ALESIS MMT-8

Multi track MIDI recorder
Alesis MMT-8 Instruction Manual
Alesis MMT-8 Instruction Manual...i 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.3.1 3.5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.7.1 7.2 7.8.9.1 9.2 9.3 Introduction....1 PART Mode....2 Selecting and Playing a PART...2 PART button....2 Selecting a PART....2 Selecting TRACKs for playback...2 FAST-FORWARD....3 REWIND....3 Recording a PART....4 Selecting the RECORD TRACK....4 Entering RECORD....4 LENGTH....6 ERASE....7 Erasing a PART...7 Erasing a single TRACK....7 Erasing selected information (notes, pitchbend, individual MIDI channel, etc.)..7 Erasing a SONG....8 COPY....9 Copying a PART to itself...9 Copying a PART to another PART...9 Copying a TRACK to itself...9 Copying a TRACK to another TRACK of the same PART.. 10 Copying a TRACK to another TRACK of a different PART.. 10 Copying selected information (notes, pitchbend, individual MIDI channels, etc.).. 10 Copying a SONG to itself... 11 Copying a SONG to another SONG... 11 EDIT..... 12 Editing a PART.... 12 Erasing an event.... 14 Adding an event.... 14 Editing and Creating a SONG... 15 Automatic TRACK selection and muting at each step of a SONG.. 15 SONG Mode.... 16 SONG button.... 16 Selecting a SONG... 16 Manual TRACK selection and muting in SONG mode.. 16 - Page i -
LOOP.... 18 MIDI ECHO... 19 NAME.... 20 MERGE.... 21 MIDI CHANNEL.... 22 QUANTIZE.... 23 TRANSPOSE.... 25 TEMPO.... 26 MIDI FILTER.... 27 CLOCK.... 28 CLICK.... 30 TAPE..... 31 Storing to disk using MIDI system exclusive data dump.. 33
23 Syncing the MMT-8 to tape... 34 23.1 Recording the sync tone... 34 23.2 To clock the MMT-8 from tape sync.. START/STOP footswitch.... 36
25 Memory..... 37 25.1 Remaining memory.... 37 25.2 Clearing memory... Auto Locate.... 38 26.1 Part Mode:.... 38 26.2 Song Mode:.... 28 MIDI Implementation Chart... 39 Troubleshooting Chart... 40

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Introduction
The Alesis MMT-8 Multi-Track MIDI Recorder is a user friendly, yet extremely powerful MIDI sequencer. It is able to record any information received at its MIDI INPUT jack (except poly-pressure and note off velocity), and store it into non-volatile memory for later retrieval. This information can include notes, controllers, pitch bend, after touch, program changes, and system exclusive data. The MMT-8 can play back 8 tracks simultaneously and it functions in many ways like an 8 track tape recorder. The MMT-8's memory capacity is approximately 9,000 to 11,000 notes. Variable MIDI controllers like aftertouch, pitch bend, mod wheel, etc. will take up more memory, so the actual amount of note storage capacity will vary depending on how much these controllers are used. Each set of 8 tracks is called a `part'. There can be up to 100 parts in the MMT-8's memory ( 00-99). These parts can be combined into lists of parts, which are called `songs'. There can be up to 100 songs in the MMT-8's memory, and each can contain a list of parts up to 255 steps long. By constructing songs in this fashion, the MMT-8 makes it very easy to arrange songs by recording one verse into one part, and a chorus into another, and a bridge into another, and then making a list of the parts into a song with as many verses, choruses, and bridges as desired. The MMT-8 has many editing capabilities, which allow the user to alter any data after recording it. Notes can be transposed, timing corrected, copied, and erased. MIDI channels can be reassigned, controllers can be modified, etc. Also, the MMT-8 has an Autolocate feature which will allow you to jump to any desired beat number within a part or song (see auto-locate). Despite this flexibility, the MMT-8 is very easy to use, since these features do not get in the way of the more basic operations, like recording and playing back.

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PART Mode
Selecting and Playing a PART
When power is first turned on, the sequencer will be in SONG or PART mode (SONG or PART LED lit), depending on the mode that was selected before power was turned off. The song or part number will also be the same as when power was turned off.

PART button

Press the PART button to enter PART mode if the sequencer is not currently in this mode. The LED next to the PART button will light and the display will read:

if part 00 exists, or

if part 00 has not yet been created.

Selecting a PART

The 00 is underlined to indicate that it will be changed if a new number is selected with the keypad or +/- buttons. The second line of the display shows the name of the part. If a part is empty, the display reads EMPTY PART. Pressing the +/- buttons immediately selects the next part number, with the numbers looping past 99 to 00 and looping down from 00 to 99. If a single digit on the keypad is pressed (3, for example), the display will change to:
The display is now indicating that the second digit of the part should be entered. After entering the second digit, the new part is selected, and its name is displayed. If the second digit is not entered within 2 seconds, the display will revert back to the previous part number, and no new part will have been selected. This type of keypad entry is consistent with all entries made with the keypad described in this manual. The page up and page down buttons have no function when selecting parts or songs.
Selecting TRACKs for playback
While in PART mode, the eight TRACK SELECT LED will display the tracks that are turned on (not muted) on the selected part. These buttons can be turned on or off to change the selected tracks to be played. Whenever a part is playing, the eight track select LEDs will show which tracks are playing. When a new - Page 2 -
part is selected, all eight tracks are turned on. At any time, the track selection can be changed with the track select buttons. Pressing PLAY will start playing the selected part from its beginning, and the PLAY LED will light. The display will read, for example:
The display is now showing the current beat number and the part number that is being played. As each beat (quarter note) occurs, the display will advance the beat count. While the part is playing, the keypad and +/- buttons can be used to select a new part number, which will then be displayed in the display as follows:
At the end of the current part, the newly selected part number will play, with the beat count starting again at 001. The NEXT part to play can be changed up until the end of the current part is reached, after which the new part will begin playing, and the display will revert back to PLAYING PART. Pressing STOP/CONTINUE will stop playing a part, and the display will return to the select part display. Any notes that were sustaining will turn off. Pressing STOP/CONTINUE again will begin playing a part from the beginning of the beat it was on when it was stopped, replaying all previously sustaining notes. Pressing PLAY will always start a part from the beginning. When a part reaches its end, the PLAY LED will turn off and the part will stop, unless LOOP is on, which will cause the part to continue playing from the beginning.

FAST-FORWARD

The << and >> buttons (rewind and fast-forward) can be used to advance or retreat through the beats of a part. If a part is playing, pressing the fast forward button will cause sustaining notes to stop, and the display to advance quickly one beat at a time until the fast forward button is released, after which the part continues playing from the beginning of the displayed beat.

