ANiX - Annexing the Yamaha AN1X

The 1997 Yamaha AN1X is one of the early 'virtual' (digitally simulated) analogue synthesizers.

It has well-known pros and cons:

• Pros
• Powerful analogue-style synthesis functionality
• Lots of features for performance and real-time control
• Sounds great
• Cons
• The user interface is too heavily minimised, and therefore the AN1X is unintuitive and exasperating to program

The main objective of ANiX is simply just to expose all parameters for all 'Knob Parameter Groups' in their own individual software controls. In this way, ANiX provides an alternative user interface in order to 'annex' or take control of the powerful AN1X synthesis functions.

ANiX exploits the Web MIDI API by use of the WebMidi.js library.

As an alternative to ANiX, the AN1xEdit software can still be found online elsewhere. It covers more AN1X functionality than ANiX and it works well. However, I personally find the AN1xEdit interface rather 'busy' and not as clean, simple and intuitive as I would like.

Video

Video includes specially written AN1X backing music 'ANiX Theme'.

Technical Notes

1. ANiX is designed to be used in AN1X 'Control Change Mode' 1 only (see AN1X manual p.96)
2. ANiX currently includes the following AN1X functionality:
• Editing of all parameters in all 'Knob Parameter Groups':
• SYNC/FM
• PEG/LFO
• VCO1
• VCO2
• VCF
• MIX/VCF
• VCA
• Individual parameter editing is two-way, that is, adjusting the AN1X knobs will also update ANiX values
• Hover over any parameter name to see a fuller description of that parameter
• Parameter values can be typed in as well as set using the sliders
• Scene 1 only
• Upload to ANiX of all knob parameters of the currently selected AN1X voice (scene 1 only)
3. ANiX does not currently include the following AN1X functionality (but may do in future versions):
• Scene 2
• Voice save/persistence to hardware/software
• Arpeggiator
• Step Sequencer
• Free EG
• Effects
• EQ
4. As of 12.03.2024, ANiX has known (minor) bugs that I may fix at some point. Although WebMidi.js works well, there have been other aspects of this little project that at times made it seem cursed. That aside, I have been genuinely delighted with how effective ANiX is at enabling AN1X programming, which after all was the primary objective.

ANiX Instructions

• Connect a computer to a Yamaha AN1X with a USB-to-MIDI cable
• Using ANiX:
1. Click 'Enable' button to enable WebMidi.js
2. Click 'Allow'
3. Select a MIDI input
4. Select a MIDI output
• There are 2 main workflows for use of ANiX:
• Workflow 1: Create a new voice from scratch:
• Using the AN1X hardware interface:
5. Select a voice to overwrite
6. Perform a Type 1 'Voice Initialize' (see AN1X manual p.97):
• 130
• YES/ENTER
• YES/ENTER
• 1
• YES/ENTER
• Using ANiX:
7. Click 'Initialise' button to initialise current AN1X voice to the ANiX initial default parameter values as shown below
• Workflow 2: Edit the currently selected AN1X voice:
• Using the AN1X hardware interface:
5. Select a voice to edit
6. Select scene 1 only
7. Perform a '1 scene' 'Bulk Dump' (see AN1X manual p.94-95):
• Select the 'Utility Setup' edit menu with the 'Edit Rotary' switch
• Press the 'BulkDump' 'Up' button to select the '1 scene' option
• YES/ENTER

ANiX

Setup Step Setup Action Action Status Enable WebMidi.js Enable Not enabled Select MIDI input Enable to find inputs Select MIDI output Enable to find outputs Initialise current AN1X voice Initialise Enable to initialise
SYNC/FM SYNC FM Algorithm Pitch PS PD Switch S1 FrMD S2 onlyFM sync+FMbth sync+FMmst sync+FMslv +63 -64 fixed PEG FEG LFO1 LFO2 +63 -64 mastr slave both fixed PEG FEG LFO1 LFO2 +63 -64 VCO2 VCO1 VCO1 sub PEG FEG LFO1 LFO2	PEG PORT LFO1 LFO2 Decay Depth Switch Time Wave Speed Delay Speed +63 -64 +63 -64 VCO1 VCO2 both +127 0 sine sine^ sine^^ sine180^ sine180^^ triangle triangle^ triangle^^ triangle180^ triangle180^^ square square^^ square180^^ saw down saw down^^ saw up saw up^^ s/h s/h^^ s/h2 s/h2^^ +256 +1 +127 0 +256 +1
VCO1 Wave: FM Wave: Sync Pitch Fine Edge PW PWMS PWMD PMD saw pulse saw2 mix saw pulse innr1 innr2 innr3 +63 -64 +50 -50 +127 0 +127 0 fixed PEG FEG LFO1 LFO2 LFO2p LFO2f +63 -64 +127 -127	HPF VCF VCF FEG Cutoff Type Cutoff Res FiMD Vel S Key T A D S R FEGD +127 0 LPF24 LPF18 LPF12 BPF HPF12 BEF +127 0 +102 -12 +63 -64 +63 -64 +63 -32 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 -128
VCO2 Wave Pitch Fine Edge PW PWMS PWMD PMD saw pulse saw2 mix +63 -64 +50 -50 +127 0 +127 0 fixed PEG FEG LFO1 LFO2 LFO2p LFO2f +63 -64 +127 -127	MIX VCA VCO1 VCO2 RM Noise Feedback A D S R AMD Vel S Volume +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +127 0 +63 -64 +63 -64 +127 0
Keyboard Z S X D C V G B H N J M Q 2 W 3 E R 5 T 6 Y 7 U I Octave - + 0 C # D # E F # G # A # B C # D # E F # G # A # B C - + !