User manual ALESIS QUADRASYNTH PLUS - REFERENCE MANUAL

ALESIS QuadraSynth Plus Reference Manual Important Safety Instructions WARNING - When using this electric product, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following: 1) Read all the instructions before using the product. 2) Do not use this product near water - for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, or the like. 3) This product, either alone or in combination with an amplifier and headphones or speakers, may be capable of producing sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. Do not operate for a long period of time at a high volume level or at a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist. 4) This product should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, or other products that produce heat. 5) The power-supply cord on this product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time. 6) Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings. 7) The product should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: a) The power supply cord has been damaged; or b) Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled onto the product; or c) The product has been exposed to rain; or d) The product does not appear to be operating normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or e) The product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged. 8) Do not attempt to service this product beyon d that described in the usermaintenance instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. Grounding Instructions This product must be grounded. If it should malfunction or break down, grounding provides a path of least resistance for electric current to reduce the risk of electric shock. This product is equipped with a cord having an equipmentgrounding conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an appropriate outlet that is properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local rules and ordinances. DANGER - Improper connection of the equipment-grounding conductor can result in a risk of electric shock. Check with a qualified electrician or serviceman if you are in doubt as to whether the product is properly grounded. Do not modify the plug provided with the product - if it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualified electrician. Index CONTENTS 1: Setting Up 7 Unpacking and Inspection 7 AC Power 7 Line Conditioners and Protectors About Audio Cables 9 Basic Audio Hookup 9 A Word About Sound Bridge 10 Powering Up 11 Adjusting the Display Contrast 11 Playing the Demo Sequence 12 Enabling General MIDI Mode 12 Playing the QuadraSynth Plus 13 Program Mode and Mix Mode 13 Auditioning Internal Programs 14 Selecting Banks 14 Selecting the MIDI Channel 14 Realtime Performance Functions The Quad Knobs 15 Auditioning Mix Play Mode 16 Selecting Banks 16 Editing a Mix 17 Setting the Effects Level 18 8 2: Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus 11 15 3: Connections Basic MIDI Hookup 19 Example 1: Master Controller for Live Use Example 2: Using an External Sequencer 21 About the Keyboard Mode 22 Pedal and Footswitch Hookup 22 Digital Audio/Optical Hookup 23 Recording Digital Audio 23 48 kHz Clock In23 19 20 4: Overview Basic Architecture 25 QuadraSynth Plus Polyphony 25 Modes 26 Program Play Mode 26 Mix Play Mode 26 Program Edit Mode 26 Mix Edit Mode 27 Effects Edit Mode 27 Global Edit Mode 27 Store Mode 27 Compare Mode 27 The User Interface: Display, Functions, Pages, and Parameters About the Display 28 MIDI Buttons 29 Quad Knob Editing 29 25 28 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 5 Index Parameter Editing 29 Direct Function Selection 31 Editing Program Parameters 31 Edit 4 and Edit 1 Modes 32 Resetting a Parameter Value 32 Comparing Edited and Stored Versions Preset Memory and User Memory Storing 34 Store a Program34 Copying Effects Between Programs Store an Effect 35 Store a Mix 35 To Audition Programs Before Storing 33 33 35 36 5: Editing Mixes 39 What is a Mix? 39 Mix Edit Mode 39 Understanding the Edit Buffers 40 Program Assign for each MIDI Channel 41 Level Setting for Each Program 41 Pitch 42 Setting the Range and MIDI Switches 42 Transmitting MIDI Volume and Panning 43 Effects in Mix Play Mode 44 Effect Level 44 Effect 44 Naming a Mix 45 Polyphony in Mix Play Mode 45 Using the QuadraSynth Plus as a Master Keyboard Setting MIDI Out Channels for Mix in Global Mode 45 46 6: Editing Programs 47 Overview 47 The "Normalized" Synth Voice 47 How the QuadraSynth Generates Sound 48 Program Sound Layers 48 QuadraSynth Plus Signal Flow 49 The Four Sounds of a Program 49 Voice 50 Lowpass Filter 50 Amp 51 About Modulation 51 Envelopes 52 About Signal Processing52 Drum Mode 53 Program Edit Functions 54 Assign Voice 54 Level 56 Effect Level 56 Pitch 56 Filter 59 Amp 61 Range 62 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 6 Index Mod 64 Pitch LFO 67 Amp LFO 70 Pitch Envelope 71 Filter Envelope 74 Amp Envelope 76 Name 80 Misc. 81 Programming Drum Sounds Assign Voice 82 Level 82 Effects Level 83 Pitch 83 Filter 83 Amp 83 Range 84 Amp Envelope 84 Copying Sounds 85 Copying Effects 85 Initializing Programs 86 82 7: Editing Effects About Signal Processing87 Selecting an Effects Patch in Mix Mode 88 Setting Effects Send Levels 88 Editing Effects 89 Storing Effect Patches In Program