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

I've had my XL7 for about 1.5 weeks now.  It's amazing.  I'm planing 
to use it to simplify my live rig considerably.  The XL7 does the job 
of four other pieces of gear in my live rig:  Korg Z1, EMU E5000, 
Roland MC505 (which I'll probably be selling soon), and an old Yamaha 
Sequencer.  Plus, the XL7 sounds absolutely amazing.

My oly gripe so far is with the master pitch bend range.  Why is it 
limited to only (+/-) 12 semitones?  48 semitones would be perfect.  
36 would be satisfactory.  24 would still be too small.  Right now 
I'm using cords to route pitch bend to 'pitch' @ 100% to get pitch 
bend ranges larger than 12.  It sounds fine, so I know the synth 
engine can handle these larger bend ranges.  It would just be more 
convenient for me if I could set it up for all sounds rather than 
having to go through and edit the cords for all my important patches.

If this is my biggest complaint though, I must be in heaven.

- A.
http://www.kickassmartians.com

I agree that it is an amazing chunk of soundage.  But replace a Z1? 
Guess it depends on how you use your Z1.  I personally thing my XL-7
is the most fun when I can use my Z1 and its touch pad to run it.

Your milage may vary.

As for the XL-7 taking down my E4, it might do that if it could load
this stuff:

http://www.ilio.com/spectrasonics/sov/index.html

But these banks are (some of them) over 40MB each, that and the RFX
board is your friend (if you have one).

Oh yeah, getting the RFX to interface with the XL-7 is not too bad,
but it would be good if there were some sofware embedded that would
make them "hand shake" a bit better.

If you have not had time to work with an RFX board, it will really
change your mind about how you can mess up a sound.

Bruce

--- In xl7@y..., albert_thorn@k... wrote:
> 
> I've had my XL7 for about 1.5 weeks now.  It's amazing.  I'm planing 
> to use it to simplify my live rig considerably.  The XL7 does the job 
> of four other pieces of gear in my live rig:  Korg Z1, EMU E5000, 
> Roland MC505 (which I'll probably be selling soon), and an old Yamaha 
> Sequencer.  Plus, the XL7 sounds absolutely amazing.
> 
> My oly gripe so far is with the master pitch bend range.  Why is it 
> limited to only (+/-) 12 semitones?  48 semitones would be perfect.  
> 36 would be satisfactory.  24 would still be too small.  Right now 
> I'm using cords to route pitch bend to 'pitch' @ 100% to get pitch 
> bend ranges larger than 12.  It sounds fine, so I know the synth 
> engine can handle these larger bend ranges.  It would just be more 
> convenient for me if I could set it up for all sounds rather than 
> having to go through and edit the cords for all my important patches.
> 
> If this is my biggest complaint though, I must be in heaven.
> 
> - A.
> http://www.kickassmartians.com

Hey Bruce-

Good comments.  I haven't had a chance to play around with the RFX 
card yet.  They're a bit spendy considering how I would use it.  From 
what I have read though, they look very interesting.  Do you use your 
RFX live or in the studio primarily?

When I said that the XL7 replaces my Z1 & E5000, I meant in my *live 
rig*.  I don't see myself parting with the E5000 or Z1 for many 
years... they're too important in my studio.  The Z1 is a crazy synth 
and I don't plan to give it up.  When I play gigs though, I need to 
be able to set up quickly and tear down in a flash to make room for 
other bands, etc.  The fewer MIDI and audio connections I have to 
make, the better.  I've sampled the critical Z1 patches and I plan to 
burn them into FLASH ROM for the XL7.  I'm excited that the XL7 can 
do 90% of what my old live rig used to be able to do, all with one 
power cord and set of audio cables.  That's just too sweet.

Off-topic:  Do you use Symphony Of Voices?  I'm wondering how you 
like that collection.  The online demos and literature I've gotten 
from Spectrasonics make it look amazing.  Again, too spendy 
considering how I would use it so I haven't bought it yet.  Maybe 
someday.

- A.

--- In xl7@y..., albert_thorn@k... wrote:
> 
> Hey Bruce-
> 
> Good comments.  I haven't had a chance to play around with the RFX 
> card yet.  They're a bit spendy considering how I would use it.  From 
> what I have read though, they look very interesting.  Do you use your 
> RFX live or in the studio primarily?

