BOSS ES-8 Firmware Update Tutorial

[@ManBunMetalHead]

What do you think about the latest ES-8 firmware update?

[@daveskritterkingdom]

IDK Yet, I just got my unit and trying to get it going and connect to my PC. So far your videos on the ES-8 have been great and more helpful than any other ones I've watched. Thanks, Man Bun!

[@waynetoneseekerandersen2213]

A year ago this helped me… I forgot about it… spent 4 hours trying to get me friends laptop to connect to his ES8… then remembered about your video showing the utpsmfj file info. Thanks again

[@waynetoneseekerandersen2213]

Just to let you know, I just purchased the ES-8… I was struggling with the editor and the update…. Your videos were the only ones that contained the subtle steps that were necessary to get it to work. Thankyou very very much.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Always great to hear this video is still helping people 🤘🏼

[@davidmast5979]

yo man bun metalhead. Thank you. wrote back and forth with the good folks at Boss/Roland to no avail. 7 minutes later I am updated and ready to go - and I jumped to 2.05! V very Cool. I'm just a simple bass player who is fed up with fractal and Kemper -- I just want my bass pedals back without tap dancing!! CHEERS!

[@garyhenson9801]

Thanks for the video. Downloaded the ES-8 Editor and other files as instructed. Then I used the UM-ONE mk2 midi cable connected from my computer to the ES-8. Worked exactly as you instructed. Couldn't have done it without you. Thanks again!

[@wilhelmodinson7320]

Version 2.05 now. Update process is the same. Thanks, this vid was a big help!!

[@7777asmith]

Much appreciated - the Boss/Roland site and other instructions I've seen make this look really intricate and difficult, and your video made it simple and fast. So basically what Tanner Kline said three months ago. Thanks!!

[@goryanhavefun]

Thanks so much for your clear and concise videos around the ES-8. You have immensely helped speed the configuration of the ES-8 in terms of editing patches, midi set-up. Thank you for your great work - much appreciated!

[@novacultmusic]

These videos have been INSANELY helpful. Thank you Man Bun, so very much. ES-8 is up and running with an expression pedal controlling multiple parameters across two moogs. It's talking to the RC-300 and the Whammy via MIDI. Each song's scene is patched across 12 banks, 8 effects pedals and buffed which ones needed a lil gain. Thanks man. This has really helped me squeeze every last bit out of this beautiful box.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Damn man, looks like are getting everything you can out of the ES-8. Glad I can help. 🤘

[@patfinn2697]

Thank you for all your ES-8 videos! The manuals are boring and always seem to miss something, but your videos have been great and made what I thought would be painful actually kinda fun.

[@nickschillace3172]

Your ES8 videos have been so damned helpful for me. Thanks for these!

[@leftyshep]

Worked perfectly! Thank you for all! Moving on to editor video next!

[@andrep.y.bourque5452]

I wanted to thank you personally for this video! It took me a while to get all the information together and by chance found your step by step info-video. I had a very successful software update... took less than 2 minutes once i pressed send. Now my computer is connecting properly the the es8 thru the um-one cable. Before the update, i had a connection error message when i tried to use the Librarian on the laptop. 2 birds-one stone ;)

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Glad to help man! Enjoy it!

[@EntropicSpore]

You're the best man. You deserve some money for this. I'm totally new to this and I'm so excited to get this thing going.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Awesome to hear this vid is still helping people out!

[@Liftinus]

Thank you. This was what I needed to get this done! First successful midi venture ever!

[@markc3373]

Just updated my ES-8. Thanks for video

[@Tanner-James]

OH MY GOD. Thank you soooooooooo much for posting this. I was feeling so hopeless with being able to eventually use the es-8 editor and Boss's instructions were far too vague for me as I am often technologically illiterate. Thank you!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

No problem, glad I can help!

[@Tanner-James]

Just curious and no need to answer if you're busy: Do you know if the Es-8 can send patch changes to multiple midi capable pedals? I have a Timeline, Big Sky, Boss SY-300, and an Eventide H9 Max. Can I midi change on all of them using the es-8? I'm particularly curious because I see that the Es-8 only has 2 midi cable slots..

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Absolutely you can. Chain all the pedals with MIDI cables, assign each pedal to its own channel (1-16), and make sure MIDI THRU is on for all those pedals. You can send messages with the ES-8, making sure to match the MIDI channel to the pedal. I do this with 3 pedals, but you should be able to do it with up to 16.

