Post by Tom on Sept 10, 2008 19:19:42 GMT
When I first got my 2488mkII last summer, I thought exactly the same as trucker says here - i.e. that the mkII can play back SMF data, but doesn't have a built-in General MIDI tone generator to make the sounds, so you need one or more external MIDI modules for that purpose.
I thought this was a bit strange at the time, so I asked about the "tone generator or no tone generator" question in my first post here last summer. In short, two posters (JJM777 and RickHolly) replied and confirmed that there is a GM tone generator in the mkII - it just doesn't have its own physical fader (this was 'given' to the submixer channel), so you have to change the level in software.
It's also worth pointing out again, that you can't actually create MIDI sequenced tracks on the 2488mkII itself - you have to create them on an external MIDI sequencer (or get them off the Net, or whatever), then import the SMF sequence file into the mkII via the USB/FAT link.
As I said in my post, it's largely academic to me, as I would probably want to use an external sequencer and sound sources for MIDI instrumentation anyway. However, if you really wanted/needed to run MIDI backing tracks on the 2488mkII, at least you know you can use the mkII's own sounds at a pinch, and don't have to go on eBay for an old SoundCanvas! (Actually, I haven't yet tried the SMF function, or running a sequencer in sync with my mkII, but I've got an album project or two in the pipeline, so it's time I started experimenting )
Hope this helps...
Several owners of the MKII thought that you could directly playback SMF files w/o external help but this seems not the case. Since there is no TG on the MKII I've read lots of posts but I've seen nowhere that someone has actually imported an SMF and get it to sound through the mixer. Whether this is true or not I'm sure that there's some indirect way since the feature is there but I prefer the physical TG fader so I can control volume on the MKI and I don't need to go through any extra steps to figure it out. Since I don't own a MKII it's not a problem.
WAV exchanges, once a tempo has been established, is always the way to go since any mixing software and most recorders come with this feature. I alway export my WAVs to the computer just in case I ever want to remix or add to a song project. I like starting with MIDI because things are much easier aligned (the autosnap feature) and drums can be pulled out and changed out much easier.
Stan,
The quote you posted is consistant with my assumption based on the illustration of the midi player display shown in the mkII manual. No control on the volume, but even more importantly no way to turn a channel on or off except for through external software processing on the middle file itself. I am used to having to control volume that way, as my MIDI file maker (Yamaha keys) puts volume level and voice info in the MIDI file that the PS5 reverts to when PLAY is pushed on the PS5, unlike per-channel ON/OFF status, which can be retained by doing a song save on the PS5.
I run hot and cold on upgrading to more tracks -- cold when I admit that I don't need extra tracks most of the time -- hot when I think of the collaborating possibilites or realize that the standalone multitracker approach I would prefer is likely to not be available much longer. If I do upgrade, the ability to synchronize the recorder and a MIDI device will be a key factor in what I buy -- as you know I rely heavily on MIDI. I want the ability to start with MIDI and not only turn MIDI instruments on and off afterward, but also to add/change MIDI voices. The 2488 and other recorders I have researched all have MIDI syncing capabilities, but often the information given in the manuals is quite sketchy, as if it is assumed that either the reader already knows how to use it, or has no intention of using it.
And yes, I have thought about the possibility that if I did all the recording on the PC, such syncing would be easier to set up and use