Roland VS-1824 User Manual

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Chapter 15
Chapter 15 Using External MIDI Devices
This chapter describes the MIDI messages that can be used 
by the VS-1824 and the operations that the VS-1824 can 
perform using MIDI messages. For more detailed 
information about MIDI, refer to “About MIDI” (Appendices 
p. 3).
Synchronizing with MIDI 
Sequencers
The VS-1824 can be operated in synchronization with a MIDI 
sequencer. Refer to the owners’ manual for your sequencer in 
conjunction with this manual. There are two main ways to 
accomplish synchronization via MIDI. One method is to use 
MTC (MIDI Time Code), and the other method is to use 
MIDI Clock. MIDI Clock provides two methods within itself; 
sync track and tempo map, either of which can be selected. 
MIDI Time Code is more precise and should be used for 
applications such as syncing to video and syncing the 
VS-1824 as a slave to another device. MIDI Clock references 
tempo and time signature settings and can be used when 
slaving a sequencer or drum machine to the VS-1824.
MTC (See Appendices p. 12)
Items Necessary for 
Synchronization
• VS-1824
• Audio equipment to be connected to the MASTER jack, 
or stereo headphones
• External MIDI sequencer or computer sequencer 
software (such as Emagic® Logic™)
• MIDI Cables
Master and Slave
When synchronizing the VS-1824 with a MIDI sequencer, the 
device that sends or transmits MTC or MIDI Clock and acts 
as the reference device is referred to as the “master.” The 
device that receives the MTC or MIDI Clock signals from the 
controlling device is called the “slave.” When using MTC, 
you can choose whether to have the MIDI sequencer be the 
master that controls the VS-1824, or to have the VS-1824 be 
the master that controls the MIDI sequencer. When you use 
MIDI Clock, you can synchronize a MIDI sequencer using 
the VS-1824 as the master, but it is not possible to 
synchronize the VS-1824 as a slave to MIDI Clock.
Using MTC
This section explains how the VS-1824 can be synchronized 
with a MIDI sequencer that implements MTC (MIDI Time 
Code). When using MTC, you can choose to have the VS-1824 
be the master that controls the MIDI sequencer, or to have the 
MIDI sequencer be the master that controls the VS-1824.
Frame (See Appendices p. 12), 
NTSC Format (See Appendices p. 13), 
SECAM format/PAL format (See Appendices p. 13)
MTC Type
The VS-1824 can work with the following types of MTC. 
Check the specifications of the MIDI devices that you are 
using, and select the appropriate type of MTC in the VS-1824.
30:
30 frames per second non-drop format. This is the VS-
1824 default value, which is used by most sequencers, 
audio devices such as analog tape recorders, and for 
NTSC format black and white video.
29N:
29.97 frames per second non-drop format. This is 
used for NTSC format color video.
29D:
29.97 frames per second drop format. This is used 
for NTSC live broadcast color video.
25:
25 frames per second. This is used for SECAM or 
PAL format video, film, and audio equipment.
24:
24 frames per second. This is used for film and 
some audio devices in the US.
Drop Frame and Non-Drop Frame
There are two types of time code used by NTSC format 
video recorders: drop frame, in which the time code is 
not continuous, and non-drop frame, which features 
continuous time code. In drop, which is used for NTSC 
color video formats, the first two frames of every minute 
are dropped, except for those at ten-minute intervals.
fig.08-01
Non-drop is generally used for most video and audio 
productions, since formats with continuous frames are 
easier to deal with. In contrast, in situations such as live 
broadcasts, where the time code clock must match actual 
clock time, drop frame is used.
00
01
02
03
04 05f
29
28
27
26
25
...
...
01m00s
00m59s
02 03 04 05 06 07f
29
28
27
26
25
...
...
01m00s
00m59s
Non-Drop Frame (29N)
Drop Frame (29D)