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Dave Benson's DX7 Page
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This is a page for the Yamaha DX7 Synthesizer.
Notice: As a result of running this page, I am receiving an unmanageable volume of email asking me for help with various aspects of the DX7. I apologise for not being able to answer all these questions personally. I would like to suggest that you join the email discussion group instead (see below).
Manuals Etc.
Contents
Email discussion group (and list archive )
Patches in many formats
Loading Patches into your DX7
Initializing the DX7
Patch Editors/Librarians (PC, Mac, Atari, Amiga)
Scales
Grey Matter E! Card
The Battery (and how to change it)
Hooking your DX7 up to a PC
Yamaha's Phone Number
(and how to get a physical copy of the DX7 manual or a new battery)
Internal diagnostics for the DX7
Books
What are the different DX7 models and their features?
Where do I get one?
Other Links
Afterthought
Email discussion group
St in Norway has now taken over the running of the Email discussion list. Information can be found here
Patches
Go here for ManyMIDI Products' DX7/TX7 Sound Libraries.Here is a collection of public domain patches for the DX7 in several formats:
These are system exclusive files, each containing one bank of 32 voices.
These are complete with sysex headers.
The original factory patches are here as www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar - www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar
These are the same system exclusive files, stripped of their headers. This is how they originally came from the site at www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar
David Brown has kindly made a zip file of the same patches in voyetra format (, bytes). This is for use with Voyetra programs "Sequencer Plus" and "SideManDTX" editor librarian. The file format for both programs is identical. Unzip them to your C:\voyetra\banks\ location and they are ready to run.
Click here for the information on the sysex format needed to convert from raw files to sysex files.
Click here for a C program to convert from raw files to sysex files.
Click here for a C program to convert the resulting sysex files to MIDI files.
See also the section books for patches from the " patches" book.
Loading Patches
If you're looking for a way to send SYSEX files from a PC to a DX7, there is a very cheap fully featured commercial sequencer with SYSEX capabilities called Power Tracks Pro Audio available for US$29 from PG Music Inc, Elmwood Ave, Suite , Buffalo NY , USA. Tel , , Fax ,In order to send the patches to your DX7 from your PC, you will also need an MPU compatible MIDI interface, and MIDI cables to hook the interface to your DX7. For more details, see below under Hooking your DX7 up to a PC
In case you've forgotten what you need to do to your DX7 to make it able to receive incoming SYSEX messages, you need to set "memory protect internal" off, and then just send the data from your computer.
If you have a Grey Matter E! card installed, it's slightly more complicated: Press "function", then "operator select" twice to select the "memory" page, push button 31 twice (Memory Protect Internal) and then "off". This disables the memory protect. Then press "function", then "operator select" four times to select the "keyboard control" page, push button 2 (Midi in filters: SYSEX) and then "on". This enables SYSEX data transfer. You are now finally ready to send the data from your computer.
On the DX7II-d, you need to turn memory protection off (Button #14), set the device number on the keyboard to the device number under which the sysex was originaly saved (button #32), and set "MIDI IN" to "normal" (button #29). If you don't do this third step, you get no error message and no hint of what is wrong, but the keyboard just doesn't accept the sysex data.
Initializing the DX7
A frequently asked question is the following: "How do I initialize my DX7 so that I recover the original patches?"Unfortunately, the answer is, "You don't". The information for the original patches is not stored in non-volatile memory. So if you want to recover the initial patches, you have two options. Either use the ROM cartridges which came with the DX7, or if you don't have these, download them (see patches) and use your computer to send them to your DX7 (see Hooking your DX7 up to a PC).
Patch Editors/Librarians
Look here for Winsysex and the DX7 voice editor to use with it.A DX7 patch librarian for the Mac is available from Takashi Suzuki's DX7 page or from here.
A DX7 patch librarian for the PC (dos) from Zorch Brotherz Software called DXLib is available by going here and looking under Editors/Librarians, or from here.
A patch librarian for the PC (windows) called SoundLib, which supports the DX7 among others is available from here. The free registration code, donated by the author, can be found here.
A shareware patch librarian called Midilib for Windows 95 only (not Windows ) on a PC, which supports the DX7 among others is available from here or from here. If you don't have the MFC40 run time libraries, you'll need to pick these up from the same place to run Midilib.
A DX7 patch librarian for the Atari can be found here or here.
A number of DX series utilities for the Amiga including a librarian can be found here.
A summary of the software available for the DX series of synthesizers in (thanks to Paul Troutman) can be found here.
Here are 2 Mixermaps for the TX81Z and 2 Mixermaps for the TX that Dorian May designed for Steinberg's Cubase VST for the Mac.
Scales
Go here for a freeware program by Manuel Op de Coul to tune a DX7II/TX, SY77/TG77/SY99/VL-1/VL-7 or TX81Z/DX11/DX27/DX to any scale you like.The Grey Matter E! Card
The "E!" card is an add-on enhancement board for the DX7 and DX7II.Grey Matter can be contacted at the following address:
Grey Matter Response, Inc.
Address:
Scotts Valley Drive
Suite C
Scotts Valley, CA
USA
Phone:
Fax:
Please note, however, that they have announced that they no longer have any E! cards, for the DX7 or for the DX7II.
A zipped file of the E! demo files disk for the DX7II can be found here.
The official word is now that Grey Matter has run out of E! boards for the DX7 as well as for the DX7II/FD, and do not intend to make any more.
For the E! MIDI specification, look here.
The DX7 version gives:
The individual list of MIDI enhancements is too great to list here.
