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From: tenah@tekig1.UUCP (Tena Hoke)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: mpu-401/MIDI
Message-ID: <1875@tekig1.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Mar-85 15:20:59 EST
Article-I.D.: tekig1.1875
Posted: Wed Mar 20 15:20:59 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Mar-85 00:27:59 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 35


-----------------------------------------------
This is in response to mention of the Roland MPU-401
and a request for "experiences with MIDI".

I have a Sequential Circuits six-trak, a MPU-401, and
a pc ( plus a C compiler...). The sixtrak is a 6 voice 
multi-timbral synthesizer; i.e. you can play six voices
simultaneously with the sequencer and each voice can have
a separate patch. This can be done under computer control.
I haven't had too much in the way of problems with the above
setup so far. The sixtrak is playing away in its "multi-timbral"
sense driven by the pc. This of course is via MIDI on the 401.
I find the sixtrak to be a decent synthesizer. Anybody
interested in more details, feel free to send mail.

As for the MPU, my primary purpose has been to get a working
system up and so I have been more interested in getting the 
synth working. I have a simple driver that works the MPU 
in its "dumb uart mode", basically polled i/o.
There have been a few kinks in the works,
but nothing serious; for example, apparently if there is MIDI
input you need to service (read)  the input before you can do output,
which I did not discover as a documented "feature" (but more as an
undocumented "surprise", I could be wrong). I would be willing
to send this little driver to anyone who is interested (it's in C. I try to
avoid assembler) or share 401 experiences or whatever.


				Jim Binkley
				Beaverton, Oregon
				net:
				tektronix!dadla!jrb (usenet)
				dadla!jrb@tektronix (csnet)