Midi Sysex - The black arts? | Introduction and tutorial

[@6581punk]

Sysex being there from day 1 just showed how well planned out MIDI was.

[@Psychlist1972]

True. It works so well, that it wasn't until the past couple years that MIDI 2.0 has come out. Nearly 40 years with a single base spec is pretty good. :)

[@hutti]

@@Psychlist1972 MIDI 2.0 doesn't make much sense imho. There's almost no hardware that supports it and the practical improvements over the "old" version are minor. MIDI will remain the standard for decades.

[@Psychlist1972]

@@hutti I disagree, but disclosure: I'm involved in implementation at Microsoft and also a member of the MIDI Association executive board, so I do have a bias. There are tons of performance and flexibility improvements in MIDI 2.0 including greatly improved controller resolution, per-note articulation, absolute note pitch, jitter reduction timestamps, and more. It's also backwards compatible so devices can support MIDI 2.0 with a fallback to MIDI 1.0 when appropriate and can also tunnel MIDI 1.0 messages to downstream devices. Device companies have been primarily waiting on the operating systems companies to step up and offer the API for apps to use. Apple implemented it some months back. Google/Android just announced it in Android 13 just this month . And Microsoft is working on it for Windows. The USB MIDI 2.0 spec came out last year, so that was one thing that the OS companies were waiting on before implementation. But MIDI 1.0 will never go away because we love the synths and devices which use it. I have a ton of them here in my studio. The key here is enabling incremental improvement and supporting new capabilities while retaining everything we've come to enjoy in the past 40 years.

[@telantas]

@@Psychlist1972 thanks a lot for taking the trouble to share your "insider's" vantage point with us here. I appreciate it immensely and so will many others I am sure. I think resolution is indeed an important improvement but you are also right to emphasize backwards compatibility which, in my opinion, is absolutely key. Your comment reassures me but I still wonder, could it be that in the future there will be lots of MIDI 2.0 devices that do not offer the fall back option? Or is the ability to fall back to the earlier standard a requirement to conform to the new standard?

[@Psychlist1972]

@@telantas the various OSes all handle both. It's a recommendation and market reality that most devices will need to have some sort of fallback or dual implementation as well. But it really depends on the nature of the device. A master control keyboard would probably want to have both. But maybe a new type of non-standard-tone instrument or special controller may not make sense in MIDI 1.0. But all of our MIDI 1.0 stuff is going to work in the future. There's a LOT of consideration in the specs for ensuring options about bridging/translating devices/interfaces/keyboards, dual-use, etc. Devices that can make use of new capabilities will, and devices that don't need it, won't need to implement it. :) Right now, the transport/protocol specs only include USB anyway, so it's primarily between devices and computers, or workstation keyboards and other devices. That'll expand, of course.

[@KairoosProducties]

Thank you. I have been looking for a clear explanation of Sysex for years. Now I understand!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@telantas]

@Espen Kraft this tutorial is nothing short of a masterpiece in clarity as well as an endearing demonstration of unconditional love for vintage digital music technology. Thank you!

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks for saying!

[@meilstone]

I always wonder who wrote all these wonderful manuals and midi implementation charts back in the 80s and 90s. The authors should be given a special award for each one of their documents! 👍👏❤️

[@Jan-S-Simonsen]

SysEx is amazing. I've been using it since my Atari ST days to set up my rack modules. I just love it. Great video Espen.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@lundsweden]

Cool stuff Espen, really well explained, you've made a very dry subject entertaining and useful!

[@EspenKraft]

Happy you think so. It's the geeky stuff for sure, but essential if you want to dig deeper into MIDI, which of course not everyone has to do if playing is all you want.... ;-)

[@lundsweden]

@@EspenKraft I think MIDI-craft is essential for electronic based musos, whether you're in the box, or out of the box!

[@SpikesStudio3]

Loving the focus on midi of late... really LOVE the flow if information and discussion between fellow enthusiasts. See Espen, you bring more to the world than you think.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man!

[@HaydnMowbray]

Thank you for taking the time to produce this clear and concise overview of Sysex. I've not needed to use it in over 30 years of MIDI use but now have an appreciation of how to navigate it if I come across a piece of gear that requires it.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Rompler_Rocco]

Brilliant! How I wish this was up when I first embarked...

