E-mu Systems, Inc. applied magic for the arts E M U L AT O R T H R E E DIGITAL SOUND PRODUCTION SYSTEM REFERENCE MANUAL Emulator Three Digital Sound Production System Reference Manual © 1988 by E-mu Systems, Inc. s FI 351 Rev H Manual by Craig Anderton, Nancy Enge, and Riley Smith E-mu Systems, Inc. 1600 Green Hills Road P.O. Box 660015 Scotts Valley, California 95067-0015 (831) 438-1921 CONTENTS 1-GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS Introduction Connection Instructions Sampling Basics Definitions Additional Definitions Character Charts 1-3 1-5 1-7 1-10 1-14 1-18 s MODULES 3-MASTER 1. Master Tune 2. Rename Bank 3. Erase Bank 4. Supermode 5. Audio Trigger 6. Memory Available 7. Disk Utilities 8. Special 3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-7 3-9 3-10 3-24 2-CONTROLS 4-SAMPLE 1. Load Sample 2. Rename Sample 3. Erase Sample 4. Copy Sample 5. Setup 6. Place Sample 7. Arm Sampling 8. Force Sampling 9. MIDI Sample Dump 0. Select Sample 4-2 4-4 4-5 4-6 4-7 4-9 4-11 4-12 4-13 4-15 5-PRESET MANAGEMENT 1. Load Preset 2. Rename Preset 3. Erase Preset 4. Copy Preset 5. Create Preset 6. Preset Size 7. Stack Mode 8. Velocity Switch Level 5-2 5-4 5-5 5-6 5-7 5-8 5-9 5-10 CONTENTS 6-DIGITAL PROCESSING Background 1. Setup 2. Loop 3. Truncation 4. Copy Section 5. Cut Section 6. Paste Section 7. Sample Rate Conversion 8. Digital Effects 9. Undo 0. Select Sample 6-2 6-10 6-13 6-16 6-17 6-19 6-21 6-25 6-26 6-52 6-54 s SEQUENCER 9-BACKGROUND TRANSPORT CONTROLS 10-MANAGEMENT 1. Load Segment/Song 2. Tempo 3. Clock 4. Track Status 5. Track Mix 6. Data Filters 7. MIDI Options 8. SMPTE Start 9. Write SMPTE 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-6 10-7 10-8 10-9 10-10 10-11 7-PRESET DEFINITION 1. Load Zone 2. Edit Assignment 3. Erase Zone 4. Copy Zone 5. Crossfade/Switch 6. MIDI 7. Arpeggiator 8. Pitch Blend Range 9. Velocity Curve 0. Realtime Controls Keyboard Velocity Curves 7-2 7-6 7-9 7-11 7-14 7-18 7-23 7-27 7-28 7-29 7-34 11-SETUP 1. Length 2. Time Signature 3. Countdown 4. Autocorrect 5. Metronome 6. Looping 7. Preset Assignment 8. Cue List Mode 11-2 11-3 11-4 11-5 11-7 11-8 11-9 11-10 8-ANALOG PROCESSING Background 1. Setup 2. VCA 3. VCF 4. LFO 5. Auxiliary Envelope 6. Velocity To 7. Keyboard Mode 8. Realtime Control Enable 9. Output Channels 0. Select Zone 8-2 8-4 8-6 8-9 8-12 8-14 8-16 8-20 8-22 8-23 8-24 CONTENTS 12-EDIT SEGMENT/CUE LIST 1. Step Edit 2. Rename Segment 3. Erase Segment 4. Copy Segment 5. Cut Segment 6. Paste Segment 7. Erase Track 8. Bounce Track 9. Punch-in 0. Special Functions SONG 1. Step Edit 2. Rename Song 3. Erase Song 4. Copy Song 5. Cut Song 6. Paste Song 12-2 12-5 12-6 12-8 12-13 12-15 12-18 12-19 12-21 12-23 12-31 12-34 12-35 12-37 12-39 12-40 13-EPILOGUE Glossary MIDI Charts Transposition Charts Error Codes Troubleshooting Warranty Registration Card 13-3 13-20 13-22 13-24 13-26 13-33 13-35 1-GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS INTRODUCTION CONNECTION INSTRUCTIONS SAMPLING BASICS DEFINITIONS ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS 1-3 1-5 1-7 1-10 1-14 CHARACTER CHARTS 1-18 1-2 1-3 INTRODUCTION This is the reference manual for the Emulator Three Digital Sound Production System. It contains detailed information on all aspects of the EIII's operation. If you are totally unfamiliar with samplers and synthesizers in general, you may need more information than this manual provides. We suggest that you read some of the many books and magazines on the subject of music synthesis in order to learn the basics while you are learning about the Emulator III. This will help you to get the most out of this extremely powerful instrument. The functions of the Emulator III are detailed in this manual by their module. Screeen displays and step-by-step instructions are described for all aspects of use and operation. s Sidebars are used to highlight important points or to give useful operational tips which might not be readily apparent. A glossary at the end of this section provides a reference for unfamiliar terms. We encourage you to take a moment now to read the E-mu Systems Warranty and to fill out and send in your warranty registration card. By doing so, you are assured of receiving news of all updates and manual revisions. 