Need more than 16 midi channels
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 11:33 pm
For big band scores, I would like to be able to define more than 16 instruments (considering the doublings etc...).
A trumpet section often needs to be divided and each staff should be able to use different sounds : open, tin mute, cup mute, flugelhorn, etc
Trombones : open, muted...
Saxes : sop, alto, ten, bari, flute, clar, bass clarinet
Guitar, piano, bass, drums
Ideally, instead of giving the same sound to all the staves within a section, I would rather give each staff its own midi channel. So I need more than 16 midi channels.
I use an external sound module, Roland's Sound Canvas SC88V, which seems to be able to play 32 "instruments", on channels A 01-16 and B 01-16, but I can only send to the first 16 channels (A) via my MOTU Express XT, connected to my modem port (serial, on the Mac).
According to the Finale manual, I would need a second midi interface connected to the printer port to send to channels 17-32.
Is it so ?
The MOTU interface itself has 2 ports for serial connection to the Mac. I currently use port A. Should I use port B for the other 16 channels and reconfigure Midi Setup to include Printer port ? (It's kind of a drag to mobilize the printer port for midi, too).
Would the SC88 then receive on channels B 01-16 ?
Or is there another way to achieve this without loosing the use of the printer port ? Any help would be welcome. Thanks.
A trumpet section often needs to be divided and each staff should be able to use different sounds : open, tin mute, cup mute, flugelhorn, etc
Trombones : open, muted...
Saxes : sop, alto, ten, bari, flute, clar, bass clarinet
Guitar, piano, bass, drums
Ideally, instead of giving the same sound to all the staves within a section, I would rather give each staff its own midi channel. So I need more than 16 midi channels.
I use an external sound module, Roland's Sound Canvas SC88V, which seems to be able to play 32 "instruments", on channels A 01-16 and B 01-16, but I can only send to the first 16 channels (A) via my MOTU Express XT, connected to my modem port (serial, on the Mac).
According to the Finale manual, I would need a second midi interface connected to the printer port to send to channels 17-32.
Is it so ?
The MOTU interface itself has 2 ports for serial connection to the Mac. I currently use port A. Should I use port B for the other 16 channels and reconfigure Midi Setup to include Printer port ? (It's kind of a drag to mobilize the printer port for midi, too).
Would the SC88 then receive on channels B 01-16 ?
Or is there another way to achieve this without loosing the use of the printer port ? Any help would be welcome. Thanks.