Midi Functions; What's Midi - Yamaha Portatone PSR-640 Owner's Manual

MIDI Functions

In the rear panel of your PSR-740/640, there are MIDI terminals (MIDI IN, MIDI OUT), a TO HOST
terminal, and a HOST SELECT switch. By using the MIDI functions you can expand your musical possi-
bilities. This section explains what MIDI is, and what it can do, as well as how you can use MIDI on your
PSR-740/640.
If you don't know what MIDI is, make sure to read these sections:
• What's MIDI? ......................................................................................... page 122
• What You Can Do With MIDI ................................................................. page 124
• MIDI Data Compatibility ........................................................................ page 125
If you want to use your PSR-740/640 with a computer, read this section:
• Connecting to a Personal Computer ..................................................... page 126
The PSR-740/640 lets you make the following MIDI-related settings:
• MIDI Template ....................................................................................... page 128
• MIDI Transmit Setting ............................................................................ page 130
• MIDI Receive Setting ............................................................................ page 131
• Local Control ......................................................................................... page 132
• Clock ..................................................................................................... page 132
• Initial Data Send .................................................................................... page 133

What's MIDI?

No doubt you have heard the terms "acoustic instrument" and "digital instrument." In the world today, these are the
two main categories of instruments. Let's consider an acoustic piano and a classical guitar as representative acoustic
instruments. They are easy to understand. With the piano, you strike a key, and a hammer inside hits some strings
and plays a note. With the guitar, you directly pluck a string and the note sounds. But how does a digital instrument
go about playing a note?
Acoustic guitar note production
Pluck a string and the body resonates
the sound.
As shown in the illustration above, in an electronic instrument the sampling note (previously recorded note) stored
in the tone generator section (electronic circuit) is played based on information received from the keyboard. So then
what is the information from the keyboard that becomes the basis for note production?
For example, let's say you play a "C" quarter note using the grand piano sound on the PSR-740/640 keyboard.
Unlike an acoustic instrument that puts out a resonated note, the electronic instrument puts out information from
the keyboard such as "with what voice," "with which key," "about how strong," "when was it pressed" and "when
was it released." Then each piece of information is changed into a number value and sent to the tone generator.
Using these numbers as a basis, the tone generator plays the stored sampling note.
Example of Keyboard Information
Voice number (with what voice)
Note number (with which key)
Note on (when was it pressed) and
note off (when was it released)
Velocity (about how strong)
122
Digital instrument note production
L
Sampling
Note
Based on playing information from the keyboard, a
sampling note stored in the tone generator is played
through the speakers.
01 (grand piano)
60 (C3)
Timing expressed numerically (quarter note)
120 (strong)
• The MIDI settings cannot be
made when the Recording
mode is active, or during
song/auto accompaniment
playback.
Tone Generator
R
(Electric circuit)
Sampling
Note
Playing the keyboard