hi everybody,

i put a short video on youtube how to program pattern with external sequencer, than record into sp-404, maybe you find it useful

enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2rJL6_nVOU

Sometimes I use Reaper for programming drumtracks via midi, the thing I learned on this one that it's possible to rec the pattern to the 404. Think I need to switch off the midi sync... cause everytime I played the midi sequence the pattern-rec-mode just broke down.

Anyway...welcome a board, enjoy your stay, fresh beats will be served in the arena weekly.

nice vid dude, i'm using the same setup...RM is great for sequencing, especially putting all drum tracks to the same SP channel to allow individual mutes.

MIDI Delay is some serious shit, i've never seen that feature anywhere else. great for rhythmic twists, and of course like all MIDI, totally recordable into the SP!

mine midi sync is on

thanx

yep, an excellent feature

Great video. First thought when I read the title was that someone had worked how to import a midi sequence to the 404. Thinking about it, the other box is playing the 404 pads and the 404 pattern sequencer is recording that.
I think you'd have to have midi sync on the 404, but you probably also want the external sequencer set to send clock.
Do you have to have the 404 metronome beep and count-in switched on to do this?

Cheers
Jim

tnx

yes, because recording pattern on sp won't start when I press play on rm1x, so I have to press play (on rm1x) manually on right time

...so what do I need to do, to do the same thing with reaper or any other DAW...?
whenever I press play in reaper, the 404 pattern starts to play.
Pressing play in pattern rec mode after 4..3...2..1... causes a breakdown...
So how can I use midi clock without sending start/stop signals?
(might be reaper related... )

really wouldn't know, it might be reaper related indeed. my sp plays patterns, when I press play on rm1x, but not when I'm in pattern rec mode. I have no manual now, so I can't tell if you can have midi clock for tempo but no sync start. but, if it works for me with rm1x that way, it seems that the problem is in reaper. check settings in reaper (I've never used reaper, so I don't know what options are there).

Not in a position to test, but a look in the 404 manual shows the 404 doesn't have a mode to pattern record and obey start/stop. In short, there's no setting to get it obeying start/stop in pattern record mode.

404 Aut (Auto sync) - 404 will follow clock but not receive start/stop when in pattern record mode. It only obeys start/stop for pattern playback. Unless you've changed it, a 404 is made with Aut mode already selected.

404 tMp (tempo sync) - 404 follows clock but won't under any circumstance obey start/stop.

404 oFF (sync off) - 404 always ignores both clock and start/stop.

A 404 will not sit and wait for an external clock - no midi clock received and the 404 records to it's own pattern tempo. If clock is received, then the 404 will use that instead. If the 404 records the sequence at a different tempo because it isn't getting the clock, the recorded pattern probably won't make sense.

Whatever sequencer you have, you need its midi sync set to send Midi clock and not MTC. The 404 doesn't understand MTC (midi time code), it'll ignore and run at its own tempo. You may also have to tell the sequencer which midi output port to send the sync clock to.
MMC (start/stop...) from the sequencer won't ever help when pattern recording, so as in the video you have to start the 404 pattern record and then start your sequence on cue with the count-in. It shouldn't matter if the sequencer is sending start/stop though - the 404 should just ignore it. Some sequencers can have their own count-in on playback as well as record - you don't want that.

Another midi sync control your sequencer may have is SPP (Song Position Pointer). The 404 should obey this in sync mode "Aut" only. The sequencer should only send this if you move it's playback position (it's meant to make the midi slave go to the same playback position which can be anywhere in the sequence). I can't figure out if this can effect the 404 pattern record but it may be best to turn SPP off in the sequencer or change the 404 to tMp sync mode.

Funny, I thought the 404 metronome sounded quit funky in places in a very old drum-machine kind of way, reminded me a little of my old Casio VL-tone


Jim

hehe, yep, with tr-808 claves