1-4 Connection Diagram General Instructions 1-5 EIII CONNECTION INSTRUCTIONS ConnectingTo a Mixer s Stereo: The Emulator III has provisions for a variety of output connection schemes. The most common hookup will probably be for stereo operation. Stereo operation allows the use of the EIII's panning features and adds another dimension to the sound. Connect the left and right audio out phone jacks to the inputs of your mixer or stereo preamp. The EIII will also drive stereo headphones, which can be plugged directly into the left/stereo output. s Mono: If a monophonic amplifier is used, connect the right/mono output to the input of the amplifier. The output level of the EIII is somewhere between instrument and line level. Care should be taken when connecting to an instrument amplifier so that delicate nerve cells in your ears are not damaged. s Individual Outputs: There may be times when different equalization or reverb settings are desired on the various instruments that have been sampled. The EIII has sixteen channel outputs that can be used when individual processing on specific instruments is desired. Inserting a plug into an output channel jack removes that channel from the stereo mix. Zones can be assigned to output channels. Output impedance is 470 . Sample In Connection The sample input jacks can accept any signal level from microphone level to line level. The gain is adjusted with the data slider while in VU/gain mode in the sample module. The levels can be read in the display while in this mode. Input impedance is 10K . If you need to preamplify the signal being sampled, set the sample gain to 00 dB (which is one third of the way up) and use an external, high-quality mic preamp to increase the signal level going into the EIII. MIDI Connection The Emulator III provides a MIDI IN, a MIDI OUT, and a MIDI THRU port. s The MIDI IN port on the EIII is connected to the MIDI OUT port of an external MIDI controller which could be a keyboard, a sequencer, MIDI drum kit or whatever. Note that the EIII can only respond to information that your controller transmits. If your MIDI keyboard does not have velocity and pressure sensitivity, the EIII will not respond to velocity and pressure. 1-6 s MIDI OUT can be connected to another MIDI instrument or sequencer. In MIDI OUT mode, only information from the EIII's keyboard, sequencer or realtime controls will be transmitted, except when overflow mode is selected. Overflow mode allows a second EIII to be connected to the MIDI OUT to allow 32 channel operation. See Preset Definition, 6. MIDI for more details. s MIDI THRU simply retransmits any information that is received at the MIDI IN port. Use cords that have been designed specifically for MIDI. While regular 5 pin DIN cords may work, they are not shielded correctly for MIDI use and may cause ground loops between equipment. Footswitch and Pedal Connection s Two control footswitch jacks are provided for performance control of sequencer, arpeggiator, sustain, Xswitch, and preset increment/decrement. The footswitches need not be connected for the unit to operate but they offer exciting control possibilities. Footswitches should be of the momentary-contact type but can be either normally-open or normally-closed. s The control pedal is used as a realtime control in the same manner as the wheels. It can be programmably routed to a destination by using the realtime control section of the Preset Definition module. The pedal should be a voltage type (which varies 0-10 volts on the tip of the jack). SMPTE In and SMPTE Out Connection s The SMPTE (clock) In jack allows the Emulator III's sequencer to read SMPTE time code at any of the four standard frame rates (24, 25, 30, 30 df). It also allows an external non-MIDI device such as a drum machine or sequencer to control the tempo of the sequencer or arpeggiator. The Emulator III can receive input clock rates of 24, 48, or 96 pulses-per-quarter-note. The pulses should be at least one millisecond wide and have a level of one to five volts. s The SMPTE Out jack allows the Emulator III to generate industry standard SMPTE time code at any of the four frame rates (24, 25, 30, 30df). RS-422 Connection The RS-422 connector is a high-speed serial communication port which allows data to be transferred to and from an external computer at a very high rate (500K baud). The connection cable to the external computer will generally be supplied with a software package that you purchase. 