SPECIAL OPERATIONS

Bulk dumps

The preceding chapters have shown you how much performance flexibility the P-100 has to offer. But this flexibility
comes with a small drawback: to use it effectively, you have to make a large number of settings. If you’re like most
musicians, you’ll find there are certain settings that work best with each song you play. These can include simple voice
and mode selections, reverb and modulation effect settings, [PITCH] and [MODULATION] wheel settings, and even
program change transmit or receive table assignments.
Of course, changing all of these settings between songs can require a lot of time. While this can be inconvenient for
anyone, it is downright frustrating for stage performers who feel acutely the eyes of a waiting audience upon them.
To make the transition between songs smooth and easy, you will want to make use of the P-100’s bulk dump function,
The bulk dump operation lets you store the contents of the P-100’s setup memory in an external device with MIDI data
recorder (MDR) capability, like that built into many sequencers, Yamaha’s SY99 Music Synthesizer, or our MDF2
MIDI Data Filer. This lets you save an entire bundle of settings, such as those you use when playing a particular song,
for fast recall.
To execute a bulk dump, you must first make sure that the MIDI merge function is off. (The procedure for turning the
MIDI merge function off is described on page 35.) Also make a note of the P-100’s current transmit channel setting, as
you will need this information when you attempt to load the data back into the P-100.
Simultaneously press the [REVERB] and [MODULATION]
buttons while holding down the [MIDI] button. The P-100 will
automatically send three bulk dumps containing (1) all of the
P-100’s current settings except for the program change transmit
and receive tables, (2) the program change transmit table, and (3)
the program change receive table.
The bulk dump will require only about a second, during which the
letters “bul” will appear in the display. When it is done, the P-100
will return automatically to the previous mode.
Receiving bulk dumps
Dumping the P-100’s memory to an external device for storage would not be very useful, of
course, if you had no way of loading that data back into the P-100. The reloading of stored
data is done by means of a bulk dump executed from the storage device.
To prepare the P-100 to accept a bulk dump, first turn the bulk protect function off using the procedure
described on page 36. Also, the P-100 must be set to receive on the channel that was set as the transmit channel
when the P-100 dumped the data in question. (This is because the P-100 uses its current transmit and receive
channel settings in lieu of a device number when transmitting and receiving bulk dumps.) The procedure for
changing the receive channel setting is described on page 32.
Once you have made these preliminary settings, send data to the P-100 using the external device’s bulk dump
operation. The P-100 will automatically accept the new data.
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