50 Most
Wanted Wishs for the Emulator Operating System
Compiled by Rachid
posted 5/5/99
Nr 1: Standard DOS disk format - 58 Votes
For hard drives as well as CD-Roms, this coupled with .WAV and .AIFF should
be a giant leap.. Author(s): Loads..
Nr 2: Save / export INTO an existing bank - 53 Votes
How can I add (EXPORT) a preset from RAM to a bank on the hard diskwithout
overwriting the bank? Loading the bank; loading the preset; saving the bank is
annoying! Saving sounds is still a Stone Age procedure. It is not possible to
save presets or samples separately into an existing bank on the disk (like one
would do on an Akai or SampleCell). An example: If you have a bank containing
128Meg of samples in memory, and you make one smalladjustment of any kind, you
have to save the whole 128Meg to disk to keep the change… Author(s): Mickey, St.
Einar, Pål H. Brekke
Nr 3: WAV and AIFF - 43 Votes
Author(s): Vlad Spears
Nr 4: Defragged Numbering - 30 Votes
When a bank is loaded (i.e. not merged) it will not use empty preset/sample
slots in order - you could find you are using presets 1,2,3,4 and 237 because
you were using these last time. A merged bank will use the next empty slots,
leaving you with presets from different source banks mixed together and not in a
logical order. Not good. Renumber samples and presets to exclude unused numbers.
This helps you keep your data in a logical order. Also an INSERT function (COPY
SAMPLE / CREATE SAMPLE) - for example to place one word extracted from a vocal
line after the line it was taken from but before the next line in the song.
Obviously, all presets should track samples renumbering to avoid getting the
wrong noise in the wrong place. When a voice uses a multisample (say samples
#1-6) and you erase one of those samples from memory (sample A), any new loaded
preset will have its first sample assigned to the old "sample A" position. EOS
should load the new sample(s) into a logical order of unused/unassigned sample
slots.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders, St. Einar
Nr 5: MIDI sync for LFOs - 25 Votes
I want to sync the LFO rate to the incoming (or inbuilt sequencer) MIDI
clock. I should be able to choose different divisions of the MIDI clock for the
LFO sync, and maybe have free running as well as keysync (notesync) options as
well. Also, a LFO rate measured in BPM would be nice.
Author(s): Simon
Nr 5: Preset envelopes - 25 Votes
Add a selection of 'generic' envelope presets to the Filter/Amplitude
envelope pages (as found on Ensoniq & Akai samplers), with the option to save
new 'user-defined' envelopes for later re-use. This selection of envelopes would
be linked to the operating system, not saved as part of a Bank, so as to be
always available.
Author(s): Darrel
Nr 7: Multiple presets per channel - 23 Votes
I think that the EOS should allow you to put more than one preset on the same
MIDI channel without having to get into linking presets. Not that it takes too
long, but it would be a lot easier to just turn a knob and change a MIDI channel
like on the [Roland] S760 and the [Akai] S1000. Make the channels into slots,
and have assignable MIDI channels. Then give us lots of slots! It's a bit like
HyperPresets but allows more than one preset on one MIDI channel, as a flexible
alternative or addition to links.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders, Ehsaan Noorani
Nr 8: Only save used presets / samples - 22 Votes
The SAVE function should have an option to save only those presets that are
part of a multi setup (together with links, of course). Suppose youn are
experimenting with different sounds, loading different types of presets. At the
end of the session, you could choose to only save used presets by pressing the
YES-button to confirm that "[Do] you want to save used presets only?" Consider
this function as an extended version of the "Save 10 SoundSprint presets in
range 990-999 with the bank?".
Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 9: Forward and backward looping - 20 Votes
It would be a welcome addition to see both forward and backwards looping (a
la EIII) within the loop editing features. Loop Editing Requests 4 & 5: AUTO
REVERSE LOOP - plays to loop end, then turns around and plays back and forth
between start and end of loop. REVERSE LOOP - plays to end of loop and reverses,
continuing the loop in reverse.
Author(s): Alexander Wood, Bob Demaa
Nr 9: Midi timing - 20 Votes
Midi timing slop removed for once and forever! Author(s): Ian Easton and the
rest of us..
Nr 11: Copy / Move Banks - 19 Votes
The EOS should have decent functions for copying and moving banks from one
drive/folder to a different drive/folder without having to load the banks into
the memory first.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders, St. Einar
Nr 12: Disk defragmenting - 17 Votes
I would like to see a DISK DEFRAGMENTATION utility added. It eliminates file
fragmentation which can degrade disk performance. If the utility could give you
an increased control of how things are organized, you may have certain commonly
used sounds (bookmarked sounds) close together and near the front of the disk
(for faster access).
Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 13: Hyperpresets / Multiple Multimode setup - 15 Votes
With an Emulator stuffed with 128Mb RAM and 128 voices, you sure can make
several projects without loading new sounds. What I'm seeking is the possibility
to have more than one multimode setup. One should be able to recall and store
different multimode pages. I'm talking about the MIDI-routing. Someone might
say: "Never heard of Program change?". Well, I have, but it's not always that
convenient. My wish is simply more flexible. Imagine if you could store
1000 multisetups to the disk (multisetup-bookmarks)? Something useful for the
extra CPU RAM? You mean store multisetups instead of banks? Then you could
recall the same presets on disk from different multisetups! My my! Old timer
scores again! Glad to hear that the Emax II is ahead of the latest and greatest
in some areas - you could have as many different multimode setups as you had
sequences (in "supermode" in Emax-speak). If what you are saying about the
E4/6400 is true, it is bizarre that such a high-end product is limited in this
way. Perhaps an option on bank load ("HYPERPRESET ONLY"?). Also a BANK MULTI
takes PRIORITY option - e.g. when merging a new bank of samples the 16 channel
set-up will change. This would be useful live. Generally implementing
HyperPresets (as in the Ultra Proteus) would be very useful.
Author(s): Mathias Kallenberger, St.Einar, Karl Burke, Neil Walsh and Dan
Sanders
Nr 13: Sample Audition Playback - 15 Votes
Wouldn't it be great if the selected sample was available for playback on the
keyboard (a mix between the SOUNDSPRINT and SAMPLE EDIT)? The AUDITION SAMPLE
soft key could then be used to switch between playback of sample and the current
preset. AUDITION KEY plays selected voice in PRESET EDIT - at least when VOICE
SOLO is active. What use is playing C4 if your preset is 25 lines of a song
spread over two octaves? Monitor Multi/Preset while editing sample, so you can
edit samples in the context of the music you're making - e.g. putting a vocal in
time, or tuning a stab. This already happens in Create Sample - how about this
kicking in when you press the Edit Sample softkey (not the hard key) in the
Preset Edit/Voices page? It'd be great if the audition key played a relevant
note from the voice. You should be able to edit samples in the context of the
music you're making - e.g. putting a vocal in time, or tuning a stab. This
already happens in CREATE SAMPLE - how about this kicking in when you press the
EDIT SAMPLE soft key (not the hard key) in the PRESET EDIT / VOICES page? It'd
be great if the AUDITION KEY played a relevant note from the voice.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders, St. Einar
Nr 15: Emu's acknowledgements - 14 Votes
In future rapid acknowledgement and fixing of bugs, OS updates availableb via
website. None of this refusal to admit faults and consequent ignoring of
customers' wishes, leaving them for years with buggy products. Author(s): Ian
Easton
Nr 15: Abort load - 14 Votes
An "abort" function during Save and Load routines with a confirmation
dialogue. Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 17: Scsi digital extraction - 13 Votes
Almost all of the CD-ROM drives listed on the E-mu drive compatibilities list
support the SCSI DIGITAL EXTRACTION commands, enabling them to transmit digital
audio data via SCSI. You don't need a consumer audio CD-player with a coaxial
digital out. You just need your SCSI CD-ROM drive, which is (hopefully) already
connected to your E4. Author(s): Mickey
Nr 17: Selecting presets in multimode - 13 Votes
When scrolling through the presets in multi-mode, you will have to pass
through empty preset locations (preset 1, 2, 9, 17, 21, 23, 24, from 29 up to 49
etc. etc.). Of course, the EOS should just ignore empty preset locations and act
exactly as in single preset mode. Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 17: Improved FX routing - 13 Votes
The FX routings must be improved - you have the ideas. They don't seemto be
hard to implement. Also add as much effects as possible. If the e4 could get
good effects and routings the machine would be unbeatable -think about it.
Author(s): Azhar Feili
Nr 20: View / load - 12 Votes
"E-mu should consider adding a new VIEW / LOAD utility that would letyou
scroll through an entire list of internal samples and presets, avoiding the
dreaded "pick-and-guess" method of loading sounds."It should be like the "soundlist"
feature on the Roland 1080 series..
Author(s): Pål H. Brekke, St.Einar, Rachid
Nr 20: Macros - 12 Votes
Here is something I've been thinking of for some time, and it appearsthat
I'll be needing it more and more. I'd like to see some sort of command that can
perform several operations on several samples. Here are some suggestions:
* Normalize (gain) and truncate all samples in memory.
* Copy several samples into one sample.
