# MiniDexed ![](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/actions/workflows/build.yml/badge.svg) ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/2480569/159365256-11e6fe8a-3fb5-467a-93b3-333b07e97aef.png) [Dexed](https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/) is a FM synthesizer closely modeled on the famous DX7 by a well-known Japanese manufacturer. MiniDexed is a port to run it on a bare metal Raspberry Pi (without a Linux kernel or operating system). __This is a work in progress. Contributions are highly welcome.__ ## TODO Contributions are highly welcome. - [x] Get [Synth_Dexed](https://codeberg.org/dcoredump/Synth_Dexed) to build with [circle-stdlib](https://github.com/smuehlst/circle-stdlib) - [x] Upload SD card contents to [GitHub Releases](../../releases) - [x] Get it to build for and boot on a Raspberry Pi 4 - [x] Get it to react to USB MIDI - [x] Get it to react to MIDI via Raspberry Pi 4 GPIO - [x] Get it to produce some sound on the headphone jack - [x] Get it to produce some sound produced by Dexed - [x] Load a default (hardcoded) sysex - [x] Get it to build for and boot on a Raspberry Pi 3 - [x] Get it to build for and boot on a Raspberry Pi 2 - [x] Get it to build for and boot on a Raspberry Pi 1 and Raspberry Pi Zero - [x] Support multiple voices through Program Change and Bank Change LSB/MSB MIDI messages - [x] Add functionality for loading `.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] Show voice name on optional [HD44780 display](https://www.berrybase.de/sensoren-module/displays/alphanumerische-displays/alphanumerisches-lcd-16x2-gr-252-n/gelb) - [x] Support selecting patches using MIDI Bank Change and Program Change messages - [x] Get 8 Dexed instances to run simultaneously (like in a TX816) and mix their output together - [x] Allow for each Dexed instance to be detuned and stereo shifted - [x] Add a way to configure multiple Dexed instances through `performance.ini` files - [ ] Add a way to configure multiple Dexed instances through Performance `.syx` files - [ ] Add a way to configure multiple Dexed instances through Performance sysex messages - [x] Add compressor effect - [x] Add reverb effect - [ ] Make it possible to assign voice parameters to sliders and knobs on MIDI controllers I am wondering whether we can run multiple Dexed instances, in order to recreate basically an open source equivalent of the TX802 (8 DX7 instances without the keyboard in one box). ## Usage * In the case of Raspberry Pi 4, Update the firmware and bootloader to the latest version (not doing this may cause USB reliability issues) * Download from [GitHub Releases](../../releases) * Unzip * Put the files into the root directory of a FAT32 formatted partition on SD/microSD card * Put SD/microSD card into Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3 or 4 (Zero and Zero 2 can probably be used but need HDMI or a supported i2c DAC for audio out) * Attach headphones to the headphone jack using `SoundDevice=pwm` in `minidexed.ini` (default) * Alternatively, attach a PCM5102A or PCM5122 based DAC and select i2c sound output using `SoundDevice=i2s` in `minidexed.ini` * 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 * Boot * Start playing * See the Wiki for [Menu](https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed/wiki/Menu) operation ## Pinout All devices on Raspberry Pi GPIOs are optional. __CAUTION:__ All GPIO numbers are [chip numbers](https://pinout.xyz/), not header positions. |GPIO | Device | | Function | Direction | Commant| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |14 | UART | | TXD | | OUT | | serial MIDI| |15 | UART | | RXD | | IN | | serial MIDI| |18 | DAC | | CLK | | OUT| |19 | DAC | | FS | | OUT| |21 | DAC | | DOUT | | OUT| |02 | I2C | | SDA | | IN/OUT | | used by some DACs| |03 | I2C | | SCL | | OUT | | used