Any MIDI gurus help me out - sync/record issue

[GhostofJohnToad]

I have an Alesis SR16 which has some patterns on it I want to move to another piece of equipment. The other piece of equipment is an Akai MPC1000. I can sync them together to get them to "play" together but I can't sync to record. When I hit record on the MPC the SR16 won't start. If I hit play the SR16 starts.

I have tried using a computer as well but with the same results. What am I missing here? Is this even possible?

I can half-butt get it going by manually hitting start on the SR16 after I hit record on the MPC but this causes my timing to be off.

[StuH]

I just downloaded the manual for the SR 16 and breifly went through it but can't find anything there that suggests its record function can be engaged through a midi message. The only transport functions that appear to work this way are start and stop.

[StuH]

Couldn't you do it the half butt way and edit the pattern on the MPC after?

[GhostofJohnToad]

Originally Posted by StuH

Couldn't you do it the half butt way and edit the pattern on the MPC after?

Yes I can and that's what I have started to do but it sure seems like it should be possible, and with many patterns this makes it a bit more time consuming.

I mean this should be no different than how a virtual drum instrument in Cubase, Reaper, or whatever starts when you hit record. Huh?

Also as a note of clarification, I wasn't trying to use the record function of the SR 16, but the record function of the MPC.

[StuH]

What MPC are you using?

Like I mentioned while reading the instructions for the SR 16, the only transport type commands it generates and understands is START and STOP. RECORD is different than START. Like I mentioned earlier it is possible I missed something while reading.

If the MPC's record button generates a midi code and if that record button can be assigned a different midi code, it would be possible to tell the record button to transmit the code for start instead of the code for record. This would work.

You can't make the anaology to the controls on a virtual instrument when talking about hardware units. It is up to the developer how midi is implemented on their gear. On alot of budget gear the midi implementation is MINIMAL at best. The developers of the hardware should include a midi implementation chart which will tell you exactly what midi commands the gear broadcasts and what midi commands it understands.

There are a number of ways you could interface the gear to a DAW and do what you want to do but it would be hell trying to describe the process.

Have you thought about recording the midi patterns from the SR16 to your DAW, then recording the midi tracks from the DAW to your MPC? This you would think should work.