ALESIS SR-16 won't save patterns

Videos manuals, or do you think you have a fault with it?

https://www.google.com/search?q=alesis+sr-16+setting+patterns

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If I remember the SR16 correctly, the answer is sadly, no. The SR16 will let you assemble a series of patterns into a song like order, but it won't link them. You'd have to change patterns when needed.

Power up while holding play-erase. BUT...when performing a re-initialization, this will erase all existing patterns, songs, and drum assignments. This will not erase the factory preset patterns or kits.

http://community.alesis.com/alesis/topics/sr-16-factory-default-reset-question

5.4J Copy a Song to Another SR-16 Via MIDI
The SR-16 can send Song system exclusive information to another SR-16 via MIDI. If you have only one SR-16, you can skip this section.
1. The source SR-16 should be in Song mode and stopped. Connect the source SR-16 MIDI out to the destination SR-16 MIDI in.
2. Select the Song to be copied.
3. Press and hold the COPY button, and keep holding it down until step (5). The display says COPY TO SONG.
4. Do not enter any destination Song number-just press PLAY to send the data out over MIDI. It will end up in whatever Song number had been selected at the receiver. If the Song was not empty, the new Song steps will be appended to the existing Song steps.
5. Release the COPY and PLAY buttons.
Caution: This does not transfer Pattern information, only the song steps. To transfer Patterns to another SR-16, see section 3.3D and 3.3E.


Hopefully this helps, it comes out of the SR16 Manual, page 40 I think
Cheers Pete

go to the ballad #4 setting you will find a 3/4 beat in a 12 beat time.
This is a preset pattern

Audacity is an audio editor that will allow you to do that. It's a free download

Likely the memory backup battery is exhausted. Replace it.

The only other options is to dump data to external recorder and reload as needed.

go in and create your own pattern, set the time signature to 6 beats per measure

As I read the manual, the tempo is saved with the SONG.

Starting and stopping rhythm SHOULD always start at the begining of the song. This is on page 20 of your manual. The manual is available online if you don't have one.