Wavesequence transfer from WS to O ?

[kenackr]

I'm the original and still proud owner of a Wavestation EX and wondering if I can transfer wavesequences via SYSEX to the O.

What I don't know is whether the O architecture is compatible to accept it since it handles wavesequences. I realize that normally you can only send sysex to another of the same synth since all the same programs have to be in the same place for it to work. But maybe with a program map?

I realize it's improbable after all this time but thought if anyone would know for sure it would be Dan who was instrumental in both. It never hurts to ask.

Barring that, I suppose I could sample the Wavestation.

Ken

[danatkorg]

I'm the original and still proud owner of a Wavestation EX and wondering if I can transfer wavesequences via SYSEX to the O.

What I don't know is whether the O architecture is compatible to accept it since it handles wavesequences. I realize that normally you can only send sysex to another of the same synth since all the same programs have to be in the same place for it to work. But maybe with a program map?

System Exclusive data is basically file transfer via MIDI, and typically reflects the low-level structures of the synthesizer: the individual parameters, their order in memory, their value ranges. If those low-level structures don't match, then nothing will make any sense. That's the "exclusive" part; the idea is that the data is quite specific to a synth or a range of synths, and anything else won't be able to make heads or tails out of it.

It's possible to create a function which converts from one synth's data to another, like opening a Word Perfect file in Microsoft Word. But, similarly, this is limited by the extent to which the two synths do the same things, and may not be at all trivial to implement.

So, it's a little different than a Program map...

In practical terms, the OASYS can do anything that the Wavestation could do with regards to Wave Sequences (and of course much more besides). For one detail, see note (1) at the end of this message. It even has all of the Wavestation's samples. At this time, we don't have a function to load Wavestation data - but if you have a few favorite Wave Sequences, it shouldn't take long to copy the parameters by hand.

For converting Wave Sequence step durations: When using the internal clock, each unit of duration on the original Wavestation is equal to about 24 milliseconds. So, a duration of 1 is 24 milliseconds, 2 is 48 milliseconds, and so on.

If the MIDI page’s Wave Seq Sync parameter is set to MIDI, the duration is controlled by MIDI, and the Step Duration sets the number of MIDI Clocks that the step will be played. There are 24 MIDI Clocks per quarter note, so an eighth-note duration is equal to 12 steps, a sixteenth note 6 steps, and so on. With the Wavestation's internal clock, the default tempo was about 105 BPM.

I'm sorry that I can't offer a more automatic solution!


Best regards,

Dan



Note (1): The limitation is that, on the Wavestation, a single Wave Sequence could use up to 255 steps - although this would use up an entire bank's memory. The OASYS as a whole can hold many more steps, but each individual Wave Sequence is limited to 64 steps. We chose this limitation based on an analysis of all of Korg's Wave Sequences for the Wavestation; if memory serves, the longest sequence was 61 steps. So, while it's technically possible that a user-created Wave Sequence might have been longer than this, we never found one in practice.

[edited to correct typo]

[kenackr]

Dan,

Thanks for the answer! I didn't hold out much hope but thought I'd ask anyhow. I'll probably do some hand conversions on a few of the ones I love.


Ken