Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    
>      One other bug: when sampling the manual says the threshold can
>    be set and that recording doesn't happen until you cross the threshold.
>    Not true. You can adjust the threshold but I have not been able
>    to get it to wait...when I hit record it starts regardless of where
>    the threshold is. arggh.
 
     SWAG - My Mirage has a MIC/LINE software switch, the position of which
     has a very definite effect on the input sensitivity. 
    
     ...might be something to look for.
    
    Edd     
    
    

    
    re: Edd
    
      Yeah, this one has one of 'em too. Since the EPS doesn't allow
    you to attenuate the level of the incoming mic/line, I was running
    it via one of my mixers at line level. Is this incorrect? Can you
    suggest something better? It's annoying but not insurmountable
    (especially since the footswitch initiates recording)...
    
    /pjh
    

    No, that's pretty much what I do as the MIC position introduces
    a compression circuit.
    
    I run a cable from the PFL headphone jack on the board to the
    sampler input. I believe I set the "threshold" for something
    like 15 or 20 db. (That varies according to the source.) If the
    threshold is too low, just the noise from the board is enough to
    activate sampling, which is what I suspect is happening in your
    case. 
    
    Have you tried it with the low-level (MIC) setting to verify if
    the symptom is always present?
    
    Edd

    I played with an EPS for several hours this weekend past, and my
    impressions were very positive.
    
    Several items of note:
    
      1) Very dynamic feel.  The FM Rhodes sample sounded great because
          at higher velocity, you could hear the FM distortion.  Probably
          multisampled over several velocities.  It really seems to
          do a great job with the velocity nuances.
    
      2) I hated the keyboard for the first half hour, and then I got
         to like it, very much.  I think it provides useful tactile
         feedback.  Unlike my DX7, where I can't really tell where I
         am, and where I'm going to trigger the note, my playing was
         much more precise with the EPS.  (Then again, I'm no Hannon).
    
         The salesman said that the reason why Ensoniq was not selling
         an EPS-m was because they wanted to stir interest in the
         polyphonic after-touch feature.
    
      3) It accepts the MIDI sample dump standard.  The store I was
         in was hurriedly transfering samples from other formats to
         the EPS, because of the dearth of factory samples.  Unfortunately
         I couldn't stay long enough to find out how this process
         turned out.
    
      4) The literature does indeed claim 96dB dynamic range, and mentions
         a floating point output scheme.  It certainly sounded very
         dynamic.  I wouldn't jump to conclusions until I knew what
         was happening internally.
                                
    All in all, it seems to be a pretty hot product.
    
      Steph
    
    Did you know that ``E2PROM'' (ee-squared-prom) is a licensed
    trademark of Ensoniq Corp.?
                      

>    < Note 1324.4 by BOLT::BAILEY "Steph Bailey" >
>(Then again, I'm no Hannon).

    ... unfortunately, neither was Hanon.

    
    re: Edd
    
      I'll try it Thursday night which is the next time I'll be seeing
    my living room (off to do a customer presentation in NY tonight...the
    only thing I can bring on the plane is my SK-1 - big deal.) 
    
    Re: Steph
    
      You're probably right about the keyboard, it is very expressive
    and the samples are quite nice. I still don't like the clack clack
    though. 
    
    Now to start the search for software that talks between Ataris and
    the EPS. Any suggestions?
    
    /pjh

   >      The salesman said that the reason why Ensoniq was not selling
   >      an EPS-m was because they wanted to stir interest in the
   >      polyphonic after-touch feature.
    
    Is there anyone among us who actually buys this?

    What I don't buy is the claim that the ESQ-M was a financial
    disaster. 
    
    The engineering effort, I'm fairly sure, was virtually nil to create
    a module version.  Just plop the boards in a box, and comment out
    some code in the ROM so it doesn't get upset about not seeing a
    keyboard.  They could even manufacture to meet demand.
    
    I also think that poly-pressure is a great feature.
    
    Personally, I'd like to see a module, but the explaination makes
    some sense to me.
    
      Steph

    
    re: ESQ-M
    
      I only report what I hear. I have a hard time believing that the
    ESQ-M was a real disaster too.
    
