Midiwizard Feedback...
2006-06-08 by cheeseburgy
Well, I finally got my MIDISPORT Midi interface, so I could actually hook my GSP2101 Artist Pro to my computer for the first time, and start backing up all my important patches. A little while back, I had come across one of Graham's messages on these forums, describing his MidiWizard software, which seems to be the only GSP2101 software in active development. I requested a copy of the MidiWizard software from Graham, and promised that once I had a chance to use it, I would be happy to provide some feedback. I encourage everyone who owns a GSP2101 to give it a read. Kinda long-winded, but here goes... ------------------------------------------------------------------- My Review, Thoughts About Midiwizard, Suggestions For Improvement ------------------------------------------------------------------- As an easy to use librarian (for backing up, restoring patches), MidiWizard really excels. Here are some of the less obvious, but very useful, and well thought out features that add the most value to to MidiWizard: Checks for Compatibility - keeps your GSP2101 safe! - Any program backup file created by an older version of the 2101 EPROM is upgraded to be compatible with version 3.00.00. - If your 2101 does not have the optional PPC-210 installed, MidiWizard makes sure the program file is compatible with a single- processor GSP-2101. MIDIWizard does not transfer dual SDISC programs to single SDISC machines. These two features alone help to prevent you from accidentally choking your GSP2101 with data it doesn't understand. Invaluable! Time-saving power-user features: - Control over where and how programs are stored/restored: You decide which user program to restore no matter what program was used to create the backup. This means, for example, you can use a program backup file created from program 123 to restore program 45. You can also change the program name. These features allow you to try out other user's programs WITHOUT them overwriting your own - other simple MIDI librarian software will dump the program back to it's original location, at the expense of overwriting a program you would like to keep. With MidiWizard, you're in control here. - Handy Program Reports: It's great to be able to toll your GSP2101, and get a quick report that shows you at a glance, the names of all your user programs, their locations, and perhaps most important, how many user algorithms are currently stored in your GSP2101 and which programs are using them. Are you trying to store a new program on your GSP2101, and it doesn't want to store for some reason? Chances are that it uses a custom user algorithm, and you have already used up all your memory slots available in the GSP2101 for custom user algorithms. Form what I recall, the GSP2101 only has enough room for 6 or 7 custom user algorithms, so it's easy to quickly fill all those slots. The reporting allows you to keep track of this, so you can get rid of any custom user algorithms/programs to make room for new ones. Accessed from the GSP-2101 -> Program Options menu. - Only backs up what it needs to: The software is smart enough to recognize that only altered user programs need to be backed up when you do a full system backup. This saves you time - no need to waste time backing up all the Factory programs if they haven't been modified from their original state. If you have only 10 user programs that you have written/customized, then Midiwizard won't waste time backing up all 100 user slots, just the 10 you have written/customized ... although you can still dump any Factory programs if you like, using program backup instead of system backup. - Random Changes: The ultimate time-waster! But oh, what fun! :) Actually, this is quite useful, as it allows you to hear the effects of changes you may not have otherwise dialed in yourself, introducing you to sounds or settings you may not have realized existed, or thought were otherwise possible. A great exploration tool. - Remote Control: Very handy in case your GSP2101 is not close to your computer - and it proabably shouldn't be, especially if you have a CRT monitor. And here's the most important (and probably the most overlooked) feature of MidiWizard: - Excellent documentation! Graham has put a lot of time into researching the GSP2101, pulled some of the best information available for the unit, added his own insight and references, and put into one comprehensive document that serves as both a manual for his MidiWizard software, and a "best of" set of tips, and general FAQ for the GSP2101. You won't get half as much out of the Digitech GSP2101 Manual, especially if you are new to the GSP2101. Get a lot more out of MidiWizard AND your GSP2101 - READ THE MANUAL! Well, the help file actually. Accessed from the MidiWizard Help Menu -> Help Topics -> GSP-2101 Things I'd like to see implemented or improved: - Improved interface for Modifying Patches: Although the current one "gets the job done", it would be nice to see a more graphic/visual representation, similar to RPedit. Also, implementing a "Compare" button at this point would come in handy when tweaking parameters - or is this already there? Maybe I missed it? - Algorithm Editor: Something to create, edit and keep track of user algorithms would be handy. I think that custom algorithms are perhaps the least understood, and most underutilized features of the GSP2101. An algorithm Editor would help to provide better access to this powerful feature. It's easy to base a new patch on an existing algorithm, but then you may want a more efficient custom algorithm that only uses the modules you need, and in a different sequence than is provided in the factory algorithms. For example, many of my patches utilize factory algorithms that have modules bypassed or turned off. Something like an updated version of Martin Ecker's "2101Edit" program would be a great additon to MidiWizard. - Be nice if the entire help file was available in a print-friendly PDF file. Windows help files are IMHO, not all that user-friendly. As I indicated above, there's some great information in your help file that may hidden away, never to be seen. I converted you help file into a PDF and printed it - now I have a printed reference/manual, that is much more convenient to refer to ...at least for me. - SAP support: While I'm sure it would be a nightmare, if not impossible to import SAP format because the ones I have seen are not altogether consistent, I would like to see an "Export to SAP" feature. It would be nice to have a plain text version of my patches to print. It sometimes easier to get a better overview of patches this way, especially when tweaking them. - Support for V-Amp Pro: Noticed that MidiWizard has support for Tech 21 Sansamp, a great preamp. On a whim, I recently picked up the unusually inexpensive V-amp Pro by Behringer. I've heard good and bad things about Behringer equipment, the bad mostly with construction and reliability. But man, this thing ROCKS!!! I'm using it in combination with a tube preamp to replace the front end (analog portion) of my GSP2101. While the GSP2101's distortions are pretty good, they're not great. I like great, and the V-amp Pro has got some really great tones. Any possibility of adding support for the V-amp Pro to MidiWizard? I believe doing so would introduce a large V-amp user community to your software (although Behringer provides an editor, it doesn't have many of the powerful features of MidiWizard). This would provide those users with a great tool for use with their V-amp, and benefit you as a software author - as the V-amp is a more current, and unusually inexpensive product, we're talking about a very large user community. Exposure! :) Food for thought. - Finally, a web site: Somewhere that users can get information about the software, find news about updates, perhaps download a trial copy, etc.. As I metioned before, I could help with this, I am Web Developer of 12 yrs. by trade. In Conclusion: I believe that MidiWizard is a fantastic piece of software that makes my life easier, and that's what good software is all about! Although I have only used it for a couple of weeks, I have yet to come across any bugs, and it seems totally stable. I encourage everyone with a GSP2101 to utilize this software, to support Graham's great work, and to encourage future development of the software. To date, this is software that Graham has provided for free to the GSP-2101 community, but I would be more that happy to pay for software like this, or make a donation. Graham, do you have a Paypal account? I'd like to encourage everyone else who uses this software regularly to do the same. It's not easy for one person to write, maintain, and constantly develop a useful computer program like this, it takes a LOT of time and effort. Lets show Graham the support and encouragement he deserves! Bravo Graham! Thanks, Derek