The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Hi Jerry,

>This is really interesting information you are sharing. I am 
>concluding from what you are saying that if I patch the mod wheel to 
>cc33 and use that to control a parameter, I MIGHT get better 
>resolution. (I realize it depends on the mechanics of the controller 
>and the interpretation by the model as well.) I gotta look into this. 
>You couldn't point me to a list of cc's with 5 bytes could you? Is 
>there an MMA website with a data list or discussion of resolution?
>
>I've been using the pitch wheel for fine modulation of complex stuff 
>like FM depth (where a millimeter can mean a radical change) and 
>groaning about it, since I'd rather use it for pitch. But if I can 
>get better granularity out of the other controllers (expecially the 
>ribbon) it would solve a bunch of problems for me.

I think that my half-explanation may have lead you astray.  If the list will bear with me for a moment, while I explain something about MIDI and General MIDI (GM):

There is no controller that sends out 5 bytes per se; all MIDI CC (control change) commands use three bytes --

    Bnh xxh yyh    where: n = channel number -1,  xx = controller number,  yy = data value

So, a mod wheel value of 127 on channel one would be --

    B0h 01h 7Fh

If a mod wheel uses the coarse/fine method, and wanted to send a value of 128, it would be --

    B0h 01h 01h B0h 11h 00h

Now MIDI supports a mode called "running status" where multiple commands of the same type (note, control, etc.) can be sent back-to-back without the second (or third, etc.) header byte.  This is what I meant by a "5-byte sequence" --

    B0h 01h 01h 11h 00h

The reason that they can get away with this time-saving step is that all commands have a value of 128 or more, while all data bytes -- including the controller number -- are 127 or less.

GM left places for all of the major controls to have both a coarse and fine adjustment, including the "general purpose slider" type controls.  Now the bad news:  To my knowledge, NOBODY has ever implemented these features!  Not even high-end players like Fairlight and Synclavier -- in their case, probably because they preceded the higher-developed GM spec.  If you patch the mod wheel to CC#33, chances are that nothing will happen at all:  most synths either ignore CC#33, or use it for something completely unrelated.  :^(

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions\ufffd   http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389  voice/fax
bruce@...