* Automatic Timestretch for selected range of samples.
* Place selected range of samples into presets. Various variations on this
one. In general: Select a range or list of samples in memory (or on HD) and
process all of them. I want the possibility to program or record macros of our
own. It would save a lot of memory if there was a command that would
auto-truncate all sounds in a bank - and delete all unused (unplayed) sections
of sound including tones that are not being played in the sequence at all. It
would be great if you could put the OS into some kind of log mode that would
remember all the played sections of the samples and would auto truncate when the
song was done copying all newly truncated tones into a new bank... Perhaps there
could be a wizard to guide the user through the steps:
1) Select samples to be processed. 2) Dsp
process to apply. (maybe a chain consisting of a few dsp processes) 3) maybe
even automatically resample all the samples with a certain effect (from the
effects card) -this really opens up a lot of interesting time-saving
possibilities. And users will be able to define their own macros, based on the
applications they need. I can see several uses for this idea: When
you sample a bunch a sounds, you don't want to deal with each oneindividually -
you could let the sampler do all the truncation and gain adjustment
automatically after you finish the sampling session.When composing, you have to
load many samples, but you can't fit these in memory at one time. Wouldn’t it be
great, if you could lower the sample rate of ALL samples with 1 command. (You
just add the new samplerate, and the sampler converts all of the sounds in
memory to this) Author(s): Mathias Kallenberger, Nick Kelly, Eitan Shefer,
Dr. Victor, St. Einar
Nr 20: Realtime MIDI effects modulation - 12 Votes
I'd really like to see the possibility to control effects from MIDI. But the
only MIDI thing in the current EOS is "The Magic Preset". There is currently no
real time effects modulation! What will the future bring, E-mu? Author(s): St.
Einar
Nr 23: Crossreferencing Presets - 11 Votes
When making songs I use presets from different banks - all over thenplace. Is
it possible to link presets from different banks into a new bank? (in such a way
that the new bank does not incorporate the presets, just the links to them?) By
doing this I'll be saving HD space. Author(s): Fredrik Strömberg, Rachid
Nr 23: Improved "Find" utility - 11 Votes
At present, it works a bit like the old Mac find routine. This is better than
no find at all, and is great if you're looking for "Belgian Nose-Flute 4". It
falls down, however, if you want say, a high-hat, and want to see everything
with the letters "hat" in it - Preset, Sample, Bank, whatever - and nothing
else. At least a FIND AGAIN button (like old Mac) would be useful. Author(s):
Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 23: Relative group edit - 11 Votes
GROUPed VOICE editing is possibly one of the functions we miss most on other
platforms. It is a brilliant idea. It would be even more powerful if we could
edit groups relatively - e.g. add 2dB to all voices in a group rather than
setting all voices in a group to 2dB, or pitch them all up by 2 semitones. This
might be achieved by pressing the SET / SHIFT / POINT key while pressing the
EDIT GROUP softkey, or as an option (like VOICE SOLO). Author(s): Neil Walsh and
Dan Sanders
Nr 23: Softwire the sample inputs - 11 Votes
An option for soft-wiring the sampling inputs into the synthesis engine so
live input can be filtered by the E4's filters, effects, and other modulators.
Author(s): Gil
Nr 23: Soundfont - 11 Votes
The SOUNDFONT FORMAT is not supported on the EOS. That's rather odd since
it's E-mu's own format! There is no doubt that it's not a hard feature to add.
Yep. For multimedia developers (sound-designers mostly) this move will be a
great move in terms of creative power, they can make SBK banks on their
Emulator, using the Emulator's sound-shaping features (resampling with filters,
and all the other goodies that the E-mu's pack). Other than that, I believe that
we all will only gain from such an upgrade, for the proliferation of the SBK
format.
Author(s): Eitan Shefer
Nr 23: Improved Soundforge transfer - 11 Votes
If you edit a sample with SoundForge and set the loop points (using
SoundForge) then, after the sample has been xfered to the emulator via SCSI, the
loop points are shifted a few samples back or forth. The result is the clicking
loop. Author(s): Dimitri
Nr 29: Faster LCD - 10 Votes
The LCD must react much faster - if you edit something it´s very, very slow!
It can't be a problem with the LCD itself, it must be a problem with the driver,
don´t you think? And why is it that the display gets faster the more RAM you put
into the machine? I experienced this after upgrading mine from 18Meg to 66Meg.
