Sys Ex Dump: is the MPC capable of receiving SyEx Data

Is the Mpc capable of receiving sys Ex data from an external sequencer?sys ex dumping is different from midi sample dump, right?

ST

Yes and yes.

Still a little ways to go before I start dumping memory, at least I know I can.

Thanks

I seem to remember doing this only once. (that could be a hallucination, now that I think of it) so pipe up any time, MG.

To receive a sample dump you just set a sequence not to loop and hit record, then tell the machine to send a dump, recording it as a stream of regular MIDI data. Can save as mid file or whatever. Then, to reload, place synth in a waiting for dump mode, hit play on the MPC and voila!

No? Curious as I might use this for future applications (dunno though, since I've got some patch librarian type stuff going on for my Karma anyway)

-tank.

"Curious as I might use this for future applications "

Ah, good question. Depending on the type of setup and complexity of the studio, here is a possiblity:

For a particular project, one might want to store synth patch setting at the beginning of a sequence. That way, all you do is load the sequence and hit play. The first few bars contain the sysex patch settings for all the gear and gets sent. Once you hit the regualr sequence data the synths all play their proper patches. No more digging around for that particular patch for a particualr project or having to program MSB, LSB and program changes into a sequence.

The above is also good if you tour and instead of taking your synths on the road, you make the touring company or the local promoter scrape up gear for you. All you have to take is your sequence data that contains patch data for your entire performance. Load it up and it is ready to go.

Another good use is for backing up synth patch data. Just like Zips, synths can sometimes have problems and if your data is not backed up, then you are out of luck. If you need to get it repaired, the machine almost always get reset to factory defaults as part of the factory repair procedures.

Thanks,

That it very cool, that way your settings and patches can be stored as sysex data, sweet, very efficient.

once the system is in place, you become more free to create

ST

I tried this with my mpc2000xl and my roland xp-30. I cannot get it to work. I have read both manuals back and forth but still can't get it.

I am reduced to loading the patch data on the synth everytime I want to change a song. This gets really time consuming at shows!

Someone please help. And don't take this wrong but don't gve me the standard "there are lots of resources on the net to answer this" or "read the manual, it's in there" or "find a basic midi book, it will explain everything". Believe me, I have exhausted all of my resources. This board is my last cry for help!

Thanks
djtap

"I cannot get it to work"

First make sure the sysex data made it into the MPC:
1) check you are not filtering sysex
2) find the track in which it was recorded. It could be 17 for input 1 or 34 for input 2.
3) make sure that track's output is correctly set.
4) Another test is to save a sequence without the sysex and make a note of the file size. Dump the sysex and go to save again. See if size is different.

Thanks MPC 3000 for the tip! It did work. My MPC recorded the data on track 17.

Here is a follow-up question, and maybe this is due to me expecting something else from sysex. I thought by recording this data, I would be able to play a sequence and my synth would go to the correct patches.

This is how I recorded the data.
1. I set the mpc to receive sysex data.
2. I turned loop mode off on the mpc.
3. I put the mpc in record and sent a dump from my xp-30.
4. I stopped the mpc when the xp-30 said complete.
5. I had the data on track 17 of the mpc.
6. I had about 20 bars of a sequence recorded. Not all of the bars had data, just bar 1 and a few bars scattered throughout.
7. When I played back the sequence on the mpc, my patches still did not set correctly.

Did I do something wrong? Shouldn't all of the data be in bar 1? I am still a little confused but I think I am on the right track! Am I expecting more from the mpc than it is capable of doing?
Please advise.
Thanks
djtap

After bumming around with no results on this myself, I finally got it to work with my Karma. (had previously given up if I remember correctly)

You sure the track recorded onto track 17 tap? My Karma records sysex on whatever channel is currently selected on the MPC. I've verified the dumping and receiving of individual programs and a complete 16-instrument seq setup for my purposes, this is all I need. (not a keyboardist and Combi mode is essentially for actual musicians playing live)

Are you sure you're not filtering the sysex data? If you are (as I was, misreading the setup of filtering on the Karma) it won't be sending or receiving data properly. Be sure your MIDI filter is allowing sysex data through.

Make sure to turn that loop mode off on the MPC to avoid accidentally loop recording during transmission of complex sysex data. (I see you've done this)

Once you've finished transmitting the data, scoot around on the tracks of the MPC. Long as this was an empty sequence before, all tracks should say (Unused) except the track data was recorded to, which will read Track X. Set this track to MIDI and the channel number to that the keyboard is receiving/transmitting on. Don't forget the MIDI port number from the MPC as well.

This should load back whatever you saved via the dump.

The limits on what sysex (and the MPC) can do are basically what dumping capabilities your synth manufacturer gave you. Triton/Karma can transmit individual patches, banks or multiple banks, combi patches, seq patches, drum kits and plenty else. The complexity of your dump is then left up to you. I like to create patches, save to flash ROM on my machine, and now I'll be recording a seq sysex dump for seq setup on tracks created with Karma but orchestrated via MPC. This means minimal data sent to the MPC (compared to several banks of data) and less time wasted.

Tip:

Once you've got your patch seq recorded on the MPC, do your sequencing on a different seq, then mash the two together using Song mode. This way you can keep playing back that hot loop or phrase without wading through bars and bars of silence. (of course I think you could just set auto punch but I've never used this feature)

Much love to mpc3k and all the cats posting on this thread, this will be of great assistance in speeding up my save/load times!!

Peace,
-tank.

Yooooooooooo!!!! That joint worked for me! Now that I've figured out how to do this on my triton, I can get back to making tracks on my xp-30. I'm guessing that it should work the same with that board too. I feel kind of stupid now for not knowing about something that was that simple. Just like thynctank I had a misunderstanding of the filtering options on my board. It's all good though. Mad thanks to everyone. And would anyone like to buy a triton le, lol?.......Future