[@jackpisso1761]

Great overview of how older gear communicated. Very informative and entertaining. Cheers

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@workingorder2189]

What a wonderful video! I was always wondering what the MIDI implementation chart was for. Thank you for clearing that up, and I hope you make more vids on MIDI Sysex.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@waynestanley01]

Ì am glad i found this video. I have been working with midi since the late 80s and did some cool programs. It was good to see you mention the midi implementation chart. I think you could do an entire video on how to read those things

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@TheRoosterLIVE]

AWESOME intro track! 0:06 seconds in making this comment!!! grew up in the 80's love proto through post-punk and the electronic era that followed. kudos. impressed. only 2 track on tidal. sad panda. love that synth though!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! Those two tracks shouldn't really by on Tidal at all as I've taken all my music down from streaming platforms. They're part of licensed compilations though. I only sell my music on Bandcamp now, or you can stream them from my playlist here on my KZbin channel. Cheers

[@Luigi64]

I was able to make a custom controller using an Arduino I programmed and 16 faders that sent sysex messages to my Roland Alpha Juno 2 to change parameters! I configured it so it was similar to the Juno 106 too

[@rebmcr]

That's brilliant, do you have a video?

[@lundsweden]

Wow, I've only dreamed of doing this!

[@Luigi64]

@@rebmcr that's a great idea! I should do an overview

[@mthomas1091]

I’m only 2/3 through the vid but THANK YOU sooooo much for this! Every time I search forums I end up reading discussions of people already familiar with the terminology….and all the web’s informative “explanations” pages spend all their time on those first device-ID digits, then continue making utilization references that aren’t explained.. (so frustrating!) This moves me forward a few steps 😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@stefanmarinescu5086]

Amazing.... This brings unexpected memories from late 90's. Had a Yamaha sw60xg sound card and used sysex to configure sounds and parameters unknown before... Seems unbelievable to me now how far i got back then with The very poor internet resources available for me at that moment... Memories... Thank you :)

[@davidryle]

Another outstanding video tutorial. My head was bobbing up and down like a dash figurine. I did learn some new stuff. The Midi Solutions event processor is really cool. I use their midi splitter. Also, you reminded me to get the Retroaktiv MPG-8 controller on order for the JX-8P. I kept forgetting to do that and now it is on its way. Thanks Espen!

[@EspenKraft]

Happy you liked it David!

[@whaleguy]

This channel is almost like comfort food to me now. I've spent a lot of time binging your videos 🙂

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@whaleguy]

@@EspenKraft Have you finally gotten a good net connection at home? I see you are uploading more frequently now.

[@EspenKraft]

No, it's even worse. I just have to stay longer out in the woods uploading.

[@whaleguy]

@@EspenKraft I hope this situation gets resolved soon for you. As a musician in the 21st century, net access is essential for your work.

[@dudfaz]

This video is a great public service to the synth community. Really well explained - thank you!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@RegebroRepairs]

Thank you for this Espen Kraft work. I am sure it will be a great help to many.

[@EspenKraft]

I hope so. Cheers!

[@daz4627]

Hi Espen. Can you please make more 'nuts and bolts' videos like this?... there's so much about MIDI that is glossed over or just taken for granted by manufacturers and forums so actually seeing and learning how this gear is physically connected and programmed is just fantastic.

[@EspenKraft]

Videos like these takes an enormous amount of time to make, and not many watch them, so I can't make them very often, but I might have started making smaller, more specific videos about this or that lately.

[@daz4627]

@@EspenKraft Hi Espen. Yes, I understand the amount of work involved... it's a pretty dry topic as well so as you say, a lot of work for not much return. I had to learn how to send bank/patch changes to my rig during live sets as the audience wouldn't be too happy waiting 10 minutes while I manually tweaked every synth before each new track... it was the first time I bothered getting to grips with those last few mysterious pages in the synth manual (!!??!!)... we're of similar vintage and have been playing synths most of my life but unlike you, I am still a midi novice.

