What the Syntaccordion Did

Published April 28, 2024

Converting Farfisa Syntaccordion GSA box to accept Midi

Farfisa's most advanced accordion. Most were converted to Midi, making their GSA boxes redundant. This lets you cheaply repurpose them.

IntermediateFull instructions provided36

Converting Farfisa Syntaccordion GSA box to accept Midi

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Buck Converter 12V-5V

SparkFun Logic Level Converter - Bi-Directional

4049 DIL hex inverting buffer

24-way panel-mount socket

Arduino Leonardo

10K Linear Potentiometer

1K Linear Potentiometer

22K Linear Potentiometer

6K8 Resistor

1K8 Resistor

Through Hole Resistor, 470 ohm

Resistor 100 ohm

SparkFun MIDI Shield

Resistor 220 ohm

3.5mm audio jack panel socket

5 mm LED: Red

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

The Processing Foundation Processing

Microsoft Windows 10

Story

I bought a GSA-1 box on eBay 6 years ago, pretty cheap, just to see what it did. The answer was: very little, without a Farfisa Syntaccordion - these still retail at hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds as they are pretty decent acoustic accordions, and also easily converted to Midi (e.g by Scotland Accordions/ MidiRig). The service manual (with schematics) and the user manual are both available for download pretty cheaply on eBay, so I was able to analyse how the thing worked - it used serial communications from the accordion, read into big SIPO registers on the GSA.

Initially I thought I'd hack directly into the box somehow, but by chance I came across a previous hack by someone which included the top and electronics of a Syntaccordion. The next challenge was to find a suitable cable - the original cables are "unobtainium". Some research indicated that it used the IEEE488/HPIB/GPIB format sockets, and short GPIB cables are available cheap-ish on eBay. An alternative is to use crimp-connectable plugs and sockets - I found some online - or soldered plugs (from RS). PCB-mountable sockets would have been nice, but these connectors use Centronics spacings, which do not sit in standard stripboard, and breakout boards are quite expensive.

Although my top-of-Syntaccordion just made a horrible racket when connected, the racket changed in a repeatable way when I threw some of the rocker switches, so it was clearly working up to a point. I was therefore able to monitor the signals between the Syntaccordion and the box. After a lot of experimentation I arrived at an Arduino program capable of driving the box, using also a line driver buffer chip. I used the same 4049 inverting buffer as in the Syntaccordion, though I could perhaps have simplified the hardware and software by choosing a non-inverting chip. I did try driving the box directly from the Arduino, but it didn't work too reliably.

Initially I intended to make all of the Syntaccordion switches in hardware, reading them using an Arduino Mega or Due, but for coding experience I wrote a Processing sketch to emulate the switches on a touchscreen PC instead and this worked so well I never bothered with the hardware version.

The obvious way to communicate between the Processing PC program and the Arduino driver circuit was via Midi, with the added possibility of being able to control the GSA box directly from a Midi keyboard controller.

It is possible to get nice organ, piano and harpsichord sounds from the GSA box just using the Arduino, but the mono and bass sounds will not work at all without connecting some potentiometers and the strings and brass lack the "brilliance" available via potentiometers. I therefore wired up a set of linear rotary pots (cheaper than the sliders on the original Syntaccordion). Again, a fair bit of trial and error was required.

The end result was interesting - a fusion of several different better-known Farfisa product lines.

In the 70s, Farfisa's traditional organs were becoming less popular with live performers and they ventured into synthesizer territory. Their last high-end organs, the late Professional and VIP series, produced nice Hammond organ sounds and also electric pianos. They then produced separate synth models - the Syntorchestra, Soundmaker and Polychrome - which majored on polyphonic string synth voices but added some monophonic sounds and effects. Presumably, they wanted to avoid cannibalising their organ sales by including organ voices too.

Separately, they made electronic accordion products - first the Transicord, then the Transivox, and finally the Syntaccordion. The Transicord was essentially a Farfisa Compact organ in a smaller footprint. The Transivox combined a good acoustic accordion with electronic organ sounds and some effects (glide and repeat).

But the Syntaccordion provided the same high-level organ sounds as the Farfisa Professional 110 (minus drawbars), the same analogue string machine as the Soundmaker and Syntorchestra-4, and some of the same mono synth voices and effects (minus the attack component of ADSR and some other elements) as the Soundmaker, Syntorchestra and Polychrome. In some ways, it therefore represents the best combination of Farfisa features to be found in a single device. This is understandable, as the GSA box provides more space than any keyboard or accordion could - it was possible to put more in, and they did so.

