Yamaha DX7 SuperMAX+, User Manual

Page 1: ...Music Technologies Group Yamaha DX7 SuperMAX User Guide Version 2 20 November 2018 Preliminary ...

Page 2: ...g Out 5 Description 5 Saving and Loading 6 Function Page Selection 6 Memory Bank Selection 7 Version Check 7 3 Arpeggiator 8 Selection 8 Editing 8 In Use 11 4 Temperament 12 Selection 12 Editing 12 In Use 13 5 Top Level Control Settings 14 6 Patch Function Settings 15 7 Delay 17 8 Voice Stacking 19 9 Patch Creation Morphing 21 10 Tips Troubleshooting 26 Appendix A SuperMAX Factory Sounds 28 Append...

Page 3: ...of the keyboard Sound Creation and Morphing New patches can be developed and existing ones can be selected live by pitch mod wheel velocity random etc Temperament You can predefine 4 different keyboard tunings Programmable master volume Programmable keyboard zones MIDI zones and MIDI channel SuperMAX Features Addition of mounting hardware makes SuperMAX more stable than the original Included batte...

Page 4: ...chnologiesgroup com website Manual Conventions Regarding the LCD this manual shows the variable part of the LCD content using an underline The DX7 itself is not able to underline more than one character but this convention makes it easier to visualize the changing part of the LCD versus the fixed part THIS AREA IS FIXED AND THIS CAN CHANGE This document is broken up into chapters based on the buil...

Page 5: ... the sound patch voice plus all of the parameters of the normal DX7 functions plus the new parameters of SuperMAX functions Ignoring the patch voice elements for the moment these programmable values are DX7 Functions Mono Poly Pitch Bend Range and Step Portamento Mode Glissando and Time Modulation Wheel Range and Assignment Pitch Amplitude EG Bias Foot Controller Range and Assignment Pitch Amplitu...

Page 6: ...hese values You have to do the same for MIDI receive MIDI transmit only sends the voice memories If your loaded voices have unintended arpeggiation voice stacking or delays this is why One solution is to select edit a patch first that is clean of delays stacking etc For your convenience the Appendix has a patch list for the SuperMAX factory sounds Function Page Selection For reference see the full...

Page 7: ... thus making easy to access all 512 voices CAVEAT Keep in mind that this is the same for any function button That means for example if the most recently selected Function is Page 2 SUPERMAX CONTROL KEY CONTROL also on button 12 you could disconnect the keyboard LOCAL OFF without knowing the reason but on the other hand it can be very useful with other functions For example if the most recently sel...

Page 8: ...ur arpeggiation styles the first thing to do is select which of the 32 arpeggiator slots you are working with BUTTON 1 Arpeggiator Select Arpeggiator Using the Data Slider or buttons choose one of the arpeggiators 1 through 32 for editing Once selected the remaining buttons in this family Button 2 through Button 10 are used to set the parameters for each arpeggiator If the patch you are using alre...

Page 9: ...ggio when you play new notes the old ones stop to leave place to the new ones EXTEND Like AUTO but the old notes does not stop To reinitialize the EXTEND mode press YES BUTTON 4 EDIT Arpeggiator Velocity Arpeggiator VELOCITY PLAYED The choices for VELOCITY are PLAYED each note will be played back with its original velocity FIXED each note will be played back with a fixed velocity RANDOM each note ...

Page 10: ... only one after the other in an evolutionary manner BUTTON 7 EDIT Arpeggiator Extend Interval Arpeggiator INTERVAL 12 The range is 0 to 12 in semitones This is the interval of transposition for each extension BUTTON 8 EDIT Arpeggiator Low Limit Key and High Limit Key Arpeggiator LIMIT KEY L C 2 Arpeggiator LIMIT KEY H G 8 Select the keyboard zone for the arpeggiator Press Button 8 to set the lower...

Page 11: ...ator In this case the patch establishes the arpeggiator it wants to use with patch parameter Func 21 see below With Arpeggiator Control set to 1 all the patches use Arpeggiator 1 This mode enables you to listen to your various presets either without an arpeggiator or with a common arpeggiator You may choose to have preset 1 turned off if you do not wish to use an arpeggiator while auditioning soun...

