Conference napalm::commusic_v1

	So I got the FaderMaster into my studio last night, spent all evening
	with it, and have some more info.

	First, it's not tough to deal with - about as simple as the MX-8 in
	concept, although it's got sliders and a couple more buttons.

	Second, how you put it into your system has a LOT to do with what it
	does. I tried a couple different applications and I had to change
	configurations a NUMBER of times.

	Third, if you're not careful, you crash machines with it. It can
	drive an absolute SLEW of commands to an SGU, and if you happen to
	be running the sequencer, with clock, etc, things can get, well, busy.

	To be more specific:

	The human interface consists of a 2 digit LED display. Normally it
	tells you what program you are in (U1-U9,F1-F9,10-30,P1). If you 
	touch a fader, then that fader's current value is displayed. After
	five seconds it reverts back to the program display. If you want 
	a value higher than 99 (like 127), the display flashes 1, then 27 (or
	whatever the value was). I don't understand why they couldn't have
	just sprung for the extra LED driver and display.

	The more esoteric combinations (like snapshot, program decrement, etc)
	are multiple key combinations, and are not documented on the panel.
	I hate that, because they went to so much effort to explain the
	unshifted and shifted commands so you wouldn't have to have the manual
	nearby, but they can't go the extra 30 cents to silkscreen the
	esoterica onto the panel as well. And you think that snapshot is
	esoterica? Maybe not, but why be inconsistent? 

	The user programs are all preprogrammed as CC 0. You cannot alter
	a factory patch in any way - it disallows most of the keys. But you
	can copy a factory patch to user, and then alter it. Wow.

	I understand why it doesn't have a thru out on the back after using it.
	It is completely configurable as a filter of events, and therefore
	you can get a thru (null filter) just by shutting off the filter. Of 
	course, it also merges EVERYTHING IT SEES ON THE INPUT. Maybe it was
	my stupidity, but it took three tries to configure it so that I could
	control all the SGU volumes AND get just the CC 7 data to the sequencer
	track, without also merging all of the other track data along with it.
	(I did that by patching with the MX-8 - I don't see how anyone would
	want one of these without having a patchbay as well, it would be DIN
	hell otherwise)

	Lastly, it's a real pain to set parameters - it's a two-handed operation
	because you have to hold two keys down, and run the slider, and there is
	no fine-tune stepper (just TRY to set nonregistered controller 110, go
	ahead, I dare you - it took longer than you'd think for such a simple
	minded machine)

	Now for the nifties:

	I love it despite the zits. I not only can record volume changes to 
	the sequencer, but I can record registered and non-registered
	controllers as well! Like filter opens and closes! And SPX-90 parameter
	changes! And it lets you dampen down the fader sample rate so that you
	get less granularity (using less sequencer memory) and it doesn't
	blast lots of duplicate messages! The snapshot feature lets me blast
	all of the initial volumes to the sequencer "volume track", even though
	that makes yet another way to start the sequencer (hit three buttons,
	the sequencer starts - It'll get complicated when I go back to tape
	synch with auto-mix as well. Argh)

	It is much more a generic set of knobs for your MIDI studio than a
	mixer. I can think of numerous applications. For instance, I used it
	to:

	Set and record volume changes, obviously

	Program the ESQ-1. Kind of fun to watch the ESQ-1 menus change from
	across the room. Ensoniq is smart enough to make all of the parameters
	non-registered params for all their boards, and they are reasonably 
	good at documentation, so that works pretty well.

	Program the SPX-90. I wish the MIDIverb could deal with parameter
	changes. 

	Record variable program changes to the sequencer. Finally, an easy way
	to get dynamic filter changes and modulation parameter changes.

	I can also think of doing other things, like using it to control/program
	a MIDI lighting system (and use your sequencer to run light tracks!!!!!)

	...and do drum track delays/humanizing
	...and any other MIDIthing you want

	What a neat box.

	/pjh

    thanks, Paul.
    
    .. another one on the list ..
    
    karl (no longer in my '30's, as of yesterday)

    
>>    karl (no longer in my '30's, as of yesterday)


	that's pretty close birthday timing, plus 10 years, huh? ;^)