MIDI sysex is a variable length messaging protocol that allows manufacturers to define their own message formats.
All sysex messages are:
- ascii byte encoded (and usually represented in hexadecimal);
- begin with a start byte of F0 hex; and
- end with an end byte of F7 hex.
Here's an example applicable to the Behringer X-Air products:
- F0 --> beginning byte;
- 00 20 32 --> Behringer Manufacturer ID
- 32 --> Model ID
- 2F 66 78 2F 31 2F 70 61 72 2F 30 31 20 --> sysex command, in this case '/fx/1/par/01'
- 32 38 --> value for command, in this case the number '28'
- F7 --> end byte.
Taken all together the sysex string would be:
- F0 00 20 32 32 2F 66 78 2F 31 2F 70 61 72 2F 30 31 20 32 38 F7
X-Air OSC tools
Some great tools have been written for exploring the Behringer X-Air mixers' OSC/Sysex control capabilities: