|
ASK THE DOCTOR 2
Q & A INDEX
11.Robert: Midi Clock/Midi Time Code/MIDI Machine Control? 5/23/97
12.David: Is Notator on the Atari 1040-ST adequate? 6/25/97
13.Doron: Problems with Cakewalk, AWE64 and a Yamaha PRS-60. 6/30/97
14.Houston: Problems with a Yamaha PRS-60. 6/30/97
15.Pvanvugt: analog guitar into an Atari 1040-ST? 7/1/97
16.Phizy: A DW8000, a soundcard and a sequencer? 7/5/97
17.Bob: what's impedance and how might it affect me? 7/7/97
18.Denis: win95 driver not open? 7/21/97
19.Dave: mix to multi-track software? 8/10/97
20.Angel: Cakewalk, win 3.1, soundblaster & digitech 21 Pro? 8/18/97
11. Robert, Midi Clock/Midi Time Code/Midi Machine Control?
Is there anyone who makes a box/ pill/ potion that converts MIDI Time Code (MTC) to MIDI clock? I'm trying to slave a couple of Alesis SR-16's and a
Korg M1 to the MTC output of the MMC-38 (the MIDI interface for the Tascam
DA-38 MDM). The SR-16's and M1, however, do not speak MTC - only MIDI
clock. Robert Ross
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Robert,
Your confusion about Midi Clock and MTC is very common. Midi Time Code and midi clock are
related but actually intended for different purposes. Midi clock came first and its principle
role is to tell listening midi devices what the tempo is. Midi Song Pointer came next and it
tells other midi devices where bar 1 is, where bar 2 is, etc. As you can imagine, a high degree
of accuracy (we're talking milliseconds here) is needed for consistent control and lockup
between video decks, audio machines and midi equipment running together. Midi Time
Code(MTC)
was developed to give midi devices an absolute reference point, much finer than bars or even
beats. Midi machine control was developed to allow the sequencer to chase the audio recorder OR
for the audio recorder to chase the sequencer! Midi Machine Control uses MTC to keep things
locked up.
With a sequencer and tape machine that support Midi Machine Control, either one can lead or
follow the other. In your case, since the M-1 and SR-16's only support midi clock, you'll have
to get a box that reads midi clock and spits out MTC, Jl Cooper may make such a beast.
That would allow the DA-38 to chase the M-1 sequencer.
Another alternative is to stripe a channel on the DA-38 with SMPTE. Get a box that reads
SMPTE and spits out Midi clock and slave the M-1 sequencer to the DA-38. The classic SMPTE to
MIDI box is the Roland SBX-80, although many brands are available. The sequencer/Midi
gear chasing the tape machine striped with SMPTE is a more common scenario.
If you're programming patterns on the SR-16's, they should be on external midi clock so they
will chase the M-1 sequencer. The M-1 sequencer tempo will determine the tempo of the SR-16's.
Actually, you don't have to program patterns on the SR-16's either. They can simply be sound
modules and you can program their sounds from the M-1 sequencer as well. Simply put the SR-16's
on a seperate midi channel and trigger the sounds just like you would any other module.
I'd recommend you get the SMPTE to midi box which is more industry standard anyway. JL Cooper
makes alot of interface boxes that translate different formats, check into them. If you want to
run the show from the DA-38, you'll need to get a sequencer that does MTC and
MMC.
Check out my recording handbook for more info.
BACK TO INDEX
12. David, Is Notator still adequate?
I came across your web page when I entered "Notator Software" into the search engine.
Yours was the only match. I see you are using Notator on an Atari. I have the same programme
although I am not that good at using it yet. I am doing setting up a home recording system
using an ARC44 interface card and Samplitude on a Pentium 200MMX PC. I was considering trading
my Notator in for a sequencer programme that runs on my PC thinking this would be more up to
date. However then I came across your webpage indicating that this machine is still adequate
for you and I perhaps could use the Atari with the Notator as the sequencer linking it to my
PC through the MIDI interface on my Soundblaster card. Is the Notator as good as what is
available for the PC? Do you find it adequate? I have downloaded a copy of your beginners book
and thank you for this. David Smith
the doctor's Rx:
Dear David,
Notator is a great program and I use it because it's fast and reliable. I started using it
in 1990. At that time it was the only sequencer you could edit in real-time while it was locked
to smpte timecode on tape. Another advantage was that it ran on an Atari 1040-st, which still
is around and cheap! I'm a big believer in splitting up the studio chores among several boxes.
