Free FM Synthesizer Dexed (VST Windows and Mac)

[kilon]

"Being an open-source (GPL) product released for free, it can't become payware a day." if you mean that GPL does not allow to sell , it does and even encourages it

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.en.html

which why we say "free as freedom not free as beer".

[tristan-]

No it is not abandonware. Not yet. I actually updated the source last week to migrate to JUCE 5.4 and (forced) migration to VST3. These changes are needed in order to implement new features and compliance to recent compilers/OS/machines. The source will have to drop VST2.4 support but I will still provide VST2.4 for binaries.

As for Mac support, I don't have full details about this about from what I understand anything built before June 1, 2019 is not required to be signed by Apple. Future updates of Dexed will require an Apple notarized builts. This will cost me 99$ year for the Developer ID in order to make it work. I'm doing my best to release a small bugfix release, but I will have to see how I can do it for MacOS.

I'm sorry if I haven't answer to adhoc emails; I have a complicated job and family situation where time is _very_ scarce. But it is on my toll.

I'm really happy to hear that!
I can't tell you how much I'm using this tool, even when I have others in my arsenal. I love it.

I just see the release notes for 0.9.4:

Fixed 'clicking' in mono mode

but it clicks in mono just the same here, am I missing something? the best example for this would be patch Syn Lead-1 from ROM-1 A from the original banks.
It should sound like this:
https://www.synthmania.com/Yamaha%20DX7 ... AD%201.mp3

but in Dexed mono mode it just clicks throughout (especially when played legato in the lower registers).

Any ideas?

[Failed Muso]

No it is not abandonware. Not yet. I actually updated the source last week to migrate to JUCE 5.4 and (forced) migration to VST3. These changes are needed in order to implement new features and compliance to recent compilers/OS/machines. The source will have to drop VST2.4 support but I will still provide VST2.4 for binaries.

As for Mac support, I don't have full details about this about from what I understand anything built before June 1, 2019 is not required to be signed by Apple. Future updates of Dexed will require an Apple notarized builts. This will cost me 99$ year for the Developer ID in order to make it work. I'm doing my best to release a small bugfix release, but I will have to see how I can do it for MacOS.

I'm sorry if I haven't answer to adhoc emails; I have a complicated job and family situation where time is _very_ scarce. But it is on my toll.

This post pleases me greatly! Great to hear from you and I, for one, humbly thank you for your efforts so far. I can't tell you how useful I find DEXED! I am always recommending it to anyone who wants either an DX7-style plugin or DX librarian/editor. Personally, I use it for both and it makes bouncing sounds in to my TX7 and DX5 and tweaking them so much easier.

I am certain the community, both here and further afield, would be happy to help development costs through some kind of funding drive, be it something like Patreon, or simply donating funds directly.

I am pretty certain that a digital synthesis revival is very much on the cards and an up-to-date DEXED would definitely benefit if it did.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you

P.S. I wonder if you could clarify how to pronounce DEXED? I hear it pronounced in numerous ways and I was always curious as to what you thought? My take on it is that it is DEE-EX-ED, or D X ED.

[Aloysius]

DEX ED

[Failed Muso]

(On a side note, I've been following your work with the Fairlight for a little over a year, Rob, and I've found it (and your other blog and FB posts) entertaining and informative.)

Steve

Thank you Steve! That's really cool to hear Did you check out the recent stuff I did, such as the Fairlight seminar at SynthFest U.K. this year?

Hopefully lots of exciting things to come in 2020! Keep your peepers peeled

[Failed Muso]

DEX ED

Yeah, that's how I always pronounced it but when I thought about it a bit (yeah, I'm that bored sometimes!), I thought that DEE EX ED made more sense, seeing as it was initially a DX Editor, so DEE EX ED kinda seemed 'right'. Whatever, it's a bloody brilliant piece of software, however it's pronounced

[Aloysius]

Good point. Maybe the boss can confirm.

[Failed Muso]

Good point. Maybe the boss can confirm.

That's what I was hoping

[planetearth]

(On a side note, I've been following your work with the Fairlight for a little over a year, Rob, and I've found it (and your other blog and FB posts) entertaining and informative.)

Steve

Thank you Steve! That's really cool to hear Did you check out the recent stuff I did, such as the Fairlight seminar at SynthFest U.K. this year?

Hopefully lots of exciting things to come in 2020! Keep your peepers peeled

Yes, I saw that one and another recent one where you were interviewed. IIRC, you mentioned DEXED in that video. Cool stuff for anyone interested in the history of the Fairlight (though that's not the only thing Rob covers at his blog).

Steve

[EvilDragon]

I personally think this is the most accurate DX emulation out there

Actually, Arturia's DX7 V is even more accurate, since it even replicates the envelope bug which Dexed doesn't IIRC, and also emulates the DACs. Not to mention all the added features, too...

That's not to say that Dexed is bad or anything. It's excellent, but Arturia's is a few steps closer to the real thing, still.

[Failed Muso]

I personally think this is the most accurate DX emulation out there

Actually, Arturia's DX7 V is even more accurate, since it even replicates the envelope bug which Dexed doesn't IIRC, and also emulates the DACs. Not to mention all the added features, too...

That's not to say that Dexed is bad or anything. It's excellent, but Arturia's is a few steps closer to the real thing, still.

A/B’ing both next to my hardware, DEXED sounds the closest to my ears.

[Failed Muso]

Yes, I saw that one and another recent one where you were interviewed. IIRC, you mentioned DEXED in that video. Cool stuff for anyone interested in the history of the Fairlight (though that's not the only thing Rob covers at his blog).

Steve

Thanks for the kind words

[tristan-]

I personally think this is the most accurate DX emulation out there

Actually, Arturia's DX7 V is even more accurate, since it even replicates the envelope bug which Dexed doesn't IIRC, and also emulates the DACs. Not to mention all the added features, too...

That's not to say that Dexed is bad or anything. It's excellent, but Arturia's is a few steps closer to the real thing, still.

A/B’ing both next to my hardware, DEXED sounds the closest to my ears.

To me too. Some patches just don't sound right, not a velocity issue. Also DX7V is really uncomfortable when browsing sysex data and cumbersome. Not to mention sluggish GUI. To me Dexed feels like an old digital synth while DX7V feels like a new app on an old sluggish tablet. Dexed is just a few steps from being perfect imo.

[EvilDragon]

I personally think this is the most accurate DX emulation out there

Actually, Arturia's DX7 V is even more accurate, since it even replicates the envelope bug which Dexed doesn't IIRC, and also emulates the DACs. Not to mention all the added features, too...

That's not to say that Dexed is bad or anything. It's excellent, but Arturia's is a few steps closer to the real thing, still.

A/B’ing both next to my hardware, DEXED sounds the closest to my ears.

Make sure DX7V is set to DX velocity range mode. There are certain patches which take advantage of the envelope bug which are more closely reproduced in DX7V. DAC emulation helps too.

But sure, something being free will create a cognition bias

[tristan-]

This is not biased and not a velocity issue. Dexed sounds better in many patches and I really wanted to love DX7V regardless of it being sluggish or cumbersome imo.

I do think that you're a perfect advocate for your own opinion most of the time.