How to Handle Devices Connected with MIDI Thru Cables |
The physical MIDI Thru connector of a MIDI device enables that device to forward MIDI performance data on to a second device, as illustrated here: If you have physically configured your devices with MIDI Thru, then you probably want one device to play back MIDI received on certain channels, and the second device to play back MIDI received on other channels. You will need to inform Composer about such a MIDI Thru configuration, so that Composer can correctly play back MIDI on the two devices. The following screenshot shows the part of Composer's MIDI Device Configuration Window that represents the above configuration: The physical MIDI Out connector at the computer will be associated with an external output port, such as a "Creative SB Live! External MIDI". To configure external devices that are connected via MIDI Thru:
Composer will display the MIDI Device Configuration Window.
The new devices will be listed under a heading "Unassigned Device" at the bottom of the MIDI Device Configuration Window.
Normally, when you connect two devices using MIDI Thru, you will want one device to play notes received on only certain MIDI channels, and the second device to play notes received on other MIDI channels. To do this, you will probably need to use either the front panel controls, or some software tool that accompanies your device, to "tune" the device to certain channels, and to have it ignore other channels. For a given song, you can assign specific channels to each staff. For example, suppose you have tuned My Keyboard to channels 1 through 8, and My Sound Module to channels 9 through 16, using manual controls available on the two physical devices. Using the Staff Setup command in the Staff menu, you will need to assign channel numbers to the staves that are consistent with the devices to which they are assigned, as illustrated below: If your external MIDI devices are capable of receiving MIDI program (sound) changes during playback, then Composer offers a more convenient means of assigning channels to the staves. You can "tune" the MIDI Thru devices to different channels using the manual controls available on the physical device. Then, in Composer, assign "Auto MIDI channel" to the staves. When a staff is assigned to an Auto(matic) MIDI channel, during playback Composer will pick any available channel to which that device is tuned. During playback, Composer might even reassign that staff to different channels at different times. To tune Composer to the same channels as those which you have manually selected via controls on the external MIDI device:
Composer will display the MIDI Device Configuration Window.
A green light indicates a channel to which the device is tuned. Untuned channels are indicated in gray. Continuing with the above example, this is what the channel indicators look like when the first device is tuned to MIDI channels 1 through 8, and the second device to channels 9 through 16: To assign staves to a MIDI Thru device without identifying the specific MIDI channel:
For more detailed instructions about assigning channels to staves, see Assigning MIDI Channels. |