Yamaha RM50 manager (voice editor and rhythm kit editor)

[tux]

Update: 17th Jan 2013

Version 1.1 of the RM50 Manager is now officially released.

This is primarily a bug fix release, the only major change compared to 1.0 is MIDI support for Windows as was already included in the 1.1beta release.
One important bug has been fixed that could cause sysex file corruption in specific circumstances so upgrading is highly recommended.

Files:

Windows executable: http://www.linuxtech.net/files/rm50_man ... winexe.zip
(Size: 4048376 bytes, MD5 checksum: f6dc4b20b39b78ab766d9fd3804022cf )
Please note: the first time you run the Windows executable it will take a few seconds to show up, this is normal as it needs to unpack the included Perl interpreter and modules into a temp folder. The second time you run it it will start up a lot faster.

Generic zip package (can be used on Linux, Windows and OSX but requires Perl installed): http://www.linuxtech.net/files/rm50_manager1.1.zip
(Size: 53996 bytes, MD5 checksum: 7122b7635009cd8ff93f2e249a295b65 )


Update: 23rd Dec 2012

Version 1.0 of the RM50 Manager is now officially released.

This version features a full voice and a full rhythm kit editor for the Yamaha RM50 Rhythm Sound Module and has been tested to run on Linux and Windows XP SP3 (and should also work on OS X).

Both voices and rhythm kits can be loaded from sysex files, edited and saved again to sysex files. Furthermore full real time editing via MIDI is possible and both downloading and uploading of voices and rhythm kits via MIDI is implemented (currently only on Linux).

All waveform cards compatible with the RM50 are fully supported (except W7732, I still need the Card ID for this one) and the RM50 Manager fully supports MCD32 and MCD64 cards including bank switching with MCD64 cards.

In addition to the generic zip package containing the Perl program file (which works on Linux, Windows and OS X but requires you to install the Perl interpreter and a few Perl modules in order to use it, read the README.TXT included in the zip file for instruction), I have also created a zip file containing a Windows executable, which you can just unzip and run without needing to install Perl or Perl modules (they are included in the exe file).



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12th Nov 2012

I'm pleased to announce the release of the first 0.1 alpha version of the RM50 manager I have been working on during the last few weeks. This is still a very early release with lots of limitations and missing functionality, but it is nevertheless already usable and useful.

In it's current state it allows you to edit every single parameter of a RM50 voice/patch, load voices from sysex files and save edited voices to sysex files. It also supports full real-time editing of voices via MIDI (every slider movement and pressing of buttons is transmitted to the RM50 in real-time, this particular feature currently only works on Linux, see below).

Wave card support is not yet fully functional, but I hope it will be soon.

This program is written in Perl and therefore multi-platform, I'm developing it on Linux but I have also tested it on Windows XP SP3. It should also work on OS X but I don't have the hardware to test that.

That said, unfortunately Perl doesn't have a generic multi-platform MIDI library, there is a Linux specific MIDI library and a Windows specific MIDI library (search.cpan.org/dist/Win32API-MIDI/MIDI.pm). I don't know if there is one for OS X too. Currently I have only used the Linux specific MIDI library so real-time editing of the RM50 via MIDI and direct uploading of edited voices to the RM50 currently only works on Linux.

Implementing Windows MIDI support should be possible but I have no experience with the Windows MIDI API (or with programming on Windows in general). If there is enough interest in this from RM50 Windows users, I can look into this, but on the other hand if there is anyone here with Windows programming skills who would like to help out that would be far better (I reckon it would take someone with Windows programming skills no more than a couple of hours to add the necessary code for Windows, it really isn't much code at all and you don't need prior Perl programming experience, Perl is very easy to understand if you know 'C').

The RM50 manager is released as free open source software under the GNU GPLv2 license.

If you own a RM50 I highly recommend you to try out the RM50 manager software (if at all possible try it on Linux to experience the full real-time editing functionality via MIDI), for me this editor has completely renewed my interest in the RM50 as the RM50 is really a powerful synth (not just a simple presets drum machine) my only problem with the RM50 has always been that editing the RM50 via the front panel is very cumbersome (hence this software).