[@JoelBouchillon]

One of the best videos you’ve made!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@TheRoosterLIVE]

Thanks for this video! it is the primer i needed. i am using midi controllers a Control Surfaces for Davinci Resolve, OBS broadcaster, and of course Voicemeeter. This will help ne get on the road to updating lights on my Sparkle Ultimate Drum machine using feedback from the application. Great ADHD teaching style. Not spending too much time on one thing. You walked me through the steps so i understand what needs to be done. I can fill in the blanks now and get on to writing my software to translate midi to sysex now. The akia is easy, its lights are midi. The sparkle is not as. Thanks!

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

they really did a good job with that controller, so many uses, thanks to easy reprogram-ability!

[@eureitz7490]

Very well done here. The rife misunderstanding of SysEx is unfortunate and thus the lack of YT vids on the subject. Starting off with the well written and simple Korg manual is a smart first lesson. I didn't know about the Event Processor box, thanks for that tip! I'm looking to convert 14-bit decimal to Lexicon LSB first 4 variable byte SysEx and require a translation device and that Event Processor might well do the job. I think the main thing that SysEx has over GM is the much, much higher resolution possibilities.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@Makebelieve123]

Wow ...great solution and video. Learned so much and Im from before that 80'S :)

[@vinylfuzz]

Fantastic video, thank you so much for this one. I have a few MIDI Solutions things but had not understood the potential of the Event Processor. What a useful tool

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Erik!

[@LFOVCF]

30+ years ago, a friend back then made his Atari ST change parameters on my TG33. Until now, I wondered how he knew what sysex to use. Great explanation Espen, cheers!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@robbiewabisabi]

That was some beautiful playing. You coax some very nice tones out of "cheesy" synths like the Kawai K3R. SysEx is pretty amazing and I don't think many people know how useful it can be. Even on a modern synth like the Waldorf Rocket, which has no patch memories, you are able to send out a SYSEX string to a MIDI sequencer so that you can save your patches and even do patch changes throughout a song. It's amazing that MIDI's founding fathers thought of so many things almost 40 years ago that we can still use today. Cheers!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! The K3 is one of the absolute best hybrid synths to come out of the 80s so I'm surprised to hear you rate it as cheesy. ;-)

[@robbiewabisabi]

@@EspenKraft I had an M1, so I always thought Kawais weren't cool in comparison. You prove me wrong, sir!

[@EspenKraft]

Watch my K3 video and then say it sounds cheesy. ;-)

[@jeffperonto3234]

A big thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@ivanlozano2019]

This one is way over my head.i just like hearing you explain things at this point.

[@mrstephenpariah]

This is wise. I believe it's mainly a matter of conceptualisation of the point and the process, and then specific relevant information is just absorbed gradually as you become familiar.

[@PATRIK67KALLBACK]

Great info Espen! Thank you

[@SanelKeys]

As always, learning valued stuff from Espen. Cheers.

[@jakobole]

I remember my dad and I had a sync-module (Midi In, audio out) for our Fostex 4 track. We were using Cubase 2.0 on the Atari. Problem was, that when the sync-track was laid, the Fostex became the master-machine which was cumbersome. I found out it was possible to control it via sysex, so I programmed a Midi-module inside Cubase 2.0 that would let me remote-control the tape-machine from Cubase. Problem solved! (I was around 17, and to say that the old man was a bit blown-away is and understatement. Worked beatifully :) )

[@EspenKraft]

Impressive!

[@jakobole]

@@EspenKraft Ha! It took me a week to program the damn thing :)

[@FLH3official]

SysExcellent video In the 90s I remember I used extensively the "MIDI Environmement" in Logic where you could program your own virtual sysex faders. This MIDI environment page still exists in the modern Logic Pro and it's realy powerfull.

[@EspenKraft]

Correct. That was a very powerful thing. Never used it myself though.

[@damonsummers]

I found this very interesting, sysex is very useful, and have used it for various things....I guess that makes a geek!!! Great video as usual!!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Damon!

