The Artisan MicroMIDI System
by Alan K Baker
Having received Artisan hardware and software so that I could evaluate the Artisan Sound Engine and demonstrate it to fellow enthusiasts, I thought it was time to write something about implementing the Artisan MicroMIDI control system. Other articles on the Artisan Sound Engine and Artisan software appear under separate headings.
The heart of the uMIDI System is the uMIDI Controller which is a small but sophisticated MIDI transmission system in its own right. It consists of a small microprocessor and associated support components and there are various connectors to interface to the outside world. Standard MIDI 5 pin DIN sockets are installed for MIDI IN and MIDI OUT and there is an RJ11 socket (US telephone type) for connection to other Artisan products (more of them later). Also provided are three 'choc-bloc' style connectors, one for 5V power and Ground and two for connection to analogue devices. Where there is spare capacity in the uMIDI configuration for a particular board, it can also have a pedal controlled potentiometer connected to it and it will then output Continuous Controller MIDI messages to control expression. uMIDI Controllers can be configured for many purposes using Artisan Configuration Software running on a Windows based PC and communicating with the Controller via MIDI.
The uMIDI controller is simplicity itself to get working. Just connect 5 volts and Ground from a small power supply, plug in any other Artisan devices via the RJ11 socket, and connect the IN and OUT MIDI sockets to appropriate source and destination.
In my demonstration setup, I am using a (non-PCI Express) power supply from a PC, with pins 13 and 14 shorted in place of motherboard power control. This supplies 5 volts DC for the uMIDI Controller and 12 volts DC for the other boards. I used a Molex peripheral adaptor with the socket cut off to wire red and black (5V) direct to the uMIDI connector and yellow and black (12V) to the other boards.
To control the stops I am using four lighted stop boards which make up a 32 button panel, suitable for mounting in a rack or box, or as part of a console.
Again, these boards are simplicity themselves. They have 8 lighted buttons on each board with associated control circuitry, and the legend is easily changeable under the clear front cover of each button, to suit the stop it will control. There are also two RJ11 sockets and a power block provided, making it a simple matter to link boards together. Power is linked using ordinary insulated connecting wire and the power supply can be connected to any of the boards in a panel configuration. Each lighted button requires about 60mA when lit, so a 32 button panel requires a power supply of 12V 2A. The MIDI OUT of one board is linked to the MIDI IN of the next by using crimped RJ11 leads and the final MIDI OUT is then connected to a uMIDI controller using a similar (usually longer) connecting cable. Artisan will supply suitable cables or you can make your own (full construction details in the manual) but be warned, if you are making your own, buy a good quality crimping tool. I've had no end of problems with lousy crimping tools on RJ45 crimps and RJ11s will be no different!
There are many different configurations that can be achieved using a combination of Artisan boards (covered later). For my purposes, one uMIDI controller and one Lighted Stop Panel are all that are required this time. Again, connecting up to a MIDI system is so easy, it almost does itself! I only need a single keyboard for demonstrations (although I can connect more if I want) and that's connected to the uMIDI controller, using a standard 5 pin DIN-DIN lead. The MIDI OUT of the uMIDI controller should then be connected to a suitable MIDI interface and for a PC there are many available, ranging from a few dollars to several hundred pounds. I'm using the Edirol UM1 which is the one that Artisan know well and recommend, costing about $50. Plug the appropriate Edirol plug into the MIDI OUT of the uMIDI board and we're now 'talking' to the PC. Simple!
I am using a dedicated PC with the Artisan Sound Engine (covered under Sound Engine - below) but if you already have a system such as MidiTzer or Hauptwerk, because communication is via standard MIDI signals, interfacing is very easy. Of course you don't have to connect to a PC. Connection to another uMIDI controller as part of a chain or to any suitable interface to control real pipe chests is just as easy. However, I would recommend using Artisan products for this as they are guaranteed to work with each other without tears and are known throughout the 'industry' for their reliability.
Artisan can supply many interface boards to control a real or virtual pipe organ and to view all of the possibilities, I suggest that you visit their website as there are sometimes different models of the same board and you need to be aware before you order. However, there are two boards of special interest to us VTPOers, the Serial Input and Output Driver boards.
The Input board does just that - collects input signals and outputs them as MIDI. There are 64 input (plus power) connectors on a standard board and these can be used to detect key presses using one Input Board per 61 note manual leaving three spare inputs which can be used for other inputs such as some wiper contacts on an older style expression pedal or maybe some stops that are not catered for by a separate Input Board. As you may gather, Input Boards can also be used to detect signals from SAMs and other stop-control devices and switches. Connection is a simple matter of running one wire from each switch or key-contact to each single input connector and one wire from the 'common' side of all switches back to the Input Board common connector. Positive or Negative Common can be configured. Of course power is also required and you should check the Artisan website for details for the particular board you intend to use.
The opposite number to the Input Board, as you might expect is the Output Board (shown above as a Rank Driver) and this can be used to drive all sorts of things from chest magnets to console lights. It comes with outputs starting at 48 and up to 96 in number, which are configured in blocks of eight. For VTPO purposes, probably the most common use will be to drive SAMs, bearing in mind that one 96 output board will only drive 48 SAMs max. as each SAM must be driven on or off from a separate output signal. Once more, the Output Board is quite straightforward to connect, using one output screw connector for each device and a single common wire for all devices, plus of course power connections. Each board is provided with a fuse to protect on board components.
Below is a photo of a typical uMIDI setup, showing several uMIDI boards linked together via (blue) MIDI cables along with 5V power wiring (red/black) and a small power supply to drive them. Each uMIDI board will be configured for a specific task using Artisan Configuration Software which you can either program yourself, or Artisan will do it for you for a modest fee.