[@Tanner-James]

OH my god! Chaining! Wow I can totally see where I didn't think that was a possibility. Thank you again I have such restored faith in my pedalboard. If you do how to's on other gear that isn't so niche only to a small demographic of musicians I'm sure you will have no trouble getting loads of other subscribers with how intuitively informative you are. Much love.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Thanks! If you have any suggestions of something you'd like to see, let me know.

[@RubenEASalas]

Thank you for the tutorial! I just started to use the Editor. Much easier to modify the loops.

[@adamkrauss303]

Recently bought a used ES8 and in the process of integrating it into a new pedalboard setup. With all its capabilities and I/O’s, I didn’t realize there was no USB. I think it’s most disappointing they didn’t include that originally or in an updated version. This MIDI update procedure seems overly complicated as compared to other devices like my HX Stomp. Just ordered a set of midi cables to give the update a go. From the release history it doesn’t look like there have been many updates over the years.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

I agree, a USB connection would likely make updating the firmware and using the editor much easier.

[@boberios4439]

Thanks Iwas very helpful along with the Boss ES-8 Editor.

[@felipevenrros]

Greate !!! Amazing !!! thankyou for your help

[@JorgeLFajardoG]

My bro very great video.! I just got my usb-midi interface to update my ES-8. I have a question. All the banks and presets that i’ve done before are going to be deleted?? Only to think about it scares me 🤣 . You have gained a new subscriber.!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Thanks man. You shouldn't lose any of your settings when you update. Key word is "shouldn't". I don't know of anybody having any issue, but if you want to be really safe, you could do a bulk data dump. But I have no idea have to do that.

[@alvaro14rc]

Gracias, me sirvio mucho el tutorial !

[@bcjaliu]

many thanks for this sir!

[@Frickelpiet]

Great video! Thanks!

[@wholewheaties]

Thank you! That was soooo helpful!

[@Esp293]

Thank you!!

[@jackglacken9808]

Thank you very much

[@walterstraub2522]

Great video. Thanks for posting!!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Thanks! Get the ES-8 updated!

[@CarbonCopyCartel]

Hey brotha. Great videos just wondering do you have a have a horrible hum from your Boss es8, or has anyone else experienced this? Mine is almost not usable it is so bad I would love for this to work but not going to pay this kind of money for a noisy system

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Thanks! I definitely have noticed some hum in my pedal system, some of it I'm sure is coming from the ES-8. But having 10+ pedals in a system is just asking for ground loop issues. I also notice some noise from interference in my pickups. I get around most of the noise by using a noise gate (Decimator G-String).

[@nicholasparis5281]

hey is that a right angled power plug? mine came with a straight one and it's kinda in the way.. which one are you using? cool video btw.. awesome that there's an editing app now!!!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Nicholas Paris, I power all my pedals off one of two power supplies (not the stock supply), either the Truetone 1 SPOT PRO CS12 or Strymon Ojia. I'm fairly positive it's the Ojia due to the higher current requirement of the ES-8. The supplies come with straight to right angle jumpers for the power, which is what you see of the ES-8. Hope that helps.

[@pinomartelli4060]

Thanks for your video mate but it didn’t work for me, I bought the Roland um -one interface and the hours it took to get the MacBook ready was unbelievable and at the end it was sending but the es8 didn’t receive anything so now I have to find a store to do it for me cause these things might send me to the edge. Cheers

[@ed.t.hansen6499]

IS M -AUDIO the same as your midi mouse on another vdo ?

[@terminusvictor3017]

Great video. I want to update the firmware on my ES-8 from v1.03. Based on what I have read so far, it looks like there's no way to backup all my v1.03 patches I have stored in the ES-8 that can be read with v2.05. Does the firmware update keep all the patches in tact?

[@ManBunMetalHead]

I haven't updated to v2.05 yet, but it looks like after updating you have to go into the Librarian in the ES-8 Editor before completing the reset. This way you can export all your patches, then import them after the ES-8 is reset. I think it's explained in Steps 2-4.

[@scottbowen1811]

Good afternoon sir. I’m using the Roland UM-ONE MkII cable to update. I checked my version which is 1.03, but when I try to put it in update mode as you instruct, mine doesn’t go there. It just goes to the preset stage of whatever bank I was in. Any suggestions for me?

