The VL-1 series Physical Modelers have about 1,500 parameters that can
be set.

However as with any real-life system, many of the parameters are not
important. In fact, many do nothing unless others are "turned on." For
example, the hundreds of parameters associcated with an element, none
will have no effect if the "Element Level" is set to zero.

Working with that many parameters and with their cross-relations is
daunting. And I find it claustraphobic to use small display on a
VL1-m. Even with a Mac Expert Editor---which shows an individual a
menu or two at at time--I don't get a broad enough idea of what's
going on.

Instead (or rather in addition), here is a tool, written in a generic
programming language, Perl, which I find gives me much more
flexibility than I have through the front panel.

Because it is in a generic programming language and the source code is
provided, it is be usuable on a wide variety of computers. I use Unix,
but others can use it on DOS, or a Mac. Because the source code is
given others can improve on their own or use as a starting point for
other things.

One can decide how to present things, which things not to present, or
cross check constraints that are discovered to be necessary. Although
such a tool will probably overwhelm the novice VL1 user, I think it
still can be benefical; it is more intended for instrument
modelers.

Over time, perhaps Yamaha will be doing more cross checking and error
checking of the variety done by the current program.  Yamaha does hide
various menus which would have no effect due to other circumstances,
and between versions 1 and 2, more of this has occured.

However, it will always be the case that prototyping what/how to
present (or not to present) can be done in a faster turnaround time in
software. One year elapsed between between version 1 and 2 firmware
releases. Between firmware releases, one can still make inmprovements
to the user interface and how to present the parameter data.

So why this program?

* I want the ability work with a large set of voices. My computer can 
  store much more voice data and access it much faster than the VL1-m
  does over it's 3 1/2" diskette. 

* Working with large sets of voices I want to be able to compare them.
  Or be able to get aggregate data about collections of voices.

  Suppose I want to get a feel for how often a Dynamic Filter is used
  across the sets of voices on the Yamaha factory disk.   Or how it has
  its usage has changed between the version 1 and 2 distribution disks?
  Or find all the voices that use the "phaser" reverberation effect.

  Suppose I want to understand the customization(s) made by particular
  individuals such myself and others? 

* Furthermore, to do the above, I want to use my usual computer tools.
  For example, I have a file/text comparitor that shows me the text of
  two files with the differences highlighted in windows. I prefer to
  use my favorite editor to view, navigate and manipulate the data.

* The program filters out useless information (or doesn't); this amount
  is determined by me. If am interested in a great level of detail,
  such as the file offset of where a set of menus starts, I can.
  On the other hand, if I only want to see the relevant
  parameters that are set, I can do that too. 

* The program gives cross check warnings.

  Because menus are myopic, it may
  not be clear looking at a particular menu that it is not in fact
  used because of something set somewhere else. Over version 1 and
  version 2, Yamaha I has added more cross-menu buttons. However, it could use
  more cross checking. The example of an element level set to 0 given
  above, or in fact other zero levels are such cases. Also high and 
  low frequency filters which overlap and thus filter out everything.

* The programs can suggest how modify a voice or bank to make things
  clearer. For example, turning off those parameters which are otherwise
  nulled out by say a zero level. 

  Note however that sometimes you want to ignore a
  warning. For example you may want to remember how a certain set of 
  parameters was set when such an effect was turned on.

  You can tell the program not to give any warnings, too.

* The program can give more conversion information. Or the information
  can be presented is a format that may be more meaningful rather than
  in the way things are internally stored which, I think occurs too often.
  For example, in addition to the front panel's pitch tuning offsets
  which are displayed as numbers such as -7 or +24, you can see those offsets
  as pitch values like F 2 and C 4. Likewise Hertz values (on various
  filters) can be shown as pitch values. Or levels which are
  internally stored and shown as a range between 0 and 127 can be viewed
  as a value in the range 0 and 100%.