by some DACs| |17 | LCD | | EN | | OUT | | default setting| |27 | LCD | | RS | | OUT | | default setting| |16 | LCD | | RW | | OUT | | default setting, optional| |22 | LCD | | D4 | | OUT | | default setting| |23 | LCD | | D5 | | OUT | | default setting| |24 | LCD | | D6 | | OUT | | default setting| |25 | LCD | | D7 | | OUT | | default setting| |05 | ROTARY ENCODER | CLK (ENC A) | IN | | default setting| |06 | ROTARY ENCODER | DT (ENC B) | IN | | default setting| |26 | ROTARY ENCODER | SW | | IN | | default setting| |12 | PWM AUDIO | PWM0 | | OUT | | on Raspberry Pi Zero| |13 | PWM AUDIO | PWM1 | | OUT | | on Raspberry Pi Zero| |07 | SPI | | /CE1 | | OUT | | reserved| |08 | SPI | | /CE0 | | OUT | | reserved| |09 | SPI | | MISO | | IN | | reserved| |10 | SPI | | MOSI | | OUT | | reserved| |11 | SPI | | SCLK | | OUT | | reserved| |04 | NONE | | | | | | can generate clock signal| |20 | NONE | | | | | | may be used for DAC DIN| ## Building locally E.g., to build for Raspberry Pi 4 on a Ubuntu 20.04 build system, you can use the following example. See [`build.yml`](../../tree/main/.github/workflows/build.yml) for complete build steps that create versions for Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3,and 4 in 32-bit and 64-bit as required. ``` # Choose your RPi export RPI=4 git clone https://github.com/probonopd/MiniDexed cd MiniDexed mkdir -p kernels sdcard # Recursively pull git submodules git submodule update --init --recursive # Install toolchain if [ "${RPI}" -gt 2 ] then wget https://developer.arm.com/-/media/Files/downloads/gnu-a/10.3-2021.07/binrel/gcc-arm-10.3-2021.07-x86_64-aarch64-none-elf.tar.xz else wget https://developer.arm.com/-/media/Files/downloads/gnu-a/10.3-2021.07/binrel/gcc-arm-10.3-2021.07-x86_64-arm-none-eabi.tar.xz fi tar xvf gcc-arm-*-*.tar.xz export PATH=$(readlink -f ./gcc-*/bin/):$PATH # Build dependencies and MiniDexed ./build.sh cp ./src/kernel*.img ./kernels/ # Get Raspberry Pi boot files cd ./circle-stdlib/libs/circle/boot make if [ "${RPI}" -gt 2 ] then make armstub64 fi cd - # Make zip that contains Raspberry Pi 4 boot files. The contents can be copied to a FAT32 formatted partition on a microSD card cd sdcard ../getsysex.sh cd .. cp -r ./circle-stdlib/libs/circle/boot/* sdcard rm -rf sdcard/config*.txt sdcard/README sdcard/Makefile sdcard/armstub sdcard/COPYING.linux cp ./src/config.txt ./src/minidexed.ini ./src/*img ./src/performance.ini sdcard/ echo "usbspeed=full" > sdcard/cmdline.txt cd sdcard cp ../kernels/* . || true zip -r ../MiniDexed_$GITHUB_RUN_NUMBER_$(date +%Y-%m-%d).zip * cd - # Optionally, create a RPi image. This can be written to a microSD card using tools like Etcher or dd sudo apt install --yes mount parted IMG="`date +%Y-%m-%d`_minidexed-RPi${RPI}.img" dd of="${IMG}" seek=50MiB bs=1 count=0 sudo parted "${IMG}" mktable msdos sudo parted "${IMG}" mkpart primary fat32 2048s 100% DEV=`sudo losetup --find --partscan --show "${IMG}"` sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 -n BOOT "${DEV}p1" mkdir boot sudo mount "${DEV}p1" boot sudo cp -R sdcard/* boot sudo umount boot sudo losetup -d "${DEV}" rm -r boot # Write to SD card sudo dd if="${IMG}" of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=512k status=progress ``` ## Acknowledgements * [asb2m10](https://github.com/asb2m10/dexed) for the [Dexed](https://github.com/asb2m10/dexed) sound engine * [dcoredump](https://github.com/dcoredump) for https://codeberg.org/dcoredump/Synth_Dexed, a port of Dexed for embedded systems * [rsta2](https://github.com/rsta2) for https://github.com/rsta2/circle, the library to run code on bare betal Raspberry Pi (without a Linux kernel or operating system) and for the initial MiniDexed code * [smuehlst](https://github.com/smuehlst) for https://github.com/smuehlst/circle-stdlib, a version with Standard C and C++ library support