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2. About the PC-300
3
Owner’s Manual
The Roland PC-300 is a MIDI keyboard
controller designed to provide for the con-
venient transmission of Program Change
and Bank Select messages, as well as a vari-
ety of other MIDI messages (such as
Reverb and Chorus information) to an
external sound module. It contains no
internal sound source. It is particularly
suited for controlling sound modules that
comply with the GS Format. (Called sim-
ply “GS sound modules” in the following.)
What is the GS Format (
g
)?
The GS Format is a standardized set of
specifications for Roland’s sound sources
which defines the manner in which multi-
timbral sound generating units will
respond to MIDI messages. All devices
compatible with the GS Format bear the
GS logo. Every module or device with the
GS logo will respond in the same way to
the MIDI messages sent from the PC-300.
Note: All Roland GS sound modules also fully
support Level 1 of the General MIDI System
(
m).
In 1990, the MIDI standard incorporated
the Program Change/Bank Select message
cluster (selection of sounds using both
program numbers and control change
numbers CC00 and CC32). The GS
Format accommodates this form of sound
selection, which allows for a much larger
number of sounds to be selected.
About the sounds contained in a GS
sound module
A GS sound module contains 128 basic
sounds (“Capital Tones”) and a number of
Variation Tones. The mapping for the
Capital Tones is compatible with Level 1 of
the General MIDI System. Capital Tones
are stored in bank 0, while the Variations
are stored in banks 1 through 127. The
number of available Variation Tones
depends on the sound module you are
using. Please see the manual of the sound
module(s) your are using to find out how
may sounds there are and how to access
them.
About the Drum Sets Provided by a GS
Sound Module
The MIDI channel used for the Rhythm
Set/Drum Set/Drum Part of a GM/GS
module (MIDI channel 10) provides for
the use of several Variation Sets in addi-
tion to the basic Drum Set (Standard Set:
program change number PC01). Though
most Drum Sets can be selected using pro-
gram change messages, the module your
are using may also contain a number of
Variation Sets. Please see its manual for
details.
Note: If a Variation Tone or Variation Drum
Set you have requested is not available in the
GS module you are using, the module may not
sound at all, or use a Drum Set with different
sounds.
ENGLISH