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

Hello,

I'm having sme trouble getting my XL-7 to control my access virus
classic rack, has anyone had luck with this?

Thanks,

Mattb

benjaminloudmouth wrote:

> I'm having sme trouble getting my XL-7 to control my access virus
> classic rack, has anyone had luck with this?

yeah unfortunately the Virus Rack Classic doesn't use standard controller
numbers for parameters. well, it does for basic things like bank select and
such, but for filter cutoff, effects depth, all of the fun stuff, it doesn't
use the same controllers that you see assigned in the controllers table in
the appendix of the XL-7 manual. i have this problem myself

so, here's what you do - steps i've been taking to tackle this issue:

a)  the Virus Rack Manual mentions Page A/Page B controllers and explains
how to switch between the two and how to change each from controllers to
sysex and vice versa, but doesn't actually tell you what the parameters are.
quite frankly the Rack Classic manual is a fun little pamphlet, but little
more. so, go to the Access web site to download the manual for the Virus C
series - note that the Virus Rack Classic is a cut down version of the Virus
C and most of the parameters are the same. Virus C manual has a table of the
Page A and Page B controller numbers starting on page 166.

http://www.access-music.de/downloads.php4?product=virusc#cat4

b)  use the programmable knobs feature (in the Controllers section - choose
yer knob, set the controller number, internal or external - damn that's
easy) of XL-7 to assign each knob to the "proper" controller number on the
Virus Rack. i'm working on this myself and will try to upload the multisetup
to the files section if/when i get around to finishing it. :D

c)  save the multisetup you've just created so it can be easily recalled.
i'd save a multisetup of your preferred "normal" parameters before doing
this, so you can recall both. multisetups are cool!

at least one can set things to Page A on the Virus so the controllers from 0
to 127 can control the musically useful parameters. one of the annoyances on
the Novation Nova (and a contributing factor to why i sold it) is that it is
hard wired to 256 controllers on one page and filter cutoff and resonance
were both over 127, making my Roland XP-30 controller keyboard (0-127)) and
the XL-7 (1-119) couldn't reach. what a pisser. :(

hope this helps in some way.

-- 
Bruddah Max
Lord of the Dance

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, Bruddah Max <bruddahmax@c...> wrote:
> yeah unfortunately the Virus Rack Classic doesn't use standard 
controller
> numbers for parameters. well, it does for basic things like bank 
select and
> such, but for filter cutoff, effects depth, all of the fun stuff, 
it doesn't
> use the same controllers that you see assigned in the controllers 
table in
> the appendix of the XL-7 manual. 

Well, there isn't really much of a standard (aside from 7=volume, 
10=pan, etc), it's pretty much up to the individual manufacturer. 
This makes sense, since (apart from General MIDI, ugh) different 
synths frequently work in different ways. For instance, the XL7 has 
no equivalent to the Oscillator Balance on the Virus.

> b)  use the programmable knobs feature (in the Controllers section -
 choose
> yer knob, set the controller number, internal or external - damn 
that's
> easy) of XL-7 to assign each knob to the "proper" controller number 
on the
> Virus Rack.

I really wish the QuickEdit knobs could be assigned to ANY controller 
number (1-127). Not sure why they can't be. If there's ever an OS 2.5 
this is definitely on my wishlist. That way I can set my XL and Virus 
to use the same controllers and save the programmable mode for mod 
wheels or some other useful setup.

Until then I guess I'll keep hauling around my PC-1600.

> > I'm having sme trouble getting my XL-7 to control my access virus 
> > classic rack, has anyone had luck with this?

Works fine for me. What's the trouble? 

-m@

> I really wish the QuickEdit knobs could be assigned to ANY controller 
> number (1-127).

Why not just use the virus mod matrix to map the controllers available
to the params you want?

-m@

Matt Picone wrote:

>> I really wish the QuickEdit knobs could be assigned to ANY controller
>> number (1-127).
> 
> Why not just use the virus mod matrix to map the controllers available
> to the params you want?

yeah that's a way around that particular pain in the buttocks. fortunately
most of the real time tweak parameters are in A and under 119, so no
worries. controller routing is fun!

actually, this is something the JL Cooper Synapse (and it's predecessor MSB
16/20) and to some extent the Opcode Studio 5LX all seemed to do very well -
custom controller assignments without having to "futz in the gutz" of the
synths themselves. i used to have a MOTU Micro Express way back when and it
also had a nice bit of programmability for routings of all sorts of fun
stuff.

i prefer using the XL-7 as the knobulator only because it has many of them
and is the hub of my current setup, and the only MIDI input is connected to
the XP-30 for fun keyboard control. i route the assignable sliders on the
XP-30 to the fun stuff (cutoff, resonance, modulation - cause that paddle
thingy sucks, quite frankly) and it all seems to work out in the end.