This project has gone as far as I have time to take it. I have got nothing interesting or useful out of the Left Hand (bass and chords) section. My test runs produced some low volume bass guitar sounds, and single notes in response to setting the chord switches - whether this is a misunderstanding, hardware or software fault at my end, or a hardware fault in the box, I just can't tell - let me know if you can see the issue. But, frankly, as a keyboard player I don't mind too much either way.

Some future directions would be:

(1) Adding Midi via USB. I have implemented with an Arduino Leonardo to permit me to send Midi using Hairless/LoopMidi if I can be bothered to add the code.

(2) Adding true USB Midi. I think this would require an Arduino Due with host shield or a Teensy. Not a big priority but would be better.

(3) Implementing separate Midi channels for mono, poly and bass/chords. You could then use Program Change messages to control the GSA.

There now follows some analysis of how the Syntaccordion/GSA works - you don't need to read this to implement the project, it's just for interest.

What the Syntaccordion Did

The accordion had 3-and-a-bit octaves of keys (41 total) for playing with the right hand, plus bass note and chord buttons. Presumably one octave of bass notes. seems to be total 5 octaves 60 notes

On the generator, notes include

B3-C6 (4 octaves treble, 48 notes)
B2-C2 (I octave bass)

It had reeds and could be played as a conventional accordion. There were 7 internal microphones which went out to a jack socket, and also to a line on the plug connector for playing acoustically through the box.

The box acted as a +/-12Vdc power supply for the electronic side of the accordion, like the Transicord and Transivox predecessors.

Beyond this, and unlike its predecessors, most of the communication between the box and the accordion was by serial binary data. The interface used 3 signals: a DATA line sending binary data, a NOT CLOCK line sending clock values for clocking the data into shift registers at the GSA box, and a TRANSFER ENABLE (TE) line which, after all serial data had been sent, suspended serial input and made the shift register data available as parallel outputs. For details, see the datasheet for the Nat Semi MM 5559 chip. I found that the Syntaccordion was running at a clock cycle time of about 20uS (50KHz) so that each cycle of 132 data bits took under 3mS - negligible in terms of latency, and capable of being executed - just about - by the lowest-level Arduino boards. I also found that the GSA box was pretty insensitive to speed. The datasheets suggest that the chips could run several times as fast. On the other hand, running a test at a tenth of the speed also worked. The GSA box runs off clock transitions rather than synchronising frequencies, so you can go (almost) as slow as you like.

The remaining lines were for the analogue readings which needed to be communicated from the sliders and knobs on the accordion, each of which got its own parallel line. Some carried voltages, divided between +12V and GND or -12V and +12V. Others were variable resistances. Most used 10K slider potentiometers.

Finally, it is perhaps worth mentioning the Farfisa volume pedal. This works like other Farfisa (and, generally, organ) swell pedal - by supplying current to a bulb, and responding to a photoresistor which is obtruded by a diagonal blade actuated by the pedal so as to control the amount of light passing - to give a nice clean volume control. The pedal also contains a button which controls either the GLIDE function or, if GLIDE is (un)selected, SUSTAIN.

Further information on this project, including demos of the sounds, is at

UPDATE: I realised that you could add a Gate output, to allow use of an external ADSR on the mono voices (if you turn up the decay to max). So I have added a resistor, LED and 3.5mm socket to the component list, and uploaded revised schematic and code which output the gate signal (5V not retriggering) on pin 9 to a socket, together with an LED for feedback.

Code

//This is a program intended to drive a Farfisa GSA box using MIDI.
//Copyright David Musker 2024.
//It can be freely used provided the author is acknowledged in the code.

#include <MIDI.h> //maybe add USB midi later, maybe serial too

MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE();
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


//Port allocations
const uint8_t TE_Pin = 3; //allocate pin for the TRANSFER ENABLE signal
const uint8_t DATA_Pin = 7; //allocate pin for the data out
const uint8_t CLOCK_Pin = 5; //allocate pin for the NOT CLOCK signal

const uint8_t Midi_In_Pin = 0; //allocate pin for MIDI serial port
const int Farfisa_Channel = 16; //MIDI channel carrying commands for the Farfisa GSA.  I believe this is the channel which is numerically 15.
//const int Bass_Channel = 15; //MIDI channel for bass notes and chords, for future use
//const int Mono_Channel = 14; //MIDI channel for controlling mono effects, for future use
//uint8_t PCArray[90] = {128}; //Midi Program Change array - this will map program change  messages to Farfisa bits - those at 255 will do nothing.  Set other values later.  Not interested in sounds above GM90
//uint8_t CCArray[96] = {128}; //Midi Control Change array - this will map control channel messages to Farfisa bits - those at 255 will do nothing.  Set other values later.  Not expecting anything higher than cc95

const uint8_t NumberBits = 132; //the total number of data bits to send per cycle - note that these go from [0] to [131] - equal to size of GSA latches
bool OutArray[(NumberBits)] = {false}; //byte array big enough for all the bits to be transmitted, rounded down - this holds the current state of the virtual Syntaccordion including the 7 meaningless elements sent at the end

