Using external sequencer.

[andrewcollins8893]

I am using a Alesis mmt 8 sequencer  with my Casio xw  p1. Whenever I try and do a program change. It always plays the sound I have already recorded. For instance if I record drums whenever I change to piano it will play drums instead of the piano. I have turned off the local to off inside the keyboard and my midi echo is on.  On the sequencer  but I am still having the problem that the sequencer and keyboard are not on the same midi channel. Please can someone please help me. Thanks. 

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Andrew

 

Are you trying to set up the Bank Select and Program Change MSB/LSB's in the file header on the MMT-8 for the tracks in a new song, or are you trying to do a Program Change mid-track on a particular track?

 

 

[andrewcollins8893]

I am just trying to get the program to change. Without changing the previous sound I just put on track or part one..Please  i need help.

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Andrew

 

I am sorry, but you have just re-stated your original statement without giving us the additional detail that we need in order to help you.  We need to know specifically what you are doing - with specific track/channel numbers.  For instance, are you sending a program change on channel 1 then a different program change on channel 2 that is also changing the program on channel 1 ?  

 

On 7/22/2018 at 7:39 PM, andrewcollins8893 said:

if I record drums whenever I change to piano it will play drums instead of the piano

 

I assume you are recording the keyboard's MIDI output with the MMT-8.  Is that correct ?  I am not certain what you mean by the above statement, but if you mean you record a drum track into the MMT-8 then play it back while you play along with a piano tone, but the piano tone gets changed to drums, if you play that drum track back to the keyboard on Channel 1, then yes, that drum track will change the keyboard's Channel 1 back to a drum tone.  You need to play the drum track back to the keyboard on Channel 10, which is the keyboard's default drum channel.  The tone for "live" keyboard play is controlled by Program Change data received on Channel 1.  So if you play a recorded drum track back to the keyboard on Channel 1, the keyboard's "live" play tone will be changed to a drum tone.  If you want to record anything that you intend to play along with later, you can record that to any track of your choice in the MMT-8, but when you play it back to the keyboard, it needs to be played back on some channel other than Channel 1, but without more info, I do not know if this is your problem.

 

Are drums and piano on the same track/channel or different tracks/channels?  If they are on the same track/channel, then that is your problem.  If they are transmitting on separate tracks/channels, but the receiving  tracks are set to the same incoming channel, then that is your problem.  If you are recording the keyboard's output with the MMT-8 and a program change on one track/channel changes the program on another track/channel, that indicates that the MMT-8 is receiving in OMNI mode (if it has an OMNI mode) where incoming data on one track/channel affects all receiving channels.  Many devices that had/have an OMNI mode were set to default to OMNI mode, and need to be manually set to Multi mode, but here again, without more info, I can not determine if this is the problem.

 

These are the kind of details we need in order to help you.  We need to know exactly what you are doing and exactly the results you are getting.

 

[Jokeyman123]

Ted and Andrew-I am suspecting Andrew that you are leaving the Casio XW-P1 midi out channel to channel one when you are recording from the XW into the MMT-8. and when you recorded your drum track if you used channel one midi out, the MMT-8 also recorded information at the beginning of your recording (also called the header information) designating the drum sound and bank messages for your drum sound and track nformation which will always stay that way unless you erase the track you recorded completely, and you have to do that without switching the midi channel out on the XW-P1 to erase the track-or erase it from the MMT-8 (my first sequencer, used it alot). 

 

Ted has already covered many details so i won't repeat-but perhaps all you need is to switch the XW-P1 midi out channel to 10 from the XW menu setup (typical channel for recording drums on many keys and modules) , select your drum sound and record the drum track you want. Then, you will have to switch the midi channel that the XW-P1 will send to a different channel, back to 1 if you want to keep it simple. Now select whatever different sound you want-piano as you describe, set the MMT-8 to record and play. Now you have 2 different sounds recorded on 2 different channels. Any additional sound or track you need to record must be switched to a different midi send channel from within the XW-P1-the MMT-8 is only recording on the track you select.

