Turtlerock Forum

Hey gang,

I have a Roland MKS-7 sitting here and I'm pondering how I can control it via software? Is there a way to convert midi CC messages into Sysex so I can modify the MKS-7's parameters?

it's exactly the same sysex as the juno106

check the right sidebar here for editors.
http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/juno106.php

if you google harder than I did, you might even find a VSTi editor that will do the job?

just know that with the MKS-7 there is no patch storage. so you need to load in a patch every time you use it.
also if you want to modify different timbres (MKS7 has 3 available at once) you have to edit each on its own channel.

Cheers Julian,

I looked into a juno106 editor, but have only managed to find one free one that works on osx (the ones on VSE are either pc or powerpc).

...and wouldn't you guess, the one I found doesn't seem to work. I've tried everything, it just doesn't like it. I metered the midi thru using max/msp
and messages are getting sent to the mks-7 but the does recognise them (no "." appearing on the screen to indicate receiving sysex).

I spent the afternoon creating a logic environment which looks like it has it sorted out. At least the basic controls for each section. A few of the
"switch" functions are proving tricky, but I'm a little impressed given that this morning I didn't know a thing about sysex. Tomorrow I'm going to
attempt a max msp plugin to control it.


Do you have any experience with those dodgy voice chips? Would it be worthwhile pulling them out and removing the coating now while they still
work? or is it purely an "after the curtain falls" jobby?

yeah... I remember years ago I had an MKS7 and I had a shareware program on my Amiga that I developed a "driver" for the MKS-7 for. it's tricky because the switches values are packed into a byte (or 2 bytes?? can't remember) anyway - you nee do know thew desired value of all switches to update any of the switch positions.. was a bit painful. and how easy would it have been to just give the damn thing a separate offset value for each switch? It's not really a problem with doing a custom editor program or box, but very non-standard for most "configurable" sysex generating programs. it's another example of early MIDI implementation, where you just want to scream "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?" at the sky, and collapse into a sobbing heap.

aaaah well.. have you tried this site?

http://ctrlr.org/

It seems to have a Juno106 editor as a VSTi. very cool project - guy i basically making up free VSTi editors for everything he can. though it's changed since i was last there - only one file in the DL page.. possibly has packaged them all up together, or made a general editor that does everything?