I think a general tutorial is a great idea. I don't know how many other people have had this problem, but I've learned quite a bit about troubleshooting certain MIDI issues just from this.

Most of the Web sites I've seen with MIDI info on them are either dry and boring or old, dry and boring. You've at least been able to keep it interesting!

Would there be any important and unseen data if I would record every MIDI-OX event of the drum kits by playing each note one by one?

Hi Timi,

Sorry for the delay, busy day yesterday, and I spent a little time recharging my batteries and enjoying the sunshine!

There#s no need to do a MIDI-OX with the drums, I have the GM2 drum listings in the MMA GM2 spec. and have them embedded in another instrument file somewhere. I just need to do a cut and paste job for you.

The specification shows that an MSB of 120, and LSB of 0 and then using a program change varying according to the set needed is what is done.

Reading through the last listing you posted for the Medelli, you will need an MSB=11 (data 2 of Bank MSB) for all kits, then a Program Change=0 for the standard set (Data 1 from PC:Acoustic Grand Piano), 8 for the Room Kit (Data 1 from PC:Celesta) and so on. Or just look at the kit name and then read data 2 followed by data 1 e.g. 11 (MSB) 0 (PC).

".Note Names" coming up in a while.

Here it is : http://www.box.net/shared/44qn8qeqf7

SysExJohn.

Hi all,

Thanks for the GM2 drum kit information! :)

I just incorporated it into draft3 of SP5500 .ins file:

• http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfkmwxtv_39fvscd6fk

I've been bit busy lately and have not been able to study RPN/NRPNs or add those sections into .ins file. Nor I have been able to test the latest changes yet, but I bet they are exactly correct.

//timi

Hi Timi,

Well ... almost. I bet it won't work.
Remember I talked about the bank needing to be 11 for the SP5500?

You will need to change the 15360s to 11s.
Why?
The one I created is for a "normal" bank select, i.e. it uses both MSB and LSB. The way this is implemented in an instrument file is to take the MSB and multiply it by 128 then add the LSB. So MSB 120, LSB 0 becomes 15360 the GM2 standard way of selecting the basic drum set.

You are just using the MSB so AFAIK that is just 11 in your file folllowed by the program select so (11,0) or (11,8) etc.

All my Yamaha and Roland kit uses both MSB and LSB so I can't test it for you.

Here's a complete one for GM1 and GM2. (not mine).
http://www.box.net/shared/72ee7i9qyc

HTH?
SysExJohn.

Hello SysExJohn,

Sorry about the delay, I was not able to test the latest ins version until yesterday.

I did not notice that you had posted your latest message and I just loaded the draft 3 with all 15360s.

I'm bit baffled as it seemed to work just fine, every kit was there and as far as I can tell, each kit name matched the sounds.

After I noticed your message, I made draft 4 where every occurence of 15360 was replaced with 11. I loaded the draft 4 into Cakewalk and I did not notice any difference... Every kit was still there and sounded just right.

Here's the draft 4 with 15360s replaced with 11s:

• http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfkmwxtv_40djqbh7fj

I probably misunderstood something, but at the moment it seems to me that both versions (draft 3 and draft 4) work identically.

What could I have overlooked?


BTW, I still have not named the banks, but I will do that as last thing when everything else is worked out.

//timi

Hi Timi,

Actually I don't think you've overlooked anything. It's highly likely that the keyboard responds equally to both the GM2 standard drum settings as well as the ones specified in the list. The acid test is whether it responds to e.g the orchestral kit timpani. It should work fine anyway with the standard GM set.

Whilst you're at it take a good look at the GM1 and GM2 set that I posted and notice some of the other things set up in that.

Glad it's working for you.

What's you're impression of the Thomann keyboard, I'm thinking of getting one for myself. I'd be interested in your view of the pros and cons.

Best regards,
SysExJohn.

SysExJohn

Actually I don't think you've overlooked anything. It's highly likely that the keyboard responds equally to both the GM2 standard drum settings as well as the ones specified in the list. The acid test is whether it responds to e.g the orchestral kit timpani. It should work fine anyway with the standard GM set.

Whilst you're at it take a good look at the GM1 and GM2 set that I posted and notice some of the other things set up in that.

Ah I see, I will check the timpani of the orchestral kit and inspect the GM1/GM2 stuff.

What's you're impression of the Thomann keyboard, I'm thinking of getting one for myself. I'd be interested in your view of the pros and cons.

Well little background of my playing habits/skills/experience is necessary before making too deep conclusions:
I'm far from professional musician and I would not be able to play but only simplest motifs with keyboard on live setting. Electric bass guitar is what I can play with most comfort. This means that I'm not really a keyboard/piano player and I don't have much experience of such hardware.

On my PC-MIDI setup I have used Ensoniq EPS 16 Plus for about 15 years until I bought SP5500. Ensoniq EPS recognizes velocity, but the keys feel dead. This means that I have not used weighted keys before SP5500 and SP5500 is huge improvement and the muscles of my fingers have to work harder than before.

So for me the SP5500 is very good for practicing and recording melodical ideas, but at the same time the keys feel bit cheap and I doubt that they would last long if used frequently on gigs etc. The sounds are not too impressive to my ear, but they are just fine for making demonstration recordings etc.

Also as it's not really a stage piano, but something between keyboard/synth and stage piano it's a bit awkward... For a keyboard/synth it lacks many common features and as a stage piano it has too many useless features.

My conclusion is that I'm happy with it and it suits to my needs, but I would not recommend it for any professional use. The price is very low and in Europe it's the cheapest equivalent of a stage piano I've seen so far.

As I am still quite new to the SP5500, I would recommend searching the web for reviews.

I'll gladly try to answer any specific questions you might have.

//timi

I'm contemplating on buying the SP5500 and registered on the forum just to thank timi and SysExJohn for the work you've done creating the instrument definitions.

Thanks a bunch - I will certainly make use of them should I buy the SP5500.

The work was Timi's and he gets all the credit. I just helped to point him in the right direction.
But a word of thanks goes a heck of a long way. I hope, if you get the keyboard, that it does all you want.
I'm now looking at the Kurzweil PC3x, but it's a lot of money so it'll take me sometime to save for it!
SysExJohn.