 

Ted, I'm assuming alot here and sorry to butt in. I used to record my CZs with the MMT-8 and it piqued my interest (another $10 word oops).

[andrewcollins8893]

Thanks guys I really appreciate it. 

[andrewcollins8893]

ThEd drums and piano are on separate tracks. And I do have it connected to midi .I want to use in my bands concerts any tips on how to make it easy. Thanks. 

[andrewcollins8893]

So let me see if I have this straight if I record my drums on midi  channel  10 and if I want to do a program or part change do I change the  midi channel from  10 to 11. Or do I just change the part number. And how do you play back all the parts you have recorded  do you merge the tracks or do you copy tracks. I have a merge and copy button's on my sequencer. And what is the best way to record in song mode or part mode. Thanks 

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Andrew

 

I have no hands-on experience with the MMT-8, so I will leave that for Jokeyman to comment on, but you did ask "what is best" and stated that you want to "make it easy", so I will offer this piece of sage advice for you to, at least, consider.  Perhaps it would be "best" and "easiest" for you to begin learning to use the XW-P1's internal 16-track sequencer.  Yes. it is a Phrase Sequencer, but it provides a procedure for stringing phrases together to form a complete song.  After all, that sequencer is made to go with the XW-P1's sound engine, so they are 100% compatible, which is not completely true with the MMT-8.  Besides, you have an up-to-date manual that explains how to use the internal sequencer with the XW-P1's sound engine, while the MMT-8 manual can not tell you anything about the XW-P1's sound engine, and how to use the MMT-8 with it.  Just something to think about !

 

And . . . . That is one less piece of hardware that you would have to haul around with you !  😉

 

Regards,

 

Ted

 

[andrewcollins8893]

Do I need to use just one midi cable. And what input would I go thru.. Out to Out or in to out.

[Brad Saucier]

The controlling device's MIDI out needs to be connected to the controlled device's MIDI in.  If you don't need control in two directions, only one cable is needed.  

[andrewcollins8893]

Thank you very much 

[andrewcollins8893]

I am almost their I got to record four tracks before I couldn't record and it would just play the previous sound I just recorded.  I have both midicables in. Do I need to change something inside the xw 1. Or do I need to change the midi channel every time I do a sound change.  I know midi channel  10 is for the drums.  I am almost their. Please can someone explain. 

[Jokeyman123]

Yes, I think I recall the MMT-8 needs a different midi channel for each independent sound or track. This is typical for all midi equipment that can record and play different sounds or tones as Casio labels these. and whatever midi channel you set-before you record-will be recorded along with the necessary code to recall that specific sound. If you were able to to look at a visual representation of the midi data that is going through your cables, you would see number codes that represent "channel" and  "program change" messages for each sound you record, along with the code for the midi channel number. The MMT-8 is recording these messages along with each of your performances-but each performance must be on a separate and distinct midi channel.

[andrewcollins8893]

Do you need to change the midi channels inside the xw1. To match the Mmt8.

[Jokeyman123]

You need to look at the menu settings in the XW-P1 for midi settings. Look for the settings on page E-66 of the manual, which describes how to change the midi channel the XW-P1 will send on. You need to enter the "edit" mode ( think that's the one), look for the menu item called "midi", hit enter and you should see a setting with numbers 1-16. Each time you wish to record a different sound to the MMT-8, you will need to go to this setting screen, change the midi channel number and play on the keyboard after you have selected your individual tone. Make sure you stay in "tone" mode, not sequencer or performance mode and make sure you select your tone first. I think this should work. I don't have the XW in front of me. I will check this when I get a chance. I've not used the MMT-8 so cant be certain but this is usually the way most synths work, as complex as the XW-P1 is , it is still a synthesizer among many other things!

