Help for a beginner

[jjp70]

Hi I'm new here and I'm looking for some basic help with my PC & MIDI setup.

I have a modern MIDI controller keyboard connected to my PC via a USB cable.
My PC is running Windows XP with a Soundblaster 5.1 sound card.

I also have a Roland MT32 and a CM32L, a Roland MIDI Controller box, and some old Roland sound card thing (it's huge!... but I don't think I need it....)

All I want to know is what the best way is to connect all this lot together i.e. what order do the connections need to be made and what ports should I use etc...

This may sound easy to experienced users but I'm a complete beginner with MIDI etc, so I could really do with some timesaving tips.

Thanks a lot.
Jason

[jjp70]

erm... the Roland MIDI Controller box I referred to is actually a Roland MPU IMC...

[Tom]

Well -- starting with the PC:  Does it have ISA slots?  As far as I know, the MPU-IMC uses an 8-bit ISA interface, which would be my first choice of interfacing your MT-32 or CM-32L to the PC.  These devices don't support USB.  You can use your SoundBlaster's MIDI port for an interface, as well, though I'm not sure how well Game Support will function.  But for composing, the SB's interface (and some Windows sequencing software) should work just fine.

Obviously, your keyboard came with the appropriate USB drivers so that you were able to connect its built-in USB interface to your PC.  There's your MIDI IN.  Now, just use the SB's MIDI port (or MPU-IMC) as the MIDI OUT, connected to your MT-32 or CM-32L....select these ports in your sequencing software's MIDI setup option....and you should be okay.

I've yet to use WinXP for any gaming, so if someone else can continue this post for that aspect of using your MIDI setup...

[jjp70]

Thanks for the help Tom.

I'm only going to be using the MT32 and CM32 for music composition, mostly using software like Acid, Fruity Loops and probably Cubase.

The PC might have 1 ISA slot, I'm not sure (it's a Compaq Deskpro SFF, a few years old), but as you suggest, that may not matter if I'm only making music.

I'll have a go at connecting the modules as per your suggestion and see what happens. Is it okay to connect from the SBLive MIDI Out into say, the MT32, then connect via MIDI THRU from the MT32 to the CM32L, or is it not possible to use them together?

Have the MT32 and CM32L got similar sounds?
Thanks again.

[Dustin]

JJp70,

   I have tried playing these older games on windows xp. So far VDMSound really works good. DOSBox is another good program, but does require that you have a basic understanding of DOS and it's commands. The trouble with both is that (in my experience) the animation is degraded, and I'ts next to impossible to get a Roland MT-32 to work in VDMSound. Now this doesn't always work for everyone, but I suggest setting up a deticated 486 computer to run these older games. You can also use your MPU-IMC with your MT-32 or CM-32L.



Dustin

[Tom]

I have one of my MT-32 MIDI THRU's connected to a CM-500 MIDI IN and it works fine, though it's a bit different than the CM-32L -- it contains 16 channels and has a built in SC-55.  With System Exclusive messages, I can disable the CM-500's 'MT-32 portion' so that using MIDI THRU works with both synths, individually.  I don't think it works that way on the CM-32L, since it's actually just an updated MT-32.  

A better option is to use both your Sound Blaster's MIDI port (for one synth), and the MPU-IMC port for the other synth.  Then, setup your sequencing software to address both ports.  If you can avoid using MIDI THRU, that would be preferred, since you won't have to deal with any MIDI channel conflicts, SysEx, etc.

[Laust]

That "huge old Roland sound card thing" sounds a lot like an LAPC-I sound card. That's three L/A synths you've got there, not bad at all!

I doubt the Compaq has an ISA slot (the ones I've seen haven't), and since it's a small form factor model, it won't have room for a full length card like the LAPC anyway.