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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

2038.0. "Computer/K5/D110 MIDI Problem - Cutoff Notes" by CARP::PROPOSALS () Thu Jul 06 1989 15:28

    Well, here is a chance for all of you MIDI sleuths to really 
    strut your stuff!  I am having a puzzling problem which needs
    immediate resolution if a musical project is to be completed
    on time.
    
    I have been working on increasingly complex music on my modest MIDI
    setup.  Complex in that I am using more and more voices of the 30
    or so I have available to me from two synthesizers (a K5 and a D110).
    Last weekend, I ran into a problem with a particularly complex
    sequence.  Basically, notes appeared to be being "cut off", but
    I am sure that I have not reached my voice limit.  Instead, it seems
    to be related to the amount of MIDI data flying across the lines.
    
    The setup looks like this:
    
          -----------------------
         v                       ^
        in                      out
    COMPUTER  out>------->in  KAWAI K5  thru >----> in ROLAND D110
    (Sp2 Sequencer)                                       thru
                                                            v
                                               KAWAI R50 Drum Machine
                              
    If I switch the D110 with the K5 (so that the order out of the
    sequencer is D110->K5->R50, the problem seems to get a little
    better, but notes still seem to be truncated.  I need to point out
    that the beginings of the affected notes sound sometimes, at other
    times the ends.  The problem also appears to be affecting the bass
    notes from the D110 more than any other part or voice (I am using
    a patch called BASSSYNTH if that helps).
    
    My questions are:
    
      1) Does this appear to be the dreaded "MIDI CLOG"???
      2) Does this sound like I need more voices?
      3) Are my MIDI cables going bad?
      4) Would a MIDI THRU Box help?
    
    I would appreciate any and all comments, ideas, etc..
    
    thanks, 
    Bill 
                                          
                                            
                                           
                                              
                                          
                                          
    
                                      
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2038.1Vas? Vat kud be der prrrahblum?DYO780::SCHAFERBrad - back in Ohio.Thu Jul 06 1989 16:4019
    What kind of computer?  I couldn't figger out what Sp2 meant. 

    An aside - "MIDI clog" is a myth.  You'd have to be blasting out *lots*
    more than 30 notes at a crack to plug MIDI ... I'd be suspect of the
    computer's MIDI interface first.

    What happens if you run your chain like this:

	computer --> K5   (or D110, just eliminate the other modules)

    That oughta tell you something, I'd think.

-b

PS, FWIW ... I once had a sequence in MTP that became corrupted.  The
    sequence itself took up 700K of memory in its corrupted state. 
    The machine was trying to put out an estimated 200-300 notes/sec,
    but there was no MIDI delay ... the COMPUTER slowed down, because
    it couldn't flink thru its lists fast enough.
2038.2Send more datums!!!!WEFXEM::COTEYou opened your umbrella...Thu Jul 06 1989 16:528
    Could you isolate the offending unit by turning the levels down on
    the others in order to hear *exactly* which unit is burping?
    
    Does it happen when you are playing the Kawai at the same time the
    sequencer is running? My first impression is that you haven't enabled
    LOCAL OFF on the Kawai....
    
    Edd
2038.3Same problem with D10NYEM1::RYANThu Jul 06 1989 17:0931
    Greetings,
    I have experienced a similar (very similar!!) situation on my D10
    that you seem to be seeing on your D110, specifically bass notes
    not sounding correctly, being cut short etc. This does not seem
    to be a function of the number of voices (partials??) I'm using
    but rather a function of the particular patch itself and whatelse
    the keyboard is doing at the time. I use the D10 with a "Y" QX21
    in multi mode. I split the keyboard and typicall play the bass part
    on the lower half with a piano or brass part uptop. I have noticed
    this primarily with the FUNKBASS patch in the lower section and
    the piano uptop. since this happens with just these 2 parts playing
    it's unlikely I'm using up all the resources, it seems to be more
    a function of how the machine generates the sounds and what internal
    resources are used. 
    
    I have been basically ignoring this because I have a 360 Systems
    Midibass that I use most of the time.However, when I need to
    do something quick and dirty (or 2 AM thru the headphones) I will
    use the D10 and I have seen this situation quite a few times.
    
    Anyway, I know this dosen't answer your question directly, but I
    suppose it's possible that you have several contributing factors
    tied together here. As for the D10 I am running the most current
    version of the operating system 1.05 (I think!) mabey we've discovered
    a little bug.
                                
    Stay in touch....
    
    Gary Ryan
    Keyboards/network services NYA
2038.4some probably dumb thoughtsNORGE::CHADThu Jul 06 1989 17:276
Take the link K5 --> computer out (assuming everything sequenced).  Does
the K5 have some sort of through mode?  Are you playing the K5 with
sequenced music? I think Edd is on the right track (also, count your 
partials/voices in the D110 -- youmay be going over).

