Hey guys,
There is a post on this board with a dead youtube link that showed how to export the MC-909 projects as MIDI files. I know there is a tedious way to do this with a bunch of menu hopping where you have to rename and export every file individually. Is there a fast way via USB that will let me convert and dump all the songs to my computer as MIDI files in one big export? It's very frustrating and time consuming otherwise and I know there has to be a faster, easier way to get my MC-909 songs off the MC and onto my computer as MIDI files. I just can't find it. I don't even care if I have to rename them on my computer, but I would at least prefer to be able to drag them over without all the menu hopping? Anybody on this?
MC-909 exporting SMF
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
No sure what you mean by menu hopping but you can only export SMF files per Pattern. So if your song has 10 patterns then you have to manually export one SMF file for each one of these 10 patterns, and recombine the patterns into a song later on in your DAW. AFAIK there is no way to export a Song directly as one SMF file.
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
Grabiller, forget what I implied about "songs". Sorry, I mean the patterns as per Roland nomenclature.
By menu hopping I just mean I have to go through each pattern's individual menu and convert to SMF and export each one individually. (In fact, I can export each pattern via USB but I can't figure out how to convert them to SMF first on the MC and then drag them over. Also, my MC has the as-shipped OS and the firmware has never been updated.)
Is there not a way to batch convert all the user patterns to SMF and via USB drag them over onto my computer? Or at least is there a MC-909 editor that will do this?
By menu hopping I just mean I have to go through each pattern's individual menu and convert to SMF and export each one individually. (In fact, I can export each pattern via USB but I can't figure out how to convert them to SMF first on the MC and then drag them over. Also, my MC has the as-shipped OS and the firmware has never been updated.)
Is there not a way to batch convert all the user patterns to SMF and via USB drag them over onto my computer? Or at least is there a MC-909 editor that will do this?
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
None that I am aware of.
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
Is there a way to preserve the pattern's name once I convert it to an SMF? They are always generically renamed/numbered once I convert.
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
Hey SMUDGE,
how do you handle the "wrong" drum notes in your exported file?
Do you transpose them in your DAW?
I'm even more interested in the other way round - from the DAW to the MC!
how do you handle the "wrong" drum notes in your exported file?
Do you transpose them in your DAW?
I'm even more interested in the other way round - from the DAW to the MC!
Re: MC-909 exporting SMF
Hey Gregdei,
I know what you mean about the MC-909's drum mapping. I do a couple of different workarounds, all involving other gear.
Just to clear up (which may not be necessary), a DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation. MIDI is not digital audio. MIDI is Musical Instrument Digital Interface, it's nothing but data. My DAWs are external pieces of hardware that use MIDI but record instruments as digital audio. I know there are computer DAWs like Ardour that incorporate MIDI tracks alongside the audio tracks, but assuming you aren't talking about getting audio drum tracks from your DAW sampled onto your MC as audio files, I can give you an account of my experience with the MC MIDI data, specifically its drums, as follows:
Sometimes I will use a Roland MV-8800 as the Master, so I'm writing MIDI data to the MV instead of to the MC. Often I will use the MC's arpeggiator and write to the MC via the MV for only the arpeggiated track, while everything else including drums (unless I want to record a filter sweep) is written to the MV. I do this because the MC has a tendency to play the arpeggios more consistently, ie starting on the same note, when the data is written to the Groovebox itself. I still write the chord or notes that trigger the MC's arp to my MV for completeness sake, but I mute that MV track (or disable the appropriate MIDI channel) when I track to my DAW so it doesn't screw up the MC's arp with redundant notes. As for exporting, which was the subject of my original question to the board, the MV exports MIDI files much more efficiently while also allowing me to click and drag to remap the drums. Each machine gets tracked into a Roland VS, either an 880 or a 2400.
I like the MC' s drum voices but I have many more on my Korg M3M and Boss DR-880, so remapping is usually necessary if I want to use their equivalents. I also will do the reverse, but not as often, writing to the MV or M3M from the MC, and again a remap is necessary. (I had written many MC files before I realized export was going to be such a pain in the ass.) Of all my gear, the MV has the quickest remapping capabilities with the mouse and VGA.
Another workaround, which can be more intuitive and improvisational, is to bus the MC's drum tracks to a sampler, either a Roland SP or a Korg Kaoss pad or both, and manipulate them there and then track that out. Also bussing the MC drum track back into the MV or an Akai MPC and resampling and rechopping them then tracking them out to the DAW gives me more options of what to do with those pesky MC-exclusively mapped 808s and 909s.
PS I have not found that a straight transposition across the board gets me the equivalent drum sounds on any of my other devices, though. I have to find each kick, snare, etc's equivalent individually. Hope all that is helpful.
I know what you mean about the MC-909's drum mapping. I do a couple of different workarounds, all involving other gear.
Just to clear up (which may not be necessary), a DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation. MIDI is not digital audio. MIDI is Musical Instrument Digital Interface, it's nothing but data. My DAWs are external pieces of hardware that use MIDI but record instruments as digital audio. I know there are computer DAWs like Ardour that incorporate MIDI tracks alongside the audio tracks, but assuming you aren't talking about getting audio drum tracks from your DAW sampled onto your MC as audio files, I can give you an account of my experience with the MC MIDI data, specifically its drums, as follows:
Sometimes I will use a Roland MV-8800 as the Master, so I'm writing MIDI data to the MV instead of to the MC. Often I will use the MC's arpeggiator and write to the MC via the MV for only the arpeggiated track, while everything else including drums (unless I want to record a filter sweep) is written to the MV. I do this because the MC has a tendency to play the arpeggios more consistently, ie starting on the same note, when the data is written to the Groovebox itself. I still write the chord or notes that trigger the MC's arp to my MV for completeness sake, but I mute that MV track (or disable the appropriate MIDI channel) when I track to my DAW so it doesn't screw up the MC's arp with redundant notes. As for exporting, which was the subject of my original question to the board, the MV exports MIDI files much more efficiently while also allowing me to click and drag to remap the drums. Each machine gets tracked into a Roland VS, either an 880 or a 2400.
I like the MC' s drum voices but I have many more on my Korg M3M and Boss DR-880, so remapping is usually necessary if I want to use their equivalents. I also will do the reverse, but not as often, writing to the MV or M3M from the MC, and again a remap is necessary. (I had written many MC files before I realized export was going to be such a pain in the ass.) Of all my gear, the MV has the quickest remapping capabilities with the mouse and VGA.
Another workaround, which can be more intuitive and improvisational, is to bus the MC's drum tracks to a sampler, either a Roland SP or a Korg Kaoss pad or both, and manipulate them there and then track that out. Also bussing the MC drum track back into the MV or an Akai MPC and resampling and rechopping them then tracking them out to the DAW gives me more options of what to do with those pesky MC-exclusively mapped 808s and 909s.
PS I have not found that a straight transposition across the board gets me the equivalent drum sounds on any of my other devices, though. I have to find each kick, snare, etc's equivalent individually. Hope all that is helpful.