Studio only.  I would be scared to use it live.  As you have correctly
pointed out there is a big difference between studio and live.  For
those of you who have yet to enjoy a PA, there is one rule: EVERYTHING
WILL GO WRONG.

Not to discourage you from trying it, but Albert is quite correct that
to play out you must simplify.

> When I said that the XL7 replaces my Z1 & E5000, I meant in my *live 
> rig*.  I don't see myself parting with the E5000 or Z1 for many 
> years... they're too important in my studio.  The Z1 is a crazy synth 
> and I don't plan to give it up.  When I play gigs though, I need to 
> be able to set up quickly and tear down in a flash to make room for 
> other bands, etc.  The fewer MIDI and audio connections I have to 
> make, the better.  I've sampled the critical Z1 patches and I plan to 
> burn them into FLASH ROM for the XL7.  I'm excited that the XL7 can 
> do 90% of what my old live rig used to be able to do, all with one 
> power cord and set of audio cables.  That's just too sweet.

Ah yes, another flash ROM junky.  I have become so fond of my flashes
that I am making a set of waveforms just to try and do new strange
things with my XL-7 that are not really possible without doing a lot
of off line (non real time) computing.  Creating samples of that crazy
stuff and sticking it on Flash.

Like you I would prefer to leave my E4 at home.  I am in constant fear
that it will break the next gig.  The XL is a lot more of a "tank" in
that regard.  If I lose my XL I can replace by putting the Roms in my
proteus.  If I lose my E4 I am sunk.

> Off-topic:  Do you use Symphony Of Voices?  I'm wondering how you 
> like that collection.  The online demos and literature I've gotten 
> from Spectrasonics make it look amazing.  Again, too spendy 
> considering how I would use it so I haven't bought it yet.  Maybe 
> someday.

Its damn awe inspiring.  I recently pulled it out with some people
playing early Genesis / Gabriel covers instead of my usual Mellotron
samples.  They loved it until they figured out it was not a Mellotron.
 Ah, even musicians can get stuck in a rut.

If you ever own that set just go out an buy as much memory as you can.
  You will need it and want it.

Bruce

> For
> those of you who have yet to enjoy a PA, there is one rule: 
EVERYTHING
> WILL GO WRONG.

Exactly.  The other reality of dealing with a live PA is that sublty 
is usually the first casualty.  In an environment where you're lucky 
if the sound man makes a stage mix where you can hear the keyboards 
at all, you can't afford to be picky with whether your three 
keyboards are all mixed correctly with respect to each other.  Having 
one signal going to the mixing board is very desireable.

> I am making a set of waveforms just to try and do new strange
> things with my XL-7 that are not really possible without doing a lot
> of off line (non real time) computing.

Interesting.  I'll probably do some of that myself once my Flash 
arrives.  Incidently, where are you getting your 32MB Flash cards?  I 
bought one from www.kraftmusic.com for $398.  Do you think I can do 
better somewhere else?  I'll probably be buying another one soon.

> Like you I would prefer to leave my E4 at home.  I am in constant 
fear
> that it will break the next gig.  

Actually, I've played a *lot* of shows with my E5000.  It lives in a 
solid SKB case and has never given me any problems.  My only gripe is 
the size.  I guess I am a bit nervous about damaging the hard drive 
one of these days- it gets tossed around sometimes in transit.

> The XL is a lot more of a "tank" in
> that regard.

I agree.  I still need to get some sort of a case or bag for the XL7 
though.  The bag that EMU sells looks overpriced to me.

[Symphony Of Voices]
> Its damn awe inspiring.  I recently pulled it out with some people
> playing early Genesis / Gabriel covers instead of my usual Mellotron
> samples.  They loved it until they figured out it was not a 
> Mellotron.

That's cool.  Maybe I'll see SOV in eBay some day or something.

- A.

I'm going to be using a small SKB keyboard case to mount it in (along with 
an ER-1, and Microsync Beat Xtractor), soft bags don't cut it live IMO.

rEalm




> The XL is a lot more of a "tank" in
> that regard.

I agree.  I still need to get some sort of a case or bag for the XL7 
though.  The bag that EMU sells looks overpriced to me.