Attaching external MIDI devices to Roland LAPC-1
Jay C. Parangalan
> 1. What kind of an adapter cable do I need? The connector on
> the LAPC-1 is a 15-pin Sub-D female, like on most soundcards,
> so can I use a standard MIDI cable?
No, it won't work. In fact, plugging in a standard MIDI adapter *may*
create a huge amount of heat on the connector and possibly damage the
card. (I don't remember if this happens when you connect a standard
adapter to the LAPC-1, or if you connect an LAPC-1 adapter to a standard
soundcard's MIDI out.)
As you may have guessed from the last paragraph, the LAPC-1 has its own
proprietary connector, which is a D-15 cabled to a small box. The box
has 3 MIDI standard (din-5) ports. (If I remember correctly, 1 MIDI in,
1 MIDI out, and 1 MIDI thru. My unit is currently at home, but I'm not,
heh.)
Since it's such an old card, long out of production, I wish you luck in
trying to find one of those boxes, at least without having to buy a
second LAPC-1 with a box bundled. Just FYI, when the LAPC-1 was sold,
those boxes came with *all* of them. Whomever sold you your LAPC-1
probably lost it.
> 2. How do I switch between the onboard and external MIDI
> ports? Is there a program to do this?
I've never seen one, but then again, I've never looked for one. -:)
Standard use is, if something is connected to its MIDI out on the
connector box, then it uses the external module. If nothing is
connected, then of course, the LAPC-1 itself is used. Strangely enough,
I've never tried connecting anything with the MIDI thru; I'll have to
give that a try someday. (Assuming that's what the 3rd port actually
is.)
> I sampled the awesome title music of Monkey Island
> and mp3'ed it - have a look at...
I think you may enjoy the site below, if you haven't visited it
already. There's nothing which shows off an LAPC-1 (or MT-32) as
impressively as professionally composed music developed especially for
it.
--
Jay C. Parangalan, http://www.saber.net/~firefly/
S@H:8.2#, 11-001001000011111101101010100010001000010110100011
Jay C. Parangalan
> http://www.queststudios.com/
A more direct URL:
http://www.queststudios.com/quest/sierra.html