What is X2Y ?
X2Y is a small (i.e. 6k !) but very
powerful, DOS-based utility that converts voice patches for the Yamaha DX7 and compatible
synthesizers to equivalent patches for the Yamaha SY77.
X2Y is launched from X2Yv2, a Windows
based application included in this package.
X2Y is distributed as freeware.
Here's a screenshot:
What can it do for me ?
X2Y can convert files containing DX7
voice patches in any one of four file formats :
- Patches of single voices containing
155 bytes of data per voice. Such patches contain "raw" voice data without a sysex
"wrapper".
- Patches of single voices that include
an 8 byte sysex wrapper and therefore have 163 bytes of data per voice.
- 32 voice Patch "banks" that contain
compressed voice data, 128 bytes per voice, 4096 bytes in total.
- As iii) but with an 8 byte sysex
wrapper, i.e. 5104 bytes per "bank"
Files can be of any length but all patches
in the file must be of the same type.
Please note that file name
extensions (eg .32,.DX7,.SYX etc) provide no guarantee that the file will be one
of the four recognised DX7 file types - X2Y always checks the data the file contains
(but see below) and does not rely on the filename extension.
X2Y converts DX7 voice data to SY77
format and stores the output in a new file. Voices are converted to the SY77
1 AFM voice format which is the direct equivalent of a DX7 voice patch.
The conversion algorithms in X2Y have
been designed and tested to give the best possible compromise
between maximizing the use of the SY's more powerful architecture
and achieving sonic accuracy.
In general I find DX voices are more vibrant, if less complex, than "native" programmed
SY sounds and my aim was to get this stronger feel "hard wired" in the conversion.
Some simple chorus/reverb affects are also added in the conversion process -
if you don't like these you can edit the template file "SYINIT.DAT" using my
SY Manager application (take a back-up first!).
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