      The poly pressure is really neat, especially for strings and brass
    backgrounds - it does take some getting used to, since one's fingers
    must remember to bear down on particular keys after the key comes
    down. Ah well.
    
      /pjh

    Not to get down a rathole, but being the proud owner of 2 new ESQ-Ms, I
    have to agree with sentiments on the modules.  These things are quite
    well thought out, but I can't believe they're much different than the
    ESQ-1s.  The service dept. reps (2 different ones) at Ensoniq told me
    that there were basically NOT any differences between the two other
    than no sequencing, no kybd, and packaging. 

-b

    This probably comes under the sub-heading of, " Sell the customer
    much more than what he needs, and/or wants ". It's surprising that
    they would do something like this in such a competitive market,
    which is probably why they feel they have to lie about it. Yep,
    make that TWO demerits. tisk, tisk.
    						John.

    
      This weekend I explored the keyboard's ability to be allocated
    to different instruments. Nifty stuff. I never had a board that
    could be split more than once before. I was able to place a
    steel-string guitar in the first zone, a solo flute in the second
    zone, and I had some space left over and I stuck a kalimba (didn't
    have much memory left over) in the top zone. You can send these
    out different channels too.
    
      I also figured out "bank" saves too. Essentially a bank is the
    collection of instruments, and you save a file giving the instructions
    on how to load the instruments, like in what order, with what channels,
    what zones to set up, etc. Works great, except that it takes a while
    to load 1000 blocks of floppy-disk onto the machine and no, you
    can't play while loading banks.
    
      The "you can play while loading" feature has definite limitations.
    You cannot play while doing any of the more sophisticated functions
    such as volume smoothing, wavesample copy, normalization, or wave
    editing. In fact, you lose your edit if you try to reload during
    an edit. I suppose that makes sense though, you would hardly be
    editing during a performance.
    
      I am appreciating the keyboard more and more, except for the clack
    clack. The aftertouch is really nice when you can apply it to only
    one key at a time.
    
      Well this week we try some real production, since I'm not afraid
    to blow it away now. More later.
    
    /pjh

    
    
    Here's some rather odd traits I have discovered lately:
    
    The EPS allows you to either transmit/receive via a "base channel"
    or via "instrument channels". When you go into "base channel" mode
    the keyboard is whatever the base channel is, and so is the first
    instrument. All other instruments are offset upwards (I haven't
    tried to go past channel 8 to see if they wrap-around). I don't
    really understand the difference between "base channel receive"
    and "instrument channel receive" yet, although it appears that your
    multi-timbral ability is enhanced by setting "instrument channel
    receive" since you can set each instrument to a particular MIDI
    channel then.
    
    Unfortunately all of this capability is frozen when it hears any
    incoming MIDI data. In fact, if all controllers haven't been shut
    off and the song stops, you still can't change anything. Once you
    stop the song and re-select the instrument and play it from the
    keyboard and clear any old controller events, sure, then it works
    again, but otherwise it just hangs.
    
    Another somewhat interesting effect is to load an instrument while
    MIDI data is incoming on that instrument's channel. Even though
    you haven't selected the instrument yet, you get a progressive
    "building" of the timbre as the disk reads. The voice just sort
    of "appears"... fascinating, since you can't do it from the keyboard
    because the instrument can't be selected until it is loaded.
    
    Although Ensoniq has been touting this board as "multitasking" in
    that you can DMA-load a voice (instrument) while playing another,
    this is an extremely narrow interpretation. You can't load a bank
    while playing ANY selected instrument (it clears the machine), don't
    even think of loading a song into the sequencer (clears the machine
    and deassigns the keyboard as soon as you say "yes"), and don't
    try to EDIT anything while playing (can't do stacking, multiple
    keyboard zones, or anything regarding MIDI)... Hmph. 
    
    On the plus side, it sounds very nice and most of the documented
    features work as advertised. I still can't get the threshold to
    work right, even after taking Edd's suggestion.... I get to vent
    my frustrations at Ensoniq's NE rep today though, so I should feel
    better this afternoon. (oh excuse me, "discuss my concerns about
    the product with the Ensoniq rep)...;^)
    
    We be jammin...
    
