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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

762.0. "Grey Matter E! Upgrade for Yamaha DX7 FM Synths" by TALLIS::BARTH () Thu Apr 16 1987 16:32

    	Have any of you DX7 owners out there installed the E! expansion
    board?  Anyone had any first-hand experience with it?
    	I have heard and read about this unit in Keyboard.  Apparantly,
    now with the DX7-II-FD-Version5-Rev6-or-whatever-it-is this company
    (Called "Grey Matter Response", I think) came out with an update
    to the original board, to give the original DX's a change at rivaling
    the the new ones.
    	Anyone that has no idea what this is :  basically, the board
    enhances the "usefulness" of the DX7 by expanding memory to 256
    patches on board (or 300 or some number > what I'm used to!), allows
    storing function data with each patch, and storing volume data for
    each patch (similar to a VCA level control) so when I switch from
    Flute I to Syn. Brass in the middle of a song I won't blow the PA
    up! 
    	These are the features I'm pretty sure of.  Any others?

    Anyone know who in the area stocks them?  The only Yamaha dealer
    around Worcester is Kurlan, and they haven't even heard of it!!
    (Which doesn't surprise me!)
    
    		Ron    
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762.1LaSalle in Boston...PIXEL::COHENRichard CohenFri Apr 17 1987 13:305
    I believe that LaSalle Music carries them. The E! board also does
    the microtonal tunings.
    
    	- Rick
    
762.2Re!view.THUNDR::BAILEYSteph BaileyWed Jul 22 1987 22:58165
    I got my DX7 E!quipped last week, and it is great.  $313 from Kurlan,
    installed.
    
    	The absolute BEST thing about this upgrade is (in my humble
    		opinion, of course).
    
    	VELOCITY!
    		Per patch:
    			Six different curves--Two linear (one is just like the
    			old one) and four exponential.
    
                        Lower and upper velocity limits.
    
    			Both of the above parameters have separate
    			instantiations for MIDI and internal data. 
    			So you can have one curve going out the MIDI
    			port and another one going to the internals.
    
    		Velocity values range from 1-127, and further more,
    	the resolution is improved over the old DX.  With one half hour
    	of banging, I could only get 14 different values out of my old
    	DX and the best was 109.  I saw 6 consecutive numbers and a 126
        come of of the E! in almost no time at all.  Really sounds great.
        Makes this sucker a real controller!!!

    This is worth the price alone, but there is a huge hodge podge of
    	other features included, as well.
    
    The manual is lousy, and full of typos.  But most of the information
    	is in there somewhere.
    
    The system itself, despite its complexity, is fairly easy to get
    around.  I think that THIS is what a synth interface should be like.
    
    
    The following things are done to the DX's ``internal'' (non-MIDI,
    non-keyboard)
    workings:
    
    	320 Ram patches.
   
     	256 Rom patches.  (You blast it yourself (ROM not included))
    
    	Separate function settings for each patch, and one more global
    		one which can over-ride the others.
    
    	- The (non-MIDI) function information now includes:
    	   	Volume (0-7)
    		Random detune.  (0-4) Detunes each voice a random amount,
    			The maximum amount is specified by this control.
                Timbre control.  (0-63 Scales down the output levels of all
    			modifier oscillators.  63 is ``as programmed''
        	Controller sensitivites are now 0-15 instead of 0-99.
    
    	Two different ROM/RAM cartridge formats, Yamaha, and Grey Matter
    		Response (GMR).  GMR format holds function data per-voice,
    		or Scale tunings.  Yamaha is what we all know and love.
    
    	Micro tuneable scales.  16 of these can be stored, but only
    		if you sacrifice 64 patches worth of RAM.  Even if you
    		don't sac. this RAM, you can still experiment with the
    		tuning, you just can't save the result.  Resolution
    		is 1200/4096=.29297 cents.  There are several ways to
    		specify a scaling.
        
    	Other stuff which they call ``physical'' controls.  There
    		are 16 memories for settings of physical characteristics.
    		Some of this stuff should really fall under ``function.''
    		but the must have run out of memory.
    
        Master tuning with a numeric read out.  Reads +-63.
    	
    	Local filtering of all performance controls (including patch
    		changes).
    	
    	2 voice stacking. Can sound really great when used in parallel with random
    		detune (Two voices playing per note, with each one detuned
    		a random amount).
    	
    	Programmable controller assignment.  The data entry slider,
    		mod wheel, foot control, and breath control can be assigned
    		to an arbitrary controller function.  Too bad they didn't
    		include key-pressure in this list!!!

    	Portamento pedal can be programmed to advance through the MIDI
    		patch map (described below)
    
    	LED brighness. (0-4)  ``To save power'' (good grief!).
    
    MIDI features:
    	Function (per voice) MIDI stuff:
    		MIDI volume.
    		
    		Two program change messages.  One to go out of the patch's
    		main channel, and one to go out on a globally specified
    		``auxilliary channel''.
    
    		Transpose +-63 notes.
    
    		Splits.  This stuff is wierd.  You may specify limits
    		(lower and upper) for notes to go to the MIDI port,
    		and to go to the internal voices.  In addition, there
    		are several modes that affect how the note data gets
    		split up:
    		
    			Rolling:  Every other note (within the appropriate
    				range) goes out the MIDI port, and the
    				others to to the internals.  This
    				is to make a 32 note DX7.  Useless,
    				in my opinion.
    
    			Track High:  The highest note currently being
    				played goes out the MIDI port.  All
    				notes go to the internals.  This can
    				be pretty neat.
    
    			Floating Split:  Computes the split point
    				as a fixed interval (specifable, but
    				not per patch) below the highest note
    				being played.  The low notes go
    				out to MIDI and the upper notes go to
    				the internals.  You really have to
    				plan in order to make use of this.
    				I don't like it much.
    
    		Output channel.  Yay.  Per voice!
    
        Now the non per/voice MIDI stuff:
    		A global IN channel and Auxilliary channel.
    		
    		Merging of MIDI in data with MIDI out.  You can
    			specify what types of data you would like
    			to pass.
    
    		Guitar mode.  Copes with non-equal numbers of
    			note-ons and note offs.
    		
    		Enable/disable of active sensing and resets.
    		
    		Patch map.  Map any incomming MIDI patch change number
    			to any DX7 patch.  Also you can step through
    			this map with a push of the portamento pedal,
    			if this feature is enabled.
    
    		Filtering of any type of controller message on input
    			and output.  Also, controllers which
    			are remapped as mentioned above are remapped
    			for MIDI purposes, too.
    
    		Velocity shift of MIDI input.
    
    		Omni and Mono modes.
    
       		Sequencer control.  Start, Stop, Continue.  Also provides a
    			read out of current MIDI song position, and/or Midi
    			Time code position.  The dot on the LED flashes with
    			each beat (24 MIDI clock pulses).
    

    
    I can bring it to the JAM if anyone is interesting in playing with
    it.
    
    Steph
    
762.3Set term/page=1/width=9THUNDR::BAILEYSteph BaileyThu Jul 23 1987 19:595
    Oh yes, and one other novel thing:  The characters in a DX7 patch
    	name are full ASCII, and the E! allows you to enter the full
    	range of characters, INCLUDING CONTROL CHARACTERS!
    
    I'm going to throw my VT220 away start using my DX.
762.4New Grey Matter boardHEART::MACHINThu May 12 1988 08:355
    Seen the new E! Engine in Music Technology? Gives your DX7II/S 8
    voice multitmbrality, 16 track sequemcer and loads more for 399
    pounds.
    
    Richard.