REWIND

The rewind button works similarly, but in reverse. In either direction, if the end or beginning of a part is reached, the display remains on the last beat, unless loop is on, which results in the beat "wrapping around". When a part is not playing, these buttons can be used for the same function, and by pressing STOP/CONTINUE the song will continue from the last displayed beat. The fast forward and rewind button can be held down simultaneously to "freeze" the display on the current beat. It is also possible to Autolocate with the fast-forward and rewind buttons. This function allows you to go directly to any desired beat (see auto-locate).

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Recording a PART
Selecting the RECORD TRACK
To record on a part, press the RECORD button. The RECORD LED will light. The track to be recorded always defaults to the lowest numbered empty track. For an empty part, track 1 will be selected. If a part has all eight tracks used, no track will be selected, and the RECORD LED will not light. Every time a track is recorded onto, the next empty track will automatically be selected the next time RECORD is pressed. If a track other than the selected one is desired, pressing another track select button while holding down the RECORD button will select the new track to be recorded on. Like on a tape recorder, if a track with something on it is recorded over, the old information is erased. Once the user has selected a track manually, the automatic track selection of the next empty track is turned off. This way, if the user wants to redo a track many times, he can select it once, and that track will remain selected until he selects another track. When a new part is selected, the automatic track selection is turned back on. If the track that is selected is reselected, it will stop flashing (and return to its previous state, flashing on or off), and no track will be selected for record (causing the RECORD LED to turn off when the RECORD button is held down, the display reads:
While holding RECORD, the track that is lit indicates the currently selected track to be recorded on. Any tracks that are flashing are currently empty, and any tracks that are not lit currently have something recorded in them. Any track (flashing, on, or off) can be selected to be recorded onto.

Entering RECORD

After releasing RECORD, the RECORD LED will remain lit to indicate that it is ready to record if PLAY is pressed, unless no track was selected (no track LED lit solid), which would cause the RECORD LED to turn off after releasing the RECORD button. If STOP/CONTINUE is pressed while the RECORD LED is on, the RECORD LED will turn off, indicating that record is disabled, but the selected record track will be remembered. To begin recording, press PLAY. If a track had been selected (RECORD LED on), then the beginning of the part, after counting down four beats (the countdown can be changed; see CLICK), during which time the display will read:

With each beat past, the display will change to 3, then 2, then 1, after which the display will change to:
The part number is not underlined, indicating that a new part cannot be selected while recording. While recording, the eight tracks can still be turned on or off. Pressing the RECORD button effectively "punches out" the record track, the RECORD LED turns off, and the part continues to play from where it was. - Page 4 -
Pressing the PLAY button is also the same as punching out, except that the part will immediately start playing from the beginning. The rewind and fast forward buttons will also punch out. Pressing STOP/CONTINUE also punches out, but stops the part from playing as well. When recording for the first time on an empty part, the track will continue recording until STOP/CONTINUE, FAST-FORWARD, REWIND, or PLAY is pressed. When one is pressed, this determines the length of the part, rounded to the nearest beat. When recording on any other track, the part will automatically stop when the end of the part (as determined by the first record track) is reached. If LOOP is on, the RECORD LED will turn off ("punch out"), and the part will begin playing from the start. It it possible to set the length before recording the first track, or to change the length after recording the first track (see LENGTH). While holding the RECORD button, pressing and holding the LENGTH button will show on the display the percentage of memory still available to recording.

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LENGTH
The LENGTH button is used to set the length of a part to a specified number of beats. While holding the LENGTH button, the display will show the current length of the current part. If it is an empty part, the display will read:
This indicates that no length has yet been set. If RECORD mode is entered without setting this length, the length of the part will be determined by the number of beats recorded before pressing STOP/CONTINUE, RECORD or PLAY. If it is desired to set the length before recording, the +/- buttons can be used to move the length up or down in single beat increments (000 minimum, 682 maximum), or a three digit number can be entered with the keypad. In either case, the new length is not entered into the part until the RECORD button is pressed. When RECORD is pressed, the display changes to:
This display remains until RECORD is released. If LENGTH is released before RECORD is pressed, no change to the length will be made, regardless of what was pressed on the keypad. If RECORD is pressed after entering a partial length (1 or 2 digits), nothing will happen. When entering in digits, the first digit entered ( 1, for example) results in the following display:

The display is now waiting for the entry of the second digit. If the second digit is not entered within 2 seconds, the display will revert to its previous value. If RECORD is pressed after entering an incomplete length (1 or 2 digits), the display will revert to its previous value. When a new length is entered (RECORD), any information on any track of the selected part that was beyond the new set length will be erased. Any notes sustaining beyond the new end will automatically be given a new duration. If the new length is longer than the previous one, the additional length will be filled with silence. If it is desired to remove or add length to the beginning of a part, first set the desired length (as described above), and then press either page up or page down. The display will change to:
Pressing either page up or page down again will toggle back to the original display. If RECORD is pressed with the above display showing, any additional beats will be placed at the beginning of the part, and any beats removed will be removed from the part top. Notes that were stored in the removed beats will be removed regardless of their duration. The LENGTH button has no effect in song mode, or while a song or part is playing.

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Erasing a PART
The erase button is used to erase a single track, part or song. When in PART mode, pressing and holding the ERASE button causes the following display:
The number 01 would actually be the currently selected part number. All 8 track LEDs will be lit. To erase the selected part, press RECORD. The display will change to:
The display will remain this way until the RECORD button is released, after which the display will return to its previous state.

Erasing a single TRACK

To erase a single track, press and hold the ERASE button (all track LEDs will light), and select the desired track number. The selected track's LED will remain lit, and the other track LEDs will turn off. Additional tracks can be selected, and their LEDs will come on. Pressing RECORD will erase any selected tracks.
Erasing selected information (notes, pitchbend, individual MIDI channel, etc.)
When erasing a track or part, it is possible to erase only selected data from a part or track. While holding the ERASE button, the page up and page down buttons below the LCD display can be used to select specific functions. If the arrow buttons are used, they will scroll through the following choices backwards or forwards depending on which button is pressed:

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Copying a TRACK to another TRACK of the same PART
To copy a single track to another track of the same part number, press and hold COPY, and select the source track. The selected track's LED will remain lit, and all the other track LEDs will turn off. Now select the destination track. This track's LED will now flash, indicating that it is the track to be copied to. Pressing the RECORD button initiates the copy, and copies the source track to the destination track. If any information existed in the destination track, it is erased.
Copying a TRACK to another TRACK of a different PART
To copy a single track of one part to a single track of another, press and hold COPY, select the source track, select the destination part number, select the destination track, then press RECORD. If the destination track is the same number as the source track, the destination track button does not have to be selected before pressing RECORD.
Copying selected information (notes, pitchbend, individual MIDI channels, etc.)
In all of the above copy modes, the entire contents of a track of part are copied to the destination. It is possible to copy selected information from one track or part to another by using the page up and page down buttons to select the desired data while holding the COPY button. These buttons can be selected any time during the copy selection before RECORD is pressed. They will scroll backwards and forwards through 22 choices with the following displays:

through

By scrolling through the list, any selected data can be copied from one track or part to another. For example, if a track contained notes on many MIDI channels that had been previously combined together, copying only one MIDI channel to a new track would allow the parts to be separated out again. Also, copying NOTES ONLY from a track to itself will effectively erase all pitchbend, controller, program change, after touch, and system exclusive data from that track. - Page 10 -

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10 LOOP
The LOOP button is a simple on/off switch with an LED indicator. When LOOP is on, a part or song will loop back to its beginning when it has reached its end, and continue playing indefinitely. If LOOP is off, a part or song will stop when it reaches its end.

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11 MIDI ECHO
The MIDI ECHO button is an on/off switch with an LED indicator. When MIDI ECHO is on, whatever information is present at the MIDI INPUT jack will be sent to the MIDI OUTPUT jack. When not in RECORD or RECORD ready (RECORD LED lit), the MIDI data is transmitted out unchanged. When in RECORD or RECORD ready, and the track selected has been assigned to a specific MIDI channel (see MIDI CHANNEL below), then all MIDI information received will be transmitted out on the selected MIDI channel. This feature allows the user to hear a part playing on the desired synthesiser while it is being recorded. System exclusive information and polyphonic pressure are not echoed, and MIDI clocking information will be echoed only if the MIDI clock is being used for clocking the MMT-8.

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12 NAME
The NAME button is used to change the name of a part or song. The name of a part or song is 14 characters long. An empty part or song will always have the name "EMPTY PART" or "EMPTY SONG", and cannot be changed. When a part or song is first used, its name is changed from "EMPTY PART" or "EMPTY SONG" to "NO PART NAME" or "NO SONG NAME". To change the name of a part or song, press and hold the NAME button. The display will read:
The cursor is now under the first character of the part or song name. Using the +/- buttons, any alphanumeric character can be selected, and the keypad can be used to enter numbers directly. The page up and page down buttons are used to move the cursor left and right on the display. When the desired name has been entered, pressing RECORD stores the name for that part or song. If RECORD is not pressed before releasing the NAME button, any changes to the name will not be saved.

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13 MERGE
The MERGE mode is provided so that two tracks can be merged together (overlapped) onto one track. In part mode, when MERGE is held down, the display reads:

This display remains until the RECORD button is released, which then returns the sequencer to its previous quantize display. The quantization process changes the start point of each note to the nearest quantize beat, but leaves the note release point where it was, which changes the actual note duration. Other quantizing options can be selected by using the page up and page down buttons. Pressing the page up button scrolls through the following choices:
If RECORD is pressed with QUANTIZE NOTE START & END being displayed, the release times of the notes will also be quantized to the selected quantize beat. If NOTE END is selected, only the release times of the notes will be quantized. If KEEP DURATION is selected, a note's duration will remain constant, i.e., if the start of a note is moved 1/16 note ahead, the release will also move 1/16 ahead. In SONG mode, the QUANTIZE button is used to select an amount of clock offset for each track in a song. These offsets are global settings used by all songs, and do not affect the individual parts directly. The purpose of this feature is to allow the user to compensate for MIDI delays, and sound devices with slow attack times. While holding the QUANTIZE button in SONG mode, the first track LED will light, all others will be off, and the display will read as follows:
The value can be set from -48 to +48 384th notes (+/- 1/2 note) by using the keypad or the +/- buttons. Positive values represent a shift forward in time, and negative values represent a shift backward in time. - Page 23 -
When entering a value with the keypad, the sign remains unchanged (except when entering 00, which is always positive). To change the sign, the +/- keys must be used to "pass through" zero to the other side. Each track can be selected and set independently. Of course, the first beat of the first part of a song cannot be advanced (it can't read minds.).

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16 TRANSPOSE
The TRANSPOSE function allows for a track or part to be transposed by a user specified number of semitones. When TRANSPOSE is held down in part mode, the display reads:

The keypad can be used to enter a two-digit number of semitones to tranpose up from the original pitch (00-99), or the +/- buttons can be used to increment or decrement the amount. Like in ERASE mode, all eight track select LEDs are lit, indicating that the transposition will affect all tracks. If a track select button is pressed, all other track LEDs will turn off, and only the selected track will be lit. Additional tracks can be selected by pressing the select track buttons, which will toggle the LEDs on or off for each track. Pressing the page up or page down button will change the display to:
Now the number entered from the keypad selects the number of semitones to transpose down. For either transpose up or down, pressing the RECORD button executes the transpose command, resulting in the following display:
This display remains until RECORD is released. If a track that is transposed results in an underflow (notes below 0) or an overflow (notes above 127), the track will automatically re-adjust the pitch in octave increments until it is back in legal range. The TRANSPOSE button does not function while playing a part or song.

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17 TEMPO
The TEMPO button is used to change the tempo of a part or song. The tempo is stored with a song, and not with a part. While in part mode, the tempo remains at its previous setting until changed. While in song mode, the tempo changes to the programmed tempo each time a different song is selected. While in either part or song mode, pressing the tempo button results in the following display:
While holding the TEMPO button, the +/- buttons can be used to select a new tempo, or a tempo can be entered directly with three digits on the keypad. Tempo changes are effective as soon as they are entered, and the RECORD button does not have to be pressed. In part mode, the RECORD button has no function for TEMPO. In song mode (while not playing), pressing RECORD stores the selected tempo into the current song. Otherwise, it is a temporary tempo change that will be forgotten once a different song is selected. If RECORD is pressed, the display changes to:
This remains until the RECORD button is released. In both song and part mode, the tempo can be changed while playing.

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18 MIDI FILTER
The MIDI FILTER button is used to select what type of MIDI information will be recorded by the MMT-8. While holding down the MIDI FILTER button, the page up and page down buttons can be used to scroll through the possible choices, while the +/- buttons can be used to turn each function on or off. The possible displays that can be scrolled through are as follows:

This function determines whether or not the metronome will click while in record mode. The default setting is ON, but it can be changed with the +/- buttons. The next page has two more click parameters which are accessed with the page up and page down buttons. They display as follows:
The top function determines whether or not the metronome will click while in PLAY mode. The +/buttons can be used to change the function on or off, respectively. The default setting is PLAY CLICK OFF. The last function determines the number of clicks that will be counted down when entering record. It can be set from 0 (OFF) to 99. The default is 4.

