How to use M3m as a General MIDI playback module?

[gurn]

I can't find this in the OG. I never got a copy of the PG.
So I'm asking here.

I have some compositions in SMF form . I'd like to see how they sound
with the Korg GM bank. But it seems I cannot just switch to bank G &
let the external sequencer playback the SMF. It only plays back the
MIDI channel I've selected in the Global MIDI settings.

Do I need to set up 16 tracks, 16 Programs & 16 MIDI channels?
Or is there a setting where the M3m will simply respond to the
external sequencer & play back all 16 channels?

I've tried loading the .mid file into the Korg sequencer.
Only one channel plays back.

Thanks.

BTW, it seems profane to use the M3m as a GM playback module.
But I want to compare its GM bank to my Yamaha XG modules.

[orpheus2006]

This article should help you get it going:
http://karma-lab.wikidot.com/korg-m3:co ... midi-files
From my experience the Korg M3 isn't very good at playing GM files. My Yamaha Motif Rack is way ahead for this purpose.

[gurn]

Thanks so much.

I was wondering if I'd need a special COMBI to do this.

I use two Yamaha miodules now for GM files.
I composed a lot in XG before I got the M3m.
But there are some patches on the Korg I'd like to use
in place of the XG patches.

It will be interesting to get inside this COMBI & see how it allows for
256 GM2 voices. I guess by choosing GM2 in System Pref (Global)
that opens it up to an external sequencer's patch map.

[IntrepidPete]

If you do get your XG SMF sequences playing via the M3, please post feedback on how it sounds. I am in a similar boat - created many SMF sequences over the years using XG voices. Need to save up cash for 2 more months before I can order the M3-M, but since the super-articulated XG patches have complicated very specific velocity switched stuff going on, I think they may sound bad once I get my M3 using the native M3 patches.

There was even software that came with my Yamaha board that I used to prepare old SMF files to use XG. That software switched GM patches to XG patches, and maybe modified CCs and velocities to get the most out of those super-articulated XG patches. They sound great now, but may sound bad when I switch to the M3’s GM/GM2 patches.

[orpheus2006]

With XG you can achieve greater subtlety and realism in your compositions. It's superior to GM (GM2). So don't be disappointed if you cannot achieve the same good results with the M3. That's one of the reasons I kept my Yamaha Motif Rack although I admit I don't use GM very often nowadays.

[gurn]

I agree XG is a much better format. But on this particular composition,
I'm interested in analogue strings* & wood winds. So I'm wondering
a few things here.

(1) If it's a combi, maybe I can switch out some of the Korg M3 GM2 patches
for other programs. (2) Also -- maybe the Korg GM2 patches are better in
those two areas than the 5-10 year old XG modules I'm using. I remember
my old Korg N series & Triton Le had some really good GM patches. Maybe
Korg has upgraded them. Dunno.

We'll see. It will be this week-end before I can get to it.

[MartinHines]

(1) If it's a combi, maybe I can switch out some of the Korg M3 GM2 patches
for other programs. (2) Also -- maybe the Korg GM2 patches are better in
those two areas than the 5-10 year old XG modules I'm using. I remember
my old Korg N series & Triton Le had some really good GM patches. Maybe
Korg has upgraded them. Dunno.

We'll see. It will be this week-end before I can get to it.

If you want the sequences to sound better, definitely modify them to use some of the M3 Programs, not the GM sounds. You can test this out without sequences, just go to Program mode and select the GM banks and compare them to the Program banks.