Typhoon FAQ, Part 1: Introduction, Features, and Trivia
Last updated March 2, 2005
The Typhoon FAQ is divided into three parts. The other parts are:
Table of Contents, Part 1
About the FAQ
This document is exclusively about the operating system Typhoon running on
the Yamaha TX16W sampler. For all other information about the TX16W sampler (including
the Yamaha operating system, TX16W technical details, the mailing list, the archive, tricks & tips and more), check out the
TX16W WWW page at
http://www.t0.or.at/~mpakesch/tx16w/.
Here are links to some other files of interest:
Disclaimer: All the information in this document is unofficial and potentially
wrong and out of date. However, I think most of it is rather accurate and up to date.
If you find anything wrong, please send mail to Pierre Gander
(pierregander@hotmail.com) about it!
This FAQ was compiled by Pierre Gander
(pierregander@hotmail.com),
from the TX16W mailing list and from my own experience
(I've owned Typhoon since December 1993). Thanks to everyone on the list for
their contributions. Some parts of this FAQ was simply copied from the TX16W FAQ
created by Mark Lakata (lakata@nsdssp.lbl.gov).
Also thanks to Magnus Lidström
(cucumber@stacken.kth.se)
for details about Typhoon.
Suggestions, corrections or comments to this FAQ are very welcome.
The latest version of this FAQ can be found at
http://www.pierregander.com/typhoon/.
[This section contains the info first released from Nuedge about Typhoon in 1993: /Editor's note]
TYPHOON OS development group:
- Magnus Lidstroem
- cucumber@stacken.kth.se
- Fredrik Lidstrom
- f103@vang.physto.se
- Alexander Jean-Claude Bottema
- d91a1bo@meryl.csd.uu.se
- Torsten Alm
- totte@dnex.se
What is Typhoon?
Typhoon is a new operating system for the Yamaha TX16W sampler, entirely replacing the poorly
written original Yamaha OS. The operating system was written
by disgruntled TX16W users on their own, entirely from scratch.
This OS will transform your TX16W into a completely
new and fresh machine that will stand strong for many years yet to come.
N.B.: note that Typhoon waves, voices and performances has nothing to do with
the waves, voices and performances (respectively) in the Yamaha OS.
[But the old Yamaha waves can be read. /Editor's note]
The horrible term "timbre" doesn't exist and everything has a dynamic
feeling- no more edit buffers.
Typhoon Release 1.0
[Typhoon Release 1.0 was first available in December 1993. /Editor's note]
Typhoon version 1.0 is now available for $159. It
is a fully operational and well tested version which includes all the
features promised in earlier information. However, two features that we
feel are of importance are yet to be implemented: an "import routine"
for loading setups created with the Yamaha OS and a "system backup"
routine for creating a backup of the system diskette. In a short time
(hopefully within a couple of months) version 1.0 will be replaced with
version 1.1 which will include both these facilities. Upgrading will be
free of charge except for manufacturing and handling costs [about $15]. (The full
price for v1.1 has not yet been decided.)
NuEdge home page on the World Wide Web
The NuEdge home page is at http://www.nuedge.net.
It's pretty difficult to compare the Typhoon OS with the Yahama OS,
since Typhoon is entirely different. Although, some prominent features
are:
(Typhoon v1.0:)
- Dynamic voice allocation (with advanced priority possibilities)
- Completely new intuitive user interface (extremely fast)
- Destructive editing with undo features (death of the edit buffers)
- Object oriented managing of individual items
- New voice architecture with groupable parameters and much more
- Eight free modulators per channel with 14 sources and 12 destinations
- Two independent LFOs and two four-stage envelopes per channel
- Monophonic portamento mode and several other new playing modes
- Stereo waves treated as a single wave
- Stereo mode with pan parameter (requires two channels)
- Up to 250 performances, voices and waves in memory
- Pre-triggered sampling threshold (prevents loss of transients)
- Automatic loop finder, pitch tracker and wave trimmer
- New 25 kHz sampling rate
- Resample utility for any sampling rate between 3 and 50 kHz
- Five times faster startup time (about 18 seconds)
- Up to four times faster loading and saving
- [Lossless] Audio file compression to save time and space (30 to 60% savings)
- Reads/writes AIFF format files (accepted by most sample editors)
- Incremental saving allows you to save only modified data
- Incremental garbage collection (no unexpected long pauses)
- A consistent storage system where you can save ANY item
(i.e. waves, voices or performances) seperately. Subitems,
or required items, are also automatically saved if one wishes.
Cross references between items are also stored, and this works
even if the items are saved on different diskettes. The system
is still consistent even if the items are moved around on a
personal computer.
- A program change table for each performance. Program change codes
results in temporary changes of the performance, which are later
reset.
(Typhoon 2000:)
The most of the limitations have been
eliminated by work arounds in software. You still can't
sample audio longer than 262k samples, or approximately 8 seconds
using 33 kHz, due to a serious hardware limitation. Similarly the loop
can't get larger than 131k samples.
