This project aims at increasing the marvelous job done with MiniDexed focusing on the user interface as I believe that FM synthesis is difficult enough to deserve a simple but more confortable user interface to replace the 2x16 chars displays and the one button with click, double clicks and triple clicks! As you guessed it, I want to make it autonomous from computer assistance.
I added at the tip of the feature list the few features I would like to contribute in this fork.
For the moment this fork will concentrate on Raspberry PI 4B and potentialy above. I do not intent to test the code on any other lower versions.
MiniDexed is a FM synthesizer closely modeled on the famous DX7 by a well-known Japanese manufacturer running on a bare metal Raspberry Pi (without a Linux kernel or operating system). On Raspberry Pi 2 and larger, it can run 8 tone generators, not unlike the TX816/TX802 (8 DX7 instances without the keyboard in one box). [Featured by HACKADAY](https://hackaday.com/2022/04/19/bare-metal-gives-this-pi-some-classic-synths/) and [adafruit](https://blog.adafruit.com/2022/04/25/free-yamaha-dx7-synth-emulator-on-a-raspberry-pi/).
- [ ] DEV01 - Change build structure so that object and other bin files go away from the sources directories
- [x] PRESET01 - Preset browsing: changing bak automaticallw when reaching the left or right preset boundary so that:
```
- Bank 1 Preset 1 + 1 -> Bank 1 Preset 2
- Bank 1 Preset 1 - 1 -> Bank 1 Preset 1
- Bank n Preset 32 + 1 -> Bank n+1 Preset 1
- Bank n Preset 1 - 1 -> Bank n-1 Preset 32
```
- [x] PRESET02 - Support more than 127 banks adding the support MIDI CC0 [Bank Select (MSB)] et MIDI CC32 [Bank Select (LSB)] to allow a maximum of 2^14 = 16384 so that:
```
- Bank ID bin: nn nnnn nnnn nnnn
- MIDI CC 0: nn nnnn nxxx xxxx
- MIDI CC 32: xx xxxx xnnn nnnn
```
- [x] PRESET03 - Add bank sysex material to complement the current one
- [ ] PRESET04 - Add performance support and edit to leverage the 8 Tone Generators
- [ ] SYNTH01 - Add Delay FX
- [ ] SYNTH02 - Add Chorus FX
- [ ] SYNTH03 - Add Flanger FX
- [ ] SYNTH04 - Add Distortion FX
- [-] HW01 - Create a 3D printable enclosure for the synth that uses the Raspaudio option
- [ ] HW02 - Add support for I2C screen interface (4pins)
- [ ] HW03 - Build PCB to ease the inclusion of all encoders, the screen and the audio sound card and include passive heat dissipation (OOTS Raspberry PI heatsink such as [GeeekPi Raspberry Pi 4](https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B07WQT1RRZ/ref=sw_img_1?smid=A187Y4UVM6ZA0X&th=1))
- [ ] HW04 - Design a metal enclosure with real size inputs and outputs
- [x] Runs on all Raspberry Pi models (except Pico); see below for details
- [x] Produces sound on the headphone jack, HDMI display or [audio extractor](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Hardware#hdmi-to-audio) (better), or a [dedicated DAC](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Hardware#i2c-dac) (best)
- [x] Loads voices from `.syx` files from SD card (e.g., using `getsysex.sh` or from [Dexed_cart_1.0.zip](http://hsjp.eu/downloads/Dexed/Dexed_cart_1.0.zip))
- [x] Menu structure on optional [HD44780 display](https://www.berrybase.de/sensoren-module/displays/alphanumerische-displays/alphanumerisches-lcd-16x2-gr-252-n/gelb) and rotary encoder
- [x] Runs up to 8 Dexed instances simultaneously (like in a TX816) and mixes their output together
- [x] Allows for each Dexed instance to be detuned and stereo shifted
- [x] Allows to configure multiple Dexed instances through `performance.ini` files
- [x] Voices can be edited over MIDI, e.g., using the [synthmata](https://synthmata.github.io/volca-fm/) online editor (requires [additional hardware](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Hardware#usb-midi-device))
* Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3, 4, or 400 (Zero and Zero 2 can be used but need HDMI or a supported i2s DAC for audio out). On Raspberry Pi 1 and on Raspberry Pi Zero there will be severely limited functionality (only one tone generator instead of 8)
* A [PCM5102A or PCM5122 based DAC](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Hardware#i2c-dac), HDMI display or [audio extractor](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Hardware#hdmi-to-audio) for good sound quality. If you don't have this, you can use the headphone jack on the Raspberry Pi but on anything but the Raspberry 4 the sound quality will be seriously limited
* Optionally (but highly recommended), an [LCDC1602 Display](https://www.berrybase.de/en/sensors-modules/displays/alphanumeric-displays/alphanumerisches-lcd-16x2-gr-252-n/gelb) (with or without i2c "backpack" board) and a [KY-040 rotary encoder](https://www.berrybase.de/en/components/passive-components/potentiometer/rotary-encoder/drehregler/rotary-encoder-mit-breakoutboard-ohne-gewinde-und-mutter)
* Put the files into the root directory of a FAT32 formatted partition on SD/microSD card (Note for small SD cards which are no longer sold: If less than 65525 clusters, you may need to format as FAT16.)
* Alternatively, attach a HDMI display with sound and select HDMI sound output using `SoundDevice=hdmi` in `minidexed.ini` (this may introduce slight latency)
* Attach a MIDI keyboard via USB (alternatively you can build a circuit that allows you to attach a "traditional" MIDI keyboard using a DIN connector, or use a DIN-MIDI-to-USB adapter)
* If you are using a LCDC1602 with an i2c "backpack" board, then you need to set `LCDI2CAddress=0x27` (or another address your i2c "backpack" board is set to) in `minidexed.ini`
* If the system seems to become unresponsive after a few seconds, remove `usbspeed=full` from `cmdline.txt` and repeat ([details](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/issues/39))
* [rsta2](https://github.com/rsta2) for https://github.com/rsta2/circle, the library to run code on bare metal Raspberry Pi (without a Linux kernel or operating system) and for the bulk of the MiniDexed code
