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26 KAWAI DIGITAL PIANO CA1200, CA1000
TUTORIAL
Using MIDI
MIDI CHANNEL
MIDI uses what are known as “channels” as a means of routing MIDI
data intended to play a specified instrument or specified part. By
channelizing MIDI data, you can control multiple parts in multiple
instruments with a single cable.
There are two aspects of channels, one for receiving and one for sending.
The MIDI channel of the receiving instrument must be matched with the
MIDI channel of the transmitting instrument. The idea is just like television
or radio. If you have a desired station to watch or listen to, you need to
tune in to the right channel. When a transmitting instrument uses channel
1, the receiving instrument must be set to use channel 1 also. The CA
piano lets you set the same channel number for both Transmit and receive.
There are 16 MIDI channels available to choose from on the CA piano.
In addition to channel-to-channel connection, it is possible to receive
multiple channels. With MIDI instruments equipped with multi-timbral
capabilities, you can receive multiple parts on multiple channels each
played with a different sound simultaneously. For example, a MIDI
instrument might receive the melody on channel 1, the chords on 2, the
bass on 3, and assign a different instrument to each channel. Piano for
channel 1, strings for 2, electric bass for 3. In this way, the CA piano can
play up to 16 different parts each with a different sound.
Here’s a diagram (next page) to summarize the MIDI connections we have
discussed.
Instrument #1, which is transmitting the piano part on channel 1 (Ch 1),
the string part on Ch 2 and the bass part on Ch 3, is connected to Instrument
#2. Instrument #3 is connected to MIDI Thru on instrument #2. The receive
channel is set to 1 for Instrument #2 and multi-timbral mode is turned off.
On instrument #3 multi-timbral mode is on.