Roland XV-5050's performance mode

Are you saying that the keyboard you are useing to trigger the 5050 has no sounds? Is it always the same portion (ie: bottom octave or top octave)? I take you post to mean when you use the keyboard by itself (with no MIDI connection to the 5050) it then works OK.

Are you taking MIDI out from the keyboard into the 5050 - or are you running MIDI out to a computer and them from the computer to the 5050?

Candidly, I've never heard of such a problem nor do I have a clue as to the cause (or cure). However, if you explain the setup more completely perhaps I or someone else may be able to offer some ideas.
 
for what sounds?

certain instruments won't sound outside of their range on the XV platform.

go into edit mode and check the note range for the performance you've selected.

i have the roland xv-3080, but i rarely use it in performance mode. i use it as a sound-canvas in patch mode.

oh, and i just got the SRX-06 complete orchestra card. its pretty darn good. i have the jv-80 orchestra I card as well, but i'm going to sell it because the 06 has all the souns of the orchestra I and more.
 
The keyboard I'm useing is just a controller so it has no sounds on its own. When I octave down with the controller, its strange...it allows more keys to have sound but the new, even lower octaves are pushing the higher octaves up the keyboard. But they are all low octaves, it's just that the new octaves are so low they kinda rumble. The "higher" low octaves stop at about the last quarter of the keyboard. Its like the 5050 can't produce high octaves at all. They are totally absent. This usualy starts to happen around the 3rd track.
I have both my 5050 and my controller running USB into my computer. Thats my whole setup right there. I use headphones plugged into the 5050 untill I can get some good quality speakers. And I have an Audigy soundcard, if that makes a difference.
Crosstudio, you only use patch mode? I thought that mode wasnt multitimbral. You must be useing other equipment along with your roland then, right? All I have is the 5050 so I must use performance. I'm fairly new to all of this so please correct me if I'm wrong cause I'm pretty sure I am about most or all of that. If I am wrong, then how can I use patch mode and still set up midi channels and use Sonar with all 16 tracks?
Yeah the complete orchestra is the one! That is going to be my next move once I figure all this out. (that and some speakers). What do you think about the Strings collection? I'm thinking about picking that one up too.
Mikeh, Crosstudio, thanks alot and I hope to hear from you soon.
 
I've been messing around with the piano roll in Sonar and in the 5050's software editor "vurtual piano" and it's confirmed that the problem is that on the 3rd track and all tracks after that, all of my higher octaves are missing. And in the 2nd track all of my lower octaves are missing. The only track that is ok is the 1st one. I know it's not my controller because I have it turned off and the problem is the same. I feel like I'm getting closer to the solution by understanding more about the problem, but I just don't have the know how to figure it out on my own. I need some help.
 
I have to make some general assuptions here but:

If I'm understanding your posts - you are using the MIDI controller to send MIDI events (notes) to Sonar - and then Sonar sends the MIDI information to the 5050 (to generate sounds).

I don't use Soar but I do work with Cakewalk. So here are some suggestions.

1) Go into the Piano Roll screen (I don't know if that is what you refer to as virtual piano). As you play MIDI notes on the controller (in record mode) the note events should appear on this Sonar screen.

If the MIDI note events don't appear within the octave you think they should - look up and down one or two octaves (to see if the performance data is being transposed). If the note event still is not there than Sonar is not accepting the MIDI note performance data. This indicates a problem with the controller or with Sonar (vs. the 5050)

This means something is likely set wrong in Sonar (or the controller) - in particular if you are saying the first track works fine but the 2nd & 3rd tracks are a problem.

2) Plug the controller MIDI out directly into the 5050 MIDI in (bypass the computer) and play notes (monitor the 5050 directly through headphones). If everything seems to work - then the probelm is not the controller or the 5050 but with Sonar.

3) Check the range settings on the controller (and Sonar)- if you say some sounds are so low that it is a rumble - it means something - either the controller or Sonar is transposing the pitch to a lower octave.
 
Ok, when I did step one, useing sonar's piano roll to play notes and then playing notes from the keyboard, all my notes showed up on screen. Even the ones that didn't sound. So I know that Sonar is picking up the data.

When I plugged the controller "out" into the 5050 "in", everything played smoothly. But you have to remember The first track rarely has problems anyway. I couldn't even record with it set up like that so there was no way I could have multible tracks. The controller didn't even show up in my "midi devices" with that set up. Is that normal? Is it possible to record with sonar, having your controller plugged directly into the rack? But despite my current problem I like my USB setup so I think I'll stick with it.

I don't know how to check the range settings in either Sonar or my controller, so I will be spending some time trying to find them.

Thanks again. And your assumption was right.
 
OK, given the info we have it sounds like the 5050 may be the source of the problem.

