Yamaha DTX Owner's Manual page 136

Appendix — MIDI
Using the MIDI Functions
Nowadays, the ways to use MIDI functions are widely diversified and differ by MIDI device or musician. The
following are simple case studies and hints on how to use the DTX in a MIDI system. The rest depends on
your original ideas.
Using the DTX as a Computer Music Tone Generator
The word "Computer Music" has been used for a long time, and in this age of personal computers, the word
MIDI or the production of music using MIDI has now become a generic term.
Most of the music produced now generally use MIDI tone generators on personal computer or sequencer
software because of the large number of sounds or parts (number of channels that can be played at the same
time) that can be released simultaneously. The recent trend in particular is to use XG and GM (General
MIDI) standards which provide common formats for tones to ease the transmission of MIDI song data and
provide the compatibility to playback the original tones. The DTX is equipped with both GM standards.
The following illustration is an example of how to connect and use the DTX as a tone generator in a system
configuration using such computers or MIDI music production systems.
The DTX has various functions to receive MIDI data, and it is possible to think of many ways to use this with
the functions of external keyboards or sequence software.
By connecting the DTX according to the following illustration, it is possible to play the DTX using a
programming keyboard (to enter the MIDI data) or use the DTX as a tone generator to play the MIDI data
from a computer. As mentioned above, the DTX tone generator complies to the GM standards known as the
standard of computer music. The DTX is also equipped with the capability to play 32 sounds at one time
enabling you to play instrument parts (up to 16 parts) at one time. You can also set the volume and pan of
each part easily (P.127). The DTX also complies to control change or program change data used frequently
in MIDI song data enabling you to preserve compatibility with other MIDI data. The DTX has the multi-tone
generator functions and compatibility to produce computer music.
Furthermore, it is necessary to set the sequencer or MIDI keyboard send channel to channel numbers 1 to 16
for each part for the DTX to be able to receive the key data of each part correctly.
A It is necessary to prepare a MIDI interface and sequence software that works with the computer or keyboard you are using.
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MIDI OUT MIDI keyboard
MIDI IN
MIDI
interface
MIDI OUT
Personal computer
MIDI IN
DTX
Parts and Voices
MIDI Voices
Part
channel to use
1 1
Melody
2 2
and others
3 3
4 4
Keyboard
5 5
voice
Chord
6 6
7 7
Bass
8 8
Melody
and others
9 9
10 Drum (rhythm) 10 Drum voice
11 11
12 12
Melody Keyboard
13 13
and others voice
14 14
15 15
16 16