Bc2000 (for the BCF2000 & BCR2000)

I recently picked up a Sequential Circuits Multi-Trak, and
unfortunately the only way to edit patches is to send a complete dump.
 Would there be a way to do this with the BCR?  

IE:

Retrieve the values of all rotary encoders at once and send out the
new patch.

Hi gutterball

can you send me a copy of the sysex definitions (usually in the back
of the users manual)?
I couldn't find one on the web.


Royce


--- In bc2000@yahoogroups.com, "gutterball909" <gutterball909@...> wrote:

>
> I recently picked up a Sequential Circuits Multi-Trak, and
> unfortunately the only way to edit patches is to send a complete dump.
>  Would there be a way to do this with the BCR?  
> 
> IE:
> 
> Retrieve the values of all rotary encoders at once and send out the
> new patch.
>

Hi gutterball,

This is an area where all controllers fall down when it comes to old
synths.
The cost of memory a few years ago was such that the manufacturers
would use a packed form of data.
I have a Korg DW6000 that I wrote a preset for, but some of the
parameter data was packed with the data for other parameters. So
varying the encoder would change 2 parameters. No very satisfactory.

A PC can do the job with ease as you can take the data byte and adjust
just the bits you need to change leaving the other parameter bits alone.

The BCs have no way to do this as you can't build the output 'val'
from more than one encoder/button value.
You can certainly send out a complete set of data as it is only 18
bytes for a program. You could attach complete changes to any of the
buttons (or encoder/fader for that matter) using tx.
You could even use the Learn on the front panel, but all you are doing
is changing from one preset on the synth to another.

What has me confused is the spec. 

PROGRAM DATA FORMAT
Byte#  MS Byte                    LSByte

I'm sure it should be 

Byte # MS Bit (most significant bit)    LS Bit (least significant bit)

but there are 8 bits and sysex data can only have 7 bits in it as the
 8th bit is zero

Do a couple of dumps with known values in the parameters and we can
work it out. Use MidiOx to send the sysex request 
$F0 $01 $00 prog#(0-99) $F7
eg
$F0 $01 $00 $01 $F7
$F0 $01 $00 $10 $F7
and list the parameter values for the presets

To get continuous variation, the best thing would be to write a little
program that converts CC messages from the BC that then builds the
Program Data and sends out the bytes as sysex.

I would do it for you but it is a bit hard to test the software long
distance as I don't have the synth.

All the best

Royce

Cool.  I wasn't able to get that Sysex message to send the dump
working, but there is the ability on the machine itself to send the dump.

I just modified and sent back the string I got and it seemed to work.
 Your idea of a program is a good one. The other thing that might work
is using a micro controller to transform the CC messages to Sysex as
you suggest.

The other thing I can do, which would be much easier is buy a Six-Trak
 or Max since they have the midi stuff built in :-D

-gb

--- In bc2000@yahoogroups.com, "rpcfender" <rpcfender@...> wrote:

>
> Hi gutterball,
> 
> This is an area where all controllers fall down when it comes to old
> synths.
> The cost of memory a few years ago was such that the manufacturers
> would use a packed form of data.
> I have a Korg DW6000 that I wrote a preset for, but some of the
> parameter data was packed with the data for other parameters. So
> varying the encoder would change 2 parameters. No very satisfactory.
> 
> A PC can do the job with ease as you can take the data byte and adjust
> just the bits you need to change leaving the other parameter bits alone.
> 
> The BCs have no way to do this as you can't build the output 'val'
> from more than one encoder/button value.
> You can certainly send out a complete set of data as it is only 18
> bytes for a program. You could attach complete changes to any of the
> buttons (or encoder/fader for that matter) using tx.
> You could even use the Learn on the front panel, but all you are doing
> is changing from one preset on the synth to another.
> 
> What has me confused is the spec. 
> 
> PROGRAM DATA FORMAT
> Byte#  MS Byte                    LSByte
> 
> I'm sure it should be 
> 
> Byte # MS Bit (most significant bit)    LS Bit (least significant bit)
> 
> but there are 8 bits and sysex data can only have 7 bits in it as the
>  8th bit is zero
> 
> Do a couple of dumps with known values in the parameters and we can
> work it out. Use MidiOx to send the sysex request 
> $F0 $01 $00 prog#(0-99) $F7
> eg
> $F0 $01 $00 $01 $F7
> $F0 $01 $00 $10 $F7
> and list the parameter values for the presets
> 
> To get continuous variation, the best thing would be to write a little
> program that converts CC messages from the BC that then builds the
> Program Data and sends out the bytes as sysex.
> 
> I would do it for you but it is a bit hard to test the software long
> distance as I don't have the synth.
> 
> All the best
> 
> Royce
>

> Cool.  I wasn't able to get that Sysex message to send the dump
> working, but there is the ability on the machine itself to send the
dump.

Excellent
> 
> I just modified and sent back the string I got and it seemed to work.
>  Your idea of a program is a good one. The other thing that might work
> is using a micro controller to transform the CC messages to Sysex as
> you suggest.
> 
Great idea. Have a look at the 2051 series from Atmel. These use
standard 8051 code, have a UART that works well for MIDI and can be
powered from the midi port.

> The other thing I can do, which would be much easier is buy a Six-Trak
>  or Max since they have the midi stuff built in :-D


Ah, to be rich and famous


All the best

Royce