When you first run SY_EDIT, you will be prompted to set the input and output MIDI devices and the MIDI channel. Select the ports to which your synthesiser is attached, and set the MIDI channel to the same as that in "BASIC Rcv.CH" on the synthesiser's 'MIDI' edit menu. (If you installed the program over a previous version of SY_EDIT it will use the previous settings, and you won’t see this screen.) (See section 2.3.1)

The first voice in the database will automatically be sent to your synth.

The main screen is the first thing you will see after starting SY_EDIT.EXE. It displays the contents of the database, and the switches to filter voice types. When no flags are selected, the entire contents of the database is listed. Double click on a voice name to load it to your synth.

The buttons at the bottom of the screen enable or disable the sending of a voice whenever a parameter is altered. It is on by default the first time you run SY_EDIT. If you prefer, you can only send voice data when you press the "Send voice" button in one of the edit windows. This setting is saved on exit.

2.1.1 Open…

The file selector box will appear. Any file can be loaded as long as it contains a valid SY-22/SY-35 system exclusive message. If the selected file is okay, it is loaded, the edit windows updated and the sound is sent to the synth.

2.1.2 Save…

The file selector box will appear. Type in the name of the file. The current sound will be saved as a raw system exclusive file than can be loaded into most sequencers.

2.1.3 Modify voice in database…

The current voice data will replace that for the currently selected voice in the database.

2.1.4 Add to database…

The current voice will be added to the end of the database with the current flag settings.

2.1.5 Exit

Exits the application.

The edit menu has options to edit each of the four elements, vector information and voice common settings. All these windows may be open simultaneously. Each edit window has a "Get voice" button which sends a vice request command to the synth and receives the new voice data, a "Send voice" button which sends the current voice data to the synth, and a "Close" button which closes the window.

This menu item brings up the window for editing AWM (sample) elements.

Tone -> Waveform: selects the source sample for the element. The sole programming difference between the SY-22 and SY-35 is here: a few of the waveforms are different.

Tone -> Velocity response: selects from one of eleven responses to key velocity. Centre position is no response curve, i.e. the sound is always the same volume no matter how hard the keys are played. To the left of centre are negative responses: i.e. the harder the key is pressed the quieter the sound. To the right of centre are normal (positive) responses.

Tone -> Aftertouch response: selects from one of seven responses to key pressure (aftertouch). Centre position is no response, to the left are negative responses and to the right are positive responses. Note that this only applies to aftertouch applied to volume (toggled globally in Voice common settings.)

Tone -> Temperament: changes the pitch to key relationship. Best left at 0.

Tone -> Detune: sets the amount by which the element’s pitch differs from the master pitch control.

Tone -> Pitch: sets the elements pitch relative to the key being pressed, from –12 to +12 semitones.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Waveform: selects from one of five LFO waveforms. The triangle wave produces the most natural-sounding vibrato and tremolo effects.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Speed: sets the oscillation speed of the LFO.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Delay: sets the time between the note being played and the LFO starting.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Rate: sets the rate at which the LFO comes in after the initial delay.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> AM depth: sets the maximum amount of amplitude modulation (tremolo) from the LFO. Note that if aftertouch or the modulation wheel is applied to AM then the LFO delay and LFO rate controls are ignored for tremolo effects.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> PM depth: set the maximum amount of pitch modulation (vibrato) from the LFO. Note that if aftertouch or the modulation wheel is applied to PM then the LFO delay and LFO rate controls are ignored for vibrato effects.

Envelope -> Type: selects the envelope type from one of the following: User, Preset, Piano, Guitar, Pluck, Brass, Strings or Organ. The User selection indicates that the envelope is not one of the presets. Each waveform has its own preset envelope, which is selected by the Preset option. Each of the other options selects an envelope appropriate to its name. If a preset envelope is chosen and the envelope is then edited, this selection will return to User.

Envelope -> Delay: sets the delay time before the start of the envelope of elements that have envelope delay set. This is a global parameter, i.e. changing it here will affect all elements that have the delay check box checked.

Envelope -> Level scaling: sets the relationship between key pitch and element volume.

Envelope -> Rate scaling: sets the relationship between key pitch and the envelope rates.

Envelope -> Initial level: sets the envelope level before the attack segment of the envelope.

Envelope -> Attack level: sets the envelope level at the end of the attack segment.

Envelope -> Decay 1 level: sets the envelope level at the end of the decay 1 segment.

Envelope -> Decay 2 level: sets the envelope level at the end of the decay 2 segment.

Envelope -> Attack rate: sets how quickly the envelope level changes from initial level to attack level.

Envelope -> Decay 1 rate: sets how quickly the envelope level changes from attack level to decay 1 level.

Envelope -> Decay 2 rate: sets how quickly the envelope level changes from decay 1 level to decay 2 level.

Envelope -> Release rate: sets how quickly the envelope level changes from decay 2 level to 0.

Envelope -> Envelope delay: toggles the envelope delay on and off. The envelope delay rate is set globally in Voice common.

Level & Pan -> Volume: set the volume of the element.

Level & Pan -> Pan position: selects the pan position from Left, Centre-Left, Centre, Centre-Right, or Right.