    /pjh

    
    
    Well here's another thing that wasn't in the manual. The filter
    section is quite extensive. You get two filters, each configurable
    as low pass or high pass, 2-pole Butterworth or 3-pole Butterworth,
    adjustable Q. You may modulate them from just about anywhere including
    external MIDI controllers. Quite a rush. There's a bunch of submenus
    in the filter section I haven't made it through yet...
    
    Oh yeah, and the waveform massaging commands. You can splice, copy,
    normalize, and smooth one or a group of wavesamples. You may have
    separate components assigned to the same key and twiddled with the
    patch buttons on the left side of the keyboard. Eats memory, but
    I have noticed that my samples are getting smaller as I am learning
    how to work this thing.
    
    Yet more later...
    
    /pjh

    Paul,
    
    Can you comment on what the heck those two-patch-buttons-on-the
    left-hand-side-of-the-keyboard are for?  All the reviews I have
    read produce the same indistinct mumbling about ``What a wonderful
    feature this is, this wonderful new flexibility in the hands of
    the user,'' but no detail of the wonderful flexibility.  It sounds
    like the reviewers were either parroting the sales brochure (which
    says the same thing) or each other.
    
    Steph

    
    Yeah, the reason everyone raves about is that all the Ensoniq patches
    use it like crazy but programming it isn't documented in the *&#^*@&#
    lack of a manual.
    
    It's a (pardon the expression) two-bit binary switch, therefore
    you get four positions (patches), 00, 01, 10, and 11. You can cause
    these patches to select different wavesamples, or change parameter
    settings such as velocity, mono/poly behavior, or filter type and
    setting. I have only fiddled with it, since I only found it the
    other day while picking (hacking) thru the system. The lack of
    documentation is starting to really irritate me since there's so
    much in this system that is not documented. As I said earlier, I found
    it in the osc page, you can assign combinations of up to eight
    parameters on it. It's neat in that you can hit the button and get
    a change while you're hitting the button, the return to the original
    patch, or, you can hold the patch buttons and hit the instrument
    key and it holds that patch until you change it again (new default).
    
    As I said, the reason everybody raves about the machine but doesn;t
    say anything of substance is probably for two reasons: (1) they
    don't have access to one, and (2) if they do they haven't gotten
    the reputed "big book" addendum to the obviously too quickly produced
    "musician's manual". So much for being on the leading edge...
    
    /pjh
    

    I think the idea behind it is that you use it to do things like
    insert a "squeak" into a sax solo, etc.  The idea is that you use
    it to incorporate the kinds of expression the sampled instrument
    is capable of.
    
    It does sound like a wonderful idea.
    
    	db

    
    Case in point: I picked up the "harpsichord" patch from Ensoniq
    on Friday. It has all sorts of little touches (not touch�s ;^))
    like the sound of the quill coming to rest on the aftertouch. All
    of the major changes to registration (this is a _nice_ harpsichord)
    are done via the patch select key. 00 is full registration, 01 is
    a bass register, 10 is the treble register, and 11 is the treble
    muted. 
    
    I listened to a sax sample that Bob Stallman (the Ensoniq rep I've
    been pestering) brought by. Yup, growls, squeaks and squeals are
    on the patch select key.
    
    /pjh

    I got to play with an EPS for about 1/2 hour on Saturday.  The keyboard
    behaved fine...
    	
    My only gripe with the keyboard is that the naturals are sort of
    a satin finish, and the flats are very matte.  I'm used to full-gloss
    on both naturals and flats.  However, I have to admit that the
    non-gloss did gliss :-).
    	
    Darn it, now I want one...

    I am looking for a multitimbral unit and would like your feedback.

