SYX dump into Andromeda

synthartist69 · Joined: Mar 02, 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Arkansas

When trying to send program data back to the Andromeda, I have no luck getting it there. I am trying to download my user bank back into it. I also tried downloading one of the user banks from the Alesis website back into it. Both times only about 3000kb would get sent and then the action would stop. The first time I did this with my own user memory, the Alesis did not accept it, as one of the sounds that I renamed never changed. Also, when I would start scrolling through the sounds the Alesis would lock up. I eventually had to do a complete soft key #3 reboot. Thinking that my user memory that I had stored on the pc may have become corrupted, I tried sending the sounds from the Alesis site into the synth. I got the same type of action when doing this.

I can successfully send program data back and forth using my Roland JV80 keyboard, so I know that my program and midi connections are all good. I also tried to different midi programs to do this as well, but end up with the same problem with both of them. The main program I use is MIDI-OX. I also make sure that the Alesis is set for syx-user bank.

Any ideas of what I am doing wrong? What is really bad here is the fact that I really need to get my own user program sounds back into the synth, I have spent weeks on programming these sounds. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

jim

wildbill · Joined: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 46 G2 patch files: 2

There's a setting in Midi-Ox to determine how fast the data is sent. Forget the name right now, but the idea is to slow it down to prevent it from sending data faster than the A6 can accept it.
That's about the only thing I can of to try, other than using another program.

paologatto · Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject:

If you have trouble with MIDI-OX I suggest you to use A6 Banker:

http://www.mk2software.com/banker/forums.html

Jyoti · Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject:

Ooh, thanks for the link to A6 Banker, hadn't seen that before!

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

I've just grabbed Banker, and I'm still having the 'lock up' problem when sending patches to the beast. I've done exactly as the OP did: I sent myself a dump of the preset user bank to ensure I wasn't sending a duff patch, but it's still causing lock ups.

Any aid out there?

Jyoti · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject:

Sorry, mate - I'm on a Mac so I took the plunge and invested in Midiquest XL. Otherwise, I would have gone for A6 Banker.

I've sent and received entire banks with MQXL just fine, using their Andromeda template.

Sorry to not be more help!

purpurkatten · Joined: May 27, 2005 Posts: 131 Location: right here

Have the same question. Just want to send and receive midi presets between A6 and my computer. How hard can it be?

Pretty hard, obviously.

I´ve tried both midiox and A6 banker. Big problems with both.

2 Mini-reviews IMHO:

- A6 banker
A little bit userfriendly, just a few buttons and mouse clicks more than necessary. Problem is that it´s buggy and unstable, if it works at all (which it does not).

- Midiox
Not userfriendly at all, made by midi geeks - too detailed for every day use, I don´t need rocket science to send/receive presets. Limited functionality, I can send presets to A6 using midiox, but I haven´t been able to get a backup dump from the A6 into my computer.

Of course, you may have an other, better experience of these software. Lucky you, then! Confused

Grateful for any suggestions helping me sending/receiving midipresets between A6 and my computer.

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

For me, which sysex utility I use seems irrelevant. All sysex program/bank sends to my A6 crash it horribly. I've changed the Send parameter to Origin, ensured that the A6 is set to receive Sysex and so on and so forth. At this point I'm utterly lost.

(Still a great machine, and I bought it to make my own patches, so it's not the end of the world)

Jyoti · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:48 am Post subject:

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Pfft... after wrestling with the box and getting it in my flat, I think it'd take a dead OSC for me to want to send the beast back.

Jyoti · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

Could be worse, mate - my Triton Extreme 88 arrived in something that looked like Battlestar Galactica. Weighed about as much too... Shocked

soundwave106 · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject:

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Hmm... I've only got the Alesis IO14, so I'm not sure how to circumnavigate this one. I wonder if it's possible to use PC->USB->Korg Mikrokontrol, and then 'thru'?

Thanks for the tip.

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Oh - a couple more things:

1) Did you have to faff with the A6's settings initially, to get MidiOx to work? If you did, could you tell me what you did, please?
2) Any chance you could tell me all your SysEx settings for MidiOx?

Many thanks!

soundwave106 · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject:

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Many thanks!

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Update.

Crashing was entirely due to midi interface. I've just switched to an E-Mu 0404 and everything is fine. I'm using Banker with no problem. Accursed Alesis Midi unit...

Jyoti · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:52 am Post subject:

Cheers for the update, that's useful info! thumb up

ThreeFingersOfLove · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject:

In case the A6 chokes you can always increase the SYXDLY parameter.

Madrayken · Joined: Apr 16, 2008 Posts: 17 Location: UK London

Yep - tried this, and every other bit of advice I was given. Changed the interface from firewire to the USB Emu and everything worked perfectly first time without changing a single parameter anywhere.

Mark-io · Joined: May 17, 2008 Posts: 30 Location: Netherlands

ive had several reports from A6 Banker users having trouble with Firewire midi interfaces. just sayin...

And yes, the particular midi interface used does indeed matter a great deal. Some interfaces are fine doing simple Note On/Off messages but are nevertheless prone to choke on large amounts of (SysEx) data. Andromeda bank tranfers are HUGE in midi terms and less powerful / efficient processors cant handle them

sunny pedaal · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject:

doubt if it's a usb/firewire thing, more a feeling it has to do with the quality of theexternal midi- interface/ the brand if you'll like. myself use rme ff400 on firewire , no problems.

wwjd · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:06 am Post subject:

tossing this into this mix:

I used an old Dell laptop with USB 1.0 and the cheapest M-Audio USB<>MIDI cable thingy, and it worked FLAWLESSLY using MIDIOX

Sold that laptop and tried it on a newer Dell with USB 2.0, same cable, same MIDIOX, and it's always failing - timing out or something. I'll have to tweak the settings apparently.

sunny pedaal · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

? are the m-audio drivers updated to the ?newer?system of the laptop.
but oke, it's a magical thing that midi thing, happely everything works allright over here.
by the way in the past i've used opcode/ motu/ m-audio and now, rme without problems.
voyetra ( way back ) always gave problems
seems alesis might also be not such a superhero regarding midi.
anybody else?

wwjd · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:33 am Post subject:

yeah, I always download the latest software when hooking up something new. doubt it's a big deal. I just haven't had time to experiment with it lately. If it worked on old gear, I KNOW I can make it work on the new gear. but now my A6 is loaned out and I won't see it for 6 months Smile