The DX-7 is not a general MIDI synth and will not be all that easy to setup. Its not multi-timbral so it can only play one sound at a time. You need to get an INS file for it and use that to help navigate the banks. 

daveny5


Are you trying to use it to drive external devices or just softsynths? What are you trying to get MIDI to do for you?

I was just trying to see what all the options menus on the MIDI tracks did. More of an educational exercise than anything imperative to my productions. It really may be time for me to step back from the manual for a bit and compose something again. Kind of thinking an electronic based tune using some MIDI grooves, some PRV, some controller input and topped of with some live guitar/vox.

That way I'm covering a whole crapload of concepts in one song. Cheers.

I must admit I am quite fond of TTS as a convenient starting buide when I am trying out ideas, or I'm using an existing piece of midi.  Once I decide to go ahead, I will reroute each midi source track to some more specific - SD3, Dimension, Korg Microstation etc., and replace bass, guitars etc., with real ones.  It is surprising how much of the TTS ends up in the finished product.

So well work setting up one time.  You might open a fresh project, drop TTS 1 into the synth rack and use all outputs.  Then add 16 midi tracks, Quick group them to point to the TTS and then set each to a midi channel 1-16.  Before even picking instruments, if you pick each track in turn, and play a note you should get something out.  At that point pick a patch on each track (10 is traditionally drums) and see what you get.  Usually I will go to to setup options on TTS, and group things to the 4 outputs - Drums, Bass, Guitars and Keys.

Add whatever audio tracks you typically use for vocals and instruments, save it as a template and you have a quick and dirty song creation project.

Cheers

Grif

Beepster


Well crap... now I'm looking at my project and it's 44.1/16bit.

Weird. Oh well, I don't intend to use TTS anyway. Just thought it would be a good synth to learn this stuff with because of the multichannel multitimbral whatsamawhosits.

daveny5


The DX-7 is not a general MIDI synth and will not be all that easy to setup. Its not multi-timbral so it can only play one sound at a time. You need to get an INS file for it and use that to help navigate the banks. 

Yeah, Aussie Jeff was explaining some of that to me a while ago and gave me some links. Didn't know about the non multi timbral though but even if I can get a MIDI file sent out to it and then try to send controller info to Sonar with it that might be a good lesson... or perhaps make my beard a little more gray. ;-)

So well work setting up one time.  You might open a fresh project, drop TTS 1 into the synth rack and use all outputs.  Then add 16 midi tracks, Quick group them to point to the TTS and then set each to a midi channel 1-16.  Before even picking instruments, if you pick each track in turn, and play a note you should get something out.  At that point pick a patch on each track (10 is traditionally drums) and see what you get.  Usually I will go to to setup options on TTS, and group things to the 4 outputs - Drums, Bass, Guitars and Keys.

That is exactly what I was attempting to do but just couldn't get it happening. Good to know the initial vision was correct... I was just borking something up along the way. Thanks.

Another thing you can do to wrap your head around it is, go online and get a pre-made midi file. There's millions of free ones. Create a new project and just load TTS-1, then drag the midi file in to track view. Kind of reverse engineering so to speak.

Remember ... drums are always Channel 10.

#4 here is a good example.

Didn't read the posts between the OP and here..... 


Many of the synths with sample libraries built in..... (Cakewalk Sound Center...and others,  do not use the bank, patch part of the window. Changing those settings really doesn't accomplish much since nothing is affected by them. 

TTS is one that does. TTS will not work properly until you get those things set up correctly.  My web site has a few things on TTS and using those parameters. 

Ha! I just figured out how to trigger multiple synths at once. I had to go into Preferences > MIDI-Playback and Recording and uncheck Always Echo Current MIDI Track THEN enable Echo on the extra tracks.

Yeesh. Well at least I figured that out. Now I can nerd out on multiple sounds at once. Cool.

http://midiworld.com/ is another good source. Classical music files are good for this sort of thing because it is genre that could conceivably need more than 16 instruments and thus require patch changes.

dubdisciple


http://midiworld.com/ is another good source. Classical music files are good for this sort of thing because it is genre that could conceivably need more than 16 instruments and thus require patch changes.

True. classical music will give you a good midi workout! I like to take a well-composed piece that's maybe, patched up for general midi, but the tracks are written for correct orchestration - and redo it with a orchestral synth.