    1. Its been a while since you've started using your EPS - how do you
       like it now?
    2. What samples do they provide when you buy it and what others are
       available, what kind of cost is involved?
    3. Cost of unit?  A music store on DW Highway in Nashua gave me a rough
       price of $2100.  Some old hype literature quoted a list price of $1995.
    4. Did you get any options, such as the 2x, 4x memory expansions, the 8-out
       expansion or any others and what price range do they run?
    5. My main concern is contrasting the EPS to the Roland S50.  I have
       tried to list their attributes below...
	EPS					S50
	------------------			--------------------
	8.6s sampling time @30kHz		7.2s sampling time @30kHz
	variable rates between 6.25-52.1kHz	15 or 30kHz
	2-out, expandable to 8-out		4-out + 1-out fixed
	memory expandable to 896kB, 2.1Mb	fixed memory
	SCSI can be added as option		no SCSI
	20-voices, 8-timbres (variable)		16-voices, 4-timbres
	13-bit samples				12-bit samples
	alleged DMA for loading samples		no DMA (?)
        some semi reverb effects (?)		no effects (?)
        is sound library available (???)        sound library is available
        sequencer standard w/ unit		sequencer as option (???)

    The way I understand it today, it seems to me that the EPS is much
    more flexible and has more functionality.  Is there a quality
    difference?
    Is the EPS sequencer part of the software OS (can they update OS and
    sequencer with new software releases in the future) ?

    Please correct me if anything I listed is incorrect, and feedback from
    S50, S330, S550 owners would be great!  I wouldn't like starting any
    brand loyalty wars but would like to know the differences between the
    EPS and the Roland units.

    Thanks, Tim
    

    Can't speak for the S-50, but the S-550 (rack) does indeed support SCSI
    and memory XPansion (two things that the S-330 does not).  This is
    according to Roland, not a music store bozo. 

    The EPS will read/play all current Mirage samples simply by loading the
    disk.  Nice touch, but samples aren't nearly as clean as the Roland. 

    As for which is better, well ... that kinda depends on what you want to
    use it for, and how certain features are to you.  The EPS has the
    standard Ensoniq sequencer (*very* nice) and everything built into one
    keyboard.  However, h/w upgrades are mucho $$$, and as far as I can
    tell are not yet available.  The Roland unit has sequencer software
    available for it, but it can't sample and sequence without rebooting
    the machine (who cares, right?  well, maybe).  I'm not sure if the
    sequencer s/w will run on the S-50 or only on the rack mounts
    (S-330/550).  Roland has video outs and editing s/w built-in (!), the
    EPS doesn't.  The EPS has poly-aftertouch, the Roland has only mono. 

    My *opinion*, not having owned either (or any) sampler - the EPS is a
    great standalone board and great for live use as a system hub (if you
    need a sequencer/kybd controller) - probably better than the S-50.
    However, the S-50/550/330 is cleaner and probably better suited for
    studio work.  I'm sure that PJ will dispute this, but I'm just using my
    ear. 

    For what it's worth.

-b

    
    
    Gee Brad, howdja know I'd disagree? ;^)
    
    Tim, here's some feedback:
    
>    1. Its been a while since you've started using your EPS - how do you
>       like it now?
    
      I am still pleased with my choice. I am *very* happy with the
    instrument.
    
    2. What samples do they provide when you buy it and what others are
       available, what kind of cost is involved?
    
      If a recent reply to this topic (I believe) I noted that Ensoniq
    sent me 10 more disks, making a total of 17 free disks (about 40
    "instruments", each with at least two patches each). I have also
    bought a couple of EPS sample disks, and I have made about 50 disks
    worth of samples of particular sounds.
    
     Types of samples are:
    
     grand piano, harpsichord, lots-o-strings, drums, guitars, alto
    and tenor sax, flutes, and brass...
    
     ...also some Fairlight samples, a couple of Roland and Kawai
    re-samples, and some stuff I got off of Mirage disks.  They do sound
    cleaner on the EPS. Plus a bunch I did myself, although I'm not
    good at it yet.
    
    
>    3. Cost of unit?  A music store on DW Highway in Nashua gave me a rough
>       price of $2100.  Some old hype literature quoted a list price of
>       $1995.
    
 
      $2100 is high unless you are getting the 2x memory expander with
    it, in which case it's the normal price. It cost me $1995 in April
    when they came out (serial # 475, not 445 as I mentioned in .0).
    The 2x lists for $249.0 which is about average for a meg o'memory.
    