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21 TAPE
The TAPE button is used to access the tape interface features of the MMT-8. This allows the user to save and retrieve sequence data with an ordinary cassette recorder. Pressing and holding the TAPE button results in the following display:
Pressing the RECORD button initiates the save to tape. Both buttons can now be released, since this operation may take over two minutes, during which the display will read:
The display shows the current part or song being output. This display will advance until all data is output. Pressing the STOP/CONTINUE button will abort the operation. Before pressing RECORD, the page up and page down buttons can be used to access the other five tape pages. They are as follows:
In all five of these pages, pressing RECORD initiates the operation. The verify function is used to ensure that the data just recorded to tape is good. LOAD ALL PARTS & SONGS FROM TAPE loads the entire sequence memory with the data on tape. LOAD ONE PART FROM TAPE and LOAD ONE SONG FROM TAPE allow a single part or song to be loaded from a tape. The keypad can be used to select the desired number. For operations involving output to tape, after pressing RECORD the display will change to the following:
When the initial tone on the tape is detected, the display shows (depending on the page shown when RECORD was pressed):

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For sending data to the MIDI OUT port, pressing RECORD from the SEND ALL PARTS & SONGS OUT MIDI page results in the display showing:
Again, the RECORD and TAPE buttons can be released, and the display will continue until the operation is complete, with the currently loading or verifying part or song number being shown in the display. When loading one part or song, the display will continue to show the selected part or song number in the upper display. When sending out MIDI data, the display shown above will remain until the data has been sent out. After completion of the tape functions, the display will return to its previous state (select part or select song). If an error is encountered while loading from tape, the display will show ERROR as soon as it occurs, for example:
The tape will attempt to continue to load, but it is possible that the data will be corrupted and therefore unusable. During any of the tape operations (but not the send MIDI function), the STOP/CONTINUE button can be used to abort the operation. The display will show:
When loading in all parts and songs, aborting the tape may leave unusable data in memory. When loading one part or song, aborting after the selected part or song has passed will not cause any problems.

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22 Storing to disk using MIDI system exclusive data dump
The MMT-8 send to MIDI function is provided so that the data can be stored on a computer, a Yamaha MDF-1 (MIDI Filer) or a Yamaha DX-7IIFD. The data is sent out as one block of system exclusive data, with the length being determined by the amount of memory being used. If using the MIDI Filer, no more than 85% of the memory should be full or else the data will be too large for the MIDI Filer's buffer. No more than 25% of memory should be full when saving to a DX-7IIFD or its buffer will be filled as well. The MMT-8 will automatically receive MIDI system exclusive sequence data from any of these devices without having to select a specific page. If the system exclusive data starts to come in, the display will read:
This display will remain until the data has been completely loaded, after which the MMT-8 will return to song 99. Note that any time the MMT-8 receives sequence data from MIDI, any data previously in memory will be lost.

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24 START/STOP footswitch
The START/STOP footswitch jack is provided for a momentary normally open footswitch that connects the jack's tip to its sleeve (ground). While in stop, the footswitch will function like the play button and start a part or song from the beginning. While in play, the footswitch acts like the stop button, and stops playing.

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25 Memory

25.1 Remaining memory

Holding RECORD and pressing LENGTH causes the following display:
This shows the amount of memory that has not been used. Note that some operations may not be possible even though it seems that there is still a small amount of memory available. This is due to the fact that the MMT-8 requires enough memory to duplicate a part before it can be recorded on, or length changed, or offset, etc. If a large part is attempted to be altered when there is not enough memory to complete the operation, the display will indicate that there is not enough memory available to complete the operation:

Clearing memory

To clear all of the MMT-8's memory and reinitialise all of its variables, turn power off, press and hold ERASE, PAGE UP, and PAGE DOWN, and turn on the power while holding these buttons down for 3 seconds.

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26 Auto Locate
The MMT-8 has Auto Locate ability that allows you to go directly to a specific beat of a part without playing through the beats prior to the desired beat number.

Part Mode:

Press and hold either the fast forward or rewind button. Enter the number of the desired beat (3 digits) using the keypad buttons. Release the fast forward or rewind button. The part will continue playing from the selected beat number.
A: When the MMT-8 is in PLAY --
B: When the MMT-8 is in STOP - Press and hold either the fast forward or rewind button. Enter the number of the desired beat (3 digits) using the keypad buttons. Release the fast forward or rewind button. Press the STOP/CONTINUE button to begin playing from the selected beat.

Song Mode:

Follow instructions for PART mode. The MMT-8 will Auto Locate to the desired beat in the current step (part) of the song.

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27 MIDI Implementation Chart
Channel Mode Note Number Velocity After Touch Pitch Bender Control Change Program Change System Exclusive System Common System Real Time Aux Messages Function Default Changed Default Messages Altered True Voice Note on Note off Key's Chan's 0-63 64-122 124-127 True # Song Pos Song Sel Tune Clock Messages Local Control All Notes Off Active Sense Reset Transmitted 1-16 1-16 X 00-127 O X X O O O O X 0-127 O O X X O O X X X X Recognized 1-16 1-16 X 00-127 O X X O O O O X 0-127 O O X X O O X X X X Remarks User changeable
Mode 1: Omni On, Poly Mode 3: Omni Off, Poly
Mode 2: Omni On, Mono Mode 4: Omni Off, Mono

This button is used to display information about the diskette currently inserted in the disk drive. The information displayed in the first page will be the number of files stored on the diskette, the percentage of memory used, and the amount of free space available on the diskette. The second page will show each individual file name and the number of bytes in each file (see Section 4). A third page will show the DATADISK software version.
The MIDI button is used to set the MIDI output of the DATADISK to echo the data received at the MIDI input. MIDI ECHO ON sets the MIDI output to operate as a MIDI THRU port. MIDI ECHO OFF sets the MIDI output to send only MIDI file data initiated from the front panel of the DATADISK. A second page selects if the DATADISK is to receive program change information (for initiating sending files from the DATADISK ) and on which MIDI channel.

FORMAT

The FORMAT button is used to prepare an unformatted diskette (a diskette that hasn't been especially adapted for DATADISK) for use by the DATADISK.
The POWER button turns the DATADISK on or off. 7

BACKPANEL

MIDI IN
The MIDI IN jack is used to receive MIDI data from a sequencer, sampler, synthesizer, or effects processor for storage on diskette.

