This is a bit of brainstorming, but it’s also a question (or two). I’ve read a few posts from a few searches, but haven’t really found the answer to my questions (I probably just didn’t form my queries right).
I have a hardware synthesizer (the YM_MINI built on the old YM2149 video game sound chip) with no knobs. Everything is controlled over MIDI. It seems to me that Renoise, with Lua scripting, should be well suited to building an interface for the synthesizer.
Essentially, I want to build a front panel to control the parameters by hand for creating new sounds. So, rather than sending MIDI CC numbers in the effects columns or using the Instrument MIDI Control meta device, we would have sliders and knobs labeled with what they actually control. Is this possible? I don’t really even understand yet what tools like Duplex do in practice, so please bear with my ignorance. Maybe I just want to use the Instrument MIDI Control meta device and rename its fields with Lua. That can be done as I understand it, right?
As a side question, can Renoise scripting send serial data directly to a COM port? I suppose I could actually look this up for myself… I ask because the YM_MINI and some other synths I have seen take their commands over a simple TTL serial connection (the YM_MINI has a Java app that takes MIDI in and sends the relevant commands out through whatever COM port you select). Simple, standard serial is easier to deal with than MIDI. (Yes, that is laziness you detect there.)
Ultimately, I envision building weird little single-chip synthesizers and distributing them with Renoise tools for control. I guess this can be done with a VST plugin, but I like sticking with pure Renoise whenever I can. Plus if people like my synths, it might bring us more Renoise users.
Anyway, thanks for your help. Any ideas are welcome. And sorry for my limited knowledge, but I’m excited to learn.
