Free Yamaha DX-7 Patch Editor & Virtual Synthesizer

dexed-yamaha-dx-7-emulator

Dexed is a multi-platform, multi-format software synth that is modeled on the Yamaha DX7. It lets you create new sounds, use them in your DAW and save them to your DX-7.

According to developer Digital Suburban, ‘the goal of the project is to be a tool/companion for the original DX7.’

Features

  • Multi platform (OS X, Windows or Linux) and multi format (VST, soon AU and others that I don’t use); by using JUCE
  • The sound engine music-synthesizer-for-android is closely modeled on the original DX7 characteristics
  • 144 DAW automatable DX7 parameters available from one single panel
  • Fully supports DX7 input and output Sysex messages; including controller change. This means that you can use this with a native DX7/TX7 as a patch editor and sysex manager
  • Each operator have a realtime VU meter to know which one is active
  • Can load/save any DX7/TX7 sysex programs. It is also possible to save a single program into a different sysex file.

Here’s a video demo:

The sounds in this demo come from the DEXED engine, not from a hardware DX7.

Dexed is a free download from the project site. If you’ve used Dexed, let us know what you think of it!

via artofdreammusic, failedmuso

 

91 thoughts on “Free Yamaha DX-7 Patch Editor & Virtual Synthesizer”

    3. Started using this tonight, and it is so good.

      It’s loaded up every patch I can throw at it, and there are thousands of amazing DX7 patches out there.

      Sounds great and easy to use. This will be a much-used tool in my bag.

  3. Cooll project!

    I’ve got a DX-5, with is like two DX7’s in one keyboard. It would be great if it would be possible to use this with it!

  5. Made my blood run cold and instilled a desire to drive nails into my ears.
    So, all in all, a pretty perfect Dx 😀
    (though, did a Dx EVER make a pad THAT nice?????)

    1. Best pads in the synth world.

      The only thing I know of that comes close is an OB-8, or maybe a wavetable synth from Waldorf.

      Being able to have each operator have it’s own multi-stage ADSR gives the pads on the DX7 more life and movement than on any analog synth. It’s kind of mind blowing how great DX7 pads sound.

      1. I just don’t recall ever hearing anything QUITE that rich from one, though it’s clearly an FM noise (I can hear the FM-y-ness in the background, but not enough to make me grind my teeth :D), I’ve heard some lovely ethereal, floaty pads from DX’s though.

        For pads, I’ll take a PPG any day, or my trusty Casio CZ.

  7. JUCE was originally developed as part of the Tracktion audio workstation. It is an very cool tool kit, I’m making an new idea with JUCE.

  10. Would really love if someone would address the question of; whether or not this plugin functions as an editor for the Yamaha TX7 hardware? That would be game changer in the DAW environment.

  11. Cool… But I really need an editor for my TX-816… I do have one but the moment my old xp-machine says goodbye I’ll be in deep s..t.

  13. I used the previous version of Dexed quite a lot. This GUI update is wonderful, and I’m always inspired by the ease of use in this plugin. Great stuff.

  20. Well then, so with DEXED It seems that as of now there is finally a better DX editor available than my trusty CX5M. Have to check it out. Working with floppies is getting more difficult every day…

  24. I tried it together with my DX7 II and they sound almost the same. With almost all presets audible differences are very subtle though some sound a bit louder or have a slightly different timing. In fact, when playing both of them together hard panned it sounds fantastic stereo. This is a phenomenal plugin, thank you!

  26. Just tried it and it’s really, really great – FM8 is a really souped up FM synth and leave Yamaha’s originals far behind (well, maybe not the FS1R) but this one is so handy because it’s modeled like the real stuff.

    I think I’m missing the operator on-off switch, or am I mistaken?

  27. OK, so for the Mac I tried installing this at /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST, and also at ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST

    Neither location worked at all in any of several different DAWs for version 0.8 of the plugin.

    With version 0.7 I got better results, the plugin showed up in various DAW plugin menus and instantiated, though with an older interface than what is shown above.

      1. Tried ver.8 on 2 different machines, in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Ableton Live. Only ver.7 shows up. Would much rather stare at 8. What DAW and what OS are you using?

    2. i have the very same problem. Haven’t tried previous releases yet, but 0.8 doesn’t show up. Tried in three different DAWs. Installed it to same location as mentioned above. Running OSX 10.7.5. Help, got to have this!

