Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Hi Gordon,

Here's a link to the better-than-average user manual:
http://soundprogramming.net/manuals/Ensoniq_VFX-SD_Manual.pdf

The global MIDI setting to Multi is correct.

The trick is that the Presets are really intended for live performance, providing a quick and easy way to layer and switch Programs.  What you want -- for multi-timbral, multi-track recording and playback with your computer -- is to set up a Sequence (see section 5 in the manual):
- press the Seq button (next to the Presets button)
- create a new Sequence clicking an empty slot and following the prompts
- add the Programs you want to the 12 Tracks (2 pages of 6) available for each Sequence (see page 5-8)

Then -- this is the key -- for each Track, you want to set Performance/Track parameters: 
- MIDI Status set to either Both (local keyboard and MIDI are active) or MIDI (just receives MIDI from your sequencer).  The default is unfortunately Local, which does not send MIDI, so you'll have to change all the Tracks.
- MIDI Channel, give each track it's own MIDI channel number.

That's really it.  That should have you up and running.

One more note - in Seq mode, you can only have one double-layer Effect working.  You can change the Effect with the Performance Effect button, and use the FX parameter for each Track to determine whether that track gets FX1 or FX2 or BOTH or neither (DRY).

For example, if you want a delay just your guitar Sound, but reverb on both guitar and piano, choose one of the Reverb+Delay effect, then set the guitar track to VOICE for both effects, piano to FX1 for just reverb.

Hope this helps,

Dan Rue

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, Gordon JC Pearce <gordon@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all, two questions
> 
> First off, I'm having some problems getting Presets working.  If I set
> the MIDI mode to MULTI then it just picks up whatever the last-selected
> Multi setting was and ignores the patches and channel numbers in the
> Preset.  Can someone explain how (if it's possible) I can set up three
> channels with different Sounds and play them over MIDI?
> 
> Also, I'm wondering if this has something to do with the firmware
> version.  I'm running 2.10 but apparently the most recent firmware is
> 2.30.  Has anyone got a set of ROM images so I can upgrade it?
> 
> Gordon
>