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

So here's the deal.  Think of the MIDI routing like you'd envision audio cables.  The main difference, however, is that instead of routing sound, you're routing note/event instructions (i.e. "Play C# now" instead of "Here is the sound of a C# playing").

The XL-7 has a few sources and a few destinations.  The sequencer, the keypads, the MIDI In jack, and the knobs all generate MIDI events.  The sequencer, internal synth, and the MIDI output jacks are the destinations.

You'll want this:

EPS MIDI Out  -->  XL-7 MIDI In
XL-7 MIDI Out A  -->  EPS MIDI In
XL-7 MIDI Out B  -->  MicroQ MIDI In

Then, you'll need to do a few things in software.

On the EPS, turn "Local Control" OFF.  Since you're routing MIDI notes back to itself, you should break its internal connection between its keyboard and synth.  This is akin to making sure not to record a tape deck's outputs back into its inputs.

On the XL-7, turn "Rechannelize MIDI In to Out" ON.  This will make it such that the notes you play will go to where the current track is going.
For each pattern (or song) there's a setting for each track which determines where the data on that track will go.  It's one page back from the end of the pattern menu entitled "CHANNEL ASSIGN".  For each track, you'll have two things to choose, channel and destination.  Destination is the interesting thing here - you can choose from none, int(ernal), ext(ernal), or both.  Internal plays the XL-7's internal synth, external plays only the MIDI jacks, and both, well, plays both.  If you've routed things as described above, here's what you'd set to assign a track to a particular device:

EPS:  Channel: 01A-16A   Dest: ext
MicroQ:  Channel: 01B-16B   Dest: ext
XL-7:   Channel: 01A-16A,01B-16B   Dest: int

I'd stay away from both (for now) as there's program change implications (when set to both, program changes are stripped from the MIDI ports).


In this configuration, whatever you play on the pads or the EPS will play whatever sound the current track would play, internal or external.  The reason you're hearing the XL-7 patterns playing the MicroQ is because the built-in patterns' tracks are all set to "Both".  Why we did that, I don't know.  Seems pretty dumb in retrospect.  Even worse, is there's no way to mass-modify them.  If you're not hearing XL-7 sounds *as well* it's likely because you have the volume down or audio cables not plugged into the XL-7.

My solution to the MicroQ playing along is to turn down the volume on the MicroQ when playing the factory patterns, or, simply make your own patterns!

-Aaron

PS. as a tip, if you have OS 2.00, hold Tap and press a track mute button to select that track!



----- Original Message ----
From: sdorange <scott.orange@...>
To: xl7@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 7:04:08 PM
Subject: [xl7] Re: XL-7 newbie question - connecting to keyboard + rack synth

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your reply.  I still haven't got this figured out.  Here's where we left off - I'm able to play the patterns on the XL-7 through the MicroQ using MicroQ soundsets; unable to play XL-7 patterns using XL-7 sounds.

I have a small set-up - MicroQ (with In / Thru / Out), XL-7 (In / Out / Out) and Ensoniq EPS (In / Thru / Out).  I want to be able to play MicroQ sounds using the keyboard, create & play beats using the XL-7 and its soundset, and sequence 4-6 tracks on the XL-7 which could either be beats from the XL-7 or sounds created using the MicroQ.

Appreciate your suggestions around merging MIDI in & out; unfortunately I don't have enough of knowledge to make use of it. 

I've been through the XL-7, MicroQ and EPS manuals, and there is not enough info for me to figure out this stuff.  I am inexperienced using MIDI, and the books I have on MIDI routing, the diagrams on vintagesynth.com, etc. just don't seem to cover my specifics.  FWIW, I am still trying to learn the XL-7 and don't even have the hang of beat-making via grid recording.  So that's where I'm at - I can use the XL-7 by itself (sort of), I can use the MicroQ by itself, but I am not in Command of anything as of this writing.

Suggestions are most welcome!

Best,
--Scott