Playing Using MIDI

In addition to using the computer keyboard to play sounds and loops, an external MIDI or USB controller such as a clavier keyboard or drum pads can be used to trigger samples.

• Each key can be assigned a MIDI channel and key number in the key inspector window.

  

• The appropriate MIDI channel and key number for each key or button on the controller device can be determined from the documentation accompanying that device.

• Alternatively, clicking the Learn MIDI button will allow the inspector to learn the MIDI channel and key number by pressing the keys on the controller. Each MIDI controller key pressed will be assigned to be the trigger key until the Learn MIDI button is unselected.

• Multiple keys can be assigned the same MIDI channel and MIDI key number on the same keyboard or on different keyboards. This allows layering of several sounds all triggered by one MIDI controller key.

• The Retrigger sound from start button enables the key to play from the beginning whenever the key is pressed, without pressing the key a second time to stop it. This can be useful for cue-ing a sound or creating a “scratching” effect. Retriggering applies to both computer keys and MIDI triggered sounds.

• Selecting the Note-off stops sound button will cause that key to be started and stopped by pressing and then releasing the MIDI key.

• The looping control of a sound can be assigned to a MIDI pedal controller, so that pressing a pedal before playing a MIDI key (similar to holding the shift key) will cause the sound to loop. The controller number and whether it inverts (that is it is “normally closed” rather than “normally open”) can be set in AlphabetSoup→Preferences...→Playing menu. Holding the shift key down while pressing MIDI keys can also be used to loop sounds. Alphabet Soup must be the selected application for this to work, however.

• MIDI volume and pan controllers modify the volume and pan of all keyboards which are currently open.