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

--- "OneSneakYmousE <onesneakymouse@...>" wrote:
> Wow, this seems so complicated and almost as if I'll run into 
> problems if I use my PC as the sequencer. :(

Not really, it's more that you really need (ideally) a dedicated port
per device (i.e. a 2 port MIDI device for an Orbit and a Virus).  Or
less ideally, you could do the following:

Virus Out -> CPU In
CPU Out -> Virus In
Virus Thru -> Orbit In

But then you wouldn't be able to play the Orbit without have the
computer on and your sequencer running with Echo On.

> So, XL-7 seems to be the dream of sequencers right?

It really depends on what you're doing.  Ideally, you could get both an
XL-7 and Cubase to have all your sequencing bases covered.  Cubase is
much better for doing linear songwriting and editing, but the XL-7
rocks for immediate pattern-based gratification (i.e. you've got that
drumbeat in your head, and with probably less than 10 seconds on the
XL-7, you could have started a new song, recorded the drumbeat, and
have it already looping, waiting for you to have more inspiration!)

> So, would this be the best set-up:
> 
> Virus Kc->XL-7->Rom Cards?
> Or:
> Midiman Keystation 61 MIDI Controller->Virus C->XL-7->Rom Cards

Either would be equally good.

> If I do it this way, will I be able to control everything from the 
> Controller such as the Arpiggiator that is on the XL-7?

Yes.  With either setup.

> So, In playback, it would play it exactly the way I was tweaking it
> in realtime. Will this be possible if I use the XL-7?

Yes.

> I heard the XL-7 doesn't have the ability to tweak resonance once
> it's recording--it just stays set.

Not true.  Each *note* you play will get a new swept resonance value. 
In practice, this really isn't that noticably different from having
realtime Q.  The time it's most missed is if you hold one note for a
few measures (like a pad) - that's where you'll notice it not changing.

> What if I change the resonance while I'm using my KC 
> while I'm recording on the XL-7, will this be recorded?

Presuming the Virus transmits data for the knob movement, yes.

> Also, if I made a song, and saved it on my XL-7, and turned off all
> the equipment. Will the XL-7 tell the KC and Orbit3 what timbers I
> used on a song I load up? Or do I have to write all the timbers, and
> channels they were on on a piece of paper so that I can put them all
> back manually?

Well, neither.  =)  It can't know by itself what you used on your
Virus, but you *can* insert a program change for the Virus tracks in
the XL-7.  That way it will automatically change your Virus to the
right preset, but you do have to tell it to do so.  All the XL-7
internal stuff will save by itself (since it can know what it's
playing!)

-Aaron

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