SV Rompler Skeleton is a REAPER project file containing most of the basic setup you need to make music on an external MIDI device such as a rompler.
Click the colourful "Code" dropdown button at the top to download the
ZIP file. Extract, and get the .RPP file out. I'll probably put
together some release pages soon, but this will do for now.
- Open the
.RPPin REAPER - Check that the
Romplertrack is routing MIDI to your external MIDI device - Check that the
Rompler Outputtrack is monitoring audio output from your external MIDI device - Update the SysEx message in the very first MIDI item to the reset message appropriate for your external MIDI device
- Start composing!
That's pretty much it, but there are some aspects of the project's structure that are worth bearing in mind.
You'll notice an area of about 0.5 seconds before a first tempo change. The very first MIDI item should exclusively contain the SysEx reset message. All other setup CCs such as instrument selection via program/bank changes should be inserted into the column of MIDI items starting at 0.25s. This is to give the reset message time to take effect.
Likewise, instrument selection messages should be placed at the beginning of the MIDI items at 0.25s, and then your music should start at 0.5s. This is to allow time for the instrument changes to take effect.
There's nothing magic about these numbers by the way, I just picked them because they should give most romplers ample time to load samples, and they're not too uncomfortably long.
Every MIDI should start with a SysEx message to reset the MIDI device. You should only include one depending on the standard you're using. The name often varies in the documentation, but they usually use a naming scheme similar to this table:
| MIDI Standard | SysEx Message |
|---|---|
| GM | GM System On |
| GM2 | GM2 System On |
| GS | GS Reset |
| XG | XG Reset |
As described under Usage, the very first MIDI item contains a SysEx reset message. This is GS Reset for SC-88 Pro by default. If you are using a different device and/or not using the default device ID, you will have to change the message.
Here are a few valid reset messages for various romplers (assuming the device ID hasn't been changed):
| Device | Message Name | Message | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC-55 | GS Reset | F0 41 10 42 12 40 00 7F 00 41 F7 | SC-55 Owner's Manual, pg. 53, 73, 77, 78 | The manual does not give a specific example of a GS reset message, but you can piece together from the listed pages that the usual GS Reset for Roland devices works. |
| SC-88 Pro | GM System On | F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7 | SC-88 Pro Owner's Manual, pg. 191 | |
| SC-88 Pro | GS Reset | F0 41 10 42 12 40 00 7F 00 41 F7 | SC-88 Pro Owner's Manual, pg. 191 | |
| SC-8820 | GM1 System On | F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7 | SC-8820 Owner's Manual, pg. 170 | |
| SC-8820 | GM2 System On | F0 7E 7F 09 03 F7 | SC-8820 Owner's Manual, pg. 170 | |
| SC-8820 | GS Reset | F0 41 10 42 12 40 00 7F 00 41 F7 | SC-8820 Owner's Manual, pg. 170 |
If your rompler isn't in the list, you will have to consult your rompler's documentation to find the SysEx messages it responds to. Of course, you could always guess, since many devices try to use similar messages. But this is no guarantee, as SysEx messages are not an official MIDI standard. (It does stand for "System Exclusive" after all)
See license information in the LICENSE file.