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Music Technology Lab
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Tutorial X: Station 6

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This tutorial will guide you through MIDI units associated with Station 6. We will be using the program "Digital Performer" to explore these MIDI options.



  1. Turn on the mini rack to the right of Station 6.
  2. Select "Digital Performer 3.0" (DP3) from the "MIDI" folder in the apple pull down menu.
  3. Name your project and save it in your users folder.
  4. Your screen should appear like the one below.



    5. You can extend your window by clicking on the lower right hand corner of the window and dragging it out.
  5. When you open DP3, K2500-1 appears in all the cells beneath output. Click and hold to view your other options.
    1. Trinity, Orbit, and Planet Phatt are three of the options. These units are located on the rack.
    2. When you select one of those three, a menu pops out to the side. Each of the three devices has 16-channel capability similar to the K2500.
    3. You can select the same unit for different tracks and have it make different sounds.
  6. Let's do a test:
    1. Select Orbit-1 under output on the first channel (second row - first row doesn't have a channel)



    2. Click on the cell in the patch column. A large window should appear with over 600 choices. Select "RAM32 bas: SuperSub"
    3. The fourth column is labeled "REC." Click in this box.



    4. Now when you play the piano, you are controlling a sound in the Orbit unit.
    5. You can change the patch for a number of different sounds, or change the output to one of the other units on the rack and get a whole new selection of patches to choose from.
    6. Want to do more with DP3? See the manual on the reference material shelf.
  7. Canned beat (Orbit / Planet Phatt)
    1. Press the 'Master' and 'Edit' buttons at the same time.
    2. Press the 'Home enter' button and a 'canned beat' should begin to play.
    3. The Screen on the Orbit unit should appear similar to this:


      1. 'B' is the different types of beats (127 different beats),
      2. 'T' is the tempo.
      3. 'X' is the different variations on the selected beat.
      4. In the final row you can select what type of instrumentation you'd like the beat to use.
        1. There are 4 banks, each with 127 different sounds.
        2. Using the above example, it is labeled: Selection number(127), bank number(4), type of sample(bts), name of sample(split 15).
    4. Use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to the B, T, X, or bottom row. Use the data wheel to change the selection.
      1. You can change the instrumentation of the beat using the data wheel or selecting from the patch menu.
      2. You can stop the beat by pressing the home/enter key again (make sure both master and edit are still on). Then press master and edit at the same time again to exit beats mode.
  8. Trinity
    1. The Trinity serves a function similar to the K2500. To use the instruments on it, make sure you have "Trinity" chosen as the instrument in the Output column.
    2. There are two modes that the Trinity runs in: Combi and Prog. Combi is a combination of instruments, and Prog is a single instrument. Press the Combi and Prog buttons to change back and forth between the two modes.
    3. The instruments that will show up in the Patch column in DP3 are for the Combi patches. You can change the patches either on the computer or by pressing the six buttons to the left of Combi/Prog.
  9. Other ways of sending signal:
    1. You don't always have to use the keyboard at your station to send signal. You can link the TrapKAT or MalletKAT to K2500, Orbit, or Trinity sounds.
    2. TrapKAT: drum pad
      1. Make sure the TrapKAT is on, but that the Output menu still says K2500, Orbit, or Trinity.
      2. Use the mallets to hit the pads. Your sound should come in as whatever you have programmed in any of the three samplers.
      3. The foot switch can be plugged into 5 different inputs in the back of the TrapKAT each of which gives the switch a different purpose. (eg: use it to change the sound that a certain pad makes)
    3. MalletKAT Pro
      1. Normally found on the top of the piano-make sure it is on and that the Output menu still says K2500, Orbit or Trinity.
      2. Use the mallets to play the malletKAT and have the signal sent into the MIDI rack.
    4. Play the acoustic piano
      1. Signal from the large piano will now come into the MIDI rack.
    5. Play the guitar
      1. Ask a lab assistant to borrow the converter unit.
      2. The instruction manual is on the reference material shelf.
    6. Waving wands
      1. Turn on the lightning unit.
      2. Make sure the wands have batteries.
      3. Flail the wands about.
    7. Experiment: The best way to use all of this equipment is to experiment. If you have a question ask a lab assistant and they should be able to help you or at least point you in the right direction. Experiment responsibly.
  10. Some troubleshooting - I don't get sound
    1. Make sure all the equipment in use, is on.
    2. Make sure all the volumes on the rack units are up (knobs on left side of each unit labeled volume)
    3. Make sure the faders for the appropriate rack unit are turned up on the station 6 mackie mixer.
    4. Make sure ch. 15&16 (Mac Sound) are up.
    5. If you still get no sound try closing the program and reopening it.
    6. If you still get no sound, try shutting everything down and restarting the process.
    7. Make sure the mini rack and juice goose are on BEFORE opening DP3.
Want to learn more?
Orbit
Planet Phatt
Guitar Converter