Yamaha AN1X

[Red_Hector]

Using the Yamaha AN1X Edit software to tweak filter controls, I can see the MioXL display screen showing sysex messages being sent. The sound, even with rapid tweaking, does not break up in any way, or exhibit any artifacts or stepping. It looks like the AN1X processes sysex control messages very smoothly.

As far as I can see, the AN1X only has the one setting for program MIDI transmit channel. There are the two separate scene receive channels to allow for proper ‘multi-timbral’ sequencing in Dual mode. This is dual Scenes (panel knob positions), very different to dual programs as on other multi-timbral synths. Most people will probably have both scenes in a program set to the same channel, and use scene-morphing.

There is the scene control CC number parameter, default 1, MW, which will morph between the two scene buffers, creating a third Scene Control combined buffer, if both scenes are selected as active. Not all parameters morph, the osc wave shapes and LFO wave shape remains fixed at the scene 1 value, as the waves cannot be interpolated by the synth engine. The common section, fx, arp etc.. also remains fixed. The scene buffers are just two sets of knob positions, not two separate programs.

It is confusing in how the scene buffers work, depending on whether the program is in single or dual mode.

In the program ‘Single’ and ‘Unison’ layer modes, you can select and separately edit the two scene buffers. Only one of these buffers will sound at a time depending on which is selected as active.

If you select both scene buttons as active, the engine will look instead to the Scene Control buffer which interpolates the two scene buffers together depending on the Scene controller value (mod wheel position, if set to CC1). Like below:

The panel control knobs now affect the Scene Control buffer. This buffer is volatile, but if you like resultant morphed/edit sound, the Scene Control buffer can be stored to one of the normal scene buffers before saving the program.

In AN1X Edit, the two scene buffer parameters are in the section outline in red. Scene 1 controls are selected below.

Everything outside this area is common to the program, and is unaffected by what is happening with the scenes.

If the ‘Dual’ and ‘Split’ multi-timbral modes you get two timbres, using the Scene 2 and Scene Control buffer:

It took me a while to get my head around it. But the the AN1X Editor program has been very helpful.

There is much more to it, with the Unison layer mode variations, and the scene Poly Modes, but I need to look into it further.

[Red_Hector]

FWIW, I have just confirmed that the front panel knobs transmit on whatever channel the Keyboard Transmit parameter is set to. Even when in Dual layer mode with the scenes set to different receive channels. Selecting different scenes does not change the transmitted channel number.

[NewIgnis]

Thanks, that was helpful. I’m now concentrating on the layer modes and most other common voice parameters. Will come back on that.

[NewIgnis]

Hi,

for now, I’ve skipped the part of the Delay and Vari FX parameters. They make the preset crash, reasons not yet found.

But this partial preset should already deliver some value, controlling Systems and Common parameters (no voice parameters yet).

Start by using the Systems Dump Request to have all systems settings correct, or set them by hand.
You may notice that the blue controls on the performance page or no hardcoded CC controls, but virtual controls that send out CC messages according to the Systems settings.

Electra One App

[Red_Hector]

I’m having big problems with it. None of the controls on the System page work. The Sys DumpReq does not function. The Master Tune and KBD Transpose controls glitch and will only move a tiny amount. The MIDI CC Assignment controls don’t function at all, same with the MIDI Channels section. Even the MIDI Device control is broken.

Is this because the preset uses features of the latest E1 OS?

The Layer Mode control on the Layer page works, but that is as far as I have got.

[NewIgnis]

Check the Midi Device ID. It’s the one used in all SysEx messages. You must set the E1 accordingly with the yellow selector on page “System”.
I’m on the latest OS, the MIDI manual I follow from Yamaha is versionless, but from 1997. AFAIK there were no change to Sysex.

Then check if you get a SysEx request out of the E1, and a reply back from the AN1X.

EDIT
I’m on device ID 1, so this is how it should look like:

FOR THE MOMENT THE PARSING RESPONSE IS STILL HARDCODED TO DEVICE 1.
Sorry, I forgot to tell.

[Red_Hector]

Both the E1 and AN1x were set to MIDI device 1.

Sys Dump Req has never worked for me, even with previous version of the preset. But with that earlier version, the other System page controls would function normally. On this new version they are all frozen. Turning encoders does not change parameter values on the E1 screen, except for Master Tune and KBD Transpose which glitch a little bit.

I was asking if this preset now uses functions that rely on the latest E1 firmware 4.x.

This is what I got.

I think the dump reaches the E1 fine as the MIDI In indicator lights, but it does not parse and update the System controls, which are broken anyway..

[NewIgnis]

The Sysex feedback is correct. But the faders shouldn’t be frozen, not even when parsing is not possible. I’m not using 4.1 features AFAIK.

@martin Can you control the faders in this preset without issues?

[NewIgnis]

@martin As a test I downgraded to 3.6.1 and reloaded the ANX1X Phase 1

Electra One App

Now I have the same issues as @Red_Hector , though I didn’t use any 4.1 or 4.2 functions at first sight.
Is it correct to conclude compatibility isn’t guaranteed that way?