Mode 90 Storing Effect Patches in Mix Mode 90 Copying Effect Patches 91 Configurations 91 Reverb 98 Delay 103 Pitch 104 Mod 108 Mix 109 Misc. 110 EQ 110 Overdrive 110 87 8: Global Settings Editing Global Parameters 113 LCD Contrast 113 General MIDI Mode 113 Enabling General MIDI Mode via MIDI 113 Master Pitch and Master Tuning114 Keyboard Sensitivity 114 Keyboard Curve 114 Keyboard Transpose 114 Keyboard Mode114 Controllers A ­ D 115 Reset Controllers A ­ D 115 Controllers A ­ D Mode 115 Pedal 1 and 2 Assignment 116 113 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 7 Index Using Pedals to Control Volume or Modulation 116 MIDI Program Select 116 Receiving and Transmitting Bank Change Message Edit Mode 118 48 KHz Clock Input 118 117 9: MIDI Transfer And Storage Operations Saving the User Bank to an External Card 119 Loading a Bank from an External Card 119 Storing an Individual Program or Mix to an External Card Loading an Individual Program or Mix from an External Card Card Storage RAMifications 121 Saving Programs via MIDI Sys Ex 121 119 120 120 Appendix A: Trouble-Shooting Trouble-Shooting Index 123 Re-initializing 123 Checking Software Version Maintenance/Service 124 Cleaning 124 Maintenance 124 Warranty Information 124 Obtaining Repair Service 124 123 124 Appendix B: MIDI Supplement MIDI Basics 127 MIDI Hardware127 MIDI Message Basics 128 Channel Messages: Mode Messages Channel Messages: Voice Messages System Common Messages 130 General MIDI 130 MIDI Implementation Chart 132 127 128 128 Appendix C: Parameters Index Program Parameters Mix Parameters 135 133 133 137 Appendix D: What's New in the 2.0 "Plus" Upgrade INDEX 159 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 8 Setting Up: Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 SETTING UP Unpacking and Inspection Your QuadraSynth Plus was packed carefully at the factory. The shipping carton was designed to protect the unit during shipping. Please retain this container in the highly unlikely event that you need to return the QuadraSynth Plus for servicing. Upon receiving the QuadraSynth Plus, carefully examine the shipping carton and its contents for any sign of physical damage that may have occurred in transit. If you detect any damage, do not destroy any of the packing material or the carton, and immediately notify the carrier of a possible claim for damage. Damage claims must be made by you. Contact your Alesis dealer. The shipping carton should contain the following items: · QuadraSynth Plus with the same serial number as shown on shipping carton · Sustain pedal · AC Power Cable · Computer floppy disk containing Sound Bridge software and electronic manual · This instruction manual, plus lists of Mixes and Programs, and Quick Start guide · Alesis warranty card J It is important to register your purchase; if you have not already filled out your warranty card and mailed it back to Alesis, please take the time to do so now. AC Power Hookup The QuadraSynth Plus works with the voltage of the country it is shipped to (either 110 or 220V, 50 or 60 Hz), and comes with a line cord or power supply suitable for the destination to which the keyboard is shipped. With the QuadraSynth Plus off, plug the AC cord's female (jack) end into Quadra-Synth Plus's AC socket and the male (plug) end into a source of AC power. It's good practice to not turn the QuadraSynth Plus on until all other cables are hooked up. The IEC-spec AC cord included with the QuadraSynth Plus (do not substitute any other AC cord) is designed to connect to an outlet that includes three pins, with the third, round pin connected to ground. The ground connection is an important safety feature designed to keep the chassis of electronic devices such as the QuadraSynth Plus at ground potential. Unfortunately, the presence of a third pin does not always indicate that it is properly grounded. Use an AC line QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 9 Setting Up: Chapter 1 tester to determine this. If the outlet is not grounded, consult with a licensed electrician. J Do not operate any electrical equipment with ungrounded outlets. Plugging the QuadraSynth Plus into an ungrounded outlet, or "lifting" the unit off ground with a three-to-two wire adapter, can create a hazardous condition. J Alesis cannot be responsible for problems caused by using the QuadraSynth Plus or any associated equipment with improper AC wiring. Line Conditioners and Protectors Although the QuadraSynth Plus is designed to tolerate typical voltage variations, in today's world the voltage coming from the AC line may contain spikes or transients that can possibly stress your gear and, over time, cause a failure. There are three main ways to protect against this, listed in ascending order of cost and complexity: · Line spike/surge protectors. Relatively inexpensive, these are designed to protect against strong surges and spikes, acting somewhat like fuses in that they need to be replaced if they've been hit by an extremely strong spike. · Line filters. These generally combine spike/surge protection with filters that remove some line noise (dimmer hash, transients from other appliances, etc.). · Uninterruptible power supply (UPS). This is the most sophisticated option. A UPS provides power even if the AC power line fails completely. Intended for computer applications, a UPS allows you to complete an orderly shutdown of a computer system in the event of a power outage, and the isolation it provides from the power line minimizes all forms of interference--spikes, noise, etc. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 10 Setting Up: Chapter 1 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 11 Setting Up: Chapter 1 About Audio Cables The connections between the QuadraSynth Plus and your studio are your music's lifeline, so use only high quality cables. These should be low-capacitance shielded cables with a stranded (not solid) internal conductor and a lowresistance shield. Although quality cables cost more, they do make a difference. Route cables to the QuadraSynth Plus correctly by observing the following precautions: · Do not bundle audio cables with AC power cords. · Avoid running audio cables near sources of electromagnetic interference such as transformers, monitors, computers, etc. · Do not place cables where they can be stepped on. Stepping on a cable may not cause immediate damage, but it can compress the insulation between the center conductor and shield (degrading performance) or reduce the cable's reliability. · Avoid twisting the cable or having it make sharp, right angle turns. · Never unplug a cable by pulling on the wire itself. Always unplug by firmly grasping the body of the plug and pulling directly outward. · Although Alesis does not endorse any specific product, chemicals such as Tweek and Cramolin, when applied to electrical connectors, are claimed to improve the electrical contact between connectors. Basic Audio Hookup J When connecting audio cables and/or turning power on and off, make sure that all devices in your system are turned off and the volume controls are turned down. Because the QuadraSynth Plus includes extensive signal processing as well as a full complement of sounds, you can make great sounds with nothing more than an amplifier or a set of headphones. The QuadraSynth Plus has two Main and two Aux audio outputs. These can provide an amplification system or mixer with several different audio hookup options: · Mono. Connect a mono cord from the [MAIN­R] Audio Output to a mono amplification system or individual mixer input. · Stereo. Connect two mono cords from the [MAIN­L] and [MAIN­R] Audio Outputs to a stereo amplification system or two mixer inputs. · Dual Stereo/Four Individual Outs. Connect two mono cords from the [MAIN­L] and [MAIN­R] Audio Outputs and two mono cords from the [AUX­ QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 12 Setting Up: Chapter 1 L] and [AUX­R] Outputs to a dual stereo amplification system, or four mixer inputs. · Stereo Headphones. Plug a set of high-quality stereo headphones into the rear panel [PHONES] jack. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 13 Setting Up: Chapter 1 A Word About Sound Bridge Included with the QuadraSynth Plus is a 3-1/2" floppy disk containing a software program called Sound Bridge. This software has been provided free of charge in an effort to promote sound design for the QuadraSynth Plus. Sound Bridge is a MacintoshTM sound development utility which compiles custom samples from a variety of sources into the QuadraSynth Voice format, and downloads the compiled data to an Alesis PCMCIA Sound Card via MIDI Sysex to a QuadraSynth Plus or S4 Plus. Originally developed for in-house use only, Alesis soon realized the need for individuals and sound developers to be able to burn their own Sound Cards as well, using whatever samples they wanted. Sound Bridge makes this possible without having a PCMCIA card burner attached to your computer. All you need is a QuadraSynth Plus or S4 Plus. Sound Bridge creates a QuadraSynth Voice (multi-sample) by loading Sample Cell I or Sample Cell II format Instrument files. Using this format, Sound Bridge is able to determine key group and velocity group split points, root notes, sample playback rates, tunings, start points, loop points, and loop tunings. Sound Bridge can also create QuadraSynth Voices without Sample Cell Instruments by loading single AIFF, Sound Designer, or Sound Designer II files. Sound Bridge does NOT require Sample Cell hardware. The Sample Cell Instrument file, or sample file, may be loaded directly into Sound Bridge from any disk (i.e. CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, etc.). For example, a user may load data from a Sample Cell CD-ROM, and send this data to the QuadraSynth PCMCIA Card, without ever using Sample Cell! Sound Bridge can write to PCMCIA cards (or PC Cards) of up to 8MB in size. These cards must be either Type I SRAM (150ns or faster) or Type I Flash RAM cards (AMD C-series or D-series 5V Flash Memory Cards). If you are unsure whether a card is compatible with the S4 Plus, contact Alesis Product Support for more information. The Sound Bridge disk contains the Sound Bridge application, and an electronic manual which will give you all the information you need to know to run Sound Bridge. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 14 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 YOUR FIRST SESSION WITH THE QUADRASYNTH PLUS Powering Up ¿ items: · · · Have all connections been made correctly? Are the volume controls of the amplifier or mixer turned down? Is the volume of the QuadraSynth Plus turned down? After making your connections, turn on the system's power using this procedure: Before turning on the QuadraSynth Plus's power, check the following Turn on the [ON/OFF] (power) switch on the QuadraSynth Plus rear panel. Upon power-up, the QuadraSynth Plus will display the last selected Program or Mix. If this Program/Mix has been edited, the display will indicate this by showing the word "EDITED" below either the word "MIX" or "PROGRAM." ¡ ¬ Turn the QuadraSynth Plus's master [VOLUME] control to maximum. The best signal-to-noise ratio is achieved when [VOLUME] is set to maximum. This is a digital volume control, and lower settings have lower resolution. Turn on the power of the amplifier/mixer, and adjust the volume. Adjusting the Display Contrast Occasionally, the characters in the LCD display may be difficult to read, depending on the viewing angle and existing lighting conditions. In such a situation, adjust the contrast of the LCD display using the following procedure. Press [GLOBAL]. The display will change to the Global Page. ¿ ¡ Use Quad Knob [1] to adjust the contrast, or use the VALUE [¬] and [] buttons. The contrast and its value in the display will change. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 15 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 1 PROG GLOBAL P AGE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 V ALUE QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 16 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Playing the Demo Sequence The QuadraSynth Plus has a built-in demo sequence which demonstrates the wide variety of sounds this amazing instrument is capable of generating. In order to get the full effect of the demo, we recommend that you connect both the LEFT and RIGHT outputs to your sound system, or listen on headphones. To play the demo sequence: Hold the [GLOBAL] button, and press [MIX]. The upper-right display will read "Playing Demo. Press MIX to stop." ¿ ¡ Press [MIX] to stop the demo. There will be no MIDI OUT messages during the demo, and the keyboard will be disabled. Playing Specific Sections of the Demo The demo sequence is currently comprised of four sections. Any of these sections can be played directly, without listening to the sections preceding it. This can be done by holding [GLOBAL] and pressing one of the Quad Buttons [1] ­ [4] buttons which corresponds to the section you would like to hear. Enabling General MIDI Mode If you are using a General MIDI sequencer, and/or playing a sequence that is programmed to take advantage of General MIDI, turn the "General MIDI" function in the QuadraSynth on. To turn the General MIDI function on: Press [GLOBAL]. The display will now be in Global Edit Mode. ¿ ¡ Press Quad Button [2]. This selects the General MIDI parameter in the display. Press the VALUE [] button. This turns on General MIDI mode, and automatically puts you into Mix Play Mode with Mix 00 of Preset Bank 4 selected. ¬ For more information about General MIDI, refer to the the MIDI Supplement in Appendix B. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 17 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Playing the QuadraSynth Plus Program Mode and Mix Mode The QuadraSynth Plus is shipped from the factory with 5 Banks of 128 Preset Programs (sounds) each. Additionally, there are 100 Mixes in each of the 5 Banks. The QuadraSynth Plus is always in one of two modes: Program Mode or Mix Mode. When selecting Programs, you will be in Program Play Mode. When editing a Program, you will use Program Edit Mode. When auditioning Mixes, you will be in Mix Play Mode. When editing a Mix, you will use Mix Edit Mode. J If you ever get lost while programming the QuadraSynth Plus, press either the [PROGRAM] button or the [MIX] button to get back to their respective play modes. · Press the [PROGRAM] button to select Program Play Mode. In Program Play Mode, the QuadraSynth Plus plays a single Program. The display will look like this: 1 PROG The current PROGram number is displayed, and the Program's name appears in the top-right. The current Bank is shown to the left of the Program name. The current MIDI channel is shown in the top left corner left. · Press the [MIX] button to select Mix Play Mode. In Mix Play Mode, the QuadraSynth Plus can combine up to 16 Programs for stacking sounds together, splitting the keyboard into different regions, or working with a MIDI sequencer. The display will look like this: QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 18 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 1 2 3 4 MIX PROG E F F E C TT EFFEC All MIDI channels that are active in the current Mix are shown at the top left, to indicate multitimbral operation. The current MIX and EFFECT numbers are displayed, along with the current Bank and Mix's name. The PROGram number display shows the program assigned to the underlined MIDI channel. