Roland JX8P Programmer Editor for IBM PC with MPU 401 Midi Interface This program is herby offered as Public Domain to be distributed, modified, deleted and anything else you may see fit as long as you don't make a profit on it. In no event will Michael Partain or BP Midi Systems be liable for any damages, included but not limited to, lost savings, lost profits, or other or consequential damages arising out of the use of or inability to use this program, even if we have been advised of the possibility of damages. BP Midi Systems and Michael Partain shall not be responsible for the use or attempted use of this program. This manual, and the accompanying program, are copyright (c) 1986, Michael Partain, all rights reserved. OVERVIEW The PC800 patch librarian is a simple but usable editor for modifying the sounds on your JX8P synthesizer and saving single patches as well as groups of patches to disk. The entire editor consists of a single screen of data presenting all voicing parameters of the JX8P for instant viewing as well as editing. The parameters are logically grouped in a form identical to the Roland PG800, and are presented using the color capabilities of the PC to reinforce logical sections. The PC800 program may be used with a PG800 if you already have one, or it may be used instead of the PG800 since it performs all the functions and more. Any changes made on the PG800 will be reflected on the PC800 editing screen as they are being made. The advantage of the PC800 over the PG800 is that PC800 provides immediate visual feedback of the current voicing parameters as patch changes are made, the PG800 being mechanical cannot. Patches may at any time be printed using the PC's built in PrtSc key. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS PC800 requires an IBM PC/XT/AT or compatible capable of supporting and connected to a Roland MPU401 IPC card and a MPU401 processor. The program's memory requirements are minimal (less than 64K) and has been run under Microsoft Windows. Be sure to indicate to Windows (or your other multi tasking software) that the program does swap interrupt vector 10 (X'0A'). Obviously the program requires a Roland JX8P synthesizer properly connected to the MPU401 via Midi. If you need additional information on connecting the JX8P to your computer, see the instructions accompanying your JX8P. JX8P Setup Before using the PC800 program you must set Midi parameter 26 System Exclusive 'ON' in the JX8P. To do this, power on the JX8P. Set the memory protect switch on the rear of the JX8P to the 'OFF' position. Next press 'MIDI' in the edit section of the JX8P (white button on left). Then press '2' '6' on the JX8P. Next move the data entry slider until the display shows 'ON'. Now save this to memory permanently by pressing 'WRITE'. This procedure need only be performed once, as the change is saved between power off/on by the JX8P. LOADING THE PROGRAM To execute the program simply enter the program name "PC800" in a normal DOS command format. For example if the program diskette is inserted in the A: drive and DOS is displaying the A:_ prompt, you would type "PC800". The program reads and stores all patches from the currently active drive so for example, if you would like to store your patches into a directory called "PATCHES", first change to that directory by typing "CD \PATCHES". Then execute the program from the floppy drive containing the program diskette by typing "A:PC800". For more information regarding active drives and directories see your DOS manual. Transferring a Patch From the JX8P to PC800 To transmit a patch from the JX8P to PC800 simply press a patch selection button on the JX8P. The parameter information and name will be transmitted to PC800 and immediatly displayed on the screen. Before transmitting, check that the current patch number displayed in the upper left corner is the PC800 patch you actually wish to send to. Any previous information contained in the current patch is destroyed. EDITING COMMANDS Changing of the parameter values on PC800 is extremely easy and logical. By pressing the '+' key next to the keypad on the right hand side of the keyboard, you increase the current parameter value by 1. Logically then, pressing the '-' just above will decrease a parameter by 1. Located next to the '+' key is 'PgDn'. This corresponds to the '+' but will increase a value by 5. I Bet you can guess what the 'PgUp' key next to '-' does..... right, it decreases a parameter by 5. The movement of the cursor to a different parameter is accomplished by the up, down left and right arrow keys. What could be simpler (and more useful)? FUNCTION KEY F1 Function key F1 is used to load a JX8P patch from disk. The patch is loaded into the PC800's current patch whose number is shown at the top left of the screen. After pressing F1, enter a legal PC disk file name without the extension, PC800 will automatically append an extension of '.JX8' to the file name. If after pressing F1 you decide you do not wish to load a file, enter an invalid PC file name, for example, enter '\\\'. FUNCTION KEY F2 Function key F2 is the opposite of F1, it saves the current PC800 patch onto disk. PC800 uses the PC's current directory and disk to save the file. As in F1, enter only a name, as PC800 automatically appends '.JX8' as the file extension. To abort a save enter an invalid filename. FUNCTION KEY's Alt F1 and Alt F2 Alt F1/F2 will load/save a complete set of 5 patches. For these functions PC800 appends '.SET' to the filename. Further information on sets in contained in F7/F8. FUNCTION KEY's F3 and Alt F3 The F3 key provides a listing of the current directory for all files with an extension of '.JX8'. Alt F3 lists those files that end in '.SET' . FUNCTION KEY F4 F4 sends the currently displayed patch on the PC800 screen to the JX8P. You do not need to use this key while changing parameter values (via the +/- and PgUp/PgDn keys) but you should use it after changing the name (F6) or loading a patch or set (F1/Alt F1) if you desire the change to be sent to the JX8P. FUNCTION KEY F5 F5 will enter the DOS shell and allow you to enter DOS commands to change directory or logged drives. Do not execute the MRESET program while in the DOS shell as it will destroy communication routines used by the PC800 program to send and receive information from the MPU401. To return from the DOS shell simply enter the command 'EXIT'. For further information on the DOS shell see your DOS manual. FUNCTION KEY F6 F6 allows you to change the name displayed for a patch on both the PC800 display and the JX8P display. After pressing F6 simply enter a new name for the patch. Do not use spaces in the name, instead use the underscore character '_'. This name has no relation to the filename under which the patch is stored on the PC's disk. After changing the name use F4 to cause the new name to be sent (along will all other patch information) to the JX8P. FUNCTION KEY F7/F8 Each patch in JX8P is stored separately in the PC's memory, up to five (5) at one time. Using F7 and F8 you step through each patch currently loaded. When you reach the patch you wish to work on, use F4 to send the patch information to the JX8P. As mentioned earlier, entire set of patches (all 5 currently in memory may be loaded and saved using ALT F1 and ALT F2. You may also switch to an unused patch with F7 and F8 before loading a single patch with F1. This allows you create a performance oriented set of patches in memory and save them as an entire set. Note that F7 down will wrap from patch 1 to patch 5 and F8 up will wrap patch 5 to patch 1. FUNCTION KEY F10 Use F10 to exit the PC800 program. After pressing F10 the program will ask if you are sure you want to exit. You must press 'Y' (upper or lower case) to exit PC800. PATCHES SUPPLIED WITH PC800 PROGRAMMER/LIBRARIAN At this writing, the Programmer/Librarian comes with 2 sets of PC800 patches for the JX8P synthesizer. These patches were developed by Mike Partain. Your disk may contain additional sounds, check your directory. The sounds are not arranged in any particular order. I suggest that you browse through them. I also suggest that you personalize the sounds by modifying them. I certainly don't consider these sounds definitive in any way. The names of the files are: set 'MIKE1' SPACE_1 The reason I got a synthesizer MP_LEAD Used in performing leads HISS Add to bouncy melodies via midi! SEQUENCER For fast, low notes. set 'MIKE2' FUZZ Rich Harmonics HEAVY_ORG "House of the Rising Sun"? SYN_STRN Why make strings real sounding? HUH? Couldn't think of a name, but I liked it REVERB Nice full and fat sound