Click here for a complete list of functions.
The DX7II/FD version {includes all of the above?} and adds:
The Battery
DX7 synthesizers contain a battery to maintain internal memory when there's no power supplied. Opinions seem to vary as to how long this lithium battery really lasts. Some say three to six years, some say ten to fifteen, and in any case, it depends on how long the keyboard is left turned off. It's important to change this battery when it gets low -- not just to protect the internal storage of your keyboard, but also to avoid battery leakage, which could seriously damage your keyboard's circuitry.The process involves fully disassembling your DX7, desoldering the old battery, and soldering in a new one. Complete instructions are available by clicking here. Further information here.
Hooking your DX7 up to a PC
Here are some hints on hooking your DX7 synthesizer up to a PC.There should be no problem with trying to drive the DX7 from your PC, if you have a working sequencer and an MPU compatible MIDI interface configured correctly. This is usually a standard half-length (or sometimes full length) card, so you will need a spare card slot in your PC. The card connects with the DX7 via standard MIDI cables. The things to note are:
Yamaha's Phone Number
(USA)Tel: ()
Tel: ()
FAX: ()
Phoning this number is the easiest way to get hold of a copy of the DX7 manual [DX-OM] for US$15 or a new battery [PC] for US$ They also still have ROM 1/2/3/4 [NB///] for around US$ each, but I'd recommend picking them up from the public domain patches above for free instead.
Note also that Rogue Music has a large library of manuals which they are willing to photocopy for a small charge.
Internal diagnostics for the DX7
The procedure is to hold down the function key and then press keys 16 and 32 simultaneously.If your machine has the E! card installed, this procedure will tell you the version number rather than initiate the internal diagnostics.
Books
Howard Massey: Complete DX7
Amsco Publications,
Mark Vail: Vintage Synthesizers
Miller Freeman Books
ISBN:
J. Chowning and D. Bristow: FM Theory and Applications
Yamaha Music Foundation,
ISBN
(Written for use with a DX series synthesizer, explains basic theory of FM synthesis, Bessel functions, and so on)
Note: the graphs for J10 and J11 on page have apparently been accidentally interchanged
Yasuhiko Fukuda: Yamaha DX7 Digital Synthesizer
Amsco Publications, London/New York/Sydney/Cologne
ISBN (UK) X
Lorenz Rychner: The Classic Yamaha DX7
Alexander Pub,
ISBN
Yamaha Easy DX7 : A Complete Guide to the Dx Synthesizer
Hal Leonard Pub Corp,
ISBN
Voices for the DX7
Amsco Publications, London/New York/Sydney/Cologne
ISBN (US) (UK)
The patches can be found here (Thanks, Tim Conrardy). The extensions are .snd, but they are just ordinary sysex files.
What are the different DX7 models and their features?
DX7
The original (also known as Mark I)Features:
Drawbacks:
DX7IID
The 'new generation' of DX synthesizers (Mark II). This model has everything the DX7s added plus:Drawbacks:
Dimensions: x x mm (/8" x /8" x /8")
kg ( lbs.)
Original List Price: US$
DX7IIFD
Identical to the DX7IID with the important exception that it has: Dimensions:
x x mm (/8" x /8" x /8")
kg ( lbs.)
Original List Price: US$
DX7s
A 'cost effective' alternative to the DX7II line of synthesizers.It uses the same enhanced voices as the DX7II, but is monotimbral and produces monaural sound. It has everything the DX7 has plus:
Drawbacks:
Dimensions:
x x mm (/8" x /8" x /8")
kg ( lbs.)
Original List Price: US$
TX7
DX7 in a rackDX1
DX1 was essentially a double DX7 with two complete DX7 instruments packed into single, 73 key, wooden piano keyboard. Display with lots of LEDs to show algorithm and operator settings, and plenty of dedicated buttons provide de luxe interfaceDX5
The same internal workings and almost the same interface as the DX1, packed in a lighter (portable) package. 76 plastic keys, but metal case. Pretty exotic (not very many of them around)DX9
The DX9 is monotimbral, 16 voice polyphonic, and only has 4 operators to play with. The worst thing about the DX9 is that it's not velocity sensitive.TX
This is 8 DX7s in a rackThere are also TX and TX with 2, resp. 4 DX7s in a rack
Separate audio output for each unit
PSU and rack box has MIDI switcher built in. It has MIDI in/out/through on it and you can select which of the 8 modules you wish to receive MIDI from.
TX
This is a DX7II in a rack with extra featuresFor example it is 8 part multitimbral with 2 voices each
FB01/TX81Z/DX21/DX/DX9
4 operators synths, not compatible with DX7 patchesWhere do I get one?
Since the DX7 has not been in production for a number of years, your only hope is to get a second hand one. They appear from time to time on ebay (online auctions), so you could try looking there. The price for a plain DX7 seems to be around US$$ at the moment. If it has an E! card, or if it's a DX7II, etc., expect to pay a little more.
Other Links
Afterthought
We have only just begun to explore the breadth and depth of the sonic landscape. Musical instruments as we know them occupy a small corner, but we are slowly learning to venture out into the wide open spaces. The DX7 and FM synthesis, in their day, opened up a new horizon. We recognise this because some of the sounds have been so overused as to have become cliché. When we read Shakespeare we experience the same feeling, but that should stop us neither from reading Shakespeare nor from making the sounds of the DX7 a part of today's music. This page is mostly concerned with the more technical aspects of the DX7, but we should never lose sight of the final product. Make music, make it well, and make it with love.
And vice versa.
Dave Benson
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