suggested option/enhancement

[stephenphillips]

Hi,

I've just posted an installation-related technical problem but meanwhile....

Could the following optional operational mode be considered for future upgrades/updates? Could the coloured preset buttons be able to toggle from 'standard' or 'classic' operation (that is, as in the current virtual synth, non-re-writable factory presets) to user-fillable positions (perhaps changing to all-white rather than coloured, the numbers need not change as they serve a logical role) which would allow the direct (and MIDI-friendly) selection of commonly-used or favourite patches.  This then would afford a style of operation very similar to the tone selectors on the GX-1, which (with the right type of programmable tone cartridge of course) could be freely loaded and selected — even providing the GX-1 option (which is already there with the factory presets and current user positions) as described by Gordon Reid (referring to the GX-1):

"You can press any two buttons in a rank simultaneously, and mix the (I) Tone of the left button with the (II) Tone of the right. For example, you could push down Upper buttons 5 and 7 simultaneously, and mix the Upper 5(I) Tone with the Upper 7(II) Tone."

Where he speaks of 'left' and 'right' he means the row of white illuminated pushbuttons (10 in the case of the GX-1) for each division of the instrument.  How convenient this would be!

A standard GX-1 type patch would then simply require simultaneous selection of the same numbered buttons in each row (I+I, II+II etc.).  Mixing tones (which would allow the CS-80's added versatility of not having to worry with left-right issues) would be achieved by selecting different numbers from each row (as is possible now — just this 'new' optional way would permit this sort of operation with user-defined single patches).

I really think this would be a very neat and ergonomic optional way to configure the instrument — and get those square buttons being used far more often...

Anyone agree?

Cheers,

Stephen.

[stephenphillips]

Sorry — one small oversight.  When I said:

"(I+I, II+II etc.)"

I did not mean to confuse the numbered buttons with the independent synth 'lines' I and II. 

I should have said "1+1, 2+2 etc." these being the numberings of the coloured buttons.

Hope this did not confuse anyone.

Cheers,

Stephen.

[stephenphillips]

Hi,

It seems I made a false assumption...

The preset buttons are not under MIDI control?

So my entire suggestion is ... dead.

Is this lack of MIDI access/control for the same reason that the overall instrument presets are not available via MIDI?

Perhaps then, I can suggest (but may not be possible engineering-wise) some other optional or alternative way to have these preset buttons interact with the instrument as a whole?

Cheers,

Stephen.

[stephenphillips]

So,

In that case, what methods are currently available for altering presets remotely?  Perhaps I missed that advice in the manual.

A final proposal:

If the buttons could be made to load tone presets that were not user-modifiable (other than through the performance controls) could they not then be 'divorced' from the synth-line panel and therefore from the sorts of adjustments that might prove problematic in real time?  In that way they could be switched (I imagine) through simple MIDI Program Change messages or similar.

This would provide operation very similar to that of the GX-1's upper, lower and pedal tone selectors.

Cheers,

Stephen.