/*Here are the meanings of the OutArray bits
 * 0 Top Treble Note (B5) Midi 83
...
 * 47 Bottom Treble Note (C2) Midi 36

 * 48 Top Bass Note (C1) Midi 24
 ...
 * 59 Bottom Bass Note (C#0) Midi 13

BASS REGISTERS
 * 60 Bass Register 3rd
 * 61 Bass Register 2nd
 * 62 Bass Register 1st

POLY PRESET VOICE
 * 63 Marimba

 * 64 Bottom Chord Switch
...
 * 75 Top Chord Switch
 
 POLY PRESET VOICES
 * 76 Xylophone
 * 77 Organ 3
 * 78 Organ 2
 * 79 Organ 1
 * 80 Strings 16
 * 81 Strings 8
 * 82 Brass
 * 83 Piano
 * 84 Harpsichord

 BELLOWS EFFECTS
 * 85 Strings on Bass
 * 86 Strings on Chords
 * 87 Brass on Chords

 BASS
 * 88 Bass Guitar
 * 89 Bass
 * 90 Bass Sustain

 CHORDS
 * 91 Chords
 * 92 Chords Sustain

 POLY VIBRATO
 * 93 Vibrato
 * 94 Vibrato Fast/slow
 * 95 Vibrato Delay

 FLUTES
 * 96 Perc Long
 * 97 Perc 4
 * 98 Perc 2 2/3
 * 99 Perc 2
 * 100 Perc 1 1/3
 * 101 Flute.16
 * 102 Flute.8
 * 103 Flute.5 1/3
 * 104 Flute.4
 * 105 Flute.2 2/3
 * 106 Flute.2
 * 107 Flute.1 3/5
 * 108 Flute.1 1/3
 * 109 Flute.1

 EFFECTS
 * 110 Auto Sustain
 * 111 Repeat

 MONO VOICES
 * 112 Tuba
 * 113 Trombone
 * 114 Trumpet
 * 115 Sax
 * 116 Clarinet
 * 117 Oboe
 * 118 Violin

 MONO EFFECTS
 * 119 Wah Wah
 * 120 Decay
 * 121 Vib Mono
 * 122 L H
 * 123 M A R
 * 124 Glide
 * 125 --
 * 126 --
 * 127 --
 * 128 --
 * 129 --
 * 130 --
 * 131 --
 */
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//END OF DECLARATIONS ETC
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void setup() {

//Port Setup
pinMode(TE_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DATA_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(CLOCK_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Midi_In_Pin, INPUT);
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//Initial Port State.  Note we are using an inverting buffer chip so need to output the opposite of the TE, Clock and Data values we will transmit.  If the buffer is omitted, change the state of these settings
digitalWrite(TE_Pin, LOW); //Initially inhibit transfer at GSA
digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW); //Initially set clock ready to run - GSA is looking for falling transitions.  Change if it doesn't work.
digitalWrite(DATA_Pin, HIGH); // Put a zero on data lines initially
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//initially reset all bits OFF at GSA
for (int i=0; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false; 
 }
SendArray(); 
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//Midi setup

MIDI.setHandleNoteOn(handleNoteOn); 

MIDI.setHandleNoteOff(handleNoteOff);
    
MIDI.setHandleControlChange(handleCC);

MIDI.setHandleProgramChange(handlePC);

MIDI.setHandleSystemReset(handleReset);

MIDI.begin(MIDI_CHANNEL_OMNI); // Initiate MIDI communications, listen to all channels
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

} //END OF SETUP
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------//

void loop() {

MIDI.read();

SendArray();

} //END OF LOOP
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


void SendArray() { //this is to send the bits

//Sending array
digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(4);
  for (int i = 0; i<NumberBits; i++) { //rest of the bits now
    bool outbyte = !OutArray[i]; //because we have an inverting buffer
    digitalWrite(DATA_Pin, outbyte);
    digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, HIGH); //generate falling clock edge to read data
    delayMicroseconds(6);  //takes account of 2xdigitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low
    digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW); 
    delayMicroseconds(7); //rest of high clock cycle
  }
//===================================================================================

