New EFTP Updates Available...

[David Martin]

I spent a day with Charlie last week whilst he made the finishing touches to these, and they are now available as below (from his site)...

To all EFTP customers who have their Q2 originally programmed by me with 100 or 175 programs, the proposed update announced by me earlier this year is now ready. There will be no charge for the update, as a way of thanking existing owners of genuine EFTP programs for their faith and trust in EFTP and myself. Owners of these Q2 units must apply for the update and supply the serial number by email to charliehallATntlworld.com (replacing AT with @), and if possible, please state whether or not you are the customer who had the programs originally installed by EFTP, to save me time with checking records.

An equivalent update for the 175 Q20 programs will follow shortly.

This Q2 update has been made available because of programs I wrote for the Magicstomp, and after later realising that in some ways they sounded better than some of the equivalent older Q2 and Q20 100 or 175 programs, I decided that because in my view the Q2 and Q20 are still the best units for EFTP echoes, that I should at least try make them sound as good or better than the Magicstomp echoes. I think I have succeeded in making them sound better than the Magicstomp echoes.

There are 23 new program patches to replace all the Echomatic 1 and Echomatic 2 programs, except for the 3/4 and 1/2 speed programs 0-08 and 0-09.

The files will be sent by email to customers to self install the update which will only overwrite the old programs with the new ones.

I will require the serial number of the Q2 in every case, to make sure that I send the correct files, and also to determine the authenticity of the EFTP programmed Q2. If a unit does not have a serial number I will require the name of the person who had it programmed originally by EFTP and a clear photo of the unit showing all of its EFTP security seals and another clear photo showing the view of the whole underside and rear panel in the same photo to show the rear security seal and so that I can see the original location of its serial number. Clear photos will be accepted as jpg files, as an attachment to an email.

I will not be notifying customers of the update other than by this announcement, mainly because many units have changed hands without my knowledge and I simply do not have time to inform hundreds of customers individually.

Current owners of a genuine EFTP programmed Q2 will also be entitled to the free update.

Persons known to have, or suspected of having, given programs free to others, or re-programmed units without permission, will not be entitled to the free update.

The update will be supplied only to those who apply for them, and only to those who agree to not allow others the use of any free EFTP programs or supply pirated EFTP programmed units. Application and acceptance of the free update will be confirmation that this condition is understood and agreed to regardless of whether that is actually the case or not.

There will be no need for units to be sent back to me for re-programming except in the case of the original unchanged programs becoming lost. All unchanged programs will not be overwritten by these new files.

A windows computer and a MIDI cable connected to the Q2 from the computer are required to install the updated files data, via a suitable USB to MIDI interface or the older style MIDI adaptor with MIDI cables that connects to the gameport of a MIDI compatible sound card. Not all USB to MIDI adaptors are suitable.
I used to recommend the discontinued Edirol UM-1EX model, usually supplied with built in MIDI cables, but now replaced by the Cakewalk UM-1G, which as far as I understand does not come with MIDI cables, in which case one MIDI cable would also be required.

There are also pdf files that open in Adobe Acrobat Reader for printing an updated instruction page 3 and programs list (for 100 or 175 programs as applicable), as well as changes to the hits list and CD/backing track lists showing different program numbers for some tunes. A pdf file of instructions to install the updated programs is also included.

Details of the changes to Echomatic 2 programs 0-00 to 0-07, 0-10, 0-11, 0-12, and 0-13:

More drive to the effects blocks to make the echoes distort a little more easily.
Changes to the echo EQ and feedback EQ for more enhanced midrange echo tone making the echo sound warmer and clearer at the same time.
An extra flanger section to simulate much more accurately the pitch variations that occured with the Echomatic 2 drum echo. Extra modifications to the flanger pitch variations to better simulate the effects of the irregular drive wheel mechanisms.
Removal of the flutter effect, which was not really fast enough.

Details of changes to the Echomatic 1 programs 0-16 to 0-24, in addition there are 2 new Echomatic 1 programs called GONZALES AND FBI to replace the MIDNIGHT and BIG BOY patches:

More drive to the effects blocks to make the echoes distort a little more easily.
Changes to the echo EQ and feedback EQ for more enhanced midrange echo tone making the echo sound warmer and clearer at the same time.
An extra flanger section to simulate much more accurately the pitch variations that occured with the Echomatic 1 drum echo.
Extra modifications to the flanger pitch variations to better simulate the effects of the irregular drive wheel mechanisms.
Removal of added reverb. The priority with these updated programs was to duplicate the sound of Hank's first Meazzi as accurately as possible and reverb had to go to make room for the improvements.

Please be patient for updated files to arrive as I am expecting to be very busy with this update process.

I hope that owners who are entitled to the free updates will enjoy the new sounds even more.

These updates will not be suitable for a separate install without the full set of programs (100 or 175) being installed first. The updates will not be available, and are not suitable for, separate purchase. The original 100 or 175 programs are no longer available. The current new full set is available as a set of 79 programs, which are based on the most useful of the original 175 programs set.

There are no updates available for the current 79 patch set because these new updates are largely based on some of the sounds in the 79 patch set.

Regards,
Charlie

[Amanda]

Hi David,

Sounds interesting, I shall await my Q20 updates with anticipation.

One person I know who knows Charlie well reckons he ought to have got a
doctorate for all the research he did into the original echo sounds.

Just think he could be the first "Doctor of Marvin"!!

Amanda

[AlanMcKillop]

You'll love them.

[David Martin]

They are, indeed, exceptional. Very, very Meazzi!

[Amanda]

I've got a set of Charlie's "install them yourself" Q2 patches on my Q2,
very good they are too!

Speaking of Meazzis I've posted before and after pictures of Justin's
Meazzi on my Meazzi site!

Amanda

[Stratpicker]

Amanda, shouldnt that be -
Youre never Alone Alone Alone Alone Alone with a Meazzi ??
cheers
Ian

[ecca]

tee hee hee hee hee

[Amanda]

Oh No!Oh No!Oh No!Oh No!Oh No!

More SillinessMore SillinessMore SillinessMore SillinessMore Silliness

[Amanda]

Hi,

Back to being serious, I've just had a Christmas present off Charlie

The updated Q20 EFTP patches

Now the bad news:

I'm off to my Sister's for dinner with Mom and won't be able to load them until I
get back

Thank's Charlie.

Amanda