Terminal Gear Thread

And don't forget - drum machines have no soul

i use Sonar 8.5 now but likely when I'm done this tune I'm working on I'm going to upgrade to X3

ah i'm lost in the terminology here (i'm relatively a noob in case you aren't detecting it). to me all of this "sync" stuff sounds the same as sysex?
just to make sure i'm being clear i would love to simply trigger each unit with my DAW/keyboard controller.
exactly the same way that i can control my soft synths.
i select my bank etc to the sound i want via my DAW.....play a key on my MIDI keyboard and it triggers that sample within the Roland ....and then I can record it as such into my DAW (sample as well as the midi)

i totally get what you are saying about importing the midi and using a sampler to play those supplied samples. thx for finding those i never would have known to look for that! using this specific example this seems to be a decent workaround for the tunes i already have programmed (even if I have to make my own one shots).

I suspect that you currently use a USB cable to connect your keyboard to Sonar and that is your only interface. What is likely is that you need a MIDI interface with standard DIN connector on it like this

http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/uno#.VXcmmShRUqY

Then you can connect the DR5 or MC303 to the computer. If you get a MIDI cable you can then go from the through of one to the in of the other and have them both available.

Do you have an audio interface or do you just run from the headphone output? If the latter you will probably be better off getting a simple interface with MIDI included like this http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/m- ... XcnwihRUqY which has two inputs, so you could have both modules connected or one at a time if you needed stereo (not really that important for a bass synth and drums).

If you have an interface for both MIDI and audio already, then hook up the audio out of the module, to an input. Attach a MIDI cable from the MIDI out to the MIDI in of the module. In Sonar set up a MIDI channel and make sure it is sending to the interface on the correct channel and you should be good to go. That is a simple overview, but I can help out further when you need it.

Unless you have an emotional attachment to the DR5 or can programme up a storm on it, I'd sample the kits on it, slowly and get it right, then sell on the machine for something else.

Sonar sync instructions:

With a project started in Sonar, go to the Options Menu > Project…
Press the Clock tab.
Under Source, enable Internal.
Click the Sync tab.
Under Send MIDI Time Code, enable Transmit MTC.
Set the Frame Rate to 30 FPS NDF"
Enable the MTC Output Ports and choose your MIDI interface device ports.
Press OK.
Press Play on Sonar.

great stuff man and i will surely take these notes and try it out when i get a chance

right now my keyboard is USB but i have a M-Audio 1010LT soundcard that has MIDI ins/outs

i also have a behringer interface/mixer thing though it has no MIDI
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/Q802USB.aspx


you're mostly right about ditching these old units
i think i want to include them just for the nostalgia or perhaps to feel like i'm not 100% "in the box" idk

Ok, well you have what you need to sync or record already. The mini mixer isn't really required as you can go straight into the interface if it does latency free monitoring, otherwise keep the mixer in place with the modules running into it and the audio out so you can adjust your monitoring easily.

The MC 303 goes for £80 - £120 on which is pretty good considering its age. For that kind of money you could get (on a good day) a Bass Station rack which is filthy-lovely. Or something in the Volca range.

Alas, the DR 5 is only about £35 to £50.

But I would probably keep them and just get a Volca or whatever, because, well see the pics... I have a problem.

Mr Royale - this album you linked earlier in the thread is really awesome man!
totally hear fsol influence scattered throughout



anyhoo i likely won't be getting any new equip for a long longgggg time as more than anything i need a new PC and that's going to hurt the wallet good.
if i could pick anything out today i would want one of those simple control surfaces. just some sliders and knobs and mod wheels.
i have them on my keyboard but it's just a big object in a tight area when i'm more focused on tweaking effects and automation etc. and don't need the keys. also the knobs on my m-audio axiom are SO bad that i do not use them, ever. really really poor response and apparently it's a common theme with m-audio keyboards.
live and learn

My MS-20 just arrived, stepping into the new era...