Another issue is the usage of the individual outputs. Because of
hardware limitations, it is still the case that the usage of the
individual outputs implies a special mode (where 8 audio channels are
reserved for the individual outputs and the rest for I/II) pretty
similar to the Yamaha OS, but slightly more flexible in Typhoon due
to the dynamic voice allocation.
The "Resample" feature isn't about sampling the outputs of the TX16W back into
itself. Unfortunately, this is impossible due to hardware limitations.
(As a point aside Typhoon, it would technically be possible to resample
from the outputs into the sample input, but then no dynamic changes to the sound
can be used, i.e. envelopes, filters, modulations, etc, and the notes had to be
started before the sampling occured, and all this would be rather limiting.
This info comes from Magnus Lidström)
(See also the section Missing features
for features from the Yamaha OS not currently supported in Typhoon release 1.0.)
Approximately 128K and 64K of wave memory (where the filter tables
are stored.) There are separate 128K RAM reserved for the system on
the TX16W motherboard, so only 64K of the wave memory are consumed.
Albeit some data structures are stored in wave memory, it's pretty
negligable compared to the memory that are consumed by waves. Note
that the Yamaha OS consumes approximately 700K, and still you've got to
swap for some functions. Hence, by using Typhoon, you'll actually
gain 700K-128K-64K ~= 500K!
Yes. You can originate a sample dump from
Typhoon to a computer, and Typhoon automatically goes into receive
mode if the computer sends a sample. There is a nice little bar
graph display that shows the progress of the dump.
Besides SDS (Sample Dump Standard), there is no System Exclusive handling.
Typhoon supports only the three following sound file formats; AIFF, AIFFC
(DWVW compression) and Yamaha waves used by the original operating system.
However since Typhoon supports the SDS (Sample Dump Standard) you can
exchange samples via MIDI with any software supporting this standard.
There does not exist a both cheap and good sampler on the market. With
Typhoon, the TX16W becomes competitive with the more expensive ones. Now, with
Typhoon 2000 available as freeware, there are good reasons to keep your TX16W.
Software samplers are starting to come onto the scene, but they still require
a top speed computer to run comfortably alongside your other music software.
Furthermore, you will need to get a high quality sound card with 10 audio outputs
if you want to match the TX16W's capabilities.
This is a common question, but one that is difficult to answer. Below I have quoted what
some people on the list have said about it, to get you an idea of the more subjective
sides of the matter:
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 09:00:09 -0700
From: Adam Horvitz (abomb@primenet.com):
"with the Yamaha OS I was
always afraid to add samples, voices, or alter the Performances after I
"stored" and especially after it had been saved to disk... would always
lose something in the process (esp. voices). In order to add/subtract in
the past I'd have to format new disks (hope it didn't crash in the process,
cause it would under low memory situations), transfer just the wave forms,
and then creat all new voices and performances... what a royal pain in the
ass. So much time was wasted. Working with Typhoon all weekend made my life
easy."
Vlad Spears (spears@sybase.com) adds:
"I fully agree. My TX's are now lean, mean sampling machines. It's almost
an unbelievable transformation, and I recommend this program to anyone who
uses their TX on a regular basis. If you don't use your machine because of
the wanked Yamaha OS, buy this one. You'll find yourself actually enjoying
the (minimal) time you spend setting up your samples."
Torsten Alm (totte@dnex.se) of the NuEdge
development team is the man behind the name.
He says he came up with the name from thinking about the W in
TX16W for 'wave' and then associating to the sea and wind. After considering
several types of wind he picked the one that sounded the best (and wasn't
copyrighted) and ended up with Typhoon.
Although the Typhoon Compressed format is supposed to be one of
the best lossless sound sample compression formats, on some samples you can
get at least as high as 30% additional compression when using PKZip (version 2.04g was used).
This could be useful to try if you have little space available.
Typhoon reads regular 720k DOS formatted floppy disks, contrary to Yamaha OS which is limited to MSX-DOS format.
Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 05:31:57 -0800
From: Schaaf (schaaf@alice.adsnet.com)
Subject: Re: Floppy Drives Again
One additional advantage with Typhoon is that it puts a lot less wear and
tear on the drive. It doesn't constantly do nasty disk reads like Yam-OS.
Typhoon puts the FAT into the limited system RAM. This is one reason why
grafting a hard drive or even 1.4meg drive onto Typhoon is probably
impossible, at least for us mortals.
The following came by way of Tony Uccello
(tonyu@torcomp.com) 24 Oct 1997:
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 22:10:15 +0200
From: "Fredrik Lidström" (f103@physto.se)
Subject: Re: TX16W specifications request.
Hi Tony,
NuEdge Development did not recieve any help from Yamaha Corp. in developing
Typhoon. All we recieved from Yamaha was their blessing and a very good
luck. I guess you are, as we were, on your own at this one.
Fredrik Lidström - NuEdge Development
No.
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 23:01:12 -0400
From: Ed Edwards (edwards@erols.com)
. . .
