D7WS HOMEPAGE WORKSHOP NEUE XTRAS GALERIE WORKSHOP Automatic Translation LESERSERVICE BUCH NEWS

HowTo: MIDI-IN and MIDI-OUT...

 

 

 

Home
Workshop-Seite

 

New MIDI Xtras (12/99)

The original question and some answers (from Direct-L)

From: CALHOUN MATTHEW <calhounm@mscd.edu>
Subject: Xtra to read MIDI input

It seems there are a few Xtras that will play MIDI files, but what I need
is something that can get MIDI data from an external source
(keyboard) for use in Director 6. Does such a thing exist?

From: Gretchen Macdowall <gcm@updatestage.com>
Subject: Re: Xtra to read MIDI input
One of these ought to work. No personal experience.
EZIO http://www.ezio.com/
Interface board that sends and receives MIDI data to external devices
MIDXTRA http://www.yamaha.co.uk/xg/html/midplug/m_mid7.htm
Someone is using this now to SEND MIDI data to the QT virtual synth, so
it can probably read MIDI in as well.
You can also check under Device Control and MIDI here, but I think those
are the only 2 relevant ones:
http://www.updatestage.com/products.html
Gretchen Macdowall




 

 

 

 

From: Joachim Gola <jg@joice.net>
Subject: Re: Xtra to read MIDI input
I don't know the Ezio solution, but from your description I suspect that
there might be no way to get the data into Director?
MIDXtra does NOT allow MIDI-IN.
Hypermidi is a Mac XCMD, so if you develop for Mac, you might go for it.
Director 7 won't support it.
On Mac, there is also QuickTime that allows MIDI-In. (I never tried)

I'm doing a rather large cross-platform project with Yamaha MIDXtra in
Director 7 (same with Director 6), and I most times have a "virtual
keyboard" on-screen that is played either with the mouse or the computer
keyboard.
It's useable, but with the yamaha softsynth there is a really big latency
when playing single notes. On the Mac, I switch to OMS and the user's
MIDI-setup (that may be the quickTime softsynth), on windows I use system
midi if available (with cheap sound/midi cards, this is no really nice
option ;-)). The latency problem is still there, but acceptable.

Other caveat: the detection of simultanous keypresses is different from OS
to OS and in some combinations it won't be possible to detect more than two
keys pressed simultanously.

Similar restrictions will apply to Beatnik, maybe there is a better
softsynth built-in with less latency. Though it will be hard to beat
quicktime's softsynth. There is no MIDI-IN with Beatnik, too.Shortly - as far as I know there is no MIDI-IN for Director if you are
working cross-platform. If you know what you're doing you may get the MIDI
data from a MIDI interface on a serial port with zeusproductions' serial
Xtra?!
Joachim




 

 

 

 

From: Julian Baker <jbaker@southbank.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Xtra to read MIDI input
Just to let you know that Beatnik has no latency compared to Yamaha, and in
my humble opinion it's virtual synth knocks spots of QTMI (beatnik contains
their own custom sounds including some electro sounds - missing from
general midi), on top of that it now has ten different reverb settings -
that's reverb types not amount. Actually I think Aplples sounds are the
weakest, at least the Roland set.
Beatnik also allows you to embed your own samples, which Yamaha doesn't.
You can do this with the Atomic Instrument Editor and QTMI but it isn't
easy, even if you can find a copy.

Yamaha only has two advantages really - it can direct midi-out to an
external setup, and the drum patches feature an 'analogue kit' better known
as the 808, come on Beatnik give us the 808 & 909.

If you're developing for the mac and don't want to play midi files, only
trigger notes, try Geoff Smiths Midi xobject, triggers notes from QTMI, so
has very low overhead. And also has pitch bend implemented unlike Yamaha,
we love those cheap effects!.

I'm with Lon that if you're not Dir7 then Hypermidi is simply the only way
for midi-in stuff, but I've heard multiple reports that OMS (which you
need) won't work under OS8.5.
Also hypermidi doesn't feature any virtual synth so you will need an
external midi set-up.

I've heard through the grapevine that there is a midi-in cross platform
xtra being developed - fingers crossed
Hope to be of help
PS Anyone interested or have knowledge of Director/midi feel free to drop
me a line at jbaker@mailbox.co.uk, I'm trying to put together a faq on midi
on my site, but as usual am busy - need that kick up the arse ;)
Jules




 


Directorworkshop.de ist © Joachim Gola & Gerd Gillmaier 1998-2002. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.