Alesis QuadraVerb System Exclusive Information Bob Page .. 12-Feb-89 Internet/UUCP: page@ulowell.edu BIX: page Phone: +1 508/687-6004 This information is presented in the hope that it will be useful, but no warrantees about its accuracy are expressed or implied. I'm interested in any changes/additions you have. Feel free to use this information in any way for any purpose, but please don't pretend you wrote it (leave my name in this document). I'd be happy if you send me code you write based on this info, but of course that's up to you. Alesis is currently saying they are not going to release the QuadraVerb info "at this time". That could mean the "format" is subject to change, or they are withholding the info until some pet software companies get QV patch editors to the market, or maybe some other reason, I dunno. In any event, I needed the info, so I created it. And on with the show... QUADRAVERB SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE DATA ENCODING FORMAT: You first need to understand how the QV encodes its data for MIDI transmission. Although all 8 bits of a byte are used internally, the MIDI specification reserves the highest bit for status messages, so these high bits have to be "removed" from the data stream. The 8-bit QuadraVerb data is encoded for MIDI transmission into 7-bit data. The encoding looks like this: Seven QuadraVerb bytes (each line represents one byte): Byte 0: a7 a6 a5 a4 a3 a2 a1 a0 1: b7 b6 b5 b4 b3 b2 b1 b0 2: c7 c6 c5 c4 c3 c2 c1 c0 3: d7 d6 d5 d4 d3 d2 d1 d0 4: e7 e6 e5 e4 e3 e2 e1 e0 5: f7 f6 f5 f4 f3 f2 f1 f0 6: g7 g6 g5 g4 g3 g2 g1 g0 are transmitted as eight MIDI bytes: Byte 0: 00 a7 a6 a5 a4 a3 a2 a1 1: 00 a0 b7 b6 b5 b4 b3 b2 2: 00 b1 b0 c7 c6 c5 c4 c3 3: 00 c2 c1 c0 d7 d6 d5 d4 4: 00 d3 d2 d1 d0 e7 e6 e5 5: 00 e4 e3 e2 e1 e0 f7 f6 6: 00 f5 f4 f3 f2 f1 f0 g7 7: 00 g6 g5 g4 g3 g2 g1 g0 Here is a C fragment to decode the data (note that you don't want to decode the SysEx status messsages; they are not encoded): unsigned char c, oc; oc = 0; for (i=0; ((c = getc(ifp)) < 0x80); i++) { i %= 147; /* end of program */ if (shift = i % 8) { oc = (oc << shift) + (c >> (7-shift)); putc(oc, ofp); } oc = c; } All the info given below assumes the data has been decoded. If you are going to send the data back to the QV after editing it, you have to encode it first. Code fragment left as an exercise for the reader. QUADRAVERB SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE COMMAND FORMAT: Note you have to tell the QuadraVerb to accept MIDI SysEx data before any of this will work. Although it's possible to instruct the QV to disable SysEx via MIDI SysEx; it's not possible to re-enable it; you have to go do it from the front panel. A QuadraVerb SysEx command string looks like (in hex): f0 - SysEx start 00 \ 00 - Alesis mfr code 0e / 02 QuadraVerb ID number cc QuadraVerb command code pp QuadraVerb command code parameter dd data stream (variable length) .. f7 End of SysEx The command codes are: 01 Change Parameter 02 Load Program 03 Dump Program The parameters depend on the command and are discussed below. -- Dump Program (command code 03): To have an external device request a QuadraVerb program dump, send the following MIDI sequence to the QV: f0 00 00 0e 02 03 pp f7 where '03' is the "dump data" command, and 'pp' is the hex parameter: 00-63 single program, 0-99 64 