I think everybody has grasped the concept of midi note on / off messages . Let's move on. Another common midi command is the
Program Change message. It is used to access another program within a midi device , such as a patch in a sound generator , a scene in your G , an effect in a mastering unit or an amp model , and many more devices , all via remote control. Program change messages have a value of 0 to 127 (1 to 128 in some devices more on this later). The concept here is a PC message can be used to address up to 128 separate items.
There are a couple of problems that come to mind you should be aware of. Sounds of different devices are almost always assigned to different program numbers. For example : On synth A , a piano patch is stored in program number 5 , and on synth B , program number 5 has a strings voice. If device A sends a number 5 PC message to B , you will hear strings !
Another headache is the different ways devices organize their memories. Some device memory slots begin with 0 while others begin with 1. If the controlling device is set up starting with 0 and receiving device begins with 1 , then you must send a 49 message to play patch 50 on the other.
Program change commands are among the most useful in Midi. Say you composed a song in a sequencer , setting it up so that a piano plays during the verses and strings take over in the chorus. One way would be to access to separate sound generators on separate midi channels. A more convenient and less expensive option would be to send a program change message to a single sound generator so it could switch patches back and forth.
Here's a Mrskygod tip to keep you outa Midi hell. Don't send a program change message to a sound generator while it's busy processing note information. Send the PC message between a note off and the next note on command to give the slave device a little processing time .
next.....Altering sounds via Midi.
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Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
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