// Writing Transfer Enable after sending
    digitalWrite(TE_Pin, HIGH);// Start a TE pulse after data to allow transfer out
    delayMicroseconds(7);  //takes account of digitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low part of clock pulse
    digitalWrite(TE_Pin, LOW);// end of TE pulse
    delayMicroseconds(7);  //takes account of digitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low part of clock pulse
//===================================================================================
}

void handleNoteOn(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
    if ((pitch<=83) && (pitch>=36)) { //was 36 for just the 48 treble notes - 36 takes in the 12 bass notes too
      OutArray[83-pitch] = true;}//

    else if ((pitch<=24) && (pitch> 12)) {
      OutArray[72-pitch] = true;}//bass notes 
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleNoteOff(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
    if ((pitch<=83) && (pitch>=36)) { //ONLY react to notes within scale
      OutArray[83-pitch] = false;}

    else if ((pitch<=24) && (pitch> 12)) {//react to MIDI notes 13 to 24
      OutArray[72-pitch] = false;}//bass notes - bit pos 48 to 59
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleCC(byte channel, byte CC, byte val) {
  if(channel == Farfisa_Channel) { //specific to Farfisa
    OutArray[CC+60] = val;} //translate CC to bit pos 60-124
  
  if(CC == 123) { //All notes off
  for (int i=0; i<60; i++) { //reset treble and bass notes
   OutArray[i] = false;}
  for (int i = 64; i<76; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false;} //reset chords
   }

  if(CC == 120) { //All sounds off
  for (int i=60; i<63; i++) { //reset voices and effects
   OutArray[i] = false;}
  for (int i = 76; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false;} //reset the rest
   } 
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handlePC(byte channel, byte PC) {

 }
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleReset(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
 for (int i=0; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false; //reset all bits
 }

}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//This program is to emulate the controls available on a Farfisa Syntaccordion, to interface with a Farfisa GSA sound generator box via MIDI.
//Copyright David Musker 2024
//It is free for use provided the author is acknowledged in the code.

import themidibus.*;


MidiBus myBus; // The MidiBus


StringList labels1;
PFont myFont;
PFont myFont1;
PImage img;
int ArrayMax = 61; //number of buttons displayed
int[] PosX = new int[ArrayMax]; //Button X coords
int[] PosY = new int[ArrayMax]; //Button Y coords
int RectColour[] = new int[ArrayMax]; //Button colours default
int AltRectColour[] = new int[ArrayMax]; //Button colours when pressed
int[] BitPos = new int[127]; //Output Bit location in stream, add 60 to get actual bit position in the data stream
boolean[] BitValue = new boolean[127]; //Output Bit state
int MidiChannel = 15; // the dedicated channel for the Farfisa GSA - this is the 16th channel

int OnCol = #82E0AA;
int YellowCol = #F7DC6F;
int RedCol = #943126;
int BlueCol = #2874A6;
int GreyCol = #BFC9CA;
int BlacKCol = #616A6B;
int WhiteCol = #FDFEFE;
int RecWidth = 96;
int RecHeight = 100;

void setup() {
  img = loadImage("Syntaccordion_Logo.jpg"); //pic of the logo, in a file named DATA in the same directory. 
//  background(#fa1414);
  size(1800, 900);
 // image(img, 0, 800);

 MidiBus.list(); // List all available Midi devices on STDOUT. This will show each device's index and name.

 myBus = new MidiBus(this, "reface YC-1", "Yamaha UX16-1"); // Create a new MidiBus with input and output devices - here, substitute the name or position of whatever devices are being used

 
   for (int i = 0; i < ArrayMax; i = i+1) { 
     BitValue[i] = false; //INITIALISE ALL SWITCHES AT OFF
   }
   
   for (int i = 0; i < 15; i = i+1) { //INITIALISE 1ST ROW COORDS
     PosX[i] = i*(RecWidth+4);
     PosY[i] = RecHeight/2;
   }
  
    for (int i = 15; i < 28; i = i+1) { //INITIALISE 2ND ROW COORDS
     PosX[i] = (i-15)*(RecWidth+4);
     PosY[i] = 4*RecHeight/2;
   } 
   
     for (int i = 28; i < 42; i = i+1) { //INITIALISE 3RD ROW COORDS
     PosX[i] = (i-28)*(RecWidth+4);
     PosY[i] = 7*RecHeight/2;
   } 
     
     for (int i = 42; i < 55; i = i+1) { //INITIALISE 4TH ROW COORDS
     PosX[i] = (i-42)*(RecWidth+4);
     PosY[i] = 10*RecHeight/2;
   } 
           
     for (int i = 55; i < 61; i = i+1) { //INITIALISE 5TH ROW COORDS
     PosX[i] = (i-55)*(RecWidth+4);
     PosY[i] = 13*RecHeight/2;
   } 
   