That way when one breaks, you can keep working.
Your 200 mmx PC is a powerful machine. I use a 100 Mhz Pentium for my digital editing. But I
have resisted the move to a sequencer on the PC. I recommend Logic Audio if you do decide to put
it all in the PC, they are the same company that wrote Notator. You absolutely could use the
MIDI connections on your soundblaster card to link the two systems.
The downside issues are the 'all in one box' issue, the money for all the plug-ins/digital
to analog interfaces, etc. that are required to communicate with the analog world outside our
computers and the 'screen real estate' issue. These programs do so much, filling the screen
with so much info, that the burn-out from screen squinting factor goes off the scale. GET THE
BIGGEST MONITOR YOU CAN AFFORD! And get into those manuals and learn your configuration details,
most problems with software are bad drivers, wrong drivers, uninstalled drivers and incorrect
configurations in the 3.11 and Win95 control panels. Good Luck.
BACK TO INDEX
13. Doron, Problems with Cakewalk, AWE64 and Yamaha PSR-60.
I have this problem. I use cakewalk audio 4.0 with awe64g (in 95) and a yamaha psr-60 as my
keybord. Every now and then the sound of a channel I'm using (with the keybord to play along)
goes weaker! If I use the scrim option it resets the channel and it comes back but a few seconds
later it does it again! I also noticed that it happens in other programs like the vienna 2.0.
thanks alot, doron
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Doron,
Are you listening to the soundcard and the keyboard at the same time? or just the keyboard?
What you're describing could be "voice-robbing" within the keyboard. These
multi-timbral
keyboards and soundcards can only play so many sounds at a time. If the incoming MIDI information calls for
more notes than it can play at once, the keyboard will decide on its own who gets priority.
(Some sound modules let you set which sounds get priority if such a situation develops.)
For instance, you may have a 6-part piano sequence, a bass line, strings and drums. When
it's too much, the keyboard may "voice-rob" from the piano part and only play 4 of the notes.
So what may be going on in your case, is that the sequence starts and all the voices are on,
but a little bit into it, there is too much going on and the voice-robbing cuts in.
If you are listening to the soundcard and the keyboard at the same time and both are playing
sounds together on the same channel, for instance, a piano part, this volume change may be
occurring because either the soundcard or the keyboard is having to voice-rob. The apparent
difference would be a volume change from two sources playing a piano sound to only one playing
a piano sound. Try playing each track alone. If they sound alright solo'ed but messed up when
they're all on together, it's probably voice-robbing. Be sure to check that the volumes are
all consistent as well and that you haven't inadvertently recorded a vol. change into your
sequence information.
BACK TO INDEX
14. Houston, Problems with a Yamaha PSR-60.
Maybe you can steer me in the right direction. I have a copy of Passport
Rhapsody v1.01 that can't seem to pick up the midi signals from my Yamaha
PSR-60. Several months ago it was working properly and now it does not. When
the keys are depressed, incorrect notes are pasted onto the staff. When I
stop the recording, the cursur goes back to the top of the page and all of
these notes are erased. Passport tells me the program is working properly (of
course) and that it is a problem with my keyboard setup. They say that the
keyboard must be in "local off" mode. I have followed the limited directions
in the keyboard manual with no success. Frankly I couldn't find and switches
or button combinations that would affect the local on/off setting. I know the
cables are on correctly. Thanks, Frustrated in Houston.
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Houston,
This is a classic trouble shooting opportunity. It was working properly, now it doesn't is
a good thing. 'When keys are depressed, incorrect notes are pasted on the staff'. This means
there is some communication, doesn't it. Are the notes random or is there a pattern, say, an
octave off? If it's random you may have a bad key contact or stuck key, but usually this puts
the same note in. "Local Off" simply prevents the keyboard from playing any sounds except
the ones on the midi channel you're programming.
The fact that the sequencer stops recording and goes to the top of the page and erases all
the notes says to me that the sequencer is sick. I would reinstall the sequencer software and
any MIDI drivers, etc. and see if that fixes it. Be sure to save all your preferences and other
files that you want to keep before you reinstall. Programs on computers get corrupted all the
time and MIDI programs are no different. Thank goodness you can reinstall! Software, what a
concept...