[@nicholasparis5281]

Oh yeah, and did you a midi bulk dump to save your presets before you updated, or did they all come back afterwards just the same?

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Nicholas Paris, I did not. As far as I can tell, all my settings and patches in the ES-8 were saved.

[@nathanadams694]

The Mac firmware update doesn't download UpdSMF. Mac users will also need to download this software separately in order to push the firmware update to the ES8 initially.

[@Papadopolous94]

I’m trying to do this update on a Mac and when I go to add the 002APP.mid files into the UpdSMF they are greyed out and it won’t let me select them. Has anyone has this issue and been able to resolve it?

[@scottbowen1811]

Sir, I’ve downloaded all pertinent items from the Boss site, but cannot get the ES8 to display, “Upd.” I’ve tried the UM-ONE cable’s in/out in each several times and when I power up holding the Exit & Right Arrow buttons, it’s like I’m doing nothing at all. Any suggestions, good sir?

[@paully08]

thanks bro!

[@stevekelley9063]

Hey man great videos I can’t seem to find the link for the download

[@andenahlino]

Have you noticed that there is a slight "delay lag" when switching between presets? But when switching pedals on and off in manual mode, it is smooth and direct.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

andenahlino, YES! For some reason the factory preset is too have a 5 millisecond delay. Fortunately, you can change this by going to "Edit -> Preference -> Patch Chg Time" on the ES-8 and changing it from 5 to 0. The changes will be instantaneous.

[@tomacasa8001]

nailed it ! thanks heaps

[@shopclown]

when I update i get 801 on my ES screen and the update didn't work anyone have any idea whats wrong

[@richierich400]

Good Day, is it possible to update / upgrade the firmware on my BOSS BV9967B car radio?

[@jukup1]

Thanks so much for posting this! Life saver! Can you help me with something? I use the Roland UM-One cable to program the ES-8 from the Editor. This means that I cannot then use the MIDI OUT of the ES-8 at the same time to control my MIDI pedals connected to it. I used a MIDI Y splitting cable to connect the ES-8 MIDI OUT to the UM-One and my MIDI chain, but when I use that the ES-8 says "MIDI Connection Error". Any idea how I can program the ES-8 and use its MIDI OUT at the same time? Thanks!!!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

From my understanding, a simple Y-cable will not work for MIDI. You'll need something that splits the signal (ES-8 MIDI OUT in this case) to two isolated outputs. If you search for "MIDI Splitter" you should be able to find something. Another method to fixing this problem would be to connect the ES-8 out to your pedals, then the MIDI THRU in your last pedal to the UM-One MINI IN. This should create a complete MIDI loop.

[@geirbyre]

Thank you for posting this video! Sadly it did'nt work for me... I've used the same midisport that you have, but no luck. When I press "Send" nothing happends on the ES-8, Upd. And when the update is finished on the pc, the Upd still stand on the ES-8. What do I do wrong? Best regards Geir (Norway)

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Geir Byre, I ran into the exact same issue. What fixed it for me was pressing in the "MIDI Thru | USB/Merge" button. If the button is out it acts as a MIDI Thru device, therefore not actually sending any MIDI info, even if the MIDI Out LED is flashing. If you want to test out the MIDISport settings to verify it is in fact sending out MIDI data, connect MIDISport Out -> MIDISport In and run the update. The Out and In LED's should both be flashing indicating that you are sending and receiving MIDI info. Make sure update is NOT running when you plug the MIDI cable back into the ES-8. Good luck!

[@geirbyre]

Man Bun Metal Head Thanks! Now I have the new update!👍🏻 It was the button. Had to push it in to USB:Merge. Now the software....

[@phillippoole8452]

I see this device is no longer availsble and seems to hard to find. Can you recommend a similar brand/model?

[@ManBunMetalHead]

The Roland UM-One works pretty well - amzn.to/32jidiR

[@phillippoole8452]

@@ManBunMetalHead I actually watched another of your videos and you commented on it so I already bought one. Thanks for the quick response!

[@fabriciocorreia501]

Hi Could you tell me if the BOSS ES8 is compatible with voodoolab gcx guitar switcher! I ask because it is much more practical than the ground control of voodoo to programming

[@ManBunMetalHead]

I'm not familiar with the GCX, but maybe depending on what you're doing with it. It looks like the GCX may be able to control the ES-8 via MIDI, but the ES-8 can NOT control the GCX since it does not have a normal MIDI input.