As you (as well as Magnus) know, I have asked for a licence to the
source code for Typhoon. We have proposed to make NO PROFIT off the
upgrade. We just want to further the development of what NuEdge
started. We asked them if they would allow us to develop an upgrade and
send all profits to them. NuEdge did not respond.
There is a 4 and a half page long review of it in Sound on Sound (June '94 issue).
The conclusion goes like this:
NuEdge claim that Typhoon transforms the TX16W: this is certainly true. The
extensive modulation mapping features alone turn the TX16W into a very playable
instrument. There really is no question about the comparison with the original
Yamaha OS; if you have or use a TX16W then Typhoon is a must.
There have probably been reviews in most large keyboard and music
technology magazines, but the details about this are missing.
Typhoon 2000, released by NuEdge, is free and can be downloaded at
http://www.nuedge.net/typhoon2000/Typhoon2000.htm.
The most prominent new features in Typhoon 2000 are:
- Import routine. The import routine will load and translate Yamaha setups into Typhoon.
- New low-pass filter. This filter table was designed from scratch by NuEdge Development to utilize the maximum capacity of the TX16W filter. Don't expect a revolution though. The TX16W filter circuits are still pretty lame, but this is as good as it gets.
- New wave edit functions. This is where you find the biggest innovations for Typhoon 2000. The new wave edit functions are emphasize, fade, mix, reverse and time stretch.
- Utility for adding waves to a voice. This utility makes it remarkably easy to construct a new voice from a set of waves. Simply select a wave for adding as a group or split and it will be placed appropriately in the voice.
- Utility for loading everything on a floppy. With this utility you can load an entire floppy into memory, including AIFF files, Yamaha waves, Typhoon voices, performances etc...
What Is Improved In Typhoon 2000?
There are a lot of improvements in Typhoon 2000, both feature-wise and quality-wise. These are some of the most notable improvements:
- Erase all/unused utility. This utility now allows you to keep modified and unsaved items, so that you won't loose anything you have worked on.
- Erasing performances and voices. When you erase a voice you are given the choice to erase the waves it is using. Waves that are used by other voices are of course not deleted. The same applies to voices and waves when you are erasing a performance.
- Floppies containing long file names. When using floppies containing files with long file names Typhoon version 1.0 would get confused and display incorrect floppy labels etc. Even though Typhoon 2000 still doesn't support file names longer than eight characters it should no longer be a problem to use floppies containing such files.
- Loading setups. When you are loading a setup you may now choose whether you want to clear the memory first or not.
- Loop crossfade. The crossfade utility has been blessed with another parameter that sets the amount of overlapping.
- Resampling of waves. The fidelity of the resample utility has been improved. You are also allowed to resample to a higher sample rate than the original.
- The "alpha keys". Typing characters with a MIDI keyboard has been made easier as the alpha keys now behaves more like a traditional computer keyboard. E.g. characters are always inserted instead of overwritten, and a backspace key is available.
- Support for up to 20 filter tables. The limit has been raised from 16 to 20.
- Support for larger keyboards. The highest note Typhoon accepts is now C8 instead of C7.
- User interface. The panels now scroll "smoothly" instead of the rather clumsy "jumping scroll" in version 1.0. Equal signs (=) are used throughout the system in place of the period (.) as separator for parameters. (Menus still use the period.) Furthermore, spaces in names are substituted by underscore ( _ ) to give a more structured look. The cursor is also larger and easier to see.
(The above text was taken from the NuEdge home page.)
For overly interested people, here are the features
that was promised for version 1.1, so that you can
compare (as stated when v1.0 was shipped):
- System backup
- Yamaha data import
- Reverse and mix utilities for waves
- Improved priority system
- New and improved DSP-functions:
- improved crossfade
- improved sample rate conversion
- emphasize for waves (add or remove brightness)
- + some additional wave edit functions
The sheet supplied with version 1.0 of Typhoon also mentions a few other
features planned for future versions (but which probably won't make it to v1.1):
- Filter table edit
- SCSI adapter and/or PC file sharing system
- Velocity crossfades
Thanks to Dave Huizing (stallion@worldonline.nl)
we have documentations of the Typhoon and the aiff-c file formats. Here's what he writes:
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
fmt_typh.doc (or .rtf) is a filedscription of the compression format on the
Typhoon file format which is actualy the aiff-c format.
The aiff-c.z file is a Z compressed postscript file of this aiff-c format.
-------
and they can be found at:
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/aiff-c.z 102 Kb
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/fmt_typh.doc 18 Kb
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/fmt_typh.rtf 20 Kb
Also
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/affr-pdf.zip
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/affr.pdf
ftp://ftp.t0.or.at/pub/sound/tx16w/faq/formats/affr_11.zip
Typhoon 2000 is available for free downloading at
http://www.nuedge.net/typhoon2000/Typhoon2000.htm.
Last updated March 2, 2005 by
Pierre Gander
(pierregander@hotmail.com)