BACK TO INDEX
15. Pvanvugt, analog guitar into an Atari-ST?
Dear Doctor,
Roland has the GI-10. I'm searching for a simpler and cheaper way to convert analoge sound
to the atari 1040 ST. A few years ago, discovery channel had an item about a simple and cheap
guitar converter.
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Pvanvugt,
I'm confused by your question. It sounds like you're looking for a way to play guitar as
your MIDI controller and have that work with a sequencer running on the Atari 1040-ST. If that
is the case, then there aren't a lot of options for you. Roland does make guitar pickups and
guitars designed for this purpose. Basically it looks like a pickup and it is designed to
"read" the note you play on the guitar and convert that to a MIDI note which can be hooked up
to any MIDI sequencer/MIDI device. Casio also made a MIDI Guitar a few years ago which was
fairly inexpensive, but they don't make it anymore.
This technology has come a long way, but in my opinion, the guitar is by it's very nature
a problematic instrument for MIDI input. None the less, it can be done.
BACK TO INDEX
16. Phizy, A DW8000, a soundcard and a sequencer?
Dear Doc,
I have the Korg DW 8000 and an IBM type computer with MIDI capabilities. I also have the
Midisoft Studio software. There are three miniplugs in the back of the computer. I have a sound
card. There is an empty plug labeled AUX. in the back of the computer.
Question??????:
How do I hook up my DW8000 to the TriGem (Gem Master)computer to work with the STUDIO
program? P.S. I loaded many midi songs from the internet that work with the Studio program
where the notes are displayed on the monitor. Anxiously anticipating your solution. Phizy
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Phizy,
You have MIDI capabilities, but do you have MIDI plugs in and out of your computer?
Currently you are dealing with MIDI only within your computer and from your success with midi
files from the internet, this seems to be working fine. Now you want to connect a device on the
outside, the DW8000. It will need a plug from the 'MIDI OUT' of your computer going into the
'MIDI IN' on it's rear panel so it can communicate with the sequencer in the computer. The
technical term for a MIDI plug is a 5-pin DIN plug. For MIDI devices to communicate, there must
be a MIDI-IN and/or a MIDI-OUT connection.
In your case, if you want the DW-8000 to play the midi files on your computer, it needs a
MIDI-in from the MIDI-OUT of the soundcard. The soundcard has the MIDI connections on it that
allow the computer sequencer, in this case Midisoft Studio, to "talk" to the outside world.
This is how the sequencer software in your computer "talks" to the DW-8000. If you want to use
the DW-8000 to play into the sequencer program, you will need to connect a MIDI-OUT from the
DW-8000 to the MIDI-IN on the soundcard. When a sound module, with keyboard or without, is only
playing back sounds, all you need is the MIDI-IN connection into it.
Those three plugs on the back of your computer are on your soundcard. The soundcard doesn't
have these MIDI plugs hanging off of it. It has a multi-pin plug on it's backside next to those
three mini-plugs, of which the AUX is one. These mini-plugs are usually for audio line-in,
audio line-out and the AUX. You will need a special cable converter that has this multi-pin on
one end and the MIDI plugs on the other. Check with the manufacturer of the soundcard first or
perhaps the outfit you bought the computer from. Your local computer store may have them as
well. The adapter plugs into the back of the soundcard multi-pin connector and it has the
MIDI 5-pin DIN plugs for MIDI in and out attached to it. Good luck.
BACK TO INDEX
17. Bob, what's impedance and how might it affect me?
How do most people consider impedance? Or is it just a term that is used
but not actually dealt with in the recording profession? I was just wondering if it could
cause solvable problems for a producer.
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Bob,
I'm no expert on electronics, but in general, Impedance is a technical term used to describe
a condition where the ability of an electronic signal to flow through a wire is 'impeded',
hence the name, impedance. This condition is sometimes referred to as 'load' on the signal. In
practice, as a music producer, there are a couple of situations you should be aware of regarding
impedance. In particular, in hooking up your equipment.
