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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 X-Session. 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.
A list of NRPN’s will always be given in the User Manual of a device that receives NRPN messages. It is always necessary that the NRPN MSB
and LSB are sent together. Both will be specified in the device’s manual. You may find the manufacturer’s have only specified the numbers in
Hexadecimal format. In this case, use Appendix C to translate the value to Decimal.
The X-Session makes the process of transmitting NRPN’s easy. All you need is to enter the appropriate NRPN LSB by pressing the LSB/DATA button
twice, enter the NRPN MSB by pressing the MSB/DATA button twice, and as you move the X-Session controller, an appropriate NRPN message
will be sent out. Assign NRPN coarse to make big sweeps, or NRPN fine to make slight adjustments.
Sys Ex Explained
System Exclusive (Sys Ex) messages were defined in the MIDI specification to allow individual devices to have individual control via MIDI. The
format of Sys Ex messages allows for virtually any function to be performed via MIDI – so long as the receiving device is able to translate the
message, and act accordingly. This allows devices to send audio sample memory data, memory dumps, controller settings, and much more. It
also allows the controllers of one device to be controlled by another.
It is not possible to program your own specified Sys Ex message into the X-Session. However, there are some useful Sys Ex messages
pre-programmed, that can be accessed by assigning the appropriate MIDI cc to a controller (see Appendix B) It should be noted that a Sys Ex
message is not transmitted on any specified channel. All Sys Ex messages contain a device ID, that is used to single out devices to respond to
the Sys Ex message. All other devices are ignored. If you are using a Sys Ex message on the X-Session the global channel is ignored. When you
press CHANNEL, instead of entering a channel for the controller, you will be enter a device ID instead. This is indicated by the fact that the CC
symbol will not be showing.
Device ID’s run from 00 to 127. 127 is the default device number setting on the X-Session. This setting transmits the Sys Ex message to all
devices.
Although it is not possible to program the controllers of the X-Session with your own Sys Ex messages, there are software applications that can
receive a MIDI input signal and transmit a different, user specified message. You can program your Sys Ex messages into the translator software,
then translate the incoming data from the X-Session to your Sys Ex, depending on the controller you are using.
The Evolution Librarian Software
About The Evolution Librarian Software
The Evolution Librarian Software is a Windows PC librarian program developed for Evolution products. The program not only works with the
MK-425C/449C/461C keyboards but is also compatible with the Evolution X-Session and the Evolution UC-33e USB controllers.
And even better, you can swap patches between Evolution products that are supported by the Librarian so you never have to create the same
patch twice.
The librarian itself, allows you to send and receive the 10 patches to and from the X-Session, load and save memory banks, view how individual
patches have been programmed and drag and drop patches in order to create new combinations in the 10 memory locations.
The Evolution Librarian Software •