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

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "Donn" <donnw2@...> wrote:
>
> Hi:
> 
> I have looked quite a bit but so far cannot find sources for 
these, but:
> 
> 1) are there any significant pattern collections out there for 
Proteus ROMs other than the 
> normal command station ROMs?  As far as I know, there's only 
factory patterns for only 
> PX7, XL7, MP7 and P2500.  What about pattern sets for TSCY, Beat 
Garden, Vintage Pro and 
> other ROMs?

I think it was the Orbit Yahoo Group that used to have a new set of 
TSCY arps from Rob Papen that would work with any P2K based E-Mu 
module/Sound ROM. (See also below about transferring ROM-based riffs 
to patterns.)

> 
> 2) has anyone done any work with or attempted to automatically 
translate the factory 
> patterns into patterns for other ROMs?  My understanding is that 
the patterns are nothing 
> more than short MIDI phrases with ROM and patch selection info 
embedded.  So if one was 
> to 'decompile' it, it would make the work of substituting patch 
selections from another 
> ROM quite easy, while expanding the sonic phrase palette of a 
command station 
> significantly.

You can do this manually by simply loading the presets into your 
sequencer and changing the presets. You could also use a software 
sequencer. For example, I have a P2500 with an XLEAD ROM (from an XL-
1). So in SONAR, I loaded XL-7 Factory Patterns and reassigned them 
to XLEAD Presets.

> 3) and along the same lines, has anyone tried translating the 
patterns / phrases from 
> other similar products (Yamaha RS7000, Roland MC909, etc.) and 
translate them into 
> patterns for the command stations (both standard and optional 
ROMs?)  
> 
> My guess is some programmer could easily write up a translator 
program that would 
> semi-automate this process, making it very easy to generate a much 
expanded set of 
> patterns.   Seems like it would be a great way to expand the value 
and versatility of the 
> Command Stations.  These are awesome boxes.  Yes, you can build 
your own patterns with 
> some incredibly powerful voice tweaking options and what-not.  But 
it takes quite a bit of 
> effort and time.  Also, many of the newer 'groove boxes' come with 
multiple hundreds of 
> phrases / patterns with stock units.  Why should we at most only 
have 128 for a given box 
> / ROM?

I think many people are busy creating their own patterns.

But here's a tip you might like if you want to expand your inventory 
of patterns.  As you may know, riffs are ROM-based patterns that you 
cannot edit or use. However, you can set your box to transmit riffs 
(and/or arps) and record them as patterns by taking the midi out and 
putting it into the midi in.

> Any info would be much appreciated.
> 
> Peace & blessings,
> Donn


Hope this helps.
--Steve