The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

--- In AN1x-list@y..., Shayne Hardesty <lists@s...> wrote:
>    Hi group..  I've been lurking here as an AN1x owner but not 
much of a 
> musician for a couple of years now.  I've downloaded and 
enjoyed 
> countless patches you guys have worked on, but since I've 
never really 
> jumped into synth programming I'm not able to contribute 
much of 
> anything back.  BUT, I do online website database integration 
work for a 
> living, and I think the huge collection of GREAT patches we 
have in the 
> yahoo files section is just begging to be organized..  I'm willing 
to do 
> all of the programming to put it together.  In my mind you would 
upload 
> an individual patch, categorize it based on type of sound (pad, 
bass, 
> percussion, sfx, etc) and we would store all of the info in a 
database 
> so you can search by sound name, sound category, most 
popular sounds, 
> creation/upload date, creator, etc.  This would solve a need *I* 
have 
> (finding certain patches I've lost along the way), and I think 
would 
> make patch sharing and finding much easier.
> 
>    So I guess basically I'm wondering if you guys are interested 
in 
> taking this approach, and if anyone has any further ideas or 
thoughts? 
> To begin with I could host it on my home server on a cable 
modem, but my 
> upstream bandwidth is capped off at 400k so it wouldn't take 
much to 
> overwhelm it.  If it works we could either hope someone could 
donate a 
> place to host it, or take collections for a cheap webhosting 
provider 
> (you can find tons of them online for about $10USD per 
month).
> 
>    Let me know what you guys think.  Mostly I'm thinking outloud 
here.. 
>   Heck, there's really no point in limiting it to the AN1x, I could 
> abstract the engine to accept patches for any platform.  I could 
> probably get a rough working version in a weekend of 
> marathon-beer-fueled coding.  Once it is working I'll need 
some 
> volunteers to take the existing yahoo groups sounds, break 
them out of 
> the zip files and directories, and upload and categorize them 
one by one 
> making sure to give the original creator credit (so that we'll be 
able 
> to search for patches by a given creator).  I'd also need a 
volunteer or 
> two who is good with photoshop to do some graphics, as I'm 
horrible with 
> that stuff.
> 
> Shayne

Hi Shayne,

Here are some issues you might take under consideration...

First, you might preview a couple of existing databases along the 
lines of what you are considering to see where they come up 
short and where they succeed:

http://www.ampfea.org/sln/
http://www.soundcentral.com/
http://www.primesounds.com/

IMO, the Ampfea database has little worthwhile content but the 
format is user friendly. The Sound Central database is large but 
mostly  proprietary and poorly documented. The Primesounds 
data base is nice but many of the download banks exceed a 31 
character file name and require some adjustment on the user 
part. You might consider make doc and contact info mandatory 
fields for uploaded files. 

Second, you'll need to make accommodations for duplicate 
patch names, i.e., 'String 1', Piano 3', etc. While many of the voice 
banks are in AN1x format - the preferred format on this list for 
some time now -  not all users have necessarily used a 
Category to define their Voice(s).This means time spent 
categorizing said voices. Also, some of the Voice banks are in 
.MID and .SYX format which means even more time splitting this 
data into individual components. Whatever your estimation for 
completing this work - double it!

Third, the Yamaha supplied voices have been available for 
download from many web sites (my old web site included) but 
always in the same format in which they where originally 
distributed. AFAIK they have never objected to their voices being 
redistributed but repackaged may be another matter. Since 
Yamaha once posted much of the Teklab user archive on their 
PLG150 web page I can only assume they would be okay with 
this. I have reservations in regards to seeing my own work 
redistributed and would not like anything that says JDLX 
included.

A little history - there use to be an AN1x mailing list hosted by 
Teklab (Jay Vaughn.) This list here at Yahoo! Groups was 
created when the Teklab servers crashed and we found 
ourselves homeless. Somebody started this list at Onelist which 
became eGroups and then Yahoo! Groups. Teklab suffered from 
a problem which affects many small developers - over promised 
and under delivered. The Ampfea database (originally Teklab) 
above still contains a limited number of AN1x Voices but quite 
frankly, hardly anybody is aware. Likely because of the manner in 
which Teklab support for the AN1x community was abruptly and 
inexplicably severed. Jay never reinstated contact with this 
community and that was that...so, the point is, you're going to 
need to deliver on some semblance of system availability once 
your DB grows beyond it initial scope. People will not judge your 
efforts kindly if the server you choose to host your work - this lists 
work - is unreliable. 

Something else to take into consideration. Many of the Voices in 
the Files section were created within this community for this 
community. Speaking for myself, much of my effort has been 
intended to encourage participation on this list and my Voice 
banks are examples of my work - I don't particularly relish the 
idea of homogenizing them into convenient little packets for 
redistribution - I prefer they remain intact as they were intended. 
While the file organization here at Yahoo! Groups is less than 
idyllic at least it serves as an incentive for list subscribers to 
share and contribute. I would be concerned your DB would 
siphon off contributions to this community but given the fact the 
AN1x is a five year old VA - and discontinued at that - we're likely 
to remain the best resources for information and support outside 
of Yamaha.

I hate to be cynical but once you establish your DB I'm certain the 
amount of files uploaded will be insignificant compared to the 
number of downloads. I base this comment upon witnessing the 
download statistic from my old web site vs. the number of 
unsolicited contribution I received (one of the deciding factors I 
took into consideration when moving the content here to Yahoo! 
Groups) along with the supporting documentation written by 
myself and those who hosted the user voices prior to me and 
then Yahoo!

I'm sorry if this reply is not along the lines of what you expected 
but I'd much rather be forthcoming with you then the alternative.

regards,

Jon