Very Computer

Now that I've got my toys, I'm trying to determine how to get them to all
play nice together, and I've decided that if my wife doesn't kill me, MIDI
will. Here's the relevant gear:

Roland A-90EX controller
Roland XP-80 synth
Alesis NanoPiano module

Cakewalk Pro Audio 9

MidiMan MidiSport 4x4 USB MIDI interface

Okay - I got everything connected the way I thought I should, but I'm having
a problem: I can record MIDI data in Cakewalk from the A-90. I see it there.
However, when I go to play it back, I hear nothing. I have the cable from
the MIDI Out on the MidiSport to the MIDI In 1 on the A-90, etc... My
problem is that I see no setting on the A-90 to tell it what channel to
receive on?

I need the piano sound from the A-90, so I'm going to need to be able to
play it from Cakewalk... can I? Eventually, I'm going to need to play the
XP-80 and the Nanpiano as well... all at the same time. I know I'll need
them on different channels, and I can figure out the XP-80 and the
NanoPiano's settings to tell them which channel to receive on, but am
confused about the A-90. How can I set this up?

Thanks very much for any help....

Evan

Quote:> Okay - I've got my dream project studio set up - my wife has been kind
> enough to not commit hari-kari on me while I acqquired it.

> Now that I've got my toys, I'm trying to determine how to get them to all
> play nice together, and I've decided that if my wife doesn't kill me, MIDI
> will. Here's the relevant gear:

> Roland A-90EX controller
> Roland XP-80 synth
> Alesis NanoPiano module

> Cakewalk Pro Audio 9

> MidiMan MidiSport 4x4 USB MIDI interface

> Okay - I got everything connected the way I thought I should, but I'm
having
> a problem: I can record MIDI data in Cakewalk from the A-90. I see it
there.
> However, when I go to play it back, I hear nothing. I have the cable from
> the MIDI Out on the MidiSport to the MIDI In 1 on the A-90, etc... My
> problem is that I see no setting on the A-90 to tell it what channel to
> receive on?

> I need the piano sound from the A-90, so I'm going to need to be able to
> play it from Cakewalk... can I? Eventually, I'm going to need to play the
> XP-80 and the Nanpiano as well... all at the same time. I know I'll need
> them on different channels, and I can figure out the XP-80 and the
> NanoPiano's settings to tell them which channel to receive on, but am
> confused about the A-90. How can I set this up?

> Thanks very much for any help....

> Evan

Thanks for your reply. I did have the instrument definitions setup for each
synth, but I found what my problem is. I'll post it here in case anyone else
is having a similar problem.

The A-90EX is an oddball when it comes to MIDI, I think (in particular, MIDI
IN)... which is strange since it's supposed to be a top-of-the-line
controller. The Roland manuals are about as coherent as a lobotomized fruit
fly. On page 19 of Volume II of the A-90EX manuals, under the heading
"Controlling the A-90/EX with an External MIDI Keyboard" are instructions
that, while pretty much in Swahili, will let you set the A-90EX up to play
back MIDI data from Cakewalk.

I don't have it working well or consistently yet, and I'm clueless as to
what I'm actually doing (I'm a MIDI novice with a pro MIDI controller -
always a recipe for disaster), but I have on occassion been able to hear
MIDI playback from Cakewalk with it.

So go figure - I program computers for a living, but I can't get a handle on
Roland's MIDI setup <g>

Thanks,

Evan.