Roland CP-40 (1990)
Pitch to Midi Converter

 

This unit converts any monophonic signal like voice or guitar to Midi notes.

The CP-40 was part of the old Atari ST TENTRAX system along with the MC-500 II sequencer.

CONVERTER main panel features a 7-segments display, a gain peak-meter, 2 sliders and 4 membrane buttons. The CP-40 originally came with a cheap dynamic microphone but you can use any others.
Front panel terminal connectors:
- audio signal input (impedance line / Mic) .

Back panel terminal connectors:
- Midi input and output
- impedance switch set
- Midi merge switch set (incoming Midi data are merged to out).

Power supply is a 9V external PSU -)+ any general AC/DC PSU can work (100mA are enough)

 

VOICE the CP-40 converts monophonic audio signals from microphone or line-level input sources to Midi signal in (quite) real-time.
The interface is really easy, just plug the instrument into the AUDIO input, then automatically the CP converts to Midi data to a module (or synth) - the unit shows the tracked note on the display.

 

MIDI the tracking system outputs the following message:
- pitch note
- pitchbender value
- Control Change 11 (expression).
Control change #11 is the dynamic / amplitude of the signal.

EDIT the edit mode features 6 special functions:
- gain: sets the incoming signal level
- Midi channel: sets the Midi ouput channel (1-16)
- octave shift: amount by which transmitted notes message will be transposed (range +/-2 octaves)
- velocity expression: 5 modes to translate incoming amplitude to Midi velocity
- bend mode: how the CP translates the signal pitch fluctuation and how it will be transmitted to the pitch bend Midi signal
- threshold: determine the level in which the Midi note message will be generated (3 preset levels).

 

RELATED FAMILY:

	Fairlight voice tracker (1985) one of the first voice to Midi translator
	Breakaway Vocalizer another harware converter
	Moon Modular 552 modular version
	EMS pitch to voltage the ancestor :) converts signal to CV tension

 

 

AUDIO DEMO

	demo1: pitch to midi, organ (right channel) is the audio input, Midi is on the right one.
	femal voice tracking with pitch bender option
	another femal voice tracking

 

VIDEO  SELECTION   pitch sax demo as modulation source