Author(s): Steffen Friedle, St. Einar
Nr 29: And the manual again.. - 10 Votes
Since EOS is "copy protected", why don't E-mu make their current version of
various manuals available for downloading from www.emu.com? I'm assuming that
they were created in a software environment and therefore should be no trouble
to accomodate. They could also post manual updates/revisions as small component
downloads (ftp://www.emu.com/manuals/eos30/word6.doc). I'd really love to be
able to search topics in my word processor, or at least be able to read details
about new features in upgrades. Why didn't E-Mu provide an explanation guide
detailing the definitions of each CORD and how they function? I'm kind of lost
when it comes to programming the proper numeric values to make each cord
function properly. Proper manual definitions of every CORD option and better
FILTER DEFINITIONS would be very helpful. ..the cords...what the f**k is FLIP
FLOP...and QUANTIZE.. Author(s): St. Einar, Matt Beach, Neil Walsh and Dan
Sanders, 1210
Nr 29: Load selected Presets and Samples - 10 Votes
Load selected Presets and Samples (to load multiple things). This could be
achieved by pressing the Set/Shift/Point key to activate and using the
Plus/Minus key to select. Audition would still be active and the cursors would
not "block" select items. Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 29: More filters - 10 Votes
More filters - like the UltraProteus. Why no TRANSFORM 2 setting? Surely we
have only two Axes? Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 29: Roll-overs.. - 10 Votes
Please make it possible to go directly from PRESET 999 to PRESET 001 and vice
versa (with just one click on the DATA ENTRY CONTROLLER or INC / DEC keys). And
consider this for other areas in the EOS as well (when NAMING PRESETS / BANKS
etc.). It's tedious having to spin the wheel down from 999 to 001. And for
parameters that use numeric values the EOS must allow direct nput from the
numeric keypad! A M-U-S-T!!! What about a "mouse double-click" feature in the
EOS; double-click a button (parameter knob) to zero or 'centre' the value being
edited etc. Author(s): St. Einar, Matty Beez
Nr 34: Third party development - 9 Votes
Digidesign can do it, why can't you? The Studio Electronics ATC-1 has the
guts of the original synth filter circuitry from MiniMoog, Roland TB-303,
Oberheim SEM and ARP 2600. If E-mu Systems is able to put those filters onto a
card and then design the EOS to allow routing of voices to the card (maybe as
SUB4), it would be exhilarating! I think it would both sound great, and sell
well, too! Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders, St. Einar
Nr 34: Reset button - 9 Votes
There should be a soft (similar to CTRL-ALT-DEL on PC) reboot functionor a
RESET button. Author(s): Dimitri
Nr 34: Disk read formats - 9 Votes
Akai and Roland conversions are a JOKE !!!! It takes my whole weekend to
convert Roland CD’s. Some samples don’t loop properly...envelopes.... ehh, what
is that in imported CDs from Roland or Akai??? Velocity layers?? Try to load
Hans Zimmer guitars... What are Emu doing? Are they having an "all year weekend"
or so?
Author(s): Dr. Victor
Nr 34: Wavesequencing - 9 Votes
Wouldn’t you fancy WaveSequencing in the EOS? I bought a couple of secondhand
[Korg] Wavestations two weeks ago (as if you could buy them new these days...)
and must say that this synth is one of the best that I have played. The sounds
are so alive! Just by playing a pad you may have the chords live by themselves
(textures changing continously).The Wavestation Reference Guide says: "WaveSequences
are a special type of sound source material for Patches. These are a series of
waves linked together and played sequentially, and are capable of creating very
sophisticated dynamic textures." Yes, indeed! I would be thrilled to see some
sort of WaveSequencing implemented in the Emulator range.
Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 34: More sectional editing - 9 Votes
More implementation of the sectional editing page would be wonderful.
Obviously some things, say SAMPLE RATE CONVERSION wouldn't make sense, but
DIGITAL PITCHING and PITCH CHANGE - even TIME COMPRESSION - would be extremely
useful on little parts of vocals. drum loops etc. Imagine being able to pitch
one word in a vocal without butchering the whole line..
