Re: 3rd Attempt...Throw me a Bone.

[Catilyne <catilyne@icicle.net>]

Okay, a lot of these are general and MIDI questions, so let me see if I 
can 
help out a bit.  First, caveats: I'm not an EDP owner, and I developed a 
mild-but-long-lasting hatred of Digidesign well over a decade ago, so I 
don't use Pro Tools.  All standard disclaimers apply.  However, that said, 
perhaps I can assist a little.  See below.

At 11:50 PM 1/22/2004, John Metzler wrote:

>1.  Does any one know if there is a way to start up Pro Tools LE 6.2.2 
>without any Digidesign Hardware hooked up to the computer.  I wanted to 
>record some EDP button pushes (EFC-7 moves) on a MIDI track in Pro Tools 
>on my lap top.  But it won't open without the Mbox plugged into it.

I've heard in passing that there was a change in Pro Tools LE between OS9 
& 
OSX.  Hopefully somebody else can confirm, but in the OS9 version it's 
perfectly possible to run the sequencer with no DigiDesign hardware.  I'd 
heard they revised that functionality when they ported it over to OSX, so 
that the software now needs to see their hardware in order to function.


>2.  Does anybody know of any free MIDI sequencing software for OSX 10.3.2 
>that would allow me to do this.

Try taking a look through the Host listing on KVR-VST ( 
http://www.kvr-vst.com/get.php?mode=results&st=q&s=13 ).  If you can't 
find 
anything worthwhile there, I know that Jo from Muzys is working hard on 
the 
port to OSX (expected sometime during Q1 2004).  Once that happens, I'm 
sure you'll be able to get its little brother -- Computer Muzys -- on the 
CD's that come each month in Computer Music magazine.  Not free, but 
cheap...


>3.  I want to be able to access any loop from any other loop in the EDP 
>with the push of only 1 button.  This is Why I got the RFX MIDIbuddy foot 
>controller.  It has individual buttons numbered 0-9 and a 10up and 10down 
>button.  I thought I could plug this in and set it up so that pushing 
>button 3 would jump me straight to 3 and 7 to 7 and so on.  I have been 
>unable to do this.  Am I doing something wrong or will this foot 
>controller simply not work for this function.  HOW CAN I DO THIS???

I believe this has been answered previously: you can't do it from that 
particular foot controller without adding another piece of hardware to 
convert the MIDI messages to a different type.


>4.  Please stick with me!  Let me explain and then you guys (and Gals) 
>let 
>me know hear what you know and think.  I don't know how much I trust 
>software based sequencing programs to use my laptop at a live 
>gig.  Computers crash more often then dedicated hardware does. I need a 
>rock solid sequencer that I can use as a drum machine (so I won't have to 
>lug my keyboard just for drum sounds) and an EDP trigger  , and sync to 
>Jim's V-Drums, that I can record incoming button pushes on one channel 
>while playing programmed drum sequenced on another channel.  WILL THE 
>AKAI 
>MPC 1000 BE A GOOD CHOICE FOR THIS????  Why and why not?

It's been a long time since I played around with anything from Akai's MPC 
series.  However, if I recall correctly, I think it will probably do what 
you need it to.  The functionality should be there, but as to whether it's 
a good choice, I would definitely play around with the interface and see 
if 
it's intuitive for you.  My background is with the Sequential machines 
(the 
Studio 440 kicks ass), so the Akai machines were always a bit hard to get 
around for me.  Likewise, I'd imagine that somebody who spent most of 
their 
time on Linn or E-mu workstations would say that both the Akai and SCI 
machines were whacked.  It's what you find easiest to work with that 
matters, so you'll really need to get some time to download the manual, 
then demo the machine.

One other series of gear to consider here are the E-mu Command 
Stations.  The little I've played with these remind me of my 440 
interface: 
well-thought-out and very fast to move around.  I know there are several 
Command Station owners here on the list however, so I'll let them discuss 
the merits of their gear.


>5.  One last question for now.  (by the way, THANK YOU in advance, to all 
>of you who will doubtlessly give me invaluable advice)  If I got myself a 
>second EDP would I be able to have both run in sync and use one in delay 
>mode and the other in Loop mode?  And would the delay be in sync with one 
>cycle of the loop?

That one's going to have to come from an EDP owner, or Kim...

Hope that's *some* assistance...

         -c-

_____
"i want to reach my hand into the dark and *feel* what reaches back"
                                                 -recoil