-- 
Bruddah Max
Lord of the Dance

robotchas wrote:

> Well, there isn't really much of a standard (aside from 7=volume,
> 10=pan, etc), it's pretty much up to the individual manufacturer.
> This makes sense, since (apart from General MIDI, ugh) different
> synths frequently work in different ways. For instance, the XL7 has
> no equivalent to the Oscillator Balance on the Virus.

true but i am one who thinks that filter cutoff (and the Virus has two to
worry about) and resonance should be a standard controller number for
everyone. my Roland stuff and the XL-7 seem to match up pretty good on
controllers. the Virus is the odd one out.

if it's just three parameters to control it might be easier to take M@'s
suggestion and just program the matrix mod on the Virus to reroute the
"standard" controllers on the XL-7 (and the Rolands) to the same parameter
on the Virus. ah, the fun and excitement of it all.

at some point all of this techno wizardry might produce something musically
worthwhile. getting there...

-- 
Bruddah Max
Lord of the Dance

While there is no official standard, many companies are now using the same 
#'s for common parameters.  True the XX-7 has no equivelant of OSC 
Balance, but Access still could have made things like Filter Cutoff and 
Resonance conform to the norm (hmm, that would be a good song title...). I 
actually spent some time talking to Access about this awhile back, and the 
general concensus was that it would be nice to do (and in hindsight should 
have been done), but would involve making the older Virus's incompatible 
then.

Oh well, at least the XX-7's programmable knobs are SO easy to program and 
save.  Multisetups truly are one of the greatest things about the the XX-7 
if you use it to control other gear.

rEalm



Well, there isn't really much of a standard (aside from 7=volume, 
10=pan, etc), it's pretty much up to the individual manufacturer. 
This makes sense, since (apart from General MIDI, ugh) different 
synths frequently work in different ways. For instance, the XL7 has 
no equivalent to the Oscillator Balance on the Virus.


 






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Ok, this has helped, thanks for all the replies. I also have a waldorf
micro q, and that seemed to take to being controlled by the XL-7 real
nicely, but getting the virus to play along has been a painful process. 

thanks!

mattb 





--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, Bruddah Max <bruddahmax@c...> wrote:
> benjaminloudmouth wrote:
> 
> > I'm having sme trouble getting my XL-7 to control my access virus
> > classic rack, has anyone had luck with this?
> 
> yeah unfortunately the Virus Rack Classic doesn't use standard
controller
> numbers for parameters. well, it does for basic things like bank
select and
> such, but for filter cutoff, effects depth, all of the fun stuff, it
doesn't
> use the same controllers that you see assigned in the controllers
table in
> the appendix of the XL-7 manual. i have this problem myself
> 
> so, here's what you do - steps i've been taking to tackle this issue:
> 
> a)  the Virus Rack Manual mentions Page A/Page B controllers and
explains
> how to switch between the two and how to change each from controllers to
> sysex and vice versa, but doesn't actually tell you what the
parameters are.
> quite frankly the Rack Classic manual is a fun little pamphlet, but
little
> more. so, go to the Access web site to download the manual for the
Virus C
> series - note that the Virus Rack Classic is a cut down version of
the Virus
> C and most of the parameters are the same. Virus C manual has a
table of the
> Page A and Page B controller numbers starting on page 166.
> 
> http://www.access-music.de/downloads.php4?product=virusc#cat4
> 
> b)  use the programmable knobs feature (in the Controllers section -
choose
> yer knob, set the controller number, internal or external - damn that's
> easy) of XL-7 to assign each knob to the "proper" controller number
on the
> Virus Rack. i'm working on this myself and will try to upload the
multisetup
> to the files section if/when i get around to finishing it. :D
> 
> c)  save the multisetup you've just created so it can be easily
recalled.
> i'd save a multisetup of your preferred "normal" parameters before doing
> this, so you can recall both. multisetups are cool!
> 
> at least one can set things to Page A on the Virus so the
controllers from 0
> to 127 can control the musically useful parameters. one of the
annoyances on
> the Novation Nova (and a contributing factor to why i sold it) is
that it is
> hard wired to 256 controllers on one page and filter cutoff and
resonance
> were both over 127, making my Roland XP-30 controller keyboard
(0-127)) and

> the XL-7 (1-119) couldn't reach. what a pisser. :(
> 
> hope this helps in some way.
> 
> -- 
> Bruddah Max
> Lord of the Dance

> actually, this is something the JL Cooper Synapse (and it's 
> predecessor MSB 16/20

I loved their midi gear. Never owned a synapse, but I had three MSBs

-m@

Because that doesn't solve the problem. The Virus mod matrix only has 
two globally assignable controllers, and most or all of the 
controllers that can be generated by QuickEdit are already assigned 
to other parameters in the Virus. 

The goal is to make QuickEdit useable with the Virus, which it 
currently is not. The original poster will have to use programmable 
mode to control his Virus Rack, and just avoid QuickEdit whenever 
using a channel the Virus is set to respond to. Another option is to 
disable knob output entirely to avoid sending spurious controller 
data to the Virus when in QE mode, but this means you can't use the 
programmable, volume, or pan modes with the Virus. 

QuickEdit simply is not useable with the Virus, because a large 
number of CC numbers are off limits for some reason.

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "Matt Picone" <matman@m...> wrote:
> > I really wish the QuickEdit knobs could be assigned to ANY 
controller 
> > number (1-127).
> 
> Why not just use the virus mod matrix to map the controllers 
available
> to the params you want?