The manual creation of Patchmaps for all these midi synths around here is staggering.
However, the Cakewalk Instrument Definition files for most all midi synths are available prewritten (by other owners -- and some by mfrs) all over the web and on the Cakewalk website.
It is crazy that we live in the computer age and still have to manually create files in the .pmp format.
Geils -- would it be possible for you to create a "patchmap converter" -- some code that would allow an MTS user to take a downloaded Cakewalk Inst. Def. file and have the code convert it to a .pmp MTS format file?
That would be a dynamite thing, man.
--Mac
Geils -- an idea for Patchmap Generation
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NystagmusE
Yes.MrHope wrote:I feel silly asking this, but what exactly is a patchmap?
Is that the list of patch names that corresponds to MIDI program change numbers for a given model of synth?
Most synth boxes and keyboards may come with a GM or XG bank of 128 patches with the same naming conventions, but then there are all the upper banks that have other sounds in them, the only way to access them without the patch map is to have the user manual for the synth handy, find the bank, MSB and LSB, and the patch number and address it that way -- or in the case of a keyboard synth you can sometimes change the patch at the keyboard, still a problem of scrolling thru menus on those tiny keyboard screens.
With a Patchmap you can look at a list of all available instruments as you work.
You can also see instruments by type of instrument all in one place, like look at all your pianos, epianos, strings or whatever all at once and choose from the full selection your synth offers. Great for auditioning.
And some of my hardware synths have extended roms in them, 384 or more patches. Typing all that into a text file by hand, one at a time, plus the Bank, Patch and bit number, --- ugh.
--Mac
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NystagmusE
OK I see what you mean. I was considering making a patchmap for my synth, but the instructions for doing so seemed complicated. There was a PDF file explaining how to do it that was thorough, but I could easily see how it's not fun.
It's too bad there isn't a MIDI system exclusive protocol to just fetch the names and numbers from the synth automatically regardless of manufacturer.
It's too bad there isn't a MIDI system exclusive protocol to just fetch the names and numbers from the synth automatically regardless of manufacturer.
Not a bad idea.
I've made a simple version:
http://www.multitrackstudio.com/InsToPmp.zip
It lets you open a .ins file, and it creates .pmp file(s) in the same folder as the .ins file.
Some limitations:
- it doesn't do controller names
- it doesn't do drum note names
- .ins files allow for program numbers being 1..128 instead of 0..127. The converter doesn't see this. Hope this is rare.......
have fun,
Giel Bremmers
I've made a simple version:
http://www.multitrackstudio.com/InsToPmp.zip
It lets you open a .ins file, and it creates .pmp file(s) in the same folder as the .ins file.
Some limitations:
- it doesn't do controller names
- it doesn't do drum note names
- .ins files allow for program numbers being 1..128 instead of 0..127. The converter doesn't see this. Hope this is rare.......
have fun,
Giel Bremmers
Geils, you are a GEM!
I can live with adding any needed controllers versus having to add everything just fine.
This will change my workflow immensely here, there are many times when I just KNOW I've got a great patch for a certain task -- somewhere -- and lose all track of the flow of ideas searching for it.
Thank you so much!
I'm off to give it a whirl right now.
--Mac
I can live with adding any needed controllers versus having to add everything just fine.
This will change my workflow immensely here, there are many times when I just KNOW I've got a great patch for a certain task -- somewhere -- and lose all track of the flow of ideas searching for it.
Thank you so much!
I'm off to give it a whirl right now.
--Mac
Error Message, "cannot create the file (pathname)... system cannot find the specified path
Am I doing something weird, tried it in two different named folders...
EDIT UPDATE -- Got it to work fine.
There was a slash in all of the headers in that particular INS file -- "Yamaha W5\7" that was getting in the way of the pathnaming here.
Notepad on the INS, used Find-Replace to change all instances of the backslash to just "W5" and it worked a treat.
Wouldn't you know the first INS I'd try would be the only one with that slash in it...
--Mac
Am I doing something weird, tried it in two different named folders...
EDIT UPDATE -- Got it to work fine.
There was a slash in all of the headers in that particular INS file -- "Yamaha W5\7" that was getting in the way of the pathnaming here.
Notepad on the INS, used Find-Replace to change all instances of the backslash to just "W5" and it worked a treat.
Wouldn't you know the first INS I'd try would be the only one with that slash in it...
--Mac
Not working right inside MTS though.
Patch names are not pulling the correct instruments, list inside MTS has a long string of just numbers between lists of GM bank and upper banks that seems to be a repeat of GM bank, but most importantly, selecting any of the upper bank patchnames seems to pull up wrong instrument with no apparent order to it (not one-off, apparently, like the XG vs GM deal).
Geils, could you take a look at the files and see what I might be doing wrong here please?
This is the original Cakewalk INS file, that works fine with Cakewalk:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/orig-W5_V2.INS
I had to modify that file to remove the backslashes that were inside brackets identifying the synthname as "W5\7" in order to get the file converter to work, just used find and replace to change it to "W5" only and saved via notepad.
That yielded this INS file:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/W5_V2.INS
Ran that file through the converter and this is what it is now:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/W5_V2_Yamaha_W5.pmp
Again, the names all show up in the MTS listing, but they don't correspond to the patches it picks.
I'll be troubleshooting and trying things at this end...
Would appreciate if you could take a look for me.
Thanks,
--Mac
UPDATE: The problem appears to be just a wrong bank naming going on somewhere. Gotta figure this out somehow.
Patch names are not pulling the correct instruments, list inside MTS has a long string of just numbers between lists of GM bank and upper banks that seems to be a repeat of GM bank, but most importantly, selecting any of the upper bank patchnames seems to pull up wrong instrument with no apparent order to it (not one-off, apparently, like the XG vs GM deal).
Geils, could you take a look at the files and see what I might be doing wrong here please?
This is the original Cakewalk INS file, that works fine with Cakewalk:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/orig-W5_V2.INS
I had to modify that file to remove the backslashes that were inside brackets identifying the synthname as "W5\7" in order to get the file converter to work, just used find and replace to change it to "W5" only and saved via notepad.
That yielded this INS file:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/W5_V2.INS
Ran that file through the converter and this is what it is now:
http://www.audiominds.com/cam/W5_V2_Yamaha_W5.pmp
Again, the names all show up in the MTS listing, but they don't correspond to the patches it picks.
I'll be troubleshooting and trying things at this end...
Would appreciate if you could take a look for me.
Thanks,
--Mac
UPDATE: The problem appears to be just a wrong bank naming going on somewhere. Gotta figure this out somehow.
The .ins file contains this line:
BankSelMethod=1
This means "Controller 0 Only", ie. the banks don't use controller 32.
Maybe the MSB and LSB are swapped? If that's the case bank 0 should work fine. Does it?
UPDATE:
Looked at the W5 manual, and it looks like this is it indeed.
I've updated the program, both the backslash and the BankSelMethod=1 issues have been taken care of. Please download the .zip file again.
UPDATE 2:
New version again. It now does controllers and drum note names as well. The banks now appear as categories.
That's it for today
BankSelMethod=1
This means "Controller 0 Only", ie. the banks don't use controller 32.
Maybe the MSB and LSB are swapped? If that's the case bank 0 should work fine. Does it?
UPDATE:
Looked at the W5 manual, and it looks like this is it indeed.
I've updated the program, both the backslash and the BankSelMethod=1 issues have been taken care of. Please download the .zip file again.
UPDATE 2:
New version again. It now does controllers and drum note names as well. The banks now appear as categories.
That's it for today
Very happy to report that it is working fine on the Yamaha and also on an old Roland SC88 now, digging synths off the shelf and having fun here!
Anybody with midi keyboard or hardware synth that has more than just the GM bank in it, this is very good stuff!
Just websearch for a Cakewalk .INS (Instrument Definition) file to download that matches your brand and model number, run that file up there on it and drop it into the MTS Patchmap folder. You select the Patchmap with the little button under the midi patch name slot and that's that.
You can select all your patches from banks and folders within MTS now!
Whooopeeee!
<-- Midiot Heavenly Choir singing "Hallelujah!"
Thanks again, Sir Giel!
--Mac
Anybody with midi keyboard or hardware synth that has more than just the GM bank in it, this is very good stuff!
Just websearch for a Cakewalk .INS (Instrument Definition) file to download that matches your brand and model number, run that file up there on it and drop it into the MTS Patchmap folder. You select the Patchmap with the little button under the midi patch name slot and that's that.
You can select all your patches from banks and folders within MTS now!
Whooopeeee!
<-- Midiot Heavenly Choir singing "Hallelujah!"Thanks again, Sir Giel!
--Mac
Support Question re pmp convertor
Hi Giel,
I know you are quite busy on the new version, but a quick question regarding this INS to PMP convertor:
It doesn't work now, all I get is the browse for file button, can pick a .INS file in the explorer window that opens but then -- nothing.
That browse window just stays there. Have to ctrl-alt-del to stop InsToPMP.exe from running.
Only thing I can think of that has changed here is that the last time I used the little utility successfully, I was running XP SP2 and since then have upgraded to SP3. Don't know if that is it or not.
What do you think?
TIA,
--Mac
I know you are quite busy on the new version, but a quick question regarding this INS to PMP convertor:
It doesn't work now, all I get is the browse for file button, can pick a .INS file in the explorer window that opens but then -- nothing.
That browse window just stays there. Have to ctrl-alt-del to stop InsToPMP.exe from running.
Only thing I can think of that has changed here is that the last time I used the little utility successfully, I was running XP SP2 and since then have upgraded to SP3. Don't know if that is it or not.
What do you think?
TIA,
--Mac