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

Inspired by some recent discussions here, today I started devling into E-Mu's Remote Control Sysex again. I dug out some of my old material including a Cakewalk file with a bunch of sysex RC commands (virtual buttons).

I discovered a peculiarity that seems like it might have some useful applications, so I thought I'd share.  Some backgrouns first.

Once a remote control session has been opened, you can send sysex commands to simulate button presses. The general format is as follows:
F0 18 0F dd 55 40 20 bb bb pp F7
where
dd is the sysex id,
bb bb is the button id, and
pp is the button press/release [00 = release, 01 = press].

One of the oddities I have known about for a few years is as follows:
F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 01 00 01 F7 = Master/Global [press]
F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 01 00 00 F7 = Master/Global [release]
Notice that bb bb = 01 00. (So far, that's not the odd part.)

Here's the odd part:
F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 01 00 F7 and  
F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 01 00 nn F7 where nn = 02 -> 7F
cycles through the record modes: Realtime, Grid, Step, Off.

The concept here is that the format F0 18 0F dd 55 40 20 bb bb pp F7 does what the sysex manual says its supposed to do when pp = 00 or 01. When its missing or pp = 02 -> 7F, there are different RC functions available. (Odd = cool!!)

That much I knew. I also knew that there are RC commands for the track/enable-mute buttons, like this:

F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 02 00 F7 and
F0 18 0F 00 55 40 20 02 00 nn F7 where nn = 02 -> 7F
are Button 6. (For nn = 00 and 01, you get Edit Preset.)

So, today, I was trying to sort out what the buttons did in the different modes (track enable/mute; triggers: play note events-latch on and latch off, play beats parts, select patterns; edit preset).

Here's the newest oddity/cool undocumented feature:
(compare latch off mode with latch on mode)

Mode: Buttons as Triggers
Sub-mode: Play Note Events
Setting: Latch off
Panel Button: 
---> note sounds and button lights when button is held.
---> sound stops and light goes out when button is released.
(This is what you'd expect.)
RC Sysex Buttion:
---> turns light on, not sound [light stays]
---> panel button functions as you'd expect.
(Nothing earth shattering yet; but wait!)

Mode: Buttons as Triggers
Sub-mode: Play Note Events
Setting: Latch on
Panel Button: 
---> note sounds and button lights when button is pressed.
---> sound and light stay on until button is pressed again
---> sound stops and light goes out when button is pressed.
(This toggle function is also what you'd expect.)
RC Sysex Button:
---> toggles light on and off; doesn't turn sound on or off
---> effect on panel/hardware button:
------>(1) if RC button turned light on, 
---------- hardware button turns it off [no sound]
------>(2) if RC button turned light off, 
---------- the sound that was playing continues and
---------- the latched note can be retriggered!!!!!
---> turn all sounds off using panel button.

It is also possible to switch presets on the display and retrigger a different preset using the same button. However, switching from an arp pre-set, turns the arp off--unless you switch to another arp.

With various envelopes and patchcord effects, this adds a whole new dimension to one-button performance strategies basically by turning the latched light off, leaving the sound still latched, and using the same old button to (re)trigger another sound.

Steve