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Old Guy With A DX7
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Kevin Syler
Hello Everyone, I am a 65 yr old Hammond Organ Company Artist. I’ve been playing in bands professionally since 1969. I always had a Hammond and a Fender Rhodes. In the 80s I was finally able to afford a Korg Poly61 synth but it had preprogrammed sounds and I got by doing all the synth songs of the 80s. I now own a DX7|QX7, sustain pedal, volume pedal, 3 proms and 2 cassettes of which I know squat about. I need help learning how to program this nice keyboard. I live in Winchester, southern middle Tennesse about 90 miles south of Nashville. I am not past traveling to someone that would be willing to teach me how to use my DX7. Thanks for any help or advice!!!
-- Kevin Syler |
开云体育I’m about your age and picked up a DX7 new in 1984. It only took me about 10 years to learn how to program that thing and I’m still not especially great at it. The DX7 doesn’t have a cassette port like its younger bro the DX9.? So I’m not real sure what the cassettes are for unless they have some kind of audio instruction.? I’d say check for that then pitch.? Lots of books an manuals online. First thing to remember:? this ain’t an analog synth and doesn’t program, flow, or even think like one.? So yes it’s a mystery. Second thing:? there are MILLIONS of patches available for these things spread all over the internet.? Now sure, that doesn’t really teach you the programming aspects too keenly, but not much else will, either.? Still, you’ll have a mountain of sounds at your fingertips. Third:? These are made for the Golden Age of Midi.? That means you’ll probably wanna get a computer and midi hookup that speaks impeccable DX7.? You’ll need something to transfer data and store all those millions of patches. Good luck.? It’s all out there.? Steep learning curve but good sounds along the way. ? L. ? ? From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kevin Syler
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 2:56 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [YamahaDX] Old Guy With A DX7 ? Hello Everyone, I am a 65 yr old Hammond Organ Company Artist. I’ve been playing in bands professionally since 1969. I always had a Hammond and a Fender Rhodes. In the 80s I was finally able to afford a Korg Poly61 synth but it had preprogrammed sounds and I got by doing all the synth songs of the 80s. I now own a DX7|QX7, sustain pedal, volume pedal, 3 proms and 2 cassettes of which I know squat about. I need help learning how to program this nice keyboard. I live in Winchester, southern middle Tennesse about 90 miles south of Nashville. I am not past traveling to someone that would be willing to teach me how to use my DX7. Thanks for any help or advice!!! |
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I'd suggest downloading Dexed, which emulates a DX7 quite closely, and is free.? That comes with a large set of patches you can open in that or the DX7.
I've tried Dexed on Windows.? I'm not sure what else it can run on. That shows each patch as a set of knobs and switches, broken down into six identical operators, an LFO, and an algorithm selector, which is lets you choose different ways of routing the operators, from a list of 32 options, plus each one specifies which operator can have feedback (there's only ever one with feedback). All the knobs and switches work, so you can edit the patches with it, save them again to the computer, or upload them to the DX7. You'd need a MIDI keyboard/controller, but if you have a MIDI interface for your computer, you can use the DX7 for that - just sent notes to the computer from MIDI Out, rather than listening to the DX7's audio output. You can find Dexed here: the download link is on the right, under "releases". Probably a good way to get started is by searching YouTube for DX7 or FM programming videos.? They tend not to go into much depth, but they can be enough to give you some idea. You can use just about any sysex utility to send patches to the DX7.? Good ones for Windows are MIDI-OX (http://www.midiox.com/) and Bome's SendSX (https://www.bome.com/products/sendsx).? I think SendSX is more user friendly and easier to get started with. |
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Hi all, ?this is Power DX7 from Australia.? If you are looking for in depth DX7 FM synthesis tutorials, feel free to visit my YouTube channel.? ? Cheers Power DX7 On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 9:20 AM AndyHornBlower via <man.of.mystery=[email protected]> wrote: I'd suggest downloading Dexed, which emulates a DX7 quite closely, and is free.? That comes with a large set of patches you can open in that or the DX7. |
开云体育? I’d suggest you do some consulting with Google. I taught myself how to program FM synthesis decades ago on a DX7II-FD, and the principles haven’t changed. Here’s a worthwhile introduction to the topic: Good luck! ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of
Kevin Syler via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 12:56 To: [email protected] Subject: [YamahaDX] Old Guy With A DX7 ? Hello Everyone, I am a 65 yr old Hammond Organ Company Artist. I’ve been playing in bands professionally since 1969. I always had a Hammond and a Fender Rhodes. In the 80s I was finally able to
afford a Korg Poly61 synth but it had preprogrammed sounds and I got by doing all the synth songs of the 80s. I now own a DX7|QX7, sustain pedal, volume pedal, 3 proms and 2 cassettes of which I know squat about. I need help learning how to program this nice
keyboard. I live in Winchester, southern middle Tennesse about 90 miles south of Nashville. I am not past traveling to someone that would be willing to teach me how to use my DX7. Thanks for any help or advice!!! |
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Kevin Syler
Thank to everyone for the great information. The other thing is how to hook the DX to a computer, and, Mac is my preference since I own an iMac and an iPad. I also may purchase a MacBook Air or Pro for this and some other jobs. I also have iConnectMIDI which I’m pretty sure will make the connection since it has USB, midi and lightning connectors. Now to start reading the great stuff you guys sent and getting things going. My main program to load or dial in the the OBX sound Van Halen uses on Jump. One of the bands I play with is doing a Van Halen tribute set in 4 weeks and I would like to use the DX instead of my SK1-73.?
