User guide

96 Chapter 4 Setting Up Your System
As such, all data sent on MIDI channel 1 will be sent to all four of the daisy-chained
MIDI tone generators. Each MIDI tone generator will play the incoming data with the
sound assigned to channel 1, which may be:
 Bagpipes on module 1
 A drumkit on module 2
 A helicopter effect on module 3 and so on
While this would be colorful, it would hardly be musical, unless your tastes lean
towards the avante-garde. The same applies to the other 15 MIDI channels.
MIDI, as you can see from the example, can be separated onto 16 different channels,
but it can’t be separated between devices, unless a multi output MIDI interface is used.
Using the scenario above, but substituting a single output MIDI interface with a 4
output MIDI interface—connected from MIDI Out ports A, B, C, and D—to the
respective MIDI In ports of each device. There are no MIDI Thru connections, which
allows Logic Express to assign and send:
 A recording/performance on MIDI channel 1 to port A/module 1.
 A separate recording/performance—also on MIDI channel 1—can be sent to port B/
module 2.
 A further recording/performance on MIDI channel 1 to port C/module 3, and so on
with subsequent channels and modules.
In effect, having a multi output MIDI interface is somewhat like having more MIDI
channels. In this scenario, it would be like having 64 independent MIDI channels—with
16 channels per port (A, B, C, and D).
Not only does this allow you to play up to 64 different sounds simultaneously through
your tone generators, it also allows full MIDI control for each channel of each device.
This becomes increasingly important when arranging and orchestrating such a large
number of instrument parts.
If your computer offers several MIDI inputs, you can connect the MIDI outputs of other
MIDI expanders and controllers to it.
USB MIDI Keyboards
If using a MIDI keyboard fitted with a USB connector, you don’t require a separate MIDI
interface, as it is already built into the keyboard. Just be sure to install the driver, if
needed, and connect the keyboard to your computer with a USB cable. Some modern
USB keyboards and controllers are automatically recognized by Mac OS X.