Here's the premise: You own a NuBus Mac with a Sample Cell card. You like your NuBus machine; it works. You now own a lightnin' fast PCI Mac and you would like to make the most of what you own. What if you could somehow connect both Macs, using the PCI Mac as the master and the NuBus Mac as a glorified sound module and sample editor? Here's how.

To get started, you will need a MIDI interface that can be hooked up to both computers through their serial ports such as a MIDI Express or the legendary MTP series (MTP I, MTP II, or MTP AV). That interface will serve as the connection between the two computers. This connection will allow the PCI machine to trigger the sounds of the Sample Cell card through the network connection to the NuBus Mac. Basically, we're going to tell FreeMIDI on the PCI Mac that there is a MIDI module out on port 8 of the MIDI interface, so that it will route data out to that port. We are then going to tell the NuBus Mac that there is a controller module out on port 8 of the MIDI interface, so that it will expect to receive controller information from that port. To complete the signal path, we're going to use a MIDI cable to connect Out Port 8 to In Port 8, making sure in the MTP/Express Console to disconnect the connection from In Port 8 to the Computer port, so that the signal sent out by the PCI computer doesn't get sent back into it and cause a MIDI feedback loop. Here we go.

I. FreeMIDI Settings:

NuBus Mac
1. Open FreeMIDI and create a new device.
2. Call it the SampleCell Controller.
3. Tell FreeMIDI that it transmits on all 16 channels and receives on none.
4. Give it the property of “Controller”.
5. For Studio Location, tell FreeMIDI that it’s connected to Port 8 of your MTP.
6. Select FreeMIDI Preferences from the File menu and check in the box to enable the SampleCell card.

PCI Mac
1. Open FreeMIDI and create a new device.
2. Call it the SampleCell Card.
3. Tell FreeMIDI that it receives on all 16 channels and transmits on none.
4. Give it the property of “Sampler”.
5. For Studio Location, tell FreeMIDI that it’s connected to Port 8 of your MTP.

II. MTP Console Settings:

1. In the Cable Routing window, disconnect the connection between Input Port 8 on the left hand side and the Computer Port Icon in the middle of the window.
2. Also in the Cable Routing window, make a connection between the Input Port 8 on the left hand side and the Network Port Icon in the middle of the window.
3. In real life, physically plug one MIDI cable into the In Port 8 and Out Port 8.

III. Performer/Digital Performer:

NuBus Mac
1. Open Performer.
2. Enable Multi record.
3. Make 16 MIDI tracks and record-enable them.
4. Assign the Input for said 16 tracks to SampleCell Controller, channels 1-16.
5. Assign the Output for said 16 tracks to SampleCell card, channels 1-16.

PCI Mac
1. Open Performer.
2. Assign the Output of tracks to the SampleCell Card as you normally would if it was a normal MIDI module.