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3 Getting started

3.1 What's in it

After starting up the welcome screen is presented, which you exit with a key- or a mouseclick. It might be that after that the notepad pops up. In that case remove the exclamation mark (!) in the left upper corner, and save your DEF.MDJ again. (Notator users know this trick). Or just click it away.
Anyhow, you will reach the main screen.
From the main screen you can reach the following sub- screens:

  • [S] or icon 10: Scale Assign, and from there Scale Edit
  • MIDI-screen (click on menu item MIDI)
  • [N] or icon 11: Notepad
  • Performance edit (icon 15)
  • value box maps (click on words CH VEL PCH MOD VOL etc)
  • AUTOMOUSE parameters (click on icon 27 and keep the mouse button a while longer)

3.2 Overview main screen

The main screen has two sections, the play-area on the left, and the control area on the right. The play-area has the X-klavier on top and the Y-klavier on the left. At the bottom of the play-area you see which scales are active for the X- and Y-klavier.

In the control area we see the following:

In the screen example above you see the three menu options:

  • functions
  • midi
  • about

On the right of about you see some information about functions in MIDIJOY being active. On the moment the screen shot was made:

  • Keyboard Link (Twoplay) is active [#]
  • The function of left mouse button is: Sound [L]
  • The AUTOmouse function is on [HELP]

Below the menu options you see some boxes. The information in these boxes we summarize as the global parameters. These parameters are (from left to right):

  • play mode (RELative or ABSolute) [TAB]
  • Fine tuning tempo (deviation of the tempo of X compared to Y) [<] and [>]
  • Metronome markings for X and Y [Q] and [W]
  • Random switches and Random values for X and Y [E] [R] [T]
  • Glissando switches and values for X and Y [F] [G] [H]
  • dYnamics switches and values for X and Y [Y] [U] [I]
  • transPose switches and values for X and Y [P] [ [ ] [ ] ]

 

On the left you see what is indicated in the Dutch manual as the "blokkendozen", I translated it as value-boxes, having in English the little problem what a box refers to. One single value-entity or the sum of them all together..well, I was not consistent, but you'll figure it out I hope.
X and Y have their own value-boxes. MIDIJOY has 5 tracks for X and 5 for Y. The parameters is the value-boxes can be set for each track individually.
When not in play-mode you can enter the values with the mouse and change them. When in play-mode the selecting and changing of individual parameters can be done with some keys of the numeric block. Please refer to that section.

When in play-mode you can use the midbox-keys (\ZXCVADB) to manipulate columns as a whole:

  • Inversion of values
  • with [SHIFT] shoving of the values downwards or upwards (the direction can be changed with [/]).
  • with [ALTERNATE] randomize function

There's more to say, but this is only the overview.

On the utmost left you see vertical lines indicating that both the X-box as well as the Y-box is selected using [ESC].The parameters are: (from the left to the right)

  • Track status on or off [\]
  • Channels (1-16)
  • Velocity of the note-on's belonging to a track (0-127) [Z]
  • Program change of a track (1-128) [X]
  • Controller: Modulation (can be set to Panning with [M]) [C]
  • Volume [V]
  • Transpose [A]
  • Delay [D]
  • Note length [B]

Above you see the Recording and Performance section. The icons from the left to the right:

  • Go to the performance-edit screen (no key)
  • Record [INSERT]
  • Play [ClrHome]
  • Loop (no key)

When in Recording or Performance mode, press [UNDO] to stop.

The numkeys summon value-box setups. Together with [ALTERNATE] they are saved (in memory). The eye suppresses the display of data while playing.

Some icons explained from top to bottom:

  • Go to the Scale assign screen [S]
  • Go to the Notepad [N]
  • Change the outlook of the screen. There is a screen that gives you information about the scales stored, and one that informs you about the function-key locations. [;]
  • Choose between 3 keyboard ranges [K]
  • Toggle between modulation and panning [M]

 

 

  • Left mouse button function: Sound or Silence [L]
  • Keyboard link on or off (Twoplay). [#]
  • Function key switch. Makes it summon or save pitch, scales, or both [@]

These icons have to to with the AUTOMOUSE function. The icon in the middle shows whether AUTOMOUSE is on. This icon also causes a little pop-up window to appear where some AUTOMOUSE parameters can be changed. Icon 1 and 3 (for X and Y) show the bounce-actions [O]. You see the vertical lines indicating the X-Y selection with [ESC]. The bounce-actions are:

  • none
  • calling for numkeys
  • calling for scales
  • calling for function keys

Bounce-actions are only active when AUTOMOUSE is on.

3.3 Play..

Some hints when MIDIJOY does not produce sound:

  • at least one track must be on. The column left of the CH-column shows the trackstatus. Black is on, white is off.
  • The channels set must correspond with the channels your equipment receives on.
  • In the play area: press the left mouse button and move the mouse.

 

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