[@jknorratl]

Great video Espen... I have been using sysex since it came out in the 80s. This video is easy to understand. Wish I had youtube in the 80s ;)

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@MrTfortiger]

Awesome tutorial Espen, very informative!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@techtinkerin]

Just got a Yamaha qy70, want to control individual channels volume for live mix. Only way is sysex but modern controllers don't let you use your own sysex. This solution is pretty clever and probably cheaper than buying a midi mixer like peavey etc. Thanks great information 👍❤️😎

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@anderslarsson6149]

You made something digital very human Espen. Impressive!! And by the way, that lusekofta looks just 👌🏻🇳🇴

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Anders! It's not a lusekofte btw. ;-)

[@anderslarsson6149]

@@EspenKraft It sure fooled me 😉

[@Streck0_909]

This was great! Now I'm much less scared to buy vintage rack synths, knowing that I can probably use any MIDI controller with suitable knobs and faders. For some reason, I always thought that the MKS-50 would be next to unusable without a PG-300 or some expensive modern alternative. By the way, I'd love to see more MIDI tutorials. By and large, the whole thing is still a mystery to me. If something doesn't work right away, I never know if or how I could make it work.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@mikolasstrajt3874]

Another solution is to use software on computer, for example program called Ctrlr.

[@j.lindback]

Thank you, I actually learned a lot of new things from this, despite having used MIDI for 25 years! 17:22 I hope that hard learning bear will be featured on the upcoming album...? :)

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Johan! The bear... well let's see....

[@funkerella]

Interesting video, Mr 80s ! Perhaps mr Bear is just jealeous of your Dale pull ..😅

[@EspenKraft]

He wanted that. ;-)

[@DanielWerner]

Thank you for the video, Espen! Will check out the Event Processor. Recently I've found the plugin Zenith by Audiaire, which sends Sysex Data from your DAW to your vintage synth. They have Templates for several synths. Pretty good!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@olopstudio]

Thank you very much for this useful article! 🎹

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@wackerburg]

SysEx... that one thing I never even tried using... You absolutely nailed it by calling it "black art" 🤩 I use regular MIDI for like 25 years after I figured out that you do NOT connect "IN" with "IN" or "OUT" with "OUT" 😂 Teenage Hans did exactly that and thought "MIDI is not really my thing". Anyway, since I recently acquired some devices that have extensive SysEx implementations, this really interests me now. Ideally, I would love to build my own custom pages for and with the new #TouchOSC 2. Thanks a million for showing us the basics of SysEx. Way less frightening now 💡

[@EspenKraft]

Many thanks!

[@Psychlist1972]

That event processor is super useful.

[@northerntao]

Funny, the EX-8000 is the first synth I used with Sysex for more than patch backup or firmware. I use Bome MIDI Translator to convert CC messages from my Cirklon to Sysex messages for the EX-8000. Kind of clunky, and the resolution isn’t great but it works well.

[@patriciaoudart1508]

I'm not familiar with that technical things. But I have old midi synths, computer based virtual synths vsti, and modern controllers, that can be programmed with their software, so I' will have do learn that process. So thanks for these explanations. I have the implementation charts, in the manuals😎😎!!.... I know this is important to have but I was spending half a second to look at those pages🤔. Can I send sysex to the mc 500 to register sysex and send them after, or sending sysex to the Roland mc 500 to program it?.... And how do it transmit midi messages? I have three Yamaha Dx, 7, 21, and tx7, two old computers that can send sysex, one Imac also with a sysex sofware, I want to join all that in one system, and learn to program all that, the Tx7 have been made to work in duo with Dx7, but Ican use also that with a modern midi keyboard controller with after touch, like I have one CME uf70. But as I see, this will be a big deal 🥴. I did not understand if the box you are using is better than using old computer's sysex and programing softwares, with sysex send and receive?.... I have also amounts of sysex files collected for Tx Dx 7 and also Dx 21, that makes a big library of sounds, and parameters to explore, but I understand also as listening your example, how useful that would be for me to program the interface just only between the Tx7, and the CME uf70 keyboard controller... And more with the best collection ever made for the Dx inside or ready near in the computer, or in the MC 500, by disquette send?.... Lot of work in perspective. I have also my house to renew, so not time for now to re install my studio, but all this sing in my head, hope one day be able to make all this working fine... What I love are sounds, not so much technology, but by nature, as I am 62, I grown with the 80's music, with the dream to play those technological instruments!.... So, I enjoy your channel, because I found over time some of those old instruments, and this is the sound I liked as I was a teen. But this was technological time, discovering electronic music. Now this is different, I prefer using this technology for mapping sounds, nature, without rhythmic, some counter way to use the technology. The question is that technology must serve Art, a freedom thing as technology is a slave thing. One instrument have a technological limit, we must reach by programming, and then, lost memory of that, and use the controller to play in free mind. So for me, technology is not a goal, just the way to find the secret limit of the art that this instrument is able to give in my ears🙏🧡💚