    
>    4. Did you get any options, such as the 2x, 4x memory expansions, the 8-out
>       expansion or any others and what price range do they run?
    
      The only option I have to date is the 2x. I am planning on getting
    the 8-out when I have an actual need, which I don't have now. I'm
    spending my money elsewhere since the EPS is relatively complete.
    You can't get the 4x. If you can, let me know where. You need some
    kind of memory expansion, IT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH MEMORY OTHERWISE.
    
>    5. My main concern is contrasting the EPS to the Roland S50.  I have
>       tried to list their attributes below...
>	EPS					S50
>	------------------			--------------------
>	8.6s sampling time @30kHz		7.2s sampling time @30kHz
>	variable rates between 6.25-52.1kHz	15 or 30kHz
>	2-out, expandable to 8-out		4-out + 1-out fixed
>	memory expandable to 896kB, 2.1Mb	fixed memory
>	SCSI can be added as option		no SCSI
>	20-voices, 8-timbres (variable)		16-voices, 4-timbres
>	13-bit samples				12-bit samples
>	alleged DMA for loading samples		no DMA (?)
>        some semi reverb effects (?)		no effects (?)
>        is sound library available (???)        sound library is available
>        sequencer standard w/ unit		sequencer as option (???)
    

    I did that comparison too, once upon a time. As Brad says, it pays
    to also compare the S-550. Although the -550 has no keyboard, which
    with the Poly-Key aftertouch makes it well worth it for a controller.
    If you have a *real* controller like the Kurzweill or Roland, then
    it's a moot point. The EPS doesn't inherently come with SCSI but
    Ensoniq *is* planning on offering the 2x expander with a SCSI port.
    
    
>    The way I understand it today, it seems to me that the EPS is much
>    more flexible and has more functionality.  Is there a quality
>    difference?
    
       I have no complaints about Ensoniq's quality assurance. The thing
    is built like a brick s**thouse. It weighs about 40 pounds. I have
    a 'soft' case for it. I used to complain about the clacky keyboard,
    but I've either broken it in or tuned it out since it doesn't bother
    me anymore.
    
>    Is the EPS sequencer part of the software OS (can they update OS and
>    sequencer with new software releases in the future) ?
    
    Yes. I have already been through two updates, one which has fixed
    bugs in the sequencer. I only recently started using the sequencer
    since I was using my Atari as the sequencer normally, but I'm learning
    to use the on-board sequencer when I'm not around the Atari which
    lives in the studio (which ain't at home, where the board goes more
    often now). They send updates for free, at least to me... 
    

>    Please correct me if anything I listed is incorrect, and feedback from
>    S50, S330, S550 owners would be great!  I wouldn't like starting any
>    brand loyalty wars but would like to know the differences between the
>    EPS and the Roland units.
 
     As an aside, I have no particular loyalty to any manufacturer.
    I have equipment from most of the major companies with the exception
    of Oberheim and Kurzweil. I do happen to own two Ensoniqs (an ESQ-1
    and an EPS) as well as two Korgs (a Polysix and a Mono-Poly). Those
    are the only repeats. I chose the EPS because it seemed to be the
    best fit for what I want to do, which is a broad-spectrum need.
    
      I use the board three ways now - first, for live performance,
    where I am actually playing it (piano/ep mostly), second, as a
    multi-timbral SGU, and third, as a development/arrangement/note
    processing tool. It works well for me in all three applications.
    If I was just going to use it as an SGU I would have gotten a rack
    mount, like an S-330 or -550. The fact that I can use it as a
    multi-purpose MIDI controller at the same time is icing on the cake.
    
      I have participated in two Ensoniq owner's polls now, which Ensoniq
    has sent to my address. They are extremely responsive to EPS owners,
    it would seem, more so than ESQ owners (probably the lack of a finished
    manual make 'em tread on water for us). That's my only bitch. I've
    had it since April and they have not finished the documentation
    set, although I've gotten dribs and drabs in the mail periodically,
    and they are very free with q&a advice. 
    
    I like it.   
    