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 19 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Auditioning Internal Programs ¿ Press the [PROGRAM] button to select Program Play Mode. You can now play the QuadraSynth Plus keyboard; the Program will be whatever was selected when last in Program mode (Program number 00 -- 127). ¡ Select a Program using any of these methods: · Use the [-1] and [+1] buttons to step through the Programs one at a time. · Use the [-10] and [+10] buttons to step through the Programs ten at a time. · Hold the [PROGRAM] button and rotate Quad Knob [1]. · Use the DIRECT SELECT [1]--[0] buttons for direct entry. Leading zeroes must be entered for Programs 0 -- 19. Example: Press [0] then [0] then [5] for Program 5; press [0] then [1] then [3] for Program 13. Only begin with [1] if you are selecting a Program from 100 -- 127. If you start entering a number and change your mind, wait a few seconds and the QuadraSynth Plus will revert to the previous Program number. J To hear the Stereo Grand Piano, select Program 00 in Preset Bank 1. Selecting Banks The QuadraSynth Plus provides five internal Banks containing 128 Programs in each (and 100 Mixes each, but we'll get to Mixes in a moment). The currently selected Bank will be shown in the display just to the left of the currently selected Program's name. · Use the BANK [] and [] buttons to select a Bank (User, Preset 1 ­ 4). J User and Preset Banks are described in detail in Chapter 4. Selecting the MIDI Channel While in Program Play Mode, the QuadraSynth Plus can transmit and receive information on any single MIDI channel of the 16 available channels. The currently selected channel appears at the top left of the display. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 20 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 MIDI MIDI 1 PROG ¿ Use the MIDI [] and [] buttons to select a MIDI channel from 1 -- 16. The display will change to indicate the currently selected MIDI channel. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 21 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Realtime Performance Functions The QuadraSynth Plus provides various ways to control the sound as you are playing. Try out some of these functions while playing the keyboard. The sound of the effects can also change by using these controllers. The effect of these realtime controllers varies from Program to Program; in some they may not be active, and in others they may have a dramatic effect. · Velocity. The volume and tonal quality of the sound will change according to how hard you play the keyboard. · Aftertouch. The action of pressing a key down after playing it is called "aftertouch" (it is also sometimes referred to as "Pressure" since it corresponds to the amount of pressure being applied to the keyboard). Pitch, tone and volume (among other things) can be changed using aftertouch. · Pitch Bend Wheel. While playing a note, you can move the PITCH BEND WHEEL up to raise the pitch, or down to lower the pitch. The amount of pitch bend available can be different for each Program. · Modulation Wheel. By raising the MODULATION WHEEL, you can add expressive modulation effects (such as vibrato or tremolo) while you play. The type of modulation effect can be different for each Program. · The Quad Knobs. These are described below. Further expressive control is available with a pedal switch (included) or expression pedal (optional, see page 25). By connecting a pedal switch to the SUSTAIN jack on the rear panel, you can have the sound sustain even after you release the keys. By connecting an expression pedal to one of the pedal jacks (PEDAL 1 or PEDAL 2), you can use the pedal to change the volume or tone (or some other quality such as reverb depth or vibrato speed) of the sound, if the Program is edited to use the pedal(s). The Quad Knobs To the right of the display are four knobs referred to as Quad Knobs, [1]--[4], each with its own button. The Quad Knobs provide control over various parameters depending on the mode you are in. The parameters in the display will change depending on which function and page are selected. Not all four Quad Knobs are active in all windows; there are many pages that have only one active Quad Knob. In Program Play Mode and Mix Play Mode, the Quad Knobs act as Controllers A­D. These Controllers are defined in Global Edit Mode (Page 3) to transmit various MIDI controller messages. If a Program or Mix uses these Controllers A­D, a pair of arrows will point towards the active controller's letter in the display. This indicates that moving the related Quad Knob will have some kind of effect on the selected Program or Mix. In the illustration below, Controller A (Quad Knob [1]) is used by the selected Program. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 22 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 1 2 3 4 When in Program Edit Mode or Mix Edit , the Quad Knobs are linked to the parameters that appear in the right side of the display. The lower line of the alphanumeric display will show the abbreviated name of each parameter, with a bar graph below it representing the current setting of the parameter. By turning Quad Knob [1], you adjust the setting of the first parameter on the left. Turning Quad Knob [2] adjusts the next parameter, and so on. Once a Quad Knob has been turned, or its button has been pressed, the top line of the display will immediately show the parameter's name and current setting. At this point, the parameter will have a thick underline beneath its bargraph, indicating that you can now use the VALUE [¬] and [] buttons to adjust the parameter's setting. Auditioning Mix Play Mode Mix Play Mode allows you to assign a Program to each of the 16 MIDI channels. This makes it easy to create multitimbral setups for use with