[@EspenKraft]

This video was meant as an inspiration to go out and find out more, and it seems you're interested in that and so the journey begins. :)

[@greek440bc]

RTFM its all there, nice one, the Peavey 1600x is also useful since it has nameable presets so you can make setups for different synths, unfortunately different companies use different controller numbers for filter cutoff for example, so that is why you need to make a different preset for each synth...even with VST's they didn't agree on same controller numbers, even though they are all named in the MIDI standard controller list from the beginning

[@chriswareham]

I use one of the MIDI Solutions Event Processors to convert MIDI Note On messages with a velocity of zero to MIDI Note Off messages. The standard says the former is equivalent to a Note Off (and is useful for a feature called "running status), but some modern gear gets confused by it.

[@EspenKraft]

The EP can pretty much solve any MIDI problem, I love it.

[@waldemar.golebski]

MIDI programming is a black magic ;) I use Bome MIDI Translator Pro for years. Great solution for every MIDI aspect and interaction with controllers.

[@Sool101]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Sysex stands for Sys =system and ex=exclusive. System exclusive.

[@Tconcept]

I was surprised it wasn't explained that it stood for system exclusive messages as this pretty much defines that they are manufacturer based.

[@CoolJacketCoder]

Nice video, thank you!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@MacLamar]

This helps a lot sir. Thank you.

[@wilcandou]

That little box is freaking awesome. I was wondering with some gear that used its midi port for firmware upgrades if that was in HEX language? I'll have to dump some code into a sequencer to see if it'll work. If so, we could even have the potential to fix bugs.

[@michipeka9973]

My cousin who is a professional musician used sysex messages constantly to backup and transfer presets for his "romplers". As far as I am concerned, back in 1994-1995, the most "arcane" midi messages I used and I can think of were precisely cutoff and resonance filter parameters. I think they were not referred as sysex but as nrpn - if I recall correctly. They were just briefly mentioned in a chart of the manual without much explanation for my particular hardware - SB AWE32 souncard with emu8000 synthesizer, the chip was decent for the price but man the built-in rom samples were so bad! (only 1mb) the interesting part was clearly to create your own patches with your own samples. Fun times :)

[@Sonikbytes]

Still got one of the early and widely used midi controller Peavey PC1600 that uses Sysex strings and I yet have to finish the patch for DW8000. bit lazy doing that ;)

[@ZombieLincoln666]

excellent explainer! I use an iPad to send Sysex. I need a midi translator though.. being able to automate parameters on my alpha juno from a DAW would be sick

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@eugenioarpayoglou]

Great video!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks!

[@StratsRUs]

Much appreciated ! Thank you

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@charlesvanvessem]

Hi Espen, thanks for yet another excellent video. So I'm inspired to control my modules (like D550) via CTRLR inside Cakewalk. So far it looks like I can control everything in real time. Please can you explain why CTRLR (sometimes) needs midi out from my synth? Understanding when or why would hopefully help simplify my setup. Off course it's fun to also know what we're doing right? Keep up the good work! Kind regards from the Netherlands, Charles

[@EspenKraft]

Some synths need a handshake transfer to verify the checksum in the sysex transmission. Hence both Midi in and out needs to be connected. Cheers

[@charlesvanvessem]

@@EspenKraft 🙏 thx

[@Michbigheart]

Could you please tell me if there's Software to convert KORG Sysex to KORG PCG? Thanks you !

[@EspenKraft]

I have no idea. Never used PCG and don't know anything about it.

[@wreckage-vs5jv]

Miss the days of Sounddiver, it was a great helper in the studio with a variety of manufacturers and models supported.

[@MichaelSouhoka]

And until now I still confused about "Polyphonic Aftertouch" in the MIDI terminology. How it affects on the MIDI message among synthesizers? What's the difference of sounds between with or without polyphonic aftertouch MIDI message?

