Trying to transfer sequencer files from workstation to computer
March 12, 2013 12:17 PM Subscribe
The (floppy) drive on my Korg X2 workstation has finally broken and I'm trying to transfer the sequencer files onto my computer as midi files using midi-to-usb. I can do a midi dump for the sequencer but I have no idea what to do with the .syx file I now have on my computer. Is there another way to do it, or is the solution close at hand?
I used Midi-ox to capture the dump and it saves the file as .syx. Now I've reached a dead end. It seems like there are ways to convert syx files to midi, but the converters I've tried say the file is corrupt.
I used Midi-ox to capture the dump and it saves the file as .syx. Now I've reached a dead end. It seems like there are ways to convert syx files to midi, but the converters I've tried say the file is corrupt.
Nope, they take weird 720kb 24 pin floppy drives. As b1tr01 said though, they're out there... for about $70, which is steep.
I've had a *lot* of problems with midi-usb converters and older hardware. Seriously, days of headaches and trying different interfaces. I've run out of my house to buy another interface off of craigslist at 10pm out of frustration.
You need either a high quality firewire audio interface that also has midi, or an older PC/mac with a real PCI audio card with a midi breakout cable, or just serious midi interface card.
I'm betting that the syx file actually is mangled. It wouldn't be the first, or even tenth time I've seen that. Many forums i found on a quick google said this is the easy/nice way to get this data on and off of there, so i'm betting it's just getting garbled somewhere in the process.
posted by emptythought at 3:06 PM on March 12, 2013
I've had a *lot* of problems with midi-usb converters and older hardware. Seriously, days of headaches and trying different interfaces. I've run out of my house to buy another interface off of craigslist at 10pm out of frustration.
You need either a high quality firewire audio interface that also has midi, or an older PC/mac with a real PCI audio card with a midi breakout cable, or just serious midi interface card.
I'm betting that the syx file actually is mangled. It wouldn't be the first, or even tenth time I've seen that. Many forums i found on a quick google said this is the easy/nice way to get this data on and off of there, so i'm betting it's just getting garbled somewhere in the process.
posted by emptythought at 3:06 PM on March 12, 2013
Response by poster: So my best bet is maybe to record it to WAV and convert that to Midi, even if it takes some work afterwards to fix it up.
@ emptythought: I got most of my info off of forums found via Google searches. One thing I read about was that Midi-ox leaves off a couple of characters at the end of the file so that it can be used in more applications, but that it causes problems for midi conversions. It is too over my head to completely understand, but if the files aren't really mangled there could be an issue there.
posted by imposster at 4:11 PM on March 12, 2013
@ emptythought: I got most of my info off of forums found via Google searches. One thing I read about was that Midi-ox leaves off a couple of characters at the end of the file so that it can be used in more applications, but that it causes problems for midi conversions. It is too over my head to completely understand, but if the files aren't really mangled there could be an issue there.
posted by imposster at 4:11 PM on March 12, 2013
Response by poster: b1trot, that is some very good information. I did try recording midi on my computer while playing back the sequencer on the workstation (using Aria Maestoso). There was so much lag (I think from the midi-to-usb cable) that it was being recorded as total garbage.
It's clear I just need a new set up, but I'll at save the sysex data that I have as a back up to what I have on the keyboard.
posted by imposster at 6:11 PM on March 12, 2013
It's clear I just need a new set up, but I'll at save the sysex data that I have as a back up to what I have on the keyboard.
posted by imposster at 6:11 PM on March 12, 2013
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posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:57 PM on March 12, 2013