Midi Messages Used By The Rs-5/9 - Roland RS-5 Owner's Manual

MIDI messages used by the RS-5/9

MIDI uses various types of message to transmit a wide
variety of information. MIDI messages are broadly divided
into two different categories, those handled through
individual MIDI channels (Channel messages), and messages
that are not related to separate channels (System messages).
The RS-5/9 mainly uses the following MIDI messages.
Channel messages
These are messages used for relating what is happening in a
Performance. These comprise the bulk of MIDI messages.
Note On
This message is sent when a key is pressed. A Note-on
message contains the following 3 types of information.
Note-on: A note has been played.
Note number: which note was played
Velocity: The amount of force (velocity) used when the
note was played
The Note Numbers fall within the range of 0–127, with
middle C (C4) as number 60.
fig.R10-04exp
Note name
C-1 C2 C3
0 36 48
Note number
Note Off
This message is sent when a key is released. When a Note-off
message is received, that note will be turned off. A Note-off
message contains the following 3 types of information.
Note-off: a note was released
Note number: which note was released
Velocity: The force of the pull (velocity) used when the
note was released
Pitch Bend Change
This message transmits whatever motion is made by the
Pitch Bend lever.
Aftertouch
These messages indicates how strongly the keyboard was
pressed after playing a note. There are two types of
Aftertouch message; Channel Aftertouch which applies to an
entire channel, and Polyphonic Aftertouch which applies to
an individual note.
The RS-5/9 cannot transmit Aftertouch messages when its keys
are pressed. Instead, you can do this by transmitting the
Aftertouch assigned to the Modulation lever, a pedal, or a knob.
C4 C5 C6 G9
60 72 84 127
Chapter 10. Performing With An External MIDI Device
Program Change
This message changes the instrument sound. You can switch
Tones and Drums sets on the RS-5/9 using program
numbers 1–128 (p. 121, 123).
Control Change
These are messages used for increasing performance
expression. By assigning Modulation (CC# (Controller
Number) 1), Pan (CC#10), Expression (CC#11), and other
Control Change messages to the Modulation lever, pedals,
and knobs, you can then use these controls to change
Performances (p. 71).
Bank Select (CC#0, CC#32) switch Tones and Drum Sets, so
these are used in combination with Program Change
messages (p. 121, 123).
System messages
This category includes exclusive messages, messages used
for synchronization, and messages that keep a MIDI system
running correctly.
Exclusive messages
Exclusive messages are messages used for exchanging Tones
and other set kinds of data between compatible devices from
the same manufacturer.
If messages exchanged using MIDI were limited only to
those conforming to the common MIDI standard, it would
not be possible to transmit messages particular to one
manufacturer or messages fixed for a certain device.
Therefore, with a format having been determined by each
manufacturer, a variety of different messages can then be
exchanged.
With the RS-5/9, you can use Exclusive messages to store
Tone settings and other data to sequencers (p. 115).
About MIDI Implementation Charts
Although a variety of messages for performances can be
handled using MIDI, depending on the functions of the
connected device, the messages that can be sent and
received may differ. To see which types of MIDI message
a device can transmit and receive, refer to the MIDI
Implementation Chart that is included in the manual of
each device. Messages which are marked by a circle in
the charts of both devices can be transmitted between the
two devices.
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