MIDI OUT

The MIDI OUT jack is used to send MIDI file data to a sequencer, synthesizer, or sampler. This jack can also be selected to function as a MIDI THRU jack so that it echo's an exact copy of what is being received by the MIDI IN jack.
The POWER jack is a 4 pin DIN jack which connects to the outboard 9 VAC power transformer.
DATADISK FRONT AND BACK PANEL

DISK DRIVE SCROLL

DISPLAY

RECEIVE NAME SEND

BACKUP POWER DELETE

DO/YES SCROLL

INFO MIDI REQUEST FORMAT

MIDI IN MIDI OUT/THRU

FIGURE 1

SECTION 3

INTERFACING DATADISK
DATADISK CONNECTED TO A SINGLE MIDI DEVICE
Set-up of the DATADISK is simplicity itself. Simply connect the MIDI Out of the synthesizer, sequencer, effects processor, or other MIDI device that is to send system exclusive data, to the MIDI In of DATADISK. To off-load data, connect the MIDI Out of DATADISK to the MIDI Input of the MIDI device that will be receiving the data.

HAND-SHAKING

Although most MIDI devices that are capable of dumping data to DATADISK will only need one MIDI cable at a time when using DATADISK (MIDI device Out to DATADISK In for a dump; DATADISK Out to MIDI device In for an up-load), there is some earlier MIDI equipment that requires both cables to be connected for operation. This is because the MIDI device must Handshake with DATADISK. When such a MIDI device is in the receive or up-load mode, DATADISK may be able to send data faster than the MIDI device is able to process it. In order to give itself a chance to catch up with the transmission, the MIDI device sends out a command to stop the transmission (the "Handshake"), then after it has caught up, it sends out another command to begin transmission again.

FIGURE 2 A/B DATADISK WITH A SINGLE MIDI DEVICE A. WITH HANDSHAKING B. WITHOUT HANDSHAKING
FIGURE A. WITH HANDSHAKING
Alesis MMT-8 sequencer, synthesizer, sampler, or other MIDI device
DATADISK FIGURE B. WITHOUT HANDSHAKING
Alesis MMT-8 sequencer, synthesizer, sampler, or other MIDI device MIDI IN

DATADISK

DATADISK USED TO STORE HR-16/HR-16:B, MMT-8 SEQUENCES
In the setup shown below, DATADISK sends System Exclusive data to the HR-16, which has been set to echo System Exclusive information received at its MIDI Input and send it back out of its MIDI Output (see HR-16 manual for specific instructions). The data is then sent to the MMT-8's MIDI Input.
FIGURE 3 DATADISK USED TO STORE HR-16/MMT-8 SEQUENCES
MIDI THRU MIDI IN HR-16/HR-16:B Drum Machine Tone Module MIDI OUT

MMT-8 MIDI Sequencer

DATADISK IN A MORE COMPLEX MIDI SETUP
If you are using DATADISK with a number of other MIDI devices, you may wish to use a programmable MIDI patcher to route their MIDI inputs and outputs to DATADISK's MIDI input and output. This will enable you to perform loads and dumps to and from any or all of your MIDI devices without having to manually change any of your connections. FIGURE 4 DATADISK IN A MORE COMPLEX MIDI SETUP

In Out In

QuadraVerb/MIDIVERB III
Tone Module Out Out In Out In Tone Module Out MMT-8 MIDI Sequencer HR-16/HR-16:B Drum Machine In Tone Module
Out MIDI Switcher/Patchbay
DATADISK ALL CONNECTIONS ARE MIDI

DATADISK FUNCTIONS

SECTION 4

THEORY OF OPERATION

SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE
DATADISK is able to work because the data is stored in the form of
System Exclusive (or sysex) files. System Exclusive is the unique way that each manufacturer identifies its own particular data. This allows data from one manufacturers equipment not to be mistaken for another manufacturers when it is sent and stored. When DATADISK is in the Receive mode, either the first byte, or the first three bytes, of information received is the manufacturer ID. In most cases,DATADISK will identify both the brand and model of the equipment that it receives the system exclusive data from. If the data is from an unknown manufacturer, DATADISK will display "ID xxH" for 1 byte IDs or "xxxxxx" for 3-byte ids (where xx or xxxxxx is the manufacturer ID number in hexidecimal) instead of the manufacturer's name. This will not confuse how the data is stored by DATADISK, or loaded by the unknown piece of equipment, however.

RECEIVE MIDI DATA FUNCTION
The RECEIVE MIDI Data Function is used to store MIDI system exclusive data received from a synthesizer, sequencer, or effects processor to a floppy disk inside the DATADISK. There are two pages to this function which are:

RECV ONE SYSEX

Receive One Sysex (the display will read "RECV ONE SYSEX:") is used to receive a single system exclusive file over MIDI. One sysex (system exclusive) file may be a single program or a complete dump from a synthesizer, sampler, or sequencer.

RECV MULT SYSEX

In this mode, system exclusive data from multiple products is received by DATADISK and stored as a single file. This makes it fast and easy to locate the file and load the data back into the multiple synthesizers or devices at a later time. The display will read "RECV MULT SYSEX".

SEND MIDI DATA FUNCTIONS

The SEND MIDI Data Function is used to send MIDI system exclusive files to a synthesizer, sequencer, or effects processor. There are two pages to this function which are:
SEND FILE XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ
This page is used to send a single system exclusive file over MIDI, where XXXXXX is the manufacturers name of the file stored on disk, YYYYYY is the product model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to send. Files are selected by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons until the desired file is displayed. The files are viewed alphabetically.

SEND ALL FILES

In this page, all files stored on the disk will be sent over MIDI to their respective instruments. This way, an entire setup of a number of instruments, sequencers, samplers, and processors can quickly be sent from just this one page.
DELETE FILE FROM DISK FUNCTION
This function is used to erase unwanted files from a disk. There are two pages, which are:
DEL NNNK: XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ
This page is used to delete (erase) a single file from the disk, where NNN is the size of the selected file in kilobytes (1024 bytes = 1K), XXXXXX is the manufacturers name of the file, YYYYYY is the product name of the file, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to delete. Files are selected by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons until the desired file is displayed. The files are viewed alphabetically.

DELETE ALL FILES

This page is used to erase all of the files from the disk. PLEASE NOTE: As an added safety feature, DATADISK will ask "ARE YOU SURE?" before erasing any file from the disk, allowing you to change your mind if necessary by pressing any other function button. CAUTION!!! Once you delete a file it is lost forever!

DISK BACKUP FUNCTIONS

Once DATADISK has stored your files to disk, it's always a wise idea to make a copy of the disk in case it is lost, accidently erased, or in some way made unreadable. This disk copy is called a Backup. DATADISK has a Backup function which is quick and easy, and a lot more practical than restoring all of your data information onto a different disk. There are three pages which are:

BACKUP XXXXXX

YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ This page makes a Backup copy of just a single file, where XXXXXX is the manufacturers name of the file to be backed up, YYYYYY is the product name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the file name. Files are selected by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons until the desired file is displayed. The files are viewed alphabetically.

