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All BandTrax
MIDIfiles contain System Exclusive Commands for resets. The resets are
vitally important as they initialise the hardware to a default setting,
allowing any further alterations to be made within the file itself.
Therefore, if the next file used does not contain the correct reset
commands, it will playback with the prior files alterations.
e.g. BandTrax file has altered filter settings on the bass part. The
following file, without resets, will have the previous filter alterations
on the bass part, more than likely not suitable to this next song.
Note: If you are using computer software that does not allow System
Exclusive data to be recognized, the only guaranteed reset is to turn the
equipment off and on. You're better to upgrade your software, as there are
more System Exclusive Commands than just Resets required in MIDIfiles.
Also make sure that your MIDI equipment has SysEx Enabled turned to On.
Another common problem is that some producers place a GM reset as well as
a GS and/or XG reset in the GM file, then state that the files they are
selling are GM/GS/XG files. This "multi reset" causes some hardware to
incorrectly reset or not reset at all. This procedure of adding different
types of resets does NOT make that GM file become GS or XG compatible. GS
and XG files contain many parameters not included within the GM
specifications, therefore the GM hardware will not "magically" go into GS
or XG mode, as the GM hardware does not have the extra parameters included
in the first place. Just in sounds alone, there are 360+ sounds in the
average GS device. Newer GS devices have around 1600+ sounds. Putting a GS
reset in a GM file does not add the extra GS sounds to the GM device that
contains only 128 sounds. We suggest that these "multi-reset" type of
files be avoided to save any further problems. Remember, if you have GM
hardware, use proper GM files. If you have GS hardware, user proper GS
files.
The following quote from the MIDI IMPLEMENTATION section of a Roland GS
product Owner's Manual concerning GM & GS System Exclusive resets should
make it clear.
"These messages are used to initialize a device to GS or (to) General MIDI
mode. When creating performance data, a "Turn General MIDI System On"
message should be inserted at the beginning of a General Midi score, a "GS
Reset" message at the beginning of a GS music data. Each song should
contain only one mode message as appropriate to the type of data. (Do not
insert two or more mode setting messages in a single song.)"
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