 //SET UP LABELS AND INITIALISE COLOURS; ASCRIBE BIT POSITIONS
  labels1 = new StringList();
  labels1.append("Strings on Bass");
  BitPos[0] = 25;
  RectColour[0] = YellowCol;
  labels1.append("Strings on Chords");
  BitPos[1] = 26;
  RectColour[1] = YellowCol;
  labels1.append("Brass on Chords");
  BitPos[2] = 27;
  RectColour[2] = RedCol; 
  labels1.append("Bass Guitar");
  BitPos[3] = 28;
  RectColour[3] = BlueCol;  
  labels1.append("Bass");
  BitPos[4] = 29;
  RectColour[4] = GreyCol; 
  labels1.append("Bass Sustain");
  BitPos[5] = 30;
  RectColour[5] = GreyCol;  
  labels1.append("Chords");
  BitPos[6] = 31;
  RectColour[6] = GreyCol; 
  labels1.append("Chords Sustain");
  BitPos[7] = 32;
  RectColour[7] = GreyCol; 
  labels1.append("Vibrato Off/On");
  BitPos[8] = 33;
  RectColour[8] = BlacKCol;  
  labels1.append("Vibrato Slow/Fast");
  BitPos[9] = 34;
  RectColour[9] = BlacKCol;   
  labels1.append("Vibrato Delay");
  BitPos[10] = 35;
  RectColour[10] = BlacKCol;  
  labels1.append("Auto Sustain");
  BitPos[11] = 50;
  RectColour[11] = WhiteCol;    
  labels1.append("Bass 1st Oct");
  BitPos[12] = 2;
  RectColour[12] = GreyCol;   
  labels1.append("Bass 2nd Oct");
  BitPos[13] = 1;
  RectColour[13] = GreyCol; 
  labels1.append("Bass 3rd Oct");
  BitPos[14] = 0;
  RectColour[14] = GreyCol; 
  
  labels1.append("Organ 1");//aka flute presets
  BitPos[15] = 19;
  RectColour[15] = WhiteCol; 
  labels1.append("Organ 2");//aka flute presets
  BitPos[16] = 18;
  RectColour[16] = WhiteCol; 
  labels1.append("Organ 3");//aka flute presets
  BitPos[17] = 17;
  RectColour[17] = WhiteCol; 
  labels1.append("Vibes"); //aka Xylophone
  BitPos[18] = 16;
  RectColour[18] = BlueCol;  
  labels1.append("Marimba");
  BitPos[19] = 3;
  RectColour[19] = BlueCol;
  labels1.append("Cancel Preset");
  BitPos[20] = 100; //fake value
  RectColour[20] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Glide");
  BitPos[21] = 64;
  RectColour[21] = WhiteCol;  
  labels1.append("Perc Long");
  BitPos[22] = 36;
  RectColour[22] = BlueCol;
  labels1.append("Perc 4");
  BitPos[23] = 37;
  RectColour[23] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Perc 2 2/3");
  BitPos[24] = 38;
  RectColour[24] = BlacKCol;
  labels1.append("Perc 2");
  BitPos[25] = 39;
  RectColour[25] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Perc 1 1/3");
  BitPos[26] = 40;
  RectColour[26] = BlacKCol;
  labels1.append("Repeat");
  BitPos[27] = 51;
  RectColour[27] = BlueCol;   
  
  labels1.append("Strings 16");
  BitPos[28] = 20;
  RectColour[28] = YellowCol;  
  labels1.append("Strings 8");
  BitPos[29] = 21;
  RectColour[29] = YellowCol;  
  labels1.append("Brass");
  BitPos[30] = 22;
  RectColour[30] = RedCol;  
  labels1.append("Piano");
  BitPos[31] = 23;
  RectColour[31] = BlueCol;
  labels1.append("Harpsi chord");
  BitPos[32] = 24;
  RectColour[32] = BlueCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 16");
  BitPos[33] = 41;
  RectColour[33] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 8");
  BitPos[34] = 42;
  RectColour[34] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 5 1/3");
  BitPos[35] = 43;
  RectColour[35] = BlacKCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 4");
  BitPos[36] = 44;
  RectColour[36] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 2 2/3");
  BitPos[37] = 45;
  RectColour[37] = BlacKCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 2");
  BitPos[38] = 46;
  RectColour[38] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Flute 1 3/5");
  BitPos[39] = 47;
  RectColour[39] = BlacKCol; 
  labels1.append("Flute 1 1/3");
  BitPos[40] = 48;
  RectColour[40] = BlacKCol; 
  labels1.append("Flute 1");
  BitPos[41] = 49;
  RectColour[41] = WhiteCol;
   
