SMDI sample transfer over MIDI
I’ve just found excellent little program for windows and mac
Elektron C6 SysExManager / local copy: mac windows
This software can upload wav and aiff samples to ANY hardware sampler that supports SMDI transfer protocol by MIDI cable! Designed for Elektron.se hardware machines but works with old samplers also!
I tested it with Yamaha A5000 and it works great! It uploads all selected samples one by one!
I’m sure that this utility will work with Akai, EMU or other hardware samplers.
This soft has Turbo Mode which can be set up to 8x.
You must experiment and find maximal value yourself because every sampler has own limit.
My Yamaha accepts maximal available speed Turbo X8 with delay 10ms.
Loading samples this way is still slow, but when you have to transfer short drum samples or just waveforms
this soft is very helpful. Upload 100kb wave to my yamaha sampler takes about 50 seconds.
Keep it mind that midi is prehistoric protocol :)
Update on 19 Dec: I just tested it with akai s3000xl and it works in Turbo x8 mode. It seems that this tool sends data to akai even faster than to yamaha a5000 because there is no significant delay after transfer is complete.
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Hi, have you tryed it with the S950? I can´t see the sampler in the midi out window… so I can´t send any samples throw the midi cable. I´m not sure if this software works with the S950… could you give me a hand please? Thank you and congrats with your blog!!
It works for sure, connect sampler to midi interface midi in/out
and select these midi ports (in configure)
Oops, didn’t hit the reply button, but my reply regarding sample dumps with s950 is below in a new comment.
Standard Midi Sample Dump Protocol will NOT work with s900 or s950 because it uses a proprietary protocol that is unique. I know you can sample dump through midi with s900/s950 with MPC60. I don’t know of any other hardware it will work with but there may be an ancient windows app that will do it. It may be DOS however I can’t remember..
I will post a link if I find the software.
http://akai-s900.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-load-samples-from-computer-to.html
local copy: http://martin78.com/files/akai_s1000/s900dump.zip
if you have s950 you can make akai s1000 floppy with samples
s950 reads s1000 floppies
use EMXP from http://martin78.com/samplers/akai-tools/
Hi,
Thank you so much for your website. I’m having so much fun with my A4000.
I am experiencing difficulties trying to send samples over MIDI with C6 ; while waveforms up to 10k can be sent with no problems, I cannot send larger files.
The sampler displays : “ERROR: Bullk data error.”
I think I’d rather wait for a Zip drive…
That’s because you have to increase delay or decrease turbo limit.
Set delay to 30ms or 40ms with x8 turbo
and decrease a bit if you still have problems.
It works for sure, but this is not fast :)
Yesss get in there ! I’ve just FINALLY had some joy sending files to an Akai CD3000i sampler at 30 ms delay with x8 turbo, It’s a long process but it works! I found that I have to load each sample before sending rather than dropping in the file as mentioned earlier.
Thanks so much for sharing this Martin78, you don’t want to know how many apps I’ve tried before now ;-D
Big Cheers
Chay
Big thanks from a S2800 user!It’s not fast but gets the job done if you’re lazy importing samples via other ways.
hello,
does the akai mpc support any sample dumps over MIDI?
cheers,
nate
Dear Martin78.
Right now iam sitting with my AKAI S3000XL.
And iam tryin to transfer Samples from Computer In to the sampler.
But without success.
Iam able to transfer FROM sampler TO computer but not conversely.
My navigation in AKAI menu is GLOBAL / MIDI / EXCL – and there is menu where you can set few things and SEND out of AKAI. but how to receive?
When i start to send from computer and move to the sampler , i dont know how to accept it and then save it. Nothing is happening in the sampler menu . Only MIDI monitor(red button) is blinking that midi is gonin in. but thats all….
Can you please Help me? You wrote that you was success full with s3000xl.
i spent a lot of time with it and cant figure out:/
you don’t have to select anything on akai sampler
if it blinking when you are sending data that is good
make sure that you don’t have any midi filters enabled on akai
try to send short sample for test, snare sample for example
increase delay value or decrease turbo values
at the end click on sample button (on akai), internal sample name will be different than wav sample
it should work, or maybe you have something wrong with your midi interface
hi, i got the s2800 and i have exactly the same problem has imon uba.
my midi monitor is blinking too ( with the red led ), but after when i click on “edit sample” i see dont see my sample.
for the sample in c6 prog, i put a short snare in mono 16 bit with .wav format is that what i need to do?
“make sure that you don’t have any midi filters enabled on akai”
you want to say make sure u dont have any midi filters disabled instead of what u said no?
anyway i try without and with filters an no change for me so if somebody have another solution
maybe you have sysex filter anabled on akai?
or its something with your midi interface
I don’t have idea why it is not working. Maybe akai s2800 has cuted smdi protocol, but i don’t think so.
I have s3000xl and works very good.
Cheers for this Martin you are quite awesome as this saves me having to dig out my old copy of recycle! This is perfect for sending over my sounds made with 303emu using my amiga emulator.
Shame it just names the files MIDI000x. When you’ve got 255 waveforms to save, editing the names by scroller isn’t really feasible.
Hi martin,
Great website, a valuable source of information.
Please can you tell me how to set up the A5000 to receive samples over midi? Im having trouble working it out.
Thanks!
a5000 works with smdi too, i tired myself with success
try to experiment with delay setting
Hello dear sir, great website you got here, i have a question about the program SMDIXfer
I use it a lot from XP pc,
Now i will use it from another XP pc and it does not start, it says:
“could not load SMDI.dll” this seems strange to me, do you have any idea what is causing this, and/or do you know forums
where i can best ask this.
Thanks in advance, Dian from the Netherlands
Great software!
I tried for E6400Ultra & K2000RJ,work fine on Windows10 64bit (1803) :)
Thanks!
Dian
If you receive could not load SMDI.dll error, make sure your ASPI layer is working properly.
You may need to drop a copy of WNASPI32.DLL in the same folder as SMDIXfer if running anything above Wndows XP.
Dion
Make sure your ASPI layer is installed correctly and you may need to place a copy of WNASPI32.DLL in the SMDIXfer folder.