edit buffer 65 all program memory Keep in mind if you're doing many edit/compares on program 27 you probably want to be dumping the edit buffer, not program 27, as #27 is only modified once the STORE is done. -- Load Program (command code 02): The format is similar: f0 00 00 0e 02 02 pp (data) f7 where 'pp' is the same as in the above description. The data must be encoded before being sent. If you do it right you should send 155 bytes out the MIDI port (including SysEx etc) for an individual program. -- Change Parameter (command code 01): f0 00 00 0e 02 01 gg pp dd dd dd f7 where 'gg' is the 'parameter group' you want to change: 00 - program 01 - reverb 02 - delay 03 - pitch 04 - eq 05 - midi 06 - store 07 - config 08 - mix 09 - mod 0a - name and 'pp' is the parameter number within parameter group (for example in 'reverb', parameter number 0 is 'Reverb Type', and the numbers increase the same as if you used the PAGE UP key). The "dd dd dd" string is the value you want in that parameter. It must be encoded, even if it fits in 7 bits. Sometimes the value takes two bytes; in that case they should be sent MSB first, then LSB (this is the opposite of the HR-16). When one byte is encoded it will become two bytes; likewise two become three. If you're sending two bytes (after encoding) send them first, then 00, then f7. The QV will also send you these Change Parameter requests every time a parameter is changed using the front panel. If somebody selects the Delay Time parameter and pushes the button to go from 1 to 400ms, you're going to get 400 of these messages. You will get messages every time the VALUE buttons get pushed, even when nothing changes (like being in program mode and pressing the down key when you're already at program zero), so be prepared for them. You can't send running parameter change requests; each one has to be a separate SysEx message. QUADRAVERB SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM FORMAT: A single program has 128 bytes of data. When it's encoded and shipped over MIDI, it's 147 bytes (without SysEx headers). That's why the decode fragment above has that magic number in it. Unused locations have zeros in them. The EQ bytes change meaning depending on whether graphic EQ is being used, so both are given. Everything here is listed in decimal. Graphic EQ parameters, only used in the Graphic_EQ->Delay configuration: Byte Description Default Range 0 ??? ?? ?? [usually set to 14] 1 16Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 2 32Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 3 62Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 4 126Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 5 250Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 6 500Hz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 7 1kHz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 8 2kHz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 9 4kHz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 10 8kHz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 11 16kHz 14 0-28 (14 is center) 12 ??? ?? ?? [usually set to 24] Graphic EQ also seems to change all modulation targets to 16Hz boost/cut. Here's the complete list, in byte order. Note that all parameters have a 'default' value you can get by pressing both VALUE buttons at the same time - if you're building a patch