Coming here from the Synth Corner

Supporter (9)

09-05-2011, 02:29

I'm totally new to MSX, my programming experience is with Pascal and C.

My main interest is using the MSX Machines as a Synth so I'm particularly interested in the Yamaha CX Series and the Turbo R GT.
I've even discovered MSX this way, I was looking for a more versatile way to use FM Synthesis and stumbled upon the Yamaha CX5M. (Although I haven't got one yet)

I bought a book on the Z80 though

My goal is to develop a ROM to turn a MSX into a cutting edge MIDI Synth, including Midi CCs, dynamic Microtuning and maybe Granular Synthesis. What can be accomplished with the Z80 I'll decide on the go, but there also is a plan to include a CPLD and a small SRAM Chip in the cartrige to help with the heavy lifting.

As it seems now the Yamaha CX5MII/128 seems to be the machine I should strive for, other alternatives seem slim. One option was the Atari but there was no Soundchip in sight at all. The other option, The Turbo R GT seems nice but the Yamaha chip used and even the rare Moonsound Cartridge seems inferior to the SFG-05 from a strictly Sound Synthesis POV.

I could mod the SFG cart for another MSX but since it usually comes with a yamaha cx I might as well use it

By syn

Master (158)

11-05-2011, 23:23

welcome

About your making a synth out of a msx though midi I was thinking about the same thing actually, since making music on pc is one of my hobbies, as well as having a big interest in oldskool soundchips. Like you I only recently starting with z80 programming.

The moonsound is not rare, it can be ordered from www.sunriseformsx.nl.

SFG-05 sound cartridges are usable on any msx if you have the Yamaha UCN-01 converter. So maybe worth looking into an msx 2 or turbo r as well.

By Google

By ElectricMucus

Supporter (9)

12-05-2011, 20:33

Thanks I didn't know that moonsound is available this way! I've found out about playsonic though so if I would go this way I would choose that.

The Turbo R would be nice too but would be out of my pricerange, but this can change and I would have to _find_ one first

Would you be interested in a Joint effort? But be warned, I am a total MSX noob

By Daemos

Champion (279)

13-05-2011, 20:26

Welcome. Good to hear there are more people from the synth world. I hope you are not going to chop up your MSX for synthbuilding??

By ElectricMucus

Supporter (9)

14-05-2011, 20:47

Welcome. Good to hear there are more people from the synth world. I hope you are not going to chop up your MSX for synthbuilding??

My plan is exactly the opposite, that's why I am looking for a Yamha CX / SFG-05.
It should be a "non invasive Modification" meaning that any additional Hardware should fit in a Cartridge

By syn

Master (158)

17-05-2011, 23:59

Thanks I didn't know that moonsound is available this way! I've found out about playsonic though so if I would go this way I would choose that.

The Turbo R would be nice too but would be out of my pricerange, but this can change and I would have to _find_ one first

Would you be interested in a Joint effort? But be warned, I am a total MSX noob

i would love to help out but for now my assembly skills dont go much further than "hello world" so I dont know how much of use I would be.

Anyway the playsonic as far as I know, does not have any FM synthesis based chips in it. It has a SID (from c64 fame) and a SCC sound chip (a well-known soundchip used by konami), so i am not sure if that is what you are looking for.

Have you considerd the Philips Music Module? http://www.faq.msxnet.org/msxaudio.html

BTw the MSX music standard mentioned in that faq contains the same FM soundchip inside the MSX turbo r

By Daemos

Champion (279)

26-05-2011, 15:13

You are making me curious. You want to control a synth with a cartridge or are you planning to build a whole synth into a cartridge? Whats your aim? Analogue or digital?

By ElectricMucus

Supporter (9)

15-06-2011, 06:41

You are making me curious. You want to control a synth with a cartridge or are you planning to build a whole synth into a cartridge? Whats your aim? Analogue or digital?
Neither...

The cartridge should be just a regular rom with the code running on the msx.
Of course digital. I am not exactly sure where the cpld should come in an if I even need it.

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