Page 12: ...ton below to edit it The second line shows the tuning for the last key played and the key number itself The information is live so you can play different keys to see the tuning Editing BUTTON 15 Edit Temperament Coarse Pitch Temperament COAR 95 00 B 5 Play a key to adjust the pitch for You will see the key number on the right hand side of the bottom line Then use the Data Slider to set the coarse ...

Page 13: ...DX7 SuperMAX Page 13 of 32 User Guide 2018 MusicTechnologiesGroup com MAXsystems In Use You are already using it You can t turn this feature off just select the temperament 1 to 4 of your choice ...

Page 14: ...tting discussed later in the next chapter BUTTON 11 SuperMAX Arpeggiator Control Global or Per Patch See the In Use section of the Arpeggiator chapter for more information about this item BUTTON 12 SuperMAX Keyboard Control This function establishes whether the keyboard is turned on or off and whether the active region is set globally or per patch SupMAX Control KEY CONT RAM The choices for CONT a...

Page 15: ... playing live or switching from patch to patch BUTTON 18 Set Patch Keyboard Zone Limit Key Low and High SupMAX Function LIMIT KEY L C 2 SupMAX Function LIMIT KEY H G 8 This function specifies the zone or region of the keyboard that will control the DX7 by setting a Low Limit Key and a High Limit Key The next button Func 19 then expands on how the zoning is utilized Press Button 18 to set the lower...

Page 16: ... KEY L and above LIMIT KEY H are active ALL The entire keyboard is active The zones set by LIMIT KEY L and H are ignored DEL Only note information from the DELAY will be transmitted ARP Only note information from the ARPEGGIATOR will be sent BUTTON 20 Set Patch MIDI Out Channel SupMAX Function MIDI CH OUT 1 The MIDI note data transmitted as defined in the previous sections will be sent out on the ...

Page 17: ...lliseconds BUTTON 23 Delay Volume SupMAX Function DELAY VOLUME 0 The Delay Volume can be set from 0 to 3 When the Delay Volume is set to zero this feature is off BUTTON 24 Delay Feedback SupMAX Function DELAY FDBACK 0 The Delay Feedback range can be set from 0 to 15 Don t forget that the DX7 is only 16 note polyphonic and that the delay uses up polyphony However the feedback is very effective and ...

Page 18: ...y the value set here There are two scales Scale 1 is the fractional part 00 to 99 cents hundredths of a semitone Scale 2 is the whole number of semitones 0 to 12 BUTTON 26 Delay Hold SupMAX Function DELAY HOLD OFF The Delay Hold can be turned ON or OFF You can clear the notes and start over by pressing the Yes 1 button ...

Page 19: ...any of the three are turned up determines the stacking arrangement So you don t need to concern yourself with selecting a stacking scenario only how many volumes to set non zero The three additional voices are called 2 3 and 4 You access each in a circular fashion by pressing the same function button over and over again In this case it is Func 27 Voice Stack Mode VOLUME 2 0 Voice Stack Mode VOLUME...

Page 20: ...the coarse pitch for each of the three additional voices in semitones from 24 to 24 BUTTON 29 Stack Voice Fine Pitch Voice Stack Mode FINE 2 12 00 Voice Stack Mode FINE 3 5 00 Voice Stack Mode FINE 4 7 00 Here you can set the fine pitch for each of the three additional voices in cents from 00 to 99 ...

Page 21: ...be saved in any of the 32 memories in each bank BUTTON 30 Select Patch Creation Morphing Mode Rolling Mode Sound Creator Velocity XSwitch By using the Data Slider or buttons you can select the mode you wish to employ All three options are shown above BUTTON 31 a Choose Rolling Mode Controller Once you have selected Rolling Mode you must then set the controller that causes the patch to switch morph...

Page 22: ...en them using the Modulation Wheel P BEND Similar to WHEEL control Morph to the 2nd sound by moving the Pitch Bend Wheel up to the 3rd sound when bend is down RANDOM A sample hold chooses any of the values between two selected sounds BUTTON 31 c Choose Velocity Cross switch Control Velocity Once you have selected Velocity Cross switch you must then set the controller velocity that causes the patch...

Page 23: ...u access to Patch 2 Patch 3 and Patch 4 Sound Creator PATCH 2 1 PATCH 3 1 PATCH 4 1 Once the patch in question is visible 2 3 or 4 then the patch value on the right can be adjusted in the range of 1 to 32 The number of patches available for setting up depends on the controller chosen in the previous step CONT BUTTON 32 c Choose Velocity Cross switch Patches Once you have selected Velocity Cross sw...