Options -> Select element: selects whether to edit element A or C.

Options -> Select model: selects SY-22 or SY-35. This affects only the voice names in the Waveform combo box.

The selected element’s envelope is shown below the rate and level boxes.

This menu item brings up the window for editing FM (synthesised) elements.

This window is essentially the same as for elements B & D, without the combo box to select synth model, but with the follow differences and additions:

Tone -> Waveform: selects from one of the 256 preset FM waveforms, which are the same on the SY-22 and SY-35. This will then change the carrier and modulator settings accordingly. Note that any modifications that are made to the carrier and modulator will not affect this selection, and hence the sound can end up bearing no relation to the waveform indicated here.

Tone -> Feedback: sets the amount of the modulator wave that is fed back to itself. The higher setting, the higher the harmonic content of the final sound. Higher settings will tend towards white noise, depending on the other modulator settings.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Assign AM to modulator: sends amplitude modulation to the modulator. For normal tremolo effects this should be clear.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Assign AM to carrier: send amplitude modulation to the carrier. For normal tremolo effects this should be set.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Assign PM to modulator: sends amplitude modulation to the modulator. For normal vibrato effects this should be set.

Low Frequency Oscillator -> Assign PM to carrier: send amplitude modulation to the carrier. For normal vibrato effects this should be set.

FM operator -> Fixed frequency: if set then the pitch of the operator does not change across the keyboard.

FM operator -> Waveform: selects the waveform of the operator. 0 is a pure sine wave, and the others have varying harmonic variations.

FM operator -> Harmonic: sets the base frequency of the operator, and hence the pitch of the note. Higher settings result in patches only bats can hear!

FM operator -> Level: sets the level of the selected operator. If the operator is the carrier, this is the volume of the element.

FM operator -> Temperament: changes the selected operator’s pitch to key relationship.

FM operator -> Detune: sets the amount by which the selected operator’s pitch differs from the master pitch control.

Options -> Select FM operator: selects if the parameters in the FM Operator and Envelope boxes are for the carrier or modulator.

The selected element’s envelope is shown below the rate and level boxes. The blue line is the carrier (amplitude) envelope and the red line is the modulator (tonal) envelope.

This option brings up the window for editing global settings.

Name: sets the name of the sound, up to eight characters.

Configuration: selects the configuration of the sound: two element (A-B) or four element (A-B-C-D) giving 16 note and 8 note polyphony respectively.

Effects -> Type: sets the effect type from one of the following: Reverb Hall; Reverb Room; Reverb Plate; Reverb Club; Reverb Metal; Single Short Delay; Long Delay 1; Long Delay 2; Doubler; Ping-Pong Delay; Panned Reflections; Early Reflections; Gated Reverb; Delay & Reverb 1; Delay & Reverb 2; Distortion & Reverb.

Effects -> Depth: selects how much of the effect is mixed in with the final sound.

Aftertouch -> Assign to AM: sets the sound’s tremolo to be controlled by key pressure, and not the LFO delay and LFO rate controls.

Aftertouch -> Assign to PM: sets the sound’s vibrato to be controlled by key pressure, and not the LFO delay and LFO rate controls.

Aftertouch -> Assign to level: sets the level of the elements to be controlled by key pressure. The sensitivity of this control is set by aftertouch response for each element.

Aftertouch -> Pitch: selects the pitch bend, in semitones up or down that key pressure can introduce.

Mod wheel -> Assign to AM: sets the sound’s tremolo to be controlled by the modulation wheel, and not the LFO delay and LFO rate controls.

Mod wheel -> Assign to PM: sets the sound’s vibrato to be controlled by the modulation wheel, and not the LFO delay and LFO rate controls.

Global envelope adjust -> attack: sets a global offset to all elements’ attack rate.

Global envelope adjust -> release: sets a global offset to all elements’ release rate.

Pitch bend range: sets the range, in semitones, of the pitch wheel.

This option brings up the window for editing Vector settings. (I’m not paying your optician bills if you linger too long on this window!)

Each slider represents a position in the vector. If you alter the position of one of these sliders, the contents of the Step values panel changes to indicate the vector settings for that step.

Step values -> Step number: selects the Vector step number.

Step values -> AB position: sets the balance between elements A and B (Y axis).

Step values -> CD position: sets the balance between elements C and D (X axis).

Step values -> Repeat/End: sets the length of the selected step. This effectively multiplies the step length. It can be set from 1 to 254, Rep (repeat) or End. Rep simply returns to the start of the Vector.

Vector global -> Vector speed: sets the speed of the vector from 10ms to 160ms.

Vector global -> Edit vector: selects editing of the Level or Detune vector.

This option brings up the dialog box for selecting MIDI input and MIDI output devices, and MIDI channel.

Select the input and output devices to which your synthesiser is attached, and set the MIDI channel to be that indicated by "BASIC Rcv.CH" on the synthesiser's 'MIDI' edit menu.

This option sends a voice request to the synth and receives the voice data from the synth. This is the same as pressing the ‘Get voice’ button on any of the edit windows.

Selecting this menu brings up information about the program.