Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Forum for the JD-Xi Keyboard.
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paulyuk6
Posts: 11
Joined: 16:43, 21 May 2015

Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by paulyuk6 »

Greetings all

I just got my JD-Xi a couple of days back and I'm still learning how to use it.

I've got a couple of questions which the manual gives no advice about:

1) Most of the built-in patterns seem to play in a similar key (C minor I think it is!). However no song that I know would stick to a single chord for its entirety. So how do I transpose a pattern to a different chord while it is playing? Or even if it is not playing, is there a way to transpose up or down each part (apart from the drums I suppose). Even better would be a way to change the chord type that it is playing!

2) As the maximum length of a pattern is 4 bars, how do you chain patterns together to make a complete song? If this can't be done, then it means that you have to manually select the patterns each time you want to play a new one. I suppose you could use the Favourites button to store them in the sequence you need, but you would rapidly run out of favourites buttons if you had several songs to play. Also it seems strange that similar pattern styles aren't grouped together for easy selection while playing. If you are doing a live performance, you don't have time to scroll up and down through all the banks to find the next pattern that you need.

Thanks for any advice on the above
All the best

Paul
sleepingangel
Posts: 23
Joined: 06:43, 23 April 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by sleepingangel »

I can just tell you what I do. As far a the key. I only know how to change the key across the keyboard. It can be different for each of the parts. You have to go into the menu and then edit. choose menu: then cursor to the Program Menu. Choose enter. then cursor to "coarse tune" each increment up or down is a half step. So if you went up to +1 that would give you the key of C# or Bb. or you could go down -1 that would give you Cb or D#. You then HAVE to do this for each of the parts. (that's the mistake I made the first time I tried it and it will sound aweful) however this option can be probably used creatively. So if you want all the tones to be in the same key you have to just choose that tone button (including the analog one) and then simply go up or down however many half steps that you want. There is also a way in the "tone" menu where you can change the Pitch and I believe it's virtually the same thing. I tried it and found no difference. if there is let me know

the second thing you want to do can only happen by adding each patch to a favorite. You have 16 banks of 16 favorites so I don't think you will run out very quickly. You also can not have them play one after the other like on an electribe. You have to manually choose the favorites and they will change at the end of the pattern 1, 2,3, or 4 measures)
I'm hoping Roland can make the last thing a firmware update.

Hope that helps. To see me changing the patterns in a song. Check out my video:

https://youtu.be/LI9IYwdknto

Maria
paulyuk6
Posts: 11
Joined: 16:43, 21 May 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by paulyuk6 »

Many thanks for your comments.
I didn't realise that there were more than 1 bank of favourites, this makes life a lot easier!

Checking out your video right now!

regards

Paul
sleepingangel
Posts: 23
Joined: 06:43, 23 April 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by sleepingangel »

No problem! Glad I could help. Thanks for watching the video
Maria
Congasjones
Posts: 16
Joined: 20:14, 19 April 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by Congasjones »

Hi can you clarify how you can save multiple favourites if it has 16 banks?i know how to save a fav but don't know how you save different banks
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rsaintjohn
Posts: 265
Joined: 02:56, 23 May 2015
Location: Cleveland, OH USA

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by rsaintjohn »

Tap Favorites. Hold Shift. The blinking Fav button tells you what bank you're currently in. Shift + ## (01-16) to change to another Fav bank
sleepingangel
Posts: 23
Joined: 06:43, 23 April 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by sleepingangel »

Thanks Robert!! that's exactly how you do it and it sure comes in handy. I was so happy when one of the nice folk on the FB Jdxi forum told me that (for those of us that are bad at reading the manual!! )
I've already filled up almost two rows lol!!

Take care
Maria
Congasjones
Posts: 16
Joined: 20:14, 19 April 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by Congasjones »

Thanks for the responses on the favs bank appreciated
cresshead
Posts: 94
Joined: 20:17, 1 January 2015

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by cresshead »

no song mode:

i'm sorta stunned at manufacturers dropping 'song mode' from their sequencers...like this, the volca range and the new electribes..just make it's less desirable for me...that why i chose the Fa-06 recently and still use the blue Electribe too.

adding song mode which in reality for the jd-xi would only be a pattern lister that then played thru those patterns in order of the list ...this is not a hard thing to add to a O/S but would quite honestly push the jd-xi right to the front of my next acquisition....same with the JD-Xa.

you could even take advantage of the 16 favorite buttons and have the song 'step' program a arrangement with ease...

add song mode = i will buy it.

many people still write songs/tunes that have 'arrangements' not just a 2 bar pattern on repeat for 6 mins.
you know...intro, verse, chorus, bridge, middle 8...outro...

it's that simple!

come on Roland.
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funktree
Posts: 115
Joined: 11:42, 11 April 2015
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Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by funktree »

Cresshead
I feel your pain...I just got used to it.. On the new electribes too... The main purpose of this units is a music scratch pad. What I do on electribes is that I'd record 2-3 bass lines along with 2-3 pads/pianos tracks and change them when needed from verse to chorus etc... I live with the limitations...
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rsaintjohn
Posts: 265
Joined: 02:56, 23 May 2015
Location: Cleveland, OH USA

Re: Roland JD-Xi pattern transpose and chain?

Post by rsaintjohn »

A big part of the reason I bought the JD-Xi was to have as many functions as possible in a small footprint. It hasn't disappointed me in that regard, but song mode would be so welcome. I honestly assumed that it would be there when I got it, and it took me a day or two to wrap my head around what the sequencer and favorites could and could not do. I spent hours thinking I was missing something obvious.

Although it somewhat defeats my goal (small footprint), I've decided to start looking for solutions in app form on the iPhone or iPad. I think Genome MIDI Sequencer might do the trick, but otherwise I'm just going to try to build something in MIDI Designer Pro for the iPhone. Sort of an auto-play version of the Xi's Favorites buttons.
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