Question: Before writing samples onto the Flash Board I’d like to listen to single Voices and then decide what are to be written.
Answer: How you proceed will be based on the particular Sample Library you are working with. For example, depending on how the data was configured you may or may not be able to audition individual Voices without installing data onto your Flash Boards. We’ll explain…
For example, take a Sample Library like the Chick Corea Mark V Rhodes data. It is too large (400MB) to fit into the 128 MB of SDRAM (USR) on board. You need all 400MB to play even one VOICE. Therefore, you will not even be able to load in one VOICE without installing the entire WAVEFORM/SAMPLE set. A library like this must be installed in order to hear any of the Voices.
Sample data can be configured so that all of the data is used to recreate a single instrument – as is the case with the Chick Corea electric piano. Other types of Libraries may use the sample data to recreate several different instruments …as in the type found in the (free) “Inspiration In a Flash” Sample Library (466MB).
Both use up the majority of a 512MB Board but the former is one instrument recreated in very minute detail, and the latter is a variety of instruments.
Therefore, a Library that is more the same type as “Inspiration In a Flash” would be condusive to the method you are asking about – auditioning Voices before installing the Sample/Waveforms to the Flash Board.
Suggestion:
Use the [USER 1] bank as the bank to which you will load/audition your Sample Library. The reason is – even though this bank does contain unique new VOICES, since it is easily and quickly restoreable (via a Factory Set Option) without having to disturb the rest of the USER banks – it makes an ideal place to audition your Library.
Really cool feature to know about when auditioning:
When you are loading data from the Sample Library you can either load a single VOICE
(Load TYPE = “voice”) or you can load a bank of 128 (Load TYPE = “1 Bank voice”).
If the bank is too large for the 128MB SDRAM, then you will need to load individual Voices to audition. (You want to use “1Bank Voice” simply because it is quicker and more convenient to audition 128 Voices at a time. But your mileage may vary – depending on the Sample Library.
When you are loading VOICES from a Library, the XF will only load what it needs – in other words, if the Samples and Waveforms have already been loaded, it will not load them again. It will simply ‘point’ the Voice data to the Samples and Waveforms it has previously loaded. (This not only saves time but also saves RAM).
Direct the Sample Library’s VOICE data to USER 1 and set the LOAD Option for so that the Sample/Waveform data is going to “USR” (SDRAM). You would set the LOAD Option:
USR > USR
FL1 > USR*
FL2 > None
In the screen shot, I’ve opted to LOAD the Voice data from the file’s USER 2 to the internal USER 1 Bank of my Motif XF7. The “Inspiration In A Flash” data from USER 2 starts with the S700 piano data. I am directing the Sample data intended for the FL1 Board to my SDRAM (USR) for the purpose of auditioning. The entire USER 2 Bank and all the samples to make those Voices work will be loaded to my XF’s USER 1 internal Bank and all the Samples will be installed on the SDRAM (USR).
Things you need to know about FILES
When “auditioning” and/or installing new data to your FLASH BOARDS, look at this as a FLASH SESSION. Any changes you make must end with you creating a new “ARCHIVE” (back up) File – that is an ALL data file “with Samples” – this will contain a record of YOU having added new VOICES with their new Waveform data to YOUR custom XF setup. By installing the Sample data to your FLASH BOARD, the VOICES now are directed to look at your Flash Board for the audio data. You need to make a file that contains this information.
We state that because moving sampled data is an involved process and you want to know how to use the tools available to avoid a situation where your VOICES do not play properly. The XF will automatically ‘re-point’ every VOICE’s Waveforms to their new locations, as determine by you during this “Session”. Remember the VOICE data is one thing – it is a set of parameters that are applied to the SOUND SOURCE – in this case the source of the sound is the Samples and Waveform data. That data is either from a PRESET Waveform, or a USER Waveform… and if a User Waveform it is either from SDRAM or a FLASH Boards. The Voices OSCILLATOR page is where the VOICE data targets the Waveform Bank and Number.
Patience is a key – particularly when you are navigating an ARCHIVE File (just a reminder: I refer to the LARGE, “with Samples”, File as the ARCHIVE because it is a backup of all the work.
You should also make an ALL data file, similarly named, that is “without Samples”. The Without Samples version, you will notice is quicker to navigate through when you need to access individual programs.
