LAYOUT: Roland D50 (Updated 8 feb 2015: v1.1)by bleunoir83

Question

Gold

MIDI Target Manufacturer(s): Roland
Summary: As the author tells it:

I bought MidiDesigner specifically to make a layout for my Roland D50, because I was in love with its sound but appalled at its controls, and a PG1000 module costs twice as much as the synth itself... So here it is!

- Controls all 313 parameters editable by Sysex, with the exception of patch names
- Parameters with names instead of numbers as values (for example, the PCM waves and bias settings) all have corresponding named ticks.
- I have split controls for the TVA and TVF into basic and advanced controls - mainly because i couldn't fit all of them on one page.
- A Supercontrol page is added controlling parameters on all 4 partials at once.

Amazing, great control of the D50. Nice work, enjoy!

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I bought MidiDesigner specifically to make a layout for my Roland D50, because I was in love with its sound but appalled at its controls, and a PG1000 module costs twice as much as the synth itself... So here it is!

• Controls all 313 parameters editable by Sysex, with the exception of patch names
• Parameters with names instead of numbers as values (for example, the PCM waves and bias settings) all have corresponding named ticks.
• I have split controls for the TVA and TVF into basic and advanced controls - mainly because i couldn't fit all of them on one page.
• A Supercontrol page is added controlling parameters on all 4 partials at once.

Updates will follow, as I still want to work on the colors and layout. Hope you enjoy!

Version history:

v1.1 (February 8, 2015):

• Added visual Structure selection buttons for Upper and Lower tone
• New Colors for Upper and Lower tone pages
• Added stepper buttons for PCM waveforms on all partials
• Replaced SQU/SAW buttons with a slider on WG page
• Several UI tweaks

v1.0.1 (February 3, 2015):

• Fixed a few controls that didn't work
• Adjusted several default values
• Fixed typo in waveform selector

v1.0 (January 25, 2015):

• Initial release

Downloads: 1250
LAYOUT LINK v1.1
Downloads: 1252

Images

Roland D50_1.jpg

Roland D50_2.jpg

Roland D50_3.jpg

Roland D50_4.jpg

Comments

Wow! I missed the notification that this came in... looks like a ridiculous amount of work, and it's amazing. Thanks, will share about this on the social media right now.

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Awesome :) It was about 5 weeks of work, but everything should be functioning perfectly. I'll be updating it periodically, i'll just keep testing it and trying to find improvements. Hopefully it'll help some people get more out of this awesome synth!

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Awesome layout. Unfortunately I don't have the D50, but if I ever run into one I know where to find the layout. :)

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Thanx alot, super work!

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This is great work, thank you. Easier to use than MIDI quest.

2 quick things. When you select either square or saw in the partial, there doesn't seem to be any way of going back to a PCM sound. Either square or saw always stays selected.

The other thing is there is no way to edit the after touch modultation on the TVF, which was a D550 only feature. I assume you have a D50.

Keep up the great work!

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Hi! Thanks for checking out the layout! I've used midiquest too and it was more frustrating than the controls on the D50 themselves.

About the PCM/Wave selection: the switch between PCM and wave is made by selecting a different Structure in the Upper/Lower tone page. The way these structures work is indicated on the front panel of the D50 (i don't think it's on the D550):

http://i.imgur.com/rujYsB8.jpg
(S meaning Wave and P meaning PCM)

The fact that both buttons are unlit from the start is one of those little things i forgot to add, which is now on my fix-list, thanks :) Either one is always selected in the synth.

About the other feature: i do have a D50, so total compatibility with the D550 is not guaranteed as i have no way of trying it. I assume adding a button for that feature won't be difficult as soon as you figure out the sysex address.

Keep an eye on the page, updates will follow periodically :)

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You're right, that structure is not on the D550 - I have it printed out somewhere and will just refer back to the numeric values.

One other quick thing, although this is more of a MIDI designer question. I can edit the D550 by plugging the iPad directly into the MIDI in on the module. But I haven't managed to get it to accept MIDI via my Mac (I have created the network and can use the Logic controller etc, but the D550 never responds to MIDI via Wifi). Any clues?