BACKUP ALL FILES

This page makes a Backup copy of an entire disk. During the Backup process, DATADISK will prompt the user when to insert either the original or Backup disk, and will indicate when the Backup is complete.

BACKUP TO MIDI

Rather than making a Backup copy of your data to a disk, it's also possible to send all files out via MIDI to another DATADISK. All files are sent out in alphabetical order.

REQUEST FUNCTION

DATADISK can store samples as well as synth programs and se-
quencer data. In most cases, this will be stored by using the RECEIVE function. Certain samplers require a request from the storage unit before they will send the sample dump data. In these cases, the REQUEST function will send the required request to let the sampler know that it is available for a sample dump. There are two pages which are:

REQUEST SAMPLE DUMP XX

This page allows a specific single sample to be requested from the sampler. XX is the sample number between 00 and 99 requested by DATADISK from the sampler connected to the MIDI input. When the DO/YES button is pressed, the transfer is handled as in the RECEIVE MIDI data function.

REQUEST SYSEX FOR YYYYYY

Product specific data dumps can be requested by DATADISK of products that cannot initiate bulk dumps from their front panel. By pressing the REQUEST button a second time, the user can scan the manufacturers (viewed alphabetically) by using the SCROLL UP and SCROLL DOWN buttons. YYYYYY is the manufacturer name. After the desired manufacturer is selected, pressing the DO/YES button will display a model to be requested (also viewed alphabetically). Various products from that manufacturer can be scanned by using the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons. Only products that require a Request are displayed.

NAME FILE FUNCTION

The Name function allows the user to select a file and rename it with a total of 8 characters which may be selected from the upper case alphabet A to Z, 0 to 9, 15 miscellaneous characters, or a space. There are 2 pages which are:
RENAME XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ
This page is used to select a file to be renamed, where XXXXXX is the manufacturers name, YYYYYY is the product name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to change. Files are selected by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons. Files are viewed alphabetically. Pressing the DO/YES button selects the next page.

SELECT CHARACTER

This page allows the user to edit each character in the file name. Editing is accomplished by positioning the cursor with the SCROLL buttons under the desired character to be edited, finding the desired character to change to on the keypad, and pressing the selected 21
character set key until the desired character is displayed. These steps are repeated until all characters are changed as desired. Pressing the DO/YES button stores the new name.
DISK STATUS AND INFO MESSAGES
DATADISK is an intelligent device and its display will either prompt
the user to make decisions, or describe the current disk status. The LCD will also display a variety of status and info messages telling the user why a particular function cannot be initiated. When any of these error messages occur, the user must correct the source of the problem and re-select the function. The user can also leave the function at any time by selecting another section or function.

NO DISK IN DRIVE

The following message will appear if a disk is not inserted in the DATADISK disk drive when any disk function is selected or if a disk was ejected during an operation: NO DISK IN DRIVE If the "No Disk" message appears, the user must re-insert a disk and re-select a function to continue operation.

DISK UNFORMATTED

The following message will appear if the disk is not properly formatted: DISK UNFORMATTED or DISK UNREADABLE
The user must now insert a formatted disk or format the disk in the drive by selecting the FORMAT DISK function.

DISK WRITE PROTECTED

3 1/2" disks have the ability to be write protected so that any data is not accidentally erased. This is accomplished by setting the tab on the lower right hand corner of the disk (when it is turned over) to the down position so that the window is open. Entering any function requiring disk writes (Receiving, Deleting, or Renaming a file or files) with a write protected disk will bring the following display: DISK WRITE PROTECTED The write protect must be defeated on the disk before any information can be stored or altered on the disk.

DISK EMPTY

The following message will appear upon initiating an operation in which the disk has no data yet stored on it: DISK EMPTY

DISK FULL

The following message will appear during a receive and/or request operation in which the disk is full before the operation is started: DISK FULL

OPERATION ABORTED

An operation can be aborted at any time by pressing either SCROLL button while the operation is in progress, doing so will bring the following display: OPERATION ABORTED
PLEASE NOTE: Disk data will be unaffected if a Receive operation is aborted. Aborting a Send operation will result in incomplete data being sent over MIDI.

DUPLICATE FILE NAME

This display occurs if a name is attempted to be given to a file that is the same as the name of another file. DUPLICATE FILE NAME

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FILES

This display occurs if there are 53 files already stored on the disk. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FILES

NOT ENOUGH DISK SPACE

This display occurs if there is not enough space left on the disk to store the incoming data. NOT ENOUGH DISK SPACE
MIDI OVERFLOW TRY RECV MULT
This display occurs if MIDI data is received while a file is being stored. Try receiving in RECV MULT mode. MIDI OVERFLOW TRY RECV MULT
ERROR IN SYSEX ERROR ON DISK
These displays occur if data was incorrectly stored onto disk. ERROR IN SYSEX BAD FILE DATA ERROR ON DISK FILE MAY BE BAD
REPLACE FILE W/SAME NAME?
This display occurs if you attempt to back up a file on a disk that already has the same name. Pressing YES will overwrite the existing file.

5) The disk is now ready for storage. Press the RECEIVE button to begin a storage operation.
PLEASE NOTE: The Format operation can be aborted at any
time by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons. If the disk previously was a formatted disk with some data stored on it, some data may be lost depending on how many tracks were reformatted before the operation was aborted.