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 34: Waveform playback cursor - 9 Votes
The waveform editing section NEEDS a sample position cursor to show you where
the heck you are during playback while sample editing (I wanna see a line sweep
across my waveform from start to end so I can VISUALLY INTERPOLATE THE DATA ON
MY SCREEN while the sample is playing back! After all, isn't that what 'GRAPHIC'
Waveform editing is for? Shouldn't a Graphic waveform-editing intensive user
interface bridge the gap between what you 'see' and what you 'hear'???) Author(s):
Matt Beach
Nr 34: Cord macros - 9 Votes
A Cord "macro" function to quickly assign the most used functions. These
could be assigned and stored in the master section in the same way as
the assignable keys are stored and recalled in the cords page by
pressing the Set/Shift/Point key plus a numeric key. This would set-up
both the source and destination automatically.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 41: "Listen" function - 8 Votes
The Listen Delete function on the S760 is really brilliant. Having set up a
multi channel / multi patch performance on the S760 you can use the Listen
Delete function to actually erase patches and samples that are not being used in
a sequence. That's a lot easier to store and it saves you a lot of hard disk
space. Author(s): Ehsaan Noorani
Nr 41: Defrag on deletion - 8 Votes
One thing the EOS doesn't do today is defragmenting after a deletion of a
preset or a sample. You'll have to do it manually. I think the function is fast
enough, and I can wait a second or two for the EOS to put my 66Meg back in
shape. Both the functions DEFRAGMENTATION and SAMPLE INTEGRITY should execute
automatically. Maybe E-mu could add a parameter in the SAMPLE MANAGE, that lets
you determine whether the functions should execute after deletions? I would have
this parameter turned on. Another solution would be to let the EOS execute its
DEFRAGMENTATION function automatically when you press the NEW SAMPLE button.
Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 41: Recall bank location - 8 Votes
When working in the studio, you will load the bank you are currently working
with, and after or during the session you will save and write over that specific
bank again, right? Right. At least I figure this is a common way to proceed.
Now, during your hours of sequencing you will look for other sounds, which means
messing around with other banks on various hard drives. When entering the SAVE
BANK dialog after a session like that, the displaying bank is the bank I
sprinted last. I have to change drive, folder and bank to reachmy original
working bank and then overwrite it and go home. I want the EOS to remember the
location of the bank I loaded into memory the last time, and get back to that
location when saving. Author(s): Mathias Kallenberger
Nr 41: Improved envelope resolution - 8 Votes
More definition is needed in the ATTACK in particular - it should be good
enough to reduce treble front end on kicks without softening the impact. Perhaps
this could be achieved with a CURVE option for rate response, similar to that
for velocity and volume. Also, please fix the graphic display - regardless of
how high the rate between two equal levels there will be no time taken, so
please stop the display drawing an extending line between them.
Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan Sanders
Nr 41: Full sample time - 8 Votes
The sample-time should default to full length prior to sampling. This will
make it easier and faster to start sampling - just press NEW from SAMPLE MANAGE,
start sampling, and press stop when finished (on-the-fly sampling). Also, it
will eliminate the risk of starting out with insufficient sample time. "Lazy"
musicians just want to sample the thing ("...just get it in there, okay!"). When
the sample is captured in memory we can edit away the unwanted ends.
Author(s): St. Einar
Nr 41: Sysex those button presses.. - 8 Votes
It would be nice if all the operations (button presses) could be recorded in
the sequencer or in a SysEx program, and later could be played back on the
Emulator! Author(s): Dr. Victor
Nr 41: Improved sample offset - 8 Votes
etter definition/resolution - preferably by number of samples. This could
even be an adjustable parameter actually belonging to a sample just like the
loop specifications. I would very much appreciate the ability to adjust the
OFFSET value by samples (however, the offset value can not exceed the length of
the shortest sample should the voice contain a multisample). To increase
useability, the DELAY and START OFFSET parameters (VOICE MODIFIERS; TUNING)
should be moved into a fifth window in the PRESET EDIT; VOICES, and should allow
users to set an individual offset value for each sample. The new window could
have the name VOICES; OFFSET WINDOW (OffWin). Author(s): Neil Walsh and Dan
Sanders, St. Einar
Nr 41: Page down for 32 channels - 8 Votes
The ability to 'page down' in multimode, to save having to ride the down
cursor to get to channel 32.. Author(s): Gil
Nr 41: Direct from disk playback - 8 Votes
Direct reading and playback of samples from the hard drive. That's right, no
messing about with loading samples into RAM first - just press a key and the
pre-selected sample would be played back straight from the HD! The audition
function is so fast, I'm sure it would be possible to have the HD sending data
for each voice triggered. Can you imagine - the sampler would no longer be
limited by the amount of RAM available... a two gig piano could be quite
feasible! Author(s): Alexander Wood
Nr 41: Improve Cords display - 8 Votes
Current display is somewhat cryptic. It doesn't have to be. Instead of
displaying 2 rows with 3 cords in each (with short cryptic names), I'd like to
see 3 cords in 1 row with full names. It's much easier to read, and I think most
users will prefer to navigate through the cord list using the data entry
controller to scroll up and down, instead of using the cursor keys to jump
sideways, up and down... Also, I'd prefer to see the 18 cords listed as 01-18
instead of 00-17. The latter method is too much computer terminology. "Let me
see - where is my null cord..?" Author(s): St. Einar
