Sysex And Alesis' Soundbridge -- Crashes, can't send SYS. file to QSR sound module Options

[Bonitap]

Is there a sysex app. which will work in MOTU's FreeMIDI (not OMS) to send extra SYSEX Alesis Q Card programs via the editor/librarian Unisyn on my PowerBook G3 to the Alesis QSR module? If it makes a difference, the MIDI interface is hooked up via the Keyspan USB/serial adatper which works great otherwise.

The apps. which Alesis includes -- Soundbridge and Freeloader -- cause freezes, crashes, and worse. I just tried the MIDIEx profile from Mark of the Unicorn's website, but no go.

Thanks,
Bonne
Gettysburg, PA

[Levon River]

Unless I'm badly misunderstanding what you're trying to do, Unisyn *is* a sysex app--which supports the QSR according to this page:

http://www.motu.com/english/software/unisy...n/profiles.html

I'm having trouble understanding why you'd want to complicate your life *even more* by putting yet another MIDI app in the line-up.

Maybe you could say specifically what you're trying to do.

Have you looked into Patchlist Manager? (I once actually deciphered it enough to create Digital Performer patchlists for the ancient and unsupported K1000 SE Extended, but it was sort of like carving "War and Peace" on stone tablets.)

On a separate but related issue, FreeMIDI can emulate OMS. It's something you can check in FreeMIDI preferences if you have programs that only work with OMS.

[lepetitmartien]

I've never used soundbridge with my QS7.1 so I can't tell you much, but have you checked at MOTU's if your version is up to date?

As Levon said, have a close look on your midi setup in and around free midi. Look also if you can switch the midi port to normal, not fast mode. It's a current cause of hassles with serial midi.

(just don't overload that PCMCIA

[ghess]

FreeMIDI used to emulate OMS, now the option is to use OMS instead of FreeMIDI for FreeMIDI apps. However, the old OMS emulator is still available at the Berklee Digital Performer club website.

http://www.orangewaves.com/omsemu.html

It works well with DP and Reason combination and a host of other OMS-only programs as well, though I haven't tried it with the Alesis utilities.

[Bonitap]

Thanks for your time.

To clarify, I need a sysex app which I can use in FreeMIDI to be able to load sysex files from my desktop to the Alesis QSR tone module. These are extra program files which came with each Q Card's floppy or CD. (Each Q Card's primary voices and mixes come in Sysex and in Unisyn's format. The extra files are the ones I can't get to without a working sysex app.)

I check MOTU's site but nothing's changed for several years; Alesis hasn't upgraded and fixed the known problem with the sysex app they include -- SoundBridge and FreeLoader. Both have been known for years to be problematic on most Macs. I had two serious hard drive crashes. Beware.

Bonnie

[lepetitmartien]

To clarify, I need a sysex app which I can use in FreeMIDI

Unisyn should do the job… normally…

Alesis hasn't upgraded and fixed the known problem with the sysex app they include -- SoundBridge and FreeLoader. Both have been known for years to be problematic on most Macs. I had two serious hard drive crashes. Beware.

oops…
Have you asked Alesis ? It must be a common question asked to them.

In the FAQ's on Alesis site there is only an hint that Soundbridge and Freeloader should be used with a serial link direct to the QS. Have you tried ? Also at keyspan site, do they tell these softs are ok for use with?

Sorry but it's all I can see.

[Levon River]

To clarify, I need a sysex app which I can use in FreeMIDI to be able to load sysex files from my desktop to the Alesis QSR tone module.

What happens when you try to load the sysex file into Unisyn and send it from Unisyn to the QSR?

Let's start there.

[Bonitap]

That's the problem: I don't have a functional Sysex App which will read/send the Alesis Q card's sysex files into the QSR tone module. Once I can do that, then I can simply send the bank from the QSR into my librarian/ editor Unisyn.

Both versions of Alesis' sysex app Soundbridge are notorious for crashing Macs. Alesis' other sysex app FreeLoader is buggy, too, and there's only ever been one version.

Thanks.
Bonnie

[Levon River]

That's the problem: I don't have a functional Sysex App which will read/send the Alesis Q card's sysex files into the QSR tone module. Once I can do that, then I can simply send the bank from the QSR into my librarian/ editor Unisyn.

<Sigh>

/STROTHER MARTIN ON/ "What we have heah is a failyuh to communicate." /STROTHER MARTIN OFF/

Is there some particular, specific, identifiable, and describable reason why Unisyn, itself, will not, or cannot, read these Alesis Q card sysex files, and, itself, send the Alesis Q card sysex files into the QSR tone module?

I am chewng my nails now awaiting your reply.

[Bonitap]

Let those nails be! I have worked it out, with help from this discussion.

The problem hasn't been with Unisyn. I didn't expect it to be able to do what a Sysex app. can. I think it's simply that Unisyn needs to have files in its own language, so to speak. The Alesis Q Cards' extra files -- which are in Sysex format -- have to be sent to the tone module in order then to get the bank(s) back into Unisyn.

Thankfully, the quandry is worked out:
I took advice from the forum and got the OMS emulator online. Finally I was able to use the sysex app Sysex452 which I had downloaded previously but hadn't been able to use it because it functions under OMS -- not the FreeMIDI I'd been using for years with MOTU software, of course.

The OMS emulator worked perfectly, and Sysex 452 sent the sysex files through to the Alesis QSR module beautifully. Now I can trash Alesis' Soundbridge and Freeloader for which I'd optimistically hoped to learn how to make them function as they ought under the Mac OS.

Thanks!

Bonnie
Gettysburg