[@EspenKraft]

These are two different Midi event types.

[@rezganger]

just starting to dip my toe in midi and black arts seems fitting.

[@Komagb]

This is awesome, thank you.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@coztfu]

Anyone knows how can I edit the SysEx messages from my Model Cycles so I can flash the M:Samples firmware?

[@Nacios007]

I salute back!

[@mr_floydst]

This is a proper good KZbin video! :)

[@jean-pierretesseyre7299]

Salut, je viens de découvrir ta chaîne et c'est super, j'ai un petit soucis avec un contrôleur de plugin qui vient avec un logiciel sensé prendre la main sur les plugins, mais sur mes machines ça ne marche pas comme dans les contes de fées. Et j'ai le sentiment de me faire balader par le fabricant... Cet outil envoie des Sysex au lieu de CC mais il n'y a pas de document qui détaille la chose contrairement à Korg qui a fait le boulot. J'ai bien quelques documents qui décrivent le protocole MIDI, mais je ne voyais pas trop comment implémenter la chose et ta vidéo m'a donné l'idée d'écrire un script dans mon DAW pour faire la conversion SYSEX MIDI CC et enfin pouvoir utiliser les fonctions d'apprentissage MIDI qu'implémentent tous les bons plugins... Merci encore pour ton travail, bonne journée.

[@EspenKraft]

Happy that the video was useful. :)

[@newignis]

@Espen Kraft I'm building an editor for the Casio VZ range of synths to use (for free) on an Electra One MIDI controller. Do you happen to know how Casio implementated the checksum calculation in their sysEx messages?

[@EspenKraft]

No, I never looked into Casio's sysex.

[@newignis]

@EspenKraft no worries, the mystery has been unraveled :-)

[@kropjesla01]

some daw's can do sysex too, like Logic or mainstage...

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

I seem to remember that the KX88 had a function for controlling sysex in real time. Does it work in a similar fashion to the box you described?

[@EspenKraft]

I have made a video about exactly that. It's part of my KX88 video.

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

@@EspenKraft I must have missed or forgot about that part when I watched it. (Yes I did watch it). I guess I'll have to watch it again! Thanks for the correction! But I did remember that it could do live sysex control when I was researching Master keyboards in the early 90s.

[@EspenKraft]

It sure can, but only simpler strings for synths that didn't require more complicated checksum strings etc for parameter change. Nevertheless, it had sysex control capabilities in 1984.

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

@@EspenKraft I'll take your word for it, as you have one. It would have been a nice capability for a MIDI master keyboard to have, and I would have undoubtedly used it if I had bought one back in the day. But I ended up getting a Roland A-80 instead (partly because I could buy that from a local retailer, instead of having to import it myself. As it was I got the last new A-80 in the country!) It served as my workhorse both live and at home for 24 years, before being replaced by an RD-2000 Stage Piano. Thanks for your responses!

[@gphone9619]

Hej Epsen can I ask a Midi Q? - my scenario: Atari ST (Pro24v3 or Cubase) daisy chained to Roland Juno (master) to MT-32 to Roland JV-1080 to Korg Triton. I understand setting each Midi channel for specific patches BUT the JV1080 and Triton have 'Performance' s which take up ALL 16 Midi channels EACH. How to integrate 'performance patches' with other instruments /patches? Thanks

[@EspenKraft]

If you really need all 16 channels for performances on both the Triton and JV-1080 then Midi patchbays are the way to go. Midex for the Atari was a popular choice back on the day.

[@gphone9619]

@@EspenKraft Tks - off to Google...

[@rubinn2269]

Hi There, great video. Any chance you assist with programming a Lexicon PCM91?

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! Send me an email and I'll give you my rates.

[@dietmarschlichtherle7061]

WOW ! Thank you Espen😜

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@martinjankohler6391]

Awesome video! FYI, 0 is missing at 04:25

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks. True, I missed it in the graphics. I do say it though. ;-)

[@buranflakes]

What a coincidence, I spent like an hour last night figuring out how to put sysex patches on my DX7 lol

[@mikefunaiole8278]

MIDIOX is super helpful, too.