    /pjh

    
    re: .-3 also
    
      Oh yeah, I just noticed one comment: the "alleged DMA when loading
    samples" is no hype - it really does DMA when loading samples. You
    can be playing a sound on the keyboard and while you're playing
    with your right hand, the left hand can be loading a disk in the
    drive, hitting the
    <LOAD><LOAD><INST><YES><some-new-instrument-location> keys, and
    without so much as a crackle it loads it to memory. No hype, it's
    saved my life on stage - YOU try loading 880K worth of samples BETWEEN
    songs and see if YOU get out of the club alive ;^)
    
    /pjh
    

    Ok, PJ.  You win.  8-)

    Seriously, I like the sound of the S-550 better, but functionally the
    two units are quite comparable.  Hey - who am I - just a peon with an
    opinion (and NO sampler 8-( ...). 

    Let us know what you decide.

-b

    Well, I did it.  I guess I was biased towards the EPS from doing
    the compare and after the REP's demo at Union Music I decided to
    go for the EPS.  Not sure, but I think I may have made a mistake -
    I got the floor demo (3 months on the floor I was told) for $120
    cheaper than a brand new one (which they were out of).  I figured
    it probably has about 1 year of normal use on it (after getting
    pounded on by everyone) - but what the heck, that's $120 in my pocket
    and I still get the same coverage as a new one so... (oh-well at
    least it includes the new 2x(see below))
    
    Anyway, thanks for all your info.  Last night we got told a number
    of interesting things (which you may or may not know):
    1. old 2x is discontinued.
    2. new 2x supports later addition of SCSI port.  new list $349 (359?)
    3. old 2x owners can go to music store (Union at least) and trade
       in old 2x for new 2x and just pay the difference.
    4. The company is making 250 (for now) 4x units - these will be
       available for first pick to existing EPS owners - if you really
       want one I suggest you call 'em and find out more.  list ~$899
    5. They are also coming out with OS v2.0 - will be available in
       music stores soon
    6. There is some 3rd party company (name forgotten in VT?) that is making
       an 8x w/ SCSI for the EPS.
    
    As an FYI, at Union Music at the DECMS thing I got a quote
    of $2140 for brand new EPS w/ new 2x (including MA sales tax).
    I don't think that is their normal price...
    
    Thanks again, Tim
                                                

    
    re: used keys
    
      You're probably okay... I'd clean the disk drive if I were you,
    'cause I bet it's been used quite a bit.
    
      How are the keys? Clacky or not? I've found that mine has broken
    in over the past couple of months and makes less noise. 
    
    /pjh

    Yeah, the first thing I noticed was that the more frequently beat on
    keys were not clicking as much as less frequently used keys.  I
    remembered you saying that yours were getting quieter so - what the
    heck maybe it is a benefit.  You're right about the disk drive - I
    never thought of it...  Dave Orin also mentioned that he noticed the
    clicking going away over time.  Either way (shrug shoulders)...
    
    In case anyone is interested this week's Want Adds had an EPS w/
    2x in it (3 months old) for $1900.  The only problem I can see with
    this is that you won't be getting the documentation and upgrades
    from the company.  I spoke to the seller and he said that he would
    forward everything he was mailed if the buyer left an address.

    I have already had problems with the sequencer.  I am using
    version 1.5.   The problem is that I made some short sequences
    and copied and appended them around (rather than create a 'song')
    into a single sequence.  When I played back the large sequence created
    in this fashion my tracks went out of synch.  I only had 2 tracks!!
    Has anyone else had this problem?  I can avoid it by using the song
    mode and keeping the copy/append to a minimum - but would like to
    not be worrying about having tracks out of synch.
    They don't start out of synch but slowly drift as the sequence goes
    on.
    -Tim
    

    
    Nope, never seen that, and I have been using the sequencer quite
    a bit lately.
    
    Tell me, are you looping short sequences? Real common operator error
    is to take a bunch of short sequences and loop them together without
    trimming them all to the same length. They EACH repeat at their
    own pace since you haven't synchronized them.  I can think of a
    bunch of sequencers that let you do this, KCS and the EPS sequencers
    are both in that class.
    