  31. FM always sounded great, although it used to be (and still is) a little difficult to program, but in the end is all about sound, isn’t it’

    1. That’s a pretty hilarious way to get a sine wave. I looked at the Sine calculation. Uses Math.Sin and Math.pow and, well, you should look at it. It’s rather shocking.

      To be fair, though, I don’t think the aim of this synth is to be performant. It’s just to be a patch editor that previews the sound right?

    2. The DX7 didn’t had any anti-aliasing in 1983, so does Dexed.

      And the code you are pointing to is not in Dexed, you are pointing to a wrong code repository. BTW, the DX7/Dexed doesn’t have any Square wave generator…

      1. You may be more or less right there!
        Dexed is the editor. They do point to the “music-synthesizer-for-android” code as their synth backend, but they also mention other implementations. So this might just be the Android version?

        There is some DSP code in the dexed C++ code, which looks much more like old fixed-point C hacks. (10 bit-shifts and multiplications to get a sine? May or may not be optimal dep on platform) but not sure if that’s used for sound.

        You know, never mind!
        It looks really nice, and if it interfaces with actual TX’s, it’s a great project.
        Good luck to them!

    1. It’s already there, simply load any type of file (a .zip, a .txt file) and Dexed will render it as a ‘corrupted’ sysex…. can make cool weird noises….

    1. For me it would not show up and then I did the rescan and a VST custom plugins browse. I had 0.7 installed at the time, then when it worked I switched to 0.8. I placed it both /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST, and at ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST

      1. Thanks for the info.
        Did this and was able to get 0.7 working but still cant 0.8 to show up.
        I am still on os x 10.6.8 so maybe 0.8 doesnt work with this operating system.

  40. Ableton 9 64 bit running fine on yosemite here! Very impressed! The DXII is my favorite keyboard synth, when paired with a quadraverb it makes the lushest pads i’ve ever heard.

  41. I laughed this was so good. Very cool how spot on almost all the factory patches are (a couple had some noticeable differences) to the original. Now its such I’m not a fan of FM synths but this is a must have vst to round out a full arsenal of synth sounds that was for better or worse a very big part of the 80s.

    the killer part is that
    1. its free
    2. its a damn good emulator and a dx7 patch editor in one.
    3. has 32 and 64 bit vsti
    4. Its still free when you are reading number 4

    Patches are everywhere as well… I think I collected about 3000 syx files for the DX7 in under 30 minutes just by goggling dx7 syx couple sites below that had a nice chunk

    http://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/mth192/pages/html/dx7.html
    http://bobbyblues.recup.ch/yamaha_dx7/dx7_patches.html

    For some reason I have an urge to go watch top gun now……….

  47. Dexed is a really nice tool. I use Dexed as editor for my DX 7 and my TX 816. All worx fine and stable.
    The only things i miss, are to have accsess to the Function Parameters from the DX and TX. That would be great to have this. The only accsessible Function Parameter is the Mono/Poly switch. Hopefully in the near future 🙂

  49. Dexed is a really nice tool. I use Dexed as editor for my DX 7 and my TX 816. All worx fine and stable.
    The only things i miss are to have access to the Function Parameters from the DX and TX. That would be great to have this. The only accessible Function Parameter is the Mono/Poly switch. Hopefully in the near future 🙂

  50. I had it installed and working untill i had to do an Os clean install. Now i can`t remember how i installed it and can`t seem to get it to work cause i don`t understand how juce works…. bummer

    1. I’m also wondering how to install this -I tried four suggested VST platforms with no luck and Protools won’t accept it.

  52. While still in late beta, this is a very good implimentation, good enough to warrent a price tag too. I have this since version 0.7 ( which had a slightly different UI).
    soundwise the implimentation is very faithfull to the original DX7

    and here is a selection of sounds to add to your stock.

    http://black.winny.free.fr/MAO/Dexed/

    HINT give blackwinny a mention of you use any of theese sounds in your productions, he worked tirelessly to compile this virtual cartridge.

  60. Hi and great looking editor for the DX7.
    I was told about it be a good friend who uses a DX7. My question or request is for a four operator version. I still have a Yamaha DX11 and would love and editor for it, hopefully on windows.
    Many thanks.

  62. Hi…

    I have DX7 2 FD and I vould Like to IMPORT my presets maked in this hardware synth into dexed; it is possible? If yes, how?

    Thanks for now….

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *