Hooking it all up????

[DJBC]

Ok people,I have many ?'s that hopefully someone can answer.
I have a Sound Blaster Live (Value)card,a Mc303 Groovebox, and a Sp202 sampler. I know how to hook up the groove box and the sampler using midi between the two . But what do I need to hook it up to the soundcard. Can I just get a Midi interface? And will it work with my Value card? Do I have to get another soundcard that has Midi inputs. Can I use the Groovebox as a Midi controller or only as a sound module? What I would like to do is to be able to assign a sample or samples across the keyboard. Would a Midi keyboard be a better idea to do this? Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[inocybe]

sorry to tell you, but you are basically ****ed with the MC303. whenever it comes to MIDI implementation it sucks big time. (That's why i sold mine.. well one of the zillion other reasons.. buth I won't go deeper into this.)

Get a midi interface. There are cables that fit on your joystick port wich are cheap, there are seperate midi interfaces wich have better timing and are not so cheap, but still very affordable. If you're serious go with the second.

Read the SP202 manual to get an idea of the fact if you actually can map across the keyboard. Some phrase samplers don't allow this. If that's the case you are ****ed again (hope for you it's not the case.)

In every case it's a good thing to get a keyboard if you're starting PC sequencing. Those little knobs on an MC aren't really what you can call 'playable'

Midi-ing it up... Basic configuration SHOULD be. (but you'll notice this is impossible)
PC midi out -> MC303 midi in
MC303 midi thru -> SP202 midi in.
MC303 midi out -> PC midi in.
This would enable controle from the MC but due to the very good (irony) midi implementation roland has latly. It's not even near possible. (as you noticed I'm not terrible fond of those groove-approved-gear. It's the downfall of Roland and it's a huge Rip-off...)
The MC303 won't allow you to controle it from an external sequencer, unless you boot it up in sound module mode (in that case all knobs on the front-panel become totally useless.). so you see. No Cut-off/Res controle or any realtime knob twiddling. Futhermore the cut-off/res cannot be controled from a sequencer. (unless you go deep into midi programming it isn't possible.) But I do remember the existence of pre-programmed cubase mixer maps wich just might be your saviour. (although it wont be that easy as just twisting a knob (as you can only adress the cutoff with NRPN's wich need to be programmed by hand (data bits, adresses, that kinda stuff)) I think the SP202 will behave under midi controle as it's build to accompaign the MC. So I don't expect any probs.

So again how to route. ( but know in a possible way.)
PC out -> MC in
MCout -> SPin (with soft thru enabled)
SP-out -> PC in (for midi sample transfer plug like this)
Keyboard -> PC in (PC also with soft thru enabled)

Ohw of couse you need a PC sequencer like cubase, logic, cakewalk etc... There are cut-down versions available for almost no money at all.

i felt totally ripped-off by roland after my purchase of an MC-303 and sold it 3 months later. there are better machines on the market that offer better functionallity for an equal amount of money.

 

[jizzer]

Tell me more!

(as you noticed I'm not terrible fond of those groove-approved-gear. It's the downfall of Roland and it's a huge Rip-off...)

Very interesting! I've got some Roland gear but no Groove stuff. Has Roland lost it? Why would midi implementation suck from them? I don't doubt you at all, just curious...

tha jizzer

 

[dj funkifize]

yeah... what's wrong with it?

 

[ukcoolat]

Basically they're **** because they're not versatile really at all. The synth section is very limited - calling it 'synth' is being generous. And the preset patterns just allow any nonce to bang out what they think is a tune - when in actual fact its just s h i t e. Hence the state of the music charts today. lol.