[NewIgnis]

I’m now back to V4.1.2, and have finished phase 2

New in phase 2:

• Performance page: patch names and categories are shown (once a patch has been called, its name and category is stored in memory, and shown on each page down right)
• ARP / Name / Free EG page: finalised

---

Skipped for now:

• the processing of Vari FX and Delay parameters

Electra One App

I’m keeping phase 1 and 2 apart: in case something works in phase 1 and not in phase 2, I can at least revert back to that version.

[Red_Hector]

It is good that you have been able to reproduce the issues, and I will wait to see if Martin can confirm this rules out using 3.6.1. I have been holding back on updating to 4.x as the changes are significant, and I worry that my used presets, at this early stage, could stop functioning correctly. If 3.6.1 is incompatible, I will update to 4. There is always the option to go back if important presets break and the authors cannot fix them.

[NewIgnis]

A heads up.I just finished all scene controls. I’m now about to add scene parsing as well.

There are not 2 but 3 scene memory buffers: 1,2 and ‘both’. I believe the third one can be tweaked independently from the other two, as long as you don’t invoke scene morphing.

I’m also adding a Ribbon stabilizer. My Ribbon tends not to hold its mid position but jumps up to valu 110-115. I’ll try a way to keep it useful even with that quirk

[Red_Hector]

Nice. I have started my Christmas break now, so have plenty of time to update and try this out.

[Red_Hector]

I have updated the E1 firmware and bootloader. Is the phase 2 preset the one I need to be looking at?

I just loaded it and the parsing worked on Sys Req Dump. A good start.

[NewIgnis]

Superb. You better move on to phase 3. Would be interesting to see if all parsing on Voice Common ànd on Voice Scene 1 works well. If those two requests come too close after one another, the AN1X only responds to one of them. So I had to add a delay (line 436) between those 2.

Electra One App

You’ll be able to control all voice parameters now, for the 3 scene scenario’s (1, 2 , both).
They are on pages 1 and 2.
The Performance page is reworked but not yet final. The option ‘Stabilizer’ for the Ribbon is not yet built into this phase.
The ARP section on page 7 is reworked as well.
The UI has been made a tad more intuitive overall

The preset seems to get blocked after a while, with no apparent reason. Wonder if you’ll have the same or could find some cause.

I had completed the mod matrix in phase 4, but as happened already before the parsing stopped functioning. So I’ll need to fix that first before providing it for test purposes.

I will be looking out for your test results before parsing scene 2 and the morph scene parameters.

[NewIgnis]

also : the preset remembers the name of any patch you recall during a session.

[NewIgnis]

@Red_Hector, phase 4 is now ready. All pages are there except the Sequencer.

Electra One App

You’ll find a knob on the system page called “Parsing % of scene”.

The more you go to the right, the more parameters of voice 1 are being parsed (in steps of 10%). But in my case, the preset starts getting into issues once I go beyond 50% (= 57 of all voice parameters); which is all parameters of page 1+ LFO + VCF.

One step further (which is pages 1 + 2, not yet the mod matrix slots), the preset sometime scrashes.
Can you give it a try?

I’ll call it a day for now…

[Red_Hector]

Thanks. I’ll be looking at it tonight and tomorrow. I have just finished a minor reorganization of gear, and things are almost back to normal.

One thought: I take it you are calling and parsing the parameters from the edit buffers, not the stored preset? The Yamaha AN1X Edit program does not appear to have a way to call the edit buffer, and calls the stored preset instead. A bit annoying. They may also have had issues calling the complete edit buffer data.

Might it be a workaround, if necessary, to break the edit buffer calls into groups, with separate request buttons for each?

[NewIgnis]

Yes, indeed I recall the edit buffers, but I do so currently automated after each Program Change. So right now it’s almost the same as done via computer.
There are several edit buffers, but right now I only recall Voice Common and Scene 1.
You can find some more info on the edit buffers and the commands to recall them in the lua of the preset. First 20 lines.

[Red_Hector]

Thanks, but I wouldn’t know how to find the LUA, never mind understand it. I am the Jon Snow of programming.

The AN1X Edit software doesn’t call the edit buffers. It calls the preset from the memory slot. Any edits made from the front panel are not picked up. They would have to be saved first.

Something strange just happened: To start, yesterday, using phase 2 and stepping through patches with the Select +/- buttons on the E1, selecting patch 7 ‘Ba:Uni-Bass’ would freeze the synth. And it would need to be power-cycled.

Tonight, before trying phase 4, I decide to start with phase 2 to see if it still had the same issue. Well, I selected number 13 (Chemical) and pressed Patch Select and the synth crashed with white noise, the first time it has done that. On restart, all the preset names were garbled, and none played. After a full factory reset it is fine again. I’ll move on to phase 4 now to see if it has the same issue.