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Status + FX A --> MIDI Update
Status + FX B --> Zip Update
Status + FX C --> Develop Monitor
Status + FX D --> Diagnostic Mode
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I didn't see this in the manual but if you hit (Shift+Pad Bank) you get a graphic layout of the bank
on the screen. Now use the value knob to scroll, you can see what pads have samples in any given
bank before selecting a bank.
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Syncing the SP-808 will do nothing to help keep pad based loops in time. This is a common
misconception about the SP-808. Sounds that are assigned to pads and triggered, either by hitting
the pad or via MIDI notes (or even hits recorded to an SP-808 track) will not track tempo changes
or in any way respond to either MIDI Time Code or MIDI Tempo. When you create a loop and
adjust its length to a particular tempo you are merely fixing the parameters of the sample loop.
Once set these do not change regardless of how you change the tempo map or any other tempo
source (i.e. external sync). This is confusing as the setting of loops involves referencing a tempo -
but that is only an aid to get things right at that particular setting. Syncing the SP-808 is for making
the linear tracks play back in sync to an external source. The contents of these tracks (1-4) can be
either recorded material or pad hits that were recorded. The timing of the start of any hit recorded
is fixed in time according to its placement on the track. Using any form of sync, be it MIDI Tempo
or MTC will only allow the SP-808 to know where it is WRT the time of playback. The SP-808 will
not adjust the recorded information to follow these time changes nor will samples and their loops
be adjusted. To best understand this think in terms of time, not tempo. The SP-808 cannot expand
or compress time while it is playing back - with the exception of the varispeed, which is something
else entirely. When play begins the SP-808 will go to the time that is currently specified by the
timing source. But it expects this timing source to be producing ticks at regular, standard intervals,
like 24 FPS, 30FPS, 29.xxFPS. While it may be able to do slight adjustments for drift in these timing
signals the range is rather limited and would, if it did adjust, be accompanied by a slight shift in
playback pitch. Tempo is nothing more than an agreed upon standard between the SP-808 and
other devices as to how real time relates to musical time. The Tempo map is what does this
conversion. When the SP-808 acts as a Master the tempo map is used to generate Song Position
Pointer as well as the rate at which MIDI timing commands are sent, thus establishing a tempo. But
the SP-808 is always operating internally on real time. So the whole tempo thing is just a
convenient way of looking at time.
So, in summary:
- If you want synchronized playback use the SP-808 as a master and setup a corresponding tempo
map.
- Loops must be set to work at the desired tempo and will not self adjust as tempo changes.
- Try to use one-shot samples as much as possible because their start will follow tempo changes.
So to do a one measure loop adjust the length to be one measure at the target tempo and just
Syncing
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