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

Hi:

I have looked quite a bit but so far cannot find sources for these, but:

1) are there any significant pattern collections out there for Proteus ROMs other than the 
normal command station ROMs?  As far as I know, there's only factory patterns for only 
PX7, XL7, MP7 and P2500.  What about pattern sets for TSCY, Beat Garden, Vintage Pro and 
other ROMs?

2) has anyone done any work with or attempted to automatically translate the factory 
patterns into patterns for other ROMs?  My understanding is that the patterns are nothing 
more than short MIDI phrases with ROM and patch selection info embedded.  So if one was 
to 'decompile' it, it would make the work of substituting patch selections from another 
ROM quite easy, while expanding the sonic phrase palette of a command station 
significantly.

3) and along the same lines, has anyone tried translating the patterns / phrases from 
other similar products (Yamaha RS7000, Roland MC909, etc.) and translate them into 
patterns for the command stations (both standard and optional ROMs?)  

My guess is some programmer could easily write up a translator program that would 
semi-automate this process, making it very easy to generate a much expanded set of 
patterns.   Seems like it would be a great way to expand the value and versatility of the 
Command Stations.  These are awesome boxes.  Yes, you can build your own patterns with 
some incredibly powerful voice tweaking options and what-not.  But it takes quite a bit of 
effort and time.  Also, many of the newer 'groove boxes' come with multiple hundreds of 
phrases / patterns with stock units.  Why should we at most only have 128 for a given box 
/ ROM?

Any info would be much appreciated.

Peace & blessings,
Donn

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "Donn" <donnw2@...> wrote:
>
> Hi:
> 
> I have looked quite a bit but so far cannot find sources for 
these, but:
> 
> 1) are there any significant pattern collections out there for 
Proteus ROMs other than the 
> normal command station ROMs?  As far as I know, there's only 
factory patterns for only 
> PX7, XL7, MP7 and P2500.  What about pattern sets for TSCY, Beat 
Garden, Vintage Pro and 
> other ROMs?

I think it was the Orbit Yahoo Group that used to have a new set of 
TSCY arps from Rob Papen that would work with any P2K based E-Mu 
module/Sound ROM. (See also below about transferring ROM-based riffs 
to patterns.)

> 
> 2) has anyone done any work with or attempted to automatically 
translate the factory 
> patterns into patterns for other ROMs?  My understanding is that 
the patterns are nothing 
> more than short MIDI phrases with ROM and patch selection info 
embedded.  So if one was 
> to 'decompile' it, it would make the work of substituting patch 
selections from another 
> ROM quite easy, while expanding the sonic phrase palette of a 
command station 
> significantly.

You can do this manually by simply loading the presets into your 
sequencer and changing the presets. You could also use a software 
sequencer. For example, I have a P2500 with an XLEAD ROM (from an XL-
1). So in SONAR, I loaded XL-7 Factory Patterns and reassigned them 
to XLEAD Presets.

> 3) and along the same lines, has anyone tried translating the 
patterns / phrases from 
> other similar products (Yamaha RS7000, Roland MC909, etc.) and 
translate them into 
> patterns for the command stations (both standard and optional 
ROMs?)  
> 
> My guess is some programmer could easily write up a translator 
program that would 
> semi-automate this process, making it very easy to generate a much 
expanded set of 
> patterns.   Seems like it would be a great way to expand the value 
and versatility of the 
> Command Stations.  These are awesome boxes.  Yes, you can build 
your own patterns with 
> some incredibly powerful voice tweaking options and what-not.  But 
it takes quite a bit of 
> effort and time.  Also, many of the newer 'groove boxes' come with 
multiple hundreds of 
> phrases / patterns with stock units.  Why should we at most only 
have 128 for a given box 
> / ROM?

I think many people are busy creating their own patterns.

But here's a tip you might like if you want to expand your inventory 
of patterns.  As you may know, riffs are ROM-based patterns that you 
cannot edit or use. However, you can set your box to transmit riffs 
(and/or arps) and record them as patterns by taking the midi out and 
putting it into the midi in.

> Any info would be much appreciated.
> 
> Peace & blessings,
> Donn


Hope this helps.
--Steve