TO RECEIVE A FILE

1) Press the RECEIVE button on the front panel. The display will change to the following: RECV ONE SYSEX: WAITING FOR DATA
DATADISK is now awaiting system exclusive information.
2) Send a Sysex dump from the synthesizer, sequencer, effects processor, or other MIDI device. This can be accomplished by sometimes just changing a program on the MIDI device, or by a separate front panel command 28
(check your manual for the correct procedure). When system exclusive data is detected, the display will read the following: RECEIVING XXXXXX YYYYYY In this display, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, and YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name. If the data received is a MIDI sample dump, the manufacturer and product name will be displayed as "Sample Dump". After all the data is received (when no MIDI data received for 1/2 second), the display will change to the following: STORED AS XXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ In this display, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is an automatically assigned file number. If additional sysex messages are now received, the display will automatically revert to the "RECEIVING" message and proceed to store the new sysex into a new file. This allows several sysex files to be saved to multiple disk files without having to re-select the RECV function. 3) Exit the function by pressing another function button.
TO RECEIVE MULTIPLE FILES
Multiple system exclusive files from multiple products can be received and stored as a single file by using a Receive Multiple Files page. In this mode, DATADISK is able to receive as many sysex messages as desired (up to the limit of available disk space), and save them all into one disk file. To enter this function, do the following: 1) Press the RECEIVE button on the front panel twice. The display will change to the following:
RECV MULT SYSEX: WAITING FOR DATA
2) Send a Sysex dump from the synthesizer, sequencer, effects processor, or other MIDI device. This may be called a "Bulk Dump", "File Transfer", or some other indication that multiple files will be transmitted (check your manual for the correct name and procedure). When system exclusive data is detected, the display will read the following: RECEIVING XXXXXX YYYYYY In this display, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, and YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name. If the data received is a MIDI sample dump, the manufacturer and product name will be displayed as "Sample Dump". In the multiple mode, DATADISK is going to receive information until the user decides that all of the data has been loaded. After each sysex is received, the display will change to the following: IS THIS FILE COMPLETE? If no button is pressed, the display will revert to the "RECEIVING XXXXXX YYYYYY" message if additional sysex data is received, and will continue to save the data to the same file. If the DO/YES button is pressed, telling DATADISK that transmission is complete, the file will be stored to disk under the last received message's manufacturer and model names. 3) Exit the function by pressing another function button.

3) Press the DO/YES button to send the files. While the file is being sent, the display will read: SENDING: XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ In this display, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file being sent. The display will change with the file name for every file sent during the Send All Files function. There is a 25 millisecond delay between each sysex message transmitted. 4) Exit the Send function by pressing another function button.
TO DELETE (ERASE) A FILE FROM DISK
1) Press the DELETE button on the front panel. The following display will appear. DEL NNNK: XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ? In this display, NNN is the size of the selected file in kilobytes, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to be erased. 2) Select the desired file by pressing the SCROLL UP or SCROLL DOWN buttons until the desired file is displayed (files are viewed alphabetically). 3) Press the DO/YES button. The display will then read: ARE YOU SURE?
If the answer is no, press another function button to exit the Delete function. 36
4) If the answer is yes, press the DO/YES button. The display will show: DELETING.
After the file has been erased, the display will read: FILE DELETED
After deleting is complete, DATADISK will return to the start of the Delete function with the next file ready to be erased. 5) Exit the Delete function by pressing another function button.
PLEASE NOTE: Once a file is deleted, it is lost forever! Deleting all files does not format a disk. Files are only removed
from the disk directory. Use the Format function to properly format a disk.
TO DELETE (ERASE) ALL FILES FROM DISK
1) Press the DELETE button on the front panel. The following display will appear. DEL NNNK: XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ? In this display, NNN is the size of the selected file, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to be erased. 2) Pressing the DELETE button a second time will make the display read:

DELETE ALL FILES?

If the answer is no, press the another function button to exit the Delete function.
After the file has been erased, the display will read: DISK EMPTY
5) Exit the Delete function by pressing another function button.

TO SET MIDI ECHO

1) Press the MIDI button on the front panel. The display will read the following: MIDI ECHO OFF 2) To turn the MIDI Echo to On (or Off if it is already On), press the SCROLL UP and SCROLL DOWN buttons. 38

BACKUP COMPLETE 8) Backup another file or exit the Backup function by pressing another function button. 9) Check backup procedure by sending the backed-up file(s) to their appropriate destinations and checking the data.
PLEASE NOTE: If the backup disk contains a file with same name as the file selected to be backed up, the display will prompt: REPLACE FILE WITH SAME NAME? Pressing the DO/YES button will proceed to delete the file on the backup disk, before starting backup. Pressing any other function will exit the backup.
Backup can be aborted at any time by pressing any other function button.

TO BACKUP AN ENTIRE DISK

1) Press the BACKUP button on the front panel. The display will read: BACKUP XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ? In this display, XXXXXX is an abbreviation of the manufacturer's name of the device sending the data, YYYYYY is an abbreviation of the model name, and ZZZZZZZZ is the name of the file to be backed up. 2) Press the BACKUP button a second time. The display will read: BACKUP ALL FILES TO DISK? 3) Press the DO/YES button. The display will then read: XX DISK SWAPS REQUIRED. OK? XX is the number of times that the source (the disk currently in DATADISK) and destination disks (the one that you will backup your file to) must be inserted and removed from the disk drive. 4) Follow steps 4 through 9 as in "To Backup A File".
TO BACKUP AN ENTIRE DISK OVER MIDI TO ANOTHER DATADISK
1) Press the BACKUP button 3 times. The display will read: BACKUP ALL FILES TO MIDI? 2) Press the DO/YES button. The display will then read: IS DEST DATADISK IN RECV ONE? "DEST DATADISK" stands for Destination DATADISK, or the DATADISK that you're sending to. 3) Press the DO/YES button. The display will read: THIS WILL ERASE DEST DISK. OK? 4) Press the DO/YES button to initiate the Backup over MIDI. The display will read as in the SEND ALL function: SENDING XXXXXX YYYYYY ZZZZZZZZ 5) When backup is complete, the following is temporarily displayed before returning to the start of the Backup function: BACKUP COMPLETE 6) Check backup procedure by sending ALL files on the backup disk (p.32). If there is a SYS EX error, there may be corrupted data. If this error occurs, delete the file(s), check the original disk, and repeat the entire procedure if necessary. PLEASE NOTE: The destination DATADISK will receive and store data as described in the RECV ONE function.
REAL-TIME MIDI SEQUENCE PLAYBACK:DATADISK SQ
DataDisk can receive and play back entire sequences (as well as sysex data) in real time. All MIDI data received is time-stamped and can therefore be sent from the DataDisk with the same timing with which it was received (a MIDI tape recorder)! This allows the DataDisk to be used in several new ways. Playing an MMT-8 (or any other sequencer or computer) sequence into the DataDisk and then using the DataDisk as a rack mount sequence playback unit. Playing live into the DataDisk from a MIDI keyboard and letting the DataDisk record the performance in real-time. Storing and retrieving sysex messages from devices that do not handle MIDI data at full speed and/or require time gaps of up to one minute between bytes.

b) If the DataDisk is powered-on with a disk that has no MIDI setup stored on it, all MIDI parameters will default to OFF.

