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

Picked up a P2k with XL7+MP7 roms (no P2k rom).

Presets s*ck, but I now the engine is immensely powerful. Are there any really exceptional sound sets I should check out? Something like JayB's soundsets for the Korg 05R/W, that really turns it into a new machine.

There aren’t that many additional banks for the P2K engine synths period - Tweakheadz has a nice free bank for the P2K ROM, and Rob Papen used to have an extra bank of TSCY presets that could be downloaded, but otherwise I don’t know of any other banks for any of the P2K series ROMs. Most additional presets are to be had by adding expansion ROMs.

First of all, congrats of your new acquisition. Mibrilane did a great job with his reply; not much to add--except I seem to recall someone recently saying the Tweakheadz bank could not be found.  If this is the "Electronica" bank, I have it (but it might already be in the files section).

I might have some other third party P2K presets.

Some background: Periodically, Creative gets rid of the E-Mu web resources. On at least two occasions, E-Mu uses requested they be put back up and Creative was kind enough to do so.  (I am not sure if its there now--I looked a week or two or three ago and couldn't find it.)

Anyhow, after the second disappearance that I was aware of  (when the resources were gone for maybe six or eight months IIRC), a couple of dedicated users made what they had available on line. (I seem to remember that the copyright law had provisions for orphaned or abandoned technology or something like that. Someone feel free to correct me if I am mistaken.)

While I was preparing to share what I had, another fellow user send me tons of stuff he had amassed. Since I had my own assortment, I really didn't do anything with this massive new set of files. Until today (prompted by your post).

It seems included in the files is a folder called EMU P2000 with subfolders such as All_Basses, All_Keyboards, All_Pads, etc. These have single preset sysex files each with an associated txt file with a common layout:

Creator:
Platform:
Patch:
Type:
Comments:

It looks like they are from a user group. The ones I looked at included presets from Ed Oviedo and a few others. I don't know if these are posted here or in the P2K group, or if they are any good, but its clear they were intended to be shared with other P2K users. 

These files also include the set of 20 patches done by Tim Conrardy which I believe is already available either in the files section here or in the P2k group. If you try those, be careful--as I recall, they are 20 new presets, but the sysex is a full bank of 128 and will overwrite an entire bank! (Not sure if anyone isolated them as individual sysex files.) I never knew Tim Conrardy, but evidently he was a really well-known Sound Designer who passed away at a relatively young age around 5 years ago. 

Tim Conrardy (March 25, 1957 - February 28, 2009) - Online Memorial Website

 

Well, I think that about all I can add on the subject of third party presets.

Steve

PS: Kudos to mibrilane for his efforts in creating the bank of unique presets he assembled!!!!

Updates:
(1) The files in the EMU P2000 folder I mentioned seem to be the ones uploaded to the P2K group in 2002.
(2) Evidently Tim Conrardy uploaded his bank to the P2K group in 2004.
(3) Others have presets in the P2K group as well, including a couple designed by rpcfencer. I found Royce to have an excellent understanding of the P2K synth engine as I recall his presets were designed to show some cool preset designs based on issues raised by users.

In the archives here, in the P2K group, at IBGEEK, and in tips and tricks, there is a wealth of information on how to create innovative presets. I think at one point I wrote about how I deconstructed a factory preset to understand how E-Mu's virtual patchcords could be used. 

One of our users here has a preset template and an explanation of how he created presets--I think it was JH's or JK's Sine Drum. I think if you look at these you might be able to create some presets that don't s*ck.  ;-)

Steve

I haven't posted any of my original presets because I tended to create idiosyncratic patches that were kind of crappy and no one else would ever want to use--such as mechanical sounding random things (maybe based on the time I worked in a plastics factory!!!). But I do love playing around with the synth engine, so if you have ideas for what you like to see I might be willing to at least explore how to create a new patch.

Of course, if all you want are cool third-party presets to just play, no need to get into the E-Mu synth engine.