Original Dx7 Sysex Patches
Hi Guys, I bought a DX7 for the first time last week after nearly 30 years of ignoring them entirely. I do own an FB01 which I've had from new in 1987, but it never impressed me much. I think for the first time, I now realise how utterly powerful and capable even an original Mk1 DX7 really is. I have to say that the factory patch banks, which were the first things I loaded into it were to be blunt, very disappointing.
It didn't sound that much better than my old 4 op FB01. I thought, what's the big deal with this then??.
Then I downloaded SynLib for YAMAHA DX7-TX7-TX816 from. Comes with a HUGE library of pre programmed patches. Loaded up some of the sounds, including replications of the PPG and couple of other interesting looking patches. Absolutely Blown Away!!!! This synth is a total power house of cool sounds.
I keep seeing people asking how to re-load the factory patches. Would be my question. IMHO those factory patches were what killed off the DX synths in favour of those horrible Roland D50's etc etc. Also IMHO those factory patches are absolutely and utterly retarded! Don't know what you guys think about this?
Original DX7 factory patches; Cool or Retarded??? I now KNOW for certain that the synth is totally cool. Even if the output is a little bit noisy.
Really needs a compressor / gate on it. Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear).
Julian, though I never owned a MkI DX7 I can safely say that most of the factory patches were not any better than so-so based on all the ones I've heard and tried at dealers, etc., that even holds true for the DX7II series as well (which I do own). Third party programmers like Sound Source Unlimited and some others did some awesome patches for the DX7II series. Part of the reason that often factory patches aren't what they could be is that the patch programmers for manufacturers don't get one until there are enough beta test versionsynths available for them to have one to work with, by the time that happens, production deadlines are looming closely and the patch programmers have a short, finite time to come up with the factory patches. Most third party patch programmers have much more time to work out new concepts/patches and how to make the best use out of that particular synthesis method. And some patches end up moving from model to model sounding better all the time, Manny Fernandez (who later came to fame at SSU) did a D50 emulation for the DX7II series that was available as a patch data sheet (believe it was called Digital Dancer) in the old Yamaha Aftertouch magazine, I later moved it to my SY77 and using the better capabilities of the SY it was even better than Manny's original version for the DX7II (at least I thought it was). Factory patches for many synths often only show the very least of what a synth is actually capable of doing.
Factory patches for many synths often only show the very least of what a synth is actually capable of doing. That is so true Clyde. I own a Novation Supernova 2 rack, as well and that's stocked to the gills with factory patches that are just So-So, when it's capable of so much more creativity. Personally I think it has a lot to do with spending time with the particular machines and learning what they do and how they do it, in depth, at least until it becomes intuitive, and you just start to feel what it's doing and how to make it go where you want it to go. The DX is certainly not a synth for instant gratification (which usually only ends up sounding the same as everybody else anyway) It's clearly a synth that needs time and effort to dig into. But the rewards of that seem to be huge! Lets be honest, the interface stinks, but what's hidden behind it is pure gold.
To illustrate that, one of my favourite demo's of it is: Really creative stuff. In case anybody hasn't seen them this guys other demo's are located at: Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear). I have loaded That synth editor You link to and can not get it to 'talk' to my DX7s. I do have problems regarding the ram, but with cartridge I can load the sounds from cartridge to ram, however I get 'time out' error when loading and sending to the software. Does not respond to the programmer interface either.but the little dot shows up on my DX7s.
I have checked it's channel 1 on my DX7s and the computer. I can get sound from the DX7s, when the prog number in the midi menu in the software comes above 64. All numbers beneath gives no sound?? Am I doing anything wrong or is it hardware trouble? Miks is currently helping me with some faulthy components. Anyway I love my DX7s have the trouble I can live with. I allways wanted to own one and for 80 pounds I think it was a bargin and I still think it is.
JeEA wrote:Am I doing anything wrong or is it hardware trouble? Miks is currently helping me with some faulthy components.
I only have the original Mk1 Jens, So i'm not sure of the exact button sequence to set it up on the updated 7S version. But it shouldn't have any trouble receiving and understanding the the Sysex.
I suspect that there's another setting somewhere on the DX7s that you've missed. No too sure about sending stuff from the DX7 to the software, because I haven't tried that yet. I might give it go later tonight but to send a bank of patches from the software to the DX7: The procedure on the Mk1 is: 1) press 'Memory Protect Internal' and set it to 'OFF' with the + - keys. 2) press 'Function' then '8' and make sure it reads 'MIDI In=1' 3) then press '8' again and make sure it's set to 'SYS INFO AVAIL' 4) Send the Bank and make sure the display reads 'MIDI RECEIVED' Press 'Memory Select Internal' and select the first patch and it should be there.
Check your manual for any differences in that procedure and you should be good to go! If you're still having trouble then come back and we can try a few more things! Let me know how you get on with it. I'll give sending from the DX to the software a go later on and let you know what happens. Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear). OK Jens, I gave it a go.
Transmitting a Bank from the DX to the Software. First of all I also got the Timeout error. Then I figured it out.
Original Dx7 Sysex Patches Free
It's just that it doesn't give you a lot of time to send the data dump from the DX. 1) You need to find the parameter in the DX7s that says something similar to: 'MIDI TRANSMIT' on the Mk1 DX7 it's press 'FUNCTION' then '8' '8' then set 'SYS INFO AVAIL' using the yes key then pressing '8' again, the screen will say 'MIDI TRANSMIT' leave the DX set to that screen. 2) At the top of the first of the eight banks shown in the software right click on 'bank1.' Select 'Get Bank From Midi' from the drop down menu. 3) Within less than one second of pressing 'Get Bank From Midi' you have to hit the 'YES' button on the DX7 and it will then transmit the current bank to the software.
