MSG Tricks

GLOBAL SETTINGS

First of all, it would be helpful to first go to SEQ/PARA on the menu item and select GLOBAL.
Here you can set your Data Path, which is the folder called MSG4 (which contains example files that are MSG specific).
Next is the Midi File Path. I suggest creating a folder before booting MSG in the same DIR as MSG called MIDIFILE. Then when you go to GLOBAL, select that path. OH...select the path by clicking into the field.
Next, you can set the screen saver settings to your liking, or turn it off.
You can also set up defaults for Midi Clicks per quarter note and auto select functions.
Most important is the MAXINUM NUMBER OF EVENTS. Hit CONTROL on the qwerty keyboard and then left click into the feild. A dialog comes up where you can now enter a number. Enter in 0 (zero). MSG will then give all available memory you have on your machine to the maximin number of events available.
Next, Click into SAVE and the settings are saved. Then click into TAKE IT, and you are back to the MAKE module.

 By the way: The  CONTROL/CLICK trick you can use on any dialog in MSG to change a number in a feild.

MAKE MODULE

When the program first opens up you are presented with the MAKE module. Here are some discoveries I have found out.

1.Go to the Pitch section and select under MODE :  "PENTA MINOR I "scale
2.Now just press RETURN. At the Right bottom of the screen you see how many events you have generated. It should say 32 of xxx. 
3.Now press RETURN Again!  a dialog comes up on" how would you like to proceeed?"
Select MERGE TO PONT. The default Point setting is 1/1/0. This is the beginning of the sequence.
Normally I would select DELETE OLD if I want to generate a brand new sequence, but in this case, I want to merge a second round of events on TOP of the first set of events generated. 
4.Once you selected it, it calculates the events generated and brings you back to the MAKE screen.You now have 64 events.

5.Press RETURN again and MERGE TO POINT again! You are creating a intricate pattern by layering events on top of events. You have now generated 96 events.
6. Lets hear what we have done so far. Press F1 on the qwerty keyboard. You are now in the EDITOR and can see the events generated as a graph in the same fashion as the Pro24 edit screen.Then press PLAY. Sounds cool heh? When done listening press the space bar. then ALT-M. This brings you back to the MAKE module. Now press CONTROL-F, and you can now save what you have created as a midi file using the file selector.

6. Lets MODIFY what we have done.
Go to PROCESS on the menu and select ORNAMENT. You are presented with a dialog. Click into HARMONIC SHIFT. (we will just use the default values) Then ALT-M to get back to the make Module.
You now have 96 Events generated. Hit F1, and have a listen to it from the editor by clicking play. It changed heh? Sounds more in a minor key. . Hit ALT-M to go back to the MAKE module.Then CONTROL-F to save the midi file.

Of course, you can change and alter any of the settings on the way with what we have done so far, so I leave it to you to experiemnt, but the above method gives a way to create some intricate patterns using MSG.

Tim