Roland VA-76 Electronic Keyboard User Manual


 
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VA-76 MIDI in general
All Note Off message *— This message causes a note-
off message to be sent to each note of the specified
channel that is currently on. However, if Hold 1 or
Sostenuto are on, the sound will continue until these
are turned off.
Reset All Controllers *— This message returns con-
troller values (modulation, Pitch Bend, etc.) to their
initial settings. The following controller values for the
specified channel will be reset to their initial values.
Note: Parameter values that were modified using RPN or
NRPN will not change even when a Reset All Controller
message is received.
Active Sensing— This message is used to check for
broken MIDI connections, such as MIDI cables that
have been disconnected, or are defective. The VA-76
transmits Active Sensing messages at set intervals.
Once an Active Sensing message is received via MIDI
IN, Active Sensing monitoring will begin, and if an
Active Sensing message fails to arrive for more than
420ms, it is assumed that the cable has been discon-
nected. If this happens, all currently sounding notes
will be turned off, the same procedure will be executed
as if a Reset All Controller message was received, and
Active Sensing monitoring will stop.
System Exclusive messages
System Exclusive (SysEx) messages are used to control
functions which are unique to specific devices.
Although Universal System Exclusive messages can be
used even between devices of different manufacturers,
most exclusive messages only apply to one type of
instrument.
In order to recognize the device for which the data are
intended, Roland exclusive messages contain a manu-
facturer ID, device ID and model ID.
Note: See the separate MIDI booklet for details about the
SysEx messages recognized by the VA-76.
Universal System Exclusive— When a GM System
On message is received, the VA-76 will be set to the
basic GM settings. Also, NRPN and Bank Select mes-
sages will no longer be received once GM System On is
received. The beginning of song data bearing the GM
logo contains a GM System On message. This means
that if you play back the data from the beginning, the
sound generator will be automatically initialized to the
basic settings.
GS Reset (GS Format System Exclusive)— When GS
Reset is received, the VA-76 will be set to the basic GS
settings. The beginning of song data bearing the GS
logo contains a GS System Reset message. This means
that if you play back the data from the beginning, the
sound generating device will be automatically initial-
ized to the basic settings.
Master Volume (Universal System Exclusive)— This
is an exclusive message common to all newer MIDI
devices. It controls the master volume of the entire
VA - 7 6 .
Other System exclusive (SysEx) messages— The
VA-76 can receive GS format exclusive messages
(model ID 42H) that are common to all GS sound
generators.
About MIDI implementation charts
MIDI allows many different types of instruments to be
connected, but in some cases there will be messages
that cannot be conveyed meaningfully. For example, if
you wish to use Aftertouch of an external instrument
to control the sound, while the sound generator con-
nected to the keyboard does not receive Aftertouch
messages, you will not get the musical result you
intend. Only messages that are used by both devices
will actually be executed.
The MIDI specification requires that the owner's
manual for each MIDI device include a “MIDI Imple-
mentation Chart” that shows the types of MIDI mes-
sages which are actually transmitted and received by a
device. Put the Transmitted column of the transmit-
ting device’s implementation chart side by side with
the Received column of the receiving device’s imple-
mentation chart. Messages which are marked as “0” in
both charts can be conveyed successfully. If either
chart shows a “X” for a certain type of message, that
message cannot be conveyed.
MIDI message Initial value
Pitch Bend 0 (center)
Polyphonic Aftertouch 0 (minimum)
Channel Aftertouch 0 (minimum)
Modulation 0 (minimum)
Expression 127 (maximum)
Hold 0 (off)
Portamento 0 (off)
Soft 0 (off)
Sostenuto 0 (off)
RPN no change
NRPN no change
VA-76.book Page 199 Friday, January 12, 2001 12:35 PM