Page 24: ...AT Things seem to be a bit less predictable when you are using the upper banks beyond Bank 4 Try it out to make sure you know how the DX7 behaves before a live gig Each bank must be saved or loaded individually using a cartridge MIDI dumps can be used if no special SuperMAX features are utilized in that bank See also Saving and Loading page 6 MIDI Note On Velocity Fix The stock DX7 keyboard has a ...

Page 25: ...nd System Real Time Messages functions were added These have not been fully tested or characterized by the author CC 122 Local Control On Off CC 124 Omni Off CC 125 Omni On F8 MIDI Clock See the Arpeggiator Tempo Clock section FA MIDI Start See the Arpeggiator Tempo Clock section There are probably other MIDI features yet to be discovered ...

Page 26: ... Play mode 4 You can SAVE a complete bank of 32 sounds and functions on any RAM cartridge in either DX7 format DX MAX format or SuperMAX format 5 When you LOAD a cartridge SuperMAX is able to recognize the appropriate format automatically If the cartridge is in the DX MAX format all of the functions that the DX MAX ignores are set to 0 If the cartridge is in the DX7 format the default values for e...

Page 27: ...e 2 is the same as the one you are editing Func 1 Page 2 Check that the Low and or High Arpeggiator KEY LIMIT values are appropriate Func 8 page 2 If the Arpeggiator slows down it is because the processor is too busy to service all the required voices in a timely manner See TIP 1 When the Arpeggiator is set to run off of a MIDI Clock that clock has priority to allow the MIDI sub system to function...

Page 28: ...Choir Y Y 18 Runny Pno Y 18 DancinFlut Y Y 19 Arpg Piano Y Y 19 SnareDrum Y 20 ErikSatie Y Y 20 SpookChord Y Y 21 PianoChord Y 21 Zol Kodaly Y Y 22 Chorus Pno Y 22 Dark Age Y Y 23 HiStackPno Y 23 Mohamed Y V 24 RuneChopNo Y 24 Pluk Echo Y Y 25 Falk Y 25 PercuRotat R 26 Peking Y C 26 SpaceyEcho Y C 27 Berlin Y 27 Bel Bartok Y Y 28 B52s Organ Y Y C 28 Rimsky Kor Y Y C 29 Buxtehude Y 29 Hindemith Y Y...

Page 29: ...ion in violet on brown Standard DX7 white on green number letter BUTTON Standard DX7 FUNCTION in tan on brown Plus new Memory Bank and new Page Select New SuperMAX FUNCTION in black is the new orange Page Select appears here too The first three items above are more or less standard DX7 features the last one is for the new SuperMAX feature set Keep these two manual pages handy as you read through t...

Page 30: ...E ADJ 1 1 1 OPERATOR ON OFF EG COPY KEY LIMIT L H PITCH 18 H FREQ COARSE ARPEGGIATOR EDIT MODE DIRECTION POLY MONO 2 2 2 MIDI KEY ZONE AMPLITUDE 19 I FREQ FINE KEY LATCH PITCH BEND RANGE 3 3 3 MIDI CH OUT EG BIAS 20 J DETUNE VELOCITY STEP 4 4 4 ARP NUMBER FOOT CONTROL RANGE 21 K RATE EG ENTEND NUMBER PORTAMENTO MODE 5 5 5 DELAY TIME PITCH 22 L LEVEL EXTEND MODE GLISSANDO 6 6 6 VOLUME AMPLITUDE 23 ...

Page 31: ...E BIAS 28 R KEY VEL SENS KEY CONT ASSIGN MEMORY BANK 12 B PMD PITCHES FINE AFTERTOUCH RANGE 29 S RATE PITCH EG FUNC PAGE SELECT FUNC PAGE SELECT 13 C AMD PATCH CREATION MORPHING SELECT TYPE PITCH 30 T LEVEL TEMPERA SELECT BATTERY CHECK 14 D SYNC CONTROL AMPLITUDE 31 U KEY TRANSPOSE TEMPERAMENT EDIT COARSE PITCH CARTRIDGE SAVE 15 E PITCH MOD SENSITIVITY PATCHES EG BIAS 32 V VOICE NAME FINE PITCH LO...

Page 32: ...DX7 SuperMAX Page 32 of 32 User Guide 2018 MusicTechnologiesGroup com MAXsystems NOTES ...