Waldorf MIDI BAT, MIDI BAY User Manual

MIDI BAY

MIDI BAY

Manual

This manual is a quite accurate copy of the original manual. A guy
from Waldorf was so kind to send it to me before Waldorf left the
market. I scanned, OCR´d and worked it over. I tried to reproduce
everything as original as possible. I only corrected some minor
mistakes in writing, left out the blank pages and so on.

I did it without any financial interest. If you´re happy that you´ve found
it please think about if there is something that you can do for the rest of
the world. ;-)

Regards,

Lars

[e-mail]

12/13/04

Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents

1. Warranty 01-0

2. Scope of Supply 01-1

3. Technical Remarks 01-1

4. Preface 04-1

5. How It Works 05-1

6. Controls 06-1

7. Installation 07-1

8. Operation Modes 08-1

9. Creating and Editing Programs 09-1

1.

1. The Merge Function 09-4

2. The Merge Filter 09-8

10.Selecting Programs 10-1

11.The Panic-Key 11-1

12.Copying Programs 1 2-1

13.The Dump Function 13-1

Changing the Unit-ID 13-2

14. Assignment List 14-1

15. MIDI Implementation 15-1

16.Specifications 16-1

MIDI BAY Manual

1. General

1. General

Warranty

Waldorf Electronics warrants the MIDI BAY for a period
of 6 months. This applies solely to flaws in material.
Any claims can be made within this period only.
Damages, consequential damages and cost directly or
indirectly resulting from use of this product or product
failure are not covered by the warranty.

Scope of Supply

Prior to initial operation of the unit, please check the
contents of this package for completeness and perfect
condition.

MIDI BAY Owner's
Manual

Technical Remarks

Only high-grade and tested components have been
used for the construction of the MIDI BAY. When
putting the unit into operation, the general guidelines
for operating electrical or electronical devices must
always be observed. In order to avoid lengthy and
expensive repairs you should give the MIDI BAY the
same care and attention you give the remaining
components of your MIDI system.

In particular, you should ensure that...

• the MIDI BAY is never exposed to strong vibrations,

dust or extreme humidity.

• the correct mains voltage is selected and that nothing

but the power cords and MIDI cables intended for
this application are used.

MIDI BAY Manual

4. Preface

4. Preface

Dear Customer,

thank you for purchasing the MIDI BAY. This product
from Waldorf Electronics is an extremely powerful and
easy-to-use MIDI processor which will facilitate the use
of your MIDI system and will considerably enhance the
system's efficiency.

Perhaps you are already familiar with patchbay
concepts from audio systems. Here, mechanical
patchbays and - recently - also larger. MIDIfied units
make life easier for sound engineers and musicians.
Probably, you have never worked with a patchbay
before. If so, we recommend you to read the entire
manual thoroughly - since the MIDI BAY offers a
greater scope of possibilities than a conventional audio
patchbay.

Specific information in this manual is always presented
in the same way.

 whenever we refer to the MIDI BAY's controls or

connectors, the corresponding designations are
given in square brackets:

Connector [Source 1], [Mode] key

 designations on the front of the MIDI BAY and

display messages are given in "arrow" brackets:

<MIDI AUX>, <Ed>

 the MIDI BAY's display is represented as follows:

MIDI BAY Manual

4. Preface

4. Preface

 "step-by-step" instructions appear as follows:

● take the owner's manual.

● read one word after the other.

 additional remarks or remarks of special importance

are marked by an arrow.

➔ "maybe you should turn the unit on before using it!"

Please enjoy working with the MIDI BAY.

MIDI BAY Manual

5. How It Works

5. How It Works

How It Works

If you own several MIDI devices - probably some of
them sending and receiving data on several MIDI
channels - you're probably vexed regularly because the
connection cables have to be rearranged all the time:
when controlling several sound expanders from one
keyboard, you would like to control the same expanders
by the sequencer and play along on a second
keyboard. Maybe you would like to trigger your sampler
from a MIDI drum kit and subsequently load sample
data into your computer...

All of these jobs require different cabling - this needs a
lot of time and stresses the mechanically unsafe 5-pin
DIN connectors excessively. And it is even more
frustrating to leave the MIDI cabling as it is. thus
possibly restricting both performance and potential of
the instruments.

Today, with even small homerecording studios
integrating several keyboards, possibly MIDI drum pads
and various sound generators, these problems multiply

-the system becomes badly arranged and unreliable.

In such a situation, the MIDI BAY is the optimum
solution. It enables you to quickly set up even a
complex MIDI system and to get it reliably under
control. Flexibility is not restricted anymore: 15 freely
programmable inputs and outputs each allow for
individual solutions. Furthermore, a merge function
provides mixing of two MIDI data packages, thus
multiplying the system's capabilities both live on stage
as well as if operated with a sequencer.

Let's take a closer look at how the MIDI BAY works:

MIDI BAY Manual

5. How It Works

5. How It Works

The MIDI specification determines that one MIDI
OUT is assigned to each MIDI IN. However, if you
want to transmit one MIDI signal to several
instruments, there are exactly two ways to do so:

either you connect these instruments to each
other via their MIDI THRU connectors (already
with three units this might lead to signal delay and
deformation), or you use a device that is able to
split up a MIDI signal and send it to several MIDI
OUT connectors at the same time.

