Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, moose <midizoo@...> wrote:
>
>                 
> > Welcome to the group!  Enjoyed your posts on daw-mac, though I
> > hardly read daw-mac anymore.
> 
> that list can get a bit heavy sometimes!  as someone who's still on
'90s technology i'm flying the flag for older hardware...  *lol*

I was able to glean some useful info and a few individuals were
helpful.  But my most expensive mic is a Sennheiser e906 ($150 at
Chuck Levin's) and the closest thing I have to a monitoring system is
the headphones I plug into my MOTU 828MkII - I'm not a fit for the
group. ;) Our band's recording session should be interesting - I
learned the hard way (feedback) to turn the Roland KC-350 amp we'll be
using as a "monitor" away from the e906 (and us as well).

> > What led you to the PX7, given your already respectable equipment
> > collection?  
> 
> simple : i can never have too many drum sounds!!!  i tend to layer a
lot of stuff together so being able to pick'n'choose gives me a wider
palette to work with.

Good enough reason!  Apparently a bunch of the Command Station
drumkits have mapped keys left intentionally empty to facilitate
custom kits.  The control of sample start, loop length, etc. that Aeon
mentions is something I have yet to look into. 

> > but did snag some expansion ROMS at
> > blowout prices just in time, and scored the XL7 off ebay).
> 
> if i do keep the PX7 i'll add the rob pappen chips, at around $200 a
piece.  some of the ones on ebay are duplicates ie not originals. 
i've got some of the same soundset on the e4xtultra & like them enough
to have them in the command station, simply for convenience sake.  i
could then take the px7 & my ibook out to mate's places & have a
really good workstation.

Good luck on the chip search (congrats on getting your first expansion
chip, btw.)! My bargain finds are the Vintage Collection and Protean
Drums (the PX7 ROM) chips.  The World Expedition cost me quite a bit
more, but still under $200 - not close to the outrageous prices I saw
for it elsewhere.  I got it specifically for the ethnic percussion
samples, esp. gamelan.  I love the 70s/80s keyboard sounds in the VC
ROM (e.pianos, organs, analog synths, etc.).  

> > Having played with real drummers, the last thing I want
> > to do is try to beat them at their own game.
> 
> you can do things they can't...  so use the machines to add extra bite.

The trick, I'm finding, is to play with a drummer who is comfortable
playing with machines. ;)

> my live rig is rather fun
> 
> <http://www.alaskahighway.com/pictures/tkc-mbblue2.jpg>
> 
> this is a picture of me playing my 'drum kit' at the key club last
year.  even drummers dont initially understand what the drumtree is,
but its just a bunch of triggers.  but playing standing up, with both
weird noises and 'traditional' sounds gets people's attention.  its
fun too, and i come up with drum ideas that i'd not necessarily think
of on the keyboard or drum brain.  i usually play the drums from the
black & white keys (20+ years training in that department!) so hitting
things is actually rather fun...

Cool looking rig, man!

Paolo