What I suggest, is set track 1 (in Sonar) to MIDI send channel 1, track 2 will be send channel 2, etc. etc.

Now in performance mode in the 5050 go to each MIDI channel and start to check to make sure MIDI receive is on an that the transpose features are not on.

When checking track 2 (in Sonar) mute all the other channels. To make sure any sound (or lack theroff is indeed channel/track 2)
 
Mikeh, thankyou very much for continuing to help me.

I can only record tracks when I have them set up as "midi omni" doing it any other way won't work for some reason.

I set up the midi channels like always in performance mode. For some reason I can't find the transpose options anywhere. I can't even find the word "transpose" in the 5050's manual. Do you think Roland uses a different word for this function?

I muted all tracks but track 2. It played the same instrument I chose for it. Everything sounded normal and the usual problem was there as well.

Mikeh, I'm starting to get a little frustrated and discouraged. I've been at this all day since I got off work and have pretty much wasted my whole day with no results. I have a few days left, I'm thinking about taking back the 5050 and saving up for a Motif 6 board. What do you think? It'll probably be the same but with a different problem, so I don't know.

Hey, thanks again man.
 
I'm posting from my day job (during lunch), so I don't have a 5050 (or the manual) in front of me.

The 5050 does not use the word "transpose" but there is a screen to set the tuning of a sound + or - (I think 2 octaves each way) it is best for this to be set at the middle level (normal range - not up or down an octave).

ajari, I understand your frustration. Naturally it is hard for me to offer more then general assistance. I can tell you I've never encountered the problem you are having (and I have MIDI'd dozens of pieces of gear together and through computers - for many years). I have trouble beleiving that the 5050 is defective - but that is always possible. The reality is anytime you are dealing with computers and various hardware/software - anything can happen. However, I can't help but think the problem is in the Sonar settings - but I would not know where to start.

I'm assuming you got your 5050 new out of a box - with all the factory settings in place. However, one thing you can try, do a soft reset on the 5050. This returns everything to factory presets. You'll have to read the manual to find out what buttons to push to do this.

Is you do a reset, an you still have trouble, then I would not even know were to start. At that point, maybe for your own sanity you may be better off taking the 5050 back. I've never had a problem with any Roland gear (and I've owned a lot of it) but it is possible there is a problem.

The Mofiff is a very good board - I've not owned one but I have played with them and have heard many good things from people who owned them.
 
HOLY CRAP, I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!!!

if your 5050 is anything like my 3080, it's the performance mode that is causing the problem. in my 3080 book (i'm not looking at it because i'm too lazy to get off the coach) i remember it saying that in performance mode the various midi channels are pre-selected in order to provide that performance. in this way channels 1-X can be used to make 1 really great sound, or to split the keyboard into sections so you can play multiple sounds during a performance without having to switch control parameters.

In patch mode, I can select an individual patch for each midi channel and that sound is controlled by that channel alone.

the only gear i have is the roland xv-3080 and the asr-x drum machine (along with some guitars and a bass).

I have a template called crosstudio that contains sysex (system exclusive messages) that tells my XV-3080 to set itself up in patch mode where the channels don't play the same instrumentation.

if you go to the drivers section of my web page you can download the sysex files.

crosstudio

I will put them there now. if the sysex doesn't work it will be because the ID of your 5050 may be different than the ID for a 3080. you'll have to dig into the back of your manual to figure that part out.
 
I found the problem! In performance mode, when useing the 5050's software editor, when you click the "edit" tab theres three selections, "initialize" "copy" or "paste". I know I didn't wanna copy or paste anything so out of frustration I selected initialize. Three more options came up, "performance" "patch" and "rhythm". When patch mode was selected, all of my keys worked. The only thing is that they are slightly lower than they used to be. Not a big problem at the moment but eventualy I would like to do everything right. I'm thinking maybe it's because I'm not pre-selecting the channels as crosstudio suggested. I'm going to try that by the way, and I wen't to your site. Crosstudio, is that you sitting in the chair in front of your equipment and your PS2? Man you kinda look like my cousin! Anyway I just wanted to post this and thank both Mikeh for taking time out of his lunch break at work and Crosstudio for helping me out. One more thing. Crosstudio, you have the 3080. And Mikeh you said you have roland equipment too. I've gone to rolands site and seen something for free download called a "librarian". Do you have any idea what it does? It gives no information on the site so I'm not gonna touch it. I'm hoping it's something to categorize and organize my soundbank. Everything is kinda mixed up in Sonar at the moment, so it's a pain to find the right sound I'm looking for.
Thanks again.
 
I'm gald to hear you found the problem!!! Trouble shooting is a pain - but you always walk away with a better knowledge of the gear.

A librarian software program does as you said - it allows to to set up various parameters for different pieces of gear to help organize, find and call up sounds when you need them.
 
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