-- Kevin Syler |
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Bruce Wahler
开云体育Hi Kevin,I won't say that you *can't* get an OB-Xa sound on a DX7, but it's definitely a 'walking against the wind' task!? The OB-Xa is an analog subtractive synth, a la Moog Arp, Prophet, etc. EVH used a pair of sawtooth or maybe mid-width pulse waves and some detuning.? One can simulate this with an FM synth, but the end result is far from perfect, IMHO.? It's definitely outside the 'sweet spot' for FM synthesis.? (Think:? snappy basses, realistic brass, and shimmering bells.) The Jump! sound is easy to create on just about any analog or virtual analog poly synth around:? Dave Smith, Roland, Korg, Behringer, Arturia, even a Nord Electro or Stage.? But not so much on a DX7. OTOH, it will still probably be better than an SK1, if that's your only alternative! ________ The general rules for analog waves on an FM synth are: Wave???????? Op1 (Carrier) ??? Op2 (Modulator) Sawtooth???? 1.00x???????????? 1.00x Square?????? 1.00x???????????? 2.00x Wide Pulse?? 1.00x???????????? 3.00x Thin Pulse?? 1.00x???????????? 4.00x or 5.00x Go easy on the amount of the modulation.? A little extra modulation from a third operator at the start of the wave may help to add grit; it should have a very short envelope.? Use an algorithm like #3 or , #4.? Start with the 2nd chain muted, and get a saw wave sound that you are happy with on the first three operators.? Then duplicate that sound on the second three, and use frequency detune to get the proper mix and swirl. One other thing:? FM synthesis tends to be a bit more 'cold' and sterile than analog synths.? Players sometimes complain about a "lack of bottom end."? I often compensate by adding in some sine wave to fill in the bottom, but one can't layer sounds on the DX7, limiting your options.? You might try getting the base sound with just two operators, using something like Algorithm #5 or #6.? Use operators 1-2 and 3-4 for the sawtooth/pulse sound, then turn off operator 6 and mess around with the level of operator 5 (sine) to fatten the bottom end. Good luck!
Regards,
-BW Bruce Wahler Halfmoon-Switch.com? bw@... 978.597.7008 PLEASE NOTE: ?The AshbySolutions.com domain will be closed soon. ?Please use the new (wahler.us) email for all future correspondence. ?Thank you for your understanding. ? ? On 3/24/2021 8:57 AM, Kevin Syler
wrote:
Thank to everyone for the great information. The other thing is how to hook the DX to a computer, and, Mac is my preference since I own an iMac and an iPad. I also may purchase a MacBook Air or Pro for this and some other jobs. I also have iConnectMIDI which I’m pretty sure will make the connection since it has USB, midi and lightning connectors. Now to start reading the great stuff you guys sent and getting things going. My main program to load or dial in the the OBX sound Van Halen uses on Jump. One of the bands I play with is doing a Van Halen tribute set in 4 weeks and I would like to use the DX instead of my SK1-73.? |
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If you can find patch lists for downloadable sound banks, there's one I placed into my bank called Jumpies that sounds right for the stuff EVH used on 1984.
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Also note that the DX7 can be configured so there's nine sine waves, so it'll do useful drawbar simulations. (This was covered in a Keyboard Magazine item some time ago) Sent from my HAL 9000 in transit to Jupiter -----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kevin Syler Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 7:57 AM To: John Williston <john@...>; [email protected] Subject: Re: [YamahaDX] Old Guy With A DX7 Thank to everyone for the great information. The other thing is how to hook the DX to a computer, and, Mac is my preference since I own an iMac and an iPad. I also may purchase a MacBook Air or Pro for this and some other jobs. I also have iConnectMIDI which I’m pretty sure will make the connection since it has USB, midi and lightning connectors. Now to start reading the great stuff you guys sent and getting things going. My main program to load or dial in the the OBX sound Van Halen uses on Jump. One of the bands I play with is doing a Van Halen tribute set in 4 weeks and I would like to use the DX instead of my SK1-73. -- Kevin Syler |
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Nine sine waves from 6 operators? Do tell.
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Bruce Wahler
开云体育I think you need a DX7-II or TX802 to do all 9 waves in a 2-sound layer.? The best that a Gen 1 DX7 can do is six operators in parallel.? And if you want to emulate key click, the best algorithm is #24, which allows Op 6 to modulate Op 3,4,5 -- and only provides five sine outputs.That said, many classic Hammond sounds use 5 or less drawbars. For the OP, though:? I think it's a moot point:? he said he has an SK1-73, which has a far better Hammond simulation than could ever be coaxed out of a DX7!
Regards,
-BW Bruce Wahler Halfmoon-Switch.com? bw@... 978.597.7008 PLEASE NOTE: ?The AshbySolutions.com domain will be closed soon. ?Please use the new (wahler.us) email for all future correspondence. ?Thank you for your understanding. ? ? On 3/25/2021 11:52 AM, Jeremy Bernstein
via groups.io wrote:
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Kevin Syler
Thanks Bruce. I’m still using the half moon switches and some other items I bought from you and they are working flawlessly! Have one more question. I need a laptop to replace my iPad, don’t want to carry around my 21.5” iMac and I do want an Apple product. Would a MacBook Air be a good choice to use with my DX and my Behringer XR18? |
AndyHornBlower
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