editor you might want this info so your user can hit a button to get the default value for some parameter. Byte Description Default Range 0 Low EQ Frequency MSB 1 Low EQ Frequency LSB 200 20-999Hz 2 Low EQ Amplitude MSB 3 Low EQ Amplitude LSB 280 0=-14db, 280=0db, 560=14db, 0.05 steps 4 Low EQ Frequency MSB 5 Mid EQ Frequency LSB 2000 200-9999Hz 6 Mid EQ Bandwidth 100 20-255 (0.2-2.55 octaves) 7 Mid EQ Amplitude MSB 8 Mid EQ Amplitude LSB 280 0=-14db, 280=0db, 560=14db, 0.05 steps 9 High EQ Frequency MSB 10 High EQ Frequency LSB 8000 2000-18000Hz 11 High EQ Amplitude MSB 12 High EQ Amplitude LSB 280 0=-14db, 280=0db, 560=14db, 0.05 steps 13 Leslie High Rotor Level 20 0=-20db, 26=+6db 14 Low-Mid EQ Freq. MSB 15 Low-Mid EQ Freq. LSB 100 20-500Hz (really 100Hz default!) 16 Low-Mid EQ Bandwidth 100 20-255 (0.2-2.55 octaves) 17 Low-Mid EQ Ampl. MSB 18 Low-Mid EQ Ampl. LSB 280 0=-14db, 280=0db, 560=14db, 0.05 steps 19 High-Mid EQ Freq. MSB 20 High-Mid EQ Freq. MSB 6000 2000-18000Hz 21 High-Mid EQ Bandwidth 100 20-255 (0.2-2.55 octaves) 22 High-Mid EQ Ampl. MSB 23 High-Mid EQ Ampl. LSB 280 0=-14db, 280=0db, 560=14db, 0.05 steps 24 [unused] 25 [unused] 26 Pitch Mode 1 0-5 m/s_chorus, m/s_flange, phase, detune 27 Pitch Input 1 0=pre-eq, 1=post-eq 28 LFO Waveshape 0 0=triangle, 1=square 29 LFO/Phaser Speed 20 0=1, 98=99 30 LFO/Phaser Depth 50 0=1, 98=99 31 [unused] 32 Pitch Feedback (%) 0 0-99 33 Detune Amount 99 0=-99, 99=none, 198=+99 34 Leslie Stereo Separation 99 0-99 35 Leslie Motor Control 1 0=off, 1=on 36 Leslie Motor Speed 0 0=slow, 1=fast 37 Trigger Flange 0 0=off, 1=on 38 [unused] 39 Delay Type 1 0=mono, 1=stereo, 2=ping-pong 40 Delay Input 1 1 0=pre-eq, 1=post-e1 41 Delay Input Mix 99 0=input1, 99=center, 198=pitch/leslie 42 Left Delay Time (MSB) 1-400ms (1-800ms mono) 43 Left Delay Time (LSB) 100 If graphicEQ: 1-750ms (1-1500ms mono) 44 Left Delay Feedback (%) 0 0-99 45 Right Delay Time (MSB) (Right not used in mono) 46 Right Delay Time (LSB) 100 1-400ms (if graphicEQ: 1-750ms) 47 Right Delay Feedback (%) 0 0-99 48 [unused] 49 [unused] 50 Reverb Type 0 0=plate, 1=room, 2=chamber, 3=hall, 4=rev 51 [unused] 52 Reverb Input 1 3 0=pre-eq, 1=post-eq, 2=pitch, 3=delay_mix 53 Reverb Input 2 1 0=pitch out, 1=delay out 54 Reverb Input Mix 0 0=Input1, 99=center, 198=Input2 55 Reverb PreDelay 40 1-140ms 56 PreDelay Mix 198 0=Pre, 99=center, 198=Post 57 Reverb Decay 50 0-99 58 Reverb Diffusion Amount 8 0=1, 4=5, 8=9 59 Low Frequency Decay 60 0=-60, 30=-30, 60=0 60 High Frequency Decay 40 0=-60, 30=-30, 60=0 61 Reverb Density 8 0=1, 4=5, 8=9 62 Reverb Gate 0 0=off, 1=on 63 Reverb Gate Hold Time 0 0-99 64 Reverb Gate Release Time 80 0-99 65 Reverb Gated Level (%) 0 0-99 66 [unused] 67 [unused] 68 Configuration 0 0-4 69 Direct Signal Select 0 0=pre-eq, 1=post-eq 70 Direct/EQ Signal Level 99 0-99 (EQ Out if Direct Signal Select = 1) 71 Master Effects Level 50 0-99 72 Pitch/Leslie Out Level 50 0-99 73 Delay Output Level 50 0-99 74 Reverb Output Level 50 0-99 75 [unused] 76 [unused] 77 [unused] 78 [unused] 79 [unused] 80 Mod 1 Source 0 0-125 (see list below) 81 Mod 1 Target 0 (see Modulation Targets section below) 82 Mod 1 Amplitude 0 0=-99, 99=0, 198=+99 83 Mod 2 Source 84 Mod 2 Target Sources: 0=pitch_bend, 1=after_touch, 85 Mod 2 Amplitude 2=note_number, 3=note_velocity, 86 Mod 3 Source 4-125 correspond to MIDI 87 Mod 3 Target controller numbers 0-121. 