    /pjh

    I thought I had looping off, I'll check, meanwhile I thought I had
    reproduced it by (if you want to give a whirl):
    1. track 1: drums, put snare on 1 bar at 1 & 3, quantize to 1/4
    2. track 2: strings put 1/4 note on same bar at 1 & 3 and quantize to 1/4
    3. copy sequence to new sequence (eg: seq 2 -> seq 3)
    4. append seq 3 to seq 3 till I know it will run out of memory (did this
       more than once)
    5. play seq 3; boost playback time up to 250 rate and wait....
       around 50-70 bars I found that the two tracks were clearly
       out of synch.
    -Tim
    

>
>    4. append seq 3 to seq 3 till I know it will run out of memory (did this
>       more than once)
>    5. play seq 3; boost playback time up to 250 rate and wait....
>       around 50-70 bars I found that the two tracks were clearly
>       out of synch.
    
    You trying to break it, by any chance???
    
    just curious

    

    Nope.  Just another dumb user trick.  You can lay down 8 tracks per
    sequence, then tabulate sequence steps into a song, then add 8 more
    'song' tracks besides the 8 per sequence giving a total of 16 tracks
    per song (same 8 timbres) [just though I would sum it up for anyone
    following this who might need some background].  Well, I wanted to not
    mess with the song tracks but wanted to record a long track, say a 16
    bar verse, then I wanted a long break, say a 16 bar break - over and
    over until someone listening would shoot me or something like that.
    I figured out all the (what I call) drums by bars.  I had something
    like 6 or 8 different kinds of drum bars that I wanted to append
    together and make into sequences I could play along with.  So I
    copied/appended these drums into a bunch of new sequences, which
    in turn were used as building blocks for verses and breaks of a
    song. Recipe was something like:
       seq C thru seq F = record 1 bar of a nondrummer trying to do drums
       seq A = copies of 3 seq C + 1 seq D... << then record track 2
       seq B = copies of 2 seq E + 1 seq D + 1 seq F... << then record track 2
       verse = copies of 3 seq A + 1 seq B
       break = (same type of thing as verse)
       song  = copies of intro + verse + verse + break + verse + break
    Then I listened to the tracks of the song go out of synch...
    I tried making a 'song' but discovered that it really showed up my
    timing errors between sequences much more distinctly than only
    appending them (just as well I guess). I noticed that if you paste
    sequence A and sequence B together with an append I do not notice
    timing errors as much as if I put sequence A and B as sequential steps
    in a song.  So after figuring out what was wrong, I corrected two
    things, make long drum tracks even though it means doing the repetition
    myself, (get timing correct) and make song steps.
     -Tim 

    I have a question about assigning wavesamples to specific keys...
    But first, I'm not sure where to post this question since there
    are EPS notes in 1001, 1291, 1324, and 1555.  I'll stick with this
    one even though it says 'EPS review'.
    
    Since this is a review note, I'll review feature first for others.  The
    EPS organizes sounds something like...
    
    instrument = up to 4 patches which can be toggled while playing
    patch      = any combination of up to 8 layers
    layer      = any combination of up to 127 wavesamples
    wavesample = sampled sound w/ lotsa possible parameters, modifiers...
    
    As mentioned .-*, the patches allow alternate instrument sounds
    to be toggled while playing.  This is not limited to one sound
    family, you can use very different wavesamples and parameter settings.
    The more wavesamples you make the larger your instrument will
    be.  The 'power drums' instrument is a great example.  It is made
    of lots of different wavesamples (1 for kick, 1 for snare....) and
    each wavesample is triggered by a different key on the keyboard.
    Needless to say it takes up lots of room, 1004 blocks.  I wanted
    to make free memory for other instruments for playing multitimbral
    sequences.  So the first thing I did was look at the basic drum
    set (patch 0).  So I went and deleted patches 2, 3, and 4.  This
    was mostly just parameter settings but it freed up lotsa memory,
    I think it still was using 780 blocks.  The next thing I did was
    to take a look at patch 0.  (If I remember correctly) It was made
    of layers 1 and 8.  I turned off layer 8 and I didn't notice any
    sound change so I deleted layer 8.  What was left?
    instrument drums = patch 0 with 1 layer with lots of wavesamples
    for different percussion sounds.  The next step was to remove the
    wavesamples I didn't want - for my simple playing all I needed
    was kick, snare, hi-hat and crash.  So... you go to the edit
    instrument page and it shows you the wavesample # for each key
    that you press on the keyboard (and selects it for further commands).
    So I just went up the kbd hitting the keys (wavesamples) I did not
    want anymore and then deleting the wavesample.  This left me with
    a drum kit of kick, snare, hi-hat, crash sounding just like the
    disrtibuted kit, but only requiring 129 blocks!  This machine
    is just incredible!  I saved this on disk for later use.
    