Now, if you want to have one MIDI device
controlled by two instruments simultaneously, you
need a device that is able to mix two MIDI signal
packages. A simple two-way adapter, as is often
used for audio connections, cannot be used here
because MIDI signals are digital signals and for
merging them a special processor is required.

MIDI BAY Manual

5. How It Works

5. How It Works

The MIDI BAY integrates both functions - copying and
merging MIDI signals - and additionally offers the
possibility of programming any "set" of inputs and
outputs, and of selecting them at the touch of a key or
with a MIDI instruction, at any time.

MIDI BAY Manual

6. Controls

6. Controls

Controls

The MIDI BAY features the following controls and
female connectors:

The upper portion of the front panel is reserved for the
assignment list. The two notches on the plexiglass
frame serve for pulling out the assignment list. Entering
the connected units in that list will facilitate setting up of
MIDI BAY programs.

Below the frame there is the [Mode] key which selects
one of the seven operation modes the MIDI BAY
provides. These operation modes will be dealt with in
the next chapter.

Close to the Mode key you will find a double-digit
display which indicates current data and information.
Since the MIDI BAY features such a clearly arranged
design and concept, and since you will mostly call up
patch programs, a double-digit display will provide
enough information and allow for convenient working
with the unit.

The two LEDs close to the display tell you whether the
MIDI BAY is in Play Mode or Edit Mode.

The [Up] and [Down] keys increase or decrease the
value currently indicated by the display. This will be
either the program number, the MIDI channel or the
Unit-ID.

In case of hanging notes or seriously "detuned"
instruments, the [Panic] key - as the name implies

-serves for muting the connected units and setting them
to a defined starting point. Anybody who has been
tormented by hanging notes in a critical situation will
appreciate this function.

➔ normally, you will communicate with the MIDI BAY

via the controls described above. However, the unit
may also be programmed using an editor program
for the ATARI ST computer or the remote control
available as a seperate accessory.

MIDI BAY Manual

6. Controls

6. Controls

The front panel of the MIDI BAY also accomodates four
connectors:

<MIDI Aux.> offers two MIDI connectors that are
identical to the connectors [Source 15] and [Destination
15] on the rear. The MIDI IN connector on the front has
priority: as soon as you hook up a MIDI instrument
here, the corresponding MIDI IN connector on the rear
is switched off. Thus, you may "loop in" additional units
(for instance, your friend's remote keyboard and/or a
new sound expander) into your system without having
to use the connectors on the rear of the MIDI BAY.

The [Remote] jack is for connecting of the optional
remote control MBR-1 With this unit all functions of the
MIDI BAY can be performed even over greater
distances - an advantage not to be underestimated,
especially in the studio or on stage. Although this is a 5­pos. connector, this is not a MIDI connector and you
should never try to insert a MIDI cable here!

Connect a conventional foot switch via the [footswitch]
jack. With this switch you can switch over between
MIDI BAY programs which will also facilitate your work

-especially in live situations where two different setups
must be rapidly accessible!

Before we forget... of course an [On/Offj switch can be
found as well!

➔ While we're at it, we would like to mention that you

have to switch on the MIDI BAY before you turn on
the receiving units connected.

On the rear of the MIDI BAY you will find a fairly high
number of inputs and outputs: on the whole, 75
[Source] and 15 [Destination] connectors are waiting for
you to hook up your instruments, computer(s) and
controllers.

Furthermore, the fuse holder can be found on the rear.

➔

if the fuse has blown, only replace it by a fuse of the
same type and rating! Otherwise, you run the risk of
damaging your MIDI BAY badly ... additionally, this will
void the warranty!

MIDI BAY Manual

7. Installation

7. Installation

Installation

● set up the MIDI BAY at a place where it is not

exposed to strong vibrations, dust or extreme
humidity. Connect the unit to the mains.

➔ the MIDI BAY may also be installed within a 19"

rack. The required bolts are not enclosed.

● now connect the MIDI OUT jacks of all units

transmitting MIDI signals (master keyboards, MIDI
drum pads and guitar control lers, synthesizers,
samplers, etc.) to the [Source] connectors of the
MIDI BAY.

Please observe the following:

If you use the merge function, the signals from [Source
1] and from an additional, freely selectable [Source]
connector will be mixed. Furthermore, you can send
program change instructions to the MIDI BAY via
[Source 1]. Therefore, your master instrument, or your
computer respectively, the data of which you want to
merge with the data coming from other MIDI units, must
be connected to [Source 1].

● now connect the [Destination] jack of the MIDI BAY

to the MIDI IN connectors of all units/instruments you
want to control. For reasons of clearness, we
recommend you to connect all units that
communicate in both directions with the MIDI BAY to
connectors with identical numbers.

Now you may start "patching", i.e. start programming
the MIDI connections.

MIDI BAY Manual

8. Operation Modes

8. Operation Modes

Operation Modes

The MIDI BAY places seven different operation modes,
or function levels, at your disposal. Switch over between
the individual modes using the [Mode] key. At each key
press the unit changes to the level "next in rank".

● the selected operation modes after each key press

will be temporarily indicated by two letters appearing
in the display.

In Play Mode you can call up the stored MIDI BAY
programs.

In Edit Mode you can modify one of the 99 programs.

The Copy Mode allows for copying programs from one
memory location to another.

The Merge Filter Mode serves for programming the 5
data filter which may be placed in front of the inputs
when using the merge function.

MIDI BAY Manual