When you need to “open” an Archive (Large) file, you will notice it can take the XF a bit of time to display the data within… for example when you ask to find a single VOICE within an ALL data Archive file that is 1GB in size, it contains hundreds of Voices, it could contain over 2000 Waveforms and thousands and thousands of individual samples… at any rate, it may take several seconds to “catalog” and show you this list. This is normal.
This is also why you want to load a bank of 128 to USER 1, pick out the VOICES you would think are “keepers”. Write them down if you need to. This way when it is time to install them to your FLASH BOARDS you don’t have to hunt them down. You can simply load them without repopulating (cataloging) the list.
Pick the USER 2, USER 3 or USER 4 bank locations you would like to use to add these to your personal USER bank.
TIP: Do this, again, ahead of time. Plan what VOICES you are going to keep and plan where you are going to put them. You want to be able to TARGET, LOAD and INSTALL without having to reset and re-search every time. So know what VOICES you want from the Sample Library and know where you are going to target them BEFORE you start installing data. This TIP can save you many, many minutes and much frustration.
Then I’d recommend you LOAD just those VOICES to the locations in your USER 2-4, adding these to your Library and installing the Samples and Waveforms to FLASH this time
USR > USR
FL1 > FL1*
FL2 > None
The destination of FL2 is meaningless in the case of the “Inspiration In A Flash” file. The data was saved from a board in the FL1 slot – so the important setting is “FL1 > FL1”.
I recommend you actually selectively LOAD them from the original LIBRARY file, just the ones you know you want, and direct the data that was intended for FL1 to FL1. This will install the Samples and WAVEFORMS as you direct the individual VOICES to their places within your internal BANKS.
Reset USER 1 (UTILITY > JOB > Clear the ALL option, so that you are just resetting USER 1 and the first 8 Drum kits)
You can also DELETE ALL data in the SDRAM ([INTEGRATED SAMPLING] > [JOB] > [F3] OTHER > “Delete All”
Then verify your newly added VOICES are all accessing data from your FL1 Board and everything is as you expect… then make your NEW ARCHIVE file (“All” data “with samples”)
Example: As an example, say I’ve selected the following VOICES from the USER 2 BANK of “Inspiration In a Flash” and I want to add these to my personal Motif XF Library file:
001: S700 for XS
002: Ballad Stack S700
003: S700 Piano Back
004: S700 & Strings
005: S700Piano&Ooh Choir
006: S700&Ooh Choir&Pad
119: Live Scat
I will load these Voices to my USER 3 bank starting at 001-007 and I will install the Samples/Waveforms to my FL1 Board.
Press [FILE]
Set TYPE = voice
Highlight the “InspirationInAFlash.X3A” file and press [ENTER] to open and view the data within the file.
This action can several seconds as the XF will catalog and list all 512 User Voices and 32 User Drum Kits in this file. Be patient. If your USB stick does not feature an LED to indicate activity you may wrongly conclude that nothing is happening but during this time the lists are being populated. Use the [USER 1], [USER 2], [USER 3], [USER 4] and [USER DR] to view the data contain in the file.
Press [USER 2] to view the Voices contained in the file’s USER Bank:
Above you can see that I am ready to load and install the data for the Voice: “001: S700 for XS” to my current USER 3 bank, location 001
I am also directing the LOAD options so that what is in the file’s FL1 to my FLASH BOARD in slot 1 “FL1”
Press [ENTER]
The VOICE data takes less than a second to load, the WAVEFORM and SAMPLE data will be installed to FLASH… you will see the message appear indicating that the data is being installed on the FLASH BOARD in Slot 1.
When completed – resist the urge to exit this mode, immediately step up to LOAD the next Voice: 002:
Ballad Stack S700” to USER 3, location 002
Same LOAD Option for the FLASH FL1 > FL1:
Now, because the SAMPLES and WAVEFORMS have already been installed in the previous operation, you will notice that this Voice loads immediately, nothing needs to be written to FLASH – the XF already detects that the data from this file is already installed and will automatically re-point the data for this VOICE to the Sample and Waveform data that it requires!
Rinse and repeat for the next Voice (again resisting the urge to EXIT this mode) – if you do EXIT the session, you will need to repopulate each time you setup to select a new VOICE… (not a big deal but it can a significant amount of time if you are loading a couple of dozen Voices). This is why we recommend you select the Voices you are going to load and know the target locations prior to initiating the Load session.
Now select File Voice 119 and target internal USER 3; 007
