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So I started playing keys in a band, and my primary synth is my roommate's Casio CZ-1. Editing settings onboard seems like it's not gonna jive too well with me, and honestly fear of doing anything too computery is kinda one of the reasons I just went with a modular synth. I'm wondering if there's a *free* (cheap is okay too, I guess), *easy to use*, and comprehensive MIDI editing program any of y'all use? The interface on the keyboard is very button clicky and kinda menu divey and that sounds nightmarish. Ideally I'd just be able to take a gander at the patches that exist and do things like change velocity sensitivity (global would be sick, but per-patch is acceptable), maybe create a few tone split presets so I can play bass with my left hand and normal keys with my right, and maybe even screw around with the synthesis parameters (though I'm quite content to stick mostly with presets/amalgams of presets mapped to tone splits). I'd like to see the parameters written out as actual text, i.e. Velocity = 5, rather than something like CC46 = 125 or whatever the hell.
Doing something similar with my DX-11 would also be ideal, and maybe even my Meris & Chase Bliss pedals if I were to get a MIDI box for those?

I was hoping one of you might know know if I'm on a wild goose hunt, or if this is something attainable? Seems like the well-tailored editors for the Meris & CBA stuff is more of a pipe dream since they're newer, niche products, but both the DX-11 and the CZ-1 are fairly ubiquitous outdated synths, so there's gotta be something online, right?
I have seen a few Sysex managers for the CZ-1, but that seems like it's more "do it all on the computer, bump it over, and see if you like how it sounds" vs a live editing scenario where I can adjust things, press a key, and see if the intended results are achieved. I understand that Sysex sending/receiving might be the only route, but I figure one of y'all might have a definitive answer on this.

I wonder what Dexed softsynth would make your DX11 do if you tried to import some SYSEX info from it, since it's based on the DX7, but shares some software (I think).

http://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/

https://github.com/asb2m10/dexed

oh shit Dexed! I used it with my Volca FM once and then never thought about it again. I might try and hook those up this weekend and see what happens.

Ipads are actually amazing solutions for this with software like touchosc can quickly design your own interface entirely.

If you have OS9, look for the old MOTU Librarian software. There was a msDOS editor for these that I probably have on floppy somewhere. Could never get a reliable midi connection in msDOS though (never used it which is why I fished an old iMac outta the trash and got some MOTU action). That's the only way I know to do it.

I'm old.



Midi CC's are real time...but the synth may or may not support it (full midi support has a spotty history and sometimes they pick and choose what they want to accept). As for saving the patch after using CC's, again that's spotty territory. May or may not work. Sysex dump is usually the best/easiest way to transfer patches (unless it's one with cassette, then that's a different kind of fun...Mr. poly 800).

Maybe make a spreadsheet printout and write out values for patches as you monitor midi CC's from a hardware controller and then program in a patch bank to minimize menu cycling.

There is not likely to be anything off the rack for any of the older hardware, providing the hardware accepts it.

The old beasts are what they are.