All the names from the bank should appear in the first bank on the computer screen. It doesn't give you much time to start sending the data (less than a second). If it doesn't work the first time you try it you might find you need to just try it again. As for the editor problem. I'm going to try that tomorrow for you. See if I can figure it out. I'm not sure that it's a real time editor in this software.
I get the impression that you make the changes you want and then transmit the bank back to the DX. It's a pitty he never wrote a manual for this. Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear). OK Jens, I've now had a go at the editor as well. That's working too.
What you need to do is complete a successful bank dump to the computer first. (as above) because you need to get them in sync with each other before you start editing. 1) First of all press the midi button on the left hand side of the main screen in the software. 2) Make sure that the correct MIDI ports are selected for your interface, and make sure that the 'AUTO DUMP' light is lit. Now close that screen and go back to the main screen. 3) Complete a bank dump from the DX7.
As detailed above. 4) Select the voice you want to edit from 'bank1.'
Shown on screen. If you did the bank dump correctly you should be able to see the names of all 32 voices in the bank at the top half of the software screen. To select the voice, you just highlight it by clicking on it. It will change colour to blue background. 5) The name of the voice you selected will also appear in the small window on the bar below the list of voices. 6) Right click on that voice name in the small window and the editor will open. You should now see the same name appear on the screen of the synth, as it now has the voice you are editing in the edit buffer, and all the parameters should now be identical on the computer and on the DX7.
Every time you alter something in the editor, it will update the sound that is in the DX7's edit buffer. And you can play the changed sound on the keyboard. 7)when you've finished editing, remember to save the sound in the DX7 just the way you would if you were editing directly on the synth. Looks like I wrote his manual for him tonight. LOL Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear). FozzyTheBear wrote:Hi Guys, I bought a DX7 for the first time last week after nearly 30 years of ignoring them entirely.
I do own an FB01 which I've had from new in 1987, but it never impressed me much. I think for the first time, I now realise how utterly powerful and capable even an original Mk1 DX7 really is. I have to say that the factory patch banks, which were the first things I loaded into it were to be blunt, very disappointing. It didn't sound that much better than my old 4 op FB01.
I thought, what's the big deal with this then??. Then I downloaded SynLib for YAMAHA DX7-TX7-TX816 from. Comes with a HUGE library of pre programmed patches. Loaded up some of the sounds, including replications of the PPG and couple of other interesting looking patches. Absolutely Blown Away!!!!
This synth is a total power house of cool sounds. I keep seeing people asking how to re-load the factory patches. Would be my question.
IMHO those factory patches were what killed off the DX synths in favour of those horrible Roland D50's etc etc. Also IMHO those factory patches are absolutely and utterly retarded! Don't know what you guys think about this? Original DX7 factory patches; Cool or Retarded???
I now KNOW for certain that the synth is totally cool. Even if the output is a little bit noisy. Really needs a compressor / gate on it. Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear) Stop for one minute, imagine you repeated this revelation with that horrible D50!
I'm serious thats the difference with today and 30 years ago, then you were made to push your equipment to the limit and beyond. To think that someone should buy a synth based on factory voices is retarded to me. I can tell you now that the D50 along with the DX7 are utterly amazing synths in the right hands.
As it happens far from being killed of I think those two synths go tremendously well together and music in the late eighties early nineties proves this. Enjoy your DX! Creative69 wrote:To think that someone should buy a synth based on factory voices is retarded to me.
Yes, I agree, but it's a reality even if we don't like it. And that's the whole point isn't it. 40% of DX7 sales were made on the basis on that over used slap bass sound, or on the Rhodes Piano sound.
Free Dx7 Patches
And I'll take bets that over 75% of DX7 owners never even tried to program new sounds themselves. Just take a listen to the major pop artists in that period and you can hear the factory patches all over the tracks.
Listen to Beverley Hills Cop or Ghost Busters or Top Gun etc etc people bought them on the power of those sounds and those artists alone. Sadly most people are not (like us) geeky enough to actually get into the instruments innards and fiddle with what's there. Creative69 wrote:I can tell you now that the D50 along with the DX7 are utterly amazing synths in the right hands. As it happens far from being killed of I think those two synths go tremendously well together and music in the late eighties early nineties proves this.
You make a very reasoned argument for the D50 there and I am to a degree persuaded by it. Personally I could never get on with the instrument. I found the interface to be at least as poor as the one on DX7 and it felt kind of limited. I could feel the boundaries of the D50 even after a couple of days. Can't say that I feel them so much with the DX7. But it's horses for courses, and absolutely no doubt that some people love them. Just that the Factory patches on the D50 were even more over used than the ones on the DX7.
Clyde wrote:I had a D550 (rack version) back in the day, it had some useful sounds which I used in my songs then, but I never could get a feel for programming it. I was much more at home programming on my DX7IIFD Yeah, you're right on the mark there Clyde, I just found it more difficult to program than the DX is. More people stuck with the factory patches on the D50 than stuck with the factory patches on the DX. And once some major act or other went and used one of the patches on a track, that was it. You couldn't really use it again without 'Joe Public' recognising it. Don't get me wrong, they were great patches, but so easily identified with one particular song or other.
Best Regards, Julian (Fozzy The Bear).