When you are setting up a MIDI synthesizer or sound module to use it with FreeStyle, the goal is to be able to access as many sounds as possible in the device by name from within FreeStyle, and to get it to play as many different sounds as possible at the same time.
FreeStyle supports the devices listed in this section as best as it can. In order to do so, it assumes that the instrument is pretty much like it was when you first pulled it out of the box. This is especially true with regard to the automatic sound lists that appear for the device within FreeStyle. Most General MIDI devices work great with FreeStyle--even without any without changes to the module itself by you. If you've made only a few changes to the instrument's settings, it should work fine, as long as you make the recommendations mentioned in this on-line help for the device. If you've made substantial changes to the instrument (such as change the internal banks of sounds), the sound lists probably won't work. If this is the case, run PatchList Manager and use it to get the sound names in FreeStyle to match the actual sounds in the instrument.
Here is a checklist of things you want to look into for a device if things don't seem to be working quite right:
Make sure the device you are using is set up for multi-timbral operation with a sequencer. There is a wide variety of ways that devices handle this, so there is no set rule we can recommend here. Check the device's manual. (Many Korg and Yamaha devices call it "Multi" mode. Many Roland devices call it "Performance" mode.)
FreeStyle attempts to use all channels that it thinks are available in the device. Some MIDI devices always receive on all 16 channels. Others can only receive on 8 channels at a time, and you can often choose which channels you want to use. In addition, many instruments let you turn channels off if you want. In general, make sure FreeStyle knows which channels are available and which ones aren't. You do this in the Studio Setup command in the Setup menu. (If you get the Easy Setup window, you may need to click the "Launch Config program" button and then double-click on the icon of the device that appears.) Double-check the device to make sure its settings match what you tell FreeStyle.
If your device is a controller, and you are also using it as a sound source for FreeStyle, make sure that its "Local Control" feature is turned off. Local control makes the keys on the keyboard trigger sounds in the on-board synthseizer. Since you will be doing this via FreeStyle, you want to turn it off in the synth itself. Otherwise, you'll trigger it from both the keyboard and FreeStyle, and you'll get doubled notes.
FreeStyle used MIDI system exclusive, bank select, and program change events to call up sounds on MIDI devices. Be sure your device is set up so that it will respond to these types of messages. If it isn't, FreeStyle won't play the correct sounds.
Some devices can handle drum kits on any receive channel. Others force you to use drums on only a particular channel (usually channel 10). If so, FreeStyle needs to know which channel is reserved for drums. For the devices listed in this section, this has already been set up for you. If you'd like to make changes to the way it is set up, or you have a device not supported yet, you can set up a drum bank in PatchList Manager. See the FreeStyle manual for details.
