MIDI Challenged

Started by jp68, December 28, 2012, 12:15:27 PM

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jp68

New here,

I have an RC-300 and a DR-880....

Is it possible to link the two and control the DR from the RC?

I have never been able to figure MIDI out, I'm a total klutz when it comes to MIDI, I think I have some sort of mental block.

Could one of you smarter guys give me a step by step method for hooking the two units together...

Thanks,

jp68

Or send me to MIDI for Complete Idiots

bbob


Csewell

Its actually very easy.
Connect a midi cable from the midi out of he RC to the Midi In on the 880.
Make sure the midi setting on the RC is set to Internal. (RTFM)
Make sure the Midi Setting on the 880 is set to Auto. (RTFM)
Set the 880 so your desired pattern or song is selected.
Prior to recording your first loop, Tap the basic tempo you want on any of the stop buttons.
Once you start recording the RC sends a start message and the 880 will start to play at the tempo you tapped.
I use single tracks, but for more ambient stuff, multi loop might work for you.
If you want the drums to continue while your not recording, set a preset on the RC so one of the loops is an empty bar of 4 in 4/4, Or 2 in 2/4, whatever.
Away you go.

jp68

 :D Thanks bbob and csewell - I will read and try what you have advised this weekend...  Thank you both.

Threeleggedyoyo

Quote from: jp68 on December 28, 2012, 05:15:56 PM
:D Thanks bbob and csewell - I will read and try what you have advised this weekend...  Thank you both.

Midi can be intimidating at first but learning it is very rewarding. I had a similar fear until recently, and now it's like my obsession. The others beat me to it. csewell's description is right on. Let us know how it goes.

jp68

 >:( Well I've tried to follow Csewell's instructions to the letter with absolutely no luck... I can't seem to get my RC-300 and DR-880 to speak to each other. The only way I can get this to work is to actually do an audio recording of my drum loops onto a track of the RC-300 and then overdub my bass and rhythm guitar on top. I was hoping to transfer my drum loop through midi... Any advise/help in setting up the RC-300 and DR-880 so that I can transfer my drum loops through a midi connection???

Zymos

#7
The only thing being transmitted from the RC is MIDI clock- the tempo it is set to, and maybe start and stop commands. It can't send audio or even MIDI notes.

Also, csewell's instructions were for the RC to control the DR, which is what you originally asked. But your last post sounds like you want to go from the DR to the RC.

Not familiar with the DR, but does it send the MIDI notes of a drum track? If so, the RC isn't going to know what to do with that anyway- it can't be used as a MIDI controlled drum synth.

Or am I misunderstanding what your are trying to do?



FreeTime

What MIDI is:    When I press a button/key on a keyboard a number that represents that particular action gets sent 'down the wire'.
What MIDI isnt: No actual audio is sent down the wire, only control information.


In its simplest form, you have a controller (i.e. Keyboard, GR55, MIDI control surface) plugged into some form of slave ( hardware synth, drum machine, computer, lighting controller) with a 5-pin MIDI cable. Press the key that makes A440 on your keyboard, or play 'A440' on the VG99/GR55 and the number '69' will get 'sent down the wire'. The device(s) connected will see that '69' and respond by playing 'A440' through it internal sound generator(s).

Different actions, such as program change, foot pedal, or control wheel movement all send send a unique pre-defined number.

You'll want to read up on things like channels, omni mode, and sysex.

There are quite a few MIDI monitor programs out there, install one and you can see the smoke that is the magic inner workings and it'll all make sense.

Elantric


Zymos

Quote from: FreeTime on July 17, 2013, 11:41:23 PM

What MIDI isnt: No actual audio is sent down the wire, only control information.




Not to confuse the issue, but there is something known as MIDI sample transfer- it was used in samplers a decade or 2 ago....

Elantric

#11
QuoteNot to confuse the issue, but there is something known as MIDI sample transfer- it was used in samplers a decade or 2 ago....

True - if you could wait for the 31.25kHz serial data stream to load a new PCM sample back in 1986