Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Forum for Roland's System-8 synthesizer
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raymond
Posts: 35
Joined: 00:09, 1 December 2015

Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by raymond »

Hi

Had my System-8 for a couple of weeks now, what a great synth!!

I'm a bit confused about sync'ing externally, and the manual is a bit light, so if anyone can assist me here that would be much appreciated;

Playing arp. from the S8 keyboard is fine.
When I play the arp sound from my master keyboard/DAW, it doesn't play the arpeggio.

I fiddled around with some of the menu settings, and came across a combination where when I started a song in the DAW, it would start the step sequencer in the S8. That's not what I wanted, I just want the arpeggio to play when I have a sustained note playing in the DAW.

Also it doesn't seem to matter when I have the "tempo sync" button on. I can speed up the DAW tempo with no apparent effect.

I can sync the tempo with my DSI Mopho sequencer with no issue so I know the DAW is set up correctly. I'm doing something wrong with the System-8.

Any help would be appreciated!

cheers!
Bassmonster
Posts: 5
Joined: 07:11, 14 June 2017

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by Bassmonster »

Is the midid channel correct?
papasan
Posts: 39
Joined: 16:29, 14 September 2017

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by papasan »

The menu setting you need to control the appegiator externally is to set Remote Kbd ON. This much better than the arrangement in the JP-8080 where you had a Remote Kbd and a regular MIDI IN port. In variably you needed to split the incoming signal and plug in to both ports to have everything work.

If the S-8 isn't responding to tempo change from the DAW then you either don't have the settings correct on the DAW or the S-8 isn't set to accept external or auto clock.
raymond
Posts: 35
Joined: 00:09, 1 December 2015

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by raymond »

Thanks guys - I'll check both of those.
I'll probably switch to MIDI cables at the same time as I'm getting too much digital noise with USB.

(you can hear it at the start of this track https://soundcloud.com/raymondhayter/exoplanet )

I'll report back!

cheers.
papasan
Posts: 39
Joined: 16:29, 14 September 2017

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by papasan »

I should have mentioned previously that when you set it to Remote Kbd the system responds to all MIDI in. No MIDI channel select or anything. Use a splitter or something if that's important to you. You can get more details about the setting in the System 8 Reference Guide.
raymond
Posts: 35
Joined: 00:09, 1 December 2015

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by raymond »

Thanks papasan.

I disconnected USB, now using a MIDI cable. Digital noise all gone now!

Immediately the synth responded to tempo changes from my DAW.

Then I changed the Remote Kbd ON parameter, and that worked too. As you say, it makes the synth respond to all MIDI channels which is not ideal, but I can live with that :)

Thanks!
papasan
Posts: 39
Joined: 16:29, 14 September 2017

Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by papasan »

Glad to hear it worked.

I don't know why we're using USB because ground loops are a problem with it. It's great for peripheral charging and moving data but it wasn't designed to ground isolate systems like MIDI.

Having said that I am using the USB interface for audio, just not for MIDI. It is possible to eliminate USB ground loops by being very mindful of how things are plugged in and connected. Sometimes it involves some experimentation too. Worse case you can buy an audio isolator to break the ground loop.

All the best.
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GilgaFrank
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Location: Manchester!
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Re: Arpeggiator from DAW/ext MIDI keyboard

Post by GilgaFrank »

The JD-XA has the same issue with USB MIDI and the arpeggiator, even though the manual indicates it should work. For the life of me I can't think why Roland have done it this way but a firmware upgrade doesn't seem to be forthcoming to rectify the problem.
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