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

Stop, stop! Now thats something to learn, thanx a lot for your 
effort, andre!.
You guys are way ahead of my skills how to make the best of the synth 
department. Seems I have to go back to skool!

Heinrich


--- In xl7@y..., "bassmeister3000" <andrel@s...> wrote:
> > So my question is: Why did EMu put so much effort in sound 
fiddling 
> > possibilities and offer such a limited effect section? An 
extended 
> but 
> > easy to use efx section is what most users are after, I guess. So 
> do I. 
> > How many of you are really (!) working with the programming 
> features of 
> > the XX-7? 
> 
> IMHO the basis for all of this that 
> A) Analog or Virtual Analog creates nearly infinate sound based on 
> the equivelant of two to four samples such as a sine sample, a 
> triangle sample, a square sample, etc.  Sure you can manipulate it 
a 
> little better, like changing a pulse width, but in essence it's 
very 
> simple.  Imagine that your new XL7/MP7 has the ablility to have not 
4 
> to 16 wave types but 512+.  It has all the envelopes, all the LFO's 
> per layer, all the tools needed to really really make stuff no one 
> has heard.  The only real difference is there aren't enough 
> knobs/sliders.
> B) Essentially the original soundsets are based off of rack mount 
> sounds, many of which weren't made for you.  No problem, you make 
> your own.  More importantly they added control to it.  You now own 
> one of the most impressive sound modules out there WITH full 
controll 
> over just about everything, AND a sequencer.
> 
> C) If you think that these effects are too few, and the programing 
> too hard, get a Yamaha DX7.  FM (Frequency Modulation) programming 
is 
> orders of magnitude harder, it's crazy.  Chances are you even own 
the 
> equivelant in your computers sound card.  But the large number of 
> analog synths, and even newer synths have very few effects in them, 
> and when they are included you won't want to use them- they won't 
> sound as good as outboard anyway.
> 
> D) Nine times out of ten you may want to use a preset, but you 
think, 
> MAN! They set the preset up without making the aftertouch copy the 
> mod wheel and I need all ten fingers for the solo!  I can fix it 
> quickly and voila!  Or maybe I want a long slow filter sweep to 
> happen automatically etc.  But maybe I want the leslie effect to 
> speed up or slow down like a real leslie. Well on most synths, I'd 
> have a hard time, but not the command stations!  Just a few quick 
> patchcords and it sounds like an effect!  
> 
> E) I can totally fake a huge number of effects, because all they 
are 
> are the same sounds offset in time or panned differently or 
> whattever.  For instance, make a drum track.  Duplicate it and it's 
> parameters.  In your external sequencer, shift the new track a 
little 
> bit later, voila instand flanging, then phasing then delay lines 
> etc.  Put an LFO on the pan position and sync to midi clock, a 
synced 
> envelope on amp envelope, voila multi tap panning delays.  Sure it 
> eats up some polyphany, but you don't use the effects and you can 
get 
> away with a ton.
> 
> F) The basics for the sounds are the same accross the grand number 
of 
> manufacturers.  Four samples with crossfaded velocities two to four 
> envelopes, two to four syncable LFO's, Filters, etc.  The only 
thing 
> that changes is the modulation matrix/patch cords and the number of 
> stages in the envelopes.  The rest is candy for fine tuning.  
> Examples: Alesis QS series, Roland MC505-XV88, All EMU gear, Access 
> Virus.  Getting your head round this stuff will make everyones gear 
> that much easier.  Of course I agree the manual is pretty shoddy in 
> this area.
> 
> G) You paid god knows how much money for the command station, it 
will 
> be able to grow with you, especially when you get sick of whatever 
> patches are loaded in 000.
> 
> 
> And to make this all worth while, here is an incredible resource to 
> learning what synthesis is all about:
> 
> http://www.sospubs.co.uk/search/query.asp?
> Synth+Secrets+Part
> 
> Andre