Hi all, I have a few general questions regarding the XV2020 and a few sepcific quesions on how to reliably access and map it's higher bank sounds. 1. Background: I am a solo act currently using my XV2020 as a GM module being driven by a laptop firing off my midi files using a proprietry program called Showplay. I am sick of the lame old GM sounds and really want to unlock the great sounds in the XV2020 and make sure the patch changes translate at gigs. 2. So far: Using Cubase SX3 I have managed to start accessing some of the higher sounds using a script I found online and using the track inspector I can select the sounds I want and get the midi files to play back OK when still in Cubase. The problems start when I try to save the midi files and play them back on other equipment as I can't seem to get them to play back correctly(odd patch changes, XV-2020 reverts to GM mode, etc) 3. I need clarification on: The way the XV deals with the differnt "areas" in the machine, such as "performance" versus "patch" versus "GM". I am confused as to the differnce between a "performance" setting and a"patch setting". 3.a) What sysex files do I need to insert in my midi files to make sure I am accessing the correct areas of the machine in order to play the great sounds inside? 3. b) When I select the sounds I like in Cubase, the midi files contain MSB dat bits. Is there a list of internal XV2020 sounds that show the combination of program change numnbers as well as theri MSB counterparts? 4. As I am currently working thru my four hundred odd midi files and slowly porting them over to access the better sounds, I will be stuck using the older GM sounds for a lot of the night so I need to be able to mix and match my files so that I can fire off an older GM file and the unit will switch to GM mode (this is easy to do by inserting a GM reset at the start of each GM file). The problem for me occurs when I want to fire off a *non-GM* file. To play these back successfuly, I have discovered that I need to do an initialisation on the XV2020(using the front planel controls) and then the file will play OK. Is there either a sysex message I can send to the XV that will saet up the XV so that these *non-GM* files to be played correctly, or is there a sysex message that will initialise the XV-2020 in the same way that I do using the front panel controls? Although I am primarily a guitar player who is floundering thru the learning process with this great little unit, I'm not a total luddite so any help or tips will go a long way to clarifying the XV-2020's system and how to make it work for me. Thanks in advance for reading this slightly convoluted post and for any help that you might be able to give me. Cheers, Guitarzan!
> So far: Using Cubase SX3 I have managed to start accessing some of the > higher sounds using a script I found online and using the track > inspector I can select the sounds I want and get the midi files to play > back OK when still in Cubase. The problems start when I try to save > the midi files and play them back on other equipment as I can't seem to > get them to play back correctly(odd patch changes, XV-2020 reverts to > GM mode, etc) Are you using 'commercial' MIDI files? I'm guess they have the sysex code to switch any module to GM if it's GM compatable. Strip the sysex code. > > 3. > I need clarification on: The way the XV deals with the differnt "areas" > in the machine, such as "performance" versus "patch" versus "GM". I am > confused as to the differnce between a "performance" setting and > a"patch setting". Patch - just one sound on one MIDI channel. Performance - Multi-channel MIDI arrangement, different patches on different MIDI channels GM - A 'standard' so that a track plays back more or less what the programmer had in mind. Downside as you've found is the patches tend to be 'vanilla'. > > 3.a) What sysex files do I need to insert in my midi files to make sure > I am accessing the correct areas of the machine in order to play the > great sounds inside? Try and avoid the sysex, it's very MIDI intensive anyway, tends to make playback hicup. Bank select - then program number, it should allow you to access the patches from just about anywhere within the module, plus any that may be on expansion boards if fitted. > 3. b) When I select the sounds I like in Cubase, the midi files contain > MSB dat bits. Is there a list of internal XV2020 sounds that show the > combination of program change numnbers as well as theri MSB > counterparts? > It should be in the manual (I've a JV-2080 not a XV-2020 so I'm unable to give the list) > 4. As I am currently working thru my four hundred odd midi files and > slowly porting them over to access the better sounds, I will be stuck > using the older GM sounds for a lot of the night so I need to be able > to mix and match my files so that I can fire off an older GM file and > the unit will switch to GM mode (this is easy to do by inserting a GM > reset at the start of each GM file). > GM = cheese! Once you've re-arranged your tracks you'll be a happier person. > The problem for me occurs when I want to fire off a *non-GM* file. To > play these back successfuly, I have discovered that I need to do an > initialisation on the XV2020(using the front planel controls) and then > the file will play OK. Is there either a sysex message I can send to > the XV that will saet up the XV so that these *non-GM* files to be > played correctly, or is there a sysex message that will initialise the > XV-2020 in the same way that I do using the front panel controls? > How about making a 'live performance' set-up in one of the user memories, one that can be recalled quickly, you could use MIDI to recall that perfoarmance, but odd things might happen if the MIDI channel you pick gets a rouge program change message from one of your 'old GM files'. > > Although I am primarily a guitar player who is floundering thru the > learning process with this great little unit, I'm not a total luddite > so any help or tips will go a long way to clarifying the XV-2020's > system and how to make it work for me. > Well you've done well so far, you've managed to access the XV's own patches. You seem to have sussed out how to get around the system, stick with it, it's bound to improve the quailty of your MIDI files.