[@Psychlist1972]

I use that a bunch. But I've found MIDIOX can sometimes fail, especially with older equipment. Plus, you have to mess with buffers and whatnot to try to work around that, which is more of a hold over from really old MIDI APIs. It's just not all that musician-friendly. So I wrote a simple MIDI Sysex Transfer Utility that is free in the Microsoft store. Bonus, it works with Bluetooth MIDI out of the box. It's mostly for sending OS updates and patches, not for receiving anything.

[@barnishbar]

Wow I need that for my DX7 IIFD

[@CussaOnara]

Back in those days you had to tackle all this to backup data to a computer. Everyone knew the Black Magic and Kama Sutra of Sysex.

[@kropjesla01]

I still use an ELKA MK76 (like MK88) wich can program hex directly, it's the only masterkeyboard ever that could do that (as far as I know) I have used that a lot until sounddiver came in the market. (whatever happened to that program?)

[@Citracid]

How to do this without the midi solution module ?

[@EspenKraft]

Depends on what you want to do. ;-)

[@suadcokljat1045]

Please, does anyone know what is Sysex ID for Akai S3000? Trying to do sample dump from Wavelab 6...

[@asdifasi]

the only way i know to work fine in sample dump install recycle on a windows xp/7 pc check out that your sampler has OS ver. 2.00 if is 1.3 or smt you need to load a floppy with OS 2.0 or higher in your sampler also need to convert wav to 16 bit like 3cx which is an online converter good luck

[@suadcokljat1045]

@@asdifasi Thanks for suggestion. You and this video actually gave me idea to make a dump from Akai to file and then analyze string and check for Sysex ID and try that value in Wavelab. Wavelab 6 has option for sample dump over MIDI and SCSI. It also has list of samplers to choose from when doing setup (S3000 is on the list). However, there is a Sysex ID value (dec value 0-127) that must be entered manually and wavelab user manual suggests checking the value in sampler manual. And yes, I have System 2.0 loading from floppy. Same floppy inserted into same S3000 from time it was brand new, loading OS when sampler is turned ON - for the last 25+ years. Never failed to boot! Cheers! S

[@alexiscabreramusic]

Does that program work on new osx?

[@EspenKraft]

Ask Midi Solutions.

[@ProSimex84]

I've made a point of printing manuals for stuff I get, the one for the xv3080 was like an encyclopedia, I will never get through it all

[@Jenairaslebol27merde]

sysex is soooo cool .. and given for the fact that MIDI is almost 40 years old, it is even cooler ;) i mean .. it just still works :) for refreshing the memory of some old synths or to do some really sexy stuff like shown in the video. sysex came in very handy to me around 20 years ago when i wanted to control the NI B4 from my hammond XB2. there was no out-of-the-box controller mapping avaiblable for the drawbars and the buttons, so i had to do it on my own. i used MIDIOX to do this (and midiyoke to get midiox internally connected to the B4) - one of the best tools i have ever seen. unfortunately, it seems to have been discontinued since quite a couple of years.. but should still work .... does anyone know if there is something like a successor to this great tool?

[@OliverEvergreen]

do I get it right: the event processor plus handles only 32 such mappings? it's not enough even for one synth, if it has many hidden parameters.

[@EspenKraft]

It's not really meant to be used as I'm using it in this video. The video is made to tutor about sysex. If you're doing a midi CC to sysex conversion for an ENTIRE synth you should do it differently. It is however, very useful for processing different midi events (hence the name) for different gear at the same time, like for a live show or studio environments etc. Not only sysex.

[@OliverEvergreen]

@EspenKraft thanks for your answer. could you guide me, please, what solution am I looking for? the thing is I already have Blokas Midibox that does a lot of similar stuff and allows very creative usage, but it doesn't translate CC to SysEx and it's killing me. Roland TB-3 has so much under the hood, but CC implementation is crazy limited. thanks again.

[@EspenKraft]

CTRL Panel has been used a lot in the past for cheap and powerful ways, as a software controller/programmer. Behringer's BCR2000 is the one I use if I'm to control a synth's all parameters (sysex) from hardware I myself can program.