1-7 SCSI The SCSI connector is a high-speed parallel interface which is normally used to interface the EIII with external mass storage devices such as hard disks, optical discs, or WORM drives. The SCSI port can also be used to link the EIII with an external computer for extremely fast file transfers. When connecting multiple external devices to the SCSI port, the external devices should be powered up before the Emulator Three. For more information on installation, see Master module, 7. Disk Utilities, 1. Mount Drive, or the manual that accompanies the external device. 110V/220 V Selector The 110V/220V selector allows the Emulator III to be used in either 110 volt or 220 volt environments at either 50 Hz or 60 Hz. In the USA, 110 volts is the standard. To change the voltage setting, first UNPLUG the unit; then use a flat blade screwdriver to change the setting. WARNING: Operating EIII at the wrong setting will seriously damage the unit. AC Power Connection and Fuse The AC power connector is how the Emulator III gets power. The fuse receptacle is not as obvious. It is located directly over the power receptacle. Before changing or checking a fuse, UNPLUG the power cord. To remove the fuse holder, squeeze the two tabs located on either side of the fuse holder together. The fuse holder will now pop out with its two fuses. The Emulator III uses two 2-amp, 250 volt fastblo mini-fuses. The EIII should not normally blow fuses. If a fuse that has been replaced blows again, do not attempt another replacement. Have the unit serviced! SAMPLE L R 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 OUTPUTS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 MIX L R In Out SMPTE Met 2 Pedal 1 FOOTSWITCH In MIDI Out Thru RS 422 SCSI 1-8 Sampling Basics SAMPLING BASICS Each vertical line represents a sample. Each sample takes a "snapshot" of the instantaneous signal level. Percussive Sample 1 second DIGITAL SAMPLING. Each vertical line represents a sample. Each sample takes a snapshot of the instantaneous signal level. Throughout this manual we will use the terms and concepts described and defined below. Read through this section carefully, even if you don't retain it all. You can refer back periodically as you read through the manual until you understand the basics and definitions. The Emulator III is conceptually like a tape recorder in that it records sound. However, the recording process is very different since the EIII digitally records into its computer memory. Computers can accept information only in the form of numbers, so first the EIII converts audio signals into numbers. It does this by examining (sampling) the incoming signal level at your choice of either 44,100 times a second (for maximum fidelity) or 33,100 times 1-9 a second (to use less memory), and sequentially records these different levels in memory. Once stored in the EIII's memory bank, these samples may be played back (in the proper sequence, of course) to reconstruct the original signal. For instance, if a twosecond sound was being sampled at the highest sampling rate, it would require (2 X 44,100) or 88,200 samples to be recorded. As you might imagine, shorter sounds require fewer samples. Just like tape, a sound can be manipulated once it has been recorded. Playing back the samples in reverse order from which they were stored plays the sound backwards. Playing back the samples at a faster rate than the rate at which they were stored raises the pitch. Playing back at a slower rate lowers the pitch, much like a tape recorder's variable speed control. How the Emulator III Organizes Sounds Sure, you're anxious to start coaxing wonderful sounds from the instrument--but the following is a necessary part of learning how to play the Emulator III. It is important to understand how the EIII organizes sounds in order to make best use of the instrument in the shortest possible time. Many terms will be introduced now that show up later in the manual. You can think of the EIII as resembling a collection of soundorganizing modules, all contained within an EIII bank. Pathways indicate how information flows within the EIII. Let's take a closer look at what makes up this information, and how it is transferred from one section of the instrument to another. We'll start with individual samples, then work our way through the system. The Sample Sampling any sound in mono or s ...