Conference napalm::commusic_v1

RE: < Note 1835.0 by FGVAXX::LAING "Soft-Core-Cuddler*Jim Laing*261-2194" >

The Systemizer may be an Xk without a keyboard attached.  It's a controller
of a sort.  Perhaps they're trying to imitate a Voyce LX9 or something.
It seems to be really shy on memory, though, with room for only 32 scenes.
Not much.

Andy

    SomethingI read says that the Systemizer can hold 84 in RAM, but
    maybe that's with addition of a RAM card or something (?).  I plan
    to check these out soon, esp. the Cyclone.  I'll report here if
    I learn something about it ...
    
    	-Jim

One of the salesmen at LaSalle (an old buddy) and I looked pretty closely
at the Systemizer and compared it to the Voyce.  Had Oberheim take the Voyce
design, and improved on it, I think they would have had a knockout product.

It's been a few weeks, so I can't really recall the number of scenes.  Maybe
I'm confusing it with another machine.  Not the Xk, 'cause it's got 100.

Have you looked at the Voyce?  Quite the nifty little box...  The one thing
that they've done that I haven't seen in any other controller/scene-manager
(although I haven't looked too closely at any other than the Xk, Voyce,
and Midiboard) is that they don't just have scenes- they have chains of
scenes, i.e., songs!  Chains can be as long as you need.  There are 99
scenes and 99 chains (9 links each), but chains can be chained.

Andy

    Well, I've heard of a third such box, the Navigator.  Anyone know what
    it does?
    
    	Eirikur
    

    
    I think I remember seeing pictures of these devices, and they were
    NOT rackmount units. Is this true, or is my memory failing me
    (again?!)? If so, I think it is a significant error on Obeheim's
    part.
    
    Mike D

    Yup.  Saw the same pictures.  Not racked.
    
    Steve

    I heard from a friend who's a keyboard tech that Oberheim has gotten
    the feedback from everywhere that they should get the Perf/X hardware
    into a rackmount form factor.
             
    He expects to see something in 6 months or less.
    
    	-Bill

    Have anyone purchased a Cyclone yet??
    
    I would be very interested to hear som opinions as I consider one
    eventually.
    
    Torbjorn
    

    Time for a micro-review of the Systemizer.  I got one for $99, and you
    can find them new for $89 now, on blow-out at Rogue and other places.
    
    Yes, it is limited to 32 setups, and I have never seen or heard tell of
    the RAM cards.
    
    All of the Perf/X boxes support four (!) local switch pedals, and four
    more pedals via MIDI.  These can control ANY front panel function, plus
    some useful "change edit value to 23 until pedal is released" pedal
    functions.
    
    This is a SUPER little box, hampered only by the user interface which
    is a pain, but usable.  It has only a two-digit LED display.  Dweebs
    who love cryptic notation will have a ball, others will have to read the
    manual a lot.  There is a "pocket guide" card that slides out from the
    bottom of the unit.
    
    This thing turns your basic MIDI keyboard (can't get more basic than my
    CP60M piano) and turns it into a pretty powerful controller.
    
    
    Per Setup:
    		Three Zones (and a fourth 'Zone' which is for controllers
		    only)
    Per Zone:
    		Zone Type (split, layer, velocity (or any controller)
    			switch, others I can't remember.
    		Four Instruments
    		Instrument "Groups" allow fancy specification of voice
    			assignment to incoming notes.
    Per Instrument:
    		MIDI Channel
    		Patch and (optional) bank
    		Transpose
    		Controller scaling
    		Initial Messages (volume, etc. Many options--no sysex)
    
    -------------
    Stochastic fantasies:
    
    Sequencer #1 sending data to a Navigator.  Navigator remaps the note
    data in various ways (depending upon Navigator preset) to select
    presets on the Systemizer, which configures the SGUs, and recursively
    selects presets on the Navigator.  Actual note data (probably
    irrelevant--who wants to listen when the idea's the thing) could come
    from Seq #1 or Seq #2.  And maybe somebody sends commands to the MIDI
    Patcher to randomize the overall topology.  And then there's the MIDI
    delay line....
    
    Can you tell that our cluster is down?
    
    	Eirikur
    

    Re the Systemizer review.
    
    First, thanks for the review. Second, a few questions since there was
    nobody at Rogue who could help me.
    
    Transpose: does the transpose function do transposing by increments of
    of half tones (i.e. allow playing in C and generating in E) or is it
    by octaves only? Having transpose at the `instrument' level leads me to
    believe the transpose is only by octaves.
    
    Also, is it a rack mount box?
    
    Thanks,
    Ron

Re:                  <<< Note 1835.10 by HPSCAD::RFACCENDA >>>
                       -< Systemizer transpose question >-


The transpose is by semi-tones, and you can go up or down by 50, which is over
four octaves.

This is, unfortunately, one of those table-top boxes.  Rumor had it that
rackmount version were in the works, but then Oberheim ECC went under and was
bought out.

I'm getting a lot of use out of my Systemizer, but I really haven't done
anything with the Navigator yet. 

	Eirikur

	Can you give any more info on the Navigator?  I got a card for a free
Perf/X box (if Oberheim will still honor it) and have to decide betwixt the
Systemizer and the Navigator.

	Dan

    The Navigator allows you to build maps which map types of MIDI messages
    to other types.  You can turn note-ons into program-changes for
    example, or even simply do transposing.  You can use it to remap
    controllers, etc.  I haven't really been using the thing.  It's pretty
    flexible, but one can get lost in there unless you are trying to solve
    a specific problem in your system.
    
    	Eirikur
    

Thanks, Eirikur.

	Dan
    

    Now that I've decided I want a systemizer I can't find one. I've tried
    Rogue and Sam Ash who've had them at one time. Does anyone know where
    else I can get one?
    
    A related question re the Navigator: How easy is it to use this for
    transposing? Could I use it to control MIDI out volume with a pedal
    of some sort? I believe Rogue still has them.
    
    Thanks,
    Ron

    Navigator: I still haven't used mine :-(  both due to its properties,
    and (mostly) due to lack of need or time.
    
    It doesn't have any continuous controller (volume pedal) inputs on the
    box.  It can take ANY continuous controller (even note numbers) and
    transform it into any other controller (volume, or CC 7 in your
    application).  It can have two maps, a controllers to controllers map,
    and a notes/patches map loaded at the same time.
    
    It does have four footswitch jacks, and accepts four more switch
    controllers via MIDI.
    
    I don't know where to get one anymore.  You could try Caruso.  Music
    Emporium in Delaware had some when I was visiting there a couple of
    weeks ago.
    
    Note: A systemizer will probably do the whole job for you.  Don't buy
    both at once without looking through the systemizer manual.
    
    	Eirikur
    

    
    
    re .15
    
    
      I know Doctor Sound had a few of these on sale a while back.
                              1-212-353-0518
                            
    
    

    "Wheee!"
    
    It's really a lot of fun.  Kind of like a third hand with trained
    fingers.   The most interactive MIDI sequencing gizmo I've ever used.
    
    This is all based on playing around without the manual.  I picked it up 
    on a clearance sale sans AC adaptor and manual.
    
    	Eirikur
    
    

    Found these the hard way....
    
    Reset to Factory presets (clears scrambled RAM): Power-up while holding
    Enter.
    
    Light test: Power-up while holding increment and decrement.
    
    Probably works on all three units, but I have only tested Systemizer
    and Navigator.