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Alesis Andromeda A6

markusschloesser edited this page Aug 19, 2021 · 7 revisions

Edit Buffer

  1. Because of a couple of quirks in the A6's sysex implementation, you currently cannot SEND an edit buffer FROM knobkraft TO the A6, but you can receive them, which is great when you manually do something on the A6 and just wanna store that for later.

  2. Because the A6 has no receive edit buffer (it does, but it doesn't work), the workaround is to send new patches from knobkraft to the A6 to the User Bank, Program 127 (but for that you need to select that beforehand, see text from manual down below!) and then knobkraft does a program change to that program.

  3. The logic for the edit buffer and ROM presets is a bit weird (imho). When you edit a ROM PRESET (but cannot save it, because it's a ROM preset), trying to send that (supposedly) changed preset via "sysex send" from the A6 panel does NOT send the changed one (in the edit buffer), but the ORIGINAL.

  4. Requesting the patch/preset content from the edit buffer via sysex from KnobKraft with "Receive edit buffer from synth", does indeed receive the CHANGED preset. This is a great way of trying out ROM patches and editing them, for example all the presets which have the Effects on (I usually turn them off) or with a way too high VCO level (sum of all VCOs need to be below 30 for the A6 to sound good/organic/not plasticky). You can even change the name of the ROM preset on the Andromeda and when you request it from Knobkraft, it will have the changed name, even though you didn't store it.

Be careful how your A6 is set up, so to not overwrite something you don't want overwritten, it can receive programs/patches in multiple different places. Best to first GET all presets from the A6 to Knobkraft, just in case.

From the A6 manual:

The SYSEX page of Store mode contains a useful feature under Soft Knob 3 labeled RCV TO (Receive To). This gives more flexibility in receiving SysEx Programs and Mixes:

* USER means that the incoming SysEx Program or Mix will go into the User Bank (at whatever Program or Mix number it was originally stored from). This is the default setting.

* HERE means that the incoming SysEx Program or Mix will overwrite the Program or Mix currently shown in the display, regardless of its original bank or number.

* ORIGIN means that the incoming SysEx Program or Mix will be written to wherever it originally came from. If it came from a Card bank and a card is present, it will write to the Card. Writing directly to a Preset bank from a Sys Ex file is not allowed.

* CARD allows you to select a card bank where the Program or Mix should go

Other Internet Links for the Andromeda:

  1. Electro Music Forum https://electro-music.com/forum/index.php?f=90&sid=05034f71ed603d7750239af136b5a296
  2. Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1595265300720070
  3. A Service Center in Germany which does magic for the Andromeda: https://servicecenter-siedler.de/en/
  4. Original Alesis Andromeda site https://www.alesis.com/products/view/a6-andromeda
  5. THE resource for ages w re to patches, info etc, you have to read the FAQs https://www.wohmart.com/a6/
  6. VST Editor/Control Plug-in for the A6 (paid) https://analogdessert.com/downloads/alesis-andromeda-a6-vst-editor/
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