Yamaha KSEQ and NSEQ sequencer file format explained.

Here they are. Those files describe the file format used in KSEQ and NSEQ sequencer files. That will be useful for a writing conversion tools. Especially, for a KSEQ to SMF (standard midi file). Feature only available in the SY99 synthetiser but not the SY77!

The NSEQ file format was only described in the V50 owner manual (midi data format chapter). It was the basis to discover the KSEQ format. Soon, I hope to be able to recover all my V50 sequencer files and import them on my SY77!

Notice that the ESEQ format was probably the first type created by Yamaha. Actually, I've no information about it. This format is mostly used on the Clavinova.

The Yamaha KSEQ sequencer file format explained (pdf).

The Yamaha NSEQ sequencer file format explained (pdf).

SY77 file format

I'm actually working on the format of the SY77 files.
.Jxx (SYNALL) and .Txx (ALL) have been parsed. I'm investigating .Axx (NSEQ V50 song format) and .Mxx (KSEQ SY song format). .Kxx (KSEQ ALL SY sequencer format) is sequencer all data file.NSEQ is quite understood and KSEQ is a modified NSEQ extended format.

First major info, in binary raw format :

.Txx file = .Jxx file + .Kxx file

.Kxx file = seq setup + .Mxx file

4OP FM to 6OP SY FM conversion

Some tought from yesterday. I'd like to reproduce the lovely 4OP voices of the V50 on my SY77. So, I've started to think about 4OP to 6OP conversion. The simplest operator translation for algorithm is to use operators 1,2,3 and 6 on the SY. F for the feedback set on operator 6. With this combination it is possible to find compatible algorithm using always the same operators!

Operator

4OP -> SY

1   ->  1

2   ->  2

3   ->  3

4F  ->  6F

Algorithm

1   ->  06
2   ->  04
3   ->  16
4   ->  15
5   ->  32
6   ->  44
7   ->  39
8   ->  45

More to come with waveforms, output and EG translations.