EDIT OPERATION
Using the EDIT mode of the DX7, you can modify the pre-programmed voices or even create your own original voices.
Modifying a pre-programmed voice
First, select the pre-programmed voice you wish to modify. Select either the internal or cartridge memory, and then the preset number 1 to 32.
Enter the EDIT mode by pressing the EDIT key.
Select the parameters you wish to modify and change their values.
A small dot will appeat next to the display voice number when there is a data modification.
When you wish to hear what the original voice sounded like, press the EDIT/COMPARE key once again. The voice number will flash and the sound of the original voice will be reproduced (during this procedure, you can not modify data). Pressing the EDIT/COMPARE key will cause the DX7 to revert to the original voice. When you wish to continue your efforts in voice creation, press the EDIT/COMPARE key again. In this manner, you can compare your sound with that of the original voice in order to see how your voice is progressing.
Store the edited voice in the internal memory. See the STORE/SAVE/LOAD section on page 19, and carry out the store procedures using it as a reference.
Creating an Original Voice
To create an entirely new voice, you can use one of the pre-programmed voices as the "raw material" for modification. However, the feed-back and LFO parameters can complicate the prodcedure and make things quite difficult. Therefore, it is advisable to use the "basic" voice parameters when beginning voice creation from scratch.
We'll create a CLARINET sound to exemplify this procedure.
Press the FUNCTION key to set the DX7 to the FUNCTION mode
Press VOICE INIT key. Next press the YES key. The display will then show "ARE YOU SURE?". Pressing the YES key once again will cause the voice data to be set to the basic settings, and the DX7 will exit the FUNCTION mode and enter the EDIT mode. It is now ready to create new sounds.
Selecting the Algorithm
Choose one algorithm out of the 32 available. For example, we'll select Algorithm 3. Press the ALGORITHM key. Set the DATA ENTRY section to 3.
Disable all OPERATORs that are not immediately necessary
The carrier parameters should be defined first. The carriers for algorithm 3 are OPERATORs 1 and 4. As we will only be using OPERATORs 1 and 2 for this example, OPERATOR 1 will act as the sole carrier. First set the output level of OPERATOR 1 to any value. Press the OPERATOR OUTPUT LEVEL key. Set OPERATOR 1 to 99. Set OPERATOR 2 to 70. The unused OPERATORs 3 through 6 should be set to 0. Pressing the OPERATOR SELECT key, select the OPERATORs. Disable all OPERATORs not immediately necessary.
Press the OPERATOR ON-OFF keys 2 through 6. OPERATORs 2 through 6 are now disabled.
Determining the CARRIER FREQUENCY
When attempting to create the sound of a a clarinet, the CARRIER versus MODULATOR frequency ratio should be set to 1:2. Press the FREQUENCY FINE and FREQUENCY COARSE keys, and set the pitch to 1.00.
Determining the amount of DETUNE
In out attempt to create the sound of a clarinet, only OPERATOR 1 will be functioning as a carrier and therefore DETUNE should be set to 0. Press the DETUNE key . Set the value of "OSC DETUNE" to 0.
Setting the ENVELOPE GENERATOR
First, we'll set the ENVELOPE GENERATOR of the carrier. For example, we'll set the parameters to the following valuest:
Pressing each key in succession will cause the values to advance from 1 to 4.
With the DX7 set in this mode, play on the keyboard and listen to the sound produced. The sound produced will be a pure sine wave from the carrier only. Now set the envelope of the carrier for an appropriate sound. Next, we'll set up the modulator data.
Using the modulator
In this attempt to create the sound of a clarinet, OPERATOR 2 will be functioning as the sole modulator. Press the OPERATOR 2 key. OPERATOR 2 is now engages.
Setting the MODULATOR FREQUENCY
Set the MODULATION FREQUENCY to 2.00 using the FREQUENCY COARSE and FREQUENCY FINE keys. Set the DETUNE for OPERATOR 2 to 0 . Set the "OSC DETUNE" to 0 using the DETUNE key.
Setting the MODULATOR ENVELOPE GENERATOR
To create the sound of a clarinet, the parameters of the modulator's envelope generator should be identical to the parameters of the carrier's envelope generator. This process can be carried out in a few seconds by using the COPY function. Using the COPY function, copy the OPERATOR 1 envelope generator data to OPERATOR 2. Set the display to "OP 1" by pressing the OPERATOR SELECT key.
While pressing the STOKE key, press this key. The display will show the number of the operator that was selected with the OPERATOR SELECT key. This signifies that the envelope generator parameters, keyboard level scaling and keyboard rate scaling parameters of OPERATOR 1 are being copied to OPERATOR 2.
Adjusting Tone
At this point, listen to the sound. The sound produced will probably be a little harsh. In this case, lower the OUTPUT LEVEL of OPERATOR 2 by pressing on the OPERATOR SELECT key. While pressing on the OPERATOR OUTPUT LEVEL key, lower the value of the output level using the data entry slide control. With an output level setting of 61, the sound produced will approach that of an actual clarinet. Let's set the output level of OPERATOR 2 to 61. Later on, with more careful control of the envelope generators of OPERATORs 1 and 2, you can tailor the sound more precisely for your requirements.
Adding Modulation
Let's add a vibrato effect to the clarinet sound produced. Set the modulation controls so that the MODULATION wheel can be used to add a subtle touch of vibrato.
Set the LFO Waveform.
Pressing the LFO WAVE key, set the wave form to "TRIANGLE".
Set the LFO Speed.
Pressing the SPEED key, set the LFO's speed to "28". This will produce a moderately slow vibrato.
Set the LFO DELAY.
Pressing the DELAY key, set the LFO DELAY to "36". The vibrato efect will begin a few seconds after a key is played.
The modulation controls should be set so that the vibrato effect will be controlled solely by the Modulation wheel. Pressing the PMD key, set the "LFO PM DEPTH" to "0". Pressing the AMD key, set the "LFO AM DEPTH" to "0". The setting for both OPERATORs 1 and 2 should be "0".
Set the MODULATION SENSITIVITY.
Pressing the PITCH key, set the "P MOD SENS" to "1". This means that the pitch will be modulated slightly by the LFO.
Pressing the AMPLITUDE key, set the "A MOD SENS" to "0". The settings for both OPERATORs 1 and 2 should be "0".
Control the Vibrato Effect with the Modulation Wheel.
Pressing the FUNCTION keys, set the DX7 to the FUNCTION mode.
Set the Modulation Wheel RANGE.
Pressing the MODULATION WHEEL RANGE key, set the RANGE to "33". This produces a slight amount of vibrato.
Turn PITCH ON, AMPLITUDE OFF
Pressing the PITCH key, set the PITCH to "ON". This signifies that the modulation wheel controls the LFO modulation of the pitch.
Pressing the AMPLITUDE key, set the AMPLITUDE to "OFF".
Set the EG (Envelope Generator) BIAS to "OFF".
Pressing the EG BIAS key, set the EG BIAS to "OFF".
Now by manipulating the MODULATION WHEEL, you should be able to control the amount of vibrato on the clarinet while playing.
Naming the New Voice
Nearly any name can be given to a VOICE, as long as it is within ten characters in length. As the sound produced here is close to that of an actual clarinet, let us call this VOICE: "CLARINET-A". Pressing the EDIT/COMPARE key, set the DX7 back to the EDIT mode. While pressing the NAME key, press the character keys in succession as shown in the figure. The cursor will move every time you write a new character.
