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

i'm looking into a XL-7 as a hardware sequencer... and it's neat that it 
has a built in synthesizer ;)

what i'm really looking for is a hot-rod replacement for an MMT8. the XL-7 
has caught my attention, but from the manual it almost seems like each 
track can only use one channel... but the picture on page 86 of the manual 
shows track 3 sending "multiple channels" to an external MIDI output.

so, does 16 tracks mean one channel per track? or could i assign 16 
channels to each of the 16 tracks? ok, i probably wouldn't want to really 
do that... but can i? and can i do it from the front panel (i won't be 
using it with software)?

if it can do that, it leaves me with the impression that it's like an MMT8 
with 16 tracks (instead of 8), 1024 patterns (instead of 100), memory for 
~300K events (instead of ~10K), 2 MIDI outs (instead of 1), and a bunch of 
modes and editing features that the MMT8 will never have. is that right? 
is this really a super MMT8 with a built in synth?

about the editing features... would i notice anything missing if i'm used 
to using an MC-50mk2 to compose?

in pattern play mode, can pattern numbers be entered through something 
other than the data wheel? can i use sysex? or a keypad? are there "next" 
and "previous" buttons?

if i get a used one (i guess they're used, now?), are there any versions 
of hardware or software i should be looking for? or avoiding? how do i 
tell what version it is?

from what i've read so far i guess i should check the data-knob before 
buying... anything else i should know about, or ask about, or check, 
before buying one of these for a hardware-only rig?

thanks...!


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I'll answer what I can, maybe some others can fill in the blanks...
> 
> so, does 16 tracks mean one channel per track? or could i assign 16 
> channels to each of the 16 tracks? ok, i probably wouldn't want to 
really 
> do that... but can i? and can i do it from the front panel (i won't 
be 
> using it with software)?

Yes, you can have multiple channels in a track, and it can be done 
from the front panel.  IT works sort of like "bouncing down" on a 4 
track machine... you compose your 2 tracks on separate 
tracks/channels first, then you copy one track to the other and set 
that track's channel destination to Multi A or Multi B. 


> about the editing features... would i notice anything missing if 
i'm used 
> to using an MC-50mk2 to compose?

I can't really give you a good answer to that, never used an MC-50, 
but I know there are a *lot* of editing features on the XL...
 
> in pattern play mode, can pattern numbers be entered through 
something 
> other than the data wheel? can i use sysex? or a keypad? are 
there "next" 
> and "previous" buttons?

Primarily the data wheel... there are no next/previous buttons to 
change values, only to move the cursor from one field to the next. 
I'm not sure what you mean by a keypad.  And yes, you can use sysex, 
if you want to go that route, but then you're better off getting the 
editor software and using that.  That way you have access to all the 
parameters easily, instead of digging thru menus... 

> if i get a used one (i guess they're used, now?), are there any 
versions 
> of hardware or software i should be looking for? or avoiding? how 
do i 
> tell what version it is?

Yes, all used unless you can somehow find a NOS one... OS version is 
displayed when you power up the unit.  Latest/best version is 2.0.  
Earlier versions are fairly easy to update as long as you have MIDI 
output from your computer and the proper cable to hook up the XL-7. 
I'm pretty sure all the necessary files are in the files section here.
If you aren't able to set up as described above, get one preloaded 
with 2.0.  Extra ROMS are good too, but that's another discussion.  
Some are excellent, some are pretty lackluster. That's all been 
hashed out here on this list before, check the archive.


> from what i've read so far i guess i should check the data-knob 
before 
> buying... anything else i should know about, or ask about, or 
check, 
> before buying one of these for a hardware-only rig?
> 
> thanks...!
> 

The data knob is the most common thing I know of, perhaps someone 
else can chime in on this one too.  FWIW, even if the data knob is 
fritzing out, it's usually a very easy fix, it just needs cleaning.  
Details on that are also here in the files section.

To sum up...  I've been using the XL as the heart of my studio for 
about 4 years.  It does have a bit of a learning curve, but it has a 
very capable sequencer.  Lots of features, rock solid with OS 2.0... 
On top of that it has a very deep synth engine, and it's built like a 
tank. 

Oh, and if you're reading thru the manual, make sure you have the 
latest revision, I think its revision G.  Or, read the OS 2.0 
addendum... It tells about the new features that were added on with 
OS 2.0.

Hope this helps...

DTK

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, Atom Smasher <atom@...> wrote:
>
> i'm looking into a XL-7 as a hardware sequencer... 
. . .
> what i'm really looking for is a hot-rod replacement for an MMT8.
. . . 
> so, does 16 tracks mean one channel per track? 
> or could i assign 16 channels to each of the 16 tracks? 
. . . 

Command Stations and the P2500 have two midi out ports (A & B). You 
can assign each of the 16 tracks (T01 -> T16) to the following 
destinations:

none
int [internal synthesizer]
ext [external gear connected to the midi ports]
both

In addition, you can assign track data to any of 32 channels
(01A - 16A; 01B - 16B), MultiA, or MultiB.

Its been decades since I had a functional MMT-8, so I can't really 
compare the funtionality or the ease of use of the two. Your summary 
of the XL-7 sounds right, though.

> with 16 tracks (instead of 8), 1024 patterns (instead of 100), 
memory for 
> ~300K events (instead of ~10K), 2 MIDI outs (instead of 1), and a 
bunch of 
> modes and editing features that the MMT8 will never have. is that 
right? 

> in pattern play mode, can pattern numbers be entered through 
something 
> other than the data wheel? can i use sysex? or a keypad? are 
there "next" 
> and "previous" buttons?

Some options for changing patterns without using the big data knob 
(I hope others will add to the list):

In song mode, you can create a chain of patterns.
You can set up foot pedal to step through (up or down) patterns.
One of the trigger button modes is to select patterns, which will 
allow you to use each of the 16 trigger buttons to select a 
different pattern.
  
> if i get a used one (i guess they're used, now?), are there any 
versions 
> of hardware or software i should be looking for? or avoiding? how 
do i 
> tell what version it is?

You probably want OS2.0 [the latest and last OS]. If you get a box 
with an earlier OS, you should be able to upgrade it using a PC with 
midi and a utility called E-Loader (available at www.mu.com).

> from what i've read so far i guess i should check the data-knob 
before 
> buying... anything else i should know about, or ask about, or 
check, 
> before buying one of these for a hardware-only rig?

Usual warning: make sure is it is 100% functional with no problems. 
Also, find out what ROMS it has. The more the merrier, since 
instrument samples and presets are on the ROMS (E-Mu SIMMs).

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008, soundcrafter wrote:

thanks for the answers! it seems like i'm on the right track (get it? 
track? never-mind).


> Yes, you can have multiple channels in a track, and it can be done from 
> the front panel.  IT works sort of like "bouncing down" on a 4 track 
> machine... you compose your 2 tracks on separate tracks/channels first, 
> then you copy one track to the other and set that track's channel 
> destination to Multi A or Multi B.
=========================

hypothetically, let's say i've got data for channels 1, 2, and 5 on track 
2. can i move the channel 2 data to another track and leave channel 1 & 5 
intact?


>> if i get a used one (i guess they're used, now?), are there any 
>> versions of hardware or software i should be looking for? or avoiding? 
>> how do i tell what version it is?
>
> Yes, all used unless you can somehow find a NOS one... OS version is 
> displayed when you power up the unit.  Latest/best version is 2.0. 
> Earlier versions are fairly easy to update as long as you have MIDI 
> output from your computer and the proper cable to hook up the XL-7. I'm 
> pretty sure all the necessary files are in the files section here. If 
> you aren't able to set up as described above, get one preloaded with 
> 2.0.  Extra ROMS are good too, but that's another discussion. Some are 
> excellent, some are pretty lackluster. That's all been hashed out here 
> on this list before, check the archive.
=======================

there might be a NOS one locally, but i don't think it's worth $2500(US). 
it looks like i can get a used one for $300-400(US).


-- 
         ...atom

  ________________________
  http://atom.smasher.org/
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 		August 2003

> hypothetically, let's say i've got data for channels 1, 2, and 5 on 
track 
> 2. can i move the channel 2 data to another track and leave channel 
1 & 5 
> intact?

I'm not too well versed in this - I don't do a lot of multi-channel 
work.  I *think* there is a function that will let you expand a multi-
channel track onto several tracks.  In your example, it would take 
your multi-channel track 2, and put channel 1 -> track 1, Channel 2 - 
track 2, channel 5 -> track 5.

So, yes, sort of... :)  It's indirect, but it should work.

> 
> there might be a NOS one locally, but i don't think it's worth $2500
(US). 
> it looks like i can get a used one for $300-400(US).
> 

That's more than they sold for brand new isn't it? Sorry, but the 
minty fresh smell isn't worth $2k...

HTH 

DTK

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008, steve_the_composer wrote:

> Some options for changing patterns without using the big data knob (I 
> hope others will add to the list):
>
> In song mode, you can create a chain of patterns. You can set up foot 
> pedal to step through (up or down) patterns. One of the trigger button 
> modes is to select patterns, which will allow you to use each of the 16 
> trigger buttons to select a different pattern.
===============

can i change patterns using MIDI messages from an external device? looking 
through the manual it almost seems possible, but it's not clear.


-- 
         ...atom

  ________________________
  http://atom.smasher.org/
  762A 3B98 A3C3 96C9 C6B7 582A B88D 52E4 D9F5 7808
  -------------------------------------------------

 	"Television: A medium. So called because it is neither rare
 	 nor well done."
 		-- Ernie Kovacs

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008, soundcrafter wrote:

> The data knob is the most common thing I know of, perhaps someone else 
> can chime in on this one too.  FWIW, even if the data knob is fritzing 
> out, it's usually a very easy fix, it just needs cleaning. Details on 
> that are also here in the files section.
===============

can someone point me to that link? i don't see it in the files...

thanks...


-- 
         ...atom

  ________________________
  http://atom.smasher.org/
  762A 3B98 A3C3 96C9 C6B7 582A B88D 52E4 D9F5 7808
  -------------------------------------------------

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 	 insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his
 	 nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which
 	 are closed against him must be battered down. Concessions
 	 obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of
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 	 outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or
 	 planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be
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