Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@egroups.com, ffort2@a... wrote:
> 
> Greetings.  Unfortunately the VFX-SD does not support sound bands. 
That 
> feature was added to the TS series.  If you can find a used 
writable 
> cartridge for the VFX  that will give you an additional 60 sounds, 
however.  
> Yours, Frank Fortunato

Not quite true, the VFX series do in fact use 'banks' (INT0, ROM0, 
ROM1, CAR0) unfortunatly though, they're not implemented using GM 
style bank switches (CC#0/32), but instead uses an ugly hack of 
sending a Patch Change 124 (or around there, i don't have the manual 
to hand) followed by another patch change, to select between the 4 
internal banks.

The net result is the same, the original poster's question about 
whether they could control an external module's bank select with the 
VFX's patch select button, results in an answer of 'no'.

Remember that bank select messages weren't part of the standard MIDI 
spec, and were only 'standardized' with General MIDI (which the VFX 
series didn't adhere to)...

To be honest, I think it would be more irritating if it DID send Bank 
Selects... I find myself continually being annoyed that the VFX sends 
patch changes at annoying times (when you switch it on or off, it 
seems to send a patch change), you can turn off 'patch change' in the 
MIDI setup, but then you can't remotely sequence patches on the VFX 
either... It REALLY needed a 'off/recv-only/on' option instead 
of 'off/new/on'.