Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

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

Frank Fortunato
OM International Music Director
Coordinator, AD2000 Worship and Arts Track

--- 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'.

At 01:38 AM 9/19/00 -0000, you wrote:
>
>--- 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'.
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>Ensoniq-VFX-SD-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>If you are sending bank changes to the vfx via say cakewalk etc, you need
to use a series of program changes...for internal sound bank, prog #1-60
its 126 then the program # also 126  is for cartridge prog 61-120 If its
for the ROM     program bank #1-60 you send 127 first, then program # 128
is for the presets 1-20 internal, 21-41 cartridge, 41-60 rom.  Prograsm
change 126 says look at internal 1-60 and cart 61-120. Program change 127
says look at ROM 1-60 and cart 61-120. Program change 128 says look at the
presets. To get more confused there's program change 125 which looks at the
effect program assigned.
>
>

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I am about to get a VFX-SD but would like to know something before I get

it.
Does the VFX-SD transmit over MIDI bank select.  In other words If I
have a sound module that has 4 banks of 127 sounds will I be able to get

to all of the sounds with the VFX-SD.

Thanks