Download link for the RM50 Manager: linuxtech.net/files/rm50_manager-0.1.zip
The zip file contains a README.TXT with installation instructions, make sure you read it first. If you have trouble with the installation of the prerequisites then please post your problem here.

The latest development version is available at: github.com/tux99/rm50_manager

Feedback (bug reports, suggestions, comments) is highly welcome, if you test the RM50 Manager please provide feedback.

Thanks to Sonus for his assistance in helping me understand the MIDI/Sysex implementation of the RM50 and thanks to Peter Billam for writing the Perl MIDI::ALSA library and last but not least thanks to several Perl Monks (perlmonks.org) who helped me when I had problems with my Perl programming.

Here are a couple of screenshot (taken on Linux, on Windows some elements will look slightly different) of the RM50 Manager in it's current state:

[Miks]

Looks awesome! Well done. I don't own that unit but I think your RM50 manager will be very usefull for those who want to tweak the RM50 and get the best out of it.

[Ego_Shredder]

Looks very comprehensive so far and only needs a bit more colour for the sliders etc to make it easier to use. Once the remaining features have been implemented and tested, it will be a powerful tool for RM50 users. The icing on the cake would be if someone could add VSTi functionality.

[tux]

only needs a bit more colour for the sliders etc to make it easier to use.

I agree looks could be improved and I will look at that eventually but right now I'm first concentrating on features and functionality.

The icing on the cake would be if someone could add VSTi functionality.

I'm not sure whether a program written in Perl can use the VST API, unfortunately I think it would need to be completely rewritten in C/C++ for that or at least it would need a VST Perl module/library (which AFAIK doesn't exist).

[Clyde]

Congratulations on creating this program, it should be a very useful tool for RM50 owners.
Clyde

[francois]

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

What would be awesome for a next dev stage is to think about how best to use drum templates that are in GM format with the RM50. Something like a conversion utility that would take GM files and remap to RM50 format. That way, it would make using all the drum libraries out there that are in GM format with the RM50 a much easier proposition than currently is.

[tux]

What would be awesome for a next dev stage is to think about how best to use drum templates that are in GM format with the RM50. Something like a conversion utility that would take GM files and remap to RM50 format. That way, it would make using all the drum libraries out there that are in GM format with the RM50 a much easier proposition than currently is.

One of the things I have planned to add is a rhythm kit editor. With the rhythm kit editor you could then create a GM compatible rhythm kit for the RM50, that seems (to me at least) the best way to play rhythm tracks of a GM file on the RM50.
Or did I misunderstand what you meant?

[francois]

There are many ways to skin a cat as they say. Not sure what the best approach entails, but so long as it enables you to quickly use drum libraries such as Groove Monkee, Keyfax or others, that are in GM format, with the RM50, then it's all good.

[tux]

it enables you to quickly use drum libraries such as Groove Monkee, Keyfax or others, that are in GM format, with the RM50, then it's all good.

Yes, once you have created a GM compatible rhythm kit with the rhythm kit editor, then using these drum libraries should work fine.

[tux]

One of the things I have planned to add is a rhythm kit editor.

Since the voice editor functionality is now basically complete (only wave card support still needs completing) the next thing I'll be working on the rhythm kit editor functionality.

[Miks]

You tease you...

the further you get with your editor the more I'm longing to get a RM50...

[tux]

You tease you...

the further you get with your editor the more I'm longing to get a RM50...

The most recent one that I saw on ebay.de went for only 61 Euros including a Dave Weckl waveforms+voices card, at that price somebody got a real bargain:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Yamaha-RM50-Rhyt ... 337d6cb25f


I just managed to finally buy a waveforms+voices card (haven't received it yet), so I'm a step further with regards to implementing full wave card support. Also Ego_Shredder will hopefully have time at some point for the card inlay scans, so I can add all wave and voice names from all cards which will make card handling near perfect (unfortunately I found no way to autodetect inserted cards yet, that would be the icing on the cake ).

[Clyde]

Kudos to you for a job well done! I'm sure that many RM50 users will benefit from your efforts.
Clyde

[Ego_Shredder]

I'm on a week off work now so it will not be long now

[tux]

I'm on a week off work now so it will not be long now

I can't wait! (seriously, ignore my impatience, I appreciate your effort no matter if it's today or in a month)