88 Mod 3 Amplitude 89 Mod 4 Source 90 Mod 4 Target 91 Mod 4 Amplitude 92 Mod 5 Source 93 Mod 5 Target 94 Mod 5 Amplitude 95 Mod 6 Source 96 Mod 6 Target 97 Mod 6 Amplitude 98 Mod 7 Source 99 Mod 7 Target 100 Mod 7 Amplitude 101 Mod 8 Source 102 Mod 8 Target 103 Mod 8 Amplitude 104 [unused] 105 [unused] 106 Edit Name Character 1 32 The following 96 characters, in order: 107 Edit Name Character 2 !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>? 108 Edit Name Character 3 @ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[Y]^_ 109 Edit Name Character 4 `abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}>< 110 Edit Name Character 5 111 Edit Name Character 6 The second Y is the Japanese 'Yen' or 112 Edit Name Character 7 Chinese 'Yuan' (monetary) symbol. The 113 Edit Name Character 8 last two characters are right and left 114 Edit Name Character 9 arrows. The backslash and tilde 115 Edit Name Character 10 characters are not available. 116 Edit Name Character 11 117 Edit Name Character 12 Note this list is in ASCII order, and 118 Edit Name Character 13 the ASCII equivalent is what's stored. 119 Edit Name Character 14 120 [unused] 121 [unused] 122 [unused] 123 [unused] 124 [unused] 125 [unused] 126 [unused] 127 [unused] MODULATION TARGETS: The target numbers are not constant; it depends on what configuration you are using, so you can't always change the target to #48 and know it always means your modulator affects Low EQ Frequency. What a pain. 0 Reverb Input Mix 1 Reverb PreDelay 2 Reverb PreDelay Mix 3 Reverb Reverse Time (Reverb Decay? I think the LCD mislabels this) 4 Reverb Diffusion 5 Reverb Density 6 Reverb Low Decay 7 Reverb High Decay 16 Delay Input Mix (L/Mono Delay Time if GraphicEQ) 17 L/Mono Delay Time (L/Mono Delay Feedback if GraphicEQ) 18 L/Mono Delay Feedback (R Delay Time if GraphicEQ) 19 R Delay Time (R Delay Feedback if GraphicEQ) 20 R Delay Feedback 32 LFO/Phaser Speed (Leslie Stereo) 33 LFO/Phaser Depth (Leslie Motor) 34 Pitch Feedback (Leslie Speed) 48 Low EQ Frequency (16Hz boost/cut) (Leslie High Level) 49 Low EQ Amplitude (32Hz boost/cut) 50 Mid EQ Frequency (62Hz boost/cut) (Low-Mid EQ Frequency) 51 Mid EQ Bandwidth (126Hz boost/cut) (Low-Mid EQ Width) 52 Mid EQ Amplitude (250Hz boost/cut) (Low-Mid EQ Amplitude) 53 High EQ Frequency (500Hz boost/cut) (Mid EQ Frequency) 54 High EQ Amplitude (1kHz boost/cut) (Mid EQ Bandwidth) 55 (2kHz boost/cut) (Mid EQ Amplitude) 56 (4kHz boost/cut) (High-Mid EQ Frequency) 57 (8kHz boost/cut) (High-Mid EQ Bandwidth) 58 (16kHz boost/cut) (High-Mid EQ Amplitude) 59 (High EQ Frequency) 60 (High EQ Amplitude) 64 Direct/EQ Mix Level (Effect Mix Level if GraphicEQ) 65 Effect Mix Level (EQ Mix Level if GraphicEQ) 66 Pitch/Leslie Mix Level (Delay Mix if GraphicEQ, Reverb Mix if cfg 5) 67 Delay Mix Level 68 Reverb Mix Level FULL PROGRAM DUMP FORMAT: A full dump is all 100 programs, end to end. HOWEVER, the MIDI encoding starts over at each program (that's why you see the i %= 147 statement in the decoding fragment above). The edit buffer is not dumped on a full dump, so after decoding, your data should have 12800 bytes. No MIDI parameters are ever dumped, and there is no checksum information. I don't know how to get the version of the ROM (without opening the case). [END of document - hope it was useful.]