Here's another email on the subject I had saved . . .


>>Hi there folks!
I recently bought an XP-80 and I've been using the internal sequencer to
record songs. Recently I've noticed a problem with the sequencer timing
that's really frustrating me. Specifically, I've been loop-recording a rhythm
track and then copying it for the duration of the song and then recording
parts over it. I thought I was doing this correctly, but then I'll play it
back and in certain parts of the song it sounds like there's a slight delay or
pause before the next measure starts and the downbeat comes in. This seems to
happen at the beginning of the phrase that was looped (although it might
happen elsewhere; I'm not sure). But it doesn't happen every time the phrase
repeats; just on occasion. It makes it sound like I'm working with a bad
drummer. Quantizing doesn't seem to help. Has anyone else had this problem?
It's driving me crazy!

Any help with this would be massively appreciated. ( I'm a newbie, so be
kind!)<<

D Barnes wrote:
This is a problem all of we newbies tend to run into and even the experts have
to keep in consideration. It seems that even though the XP's have 64 voices, it
doesn't mean you can have 64 events occurring simultaneously when sequencing.
My understanding (and this may need to be clarified) is that MIDI can only
process 10 simultaneous events at one point time (tic). So if you have the bass
drum, hi-hat, snare, cymbal, hitting on a beat and at the same time (on the same
tic) as well as another instrument using let's say 3 tones, and another using 3
tones, thats 10 events right there. Any additional events happening at that
time (tic) will get pushed ahead and sound late. This is usually caused by
over quantizing at 100% resolution so that every note is assigned to an exact
part of a beat (or you have perfect timing :-)).

The solution is two-fold. To prevent the problem, don't use the quantize
function when recording or if you must, set it on a lower resolution, say 85% or
90% or even less so that events don't stack up on the same tic.

To fix a sequence that already has this problem you can either go into
Microscope Edit and use the Move function to move the offending notes a few tics
forward or backward (if it is only happening in a couple of spots) or use Track
Edit and use the Time Shift function (I think it is called, I'm not at my XP
right now) and shift a track or two farward or backward a couple of tics.

This is how I do it, but I'm sure there are alternative methods you will likly
see posted :-).

Good Luck

Dan Barnes