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

Hello!

I'm a new user of the X-l7 and new to the world of midi and synthesis 
in general. If anyone has time... maybe you could throw a couple of 
words of encouragement as to the glory of the device and the creative 
rewards that I will reap some day.... My main problem is that I'm 
used to working with computer software such as ACID and doing things 
in a very visual way... I'm having difficulty making the transition 
to this device that operate entirely in cyberspace with a tiny LCD 
sceen.

Thanx for your comments

Darren

Hey welcome!

I know everything can be a bit overwhelming at first, but really it's not so
bad.  The first thing that you should know in general is to use your ears.
Being visual works, and with Acid it seems so easy to put something together
like that. The thing is when you are working with music soetimes it's better to
hear what's going on more than seeing it on a screen.  I know that at first it
seems so hard, especially when you have something in your head that wants to get
out, then you get caught up in how to just start recording it and you can get
caught up in the details.  But after a while as you get used to how things like
the XL-7 work you will find that you can get what you want down VERY quickly.
Always remember that you don't just get on a bike and magically know how to ride
it, you have to fall over a couple of times and practice a little bit then one
day you'll be like "Wow! I can't believe Madonna opened for me!". You won't even
have to think about the gear.  In the meantime:

Most synthesizers have two major sound modes:  Patch (Also known as single) and
Multi (or performance).  Each patch is usually made up of up to four samples
which can play at the same time, crossfade into each other or some may even play
after you let go of a key.  A multi is a way of saying you can play (Typically)
up to 16 patches at once.  The XL-7 is by default in Multi Mode, where each
channel plays a sound and generally corresponds to a Midi Channel (Midi supports
up to 16 distinct channels of note and other information).  So if you plug a
keyboard into the  midi in on the XL-7 and play something on Midi channel 1 on
the keyboard, you will hear the sound on the XL-7 that corresponds to Midi
channel 1.

Another thing most synthesizers do is actually split out the part that sequences
the note information so that the sound portion responds exactly the same way for
midi information comming from outside the synth as it would on it's own
sequencer.  This  means that anything you can tweak or change on the XL-7 you
can pretty much do remotely from some other piece of hardware or even a software
sequencer.  You can even tell a sound on a midi channel to change to a different
sound using a program change midi message.  That way at the begining of your
song or pattern the correct sound will play.  Most people on this list will
actually write the music using a software sequencer like Cakewalk Home edition
or Cubase VST, Cubase SX, Sonar, Pro Tools, and even oldschool atari sequencers.
Once they have finished with the song they save it out as a Midi file and then
send it over to the XL-7 using their USB port.  Now they can play back their
song at any time without a computer.  In fact they can also control other
equipment with the XL-7 using that same midi file!

The other thing that will help you out in the beginning is to read the FAQ on
the Yahoo Groups website that this list is attached to.  It may help clear up a
lot of questions on how to record into it, play back things from it, demo sounds
etc.  Also the manual is great and there is an update available for the manual
and the OS.  You should make sure to download it and read through it, it has
great tutorials and once you get your feet wet you can ask the list anything and
we will try to answer.

Good luck and congraats on your purchase,
It's a great piece of kit-

Andre

Welcome!  I would say the biggest thing, is to not get too discouraged 
right away.  Anytime you get a nerw piece of gear, esepcially one that's a 
sequecer, synth and a controller in one, there's going to be a learning 
curve.  As always, practice makes perfect, so the best thing you can do is 
just keep trying to use it, and the more time you spend on the XL-7, the 
more it will start to make sense.  Other tips (applies to all new gear, 
not just the XX-7):

- Read the manul.  Yeah, it seems obvious, but so many people seem to skip 
this step.  When you first get some new gear, sit down with the manual and 
just go through it quickly.  You're not trying to remember everything at 
this stage, just get an overall impression of how things are organized,a 
dn what the box is capable of doing.  Now go back and try and play around 
with it some more.  Keep an eye out for menus you noticed in the manual, 
or jot downa ny questions you have on things that seem unclear.  Now, go 
back to the manual and look up the answer to those questions, but be sure 
to actually apply them hands on with the unit too, you'll remember them 
better this way.  Once you're comfortable with how things are laid out and 
you can navigate your way around all the different screens and menus, then 
you should go back and really READ the manual, focus on the little things 
this time around.

