Table of Contents
Advertisement
Evolution MK-425C/449C/461C Advanced User Guide
Program & Bank Changes Explained
The original GM MIDI specification catered for only 128 voices, numbered from 0-127.
It is possible to access a different voice by sending a program change.
In order to expand on the GM set of voices, Bank changes were devised. Each bank
contains 128 patches, that can be accessed using a program change. There are
16,384 banks available, accessible by sending a 14-bit Bank change message. The
first 7 bits of this message are sent in a single byte known as the Bank LSB. The last
7 bits are specified by another byte known as the Bank MSB. The BANK LSB is the
most commonly used. This allows for 128 bank changes, and often there is no need to
send a Bank MSB.
You will find almost all MIDI devices respond to the program change, but some that do
not conform to the GM set of voices use the program change message for other
purposes. Many VST instruments have adopted this approach, allowing you to use a
program change to change the instrument patch. The FM7 by Native Instruments is a
good example of this.
Bank changes are more rarely used, although they do exist. Bank changes are useful
in manufacturer's extensions to the MIDI specification, such as Roland's GS
specification and Yamaha's XG specification. Both of these require you to specify a
Bank change, in order to access the extra voices and effects that these specifications
provide.
Sending Program, Bank LSB and Bank MSB data is made simple using the
Mk-425C/449C/461C. Simply press the PROGRAM, DATA LSB or DATA MSB button
and enter the program or bank change you wish to send.
RPN/NRPN's Explained
Non-registered parameter numbers (NRPN's) are device specific messages that
enable the control of synths via MIDI. The MIDI specification defines parameter
numbers to allow scope for manufacturers to specify their own controllers. The more
common of these have been registered by the MIDI Manufacturer's Association and
are part of the MIDI specification (hence the term Registered Parameter
Numbers – RPN's). (See Appendix F.)
MIDI controllers 98 and 99 represent the NRPN LSB and MSB respectively, while 100
and 101 represent the RPN LSB and MSB. This can be seen from the MIDI controllers
list in Appendix D. To transmit an NRPN/RPN, these two controller messages are sent
along with their user-specified values. A further controller message and value needs
to be sent to specify the (coarse or fine) value adjustment.
This is specified by controller number 6 (Data entry) for coarse adjustments or number
38 for fine adjustments.
12
Hide quick links:
Advertisement
Table of Contents