  labels1.append("L H");
  BitPos[42] = 62;
  RectColour[42] = GreyCol;
  labels1.append("Cancel Mono");
  BitPos[43] = 101;
  RectColour[43] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Tuba");
  BitPos[44] = 52;
  RectColour[44] = RedCol;  
  labels1.append("Trombone");
  BitPos[45] = 53;
  RectColour[45] = RedCol;  
  labels1.append("Trumpet");
  BitPos[46] = 54;
  RectColour[46] = RedCol; 
  labels1.append("Sax");
  BitPos[47] = 55;
  RectColour[47] = GreyCol;
  labels1.append("Clarinet");
  BitPos[48] = 56;
  RectColour[48] = GreyCol;
  labels1.append("Oboe");
  BitPos[49] = 57;
  RectColour[49] = GreyCol;
  labels1.append("Violin");
  BitPos[50] = 58;
  RectColour[50] = YellowCol;
  labels1.append("M A R");
  BitPos[51] = 63;
  RectColour[51] = RedCol; 
  labels1.append("Vibrato Mono");
  BitPos[52] = 61;
  RectColour[52] = BlacKCol; 
  labels1.append("Decay");
  BitPos[53] = 60;
  RectColour[53] = BlueCol; 
  labels1.append("Wah Wah");
  BitPos[54] = 59;
  RectColour[54] = RedCol;
  
  labels1.append("Bellows Mono");
  BitPos[55] = 102;
  RectColour[55] = WhiteCol; 
  labels1.append("Bellows Str");
  BitPos[56] = 103;
  RectColour[56] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Bellows BPM");
  BitPos[57] = 104;
  RectColour[57] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Bellows Spring State");
  BitPos[58] = 105;
  RectColour[58] = WhiteCol;
  labels1.append("Panic All Off");
  BitPos[59] = 70;
  RectColour[59] = RedCol;
  labels1.append("Test Note");
  BitPos[60] = 106;
  RectColour[60] = WhiteCol;
  
}

void draw() {
  
    background(#fa1414);
    image(img, 0, 800);
  
  fill (0);
  myFont1 = createFont("Arial", 20);
  textFont(myFont1);
    textAlign(LEFT, CENTER);
    text("_______________________________LEFT HAND______________________________", 0, 30);

    text("___________________FLUTE PRESETS____________________", 0, 180);
    text("_____________________PERCUSSION____________________", 700, 180);
    text("_________________ORCHESTRA________________", 0, 330);
    text("____________________________________FLUTES_____________________________________", 505, 330);
    text("_______________________________________________________MONO________________________________________________________", 0, 480);
    text("_______________OTHER______________", 0, 630);
    text("__MIDI__", 400, 630);

  myFont = createFont("Arial Italic", 20);
  textFont(myFont);
  noLoop();
  fill(0);
  textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
  
  //println(frameCount);
  //BitValue[0] = true; //just to test 

  for (int i = 0; i < ArrayMax; i = i+1) {
        if (BitValue[i] == true) {
           fill(OnCol);
         }
    else { fill(RectColour[i]); 
  }
    rect(PosX[i], PosY[i], RecWidth, RecHeight, 10);
    fill (0);
    String item = labels1.get(i);
    text(item, PosX[i], PosY[i], RecWidth, RecHeight);

  }

}

void mouseClicked() {

  for (int i = 0; i < ArrayMax; i = i+1) {//finds which button is clicked in
     if ((mouseX > PosX[i]) && (mouseX < (PosX[i]+RecWidth)) && (mouseY > PosY[i]) && (mouseY < (PosY[i]+RecHeight))){
       //detect 0 and 1 bit positions and execute radio button clears
       //NOTE: I have not implemented the "radio button" functionality or the CANCEL buttons
       
       BitValue[i] = !BitValue[i];//changes state of value
       //at this stage send the Bit Position(s) and the Bit Value(s) to the Arduino
       
       if (BitPos[i]<70) { //do not send other out-of-band buttons
         myBus.sendControllerChange(MidiChannel, BitPos[i], int(BitValue[i]));  }

       else if (BitPos[i] == 70) { //PANIC button
         myBus.sendControllerChange(1, 123, 0); }
       
       else if (BitPos[i] == 106) { //Test Note button
           if (BitValue[i] == true) {//Note on
             myBus.sendNoteOn(1, 60, 1);} 
           else {//Note off
             myBus.sendNoteOff(1, 60, 1);}
             
       }
       
       }
            
       } 


       //background(#fa1414);
           redraw();
   }
 
  


void noteOn(int channel, int pitch, int velocity) {
  // Receive a note On
  myBus.sendNoteOn(channel, pitch, velocity); // Send a Midi note On

}

void noteOff(int channel, int pitch, int velocity) {
  // Receive a noteOff
  myBus.sendNoteOff(channel, pitch, velocity); // Send a Midi note off

}

//This is a program intended to drive a Farfisa GSA box using MIDI.
//Copyright David Musker 2024.
//It can be freely used provided the author is acknowledged in the code.

