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The Sirius and MIDI:
If you already own an expanded MIDI-device setup and have made all the connections yourself, you can probably ignore this
section. Those amongst you who wish to connect a MIDI-keyboard to your computer for the first time should pay strict attention
to the diagrams and explanations in this chapter.
Important: First we want to clear some facts which always lead to misunderstandings. MIDI cables only transmit
Midi control information from one Midi device to another (eg. "note-on", "note length" or "note- off").
It is impossible to transmit and hear a sound (audio-signal) via a MIDI-cable. It therefore makes absolutely no
sense to connect a MIDI-cable to an audio-input or output of an amplifier or mixing desk. Such connections are to be
avoided at all costs because you may well damage your MIDIdevice .
MIDI? What on earth is that?
MIDI is an abbreviation and it means "Musical Instruments Digital Interface". MIDI is an international standard used
by most manufacturers of electronic musical instruments. This is why you can connect devices made by different
manufacturers using MIDI, allowing them to 'talk' to each other. A MIDIinterface allows MIDI-devices to
communicate with each other and exchange data. The transmitted data can for example contain information on the
pitch, the length, the volume or the sound number which a synthesiser is to play. A MIDI-interface can administrate
up to 16 MIDI channels. They function similarly to the channels of a radio or television. Data that is sent on a
particular MIDI-channel can also only be received by the same channel. In a MIDI system you can send and receive
on all channels simultaneously. The Sirius works on 7 MIDI-channels. It is therefore possible that the Sirius can play
7 different sounds with different melodies and rhythms at the same time. We say the Sirius has a 7-part multimode.
Connecting MIDI-Gear:
There are some rules regarding connecting MIDI-devices which you should pay strict attention to:
3 Rules
1.) The MIDI-IN socket of one device is always connected to the MIDI-OUT socket of the other device. The MIDI-
OUT socket is the connection from which MIDI-data is sent from a device. The MIDI-IN socket is the connection to
which MIDI data is fed to a device. The MIDI-THRU-socket takes in the arriving MIDI data and passes it on to the
next device without changing it.
2.)
cables. Similar cables from your Hi-fi store ( eg. tape recorder 'DIN' cables) are often not suitable because they can
be wired differently.
3.)
this length. Longer MIDI-cables can cause problems.
Examples of MIDI-Connections to the Sirius:
In the following section you will find the most common MIDI-connections that are possible with the Sirius.
Important: In order to be able to hear the sound of all the instruments mentioned in the following
audio-outputs of all devices must be connected to an amplifier or a mixing desk. Because most
not allow you to hear more than one sound source at one time, a mixing desk is of course the better
following diagram shows you how to connect the Sirius and other audio-equipment using a mixing
amplifier. The CD-player in our example can of course be replaced or supplemented by an expander, a sound card or another
synthesizer.
When connecting your MIDI-devices you should make sure that you only use high-quality, properMIDI-
MIDI-cables should never be longer than 5 metres. Data transfer via MIDI is optimal through cables up to
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The Sirius and MIDI
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