    (So much for the review)
    Now, for my question, each of these wavesamples still play on the
    specific keys as the distributed kit.  How do I move them to different
    keys on the keyboard?  I tried changing the root key and sure enough
    it changed the root (where the wavesample plays at unity) but it
    did not change which key triggered the sound.  I tried changing
    the a-b and c-d settings which determine keyboard range for volume
    and still had no success.  Help! Thanks!
    Tim
             

    Sounds like there's some sort of 'key range' option at a higher
    level than 'wavesample' that needs resetting. FZ1 is very similar;
    at VOICE level the sample is assigned an original key, but at BANK
    level it's assigned the keys it appears on.
    
    Richard.

    
    re: .-2
    
    
      That's one of the questions of the century. I am reasonably sure
    it resides in one of the <edit><wavesample> submenus somewhere,
    although to be honest I have never sucessfully done it either.
    
      Try calling Ensoniq. And post the answer here.
    
    /pjh

    Called Ensoniq Friday.  Real nice on the phone (called the number
    listed in the back of the advanced guide).
    Select the instrument, <edit><instrument><edit> so now you are on
    the ~'name layer ##  wave ###' page.  Get the layer correct, then
    arrow to the wave ## and select the wave you want (either by data
    entry or the keyboard) then use the 'set keyboard range' button just
    like you do for a whole instrument.  Simple, eh?  Don't forget to
    move the root note if you want it to sound the same...
    He also said to make sure the wavesample was not just a reference (copy
    of parameters only) to another wavesample.
    Tim

    RE: -.1
    Actually it is not that bad, but kinda like the step by step event
    editor for the sequencing you have to go through lots of enters and
    arrowing to get what you want.  The thing I do not like about
    manipulating the instrument/patch/layer/wavesample stuff is that you
    have to go through different edit this then command that then edit this
    then double edit this kind of stuff.  Granted you have lots of
    parameters to work with but it takes a while to know which parameters
    are on what 'menu page'.  It will be interesting to see what software
    products come out for the EPS that run on PCs and MACs...  A nice
    windowing system would be nice, eh?
    Also, I wanted to clear up a couple of incorrect points in my earlier
    question.  The size of the power drums with everything removed except
    kick,snare,highhat,crash is ~160 blocks.  Also I did not make it
    clear that there are only 8 layers (total) per instrument and all
    four patches consist of parameter settings for the same 8 layers.
    There are not 8 layers per patch.  Sorry for any confusion.
    Tim
    

    I stopped in the Guitar Center this weekend to buy some strings,
    and noticed that there were Ensoniq flyers which offered to let
    you take home a EPS for 2 nights to see if you like it.  I've never
    heard of a music manufacturer making this deal.  Has anyone taken
    them up on this?  Or maybe just get it for the weekend for those
    Demos!
    
    I wish Fairlight or NED would do the same thing.
    
    Ashley in Quakeland

    Yeah, Union Music is/will be offering the same deal here.
    
    What are the criteria?
    
    Edd

    
    Re: .39,.40
    
    A deposit is required.  So says the ad anyhow....
    
    

    Just got the word from Union Music. THEY HAVE THE NEW EPS MANUAL!
    All registered owners should be receiving theirs in the main soon!
    HOORAY!
    
    				Mark
    

    
    
    Yeah, and V2.2 is now out. I just picked up a copy. I got to see
    the new manual. It is still not complete, BUT, there's at least
    a lot of substance. Looks pretty advanced.
    
    /pjh