#include <MIDI.h> //maybe add USB midi later, maybe serial too

MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE();
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


//Port allocations
const uint8_t TE_Pin = 3; //allocate pin for the TRANSFER ENABLE signal
const uint8_t DATA_Pin = 7; //allocate pin for the data out
const uint8_t CLOCK_Pin = 5; //allocate pin for the NOT CLOCK signal

const uint8_t GATE_Pin = 9; //for Gate output

const uint8_t Midi_In_Pin = 0; //allocate pin for MIDI serial port
const int Farfisa_Channel = 16; //MIDI channel carrying commands for the Farfisa GSA.  I believe this is the channel which is numerically 15.
//const int Bass_Channel = 15; //MIDI channel for bass notes and chords, for future use
//const int Mono_Channel = 14; //MIDI channel for controlling mono effects, for future use
//uint8_t PCArray[90] = {128}; //Midi Program Change array - this will map program change messages to Farfisa bits - those at 255 will do nothing.  Set other values later.  Not interested in sounds above GM90
//uint8_t CCArray[96] = {128}; //Midi Control Change array - this will map control channel messages to Farfisa bits - those at 255 will do nothing.  Set other values later.  Not expecting anything higher than cc95

const uint8_t NumberBits = 132; //the total number of data bits to send per cycle - note that these go from [0] to [131] - equal to size of GSA latches

uint8_t NotesOn = 0;
bool OutArray[(NumberBits)] = {false}; //byte array big enough for all the bits to be transmitted, rounded down - this holds the current state of the virtual Syntaccordion including the 7 meaningless elements sent at the end

/*Here are the meanings of the OutArray bits
 * 0 Top Treble Note (B5) Midi 83
...
 * 47 Bottom Treble Note (C2) Midi 36

 * 48 Top Bass Note (C1) Midi 24
 ...
 * 59 Bottom Bass Note (C#0) Midi 13

BASS REGISTERS
 * 60 Bass Register 3rd
 * 61 Bass Register 2nd
 * 62 Bass Register 1st

POLY PRESET VOICE
 * 63 Marimba

 * 64 Bottom Chord Switch
...
 * 75 Top Chord Switch
 
 POLY PRESET VOICES
 * 76 Xylophone
 * 77 Organ 3
 * 78 Organ 2
 * 79 Organ 1
 * 80 Strings 16
 * 81 Strings 8
 * 82 Brass
 * 83 Piano
 * 84 Harpsichord

 BELLOWS EFFECTS
 * 85 Strings on Bass
 * 86 Strings on Chords
 * 87 Brass on Chords

 BASS
 * 88 Bass Guitar
 * 89 Bass
 * 90 Bass Sustain

 CHORDS
 * 91 Chords
 * 92 Chords Sustain

 POLY VIBRATO
 * 93 Vibrato
 * 94 Vibrato Fast/slow
 * 95 Vibrato Delay

 FLUTES
 * 96 Perc Long
 * 97 Perc 4
 * 98 Perc 2 2/3
 * 99 Perc 2
 * 100 Perc 1 1/3
 * 101 Flute.16
 * 102 Flute.8
 * 103 Flute.5 1/3
 * 104 Flute.4
 * 105 Flute.2 2/3
 * 106 Flute.2
 * 107 Flute.1 3/5
 * 108 Flute.1 1/3
 * 109 Flute.1

 EFFECTS
 * 110 Auto Sustain
 * 111 Repeat

 MONO VOICES
 * 112 Tuba
 * 113 Trombone
 * 114 Trumpet
 * 115 Sax
 * 116 Clarinet
 * 117 Oboe
 * 118 Violin

 MONO EFFECTS
 * 119 Wah Wah
 * 120 Decay
 * 121 Vib Mono
 * 122 L H
 * 123 M A R
 * 124 Glide
 * 125 --
 * 126 --
 * 127 --
 * 128 --
 * 129 --
 * 130 --
 * 131 --
 */
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//END OF DECLARATIONS ETC
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void setup() {

