SMF PLayer

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DEVO-UK
Posts: 154
Joined: 21:14, 16 August 2011

SMF PLayer

Post by DEVO-UK »

Hi guys

I've now completed the development of my midi files in Logic and want to transfer them over to play them from the USB stick. I currently have the USB-MIDI Thru set to ON, as I have some tracks playing sounds in the SC and some playing sounds on the Virus. It all works fine.

So I've dumped a couple of songs onto the stick, but It's playing havoc with the sounds, so I obviously have a setting or two out for this operation.

I've studied the manual and it says (page 168) that you can't use the SMF/ audio file player while also using USB audio / midi message output p.140.

So I go to p.140 and it doesn't tell you what you need to do. So I'm confused.

I basically need to go from my Macbook, SC, Virus set up, to just the SC to Virus set up with the songs on the memory stick.

Would someone please mind giving me a simple step by step of what I need to do?

Thanks

Alan
rcraven
Posts: 629
Joined: 14:36, 9 September 2007
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: SMF PLayer

Post by rcraven »

Hi Alan
You don't actually say what 'havoc' is. so I'll assume it is changing the patch for the different patches.

As far as the setup goes you need to have the correct patches in the various parts assigned before the song starts. There are two ways to do this.
Either ...
Make sure you have a performance that has the correct Midi channels assigned for the song.
Normally the SC can do a Performance select using Midi channel 16 (factory default) so you can have a blank track in Logic set to channel 16 with just the Performance bank and patch (performance) selected.

Make sure you have all the correct SC patches selected in Logic so when it builds the Midi file it starts by selecting the Bank and Patch for each part, BUT the performance needs to be selected first. So make track 1 in Logic the blank track.

The other way is to build a performance for each song with all the correct patches selected.
The Blank track channel 16 has the songs Performance as a patch change BUT there should no other patch selected on the other channels.
You have only 64 user slots to use though so you could use a mixture of both methods and have the patches on some parts change. Remember Channel 16 must go first.

As all the Midi data from the midi file is also sent out to the Midi out port you can select the patch and play the note on your Virus.
Set the Virus to a particular channel and turn off or change the SC channel or turn off Midi receive for the part/s set to the Virus channel.

If you want to use all the midi channels for the song there is a sysex message that will select the correct Performance freeing up the channel. Let me know if you want this info.

"I've studied the manual and it says (page 168) that you can't use the SMF/ audio file player while also using USB audio / midi message output p.140."

As you are no longer connected to the Mac this shouldn't be a problem.

All the best
Royce
DEVO-UK
Posts: 154
Joined: 21:14, 16 August 2011

Re: SMF PLayer

Post by DEVO-UK »

Thanks Royce.

Maybe I should have been clearer.

I have all my tracks in Logic and the whole thing talks to the SC nicely and to the Virus (using the Midi Thru on the SC).

My very last track in each song is blank and that's how I access the SC mixer on the Mac. The mixer is on this channel.

So I'm assuming my next steps should be.

1. Export as a SMF to the memory stick

2. Insert the memory stick into the SC

3. Play the songs

It has played them, but them it plays different patches.

So I just need a 1. 2. 3. of things to do please if possible.

Thanks

Alan
rcraven
Posts: 629
Joined: 14:36, 9 September 2007
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: SMF PLayer

Post by rcraven »

There are lots of different ways you can set up the SC before starting a song so I am having to guess a bit.
1) Are you starting in Performance mode when you play a song?
2) Does the song change the patches when you look at it in Performance mode?
Select a Performance and have a look at the patches in the Parts. Now start a song and stop it. Have a look again at the patches in the parts.
Perhaps Logic in not including the bank/patch in the Midi file.
3) Are you using the Playlist editor for SC?
If you like you can send me a song and I'll tell what the Midi file is doing.
DEVO-UK
Posts: 154
Joined: 21:14, 16 August 2011

Re: SMF PLayer

Post by DEVO-UK »

rcraven wrote:There are lots of different ways you can set up the SC before starting a song so I am having to guess a bit.
1) Are you starting in Performance mode when you play a song?
2) Does the song change the patches when you look at it in Performance mode?
Select a Performance and have a look at the patches in the Parts. Now start a song and stop it. Have a look again at the patches in the parts.
Perhaps Logic in not including the bank/patch in the Midi file.
3) Are you using the Playlist editor for SC?
If you like you can send me a song and I'll tell what the Midi file is doing.
Hi Royce

Thanks again for your help on this. I'm nearly there. All the Virus and DR880 parts are playing perfectly. It's just the sounds in the SC that are changing when played on the memory stick, or at least doubling up.

For example, in the strings intro in Depeche Modes' New Life it's playing the same midi information with a piano sound, so I think you're onto it with the ommission of the bank patch in the midi file.

When I create the midi file from Logic, I simply select all the tracks and export as a midi file. However, as mentioned, I have my SC mixer in channel 16 (it just ended up there), so I'm probably not picking up the SC patch info in the midi file.

1. Yes I'm in performance mode.

2. I have no idea how to do this.

3. Yes I have used the playlist editor to create the playlist

I would like to send you a couple of midi files if that's possible.

I'll send two covers by Depeche Mode (New Life and Photographic). You can message me at textatemp@btopenworld.com to save advertsing your email address on here if that helps.

Thanks

Alan
rcraven
Posts: 629
Joined: 14:36, 9 September 2007
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: SMF PLayer

Post by rcraven »

DEVO-UK wrote:2) Does the song change the patches when you look at it in Performance mode?
Select a Performance and have a look at the patches in the Parts. Now start a song and stop it. Have a look again at the patches in the parts.
Perhaps Logic in not including the bank/patch in the Midi file.

It's just the sounds in the SC that are changing when played on the memory stick, or at least doubling up.
If it is doubling up then the Performance you have selected is incorrect.
For a test try this, get Logic to select Performance Preset 001 'Seq:Template' .

You need to select this at the start of your song by sending
Bank 10944 Patch 1
which is
Bank 85-MSB 64-LSB Patch 1 on channel 16
which is in hexadecimal

BF 00 55 CC 00 channel 16 value 85
BF 20 40 CC 32 channel 16 value 64
CF 00 PATCH 1

This is what should be sent first, then all the other Part setup stuff, then the notes of the song.
To make sure it is, select a USER Performance other than 1 then start the Midi file in the player. It should change to the Preset Performance Bank and the patch 1.


The USER Performance bank is
Bank 10880 Patch 1
which is
Bank 85-MSB 00-LSB Patch 1 on channel 16
which is in hexadecimal

BF 00 55 CC 00 channel 16 value 85
BF 20 00 CC 32 channel 16 value 00
CF 00 PATCH 1

Just one byte different
DEVO-UK wrote: When I create the midi file from Logic, I simply select all the tracks and export as a midi file. However, as mentioned, I have my SC mixer in channel 16 (it just ended up there), so I'm probably not picking up the SC patch info in the midi file.
Ah, you are using the SC VST. That might make a difference to the Midi file.
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