JV/XP Template Sequence Guidelines ================================== by Ben Tubb 1/30/97 brtubb@cybertron.com Within the versatile sound palette of an unexpanded JV/XP, there are 640 patches to choose from (128 User + 512 ROM). And in a fully expanded XP-50/80, there are 1020 (4 x 255) more (and with a JV-1080, 128 in a PCM Card, and 128 in a Data Card). Of course the are Performance Presets and Rhythm Kits available in ROM and expansion cards too, not to be forgotten ! The point of saying all of this is that, because of this versatility, a standardized sequencing template to share JV/XP work with others would be highly desirable to achieve uniform results on anyone else's configuration as much as possible. Therefore, the following recommendations are made with the above in mind for maximum compatiblility. 1) use the GM Mode Off sysex message prior to anything else, this will automatically go to the current Performance Preset in Performance Mode. Don't assume the synth is in Performance mode or is not in GM Mode. 2) if non-ROM preset patches are needed, beyond one initial TEMP Patch for each Part of a TEMP Performance, send a sysex User Patch dump, otherwise store the patch required in the TEMP Performance 3) if an expansion board's Patches are needed, store them either in the TEMP Performance dump per Part, or into User RAM as a Patch dump which can be referenced by common bank controllers for the User RAM, and NOT specific expansion board slots 4) don't assume the Control Channel is enabled or on Channel 16, if needed send a sysex message to enable it to the Control Channel you want, otherwise send a sysex message to disable it. Another option, if using it also for a specific patch, is to have the Patch already loaded into the TEMP Performance dump 5) optimise synth playback by using one or more sequencer setup measures to avoid a MIDI data/buffer overflow. Have the initial setup measure's tempo be 40-60 BPM for less MIDI "congestion" problems. 6) label each track as to their initially used Patch names as a minimum for potential troubleshooting by the user 7) for optimal sequencer playback, use one track per MIDI channel, with the denser event tracks at the lower (first) track numbers 8) ideally, MIDI tracks should contain a "0" track with nothing be tempo, time signature, key signature, and various text meta events including markers, lyrics, and copyright notices. Track 1 should consist of sysex events only unless more than one "port" (cable meta event) is required for different synths, in which case, each synth's sysex events should be on the next tracks 9) a text event or marker should include specific expansion boards or PCM Card needed (the latter for the JV-1080)