[@OliverEvergreen]

@@EspenKraft thanks! the thing is.. I already have plenty controllers, including "advanced" ones like Oxi One, but none of them can send sysex messages. Software would solve the problem, but I'm using dawless setup without PC. that's why I'm searching for a tool to plug in somewhere in the middle and translate CC to SysEx. not much success yet. 200$ for the Midi Solutions device is just too much, TB-3 was 300$ roughly. I also heard of Retrokits 002 midi cable that does some wizardry for 50 euro, but I haven't found a particular way to program it yet, only ready to use firmwares.

[@massimookissed1023]

​@OliverEvergreen A $3 Arduino could do all that. Arduinos are quite capable of reading MIDI messages and doing whatever data manipulation is necessary to output different MIDI messages. I would not be surprised if Espen's _Event Processor_ black box just contains an Arduino.

[@fredcom1]

I have a roland gr 55 and gr 33 guitar synthesizer. The gr55 transmits pitch bend in 24 steps (fixed setting), the gr33 transmits 12 or 24 steps. This is about 1 octave on the guitar neck. So no problem with the gr33, but the gr55 cannot be used with older midi synths. My synthesizers and modules can only receive up to the range of 12 semitones. Can the gr55's pitch bend data be converted from 24 to 12 steps? I have a Yamaha mep4 and I wonder if this is possible with this. Thanks in advance, greetings from Belgium.

[@EspenKraft]

Any questions about the Event Processor must be directed to Midi Solutions. ;-)

[@fredcom1]

Many daws can work with pitch bend in 24 semitones, so no problem for the gr 55. But in a stand alone setup I can only use the gr33 to drive synths like Roland D50,JV1080,Yamaha TG500 etc because it is set to 12 semitones. in other words the gr33 is compatible with older synths, the gr55 is not. Very unfortunate. That's why I'm looking for a solution via sysex if possible.

[@fredcom1]

@@covett i have a yamaha mep4 , a midi event processor but i am not sure if this can do te transformation. to work with a daw i would have to use a laptop, the yamaha mep4 can go in the 19 inch rack... together with the other synth modules.

[@jessihawkins9116]

does this do anything that the Yamaha MEP4 won’t? 🤔

[@EspenKraft]

It sure does, it does everything in a much cleaner, fast and easy way. Check with MIDI Solutions for more details about the differences.

[@jessihawkins9116]

@@EspenKraft do you know of any programs for Mac system 6 or 7 that will program the MEP4?

[@EspenKraft]

I have no clue.

[@miekwavesoundlab]

5:27 how come 15d = 0Fh? I thought 15d = 0Eh

[@EspenKraft]

The decimal number of 15 = F in the hexadecimal number system, which starts at 0 (zero).

[@nicedevices]

Would this event processor work with sysex strings that require checksums?

[@EspenKraft]

Yes.

[@nicedevices]

@@EspenKraft Awesome, love to see a video on that sometime as I can't find any info on how to do this in the manual for the event processor.

[@EspenKraft]

@@nicedevices No, that is too specific for the manual. If they were to list all possible sysex applications it would be 100000 pages long. ;-) Using the EP for this would require a lot of strings if you were to use a controller like I'm using here, to map it out.

[@EgoShredder]

Not seen that Roland Kiwi 3P before, and so is it a rebadged Behringer BCR2000 with different firmware and livery?

[@EspenKraft]

The Kiwi mod for the 3P has been out a long time. The BCR has a template loaded, but a custom overlay for ease of use yes.

[@anonymous_friend]

@@EspenKraftIf you program the BCR2000 to send out sysex, is it still necessary to have the kiwi mod?

[@TheLordcasio]

Why did I not have you as a resource 20 years ago?

[@amonster8mymother]

Can I send midi sds from akai to emu?

[@EspenKraft]

In theory, yes.

[@sylvainfortin841]

MIDI its great and genius

[@christiantorma2440]

Danke Danke ❤❤❤❤

[@Novaheart1998]

For a minute I thought it said midi sex and I thought wow Midi 2.0 has come a long way.

[@EspenKraft]

I must try that one.

[@Death_By_Media]

Good info for those new to sysex and put understandably well . Good job . Now we just need to smack manufacturers of modern synths when they make them all NRPN controlled with no cc’s because most modern especially budget controllers don’t speak NRPN either .... jerks .

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!