Most semi-pro gear has -10 and +4 inputs and outputs. These numbers refer to the signal
levels at these points and if you don't hook the right ins to the right outs and vice versa,
you will have impedance problems. Often the gear will still work but you won't be getting the
optimim performance from it. Sometimes these 'impedance mismatches' will be obvious, but that
isn't always the case. Symptoms of this problem include 'fuzzy sounding audio', low levels,
lack of headroom, more noises or buzz, etc. Be very careful interfacing your recorders, mixers
and effects units.
ADAT's have both sets of ins and outs. Mixers, especially, have all kinds of different ins
and outs, all for different levels. Some devices have switches to set different input and
output levels. Though most are labeled well, be sure to check the manuals
to ensure that you are connecting the right ins and outs. Professional levels are +4, usually
referred to as 'balanced'. Balance wiring offers much better hum and noise rejection in general,
but its also more expensive to implement and that's chiefly why semi-pro gear is -10 level.
In practice, there's no reason why a carefully constructed -10 studio can't produce excellent
recordings.
BACK TO INDEX
18. Denis, win95 driver not open?
I got win95, and I can use my sounds program.... It says that my audio driver is not open...
what do i do!!!!Denis
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Denis,
To use a soundcard properly, you need to install what is called a 'driver', which is a
software program that communicates with the computer and tells it how to work with the device
you're installing, in this case a soundcard. The driver is probably on a disc that came with
your soundcard. There should be instructions in the manual that came with the soundcard that
will tell you how to install the driver. Manufacturers usually include separate drivers for
Win 3.1 and Win95. In your case, look for the Win95 driver.
BACK TO INDEX
19. Dave, mix to multi-track software?
How ya doin? I'm Dave, and live in Toronto. I've been around music of
all forms in the studio, live or at home, for the full 19 years of my
existence. I want to know if there is a way to split up a single from a
CD, or tape, into its individual tracks as they would appear on a master
without obtaining the master. I've been wondering if there is a piece
of software to do this.
When it comes to details about EQing, and things of that type, I am
lost. I can make a system sound OK, but I know there are things that I
am missing. I d/l'd the handbook, and maybe this will help with all of
my curiosities.
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Dave,
Toronto is a great town! Per your question, "NO" is the answer. Using extreme EQing and
filters you could accentuate different bands of frequencies in the single but you can't
seperate it into kick drum, snare, bass, etc. as it exists on the master multi-track. Of course
in the world of hiphop, this is exactly what is often done when using loops. All the highs might
be rolled off to bring out the bass in one sample, while a drum loop might feature the top end,
jingly-jangly stuff rocking over some programmed beat. When it's all mushed together it works,
creating a sound that is only possible to get in this way.
BACK TO INDEX
20. Angel, Cakewalk, win 3.1, soundblaster & digitech 21 Pro?
Hi! My name is Angel Fuentes, my english is not very good (sorry...)
I Have Some Questions for you. I Have a :
Digitech 21 PRO/L, Cakewalk 4.01
MK-4901 Keyboard (Controller), Midi Cable
Sound Blaster 16 bits, Windows 3.1
Can I Record my songs with this equipment? And I want to Know How Connect the Gsp21 to my
computer and Record my Songs in my Cakewalk Home Studio, I'm begginer in Midi Configurations
I tryed to comunicate my computer with the gsp21 but only can change the programs of the gsp
with the cakewalk. Could you Help me please, I miss my User manual of the gsp21,
Where can I get it? I Hope that you can Help me, Thank's a lot!
the doctor's Rx:
Dear Angel,
You can definitely record your songs with this setup, but perhaps not in the way you first
imagined. Is the GSP21 a guitar preamp with MIDI connections? I think it is and if that's the
case, then it's working correctly. The MIDI on the GSP21 is only suppossed to change the
programs, not convert your guitar notes to MIDI notes for the sequencer. That takes a special
guitar or guitar pickup and a "pitch to MIDI" converter box. Without the "pitch to MIDI"
converter box that translates guitar notes into MIDI notes, your guitar cannot communicate
with the computer (SEE QUESTION #15 ABOVE).
Right now you can use the keyboard to "talk" to the Cakewalk sequencer, providing it has
MIDI ins and outs on it. You will need the correct adapter to get the MIDI connections in and
out of your soundblaster soundcard (SEE QUESTION #16 ABOVE). When that is correctly connected
you'll be able to play from the keyboard into the Cakewalk sequencer and the keyboard should
playback from the sequencer.
BACK TO INDEX NEXT >
|
