Okay, go easy on me. I recently bought an XP-60, new to synths, sequencers, etc.
I have a few questions that concern basic operation. I've read the manual but haven't recognized the answers.

1. I plan to use the XP-60 for songs' drum parts that I'll be recording to a hard disk multitrack unit. I've figured out how to write a loop. Wondering if I can write additional loops, link them together to make the entire drum track. Is this a valid approach? If so, what steps do I need to take to write additional loops and link them together? If this isn't a good approach, please explain.

2. Can I copy percussion sounds from the various different Rhythm Sets onto a user memory Rhythm Set to customize my own collection of drum sounds? What are those steps?

Thanks-Matt

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I don't mean to put off your questions, but if you're genuinely brand new to the XP, check out Roland's Supplemental Notes first at http://www.rolandus.com/SUPPORT/DOCS/SUPNOTES.HTM

(1) They'll tell you about patterns, which is how you can string a bunch of rhythm loops together into a single track. Record as many rhythm patterns as you need (on the pattern tracks, not the phrase tracks), then use pattern call messages on a phrase track (e.g., track 10) to build up your rhythm track over the course of your song. You can make your rhythm patterns as long or short as you like, e.g., a fill at the end of a song section or in the turnaround can be four or two measures, and you'd put a pattern call message for that particular pattern only in your turnarounds, etc.

(2) Yes. Check your manual's explantion of the copy function, then go to the copy function while you are in rhythm mode. The screens are almost self-explanatory. If you have problems, come back here and we'll have another look at it.

Thanks for your response D!

Thanks for your response D!

Just checked out #2 (rhythm copy):
Very easy.

(1) --> Rhythm Mode
(2) --> Utility --> Copy
(3) Put your cursor on the source kit and dial up the kit from which you want to copy a rhythm instrument
(4) Put your cursor on the key letter to the right, e.g., C4 or whichever key the rhythm instrument you want to copy is assigned to in the source kit(you can just press that key)
(5) Do the same for the destination key where you want the instrument copied
(6) Execute.

Don't forget to save the kit in temp to your user location.

Okay, I've written a few drum patterns and linked them together per the link directions. How do I play back this sequence of patterns?

Cool, thanks! I really appreciate your help.

"I've written a few drum patterns and linked them together per the link directions. How do I play back this sequence of patterns"

If you have entered pattern call messages on the phrase tracks of your song, you should be able to press "Start/Stop" on your sequencer and have the patterns play back in the order you entered them.

Remember that you must enter pattern call messages in the same measure increments as your patterns, that is, if you have 4-measure pattern and enter a pattern call message for it, say, in measure 10, you don't put in another pattern call message until measure 14. If the pattern had been 2 measures long, enter the next call message in measure 12, etc.

What if I don't want to lose the drum sounds that are already on the two user rhythm sets; is it possible to create a rhythm set that's saved to a disk?

"What if I don't want to lose the drum sounds that are already on the two user rhythm sets; is it possible to create a rhythm set that's saved to a disk?"

Yes, but it's not saved to disk as an .svd file, but as SYSEX in a dummy song.

First: Your sequencer song memory must be empty. You're essentially creating a new song. Now:

(1) Set up your dream drum kit in TEMP by using the COPY function the way we described above.
(2) See pp. 161f. in your manual.
(3)--> Utility --> 4 Data Transfer
(4) Your source is Rhythm Temp
(5) Your destination is Seq[uencer]
(for now just use the default TRK 1 1-01-000)
(6) --> Execute

Now the SYSEX for the rhythm kit you created in TEMP is in your song. Go to microscope mode and you can see it on track 1.

(7) Name your song (e.g., Drum Kit 1, or MyDrumKit or whatever) and save it to disk using the Song Only option (*not* Song + Sound).

That's it. To retrieve the drum kit, load the song into sequencer memory from disk, play it (you won't hear anything; it will just load the sysex into Rhythm Temp), and look in Rhythm Temp: There's your drum kit.

You can save an infinite number of drum kits (or patches or performances, for that matter) using this method.

The dummy song contains the drum kit. Play the dummy song, the drum kit appears in Rhythm Temp.

Got the playback, thanks. After creating patterns in real time, I entered the pattern #s in step mode, per the Advanced Sequencing support doc. Worked fine the first time in. However, when I made changes later it squirreled up some. For example, I went back and copied some patterns for variations, then entered them in some of the places of original patterns. The playback had measures of silence at various points. I've done this a couple times now. What do you figure I'm doing wrong?
Thanks again!

I successfully copied some notes into the User:001 set. However, they didn't stick. I assumed the copy action was being saved at the same time.
So...after I make the copy actions, how do I save the modified destination rhythm set?
As always, thanks D!