Hello List

I have made an almost complete environment for sequencing with Logic. 
The only thing I couldn't create was a slider/knob for LFO rate and modulation, 
I don't know what Sysex code I have to use for this. The code in the manual does 
not work at this moment. If there is someone who knows the answer for this 
problem, please send me a message. At this moment modulation is only possible 
with the sliders and buttons for vibrato and normal modulation.

Basicly the Environment has two parts, one for selecting sound-banks and 
sounds by name, and a part for modifying the sounds and choosing the effects.

Because the midi-implementation of the 303 is in my opinion very poor, some
things don't work in a real natural way (but it works). For example, all the 
NPRN and RPN midi commands use CC6 for generating data. The consequence for this
is that you can't change more than one setting at a time (for one midi channel.)
Also, when you forget to press the button of the setting you want to change 
(you have to do this when you switch between functions), and you modify a 
slider (a lot of them send CC6 commands), the last selected function will be 
changed. But with some practice you will find out it works allright.

Maybe I will send an update if things work better in an other way. One thing 
that could be made better is a more 'automatic' sound selector. Right now 
you first have to select a sound bank (only when you swith from banks), and 
then a sound. With some Logic 'transformer' functions it is possible to change 
this in a sound list without soundbank button. (All I know is that this will 
take a lot of time).

Another thing that is good to know: If you want to change individual 
drum sounds, you first have to choose the 'note number' in the transformer 
(marked as 'note'). You can change the number in the last box, called 'fix'. 
After selecting the note, you press the function button, and then it is possible 
to change the value.

I have transposed the drum-channel 12 semitones down, this way the most 
important drumsounds start at the beginning of a 61 key keyboard. I have
also made a general 'transpose' function for incoming notes, and an Logic 
Arpeggio function (you have to press play on the transport bar to use this). 

The random-pan buttons are a little bit confusing: When you press the button 
once, the random pan is turned 'off'. When you press again the random pan is
turned 'on'. When you don't press a button the random pan function is 'off'. 
This is because of the implementation of the sysex function. It is possible 
to create a general button for turning random pan off for all the channels 
(all buttons will show pressed down), I haven't done that.

I also didn't build in a button for requesting part parameter information or 
bulk dumps because the MC303 I use hasn't a midi out connection to my sequencer.
Maybe someone else can create a button for this.

When I select a sound and I do some modifying, and I think it sounds allright, 
I set Logic in recording mode and try to re-do my settings. This way the 
settings are 'saved'. When Logic reads the recorded data,it will be send to 
the MC303 again. Place this information in front of your tracks in the 
arangement window. With the list editor you can erase the 'empty space' to 
change the length of the data track.

Remember, when you start using this environment for the first time, you 
have to choose your own midi interface before you can use it. You have to change 
interface for channel MC 1 to MC 16(including the 5 drum-instrument symbols), 
the metronome, and the midi-interface symbol in the environment (for direct 
sending some commands, this way you by-pass the sequencer arrangment). And 
maybe there is some more you have to change, for example, the port you want 
to send midi clock commands.  Also I have created 3 General Midi multi 
instruments, when you have for example a Soundblaster Live audio-card, you 
can set the midi interface to the 3 different Soundblaster synthesizers
(Creative S/W, synth A and synth B).
      
And the last thing that maybe is important, if you use a velocity-sensitive 
keyboard, you have to modify the velocity-switch, because I only build a switch
for fixed velocity levels without a bypass. Just draw an extra cable from 
the velocity switch to the transpose switch, this will do the job.

If you have questions or comments, please send a message to:

JeroenBaar@chello.nl