Bc2000 (for the BCF2000 & BCR2000)

--- In bc2000@yahoogroups.com, "libraclassic2" <libraclassic2@...> wrote:
> 1.)  I've already figured out how to press one of the top buttons 
> w/the 
> power button to choose the emulation of my choice (Sonar, Cubase, 
> etc.), so once inside the program of my choice, how do I (or do I) 
> select a preset?  Is it necessary?  Why set the presets at all?

> 4.)  What's the big difference between emulation modes and presets?  
> If 
> I cannot change the controls while in emulation mode, then why do I 
> need the presets?  Can I use the presets without emulation mode?

If you run the BCF in "Standard Mode" (selected on power-up via the
top button in "column 1"), you do have the 32 memory presets at your 
disposal. However, all the other modes ("MC C" etc.) are indeed 
emulation modes: the BCF simply responds as if it IS the emulated
device (e.g. Mackie), and NO presets are available. So you basically
can't change anything on the BCF in emulation mode (apart from a few
"global" settings like USB Operation Mode).

The advantage of Standard Mode (i.e. the use of presets) is that it is
flexible: you can set up the BCF in any way you like. On the other
hand, this can be frustrating, since you need to make sure that your
BCF preset and your sequencer program "understand" each other.

> 2.)  I use Midi-Ox (it was the only thing that really worked for 
> me).  
> I have used that utility to send .syx messages to my BCF2000, locking 
> the presets in by pressing "store" once, pressing the preset arrow 
> keys 
> until I get to the preset bank of my choice, and then 
> pressing "store" 
> again to lock them in.  Did I do this right?
> If so, why won't BC Manager recognize them?

In principle you can indeed send preset definitions to the BCF2000 via
MIDI-OX and save them on the BCF2000 in the way you describe. However,
you should be able to do this much easier via BC Manager.

I'm not completely sure what you mean by "syx messages": in any case
you can't simply send just ANY SysEx message to the BCF2000 in the
hope that it will be stored in a preset. So the answer to the question
"why won't BC Manager recognize them" might be that no actual preset
data has been stored. (There might be other reasons as well - see my
answer to your next question below.) There are two specific ways in
which you can define BCF presets:

1. You can upload a complete preset definition specifically written
for the BCF2000: this is a very technical business, which is what
BCF2000 editors like BC Manager can do FOR you.

2. You can use the BCF's "LEARN" option: I don't have much experience
with this myself, but I think you can go into "edit" mode for a
specific control (button/encoder/fader), then press EDIT + LEARN, then
send any MIDI data (even syx-messages) to the BCF, and that MIDI data
will then be defined as that control's MIDI output.

> BTW - why won't BC Manager receive data from 
> my BCF2000 even though it recognizes it and can SEND data?

First of all: BC Manager is primarily meant for setting up the BCF in 
"Standard Mode". When your BCF is in any emulation mode, BC Manager is
largely useless.

When your BCF is indeed in Standard Mode, BC Manager should in
principle be able to communicate with it bidirectionally.

What exactly do you mean by "why won't BC Manager receive data from my
BCF": which data are you talking about? which operation (i.e. from
which pull-down menu) have you been trying to perform?

> 3.)  I hear gossip about encoder groups (those 4 buttons at the top 
> right)...um, how in name of Kansas do I use THOSE?

These buttons select the 4 different definitions for the 8 push
encoders: both the "turn" and "push" functions. So in effect it's as
if you have not 8 push encoders, but 4 x 8 = 32.

> Software in Question:
> Reason 3 (It works, but how do I modify the controls??)

There are actually two ways in which you can use Reason with your BCF
(by the way: in both cases you should use the BCF in Standard Mode):

1. "Native" BCF2000 mode:
This is the standard (and preferable) method. You get this if you
select "Behringer BCF2000" under Edit -> Preferences -> Keyboards and
Control Surfaces. In this case Reason basically "appropriates" the
BCF2000.
(BC Manager provides an easy way to view all the mappings made by
Reason in this way - see the manual, section 17.)
If I remember correctly, in this mode you can add controls by using
Reason's "Edit Remote Override Mapping" (either by rightclicking on
the individual Reason control or by selecting Options -> Remote
Override Edit Mode from the menu). However, in my experience there is
usually little reason to do so, but you may think differently.

2. "Manual" mode:
This is very laborious (and has some disadvantages compared to
"native" mode), but you're completely free in setting up the BCF:
Under Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced Control -> Bus A, select
"BCF2000[1]", then open "REASON Hardware Device" (always the top
"instrument") and under Advanced MIDI Device you can assign each
particular MIDI channel to a particular Reason device. In this mode,
every control of every Reason device has a specific, fixed MIDI
Control Change number, as specified in Reason's "MIDI Implementation
Charts.pdf" document. So in this case you must set up one or more BCF
presets manually (e.g. via BC Manager).
I wouldn't recommended this "manual" mode, but it has at least one
advantage to "native" mode: one BCF can control Reason device
parameters in DIFFERENT Reason devices SIMULTANEOUSLY, which is (I
think) impossible in "native" mode. Still, in my experience "native"
mode is usually much easier to use.

Mark.