SECTION 7

APPENDIX

TROUBLESHOOTING

The wonderful world of MIDI makes our musical lives much so much easier most of the time. Still, there are those moments when things just won't work. Below are some hints regarding sending and receiving problems and possible solutions. This is just general info since there is no way of knowing each and every instrument, connections, and system setup.
PROBLEM: DATADISK won't save data to disk. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
1) Make sure that the MIDI In of DATADISK is connected to MIDI Out of the sending instrument (seems so simple, but it happens). 2) Does your synth or MIDI device require handshaking (see Section 3)? Check the manual to be sure. 3) Make sure that System Exclusive is enabled.
PROBLEM: The receiving instrument does not appear to receive data sent to it from DATADISK. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
1) Make sure that the MIDI Out of DATADISK is connected to the MIDI In of the receiving instrument. 2) Make sure that System Exclusive is enabled on the receiving instrument. 3) Memory Protect on the synthesizer must be off. 4) Some instruments do not show any indication that it is receiving or that it has received a data dump (i.e. Oberheim Matrix-6, Roland R-8). In this case, select the programs to see/hear that the data was received. 54
Some instruments also might receive a dump, not make any indication that it has received a file, and continue playing the same program as before the dump until a new program is selected. 5) Although the MIDI System Exclusive status byte does not specify a channel number, some manufacturers include a channel or device number within the message and will only respond to a sysex message with a matching channel/device number. Check to see if there is a System Exclusive number command (as on the Yamaha DX-7II) that might be different from the stored file.

A FEW RULES:

If in RECV ONE mode and a delay of more than 1/2 second
occurs between individual sysex messages, the messages will be stored in separate DATADISK files. (Please note that some instruments send their bulk data dump as several individual sysex messages, as opposed to a single message. If an instrument places a delay greater than 1/2 second between consecutive messages and it is desired to save these messages in a single file, use the RECV MULT mode.)

DATADISK.places a 25 millisecond delay between each sysex message it sends. If your device requires more than this amount of time to process consecutive messages, then place the sysex messages into separate files (if possible) and send each message with the reqired delay in between. DATADISK implements the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) Sample Dump Standard. Instruments that do not implement the MMA Sample Dump Standard (such a the Akai S900 or Roland S-50) will not work with DATADISK.
If the instrument requires handshaking, it is unlikely that it will
work with DATADISK. Only a few of the more commonly used handshaking schemes are implemented on DATADISK. NOTE: Some instruments give the user an option of sending and receiving in handshaking or non-handshaking mode (Roland does this with some of its instruments; they allow handshaking and one-way transfers). If this is the case, then use the non-handshaking mode with DATADISK.

SPECIFICATIONS

MEMORY IMPLEMENTATION Direct to disk; no RAM buffer. DATA STORAGE COMPATIBILITY Universal; Operates with virtually all manufacturers products which provide MIDI System Exclusive. 3 1/2" Floppy Diskette Double-sided, double density 800 Kilobytes

METHOD

MAXIMUM MEMORY PER DISK
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DATA FILES 53 (total size of data cannot exceed disk size) FUNCTIONS SEND RECEIVE DELETE BACKUP DISK REQUEST FILE DISPLAY DISK DISPLAY MIDI FUNCTIONS

FORMAT DISK NAME FILE

Single or multiple files Single or multiple files Single or multiple files Single or multiple files Sample dump or device specific File number, manufacturer, model, number of bytes Number of files, storage space available, percentage of disk space used MIDI Echo: On, Off MIDI Program Change Channel: Off, channel 1 through seconds Upper case alphabet, A to Z, 0 to 9, 15 characters, space

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

Name, Receive, Send , Delete, Backup, Request, Info, MIDI, Format, Do/Yes, Scroll Up, Scroll Down, Power LCD display;16 Character by 2 lines Disk Drive In Operation LED

INDICATORS

REAR PANEL JACKS
MIDI Input and Output Power - 4 pin DIN connector
POWER REQUIREMENTS 9 Volts AC, 5 Volt Amps external Transformer, UL approved and made in USA DIMENSIONS (W x H x D) WEIGHT 19" X 1.75" X 7" 4.5 lbs.

BOOKS ON MIDI

The preceding does not substitute for reading a good book on the subject of MIDI. For further information, refer to the following: MIDI For Musicians and The Electronic Musicians Dictionary by Craig Anderton; AMSCO Publications. The former was written specifically for musicians with no background in MIDI, and the latter defines terms related to musical electronics. Music Through MIDI by Michael Boom; Microsoft Press. An excellent text for those just getting started with MIDI, synthesis, and related topics. The Murphys Law MIDI Book by Jeff Burger; Alexander Publishing. Emphasizes applications and problem-solving. Using MIDI by Helen Casabona and David Frederick; Alfred Publishing. A general guide to MIDI with an emphasis on applications. Understanding MIDI and Understanding MIDI 2 by various authors; Amordian Press. A collection of MIDI-oriented articles from Musician magazine. Descubriendo MIDI by Jos Valenzuela; Alesis Publishing. A thorough overview of MIDI in Spanish, suitable for beginners and/or advanced users.

through the disk for the specified location before executing the command. The DataDisk will, however, remain in sync. d) If, while syncing to an external sequencer, the DataDisk is connected to the sequencer (such as an MMT-8) in a MIDI loop (that is, sequencer MIDI output to DataDisk MIDI input and DataDisk MIDI output to Sequencer MIDI input as in figures 2A and 4 of the DataDisk user's manual), then either the MIDI Clock must be filtered from the DataDisk's output, or the sequencer should be set to not receive MIDI Clock. This is done to make sure that the speed of the sequence playback remains constant, and is accomplished in the following manner: 1) Press the MIDI button four times. The display will then read: MIDI CLOCK OUT FILTER: OFF
Press the "up" SCROLL button. The display will read:
a) Place the MMT-8 into MIDI & INTERNAL b) The MMT-8's countdown should be set to 00, and length should be changed either to the highest number available or the known length of the sequence. c) The DataDisk's EXT MIDI SYNC and MIDI Clock Out filter should both be set to OFF 2) Select the MMT-8 track that you wish to record on. Press Record on the MMT-8 3) Enable record without pressing the PLAY button on the MMT-8 (a MIDI Start command at the beginning of the sequence file sent to the MMT-8 will place the MMT-8 into record mode) 4) Press the DataDisk's Send button and use the scroll buttons to select the file that you wish to send 5) Press the DataDisk's Do/Yes button 6) When the DataDisk has finished sending the file, press the Stop button on the MMT-8 to stop recording. 7) Press Edit while in the part that you have just recorded to on the MMT-8, then scroll through the sequence to determine the total number of beats. Change the length of the sequence to equal the number of beats. This will eliminate any empty beats at the end of the sequence. Synchronizing the DataDisk to a Sequencer In a closed loop configuration (see page 13, fig. 4 of the DataDisk User's Guide), to prevent timing errors caused by MIDI clock returning to the sequencer, you must either: 1) Set the sequencer's clock source to INTERNAL ONLY (ignore incoming MIDI clock), or 2) Set the DataDisk's MIDI clock filter to ON. NOTE: In either case MIDI echo on the DataDisk should be set to OFF.