Issue sending SYSEX files to AR MkII

[punkte]

Hi everybody,

I’ve been visiting the forum for a while and have always found answers to any questions I had but I just created an account today because I need some help with something that I can’t find any solution for.

I need help sending SYSEX files with Sounds, Patterns or Projects to the ARII with the Transfer app.

• Just installed Transfer 1.4.0.1
• AR firmware just updated to 1.61B
• My computer is on Big Sur 11.6.1
• I have USB MIDI selected in the USB CONFIG in the AR
• I’m selecting SYSEX DUMP / SYSEX RECEIVE in the AR. I’ve tried the +DRIVE SOUND option when trying to transfer sounds, the PATTERN option for patterns and even tried the ANYTHING option. For sysex files with projects I wasn’t selecting any of the above though as there are no options in the AR to receive a project sysex

After firing up Transfer and connecting to the ARII, when I drop any sysex file in the Drop tab, I get the SysEx Transfer page for OS files and when I click send, the app says the transfer is complete, but the AR doesn’t receive anything.

Am I doing something wrong? Any ideas how I can sort this out?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

[SierraOskar]

This sounds similar to this issue that I had: Bongo / conga sounds on Rytm MKII - #9 by SierraOskar

Cannot transfer .SYX files to RYTM MK1

I don’t know if it helps but I had issues installing packs with Transfer - they would go across but projects and sounds would not be created. After speaking to Support, they mentioned there is an issue with Transfer and that I should try C6 to send the sysex. It worked for me, so though it might be worth trying.

[punkte]

Thanks @SierraOskar. Unfortunately C6 is not an option for me because I’m on Big Sur. But I’ll reach out to support as well and see if they have any other suggestions.

[SierraOskar]

You can try snoize: SysEx Librarian … I actually think that might be what I used, rather than C6. It was a while back, so my memory is a bit foggy

[punkte]

Ah, yes. Good point. I’m so obsessed with making this work with the Transfer app that I’ve been totally blind to other options like this.

Will wait to hear back from support and if all else fails, I’ll give SysEx Librarian a try.

Thanks again, @SierraOskar. Much appreciated.

[simonlubie]

did you have any luck? I am in literally exactly the same situation with my ARIIand am having no luck at all. even with SysEx Librarian it seems to not want to work.

[punkte]

Hi @simonlubie

I haven’t had any luck transferring sysex files with sounds, patterns or projects using the Transfer app. Support replied to me yesterday and said that it should be OK to load sysex files with sounds or projects through the OS Transfer page. But every time I try to send a sysex with sounds, I get this after clicking Send:

But the ARII does not receive anything…

The good news is that I downloaded SyxEx Librarian as @SierraOskar suggested and I was immediately able to load all the sysex files I had without any issues. It worked like a charm on the first try.

The only thing I would suggest is… Make sure you’re connected to the AR with a USB cable (not MIDI cable) and go to SYSTEM / USB CONFIG, and have USB MIDI selected on your ARII. Then in SysEx Librarian, make sure you select your Elektron machine from the drop-down at the top. Do not leave the “Act as source for other programs” option selected. Then drop the sysex file you want to transfer in the SysEx Librarian window, select it and press PLAY and it should start the transfer. The screen in the AR will display a message indicating that it’s receiving data.

Good luck, man. If there’s anything else I can do to help, let me know.

[punkte]

BTW, thanks a million for the suggestion, @SierraOskar. SysEx Librarian saved my bacon.

[LyingDalai]

@punkte

Make sure you’re connected to the AR with a USB cable (not MIDI cable)

This, and also make sure you properly configured midi ports in+out in USB only, not midi+usb. It speeds up the transfer.

And @punkte, make sure you now backup everything with Transfer app to make next upload easier

[simonlubie]

thanks, I’ll try that tonight.

have you used any sound packs that also involve samples? if so, did you load the samples via Transfer and the SysEx file through SysEx Librarian? or both through SysEx Librarian?

[punkte]

Thanks for the reminder, @LyingDalai.

Backing up all my projects with the new Transfer functionality was the first thing I did as soon as I installed the latest version. Fortunately, I have no complaints about that as it worked perfectly and it’s so much more convenient than sysex dumps. That’s why I wanted to load old projects I had as sysex files into the AR, so I could now back them up as arprj.

[punkte]

@simonlubie, so far I’ve only loaded old projects with samples that I had and it worked fine. First I dragged and dropped the samples from my computer to the AR in the Explore tab of Transfer. Make sure you have “Samples” selected in the drop-down on the top right window. Then I transferred the sysex file for the project with SysEx Librarian and as far as I can tell, it worked a treat.

I don’t think I have any sound packs that include sysex files AND samples, but I’ll have a look and let you know what happened if I manage to test it.

And as @LyingDalai mentioned earlier, if you manage to load those sysex files, back up all your projects and Sounds with Transfer. It’s so convenient and much quicker than sysex dumps. Just select Projects or Sounds from the drop-down on the top right in Transfer, select your projects or sounds and drag them over to to your computer. That will create .arprj files for projects or .arsnd files for sounds and save them in the folder of your hard drive. The project files will already include any samples used in them and you will get the option to copy them back to the AR if you got rid of them to make space for other stuff. Restoring the projects and sounds to the AR is just as easy as dragging them back to the Projects or Sounds sections of the AR in Transfer.

[SierraOskar]

Glad you got it working and happy to help!

[simonlubie]

Thanks for your help. I used my wife’s MacBook Air (running Catalina). Used Transfer for samples and SysEx Librarian for the SysEx files and it seemed to work. As far as I can tell, I followed the exact same process as I did on my own MacBook Pro (Big Sur), which didn’t work properly. Not sure why it worked on one computer and not the other.

[sensor108]

Hi there!
I’m glad that I found this thread.
However, I still can’t manage to transfer SysEx Files to my AR MK2.
I have the following setup:
MacOSX Catalina 10.15.7
Transfer 1.4.0.1

On the AR:
AR MK2 OS 1.61B (with a strange F)
System->USB Config->USB MIDI (Check)
MIDI->Port Config->Input from/Output to -> USB
SYSEX DUMP->SYSEX RECIEVE->+Drive Sounds->Bank B selected for recieving data

I tried Transfer and SysEx Librarian. Still, no Luck.

Does anybody still face this?

Thanks in advance!

[Princevoyage]

Hey, glad I found this thread as I’m having the exact same issue with my AR MKII. Sending and receiving projects & samples all work totally fine. But sending SYSEX files is a no go. I’ve tried everything, with no results. I’m running Windows and don’t want to use my work Macbook in my current system, next to that it would be nuts that it is not possible to send SYSEX when you’re on Windows. Honestly I’m also a bit annoyed by Elektron, having these long running issues with expensive gear like this. I’m gonna send a message to support and see if they can help me. But if anyone has found a solution already for Windows, I’m all ears.