Send Sysex To CZ-101 Using amidi

2012-09-20

Even though the title says CZ-101, this is also the procedure to use for the CZ-1000, CZ-3000, and CZ-5000.

Get Ready

1. Make sure your cables are connected in the correct order. OUT from the computer goes to IN on the CZ. OUT from the CZ goes to IN on the computer.
2. Make sure the PROTECT switch is set to OFF. This is a slide switch on the back of the CZ.
3. Make sure SOLO on the keyboard is off. SOLO affects the MIDI mode.

4. Press the MIDI button on the CZ. To make things simple for this tutorial, we are going to use defaults and MIDI channel 1. Please apply these settings:

   MIDI BASIC	Polyphonic mode
   CH=01	Using MIDI channel 1
   PROG CHANGE=ENA	Program changes enabled

   When you’re done, the LCD should look like one of these:

   MIDI BASIC CH=01 PROG CHANGE=ENA

   Settings screen, CZ-101

   P.MODE KBCH=01 CH=01 PRG=ENA

   Settings screen, CZ-5000

5. You need to know what port you are targeting with amidi. Your CZ is connected to a physical port on your computer, but what is that port called, according to amidi? To find out, open a terminal and do this:

   amidi -l --> Dir Device Name --> IO hw:0,0 EMU10K1 MPU-401 (UART) --> IO hw:0,1 Emu10k1 Synth MIDI (16 subdevices) --> IO hw:0,2 Emu10k1 Synth MIDI (16 subdevices)

   At this point, you can test to make sure amidi is getting messages from your CZ. Start amidi in dump mode:

   amidi -d

   Now press a few keys on the CZ keyboard. You should see note on and note off events immediately. If not, amidi can’t yet talk to your CZ. Press Ctrl-C to exit dump mode.

Actual Steps

1. You don't have to take any special steps to get a CZ-101 to accept sysex data. As long as you have taken care of all the previous steps, it should be ready to accept data.

2. Open a terminal, and change directories until you are in the same directory with your sysex file.

   cd /path/to/sysex/files/ ls --> czwigout.syx

3. Next we use amidi to send the sysex file to the MIDI port:

   amidi -p hw:0 -s czwigout.syx

   Change "hw:0" to your actual port, and change "czwigout.syx" to your actual sysex file. amidi immediately begins sending the sysex file out to the MIDI port.

4. When the CZ-101 has successfully loaded all data, it will present this happy screen:

   *MIDI* DATA FULL!

   The file was successfully sent to the CZ-101.

   Note: I have learned that the CZ-5000 does not present a DATA FULL message. I’m not sure about CZ-1000 and CZ-3000, needs further testing.