My XL arrived yesterday...

Yes, I went to bed 2 hours ago and I'm running on fumes today. I dug in around 10:00pm and finally went to bed around 5:00am. But I learned alot in that time period, but obviously, I have a long way to go. I manage to make a short sequence using my XP-30 as the sound source, and then I sampled some snares, kicks, and hi hats randomly from some CDs and the XP-30. But I have some questions.

1. When I saved All programs and sounds to floppy, and then went to load them back up, it only loaded about three samples. The other samples I had to load individually and select what pad to load it on. Did I save it wrong? How do I save everything to where I can load it and all the samples load to the pads that I originally assigned?

2. I can't get the MPC to playback tracks from the XP-30, with the exception of channel 10 which is the rythm channel on the 30. For example, I sequenced a beat using the samples in the MPC, but when I tried to record a bassline from the XP-30 it wouldn't playback. The bass sound is on part 9, midi channel 9 on the XP-30, and I had the MPC set to MIDI, device A9.

What am I doing wrong?

cant really answer the 2nd as I am just a baby to midi but to save everything just save it ass all programs...dont know the specific as I am not in from of my baby right now but just save it as an all and it should load up all your sounds again and whatnot.....also...make sure you cop one of them there zip drives too..preferably the internal one and that 32mb too if you dont already have 'em yet.....way to go on your purchase, mane

BTW, how long did it take you to save up for one?

Dude, I got my hustle on real quick like. I did 3 gigs just playing dinner music for some banguets in a span of about 3 weeks so I could cop one. My main workhorse for the last 10+ years has been an Ensoniq TS-10, which quite possibly is the best kept secret in workstations. It crashed on me so I haven't been able to get any serious work done. But I'm telling you, the TS-10 wouldn't sample, but it read EPS 16(+) and ASR10 samples, and the sequencer was/is simply the easiest, most powerful sequencer I've ever worked on. I'm not saying that because that's what I used and was use to it like other cats would be used to a Triton, Roland, or Yamaha sequencer, but the TS-10 sequencer functioned prettly much just like the XL, now lie. That's why I never went out and copped the Trinitys, Tritons, or Motifs or anything. I worked on their sequencers, but none of them compared to the TS-10 for simplicity, functionality, or ease-of-use. Especially for Hip Hop tracks that don't require a lot of playing of the keys for pianos, or strings, etc. But when I did have a lot of orchestration to do with all those pianos, strings, or whatever, the TS-10 didn't blink. I worked quick on it and it slow me down with too much technical stuff. It was straight forward and ready to move when I was, not a whole lot of pushing of buttons to do anything.

So anyway, I got the chance to work on a couple XL's and I was like "that's it...that's my next move right there...." It reminded me of the TS-10 in the way it moved with you and didn't slow you down.

I called Sweetwater and they had 32MB for about $50.00. I'm definately going to cop that, and I got a friend checking on some external SCSI ZIP drives for me today. He knows a place in town that can still order them new. I thought about getting the XL with the internal ZIP, but I didn't want to loose my floppy. Never know when a friend will have a 3.5 laying around with nice sounds on it or maybe order a couple from one of these companies like MPC.sounds or banginbeats or something. I just want the option to do either.

Word, that TS ain't no joke. The sound quality is off da skiz ale. A friend of mine has one and the TS 12. I tried for two years to get that TS 12 out of him. Needless to say no luck. However he used his TS 10 with his MPC and the beats are just bangin. I still have a banga or two laying around that was down strictly on the TS 10 and if you decide to get rid of it, holla. As for the midi situation I'm still a little foreign on the depths of midi but it's more than likely that you had the Ts as the master. Set up the Ts to recieve on the midi channels 1-16, and make sure they are plugged into your MPC midi A port to run them on 1A-16A. And to also be able to run the TS as a controller use the midi out on the TS and run it to the MPC midi in. Either port doesn't matter which one.

Well, I'm not using the TS right now...it's still out of commission. I'm using the Roland XP-30 with the MPC. I'm pretty sure the problem is somewhere in the MIDI setup of both. I prolly just need to concentrate on it for a minute and get it figured out. Thought I could get a quick fix here.

man, the SD-1 was my first experience with keyboards and it's still my first love. that sequncer was so quick and easy. she died a while ago and my wife wants me to throw her away but i keep telling myself that i'm going to send it to get it fixed. maybe next year.

1. Make sure you have the xp-30 in MULTI mode. if it's only paying back one track that's the problem.

2. Did you save all programs AND sounds to that disk?

did you set the track (a blank one) to midi, synth 1A and set the xp to channel 1? Do you have midi input & out put connected (2 cables)?

Yo, thanks everyone. I figured out what I was doing wrong as far as the midi. But you know I'll have tons more questions as I dig deeper into this beast.

Now I'm going to have to work on converting those ASR10 samples.

Don't waste your money at Sweetwater. They price everything above other dealers and expect you to know the difference so they can price match. You can buy that same RAM on eBay for about $15.

I got mine from Ninerezfan on Ebay for 20 + shipping, works fine. Now he is selling memory for 14.95 free shipping. Leave sweetwater alone.