PX7 RE or free Dexed VST

[EdGrip]

If you like the OSL chorus, you might like the TAL chorus. They're both Juno 60 chorus devices, but I usually find myself going for TAL. They are both great though!

[moneykube]

"There are a total of 32 patch combinations, and I've recreated all 32 in Dexed, which you can download here:
https://mega.nz/#!6uYkQS5R!Zqg8Z95jhvca ... 8aDgs6BXNA"
link goes to m only

[bxbrkrz]

I had zero problems DL the file.
https://mega.nz/#!6uYkQS5R!Zqg8Z95jhvca ... 8aDgs6BXNA
Yep. Still works for me.

[moneykube]

3rd try it worked... whoop... thanx... using old browser may be the issue

[hurricane]

They're not any groundbreaking sounds. But the Electric Bass and Electric Piano sounds are pretty good. Power Synthesizer is straight out of a John Carpenter movie (in the bass register). The Electric guitar patch is nice and growly and kinda reminds me of the intro to Beat It.

[bxbrkrz]

3rd try it worked... whoop... thanx... using old browser may be the issue

I'am on the Brave browser. As an experiment you could try again on it and see if you get the same problem?
Surfing the web on Brave is like being on the fast lane 24/7.

[bxbrkrz]

Beat it.
Synclavier of course. 8 bit FM. But cheaper and easier to deal with an old DX7 than that beast.

Although... Was a real Synclavier used for that intro, or the sound that was already on the factory's demo LP?

[hurricane]

Here's an interview with one of the guys who did the original DX7 factory patches:

[bitley]

Beat it.
Synclavier of course. 8 bit FM. But cheaper and easier to deal with an old DX7 than that beast.

Not exactly true these days because there's a fantastic Synclavier FM app for iPhone, it blew me away and it's fantastic to browse through patches in it.

[bxbrkrz]

Beat it.
Synclavier of course. 8 bit FM. But cheaper and easier to deal with an old DX7 than that beast.

Not exactly true these days because there's a fantastic Synclavier FM app for iPhone, it blew me away and it's fantastic to browse through patches in it.

Of course, but my context was hardware vs hardware, old DX7 v old Synclavier

I have the image of Tron (the first one) in my head when I listen to some of the sounds he's producing.

[hurricane]

Beat it.
Synclavier of course. 8 bit FM. But cheaper and easier to deal with an old DX7 than that beast.

Although... Was a real Synclavier used for that intro, or the sound that was already on the factory's demo LP?

[bxbrkrz]

Beat it.
Synclavier of course. 8 bit FM. But cheaper and easier to deal with an old DX7 than that beast.

Although... Was a real Synclavier used for that intro, or the sound that was already on the factory's demo LP?

So it was 'borrowed' from the demo vinyl... Confirmed.

The Synclavier sounds so smooth (to me).

[hurricane]

It was definitely taken from the Synclavier demo, and the guy who created the demo got an album credit on Thriller and was offered additional synth work on the album, however it was most likely re-played on an actual Synclavier and not directly sampled from the demo record.

[bxbrkrz]

Good to know. Genuine real Synclavier on Beat it then.

[hurricane]

As I'm exploring the DX7, I'm running across little things here and there that I really like, like this snare. I've sampled it for you, from middle C to E4, with the lower keys sounding more like a snare, and the higher keys sounding like toms. Sounds really full and punchy, as you can hear in my short demo. You can download the samples and a really basic Redrum combinator, here: https://mega.nz/#!SzIHWSCI!iCoEBnhevjya ... 85Fz2PYWLk

And this is what it sounds like:

[hurricane]

After some hardcore comparisons between the PX7 and the real DX7, I've realized that the PX7 is set to match the DX7s velocity exactly. So in essence, when you play the PX7, it's as if you are playing the DX7 with it's own keyboard. So the Props have given us an exact replica, in terms of velocity at least. As a result, the sound of the PX7 will come off as "muffled" when compared to Dexed and when compared to a real DX7 when played with a different midi controller (outputting full velocity). The Arturia DX7V gives you an option to switch velocity settings, from the DX's mode to the FULL mode. So the FULL mode gives you the harder, punchier, brighter sound. Now to get this full velocity sound out of the PX7 and to get it to match almost exactly to Dexed, DX7V, and the real DX7, here's a workaround that involves NOT messing with any of the macros or onboard settings.

