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Hello! Today is the first I’ve heard of this website, what a fantastic idea!
I’ve been longing for an EMAX editor for quite some time now. Its actually got a quite simple (amazing for a 1988 sampler…), yet almost comprehensive sysex spec. I was able to program a Kenton Control Freak to control many of its parameters! Basically the architecture is voice -> preset -> bank. Its further simplified by the fact that the voice acts as a container for the sample (which is not separately addressable via sysex, except for looping parameters). The voice also holds the keymapping info and all of the synth engine parameters. Voices cannot overlap, but a voice can contain two samples (primary and secondary). A bank holds up to 99 presets, and I’m not quite sure but I think a preset can hold up to 88 voices.
So in essence there are variables in the sysex string to select the preset (either by preset number, or by choosing the currently active preset), the voice(s) (by selecting a low and high key), and whether to edit the primary sample, secondary sample or both, and of course the actual parameter value. This is why the Kenton was the only controller capable of controlling the EMAX – you can have a slider call the value of several other sliders as variables in the string – so what I did was to set up three sliders to generate dummy data and used their values to specify which voice(s) to edit and use the other 13 and the buttons to actually edit them.
With the right samples, this thing makes an AWESOME analog synth, or drum module, etc… It also has an amazing arpeggiator, with features I have yet to see elsewhere. The Emax can also transmit the current value of any preset or voice parameter, but unfortunately I don’t think its capable of sending the entire voice or preset in one operation. So I don’t know how parameter feedback will work out, but if its not possible I’m fine with that (I got along just fine not having feedback with my Kenton); i have ears…
Anyway, thank you for this service you’re providing to the community, and fingers crossed for this to happen! Below is a direct link to the EMAX Sysex spec, and a link to all the other EMAX manuals if you need them. I’d be more than glad to help in any way (although I’m sure you know much more about this stuff than I do), and if you need a template, I’m sure I can drum one up! I’m thinking something along the lines of a keyboard at the bottom for selecting keyranges and knobs, buttons and sliders above. i don’t know if you support tabbed interfaces, but it would be helpful to separate voice/synth parameters from preset parameters, and both from sample parameters
Mark
i am late to the party here but i was sort of planning an editor to use with push.
problem is the website with the sysex list is down.
does anyone happen to have the pdf manual still?bummer if not.
Hi, I just made a panel for emaxii. You are welcome to edit it for use with emax1. it isn’t complete, but I’ve done all I plan to for now, I think, idk, I may work on it more.
I attached the Emu Emax midi specs for who ever got the guts to adjust the parameters, so it is compatible with Emu Emax 1. 😉
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