an external MIDI sequencer. Additionally, a MIX can be used to "layer" sounds together, or "split" the keyboard in a number of ways, or any combination of these. There are many different ways to program a Mix. For more about Mix Play Mode, refer to Chapter 5. For more about connecting the QuadraSynth Plus to a MIDI sequencer, see Chapter 3. Press the [MIX] button. The display will change to Mix Play Mode. ¿ ¡ Select a Mix from 00--99 using one of these methods: Use the [-1] and [+1] buttons to step through the Mixes one at a Use the [-10] and [+10] buttons to step through the Mixes ten at a Hold the [MIX] button and rotate Quad Knob [1]. · time. · time. · · Use the DIRECT SELECT [1]--[0] buttons for direct entry. Leading zeroes must be entered for Mixes 0 -- 9. Example: Press [0] then [5] for Mix 5. If you start entering a number and change your mind, wait a few seconds and the QuadraSynth Plus will revert to the previous Mix number. Selecting Banks QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 23 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 The QuadraSynth Plus provides five internal Banks containing 100 Mixes in each. The currently selected Bank will be shown in the display just to the left of the currently selected Mix's name. · Use the BANK [] and [] buttons to select a Bank (User, Preset 1 ­ 4). J After switching between the Preset and User banks, press Quad Button [1] to see the name of the Mix in the display again. User memory and Preset memory are described in detail in Chapter 4. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 24 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Editing a Mix In this section, we will assign Programs to and set volume levels for the 16 MIDI channels in a Mix, for playing back tracks from a MIDI sequencer. However, there is much more about a Mix that may be edited. Refer to Chapter 5 for more about Mix editing. Press [MIX] and select a Mix using one of the three methods described above. ¿ ¡ Press [SELECT]. The top line of the LCD's function list will read "EDITING: MIX". ¬ 1 Simultaneously press both the FUNCTION [] and [] buttons. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 MIX PROG EFFECT EDITING: MIX PROGRAM ­ ASSIGN LEVEL EFFECT­LEVEL PITCH RANGE EFFECT NAME P AGE: 1 Use the MIDI [] and [] buttons to select a MIDI channel for editing. The MIDI monitor and selection strip will indicate the selected MIDI channel with an underline. These buttons "wrap around" (e.g., if you're on channel 16 and press MIDI [], you'll select channel 1. If channel 1 is selected and you press MIDI [], you'll select channel 16). H Use Quad Knob [1] to choose a Bank (User, Preset 1 ­ 4). Use Quad Knob [2] to select a Program for the selected Channel. J Don't use the MIX/PROGRAM SELECT [1]--[0] buttons while in any edit mode. If you do, you will be kicked out of Mix Edit mode and will select another Mix, losing your changes. Use Quad Knob [4] to enable or disable the Program on the selected Channel. When enabled, the Channel number will appear in the top left of the display. When disabled, the Channel number will not appear (unless selected for editing using the MIDI [] and [] buttons, in which case it is underlined). « To set the Program's level, press the FUNCTION [] button once so that "LEVEL" is underlined in the display. Use Quad Knob [1] to adjust the level. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 25 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Repeat steps ¬ -- « until all desired Programs are assigned to all desired MIDI channels, and have the appropriate levels. » J Changes to Mix parameters are temporary and will be lost if another Mix is selected. To make changes permanent, you must store the Mix into the User bank. Refer to Chapter 4 for information about storing changes. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 26 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Setting the Effects Level Each Program can use up to four Sounds, for either layering or splitting the keyboard. Each of these Sounds has its own effects send level and effects bus assignment. Many of the Programs in the QuadraSynth Plus use only one or two Sound layers, while others may use all four Sounds. You can adjust the effect send amount for each Sound independently, or you can view/edit all four sounds simultaneously. Press [PROGRAM] to access Program Play Mode, and select a Program you wish to edit, using the methods described on page 14. ¿ ¡ ¬ Press [SELECT] to access Program Edit Mode. Press the [EFFECT] button (located among the DIRECT SELECT buttons on the far left); the words "EFFECT - LEVEL" are underlined in the display. This is where you determine how much level will be sent from the current Program sound layer to the effects processor, and on which of the four busses. 