Thanks very much for the helpful insights. I think I'm slowly making progress........I started working on porting my files over using bank select data(MSB,LSB) and that seem to be working pretty well. I also am starting to sniff around the whole perfromance/patch concept. It's a bit convoluted, but hopefully I can structure several performances that Ill be able to apply to my files. Thanks again! "S-E-A" <> wrote in message news:s0h4f.3267$... > > > So far: Using Cubase SX3 I have managed to start accessing some of the > > higher sounds using a script I found online and using the track > > inspector I can select the sounds I want and get the midi files to play > > back OK when still in Cubase. The problems start when I try to save > > the midi files and play them back on other equipment as I can't seem to > > get them to play back correctly(odd patch changes, XV-2020 reverts to > > GM mode, etc) > > Are you using 'commercial' MIDI files? > I'm guess they have the sysex code to switch any module to GM if it's GM > compatable. > Strip the sysex code. > > > > > > 3. > > I need clarification on: The way the XV deals with the differnt "areas" > > in the machine, such as "performance" versus "patch" versus "GM". I am > > confused as to the differnce between a "performance" setting and > > a"patch setting". > > Patch - just one sound on one MIDI channel. > Performance - Multi-channel MIDI arrangement, different patches on different > MIDI channels > GM - A 'standard' so that a track plays back more or less what the > programmer had in mind. Downside as you've found is the patches tend to be > 'vanilla'. > > > > > > 3.a) What sysex files do I need to insert in my midi files to make sure > > I am accessing the correct areas of the machine in order to play the > > great sounds inside? > > Try and avoid the sysex, it's very MIDI intensive anyway, tends to make > playback hicup. > Bank select - then program number, it should allow you to access the patches > from just about anywhere within the module, plus any that may be on > expansion boards if fitted. > > > 3. b) When I select the sounds I like in Cubase, the midi files contain > > MSB dat bits. Is there a list of internal XV2020 sounds that show the > > combination of program change numnbers as well as theri MSB > > counterparts? > > > It should be in the manual (I've a JV-2080 not a XV-2020 so I'm unable to > give the list) > > > > 4. As I am currently working thru my four hundred odd midi files and > > slowly porting them over to access the better sounds, I will be stuck > > using the older GM sounds for a lot of the night so I need to be able > > to mix and match my files so that I can fire off an older GM file and > > the unit will switch to GM mode (this is easy to do by inserting a GM > > reset at the start of each GM file). > > > GM = cheese! > Once you've re-arranged your tracks you'll be a happier person. > > > > > The problem for me occurs when I want to fire off a *non-GM* file. To > > play these back successfuly, I have discovered that I need to do an > > initialisation on the XV2020(using the front planel controls) and then > > the file will play OK. Is there either a sysex message I can send to > > the XV that will saet up the XV so that these *non-GM* files to be > > played correctly, or is there a sysex message that will initialise the > > XV-2020 in the same way that I do using the front panel controls? > > > How about making a 'live performance' set-up in one of the user memories, > one that can be recalled quickly, you could use MIDI to recall that > perfoarmance, but odd things might happen if the MIDI channel you pick gets > a rouge program change message from one of your 'old GM files'. > > > > > > Although I am primarily a guitar player who is floundering thru the > > learning process with this great little unit, I'm not a total luddite > > so any help or tips will go a long way to clarifying the XV-2020's > > system and how to make it work for me. > > > > Well you've done well so far, you've managed to access the XV's own patches. > You seem to have sussed out how to get around the system, stick with it, > it's bound to improve the quailty of your MIDI files. > >
