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 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Sequencers
MMT-8 problem/question
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Longbottom



Joined: May 30, 2010
Posts: 2
Location: Baltimore, Md

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 10:07 am    Post subject: MMT-8 problem/question
Subject description: No sounds plays after recording a sequence.
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Hey everyone!

This is my first post in this forum, so if I'm breaking any forum etiquette or something please let me know. I don't wanna be "that" guy. Maybe I should introduce myself? My name is Jaime, I've been mainly a jazz musician by trade for the last 10 or so years, and started getting into creating electronic based music about a year and a half ago. Right now, I'm doing it all hardware based- I've got a bunch of Korg Electribes, an Alesis Micron, a few Kaoss pads, etc. Now on to my question...

Yesterday I picked up a second hand Alesis MMT-8 for $40. I bought it so I could sequence chord progressions of more than 4 bars with the Micron. My problem is that once I record into it, it's not playing back what I recorded. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? It plays back the stuff that was already on the machine when I bought it just fine. And I'm pretty sure that I'm wired up correct too-

I'm using an Axiom 25 on midi ch 16 into the MMT-8, which is set to record from all midi channels. The MMT-8 goes into the Micron which is to set to channel 16. When I play on the Axiom, it makes sound on the Microm, which leads me to believe its wired correctly. Oh, and I was recording into a blank part set to 16beats. I've searched and read the forums MMT-8 post, but none seem to address this problem. Any and all help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
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Rykhaard



Joined: Sep 02, 2007
Posts: 1290
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I've got a completely different problem with mine that I bought used last year for $75. (Black version with latest OS in it.)

I'm not sure what to make of your trouble though. I never had any problem like that during my use of my original one from about 1988 to 1990.

One thought though, is to check the output voltage from the battery on it's motherboard. With the age of the unit, there's a very high chance the battery is completely useless.
Counter to that though - your MMT-8 does still have patterns stored inside of it. Now (I don't remember) if it has 'stock patterns' in it, then those will be in EPROM/EEPROM.

The only other thing that I can think of to do at the moment, outside of checking / replacing the battery, is to follow the instructions within the lid of the unit, exactly. From what you've described in your setup, it sounds like it's working properly for everything else.

I, would love to find out why mine crashes / resets when I'm recording material into it, live. Hmmm ... just thought now - I wander if it could be dead electrolytic caps in it. With a 10-20 year life span, that's quite possible. Shall check that.

Here's to hoping you get this problem solved! For hardware sequencers, I remember absolutely LOVING this one - especially when playing live. Smile
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Longbottom



Joined: May 30, 2010
Posts: 2
Location: Baltimore, Md

PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks for the reply Rich! I'm happy to report back that it seems to be working fine now. Life got a little busy, so I left it alone for about a week. Then, this past weekend I had some free time, so I set up everything from scratch, and followed the instructions, and it worked just as it should. Leaves me a little worried about its reliability for live performance though. Btw, I checked out a few of your youtube videos, love the WSG!
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Rykhaard



Joined: Sep 02, 2007
Posts: 1290
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Longbottom wrote:
Thanks for the reply Rich! I'm happy to report back that it seems to be working fine now. Life got a little busy, so I left it alone for about a week. Then, this past weekend I had some free time, so I set up everything from scratch, and followed the instructions, and it worked just as it should. Leaves me a little worried about its reliability for live performance though. Btw, I checked out a few of your youtube videos, love the WSG!


Dammit. Sad That's scary. Right then - for playing out live, if you're handy with a soldering iron, I'd get in there and replace any electrolytic and tantalum caps, as well as the battery, just to make sure. I'd then test it out playing back for at least a few days. If all's golden and another were available, I'd then get a BACKUP MMT-8 and do the exact same things to it, preparing it with the exact same tunage in it. This, is due to their age. (Phenominal to play live with during our time. Way easy to improvise with! Smile )

Vid's! Excellent! TY greatly for viewing and babbling that! Very Happy

K. Must get into my MMT-8 to do, what I just prescribed, as well. Surprised
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Rykhaard



Joined: Sep 02, 2007
Posts: 1290
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Successful update as to my Alesis MMT-8 it would appear! Very Happy

When I was running it before, the only AC wall adapter that I was able to find was a 10VAC adapter. With the MMT-8 requiring a 9VAC wall adapter (amperage forgotten), I figured that it would be fine.

However - tonight, in beginning servicing on my 60hz hum emitting m-Audio Delta 1010, I changed courses after removing it's power supply capacitors, to have a look inside my Alesis MMT-8.

Firstly - it's Lithium battery, manufactured in September 1991, is STILL going strong at 3.68V! Almost 19 years later? Ok. That's not the problem then.

I wondered if it could be the 3 ribbon cable connectors from motherboard to the display board? Nope - gold all around; no corrosion at all.

K. I figured I'd try the unit out again, as I had disconnected and reconnected all 3 of the ribbon cables.

Looking around I found a 9VAC adapter. Ahhh. The last one I had used was a 10VAC. (I'm NOW wondering if it WERE spitting out enough CURRENT, for when I told the machine to go into Record, when it would crash? )

It turned out that the 9VAC adapter that I found, is the one for my Alesis Micron! Powers the MMT-8 just fine. In setting the MMT-8 to a blank pattern, I chose a track to record (nothing) on and hit Record + Play. Tick, tick, tick, tick, recording ... (this had NEVER happened, with the 10VAC adapter.)

I stopped it, selected another track and hit Record + Play again ... same action, recording (nothing) away.
I stopped it and selected a 3rd track ... same thing.

HMMMM.

I looked for another 9VAC wall adapter to plug in my Micron and I just so happened to have ANOTHER one, for my Delta 1010! I plugged THAT in to the Micron, hooked up the MIDI Out from it to the MMT-8's MIDI In - hit record and played some notes.
Hitting the edit button - sure enough! THERE, were the notes I had played!

IT'S WORKING! FInally! For the first time since I last sold my original one in 1989, do I have a working one again! Finally again - I can start composing on my my modular! Time to get my 2nd MIDI to CV unit built, so that I'll have 8 channels of MIDI to CV! Very Happy
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