated to six parts on the sound generator.
Also, the receiving channels are matched to the six con-
nected channels selected on the GR-30. When in this
state, you can play the external MIDI sound generator
by playing the guitar own the GK-2A is mounted.
If not sound is produced by the external MIDI sound
generator, try turning the volume on the GK-2A all the
up and setting the GK-2A's selector switch to
"SYNTH" or "MIX."
Also, if using an EXP pedal, press the pedal.
If there's still no sound, check the sound-level settings
on the sound generator, as well as the cable connections.
If the setting "PG CHNG#" described later (p. 72) has
been changed, make sure that it is set to any setting
other than "oFF" (off).
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