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standalone MIDI phrase recorder


Steven_C
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Hi everyone, yes its been a while since I've posted... been very busy, and haven't had internet access at home for 14 months!

At work, we need a device that can play back a series of midi events at the press of a button. We possibly don't have the time to build something ourselves, and Midibox is non-commercial... so looking for a commercial solution (we are a large sound company) We could use an old hardware sequencer, but these are all old and i'm not sure about reliability. We just want something simple. We have a roland "midi program changer", but this cannot play back a series of midi events.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Steve

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You could try a Roland MC80 if you want a current model, but something like an MC50 is still all good, and for a hundred bucks a pop you could probably afford a backup unit. Likewise the Kawai Q80, and all the similar models. IIRC Akai used to make a rackmount unit that did this kinda thing too.

Hope that helps!

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I've got a quick&dirty solution:

...I don't know if it works...

Just modify an old audio-cassette-recorder

Take an op-amp to make the voltage-level of the midi-signal fit to the

Line- or mic-input of the recorder.

Then take the headphode-output, an opamp and connect it to your midi-in.

shouldn't be too hard to do...

matthias

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try an alesis mmt-8.  they're old, but are inexpensive and very reliable (if you get the black version from around 1992 with the newest firmware).  it'll record any midi data except for aftertouch.  mmt-8's are known for the button connections going bad, but that's very easily fixed with the information at http://www.mmt8.com.  also, to make it a partial diy project, you could always replace the buttons.  the board with the buttons and leds on it connect via ribbon cable to the mainboard, and it's quite easy to recreate it with tactile switches.  i have just done this to convert my mmt-8 to a rackmount and i'm just waiting on getting a panel made for it.  if you get one, be sure to check the date on the battery and install a new one if it's old.

drew

edit: if you do end up going with an mmt-8 and want to recreate the button panel, i'll gladly provide you with a map of the button/led connections as i have already done this work.

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Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll check out these options. BTW Matthias, I don't think your idea would work, as midi data uses a bandwidth of 30kHz, similar ideas have been discussed on this forum before! But thanks for thinking 'outside the box'! Pay_C, the DIY solution looks interesting, will check it out. julienvoirin, I'm glad you found some useful info! :)

Steve.

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sure thing stryd.  it's not midibox related so i didn't think to post any information about it.  but now that i think about it, there's probably a few midibox users that own mmt-8's and would like to see it in a rack with their seq.  it's a pretty fast and easy project, too.  i'm using the original buttons mounted to tact switches and my micrometer finally arrived today so i can measure them for the panel.  will be a month or so until i get it all completed but i can certainly post what i have so far, which is simply a list of which buttons connect to which pins.  i'll post that this weekend.

drew

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it's not midibox related so i didn't think to post any information about it.  but now that i think about it, there's probably a few midibox users that own mmt-8's and would like to see it in a rack with their seq.

Yeh you bet. I had an MC50 mkII but lost it (seriously where the *** did that go?!) and dreamed of an MC80 fully tweaked, and had a q80 before that for a very short time. I don't have an MMT8 yet but it's on the eBay watch list for some time ;) I think that a linear sequencer of some sort is really necessary (theres only so much you can do with 2/4/8/16 steps etc) and the way the MMT8 works is well suited to being used with pattern/loop based stuff. Racking one up would be the bomb :D Just put it in the Miscellanous section perhaps. Or maybe I am being very naughty.  ;)

Moderators would it be OK to post about this here?

Steven_C is that going to suit your needs though?

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there's one on ebay right now for $121 shipped (buy it now), perhaps more if you're not in the states.  that is the black version that doesn't crash.  it's a bit pricey but you know how supply and demand works.  the description says it records aftertouch but i dont' believe that is true.  has psu, which is an oddball kind and hard to track down i guess.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALESIS-MMT-8-Multi-track-midi-sequencer-RARE-Black_W0QQitemZ120095194313QQcategoryZ41477QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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What is the "SRAM extension"  ???

. Previously, due to a need for more RAM, some board members here helped me to design an external SRAM interface (THANKS GUYS!!).
(from stryd vx wiki page)

:o :o

Hey, dont keep that secret,we all want to know !!

Please wikify this asap  !!!  ;)

Cheerz

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