Donny,
The real frustration is that those things on the module that sound good are REALLY good. So, how do you get them all up to that quality.

Don,
I have run the wizard and tried using various setup options. For what I am trying to do there should be a "recommended" combination - but that does not seem to be the case. I would like to assign voices to the A1-A8 buttons so that I would have more than just 2 usable RH voices for songs.

I would like to create a control map for the A-800 that would put the voices on the A1-A8 buttons but there are no clear cut instructions that I can find anywhere.

Another problem I encounter today is there does not seem to be a way to copy a setup from the music assistant to a gig list. So far I have not gotten an answer for that either. I suppose all these questions will get answered eventually. I really wonder if Roland has not rushed this product to market and there is an OS upgrade down the line.

Deane

All the commands for voice changes have to be made from the controller. I haven't done this since I used the Midjay, but as I recall you have to look up the command strings for the various voices and assign them to the locations you wish on the controller. I had something like 50 voices assigned on the MJ.
When I get my BK back, I'll be able to help more, but you'll probably have it figured out by then.
Don

Most of the time..all of the above is "Human error"..

Impatience being at the top of the problem list

Fran,
I don't see how you can call it "human error" when even the "go to" guy at Roland Support can't help.

Deane

I basically agree with Fran, except I wouldn't call it "human error"; more like not really understanding the OS's of both the controller and the module. I can easily do everything on Dean's list with my A70 controller (and it's ten years old), including calling up any voice in the module with just a couple of button pushes. I personally think this is one of the easiest OS's to master.......but you have to understand the general 'gist' of how midi works. It is, in fact, a 'communication' system that allows different pieces of equipment to 'talk' to each other. You need to learn the language and understand the concept of what you're trying to do. I would do these three things is this order: 1. Get, study, and thoroughly learn, a good book (or video course) on MIDI. 2. Learn every aspect of how midi is used to control the module (see midi implementation). 3. Learn how to program the controller to send ANY midi message you choose. Most will.

I say, put the BK7m aside for a bit, put the controller aside for a bit, and then follow the three steps above. You will soon run out of patience (and gain very little knowledge of your system) by asking someone to figure out for you how to do single, specific, operations. Try to learn the big picture. I really don't mean to offend, here, but I think the old "teach a man to fish" analogy may apply here. In the end, it is far more rewarding to figure it out yourself and perhaps even feel a little smug that you now probably know this instrument just a little bit better than the other guy.

There is also the possibility that an instrument or an instrument configuration may just be too complex for you to be comfortable with. After all, not everyone wants to spend gobs of time programming. However, that's the price of flexibility. That's what you buy into when you choose the controller/module route vs an integrated system.

Another option; just hire someone like Diki or Ian or James (Irish Acts) to set it up for you exactly like you want it and voila!,,,frustration gone. One thing I have found. The older I get, the harder it is for me to comprehend things quickly, and if I don't do it often, I usually have to go back and relearn it. Just part of the aging process, I guess. Anyhoo, if you really like the sounds (as I do - just not the styles), I hope you are able to reach an accommodation with it. In a lot of ways, it's a great little piece of equipment. Good luck.


chas

Chas,
I think your observations are right on target. I don't know much about midi technology and that is why I think the manuals should be a bit more specific. But, you are right about taking the time to learn the big picture and get things going.

Another point, I could experiment with everything and really not hurt anything because both the controller and the module is easily reset to original specs.

I appreciate your suggestions and when I get it all together I can let others know how it works.

Deane

Hi Deane,

I agree with Chas regarding the big picture, but I understand that things can be frustrating when things don't go too well. It's easy to blame the equiptment, but I know from experience it is usually down to the person in charge... usually me, lol.

However, here are a few pointers for you.

1. Set you keyboard up on a single midi channel, and use the wizard just as Don suggested. Once you have this setup, use this exact setting everytime or be prepared for more fiddling. Each solution in the wizard sets up the octave shifts etc in different positions to suit the setting you have chosen. If you constantly change the wizard setting you will be confused as to what is going on. I fount this when moving bertwwen my organ, keyboard and piano because I was setting it up differently for each instrument. Now I realise that the better way to do it is have different 'performances' folders for each controller instrument with the correct settings in each.

2. With regard to calling up patches from the controller... as chas says you can do it on an a70, but here is how it actually works. When you call up one voice/patch on the instrument, you have to send 3 commands, not one. Each voice is selected by two numbers called continuous controllers (or CC messages) and a patch change number (PC Number.) Yamaha has slightly different names for these numbers but they are the same thing. They call them MSB and LSB numbers along with a PC number.
Confusingly, on the A-pro Roland has used the Yamaha names within the A-pro software editor. This is where you can setup the voices. However setting up 8 individual voices to the A1-A8 buttons is easy.

Check this.

1. In the editor click on button A1
2. Where it says Assign Message: click the dropdown and choose 'Channel Message'
3. Below this choose the type of channel message by clicking the 'Type' dropdown and choose 'Bank select + Program Change'
4. 3 boxes appear labelled Bank MSB, Bank LSB, and PC number. Refer to the manual for the patch you wish to assign. From the table in the manual enter values in the three boxes as follows: Bank MSB=CC00, Bank LSB=CC32, PC Number = PC.

I hope this makes sense. Remember when you finish making your edits in the editor to transmit the changes to the keyboard.

I am working on a Control Map for the A-Pro series, but am not getting the time at the moment. Once I have one made, you will be first to know.

Hi Deane... I have thought of another way to do this, but it may be more complicated for realtime use... I'll let you decide..

Fader 8 on the A-Pro defaults to sending out Bank MSB numbers.
Fader 7 on the A-Pro defaults to sending out Bank LSB numbers.
The value knob can be left on PGM change which will transmit PC numbers as needed.

You could try using thyese realtime controllers to set the values you need for each voice, particularly if they are within the same bank. However, i think the first solution is better, but only if you can get away with assigning only 8 sounds. If you need to do more sounds, the other buttons on the A-Pro can also be set with a sound each.. so all the transport buttons for example.

Regards

John

Ah.. regarding the PC number for the last solution you can also set the Shift key to latch mode so you could have the numerical keypad available for entering the PC commands. This is in

Edit (act and < buttons pressed together)/keyboard-pad/shift key latch

I haven't received my BK yet...but can't you select a patch in each tone family..and just selecting the family button will automatically bring up the favored tone..

You may have to select your favorites this way after powering up..but they will remain all the remaining time you are powered up..It will remember the last selection of each family..