[@fabriciocorreia501]

I KNOW that is possible with HEX by voodoo lab, gonna try hehe, I bout the es8 anyway...

[@martingoldberg2237]

Unfortunately mine is just feezing out. I have a direct usb/midi cable I'm using. When I run the UPDSMFJ it starts sending 001UPD.mid and the ES-8 display changes from UPD to ---. (three dashes with a dot to the far right) but then just sits there. The Sending... windows stays stuck at 1%. Not sure what to do and I can't power off the ES8 now for fear of bricking it.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

That is frustrating. Sounds like there's an issue with the computer sending the MIDI message. Not sure if it matters, but if there is anything connected to the MIDI OUT of the ES-8, I would disconnect that. If nothing changes and you're still stuck at 1% on the computer, I would probably hit cancel, but it's not my ES-8. Not sure what else you could do. Hopefully it's not bricked. Good luck.

[@martingoldberg2237]

Tried both of those already, neither worked. Still just sitting there. Wonder if it's the cheap all in one cable I got. I have an M-Audio breakout box with midi in it, I might just try and pick up some regular midi cables and do it through there. It's not bricked luckily, took the leap and detached and reattached the power to the ES-8 and get the normal startup screen. Thanks anyways.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

That's good to hear. Try running the update without connecting to the ES-8. My guess is the same thing will happen, but at least you know it's something to do with the computer/MIDI setup and not the ES-8

[@martingoldberg2237]

Tried routing it to the M-audio with nothing connected to the m-audio midi ports. The software went through the full send with no issues. So it's got to be the cheap russian all in one midi usb cable I got off reverb. I'll have to pick up some normal midi cables for the m-audio then.

[@sdfxse9267]

Do you guys have problem about volume drop this is the most terrible thing I met please someone tell me how to fix this problem

[@carlosgulotta]

excuse me, is the same to do it with Mac? could i use a simply cable with an mbox2 midi

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Carlos Gulotta, for sure. They have a separate install file for Mac. The Mbox2 should work just fine.

[@TheRam86]

thanks for the video! but I cant seem to update my ES-8! please help! it doesnt show the count from 0 - 100% when I send the midi message.

[@ManBunMetalHead]

More than likely your midi device isn't outputting to the ES-8.

[@TheRam86]

Man Bun Metal Head I see. so the solution is to get a better USB midi interface? I'm slightly hesitant for fear the new one will not work as well. thanks again for your swift reply!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Your MIDI interface is probably fine. You just need to make sure it is sending the MIDI correctly. I had an issue the first time I tried updating. If your interface has LED's to indicate if it's sending messages (MIDI OUT) or receiving messages (MIDI IN) it should be easy to troubleshoot. Connect the MIDI OUT of your interface to MIDI IN, then proceed with sending the update. If you see flashing LED's on both MIDI OUT and MIDI IN then you're good. If you only see it on MIDI OUT then there must be a problem. If you don't have LED's on your interface, there should be a way to monitor it with a simple DAW interface on your computer.

[@TheRam86]

the interface is showing that it's transmitting but still getting the "___." on the ES-8 display very frustrating this situation has become.

[@occasionalcrunch]

@@TheRam86 Did you ever figure this one out? It is the same in my case nothing is happening on a switcher during update. Thanks

[@jerryjohnson2270]

I would like to see this with a mac

[@ManBunMetalHead]

That would probably more comedic than helpful I'm sure.

[@jerryjohnson2270]

I actually followed the setup for firmware update from Boss site for the ES-8 for the Mac OS they tell you the first thing to do (1) is put midi out "um-one" to midi in of ES-8. I called Boss and they Knew that was wrong directions and laughed and said to do Midi IN to ES-8* Midi IN, I wasted a hour trying to figure what the heck the ES-8 UPD wouldnt update ..that was comedic

[@HomeglowMalta]

WOuld I lose my presets if i update?

[@ManBunMetalHead]

Marianne Refalo, no, you should not

[@HomeglowMalta]

Thanks man great tutorial!

[@peterokimoto7338]

Thank you!

[@ManBunMetalHead]

No problem man, glad I could help!

[@davewalls2160]

Do you have the link to download UpdSMF for windows?