Optimus MD-1600 - Manual (Page 41)

41
USING MIDI
Your MD-1600 includes a feature called
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Inter-
face) — the universal standard for send-
ing and receiving performance data
between electronic musical instru-
ments, regardless of manufacturer.
Using MIDI, you can play music on your
MD-1600 and another instrument at the
same time while pressing the keys on
only one, record your music to a se-
quencer, acquire a wider selection of
preset tones from a sound module, and
much more.
ABOUT MIDI
Every MIDI-equipped instrument has
MIDI OUT and IN terminals. Some also
have a MIDI THRU terminal. Each termi-
nal serves a different purpose.
MIDI OUT sends MIDI data to (“talks to”)
the other MIDI instrument(s).
MIDI IN receives (“listens to”) MIDI data
sent by the other MIDI instrument(s).
MIDI THRU lets you connect (“network”)
additional MIDI instruments, and sends
along to other MIDI devices a copy of all
data it receives through its MIDI IN ter-
minal.
The cable that connects MIDI devices
does not actually carry sound between
them, like a speaker wire carries sound
from a receiver to a speaker. Instead,
MIDI-equipped devices talk to each oth-
er in digital codes (instructions). One
MIDI device sends digital instructions
representing exactly what is being
played on it. The other MIDI device re-
ceives and translates those instruc-
tions, then produces (or records) the
sound exactly as it was played on the
first device.
MAKING THE MIDI
CONNECTIONS
Your MD-1600 has MIDI OUT and IN ter-
minals. To connect your MD-1600 to an-
other MIDI-equipped device, you must
use a MIDI cable, available at your local
RadioShack store.
Cautions:
• Always turn off power to your MD-
1600 and the other MIDI device
before you connect or disconnect
MIDI cables.
• As you make the cable connections,
be sure to align the MIDI cable pins
with the matching holes on the MIDI
OUT and IN terminals. If you have
trouble plugging in the cable, do not
force it! You might damage the plug
or the instrument.
MIDI OUT
MIDI IN
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