[andrewcollins8893]

SJokeyman I found the settings do I need to change the. Device ID and the basic channel. Or do I just need to set both of them to the midi channel I am trying to record on. And on my MMT8 do I leave that on record on all midi channels or do I have to make sure that the MMT 8 and the xw1 is on the same midi channel. THANKS you have been a big help. I am almost their. And do I need to turn off my midi exclusive on my MMT 8.

[Jokeyman123]

I dont think you need to change the device ID. Just set the midi channel on both-although i don't think you need to set the MMT-8 midi channel, just pick whatever track on it you want to record on. Think of the MMT-8 as a music recorder that has 8 tracks to record any midi data you want to, read below.

 

I recall that the MMT-8 can record midi tracks in one of two ways-I'd have to read the manual to be sure as i no longer have the MMT-8.

 

The MMT-8 can record any or all midi channels at once on any one of its midi tracks or channels. Hang in there, I am going to give you a pretty deep tutorial on the MMT-8 as alot of its functions are coming back to me-

 

For example-if you play a multi-track midi recording from your computer or keyboard with drums, piano, brass or whatever assortment of sounds are being played-the MMT-8 can record all of that into one of its tracks, and will play it back the same way. So it is capable of recording many different midi channels sent to it on any one of its tracks. OR.....you keep each track assigned a distinct, separate midi channel sent from your keyboard or other midi playing equipment, and the MMT-8 will record only the one midi channel-on only one MMT-8 track. It had great flexibility like this I seem to remember.  You could even record in combination, and play it all back from the MMT-8.

 

Another example-you could assemble a composition with drums on midi channel 10, piano on midi channel 1 and brass on midi channel 2, 3 or any other, strings on another midi channel etc. and bass on midi channel 5-(I usually keep distinct midi channels for the same instruments-keeps me organized when I work) and record all of those tracks onto one MMT-8 track, and it will keep the channel assignments intact, and you still will have 7 more MMT-8 tracks to record on, but you will have to make sure you use different midi channels if you add any other instruments. The power of this is simple-you can record complete multi-track acompositions on each MMT-8 track separately-you could have 8 complete multi-track compositions, each recorded to a different MMT-8 track, and then play each back separately (or even together which would sound pretty crazy!) by turning on and off the different tracks with the MMT-8 buttons. I know I'm getting pretty deep-but just remember-when you are recording-make sure the XW-P1 midi setting (its midi channel) is set to an individual midi channel it sends out on, and each time you record a different instrument-you need to go back to the XW-P1 midi channel screen setting-menu setting-and change to a different midi channel out. The MMT-8 will now record whatever midi channel you are sending from the XW-P1. And of course every time you start recording, you have to select a different MMT-8 track to record to although I think you can even overdub midi channels onto the same MMT-8 track but I'm not sure on that one.

 

Try this too-pick a factory sequence from the XW-P1-set your MMT-8 to record-don't worry about any of the channel assignements-and play it into the MMT-8 set to record, on whatever MMT-8 track you want. When you are done recording-can just be a few measures of the sequence-pick one that has a few different things going on at once-try playing it back from the MMT-8-back into the XW-P1 (with the proper midi connections of course). I am betting that the MMT-8 recorded the entire sequencer part-all the tracks at once-on one MMT-8 track and will now play it back through the XW-P1 even if the sewuencer is not running. It might trigger the sequence to play at the same time the MMT-8 recording is playing through the XW-P1-you might hear 2 different versions of the same sequence, in or out of sync with each other-crazy but try try it just for fun.

 

This was a very powerful part of the design of the MMT-8 that most midi recorders were not capable of at the time-I used mine back when I was learning from the original CZ synths at the time-don't be discouraged, you are playing with 2 very deep musical tools and when you get the hang of it, you will be amazed at what you can do musically just with these 2 tools.

 

Get back to me anytime here if you need any more help. AlenK is also an expert on the XW-P1, I have gotten alot of help from AlenK regarding understanding the XW-P1. It is complex because it can do so much-like a good musician can turn even a not so good instrument into something wonderful! And the Casio keyboards are pretty wonderful IMO.

[andrewcollins8893]

Thanksyou are the best.