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Unfortunately, the "live routings" box on the Mac MIDI Network stuff filters out sysex. This means that you need some other way to route MIDI. In the worst case scenario, you could try my MJDJ app to route.

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That explains a lot, I didn't know that. Thank you!

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I added visual structure buttons today, so you won't have to refer to a printout anymore :)

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Can settings be saved and recalled on this, or would I have to write it to a patch on the D50 itself?

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Assuming that the patch can be COMPLETELY recalled from MIDI Designer, you can use Global Presets in MIDI Designer for this. Thanks!

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This is awesome! I've been tempted to buy a D-50 (...err D-550) and was looking for an editor. I'll totally get this. I may update the layout to the new glow design, but this is just perfect. I know how hard it is to make a layout for these synths (I made the RT Accelerator layout and that took me weeks to make)! So I appreciate the dedication and hard work!!!!!

Answer 1

Hello, I would like to inform on the d50 of the layout results in all parameters in real time, such as filters, rhesus monkeys, etc.

I ask this question, because I want an iPad to buy to check the Roland D50 and PG1000 is very expensive and not parameters in real time, which informed me change.

thank you

João Pedro

Comments

Hello João!

Unfortunately it's not possible to make the parameters show in real time. So if you load up a patch on the D50, the parameters on the iPad layout do not change.

That said, buying an old second hand iPad 2 and MIDI designer is still a lot cheaper than a PG1000 which also doesn't update in real time.

Cheers!

-BN83

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Hello, thanks for the explanation, but what I really wanted to know is when to play these if you are changing a parameter as eg. filter, just changes the value or have to re-load the D550 keys.
Thanks & Best Regards.


João Pedro

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Hello João,

When you change a parameter on the D50, you can't hear it until the next key press. It doesn't matter if you change it on the synth itself or via the layout, it's how the synthesizer was designed, unfortunately. there is no way to 'sweep' the filter manually.

Hope this answers your question.

Kind regards,

BN83

Answer 2

Hello, I would like to inform on the d50 of the layout results in all parameters in real time, such as filters, rhesus monkeys, etc.

I ask this question, because I want an iPad to buy to check the Roland D50 and PG1000 is very expensive and not parameters in real time, which informed me change.

thank you

João Pedro

Answer 3

Request current patch?

Hi guys,

First, thank you bleunoir83 (i'm also french and born in 83) for this layout, it is incredible!!
I bought midi designer specifically forit and don't regret it!
I now use an ipad connected to the awesome Yamaha md-bt01 bluetooth adapter plugged into a d-05 and it just works perfectly!

My question might have been asked for other instruments/layouts but I'm gonna ask it here to understand the specificities of the D-50.

Is there a way to create a button in this layout to request the current D-50 patch to be loaded from the D-50 to midi designer?

I know the D-50 has the possibility to do that as I have seen in this rather recent web based editor http://breadandbuttersounds.com/#D05Editor

But I'd like to understand if Midi Designer has the possibility to do that, and if it's something that I can do myself without having to redo this layout from scratch then I can participate for once and have everyone benefit from it!

Let me know what you guys think, and if you have ideas, resources that detail this kind of things or if you know of other midi designer layouts that do the same, please pass along!

Thanks
Gajimicu

Answer 4

Request current patch?

Hi guys,

First, thank you bleunoir83 (i'm also french and born in 83) for this layout, it is incredible!!
I bought midi designer specifically forit and don't regret it!
I now use an ipad connected to the awesome Yamaha md-bt01 bluetooth adapter plugged into a d-05 and it just works perfectly!

My question might have been asked for other instruments/layouts but I'm gonna ask it here to understand the specificities of the D-50.

Is there a way to create a button in this layout to request the current D-50 patch to be loaded from the D-50 to midi designer?

I know the D-50 has the possibility to do that as I have seen in this rather recent web based editor http://breadandbuttersounds.com/#D05Editor

But I'd like to understand if Midi Designer has the possibility to do that, and if it's something that I can do myself without having to redo this layout from scratch then I can participate for once and have everyone benefit from it!

Let me know what you guys think, and if you have ideas, resources that detail this kind of things or if you know of other midi designer layouts that do the same, please pass along!

Thanks
Gajimicu