[net.music.synth] tx7

jimb@teklds.UUCP (James Binkley) (10/06/85)

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Regarding the tx7,

I have been working on a patch editor for the tx7 and just
got it going (crawling) last night. I do not have a dx7.
It is true that it would help with the tx7 to have a dx,
but it is not strictly necessary. A computer will do nicely.
One can upload the download the tx7, all voices, all functions,
edit voice only, edit function only, and change voice params
via MIDI. You can also play it via some other synth.
You cannot do voice programming with another synth of course.
I have a sixtrak which does not have velocity but it serves
for keyboard control. 

Anyway if you are trying to do some computer style programming you might note
the following:

1. it does not accept a noteoff message, "noteoff" requires
noteon with a velocity of 0. This is common enough. Sequential
synths work that way.

2. The yamaha documentation doesn't mention the checksum method.
At least I haven't found it. However a dx7 midi tech sheet says
'2's complement'. The tx matches.

3. The parameter change command does not effect notes currently on.
I.e.
	noteon
	voice param change
---> nothing happens
	noteoff
	noteon
---> NOW it happens.

This seems to basically reflect the "change a setting and dink
a key school of patch programming". 

I understand that the modular tx8xx (power supply + 2-8 modules) does
have interactive param changes? Is this right?

The sixtrak has interactive param changes although I noted that
if you set a value to zero, you can't come back. 

4. I noted that issuing a program change MIDI message to the tx 
results in it dumping it's paired function setting just in case
you are a dx7. Since I wasn't a dx7, a program change message is now
closely followed by  MIDI input reads to clear the function message.

I have not yet tried to fathom the wonderful world of "functions/performances".
If anyone would care to enlighten me as to why the tx has
	64 functions with each "performance" having two choices
		voice A and voice B

please do so? Did I get that right? I do know that the first 32 are
for the tx and the next 32 are meant for the dx7 which we all have
since the tx is an expander... This would seem to count up to
128 functions in all. The problem is that I don't understand "voice A"
and "voice B". Now if I had a dx7 :-) (I wouldn't have bought a tx7
due to cash outlay).

				Jim Binkley
				tektronix!dadla!jrb
				dadla!jrb@tektronix