sp404 and mc505

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rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

hi i am too very satisfied with my 404. pan and more than 4/4 wouldnt hurt but other than that absolutely nothing to nag about. top notch.I have a problem though that i hope someone can help me with. I use my 404 with a mc505.The problem is whenever i start a pattern in the 505 the 404 tags along. is there a way to stop this? I try to make the beats with my sampler and mute the drum section on the 505. cheers
rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

anyone? perhaps you have used a mc303 or similar with this sampler? really need help.cheers
Hugo
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Location: Another world

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Hugo »

Hmm, you don't want the sp404 to start playing when the 505 starts..?
Here's from the manual:
"While holding down [TIME/BPM], turn on the power.
The MIDI synchronization mode will appear in the display. The
MIDI synchronization mode determines how the SP-404
operates in synchronization with another device."
You can now choose 'Auto', 'Tempo Sync' or 'Off'.

Check out the manual, page 41 for more info, or I can post it here in case you don't have it.

regards, Hugo
rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

i think i have been somewhat unclear. the problem is right now that whenever i play a pattern in 505 the bank a pattern 1 from the 404 starts. I didnt try the midi sync option. but i ll try soon.cheers.
rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

i think i have been somewhat unclear. the problem is right now that whenever i play a pattern in 505 the bank a pattern 1 from the 404 starts. i want to be able to make a pattern on the 505 and just let the 404 play the samples in that pattern,without a preset pattern. I didnt try the midi sync option. but i ll try soon.cheers.
Hugo
Posts: 490
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Location: Another world

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Hugo »

Ok, if I understand you correctly, you want to program a pattern on the 505 which trigger samples in the 404.
(That's precisely what I'll be doing with my rm1x)

What you need to do is enter MIDI synchronisation mode in the 404 (as described in my previous post), and set sync to 'Off'.
From the manual:
"'oFF
(Sync OFF)':
MIDI Clock and Start/Stop/Continue messages
will not be received.
Choose this setting if you only want the
SP-404’s samples to play in response to
Note messages received from your external
MIDI sequencer."

Does that work?

regards, Hugo
rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

jupp that worked. cheers hugo. a small anonyance though is that i can very faintly hear the mc-505 sounds as well.
Hugo
Posts: 490
Joined: 06:31, 31 May 2004
Location: Another world

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Hugo »

" small anonyance though is that i can very faintly hear the mc-505 sounds as well"

There should be a setting in the mc-505 where you can choose if the part you are sequencing on should go to the tone generator in the synth.
Unfortunately I have no mc-505 manual, but this setting should be set to 'off'. Perhaps someone else could help us here?

Anyway, you should get rid of the sound if you just set the volume to zero, have you made sure it is turned all the way down for the part you are sequencing?

(the advantage of not sending the midi information to the tone generator is that you will save polyphony. It may not be critical for you, though)

regards, Hugo
rabulisten
Posts: 10
Joined: 11:54, 17 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by rabulisten »

I ll check that out in the manual. it seems that getting the volume to zero doesnt make that particular channel totally silent. cheers again
Hugo
Posts: 490
Joined: 06:31, 31 May 2004
Location: Another world

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Hugo »

Ok, let us know how you progress, and I'll get back to you if I get hold of the manual. Cheers mate

regards, Hugo
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Quinnx.
Posts: 3439
Joined: 11:28, 13 January 2005
Location: HomeTown Ireland: Current Location USA

My Review...

Post by Quinnx. »

Okay.. I decided to give this thing ago

I cannot say im impressed

Looks like they spend more time on how it looks than how it works.


It’s twice as big as it needs to be
The pads feel clunky, (more like switches) so there is a noticeable delay between hitting the pads and hearing the sample.

Recording is twice as complicated as it needs to be.
How it should work...

Press record
Press the pad to record to and recording begins
Press the pad again and recording stops..

*How Roland did it
Press record
press the pad you want to record to
press record to start
press record to stop

typical Roland philosophy to make you do twice as much work to do a simple task.

Recording to an already assigned pad is just as bad.

What it should do
press record
press pad to start recording(previous sample is erased or unassigned)
press pad to stop.

*What Roland make you do
Press del,
press pad to erase
press del
press record
press pad
press record
press record
Once again there is twice as much work as there needs to be to do a simple task.

recording patterns is just as complicated.

Annoyances:

When you delete a sample it momentarily plays the sample
Why!?
And just like the fantom, sound stops when you try to do anything else.

(after 1 night its going back to the shop)


X-Bugs.org
(Become part of the solution)

Results not Excuses




QuinnX universal tranlator below:-
(lets not be misunderstood)

!!!!!! Emphasis not anger
!!?? Confusion or Stupidity
ABC are you getting the point
&*$% Anger (but rarely seen)


Fantom-X6 with Audio Track Expansion (OS 2.0)
Windows 2000
Intel P4 2g
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Artemiy
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Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Artemiy »

Quinnx, I see no point in your "review" again. What you suggest is, as to me, not really logical. We may all want to go the easiest road, but the advanced users are only 5-10% and what about all others which will be too confused when the machine does too much for them.

The procedure to record is: press record to enter the recording mode, select the pad you want to record to, then start the recording. All is logical. If my mouse cursor jumped to the window close button every time the OS would think this is what I want to do, this would be awful.

Please do not comment this post ;-)
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Quinnx.
Posts: 3439
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Location: HomeTown Ireland: Current Location USA

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Quinnx. »

okay.. lets say all is logical..
What is logical about deleting samples.?

Why do i have to delete before i record to the same pad (not logical should be automatic))

why does it play the sample in that pad as i delete it (not logical)

whats the point of my review (im a perfectionist)


X-Bugs.org
(Become part of the solution)

Results not Excuses




QuinnX universal tranlator below:-
(lets not be misunderstood)

!!!!!! Emphasis not anger
!!?? Confusion or Stupidity
ABC are you getting the point
&*$% Anger (but rarely seen)


Fantom-X6 with Audio Track Expansion (OS 2.0)
Windows 2000
Intel P4 2g
512mb
User avatar
Artemiy
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Posts: 19754
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Location: Ukraine
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Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Artemiy »

Quinnx, there are things that should be easier, but it appears you're not just a perfectionist, you're just a very lazy person ;-) Yeah no one wants extra button pushing, unless this is for safety. Again, in this particular example, if the gear would do too much stuff for us (like auto-deletion), it would be a one plus for you but a thousand minuses for those who'll loose their data not knowing what the machine does. Remember, no one reads the manuals ;-)
Levi167
Posts: 4
Joined: 17:09, 31 March 2006

Re: sp404 and mc505

Post by Levi167 »

"Why do i have to delete before i record to the same pad (not logical should be automatic))"

"why does it play the sample in that pad as i delete it (not logical)"

Have to say, Quinnix, but I've just got the 404 and those 'flaws' have saved me from deleting pads by mistake. And as for the pad 'playing' the deleted sample, well it does this as a preview of the unwanted sample BEFORE finalising that the user wishes to delete said sample before condeming it to sample heaven (or hell, depending on the person's musical taste).
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