One more (hopefully) elementary question. I have an Equinox Pro 88 that I have hooked to my computer, and am running Finale and Cakewalk express. Simple and rapid entry from the keyboard works fine, but when I try to use the hyperscribe function on Finale or play a passage into Cakewalk, each note repeats itself extremely rapidly in an endless loop. As it happens with both programs, I assume the settings to be incorrect on the keyboard. I don't know a lot about the settings, and am apprehensive to make drastic changes which could screw things up. The manual isn't much help. Any hints?

Sounds like a midi loop to me.. What operating system are you using?

I am running Windows ME on my pc. I installed an update to my Equinox operating system recently, which was dated 11/10/2000.

I apologize if this is a dumb question... I am just getting my feet wet in MIDI.

No worries, Everyone that uses midi had a beginning... You aren't born with the general knowledge of midi. A few people come close, but they are freaks.

Here is an article that may help.

Sequencing with an Equinox tips

External sequencer. Use the Equinox as a module, and use a controller, if possible. If not, shoot yourself now and avoid the hassle.



Otherwise – Equinox Stand alone with External Sequencer



First, go to the MIDI master section and set the clock to external. Otherwise it will send running status info and confuse the external sequencer. Also, be sure no songs, or an an empty song, are selected in song select to avoid them starting. Also, turn off send clock start/stop in your external sequencer. If you are using other clock dependant devices, use a MIDI interface with multiple selectable outputs (MIDI man 2x2 or better) and send the clock data only to the ports that need it.



Turn local off on all parts of a performance except channel 1. Turn the volume off in this track (1). Turn the rest of the parts of the performance to receive according to their track/channel numbers (2 thru 16). Use your sequencing software to re-channelize your input data. You are always transmitting on 1, so your track data needs to be set to the sound/track/channel you want to hear. All of this is done so that no sound is played from the Equinox when you play it except for the sound on the track you want to hear. Example, to record drums on channel 10, play the keyboard thru a track on your sequencer set to channel 10. If you don’t hear anything, press the track button on the Equinox and wake it up. In this mode you have no visual feedback (no lights) because local is off, so just push the button while playing the keyboard and the sound will mute/un-mute with the button presses. You can now play the keyboard thru the sequencer on any track/channel except 1 and audition sounds. If you really need channel one you can keep local on and mute it (light off) when auditioning sounds for other tracks. This is a pain. If you can ignore track/channel 1, do so.



If you are using a controller, local is not an issue and you can get visual feedback via the track lights in a performance. This is the easiest way.



Equinox Internal Sequencer – build a silent Performance for the front end so that when you touch the keyboard you get only the active track in the sequence, not the sequence and performance sounds together. The Equinox allows you to play a 16 part sequence AND a multi part performance at the same time, unlike any other box on the planet, so keep this in mind at all times. Once you have a sequence you can then select a non-dead performance to accompany it.



In using the internal sequencer, always set-up the Effects as 3 FX, Sequencer as Master. This keeps your sequence effects intact when you select performances while it is playing.



When changing track volume, pan, and editing the effects be sure you return to start on the sequence first. Once you have a relative volume, even if you are in the middle of the sequence, return to zero and change it, then hit store. The volume is saved at the sequence head. To change volumes on the fly either insert them where you want them manually, or use the faders. Remember when you edit and hit store, it stores the change at the point the sequencer is parked, so unless you want the change to occur somewhere other than the head, be sure you are at the sequence head before you hit store. Every time you change something, hit store, or it’s gone, I don’t care what they say about auto saving the buffer in recent OS, I haven’t seen it work.



Download the Equinox demo files from this site. Check the effects set-ups for maximizing production values, master track for tempo mapping, etc., they may be of some help.

More information is found at:
http://home.att.net/~philgeneralmusic/page2.htm

Hey, thanks a lot! I guess I've got some homework to do. Looks like plenty of great info here. Thanks again!

JR
Vancouver

Hey, I solved the loop problem! Through trial and error, I found that the echo setting in Cakewalk had to be turned off for all projects. Otherwise the loop occurs, even if Cakewalk isn't open! Weird, eh?

Just three glitches remain:
1) No metronome click on the Finale program, which unfortunately makes the hyperscribe function pretty useless.
2) The mic/line port on the Equinox doesn't seem to support the sequencer. I guess the mic/line ports are thru only?
3) I gather you need to "dump" all the Equinox sounds etc. into the computer, or on Cakewalk playback it will only play the current sound on the Equinox. The EQ manual is not clear... when you dump from the EQ, do you empty out the EQ memory, or merely copy it? My suspicion is it copies, but I am hesitant to perform the operation just in case... I already lost all my user sounds once by upgrading the OS.

Thanks! JR