Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Hi again,

I recently picked up an Alesis Nanosynth. It is a General Midi 
device that has over 500 sounds in it.

The question is, is there a way for the Ensoniq VFX or SD1 (i have 
both) to send program BANK changes? I know I can send a program 
change from 0-127 but I dont see anyway to send a bank change, to 
access the additional sounds.

Also, another question about sequencers:

I know that the ensoniq doesnt "understand" .mid files.  Is there a 
way to "play" the .mid files on Cakewalk, and record it to the 
Ensoniq sequencer?  Possibly like a dual cassette analogy: ie press 
play on the cakewalk sequencer and then record in realtime to the 
Ensoniq?

I am gearing up to play a two piece act live, and would like to use 
the onboard sequencers rather than drag around a laptop.

Thanks
Rich

I also wondered about bank changes, if someone knows how to do this 
let us know, I,m new to midi so if it's possible please give us a 
step by step way of doing this ,  thanks








--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "homebythe_sea" 
<homebythe_sea@y...> wrote:
> Hi again,
> 
> I recently picked up an Alesis Nanosynth. It is a General Midi 
> device that has over 500 sounds in it.
> 
> The question is, is there a way for the Ensoniq VFX or SD1 (i have 
> both) to send program BANK changes? I know I can send a program 
> change from 0-127 but I dont see anyway to send a bank change, to 
> access the additional sounds.
> 
> Also, another question about sequencers:
> 
> I know that the ensoniq doesnt "understand" .mid files.  Is there 
a 
> way to "play" the .mid files on Cakewalk, and record it to the 
> Ensoniq sequencer?  Possibly like a dual cassette analogy: ie 
press 
> play on the cakewalk sequencer and then record in realtime to the 
> Ensoniq?
> 
> I am gearing up to play a two piece act live, and would like to 
use 

> the onboard sequencers rather than drag around a laptop.
> 
> Thanks
> Rich

Rich, I don't know about anyone else, but I have never been able to 
figure out how send a a bank change from a VFX. I don't think it will 
record one either. Now most synth's will hang on the same bank if you 
don't do a bank change, so an alternative may be to put all your 
favorite patches in one bank and stay in that bank.

I use a seperate MIDI control surface called the Kenton Control Freak 
to dial in bank changes outside of the VFX. It's about $250 bucks, 
but it will do just about any MIDI thing you want to do and gives you 
lots of knobs to twist the night away with...

Dan

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "bobratica1020" 
<bobratica1020@y...> wrote:

> 
> 
> I also wondered about bank changes, if someone knows how to do this 
> let us know, I,m new to midi so if it's possible please give us a 
> step by step way of doing this ,  thanks
> 

> > Thanks
> > Rich