Message 6/30 From Christopher_List@Sonymusic.Com Dec 17, 96 11:54:57 am -0400 Resent-from: "Roy Roberts" Resent-to: roy@hyperreal.com Resent-date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:03:29 EST X-Lotus-Fromdomain: SONY_MUSIC @ WORLDCOM Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 11:54:57 -0400 Subject: RE: <<< RM-50 Drum Module for Sale >>> I've had one of these machines for several years and like it a lot. I think the average used price is higher than what I got mine for new because Sam Ash had a big blowout when they were discontinued. I got mine for like $300 or something. <> They sound very good. I don't have many things to compare it to, as it's the only drum module I've ever owned - but I will say they it's very editable, very low noise and has a wide range of sounds. I used to think everything sounded too clean and generic - until I started editting it. Figuring out the architecture is a frustrating process, so it took me a while to get into it. No data wheel and a page based menu system means editting is a little slow. It's also got Drum Kits and Sounds or "voices" or whatever they call 'em are stored like so; 1. Some number (100? 64? I forget) of factory-preset can't be modified 2. The same number of semi-modifiable presets that start off as copies of the presets only a few parameters can be modified - like sound volume, ptich, etc. 3. A small number of fully user-definable patches Because all of the semi-modifiable stuff starts as a copy of the non-modifiable stuff, there is no store function as far as I can tell. You make a change and that's it - it's changed. There is a "recall" but I don't know what the "boundry" for the recall is - like if you edit a sound - switch to another sound and go back - I don't think you can do a recall for the editted sound - even though you never "saved" your changes - the save is automatic. I wish there were more completely user-definable patches (I think you get 32). (User defined sounds are the only ones that can be assigned to indy outs - what's up with that?) I wish the LCD were a little bigger I wish there was a data wheel I wish you had more than 8 friggin characters to use for naming stuff names like: "BD Big", "BD 909-1", "SN Jngl1" suck. I love the sound and the number of waveforms - Great combination of real drums and electronic / techno drums I love the parameter settings for the voices - like a pseudo delay that repeats the wave form with a decaying volume and increasing or decreasing pitch - you can make cool dropping 808 jungle kick drums if you use it right. I love the fact that I can set up each MIDI channel with a whole drum kit. In fact editing at the "high" level - setting up channels, turning channels on and off is very easy and quick. Just my thoughts - Sorry this is so incoherent - really busy today. - CList From map@cs.washington.edu Wed Dec 18 08:12:17 1996 18 Dec 96 11:06:09 +0500 Resent-from: "Roy Roberts" Resent-to: roy@hyperreal.com Resent-date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:05:42 EST 17 Dec 96 14:38:26 +0500 Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 11:31:26 -0800 (PST) From: Mike Perkowitz Subject: RE: <<< RM-50 Drum Module for Sale >>> > I think the average used price is higher than what I got mine for new > because Sam Ash had a big blowout when they were discontinued. I got mine > for like $300 or something. rogue was just selling one for $350. i got one from them for some stuff in trade worth approximately that much. > Figuring out the architecture is a frustrating process, so it took me a > while to get into it. No data wheel and a page based menu system means > editting is a little slow. yes, it's kind of a pain to get around in general. the architecture isnt actually that complicated. each drum voice has two elements. each element has your basic sample, filter, envelopes, lfo. plus things like output assignment and the cool echo feature. drumkits are composed out of about 50 voice patches spread over the keyboard. instead of a drum kit, you can also have one voice pitched across the keyboard on a channel. one of their major mistakes: it's got a stereo pair and 6 individual outs, but output assignments are set in voice patches not in drumkit setups. this means if you want your nice snare sound to go through the stereo pair on one kit but out #1 on another, you've got to have two copies of the patch. and patch memory is not so generous -- you only get 128 fully-user-editable patches. additionally, you get the 500 presets and the 500 variations. variations let you play with filter cutoff, decay, pan, a few other things. not output assignment though. (doh). > Because all of the semi-modifiable stuff starts as a copy of the > non-modifiable stuff, there is no store function as far as I can tell. > You make a change and that's it - it's changed. There is a "recall" but I correct, changes take place immediately. there is an edit buffer though. recall brings back the unedited version and stores the edits in the buffer. you can swap back and forth as much as you want, but once you edit another sound, the edit buffer is cleared. regarding realtime tweakage. on each channel you get (i think) pitch, pan, decay, filter cutoff, level, and balance (between the two elements of a drum sound). those affect all sounds in the kit, though you can set individual sounds to ignore those controls. i dont think there's per-parameter sysex, just bulk dumps. the rm50 does have a remote control feature -- you can have it interpret midi notes on a given channel as front-panel button pushes and thus have it do anything you want -- but i dont think this would be very useful for setting up realtime tweakability. for example, if you want to move the filter cutoff from 30 to 70, you'd have to send it 40 notes corresponding to the +1 button ;) m ______________________________________________________________________________ With infinite complacency, people went to and fro over the earth about their little affairs, serene in the assurance of their dominion over this small spinning fragment of solar driftwood which, by chance or design, man had inherited out of the dark mystery of time and space. (from "The War of the Worlds") ______________________________________________________________________________ http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/map/ map@cs.washington.edu http://www.grooveneedle.com/ tint@grooveneedle.com http://www.hyperreal.com/machines/ mike perkowitz