PG8X (inspired by the JX8P): new beta version uploaded

[zimmerabc]

Hi Martin, same question as LXNDR1. I don't get the syx-import working. The files are freeware from the net. Maybe someone can convert to fxb. Thanks.

[Glyn Darby]

I have been using this since its release,thankfully no problems,and all i can say is,brilliant job Martin,well done.Being a ex owner of a real JX8P,this is a great recreation of it,and good luck in any future projects.

[martin_l]

Hi Martin,

Just to say most of the crashing/blank UI issues are almost certainly related to permissions on Windows. Depending on the path people have installed to it's unlikely the host will have permission to write to the dir in order to allow the creation of the directory and SEM files. That's certainly the case with Cubase.

People don't normally notice this because an installer grants admin rights and Windows (7 or Vista) will store future writes in the User account folder "AppData\Local\VirtualStore". So people think they're still writing to a dir like "Program Files" but they actually aren't under Vista and Windows 7 if they've left UAC enabled and the program doesn't have admin permissions.

I would recommend your first suggestion to people experiencing problems would be to tell them to go to the place they put the pg8x dll, delete any pg8x folder there, then restart the host with admin permissions. That should then allow the correct SEM files to be placed where the dll expects them to be.

Hi Pak, thanks for posting this. I hope that this can resolve some of the crashes.

Unfortunately latest final version doesn't work on my systems. When starting Reaper (it checks for new plugins) it gives following error message...

---------
< Caption of the dialog window = c:\prg\Reaper v 2.58\reaper.exe >

Executable 'c:\prg\Reaper v2.58\reaper.exe' had the folowing unrecoverable error:
Missing Ordinal C:\prg\VstPlugins\pg8x.dll->KERNEL32.dll:1

< OK button >
----------

SW:
Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Service Pack 1 (32-Bit)
Reaper 2.58, 2.02 and also other higher versions (32-Bit)
SAVIHost v1.32

For SP1 you might have to download the appropriate version of the Visual C++ redistributable package. Here is a link:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/d ... ang=en#Top

I am not sure whether it solves the problem, but it should be worth a trial.

P.S.: Also, could you supply for download some SYX files that are known to work with the plugin? I tried some downloaded from internet and none of them changed the sound. That way I could test where is the problem - in SYX files or in "path" the data are translated through MIDI ports to plugin...

How did you try to load them? I tried some from this site:
http://www.synthzone.com/mschreier/html/tones.htm

Martin, since it's supposed to be the final vesrion, will we get to experience Schiffbauer's banks? Did you both agree that they would be included in the package or was it not the case?

As soon as the remaining problems are sorted out, I will add it to the KVR database, and then upload the banks I have, i.e. Schiffbauers, plus some converted syx files.


Cheers,
Martin

[thorau]

The system is 64 bit. Cubase and Energy are 32 bit. Energy crashes too.

[Kriminal]

any chance of a 64bit version, or is it not possible in SE ?

[martin_l]

any chance of a 64bit version, or is it not possible in SE ?

Not at the moment. Synthedit currently does not support 64bit plugins. But even if future versions will support 64bit, I will first have to check whether the oscillators and filter, which are written in SSE assembly are compatible, or how much effort it will be to convert them.

As it seems, the plugin is working with the host bridges.


Cheers,
Martin

[RexXx]

Thanks Martin, good job!
JX3P was my first synth

I tried to import some sysex patches with Cubase 5, but it only imports the patch name not the data?! and Presonus Studio One dosen't support sysex, so far I know.
So, build-in sysex patch & bank load/save would be very cool.

[martin_l]

Thanks Martin, good job!
JX3P was my first synth

I tried to import some sysex patches with Cubase 5, but it only imports the patch name not the data?! and Presonus Studio One dosen't support sysex, so far I know.
So, build-in sysex patch & bank load/save would be very cool.

Oops! I know what the problem is...

Unfortunately (due to limitations in Synthedit) Sysex import is only working for a very specific MIDI learn setup. This setup, on the other hand is saved with the curent patch bank, and just before uploading, I loaded the demo patch bank, which did not include the correct parameter mapping. I will fix it and then upload a new version (same version number, though...)

Try downloading again tomorrow. I hope it will work then.


Cheers,
Martin

[martin_l]

Thanks Martin, good job!
JX3P was my first synth

I tried to import some sysex patches with Cubase 5, but it only imports the patch name not the data?! and Presonus Studio One dosen't support sysex, so far I know.
So, build-in sysex patch & bank load/save would be very cool.

OK. Done. I've uploaded a version with the correct midi learn mapping.
You also could just download the pg8x-init.fxb (also on the same page as the plugin) and load it into the plugin you have. That should also fix it. In fact, if you download the new plugin, your host might still remember the old (wrong) bank...




Cheers,
Martin

[RexXx]

OK. Done. I've uploaded a version with the correct midi learn mapping.
You also could just download the pg8x-init.fxb (also on the same page as the plugin) and load it into the plugin you have. That should also fix it. In fact, if you download the new plugin, your host might still remember the old (wrong) bank...

Cheers,
Martin

Yes, now the sysex import works!!! Thanks!

[loungedumore]

Ok I can report it's running ( with the ability to change patches ! ) In VFX on OSX10.6.6 just fine .
Don't have any sysex files to test yet though .
Anyone got the factory's ?

[martin_l]

Ok I can report it's running ( with the ability to change patches ! ) In VFX on OSX10.6.6 just fine .
Don't have any sysex files to test yet though .
Anyone got the factory's ?

I just uploaded some soundbanks (the first 3 of Schiffbauer and the factory presets) to my site.

PS. The factory presets might still have some wrong 'patch' settings, i.e. key assigment and oversampling settings... It was a quick job transferring them from the hardware. I have not yet fine-tuned them.


Cheers,
Martin

[wwjd]

thanks for the presets! Great stuff. Now tell me, are those presets like the original factory, or someone's personal set or what? Just curious.
Some didn't load as you probably know. Some message about some settings could not load. No big deal.

[martin_l]

thanks for the presets! Great stuff. Now tell me, are those presets like the original factory, or someone's personal set or what? Just curious.
Some didn't load as you probably know. Some message about some settings could not load. No big deal.

The banks called Kujashi are the ones by Schiffbauer. There are still two more, which I have on a different computer. The factory bank is, as the name suggests. Some are transferred from the hardware, some are recovered from sysex available online. The init bank is just the set of sounds I used from the very beginning, some are from the factory presets, some are my own.

As for the 'missing' patches and the warnings: In the factory presets, there is a 'hole' from 33-64, which is due to the memory architecture of the JX8P. The internal memory was 1-32, then if available the cartridge (33-64) and then the ROM presets.

The warnings, actually, do not refer to whole patches not working, but refer to some parameters not being recognised. That is because some banks have beed made with a previous version, where some internal parameters showed up as (obsolete) automation parameters. In the latest version, I cleaned up the automation list and deleted these parameters. That's why you get the warning. Once you save the bank again, the warning will disappear.


Cheers,
Martin

[grabme]

Just trying this alongside the real thing and so far I think it might even sound better than the real thing, I'm trying desperately to prove otherwise! It's definitely one of the best sounding vsti's I've played with.

The piano preset is nicer for starters and a lot of the patches seem much more playable for some reason. I cannot get certain presets to load from the factory library. I get 'some parameters could no be loaded 17 of 152 and there seems to be patches Copy 17-47 with INIT against them. Is anyone else having this issue?

Can anyone recommend a good windows sound editor for the jx8p?

Thanks