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Previewing Various MIDI Sounds
A variety of MIDI sounds may be previewed before making a selection. To listen to various MIDI
sounds:
1. Press and hold the SET piston, then press a MIDI coupler piston. The MIDI coupler piston
flashes. Continue to hold SET.
2. By continuing to hold SET, the organ will remain in the MIDI Set Mode.
3. Press the key corresponding to the Program Change number of the desired MIDI sound. Note:
Please refer to the sound module instrument chart(s) provided with the sound module.
4. Release SET to play the sound being previewed.
5. To preview another MIDI sound, hold SET and press another key to select another Program Change
number.
6. Press the MIDI coupler piston or General Cancel to exit the MIDI Set Mode.
When in the MIDI Set Mode, selecting a different Program Change number may also be
done by turning the Select Knob until the cursor in the Console Display is over the Program Change
number. Rotate the Alpha Dial until the desired number is selected. Press the MIDI coupler piston.
For advanced MIDI applications there are times when no Program Change is to be sent by a MIDI
coupler piston. Then the Program Change number may be set to “OFF” by pressing a key which has no
associated Program Change number (a high Pedal note, for example), or by turning the Alpha Dial past
Program #128 until “PGM OFF” appears in the Console Display.
ROLAND GS STANDARD SUPPORT
In the past, most MIDI sound modules provided a maximum of 128 sounds. These were selected by
using MIDI Program Change messages, but they did not define standard sound assignments for those
messages. For example, one sound module may have had a trumpet on Program Change #39, yet another
sound module would have chimes on #39. It was difficult at best for musicians to work with no
standardization of sounds. With the creation of General MIDI (GM), a standard list of sounds was
defined, but only for the 128 sounds in the first bank, Bank 0.
The Roland GS Standard honors that same standard list of sounds for Bank 0, but also allows access
to more than those 128 sounds. By selecting another bank using the Bank Select message, the GS
Standard provides an additional 127 banks (also called variations), each containing 128 sounds. This
allows for the possibility of up to 16,384 total sounds. Many manufacturers of MIDI sound modules have
added or will soon add support for this standard, which is an upward extension of the current General
MIDI Standard.
The MIDI menu on the Console Display enables the organist to choose a GS Bank Select message for
each MIDI coupler piston which is saved on combination pistons.
Setting the GS Variation (Bank Number):
1. Press and hold SET, then press a MIDI coupler piston. The piston flashes, indicating the MIDI
Set Mode is active. The Console Display reads:
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