[sdiy] Generic preset storage / converting presets between synths

[ASSI]

On Monday 26 May 2003 17:28, Kenneth Martinez wrote:
> Here's my wish: for my synths with preset storage and the ability to
> dump & load presets via midi sysex, I'd like to be able to feed the
> sysex of a synth into a software program which can (1) display the
> sound parameters in a meaningful form, and (2) convert the sound into
> the sysex format of any of my other presets synths.  That's not too
> much to ask, is it? ;-)

This is one of those things that ought to work, but simply don't.

> Does anyone know of any existing software, commercial or otherwise,
> which can do this?

Sounds like a perfect job for XML and XSLT, just describe each synth in 
all detail and then map the matching parameters onto each other. Only 
you have to invoke a Newtonian Demon to do the definitions for you, as 
not even the synth manufacturers can tell you the exact scaling of each 
parameter.

> I figure if I've thought it would be useful, someone else has
> probably already done it at least once ;-)  Anybody know of anything
> like this?

I've done something like that for conversion between Q and microQ sound 
dumps (both ways). These are 99% compatible, the synths even load each 
others sysex, but it is the 1% difference and some quirks in the 
conversion routines that made some rather non-trivial extra conversions 
necessary. I have mulled over blasting Matrix patches to the Q, but the 
two have enough differences in architecture to make this a real 
headache even when you're not trying to have the patches sound remotely 
the same.

Someone mentioned SoundDiver, but even that is not halfway there. It 
can only do conversion when the synths in question have very similar 
dump formats and structure (with an adaptation, a module can do a bit 
more). I'm afraid I have no immediate solution for you.
 

Achim.
-- +<[ Q+ & Matrix-12 & WAVE#46 & microQkb Omega sonic heaven ]>+ --

Q series MIDI Implementation & additional documentation:
http://homepages.compuserve.de/Stromeko#WaldorfQDocs