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

hi everyone,

i've just about decided on an XL-7...  i dig the intuitive user 
interface and great sounds.  i do have a few questions i'm hoping to 
get answered before i take the plunge, though:

1) are there any idiosyncracies experienced in controlling external 
synths from the xl-7?

2) can i use my cs1x to play my nova *thru* the xl-7?  (even while 
playing back a sequence?)  i think this function is called midi 
echo... the desired routing is: cs1x --> xl-7 --> nova

3) can the xl-7 record filter sweeps as part of a pattern?

4) is the xl-7 stable enough for reliable live performance?  ideally, 
i'd have a chain of songs (or patterns) i'd like to play back-to-
back, and be able to tweak paramenters as i go.

thanks in advance!
chuck

1) are there any idiosyncracies experienced in controlling external 
synths from the xl-7?

>>>Not too sure what you mean, though it's easy enough to search through 
past posts and see if youcan find anythign that might be what you're 
thinking of. <<<

2) can i use my cs1x to play my nova *thru* the xl-7?  (even while playing 
back a sequence?)  i think this function is called midi echo... the 
desired routing is: cs1x --> xl-7 --> nova

>>>Yep, you can do that. <<<

3) can the xl-7 record filter sweeps as part of a pattern?

>>>Yep again. <<<

4) is the xl-7 stable enough for reliable live performance?  ideally, i'd 
have a chain of songs (or patterns) i'd like to play back-to-back, and be 
able to tweak paramenters as i go.

>>>You'll have no problems with that, timing is rock solid live too. <<<

rEalm

> 4) is the xl-7 stable enough for reliable live performance?  ideally, i'd 
> have a chain of songs (or patterns) i'd like to play back-to-back, and be 
> able to tweak paramenters as i go.

> >>>You'll have no problems with that, timing is rock solid live too. <<<

My experience differs a little from Erik's. The arpeggiator is a bit
buggy, especially if you try to modulate things like the step length
with a MIDI controller. Also, the step interval setup suffers from a
known bug, which you can work round by sending each program change
message *twice*. The sequencer will occasionally give you stuck notes,
but as far as I can tell this only happens when switching from play to
stop, which generally doesn't occur live. I've had some problems with
the filters causing voices to clip and/or drop out; at this stage I'm
half inclined to blame the rest of the signal chain (gain into digital
mixer and/or lightpipe from there), except that I had very similar
problems with the UltraProteus and Morpheus a few years ago.

The timing accuracy of the XL-7 is so-so: if you work with really
simple, tight, regular rhythms the sloppiness will be pretty
apparent, but for practical use it's fine.

-- 

  nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com

I've seen that too, though I wouldn't consider it a live problem per se. I 
hear it while making the patterns, then just back off on the res and all 
is well.

rEalm




I've had some problems with the filters causing voices to clip and/or drop 
out; at this stage I'm half inclined to blame the rest of the signal chain 
(gain into digital mixer and/or lightpipe from there), except that I had 
very similar problems with the UltraProteus and Morpheus a few years ago.

> I've seen that too, though I wouldn't consider it a live problem per se. I 
> hear it while making the patterns, then just back off on the res and all 
> is well.

I consider it a live problem because it's not totally predictable: I
can work with some patches for days, and then during one sequencing
run some of the notes will start clipping.

As you suggest, the answer is probably to ease off on the resonance...

-- 

  nick rothwell -- composition, systems, performance -- http://www.cassiel.com