//Port Setup
pinMode(TE_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DATA_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(CLOCK_Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Midi_In_Pin, INPUT);
pinMode(GATE_Pin, OUTPUT);
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//Initial Port State.  Note we are using an inverting buffer chip so need to output the opposite of the TE, Clock and Data values we will transmit.  If the buffer is omitted, change the state of these settings
digitalWrite(TE_Pin, LOW); //Initially inhibit transfer at GSA
digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW); //Initially set clock ready to run - GSA is looking for falling transitions.  Change if it doesn't work.
digitalWrite(DATA_Pin, HIGH); // Put a zero on data lines initially
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//initially reset all bits OFF at GSA
for (int i=0; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false; 
 }
SendArray(); 
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

//Midi setup

MIDI.setHandleNoteOn(handleNoteOn); 

MIDI.setHandleNoteOff(handleNoteOff);
    
MIDI.setHandleControlChange(handleCC);

MIDI.setHandleProgramChange(handlePC);

MIDI.setHandleSystemReset(handleReset);

MIDI.begin(MIDI_CHANNEL_OMNI); // Initiate MIDI communications, listen to all channels
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

} //END OF SETUP
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------//

void loop() {

MIDI.read();

SendArray();

//Setting gate pin for mono mode - no retriggering
if (NotesOn > 0) {
digitalWrite(GATE_Pin, HIGH);
}
else{
digitalWrite(GATE_Pin, LOW);
}

} //END OF LOOP
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


void SendArray() { //this is to send the bits

//Sending array
digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(4);
  for (int i = 0; i<NumberBits; i++) { //rest of the bits now
    bool outbyte = !OutArray[i]; //because we have an inverting buffer
    digitalWrite(DATA_Pin, outbyte);
    digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, HIGH); //generate falling clock edge to read data
    delayMicroseconds(6);  //takes account of 2xdigitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low
    digitalWrite(CLOCK_Pin, LOW); 
    delayMicroseconds(7); //rest of high clock cycle
  }
//===================================================================================

// Writing Transfer Enable after sending
    digitalWrite(TE_Pin, HIGH);// Start a TE pulse after data to allow transfer out
    delayMicroseconds(7);  //takes account of digitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low part of clock pulse
    digitalWrite(TE_Pin, LOW);// end of TE pulse
    delayMicroseconds(7);  //takes account of digitalWrite delay to make a 10uS low part of clock pulse
//===================================================================================
}

void handleNoteOn(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
  NotesOn++;
    if ((pitch<=83) && (pitch>=36)) { //was 36 for just the 48 treble notes - 36 takes in the 12 bass notes too
      OutArray[83-pitch] = true;}//

    else if ((pitch<=24) && (pitch> 12)) {
      OutArray[72-pitch] = true;}//bass notes 
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleNoteOff(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
  NotesOn--;
    if ((pitch<=83) && (pitch>=36)) { //ONLY react to notes within scale
      OutArray[83-pitch] = false;}

    else if ((pitch<=24) && (pitch> 12)) {//react to MIDI notes 13 to 24
      OutArray[72-pitch] = false;}//bass notes - bit pos 48 to 59
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleCC(byte channel, byte CC, byte val) {
  if(channel == Farfisa_Channel) { //specific to Farfisa
    OutArray[CC+60] = val;} //translate CC to bit pos 60-124
  
  if(CC == 123) { //All notes off
  for (int i=0; i<60; i++) { //reset treble and bass notes
   OutArray[i] = false;}
  for (int i = 64; i<76; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false;} //reset chords
   }

  if(CC == 120) { //All sounds off
  for (int i=60; i<63; i++) { //reset voices and effects
   OutArray[i] = false;}
  for (int i = 76; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false;} //reset the rest
   } 
}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handlePC(byte channel, byte PC) {

 }
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

void handleReset(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {
 for (int i=0; i<NumberBits; i++) {
   OutArray[i] = false; //reset all bits
 }

}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credits

dmusker

2 projects • 1 follower

Converting Farfisa Syntaccordion GSA box to accept Midi

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

What the Syntaccordion Did

Schematics

Syntaccordion logo

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Schematic

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Schematic With Gate Output

Code

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Program for Arduino

Farfisa Syntaccordion Control Panel UI - to run on PC or other platform

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Program for Arduino - With Gate

Credits

dmusker

Comments

Embed the widget on your own site

Converting Farfisa Syntaccordion GSA box to accept Midi

Converting Farfisa Syntaccordion GSA box to accept Midi

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

What the Syntaccordion Did

Schematics

Syntaccordion logo

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Schematic

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Schematic With Gate Output

Code

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Program for Arduino

Farfisa Syntaccordion Control Panel UI - to run on PC or other platform

Farfisa GSA-1 Interface Program for Arduino - With Gate

Credits

dmusker

Comments

Related channels and tags