- Don't take on too much right away.  People get new gear and expect to be 
able to knock out a complete track in no time when they still have a lot 
to learn.  Don't get mad if you can't do something you can show your mates 
right away! :)  Tackle a differetn topic each day.  For instance, one day 
you could sit down and focus on tweaking and saving your own sounds, the 
next day you could focus on using grid record, the next day you could try 
and see what all the midi menu options do, etc.

- Don't be afraid to ask here for help.  That's what this list is for and 
we have some great producers and artists on ehre willing to help out when 
they can.

- Get some inspiration from these XX-7 only tracks: 
http://www.EmuCS.iuma.com    All of those tracks were made with JUST the 
XX-7's and nothing else for a contest we just had.

- Read the FAQ I created.  If you didn't get it when you subscribed, let 
me know.

rEalm









"kaniner2003 <Skymountain1@...>" <Skymountain1
02/03/2003 04:56 PM
Please respond to xl7

 
        To:     xl7@yahoogroups.com
        cc: 

        Subject:        [xl7] New user feeling a bit overwhelmed


Hello!

I'm a new user of the X-l7 and new to the world of midi and synthesis 
in general. If anyone has time... maybe you could throw a couple of 
words of encouragement as to the glory of the device and the creative 
rewards that I will reap some day.... My main problem is that I'm 
used to working with computer software such as ACID and doing things 
in a very visual way... I'm having difficulty making the transition 
to this device that operate entirely in cyberspace with a tiny LCD 
sceen.

Thanx for your comments

Darren


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
xl7-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi,
I think we start at the same position I mean I was an absolute beginner at
midi and synthesis, I do play a bit guitar, but just on my own, I did never
play in a ban, so that makes it more difficult for me.

The technical side of midi and synthesis in avery general way and learning
how the XX-7 works stole a half year way of my lifetime, a lot frustration,
but alot fun, too.
Now I can modulate some instruments and play around with them, I don´´t know
too much sythese tricks so far, but once you understand the subtractive
synthese it´s getting much clearer how you can use the parameters in an
automation process.
 U can use midi events or modulate one of these parameters by an LFO or an
envelope, the patchcord screen is a really heavy thing in the XX-7, so just
see these parameters first: Volume and Filter, first of all U set the volume
envelope and next think about what the filter should do and set its stages. If
u understand that U nearly have it, everything else can wait.

First of all, play around with the knobs, so you see what they do, I had
many problems using the envelopes first, so program an ADSR envelope (see
manuals), that´s much easier. For example there`s a dependence between the Decay
and Sustain and the sustain and release stage, once you get it. 
There are so many parameters of course that´s confusing, so u should first
just use the volume envelopes and filter envelopes as I described above. I
reduce my sounds and use a BD,SN,HH and some percussions (a drumkit is enough
first) and a sawwave as a bass and a synth sound, everything else did me just
confuse.
Program an easy groove in grid record or something more complex if u like
and play somehing with the sawwave to it, that gets me into music.
Besides i first started to modulate drumsounds that did help me, too. See
all the different ways to record data in the XX-7 and see what could be right
now.

There are a lot of specific things you can´t learn in the manuals, so I
wouldn`t be at that point without the list, but first start with the manuals, I
hate them, cause it´s just too thin.
Read Books, magazines, everything you can get and get the puzzle together...


Well, my german is better, the way above is my individual way, I did never
use the factory sounds and patterns, I have a record player for that, just my
opinion...
Hope it helps a bit,
Christoph 

-- 
+++ GMX - Mail, Messaging & more  http://www.gmx.net +++
NEU: Mit GMX ins Internet. Rund um die Uhr für 1 ct/ Min. surfen!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]