1 PROG EDITING: PROGRAM SOUND 1 ASSIGN ­ VOICE LEVEL EFFECT­LEVEL PITCH FIL TER AMP RANGE MOD EFFECT NAME PLFO FLFO ALFO PENV FENV AENV TRACK MISC. P AGE: 1 Turn Quad Knob [1] to adjust the effect send level of the selected Sound (1--4). For the most dramatic effect, set this to 99. Press the [EDIT 1] button to select another Sound to adjust. The display will indicate "SOUND 1" or "SOUND 2," etc., to indicate which of the four Sounds is being edited. Press the [EDIT 4] button to display the effect send levels of all four Sounds simultaneously; use Quad Knobs [1] -- [4] to adjust each Sound's effect level. The display will indicate "SOUND 1 2 3 4." H MIDI 1 CHAN PROG PROG PRESET EDITING: PROGRAM SOUND 1 2 3 4 ASSIGN ­ VOICE LEVEL EFFECT­LEVEL PITCH FIL TER AMP RANGE MOD EFFECT NAME PLFO FLFO ALFO PENV FENV AENV TRACK MISC. P AGE: 1 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 27 Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Note: If a Sound is not enabled in a Program, its title will be shown in lowercase ("snd4"), and adjust its controls will have no effect on the Sound until the Sound is enabled. To enable a Sound, hold down its respective Quad Button (i.e., [3] for Sound #3) and press VALUE []. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 28 Connections: Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3 CONNECTIONS Basic MIDI Hookup MIDI is an internationally-accepted protocol that allows musical-related data to be conveyed from one device to another. See the MIDI Supplement in Appendix B if you are not familiar with how MIDI works. The MIDI connections provide three different functions. To trigger the QuadraSynth Plus from a MIDI control device (keyboard, drum pad, guitar or bass controller, sequencer, etc.), connect the control device's MIDI OUT to the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI IN. The MIDI THRU jack carries a replica (or echo) of the signal appearing at the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI IN, allowing you to trigger other devices from the same controller which is feeding the QuadraSynth Plus. Simply connect the QuadraSynth Plus MIDI THRU to the other device's MIDI IN. Note that the MIDI THRU jack will not send messages from the QuadraSynth Plus's keyboard itself. The MIDI OUT sends MIDI data from the QuadraSynth Plus's keyboard to other MIDI devices, but can also send System Exclusive data (see the MIDI supplement) to a storage device such as the Alesis DataDisk for later recall. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 29 Connections: Chapter 3 Example 1: Master Controller for Live Use Most live applications use the QuadraSynth Plus to generate sounds, with (possibly) the MIDI output driving other MIDI devices, such as an S4 Plus rack unit, QuadraVerb 2, other keyboards and sound modules, etc. To drive MIDI controlled devices from the QuadraSynth Plus, patch the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI OUT to the MIDI device's MIDI IN. If there is more than one MIDI device, patch the first device's MIDI THRU to the second device's MIDI IN, the second device's MIDI THRU to the third device's MIDI IN, etc. Caution: Do not attempt to connect more than three or four units together using thru connections as this may impede the MIDI data flow to the connected devices. Instead, insert a MIDI patch-bay to the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI OUT so that all devices receive its MIDI information simultaneously. In Program mode, the keyboard sends and receives MIDI information on only one MIDI channel at a time. In Mix mode, however, the keyboard can transmit on as many as 16 MIDI channels, each with its own keyboard range (for more information on Program mode and Mix mode, see Chapter 4). When using the QuadraSynth Plus as a master keyboard to play other MIDI devices, be sure the Keyboard Mode is set to "NORMAL." The Keyboard Mode parameter is found on Page 2 of Global mode (for more information, see Chapter 8). It is possible for the QuadraSynth Plus to transmit volume and pan settings via MIDI (as controllers 7 and 10, respectively). This occurs whenever a new Program is selected, or when a new Mix is selected. In the case of a Mix, the volume and pan settings may be transmitted for each Channel (up to 16) used in the selected Mix. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 30 Connections: Chapter 3 Example 2: Using an External Sequencer The QuadraSynth Plus can generate MIDI signals that are recorded by a sequencer. On playback, the sequencer sends this data back into the QuadraSynth Plus, which then serves as a multitimbral sound module (in Mix mode). The sequencer can generate data over several channels; in Mix mode, the QuadraSynth Plus can be programmed so that individual Programs play sequenced data on specific channels. Example: If the sequencer transmits a piano part over channel 1, a bass part over channel 2, and a drum part over channel 10, you could set up a QuadraSynth Plus Mix so that a piano sound plays only the MIDI data assigned to channel 1, a bass sound plays only the MIDI data assigned to channel 2, and drums play only the MIDI data assigned to channel 10. The QuadraSynth Plus can store up to 100 User Mixes. Connect the sequencer's MIDI Out to the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI IN, and the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI OUT to the sequencer's MIDI In. This allows the QuadraSynth Plus to send data to the sequencer for recording, and play back data from the sequencer. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 31 Connections: Chapter 3 If you are driving other MIDI gear (such as an expander module or MIDIresponsive signal processor), you'll usually drive these from the sequencer if it has additional MIDI outputs. However, you can also use the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI THRU connector to drive other modules since the Thru carries a replica of what appears at the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI IN, which is the same as the sequencer's MIDI OUT. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 32 Connections: Chapter 3 About the Keyboard Mode In a Mix, the QuadraSynth Plus's keyboard may be set up in several ways using the Keyboard Mode parameter found on Page 2 of Global mode. You need to determine which way is best for your application. The Keyboard Mode parameter determines how the keyboard will function with regard to MIDI in Mix mode: · The keyboard sends on only one MIDI channel and the sequencer is used to set the MIDI channel of each track (Keyboard Mode = OUT 1 ­ OUT 16). · Or, the keyboard is split or layered, sending on many MIDI channels at once, and the sequencer records each channel onto a different track (NORMAL). · Or, the keyboard only sends on one MIDI channel, but you change the channel on the QuadraSynth Plus for each separate track on the sequencer (CH SOLO). In OUT 1 ­ OUT 16 mode, you will not hear the QuadraSynth Plus unless your sequencer echoes the MIDI data back to the QuadraSynth Plus's MIDI IN. This is a way of verifying that the sequencer is set to receive properly. Depending on the capabilities of your sequencer, it may "auto-channelize" the echoed MIDI back to the QuadraSynth Plus on a different MIDI channel (usually, the MIDI channel that the selected record track is assigned to). In NORMAL or CH SOLO mode, the QuadraSynth Plus sounds are internally played from the QuadraSynth Plus keyboard, so any echo features of the sequencer should be turned off. When using the QuadraSynth Plus with a MIDI sequencer, the usual choice for the Keyboard Mode is "OUT 1." This is equivalent to turning the QuadraSynth Plus's local control off and transmitting on channel 1. For more information, see page 46. Pedal and Footswitch Hookup The QuadraSynth Plus keyboard has two PEDAL jacks that accept a Roland model EV-5 (or equivalent) volume control pedal, or a standard switch pedal. Each pedal can be assigned to independent modulation functions within a program. Example: One pedal could control volume, and the other vibrato depth. The SUSTAIN footswitch jack accepts a momentary footswitch unit, included with the unit (it is packed in the center of the end caps). This provides the same function as the sustain (or damper) pedal on a standard keyboard. You can use either a normally closed or normally open momentary contact footswitch. Plug it into the rear panel SUSTAIN footswitch jack before powering up the QuadraSynth Plus; on power up, it will automatically sense the footswitch polarity and calibrate itself accordingly. J QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 33 Connections: Chapter 3 If your footswitch seems to respond backwards (notes sustain unless the footswitch is pressed), turn off the QuadraSynth Plus, make sure the footswitch plug is fully inserted into the footswitch jack, then turn the power back on. J Don't hold downthe footswitch iwhen powering up the QuadraSynth Plus. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 34 Connections: Chapter 3 Digital Audio/Optical Hookup The QuadraSynth Plus can send digital audio directly into ADAT, which provides better fidelity than using the analog inputs and outputs. The digital I/O connector follows a proprietary Alesis format that carries all four audio outputs on a single fiber optic cable. Either pair of outputs can be converted into standard AES/EBU or S/PDIF stereo digital audio format by using the Alesis AI-1 interface. Fiber optic cables of various lengths are available from your Alesis dealer. The shorter the cable, the better. The model OC cable is 5 meters long and is the maximum length recommended. To hook up the optical cable: ¿ ¡ Remove the two pieces of clear plastic, tubular sleeving (if present) that protect the tips of the optical cable plugs. Insert one cable end into the QuadraSynth Plus DIGITAL OUT and the other end into the ADAT or AI-1 DIGITAL IN. To test the cable and QuadraSynth Plus digital output, plug one cable end into the QuadraSynth Plus. The other end should emit a soft red light (it is not dangerous to look directly at this light). Recording Digital Audio Once the fiber optic connection is made between the QuadraSynth Plus and ADAT or an AI-1, the QuadraSynth Plus will output audio on the first four channels of the digital bus (the bus is capable of handling eight channels of digital audio). The Main Left and Right outputs are routed to channels 1 and 2, while the Aux Left and Right outputs are routed to channels 3 and 4. Note that the volume knob controls the level of all analog and digital output channels simultaneously. Set the volume to maximum for most applications. 48 kHz Clock In If your ADAT system has an Alesis BRC Remote Controller, the QuadraSynth Plus's digital clock must be synchronized to the clock coming from the BRC. Connect a BNC-to-BNC cable (such as the Alesis BN cable) between the BRC's 48 kHz CLOCK OUT and the QuadraSynth Plus's 48 kHz CLOCK IN. For more information about using the 48 kHz clock, see page 118 in Chapter 8. When using only one ADAT without the BRC, it is not necessary to connect the 48 kHz Clock. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual