Transferring old MIDI sequences from keyboard to computer

[Sundown]

Hey all,

 

I still have some MIDI sequences on disk for my Roland D-20, from when I was a teenager. I want to move these into Cubase 6.5, but I don't know how to synchronize Cubase and the Roland.

 

You can't export MIDI data from the Roland as a file, but you can have it play the MIDI data through the out port. I just don't know how to lock up the computer and keyboard so that when I hit record on Cubase, the two will transfer seamlessly.

 

I could re-record the tunes from scratch, but there are little things that I would lose.

 

If there is a way to accomplish what I'm trying to do, please let me know. I've googled it and came up short.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

If the disk drive is still working - what format does the D-20 use? I used to work a lot with a Roland MC-50mkII and if memory serves me right - it used regular PC formatting and saved the files as MIDI files. I was able to just pop the disk into an old PC (or at the time my Amiga) and copy the files off. There are USB 3.5" drives still floating around.

 

Here's the D20 manual:

http://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/D-20_OM.pdf

Pg. 175-177 describes how to format a floppy using the Roland D-20 OS, but it doesn't say if it's in PC format.

 

But I've meddled with transfer's over MIDI cable in the past. The trick is to see if your synth sends MIDI Beat Clock or MIDI Time Code and have Cubase sync to it through your MIDI interface.

 

Here's an old article on slaving Cubase to external clocks, if you're lucky not too much has changed in that area of the software.

http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/cubase-synchronisation-options

Check the manual for the version of Cubase you have - are you up to 9?

 

If you're lucky the D-20's Stop/Play buttons send in a format recognized by Cubase as well.

 

Pg. 170 of the Manual shows how to sync and set the D-10 as slave or master.

 

Sometimes able to get lucky and find some Roland app or software tool which you didn't know they kept around: http://www.rolandus.com/support/general_apps_tools/

 

[Bill Spencer]

Or have Cubase be the master and the Roland the slave

[ElmerJFudd]

^^^

this is also possible. if you're lucky, the D-20 can sync to MBC or MTC sent from the DAW and it also will trigger the seq with a play command. Back to Pg. 170 of the D-20 manual.

[Sundown]

Thanks guys. I re-read that section (D-20 manual), and I think with some trial and error I can do it. The manual covers dumping an external sequencers contents into the D-20, but again, I think with some experimentation I can reverse the process.

 

The disks are probably MS-DOS formatted, but I don't have a 3.5" drive handy. I would be curious to try it though...

[Bill Spencer]

You can likely just set the Cubase tempo to the same as the sequence in the D-20, record the sequence, then slip the recorded MIDI data to line up.

 

If that doesn't work, I don't know Cubase, but with some DAW/Sequencing software, at least Digital Performer, which is my preferred weapon, you can record MIDI at any tempo, then 'lock' the tracks, then adjust the tempo of the sequence so the bars/beats move in relation to the 'locked' note events. Assuming basic timing stability of the MIDI stream, you'll easily line everything up.

[Sundown]

I did a bit of experimentation, and it worked great... Like a polished Swiss watch.

 

I used the Project Synchronization dialog in Cubase to send MIDI clock, and I setup the D-20 as slave. It sync'd up perfectly.

 

It's a joy when technology works this seamlessly, and it's great to bring 30 year-old tracks back to life.

 

Thanks again for the help.

[J. Dan]

I did this a few years back with some sequences I had on......wait for it........Alesis Datadisk! That was a blast from the past!

[ElmerJFudd]

I did a bit of experimentation, and it worked great... Like a polished Swiss watch.

 

I used the Project Synchronization dialog in Cubase to send MIDI clock, and I setup the D-20 as slave. It sync'd up perfectly.

 

It's a joy when technology works this seamlessly, and it's great to bring 30 year-old tracks back to life.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

That's great. Just like the good old days before soft synths!

[David Emm]

 

*Our DAWs are probably "smarter" than we are, mainly because they're the result of a team of contributors. Solutions are often three layers deep and to the left, but they can be had readily enough. I'm glad you found one of them in getting the D-20 in sync. That's a nice Xmas present.

 

*I sympathized with your problem, because I had a similar issue when I moved from a Korg 01Wfd workstation to Logic during the Dreaded Paradigm Change. Some songs came across fine as MIDI files; others were lost to Disk Error. (Those floppies WERE pretty elderly...) I Autosampled all of the related patches and have had passable luck in re-assigning tracks until things fell into place. Sometimes similar sounds from more recent synths breathed new life into things. I recommend doing some trial-&-error work in nailing down the best patches for the jobs at hand. Tweedling in the name of Art is a virtue. That goes double if you don't get divorced as a result of turning your wife into a Synth Widow. Good time management rules.