@nuipb I’ve been able to get patch reading working on the TX81Z, and have written a toolkit for that as well. The javascript I’ve written helps with formatting the code, but filling out a spreadsheet of all your synth parameters and matching them to the SysEx response from the synth is very time consuming! Very satisfying to see it working, though 
would you mind sharing that tx81z preset? would love to try it
I’m still waiting to here if I can replace the original preset on the same URL with the new file. So I’ll put it here in the meantime. By the way, this only works if the synth is set to receive MIDI channel 3.
Yamaha TX81Z (RG) 2.epr (42.7 KB)
Not sure what you mean by “patch reading” ? you mean “What’s on the Electra One screen is now in sync with the synthesiser, giving full bi-directional control” so that when you call a new preset in the TX all corresponding fields in the E1 screen are updated at the same time ?
If that is the case then that’s a great news as Martin and I have been trying to find out for many months now how he originally succeeded to have this happen with his TX-7 - as seen in one of his very early videos - but neither of us found out how he did that. Maybe some setting inside the TX-7 ? Maybe some special feature inside his E1 beta firmware at the time ? Would it be possible to get this feature for the TX-7 ?
(and maybe for any other synth offering the “SysEx voice bulk dump request” feature…)
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Yes I read that, and thanks for the thorough explanation, however it goes beyond my skills to understand and apply the process you describe, reason why I was asking if it would be possible to get this feature for the TX-7 available in the Chrome app to activate by us, mere laymen ? and for any other synth offering the “SysEx voice bulk dump request” feature…
@nuipb I don’t have a TX7, but I believe Martin has already prepared the preset for you. You have to check if your synth is set to receive SysEx messages on channel 1, wire your MIDI cables in a ‘loop’ so that the 2 devices can talk to each other, and press the [PATCH REQUEST] button on the Electra One (top right hardware button).
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What ?? OK, just tested it and yes it works indeed ! Thanks a lot to you and Martin. I’ve been waiting for this for months ! This totally opens the use of the TX-7 : game changer !
Is this [PATCH REQUEST] something you could implement for other synths ?
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It seems possible but as urbanspaceman pointed out its not that easy to do… so seems like noobs like us will have to wait patiently for the pros to wrangle the code hopefully for the gear that we happen to own 
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@lobit @nuipb Or you could hire me to do it! Now that I know how to add graphics to the template and get the patch request feature set up I could help you with your preset. I’m fairly confident I could figure it out for any synth if it has good MIDI documentation. Send me a message.
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@urbanspaceman thanks a lot for the proposal. I’d be happy to ask you to do graphics but wouldn’t it be a better idea to add an image editor to the Preset editor app as Martin suggested above so that each user can do and re-do its own graphics ?
As for the patch request feature which might be more tricky than the image editor - as it is not generic to all synths - I will happily send you MIDI documentation in the following days in the hope that you can indeed program it. Will get back to you shortly. Cheers.
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first off, thanks to @urbanspaceman for his work! He did get the TX81z patch reading going and he also provided lots of valuable feedback. We will definitely use all his input.
A bit of explanation: Electra preset file format was designed so that it can be used to read sysex patch dumps of almost any synth. It is supported from the very early versions of the firmware. @nuipb - as the owner of the very first Electra that left our workshop - knows it. I think he used it with TX7 and Chroma. Currently, the only way to implement Patch reading, images for lists, (and there is more 
is to edit the preset files directly. I would say the software development background is needed for that. Our Editor on app.electra.one is basically doing the job of preparing the preset file just by clicking stuff in, without knowing much about programming. It is job for @tomas to add more tools to the editor so that all Electra’s functionality will be accessible. And he works on it hard.
It might sound strange that Electra can do more than our own Preset editor, but there is a reason for that. The technical documentation on the preset format is fully available to anybody on our website. It allows developers such as @urbanspaceman and @akira to “program” their presets. It also allows any software developer to create their own preset editor applications or integrate Electra to their software, eg. @thetechnobear works on the integration with his Orac.
Long story short. What I am hoping to see happening is:
- we will add a user friendly image and sysex patch dump editor to app.electra.one
- some users will create presets that use those “hidden” features
- one day maybe some alternative presets editors will become available
I am much occupied with the firmware development these days. I still hope, however, to have some spare time to create a few presets by myself. I improved the TX7 preset lately. When I was done with the job, I spent almost whole night playing around with TX7, it really unchained the full potential of that synth.
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Hi guys, could anyone tell me how/where do I enter a sysex command (sequence of HEX codes) into the [PATCH REQUEST] hardware button of the Electra One like Martin did for the TX7 preset ?
I am sorry for delay in responding, I had to take a break.
The patch request can be now enetered only by editing the preset file directly. But in order to have the parameters updated, number of parsing rules must be typed in too. These can be very complex. There is a tutorial at Parsing SysEx messages | Electra One Documentation.
@tomas is preparing a visual editor for this. Unless you are comfortable with editing the JSON files I would suggest to wait for the graphical editor.
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Thanks for your reply. In the meantime @urbanspaceman was kind enough to give a few tips about this. Looking forward to hear back from @tomas when the visual editor is ready.
Hello, recently review the E1 and am attempting to connect with the DX7 using the recent preset. I’ve set memory protect to off, midi channels both set to 1 and midi out E1 to DX7 in/midi out E1 to DX7 in, but am not having any success. Holding the patch request button doesn’t bring up any new info.
Any thoughts or settings that I am missing? Thank you.
Just tested that to make sure it works. It does with my TX7.
Do the MIDI IN/OUT indicators on the screen flicker when you press the [PATCH REQUEST]? The best way to find out what is happening is to open the ElectraOneConsole application and observe the log messages in there. It usually gives a good indication. If the messages were too cryptic for you, just export the log file and share it with us or PM me.
Martin, thanks for the reply. when pressing the Patch Request, only the Midi Out 1 on electra lights up, Midi In does not. I did connect a separate synth to the Midi Out on DX7 to make sure it is working and I was able to play the second synth from the DX keyboard, as expected.
I should have some time later today to connect console app and observe. Thanks again.
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Perfect will, wait for the logs.
From what you wrote it looks like that Electra sends the patch request but DX7 does not respond. I will check if DX7 has the same messaging as TX7.
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Hi there.
I am a new owner of an used Electra One and I am loving it. Really great. I did put up a preset for the Roland SH01A and the E1 makes a new instrument out of it!
But I have an issue with E1 and my DX7 MK1. Using the E1 TX7 Preset (new version).
I tried a lot of different things to get them work together but it did not work. Here is my setup:
E1 connected to iMac and Cubase11 via USB and the DX7 connected to E1 via Midi directly (DX7 in/out to E1 Midi1 in/out).
MemProtect off. MidiChannel set to 1.
Turning knobs on the E1 shows no reaction on the DX7.
So for testing I run the Dexted VST Plugin in Cubase and send a Preset SysEx thru the E1 to the DX7 and the DX7 recieves it.
Then I turn Knobs on the E1 and the Dexted VST recieves the changes nicely. But the DX7 doesn‘t.
→ Any idea what could be the problem?
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