Page updated May 6, 2008

Mssiah QQA (Quick Questions & Answers)

-What is the Mssiah?
The Mssiah is a hardware cartridge for the Commodore 64. Plug it in and you have five different applications that turn your C64 into a midi synthesizer. Check out the Mssiah predecessor Prophet64 for more details.
Mssiah is short for Midi SID Software Integrated Applications and Hardware pointing out that the midi interface is built into the cartridge.

-What differs the Mssiah and the Prophet64 Cartridge?
The featured programs are practically the same with some upgrades and improvements. The biggest difference is the midi capabilities.

-What differs running the Mssiah in full midi and hooking up a Prophet64 to the infamous "Firestarter midi Interface"?
The "Keyboard" interface on the Prophet64 did only receive simple note data and slide/accent triggers.
Mssiah receives full midi data like notes, velocity, control changes, pitch bends etc. on up to six tracks simultaneously. Several modes of operation are provided.

-Is the Mssiah compatible with the Prophet64?
Yes, Mssiah loads Prophet64 files.

-Is SDR still supported?
Yes.

-Is SID2SID still supported?
Yes.

-Will you start selling SID2SIDs again?
Of course, as soon as we reopen our web shop (Mssiah release). Same price, same design.

-Is Sync24 still supported?
External clock equals midi clock, just plug in your midi cable and swing away your fav. sequencer software/machine.
Every app except the Sequencer still has DIN sync option in case you want to hook it up directly to your old gear.

-Are potentiometers still supported?
Yes.

-Is the Mssiah compatible with my Datel midi interface?
No, and there's no need for that. Mssiah has its own midi interface built into the cartridge.

-Can I use Mssiah's midi interface with other music applications?
No.

-Is the Mssiah compatible with the Firestarter midi Interface?
Yes, for synchronization and SDR only since we've taken away the "keyboard" mode.

-Is there a midi out?
No.

-Does Mssiah provide both polyphonic midi playing as well as multitimbral modes?
Short answer: Yes.
Each application responds to midi in its own way, MonoSynthesizer being a monophonic synthesizer, Drummer using a keyboard map etc.
The Sequencer app has three modes of operation: Multi (1-6 individual channels), poly (up to 6 voice polyphony with two SIDs) and Multi/Poly where SID #1 is multitimbral and SID #2 is polyphonic.
Note that the Mssiah apps (except Wave-Player being 100% midi controlled) still operate in "Prophet64" standard mode. Switching to midi mode makes the application respond to midi messages only.

-Can I send control change messages to alter sound parameters in real time?
Yes. Every application has its own set of messages to change all the sound parameters directly via control change.

-What about velocity and pitch wheel?
Velocity is recognized as well as pitch wheel on all six channels (all voices when played polyphonically).

-How do I set the midi channel?
All of the Mssiah applications have midi setup properties where you can alter receive channels, midi mode, velocity sensitivity and pitch wheel range. Sequencer multi-timbral mode also allows for individual channels to be turned off (no receive channel) or for that matter, double the sound by using the same channel on multiple oscillators.

-Does the Drummer have filter control?
Yes.

-What about this new app, the Wave-Player, is it a sampler?
It's a midi sample player designed to import samples such as drums and sound fx played back on the gritty SID triggered from your midi keyboard.
We didn't add the ability to record or edit samples for two reasons: 1) Most people have no access to a C64 sampler, it's better to use a modern PC to record and edit your files, so.. 2) Why waste any memory on it?

-Does Wave-Player work with both 6581 and 8580 SID chips?
Yes.

-Does Wave-Player have an internal sequencer? Does it work without midi?
Wave-Player does not come with an internal sequencer, samples are only triggered via midi (and preview via space bar key).

-How many sounds can I squeeze into the Wave-Player?
The Wave-Player plays back 4-bit samples at 6Khz. The free memory available allows a total of about 5 1/2 seconds of samples.
You can have up to 16 samples in memory and lay them out on your keyboard in two different keygroups.

-Is 5 1/2 seconds really enough?
Sample/drum sample playback does not require that much memory. Percussive sounds are generally quite short.

-What other features does the Wave-Player have?
Three virtual channels each freely routed to either SID #1 or #2 (i.e., up to three voice polyphony). Keygroup samples are adjustable for output, fixed level or velocity and one-shot triggering (plays to end).

-Will you provide preset samples for the Wave-Player?
Yes. There is a ROM library with lots of preset samples on the Cartridge ready to fire away!

-Can I use my own samples in the Wave-Player app?
Of course. There are import functions for disk, midi dump and SDR. The easiest way is to plug in your midi cable and dump the samples from a PC audio editing program (such as SoundForge) with an "open loop" dump feature i.e., one-way transfer of midi samples using one midi cable only.
Another option is to transfer a normal wave file to a 1541 floppy and import it right away (Wave-Player reads Windows Wave files). Midi dumps are faster and easier though.

-When is the Mssiah due for release?
The project is in its last stage and we're working very hard to have it finished before summer starts.

-How much will the Mssiah be?
The Mssiah Cartridge is 49.95 EUR.

-Does the Mssiah Cartridge and Prophet64 look the same?
The Mssiah Cartridge is based on the Prophet64 but is rebuilt to house a midi input. While at it, we changed the color too (take a guess..).

-How do you pronounce Mss..muss..mussyay???
Just like "Messiah". We dropped the 'e' because it didn't really fit the acronym..

-Cartridge? Well, that was...err.."Hoss", "Ben", "Little Joe" and "Adam", right?
No. You're referring to the 60s show "Bonanza" and those were the Cartwrites...
Cartridge is the computer industry term used for a plastic case with various electronics inside. The unit plugs into a host system instantly loading whatever is on the cartridge.

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