Chad
2038.5Some more probably dumb thoughts.TROA01::HITCHMOUGHThu Jul 06 1989 18:3530
    Assuming the setup is not a problem, could it be that although it
    appears you haven't exceeded the polyphony limit, notes with long
    decays are "stealing" voices long after they decay audibly. Are
    you using sustain (I forget which cc#). 
    
    If youv'e done some heavy editing there may be some note offs missing.
    I know youre not supposed to be able to do this but I can make it
    happen on MTP by cutting sections that overlap a beat boundary.
    If the note started in one beat and finished in another, occassionaly
    I would somehow lose the note off and it would sustain forever.
    If it had decayed by this time I would never know.
    
    If the keyboard has an OUT as well as a THRU (as opposed to an
    intelligent port that decides based on kbd setup) it's probably
    unlikely that its sending notes back to the computer..however I
    was faced with a problem recently that was stupid but took me ages
    to solve and it may be relevent here. 
    
    My kbd was inadvertantly set to split-unison mode which essentially
    meant that for every key pressed, it sent two notes on different
    MIDI channels. My computer was channelising them back to one channel
    and therefore recording two identical simultaneous events instead
    of one, thus using double the voices when it played the sequence.
    I only figured out what was happening when I moved one of the notes
    in graphic edit mode and lo and behold there was another underneath.
    
    ...silly me!
    
    Ken
    
2038.6it's not a *bug* ... it's a *feature* ...MIZZOU::SHERMANECADSR::SHERMAN 227-3299, 223-3326Thu Jul 06 1989 19:377
    I've had something like that, too.  During heavy editing, I managed
    to have multiple tracks sending the same info.  Does bizarre things
    to synths -- can actually create a neat effect if you're into that
    kind of thing.  I got, for example, two FM voices syncronized and
    interfering with each other.
    
    Steve
2038.7Keep those cards and letters coming...MUSKIE::PROPOSALSMon Jul 10 1989 20:1740
    Thanks for the help so far.  In reference to some replies...
    
     .1 - I am using an 12MZ AT Clone with a Voyetra OPS4001 MIDI
          interface.  Plenty of speed and the interface is reliable.
          The sequencing program is VOYETRA's SequencerPlus MkII
    	  (I should have realized that most of you use other machines)
    
     .2 - The problem is definitely the D110, not the K5, as far as
          which machine's sound is being affected.  However,it is 
          possible that the K5 is causing the problem.      
    
     .3 - Gary, I think you and I have the same problem.  I am looking
          at switching the bass part to the K5 based on your suggestion.
    
     .4 - I am not playing along with the K5; this is strictly sequenced.
    
     .5 - Long delays robbing partials could be part of the problem.
          I tried substituting short duration patches for the other
          voices on the D110 to see if that alleviated the problem on
          the Bass part.  It helped a bit, but I still experienced
          glitches. 
    
     .6 - I have pretty much ruled out the more obvious stuff like
          multiple tracks.  BTW, isn't "two FM voices synchronized
          and interfering with each other" illegal where you are?
    
    
    	Based on many of your comments and also after adding one of
    those "1 in - 5 out" gadgets to my setup, I am pretty sure that
    there is something happening in the D110 that is causing the problem.
    I suspect it is one of those settings that you read about when you
    first get the unit and say to yourself, "Well, that's something
    I don't think I'll ever have to change".  I think it may have something
    to do with the way the machine is reacting when it runs out of
    partials (I believe it is called OVERLOAD menu or something).
    
    Clusters, 
    
    Bill
    
2038.8More potentially useless adviceDYO780::SCHAFERBrad - back in Ohio.Mon Jul 10 1989 21:0915
    Bill, have you just tried playing the K5 (or the D110) as standalone
    synths (ie, sequencer -->single synth, no other toys in MIDInet)?  From
    the sounds of it, the sequencer is not the culprit. 

    Come to think of it, someone else posted something about this a while
    back, and it turned out to be the D110 ... like you said, it sounds
    like you're either running out of partials or have a bogus note-
    stealing setting (I can't ever remember which Roland units do note
    stealing /DVA how or which way).  Are you using any layered patches?
    Have U calculated partials/patch for all active voices?  Blah blah
    blah. 

    Wish I was more help.

-b
2038.9Turn "OVERFLOW" "OFF"SUBSYS::ORINGot a bad case of VFXWed Jul 12 1989 20:134
Make sure the "OVERFLOW" parameter is turned "OFF" on the D110. I was having
this problem too. See the D110 note for more info.

dave
2038.10UTROP1::VDBOSFri Aug 11 1989 09:317
    I had this problem too with my D10, Check the O/S version I have
    1.05 but I am shure this is already taken over by a newer version.
    Roland replaced the ROM in my D10 for free. 
    
    Worth checking.
    
    Pete