Basically, you want to use something like Lectric Panda's UTL RE. In PX7's case, I'm going to offset the velocity by +19 because it sounds to me like the PX7s velocity is capped at 108. And taa-daa, the PX7 now sounds as punchy and bright as Dexed and DX7V (in full mode) and the DX7 (when played with an external controller).

Screen Shot 2019-03-27 at 12.48.13 PM.png (860.9 KiB) Viewed 4112 times

For my Logic friends, who are tired of manually switching Arturia's DX7V's velocity to FULL, you can do a similar thing with Logic's Velocity Processor midifx. Only here I offset the velocity to 27 because I believe the DX7V in its default state is capped at 100.

Screen Shot 2019-03-27 at 12.29.18 PM.png (271.15 KiB) Viewed 4112 times

[bxbrkrz]

PX7 strikes back seconds before the bell...

[hurricane]

PX7 strikes back seconds before the bell...

Yeah, for sure! I would say the PX7 is more true to the DX7 than Dexed.

I'd really like them to add a FULL velocity mode to it though. And a 12-bit MKI mode as well.

[MrFigg]

118 posts since I asked the question.
Screw it...I’m getting PX7:)
Thanks for the help .

[hurricane]

Here's a PX7 combinator, where I've attempted to emulate the real DX7, with the UTL Player attached, the Decimort VST emulating the 12-bit DAC, and the OSL Chorus.

Screen Shot 2019-03-27 at 2.27.14 PM.png (348.62 KiB) Viewed 4079 times

PX7 - Real DX7 Version.cmb.zip

(66.84 KiB) Downloaded 55 times

EDIT: I know the real DX7 doesn't have a chorus - I just added it for convenience.

[hurricane]

118 posts since I asked the question.
Screw it...I’m getting PX7:)
Thanks for the help .

Lol - are you sure?

Arturia's DX7V actually nails the DX7 sound better than all the others.

[MrFigg]

118 posts since I asked the question.
Screw it...I’m getting PX7:)
Thanks for the help .

Lol - are you sure?

Arturia's DX7V actually nails the DX7 sound better than all the others.

And we’re right back to where we started. Ha ha ha :):).

[boingy]

118 posts since I asked the question.
Screw it...I’m getting PX7:)
Thanks for the help .

Woah there! Don't be too hasty. We can spin this out for another month or two.

For me it's a really simple decision. Dexed is the one that allows me to get some DX7 sounds without spending any money and the limiting factor in my music is not the last few percent of authenticity of those sounds. (Hmmm... not sure it''s valid to express authenticity as a percentage but, hey, free!)

[hurricane]

Lol - are you sure?

Arturia's DX7V actually nails the DX7 sound better than all the others.

And we’re right back to where we started. Ha ha ha :):).

You know, it really doesn't matter. I'm only going through this for the curiosity of it all. They all sound really good, and in one of my tests, where I left my desk for a while, came back, couldn't see the screen because my screensaver was on, I hit the keyboard and I couldn't tell what was playing - the real DX7 or one of the emulations.

However, I'd say if for historical reasons, you wanted the closest thing to a real DX7, I'd personally go for Arturia's.

If you want an FM synth that does a good job at the DX7 thing, but can also do other things, then FM8 is what I'd pick.

If you want a bare bones DX7 emulation and don't want to spend any $$$$$, and simply want to use the classic DX7 presets and not really create your own, go for Dexed.

If you want a bare bones DX7 emulation, and the whole 'rack integration' thing is important to you, and you don't mind paying $99 for it, then get PX7.

[hurricane]

118 posts since I asked the question.
Screw it...I’m getting PX7:)
Thanks for the help .

Woah there! Don't be too hasty. We can spin this out for another month or two.

Yeah, don't you wanna wait to hear my DX7V vs PX7, vs Dexed, vs the real DX7 showdown?????