Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

Hi,

sorry, long post!
triggering patterns? I hope this subject isn´t worn out, but I need 
your help:
When I write a song I organise some of my patterns/tracks different 
from the emu beats mode:
At current I build up a patternbase of drumtracks to compose new 
stuff. My drum tracks are a bit complex sometimes (latin, afro-cuban 
etc.), so I reserve track 1 to 12 (and according midi-channels)to 
different drum voices like
 
Track 1/ch 1 - bass drum
track 2/ch 2 - snare
...
track 9/ch 9 - bass
track 12/ch12 - shaker/maracas/cabasa
tracks 13 to 16 are reserved for keyboards

so i have more flexibility to find a rhythm that suits me by muting 
(latching?) certain tracks with the trigger knobs.
A whole pattern would form a certain songblock like: Intro or Verse 
or Chorus, bridge etc. A group of patterns would form a a certain 
style like Hiphop, Acid jazz or whatever... (in fact a bit like the 
rmx-1 or qy 70)

To work this way you should be able to switch between patterns in 
realtime to try out a line of patterns. For all I´ve seen this seems 
not possible in song mode with the trigger knobs, right? Is there a 
work around?

I was thinking about combining those song blocks in one single 
pattern with the help of cubase: One pattern track (set to multi 
channel) would hold a 16-channel songblock like Intro, Verse etc. The 
whole pattern would hold various songblocks under various tracks - 
You only trigger one track at once to get a single songblock like 
Chorsu or verse playing. The problem: When You add some new bass line 
and you want your "rhythm data base" untouched, you will run out of 
memory pretty quick (maybe the processor couldn´t even switch 
patterns because of too much data). If I then wanted to switch off a 
certain instrument (maybe the claves, channel 7), I wouldn´t be 
possible...

Surely I´m writing a bit the old fashioned style (not so much muting, 
rather create new patterns)Maybe its all too complicated and I should 
go a simpler way with less flexibility - Whats your 2 cents? How do 
you go about this?

Thanx for your help!

Heinrich