Multiple MIDI Sources Driving a Sound Module

[Phyl]

I picked up a Roland XV5050 and MIDISTUDIO keyboard controller over the weekend and am having a blast playing with it.

This is my first synthesizer and I am not a keybaord player per se, so I'm a little confused about the MIDI configuration issue. I've figured out how to record a MIDI track and have the 5050 play it back, but what I'd really like to do is have the 5050 respond to two MIDI sources at the same time; the first source would be a previously recorded MIDI track, the second source would be me playing a melody on the MIDI keyboard.

The 5050 has the standard MIDI connectors on the back (In, Out, thru) and a USB connector on the front. From what I gather you can use the USB port to send/recieve MIDI data, but I can't figure from the manual whether both inputs can be use simultaneously.

I'm using SONAR XL to record the MIDI data.

So I guess my question is, how do you folks record a new MIDI track while listening to existing MIDI tracks?

Thanks.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Phyl,

> I can't figure from the manual whether both inputs can be use simultaneously. <

Assuming you have the keyboard going into the computer's Midi In and the computer's MIDI Out going to the Roland synth, it's even simpler than you think.

Just record the first part on one track in Sonar, with that track going to the Roland on Channel 1. Now click on another MIDI track and set it to Channel 2. You should now be able to play the second part live. Click Play and the first track will play, and you can now play along on the keyboard, and record that on the second track too.

--Ethan

 

[Phyl]

Ethan,

That's just way too simple a solution, I was hoping for something more convoluted.

Seriously though, thanks a bunch.

Any ideas on how USB port could be used to make other operations (yet undiscovered) simpler? Maybe I won't have any use for it right off the bat.

- Phil