Introduction:
Discover my 20 sets of Cubase 5 mixer maps - designed for Yamaha XG synthesizers !
Take full advantage of the 2,484 controls and 1,592 switches of XG synthesizers !
It's never been so easy to access all MIDI functions of Yamaha synths !
Utilize all XG parameters in Steinberg's Cubase 5.x
Contents:
- What are mixer maps ?
- Special features
- Why 20 mixer maps ?
- System requirements
- How to install
- Where to download
- Special thanks
- My Patch name script files for Yamaha XG synthies
Introduction:
Mixer maps are used to trigger various MIDI devices (such as synths, mixers, sound modules,
soundcards and more) via Steinberg Cubase 5.x mixing tracks. The different elements of the mixer maps are able to
transmit the necessary MIDI messages to change any available setting of a connected MIDI devices.
They're like software editors that
you might've use with your synths or sequencers on a PC (or maybe your Atari) to edit all the
values for your device's MIDI parameters comfortably on screen.
But there are also MIDI devices
without any buttons, controllers or switches like, for example,
the integrated synthesizers of PC soundcards (EWS64, Yamaha DB50XG/SW60XG and others).
Such devices are mainly controlled by a lot of MIDI data.
For example, the Yamaha XG sound modules come with thousands of controllable sound parameters, the EWS64 too
allows you to modify more than 7000 sound parameters !
All these devices have one main problem in common:
All the sound parameters are changed with different MIDI data, but nobody can remember all those different
commands simultaneously!
In addition, many commands are based on MIDI SysEx Data. These are lines of hexadecimal code like
'F0,43,10,4C,02,01,40,48,00,F7'.
Any editing of such SysEx data by hand is anything but easy or comfortable.
What this unfortunately means in practice:
Until now, most owners of an EWS64 or Yamaha XG synth could only partially use the
advanced features of their synthesizers!!!
...time for my mixer maps to appear.
These mixer maps offer easy access to nearly all available parameters using 'Virtual Surfaces'
for instruments, drum kits or master MIDI settings with named switches and knobs.
You don't need to remember obscure MIDI commands anymore - you can now vary any possible setting intuitively.
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- I. Precise naming
The legend of all knobs and switches are complete and in English. Every XG synth user with basic synth experience
should be able to understand the function of each knob or switch.
- II. Overview
I've tried to clearly arrange all controllers into 'logical function groups'.
For this reason,
these mixer maps are visually separated into different areas - Oscillator, Filter, Amplifier, LFO, Envelope,
Part and other settings appear in separate frames.
For instance, you'll find any possible adjustments of a filter available only in the 'filter' of that special
mixer map (and nowhere else).
You're therefore able to clearly view all available settings.
- III. The mixer maps are complete
Nearly all of my mixer maps include all possible settings - meaning
full access to the sound unit!
- IV. All knobs and switches are scaled
You can regulate all knobs only inside the scale they are appointed to. When it only makes sense, for example,
to adjust the 'Global Tune Transpose' in an area of #28 to #58, the specific knob will only use this scale.
It's therefore impossible to send invalid (out of range) MIDI commands with these mixer maps.
- V. Adjustment notes
Many of the controllers (where applicable) include an absolute range scale. Let's take the switch
'Global Tune Transpose' again. The 'Global Tune Transpose' can be varied inside a range of +/- 24 semitones.
Therefore the scale of this knob is -24 up to +24.
Important note:
For a huge amount of knobs there are no special values given because these knobs create an offset to instrument
specific default values.
In this case the values will be:
A. On knobs with a scale from 0 to max - '0' for lowest and 'max' for highest.
B. On knobs used to change a default value - 'low' for decreasing and 'hi' for increasing this setting.
In most cases the setting #64 ('center') will keep the default setting without any offset.
- VI. Note on default settings
I've integrated the information for default settings as additional text inputs into my mixer maps also
(where applicable). For example, the default setting for 'Global Tune Transpose' in the Master mixer map is #64.
This is named 'flat' (= no change). With this setting all sounds are played at their original tuning.
The text input '64 = flat' means when you choose value #64 there will be no change in pitch.
- VII. Default Snapshots
When opening a mixer map in Cubase 5 there is always the problem of non corresponding default values in Cubase
and the opened device!
To solve this irritating problem in Cubase 5, I integrated 'Default Snapshots'.
One click on such a snapshot and all buttons will change to their default values and match the real settings
of the XG device.
You can find particular information under 'further notice' in the different mixer maps.
- VII. In Summary
You're now able to control all settings intuitively! No need to remember details of
MIDI commands anymore.
Concentrate on the most important thing - Playing Music!
- PS: Automation of the mixer map settings in Cubase 5:
It`s simple to store variations of any sound setting in a Cubase song dynamically
(via 'static or dynamical mixer track recordings').
Please read the Cubase manual (MIDI Mixer.pdf) for further information.
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- There are 16 Part mixer maps for the XG Multiparts 01-16 to give you complete control
for each single XG Multipart
(goto: The 16 XG Multipart mixer maps).
- The master mixer map allows variation of all effect 1 and 2 settings and the global MIDI settings (global volume,
global tune fine/coarse). Additionally I've included a 16 channel Multipart mixer
(goto: The XG Master mixer map).
- The variation mixer map allows selection of all 42 programs for effect 3
including variation of all effect 3 settings
(goto: The XG Variation mixer map).
- The 2 Drum mixer map offer full access to 42 different instruments of XG drum kits
(goto: The XG Drum mixer map).
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These 20 mixer maps require:
- A Yamaha XG compatible synthesizer
- The program Steinberg Cubase VST 5.x or Cubase SX 3
- A screen size of at least 1024 * 768 pixels
- A creative and experimental spirit
Important note: These mixer maps don't work with Cubase VST versions earlier than 5.0
(like VST 3.7), also you can't use them with Cubase SX 1 or 2!
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It is strongly recommended that you read the installation manual and strictly follow the instructions
'as they are'
- otherwise the mixer maps won`t work !
Follow this link for detailed installation instructions :
Installation of the Yamaha mixer maps
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You can download the mixer maps at page:
Download Yamaha XG mixer maps
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Special thanks to Mr. James R. Grit, author of the "Beggars XG-Guide", and the Yamaha support team, especially Mr.
Krischker, for their useful information, which was absolutely necessary for me to develop these mixer maps
based on XG SysEx MIDI commands.
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At my page
Scriptfiles Yamaha XG you'll find useful
Patch name script files for the Yamaha XG synthesizers DB50XG, SW60XG, MU10, MU50 and MU80.
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C/O 2002-2012: Werner Ogrodnik (Cologne, Germany)