I thought I would do a post on “Documentation”. For me, this is the biggest pain, but it is worth it “No Pain – No Gain”. The payoff is a few months later, when you ask yourself “what did I do here?”. I think this is really true with 8X documentation. Some of you may remember, I have the 8X Dallape. After a while, the communication between my 8X and the PC Editor failed. I had a lot of help, from the forum (Ventura & JerryPH) in troubleshooting, but to no avail. There is a hardware problem in my 8X Dallape. So, for a while, I used the screen editor on the Dallape. I had access to every programming detail of the 8X, but it was very difficult for me to keep track of all the details. My solution, to use the PC Editor, was to buy a used 8X in good condition, so I could use the PC Editor (with my 8X to view the settings) and then transfer the files (Export/Import) to my 8X Dallape. This is a big plus for me, since I love my Dallape 8X, I now have a spare 8X for parts. Parts that will probably not be available as time goes on – I want to keep my 8X going for my lifetime. I am 81. The two 8X’s should be sufficient.
The attached two files are spreadsheets I created to document the User program settings I have on my 8X. There are many ways one can document the sounds/tones of the 8X. I have attached two files as an example of how I “keep track” of my changes. I’m sure others do it differently.
I have not done anything with sets. I really wish I had started with sets because I think that is the “ground floor” of the 8X. When I got my 8X Dallape, I immediately bought Richard Noel’s UPG programs. I make small changes to his UPG programs. I work with a specific UPG from Richard Noel and make modifications that I like and then save the new UPG. This works great for me since when you save a UPG, every detail of the 8X tones/settings are saved.
I think I could do the same with sets, except there are different ways to save sets and I didn’t want to “dig” into that now. Richard Noel told me he created all of his user programs, starting with sets. The PC Editor was not available at that time. His UPG creations are amazing!
In my first attachment there is a summary of the allocation of the UPG memory banks that I have created on my 8X. In the second attachment I have the detail of my layout of the first 4 banks. For playing, this gives me enough selections. My most used banks are 1 & 2. When the 8X starts up, it always goes to UPG #1 when I select “User Program”. I use the first 4 banks both “Horizontally” and “Vertically”. Vertical, in a bank, is the standard use of the 14 register switches. I also like to use” Horizontal” to go across banks. This is very simple on the 8X with “2 selections”. If you are in bank 1 and want to go to the same register in bank two, you just select the lower right “Set” button. Then press the “Data/Enter” button and you are there. Basically “two presses” – “Right Set Button” and “Data/Enter” button. This will move you to the next bank and same register location. I use this in special songs where I do a lot of changes with tones that I don’t use frequently. For example, I use these selections when I play “Battle Hymn Of The Republic” where I play several choruses and build each time to a more louder/greater tone, i.e; 1-4 (Clarinet) ->2-4 (Trombone) -> 3-4 ([C]Trumpet1) -> 1-4 (Organ Pipe).
Note: Selection of the lower right “Set” button moves you over “one bank”. Once you are there, you can select any of the 14 registers within in that bank. This will take 3 button presses. This is why I like to select the tones horizontally across a bank and use the same register. This is the quickest way to get to a tone with a minimum of button presses.
Also, in the first attachment (in spreadsheet format), I have the Bank Register No. and UPG name.
In my second attachment I have all the detail that I use to document each UPG. Note that I do not document every single program detail that is available in the 8X. It would be nearly impossible, and If I did, it would be so extensive/long I probably wouldn’t use the documentation. What I did was document any changes from the original Richard Noel UPG’s along with any new changes I made. By only documenting the changes, a lot of extraneous documentation is eliminated.
Below are acronyms I use in my attachment 2 documentation (Bold Hi Lite):
For the Right Registers:
Accordion RH AC
Orchestra 1 RH OC1
Orchestra 2 RH OC2
Organ RH DB=XXXXXXXXX This is the setting of the 9 Hammond Drawbars (DB)
For The Left Hand Registers:
Bass & Chord LH B&C
Orchestral Bass OCB
Orchestral Chord OCC
Note: I have not included the choices “Free Bass” and “Orchestral Free Bass” because I don’t use those much now – maybe in the future.
The attached two files are spreadsheets I created to document the User program settings I have on my 8X. There are many ways one can document the sounds/tones of the 8X. I have attached two files as an example of how I “keep track” of my changes. I’m sure others do it differently.
I have not done anything with sets. I really wish I had started with sets because I think that is the “ground floor” of the 8X. When I got my 8X Dallape, I immediately bought Richard Noel’s UPG programs. I make small changes to his UPG programs. I work with a specific UPG from Richard Noel and make modifications that I like and then save the new UPG. This works great for me since when you save a UPG, every detail of the 8X tones/settings are saved.
I think I could do the same with sets, except there are different ways to save sets and I didn’t want to “dig” into that now. Richard Noel told me he created all of his user programs, starting with sets. The PC Editor was not available at that time. His UPG creations are amazing!
In my first attachment there is a summary of the allocation of the UPG memory banks that I have created on my 8X. In the second attachment I have the detail of my layout of the first 4 banks. For playing, this gives me enough selections. My most used banks are 1 & 2. When the 8X starts up, it always goes to UPG #1 when I select “User Program”. I use the first 4 banks both “Horizontally” and “Vertically”. Vertical, in a bank, is the standard use of the 14 register switches. I also like to use” Horizontal” to go across banks. This is very simple on the 8X with “2 selections”. If you are in bank 1 and want to go to the same register in bank two, you just select the lower right “Set” button. Then press the “Data/Enter” button and you are there. Basically “two presses” – “Right Set Button” and “Data/Enter” button. This will move you to the next bank and same register location. I use this in special songs where I do a lot of changes with tones that I don’t use frequently. For example, I use these selections when I play “Battle Hymn Of The Republic” where I play several choruses and build each time to a more louder/greater tone, i.e; 1-4 (Clarinet) ->2-4 (Trombone) -> 3-4 ([C]Trumpet1) -> 1-4 (Organ Pipe).
Note: Selection of the lower right “Set” button moves you over “one bank”. Once you are there, you can select any of the 14 registers within in that bank. This will take 3 button presses. This is why I like to select the tones horizontally across a bank and use the same register. This is the quickest way to get to a tone with a minimum of button presses.
Also, in the first attachment (in spreadsheet format), I have the Bank Register No. and UPG name.
In my second attachment I have all the detail that I use to document each UPG. Note that I do not document every single program detail that is available in the 8X. It would be nearly impossible, and If I did, it would be so extensive/long I probably wouldn’t use the documentation. What I did was document any changes from the original Richard Noel UPG’s along with any new changes I made. By only documenting the changes, a lot of extraneous documentation is eliminated.
Below are acronyms I use in my attachment 2 documentation (Bold Hi Lite):
For the Right Registers:
Accordion RH AC
Orchestra 1 RH OC1
Orchestra 2 RH OC2
Organ RH DB=XXXXXXXXX This is the setting of the 9 Hammond Drawbars (DB)
For The Left Hand Registers:
Bass & Chord LH B&C
Orchestral Bass OCB
Orchestral Chord OCC
Note: I have not included the choices “Free Bass” and “Orchestral Free Bass” because I don’t use those much now – maybe in the future.
