Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "narfman96" <narfman96@...> wrote:

>   Thanks for the tip on the Midi sysex book! I just bought one on 
> Amazon for $9.00 + shipping. 

For older synths, it is a valuable resource for doing sysex; I paid 
$29.99 when it first came out. 

> If you are willing we can correspond on the corrections you have. 

I am steeped in a few projects, but will try to squeeze in some time 
to compare my notes with the book version.
  
>  Here's an example of an operation memory patch sent to the CZ-1:
[snip]

Sorry, the extra info (time stamping, etc. confuses me; I guess I am 
used to basic sysex.

> F0 4400 0070 2200 0021 FB9D F7, More Op-Mem coming! (with time 
stamp)

Ignoring the time stamp data, here's a Dr. Steve style translation:P

F0 = "Hey everybody on the sysex chain--listen up!!!! There's system 
exclusive data coming."

44 = "Its for Casio synths. All others pretend you don't hear it."

00 = [gear ID]

00 = [gear sub ID--In this case the 00 00 after the 44 is heard by 
the CZ line]

70 = [command coming on midi channel 1 (71 = ch 2 . . . 7F = ch 16)]

22 = [this byte is the Casio command] "I'm sending you CZ-1 op-mem 
data."

00 = [memory location] "When you get the end of transmission high-
five, put the patch at memory location 00 [A-1]."

F7 = [EOX] "That's it, buddy. No more in this sysex command."

To this, the appropriate response from the CZ-1 will be

F0 = "Hey everybody on the sysex chain--listen up!!!! There's system 
exclusive data coming."

44 = "Its for Casio synths. All others pretend you don't hear it."

00 = [gear ID]

00 = [gear sub ID--In this case the 00 00 after the 44 is heard by 
the CZ line]

70 = [command coming on midi channel 1 (71 = ch 2 . . . 7F = ch 16)]

30 = [this byte is the Casio command] "I'm listening to ya!  I'm 
acknowledging the Casio CZ message I just got; so send what you told 
me you were gonna be sending."

HERE'S WHERE CASIO MESSED UP: 
They don't have a final F7 to conclude the message!

Nevertheless, after the "30" byte is set, the transmitting device 
(computer or another CZ-1) send the op-mem data followed by an F7.

F7 = "That's it buddy; no more in this sysex command. So do what you 
need to do with the stuff I sent"

Then the CZ-1 replies with its own F7.

F7 = "Okie Dokie; Since you're done sending, I handle it on my end."

>   The CZ replied with:
> 
> DAA1 DAA2 0021 A3C8 F0FF, time stamp & attention with continue

I am not sure what this is. 

> F044 0000 7030 F7, CZ-1-> is this the I got it ack? 

F0 44 00 00 70 30 = ack
F7 = eox


> 0021 F1AC F0FF

Looks like sequencer/timing code.

> F044 0000 7030 F7, Ack,Ack,Ack (We will kill you Jack Nicklaus!)
> 
> 0022 0AE5 F0FF
>  
> F044 0000 7030 F7
> 
>   So as you can see the snoop I used interjects a lot of sequencer 
> info with all the time stamps and continue messages it captures.

What are you using?
 
> However I'll bet the CZ-1 doesn't see all of it. 
> I'll bet the program doesn't even send it out the midi port. 
> I do know if I trim out the 
> time stamps the CZ accepts the sysex and does its thing. Otherwise 
> the CZ ignores the sysex.  

If you capture the sysex with all the other stuff [unexpected 
nybbles] and send it to the CZ, the CZ probably says, "What the 
______? That's jibberish!! You ain't talkin' sense to me, so I ain't 
gonna listen to you, buddy."


>   About the sound output of the CZ's. There is an anti-aliasing 
> filter section in the output that rolls off everything over 19Khz. 
Of 
> course this is adjustable so it could be purposely mistuned. These 
PD 
> synths have a better clearer high end than any of my DX synths. 
4op, 
> 6op, 8bit, 12bit, or 16bit the CZ's win every time! I own 7 
different 
> FM DX's and although they have their signature sounds they can't 
get 
> the CZ's overtones in the upper registers.

Interesting. Makes sense.

>   Back in the 80's I was working in a small studio that was built 
> into an old barn. One of my Hafler amps blew a transistor in the 
> input section while we were away at our day jobs. The amp was 
happily 
> screaming at 37Khz - 20 volts peak to peak! I'm not sure what the 
> rolloff was on the ribbon tweeters but there were some rather 
excited 
> bats swarming in the attic. Also instant headache when you walked 
> into the studio. When we shut the amp down they all left...   

LOL. Just don't let this info fall into the wrong hands.  It might 
be adapted to disperse unwanted gatherings!!!! Thanks for the 
anecdote!

--Steve