English ProKeys 88sx User Guide Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the M-Audio ProKeys 88sx, the complete all-purpose digital piano with additional MIDI control. We strongly recommend that you read through this manual to learn about proper installation, operation and advanced functionality before using this product. English What's in the Box Besides the product itself, the ProKeys 88sx package will include the following items: < < < < < Software CD (drivers and applications) 5-foot USB cable Printed user manual Power supply (12V DC) Sustain pedal If any of these items are missing, please contact the retail outlet where you purchased this product. ProKeys 88sx Overview The ProKeys 88sx is an 88-note digital piano with MIDI controller features. The ProKeys 88sx offers seven high-quality sounds and can be used in standalone mode with headphones or external amplification. You can also connect an external MIDI sound module or MIDI synthesizer/keyboard to the MIDI ports on the back, or even connect a computer via the built in USB interface. The ProKeys 88sx makes it easy to control and play virtual instruments as well as traditional hardware sound modules whether you are composing, recording or playing live. About This Manual The ProKeys 88sx can function as a stand-alone digital piano, or a MIDI controller if used in conjunction with your computer or sound module. Part 1 of this manual will detail the functions of the ProKeys 88sx as a standalone digital piano. In part 2 we will present the MIDI controller features of the ProKeys 88sx. Finally, part 3 takes a look at the ProKeys 88sx as a master controller for your home MIDI studio. You may decide to use the ProKeys 88sx as a Digital Piano only. In this case, there is no need to consult parts 2 or 3, unless you are curious about the unit's advanced functionality. Terminology Before we begin, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with some terminology that we will use throughout this manual. < < Performance Mode - When you first turn on your ProKeys 88sx, it will be in Performance mode. In Performance mode, the keys of your ProKeys 88sx are used for generating musical notes. Edit Mode ­ Edit mode describes the state after the Advanced Functions button has been pressed, in which you can adjust parameters. In Edit mode, the keys of your ProKeys 88sx are used for data entry and selecting various functions. Please consult Appendix B for a diagram that maps out these functions. Instrument ­ The ProKeys 88sx comes with 7 built-in instruments including Piano 1 and 2, Electric Piano 1 and 2, FM Electric Piano, Clav, and Perc Organ. Different instruments are selected by pressing one of the 7 instrument select buttons. < Introduction 5 Controls and Connectors Diagram The controls and connectors are referred to by name. The following illustration identifies the name and location of each control or connector on your ProKeys 88sx. 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: 10: 11: Power switch ­ Page 6. DC power supply socket ­ Page 6. Audio Out jack (right channel) ­ Page 7. Audio Out jack (left channel, or mono) ­ Page 7. Sustain pedal jack ­ Pages 8 and 16. Sostenuto pedal jack ­ Page 8 and 16. Expression pedal jack ­ Page 8 and 16. MIDI Out port ­ Pages 10 and 12. USB 1.1 port ­ Page 11. 2 headphone sockets ­ Page 7. Pitch bend wheel ­ Pages 8 and 14. Modulation wheel ­ Page 8 and 14. Volume Slider ­ Page 8 and 15. Advanced Functions button ­ referenced throughout this manual. 15: Transpose buttons ­ Page 9 and 13. 16: Demo button ­ Page 7 17: Velocity curve ­ Page 8 18: Reverb Effect button ­ Page 8 19: Chorus Effect button ­ Page 8 20-26: Instrument buttons ­ Page 7 and 13. 12: 13: 14: Function Keys in Edit Mode When you press the Advanced Functions button, the ProKeys 88sx enters Edit Mode. In Edit mode, keys C1 to C5 of the ProKeys 88sx are used for data entry. Please also consult Appendix B on page 22 for an illustration of how the functions are mapped across the keys. The functions are listed below and a page reference is also given to tell you where you should look in the manual to see what each function is used for. White Keys C1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cancel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 D1 to E3 . . . . . . . . . . .Channel Select . . . . . . . . . Page 12 F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 G3 to B4 . . . . . . . . . . .Data Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 C5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Enter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 Black Keys C#1 D#1 F#1 G#1 A#1 C#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Octave . . . . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Transpose . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Program. . . . . . . . . Page 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Bank LSB . . . . . . . . Page 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Bank MSB . . . . . . . Page 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Channel . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Black Keys (continued) D#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Data = Tuning . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 F#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Panic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 G#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MIDI Out from USB. . . . . . . Page 17 A#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Local Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 C#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Octave +. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 D#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Octave - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 F#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wheel Assign . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 G#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pedal Assign . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 A#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Slider Assign . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 C#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Transpose + . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 D#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Transpose - . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9, 13 F#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 G#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bank LSB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 A#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bank MSB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Powering Up Your ProKeys 88sx The ProKeys 88sx can only be powered using the included PSU with the correct power specifications. Should you require a different power supply, the specifications are: < 12V DC < Center positive < 1000mA 6 Introduction ProKeys 88sx User Guide Part 1: ProKeys 88sx as a Digital Piano 1.0 Introduction In Part 1, we will look at how to use the ProKeys 88sx as a standalone digital piano. English 1.1 Setup The ProKeys 88sx should be connected to a mixer or amplifier which in turn should be connected to a pair of speakers. The Audio Out jacks on the ProKeys 88sx take 2 standard 1/4" jack plugs. Such instrument cables are available in most professional audio retailers. Mono Operation ­ If a jack is plugged into the left audio output only, a mono mix of the audio from the ProKeys 88sx will be heard. There are also 2 headphone sockets on the front of the ProKeys 88sx, underneath the Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels. These jacks will accept a 1/4" jack plug as used on many standard headphone sets. 1.2 Instrument Buttons Each instrument button will call up the associated sound. The Instruments available to you are: < < < < < < < Piano 1 ­ Classical Grand Piano Piano 2 ­ Bright Piano E. Piano 1 ­ RhodesTM E. Piano 2 ­ WurlitzerTM Clav ­ ClavinetTM FM Piano ­ DX7TM Percussive Organ ­ B3TM 1.3 Demo The Demo button allows you to hear what the ProKeys 88sx is really capable of. When you press the Demo button, the LEDs above each of the instrument buttons will flash. If you then press an instrument button, you will hear a demo of that instrument. To exit out of this Demo mode, press the Demo button again. The LED above the Demo button will turn off, and Performance mode will resume. Part 1: ProKeys 88sx as a Digital Piano 7 1.4 Velocity Curve The ProKeys 88sx has four different velocity curve settings. The velocity curves define the response of the keyboard to how hard or soft you strike a key. You should experiment with each to find which curve best suits your playing style. To cycle through the various velocity curves, keep pressing the Velocity Curve button. One of the four curves gives a fixed velocity of 100 regardless of how hard or soft you strike a key. When this curve is selected, the velocity curve is effectively OFF. The LED above the Velocity Curve button will turn off to reflect this. 1.5 Volume Slider The Volume slider will control the output level of your ProKeys 88sx. 1.6 Sustain Pedal If you connect a foot switch pedal to the Sustain Pedal socket, you will be able to control the decay of the sound just like a sustain pedal does on a real piano. A sustain pedal affects all notes played while the pedal is being held down. 1.7 Sostenuto Pedal If you connect a foot switch pedal to the Sostenuto Pedal socket, this pedal performs the same function as on a real piano. The sostenuto pedal affects only those notes held down at the time the pedal is depressed. 1.8 Expression pedal A continuous controller-type pedal can be connected to the Expression Pedal socket. This pedal can be used to control the volume level of the ProKeys 88sx. Controlling the volume with your foot allows you to keep both hands on the keyboard at all times. 1.9 Pitch Bend Wheel The Pitch Bend wheel allows you to bend the pitch of your instrument. The Pitch Bend will raise or lower the pitch of your instrument by two semitones. For example, if you play a C and push the Pitch Bend wheel all the way forward, the note you hear will be D. If you pull it all the way back towards you, you will hear Bb. 1.10 Modulation Wheel Some of the instruments have Tremolo and Vibrato effects associated with them. The Modulation wheel will control the depth of these effects. So, if you set the wheel at the bottom, the Tremolo/Vibrato effect will be off. If you then move the modulation wheel upwards, the Tremolo/Vibrato effect will become more and more prominent. The following table defines the effect that the Modulation wheel controls for each of the seven instruments: Instrument Piano 1 Piano 2 E. Piano 1 E. Piano 2 Clav FM Piano Perc. Organ Effect None None Tremolo Tremolo None Tremolo Vibrato 1.11 Digital Effects There are two digital effect buttons ­ Reverb and Chorus. Reverb will add ambience, as if you are playing your instrument in a large hall or church. Reverb can be used to add warmth to the sound of your instrument. Chorus is an effect that sounds much like two of the same instruments being layered together and slightly detuned one from the other. It can be used to fatten up the sound of your instrument. In some cases, Chorus can make your instrument sound like a different instrument altogether. For example, adding a lot of Chorus to Piano 1 or Piano 2 will add a "honky-tonk" effect to the piano sound. Each of the digital effects has four levels of depth ­ Reverb (off, small, medium and large) and Chorus (off, narrow, medium and wide). Pressing the Reverb or Chorus button repeatedly will select the depth of the corresponding effect. The depths increase in ascending order. When the effect is set to off, the LED above the relevant button remains off. Pressing the effect button will then turn the effect on, with a small depth. Pressing the button again will increase the depth from a "small" or "narrow" amount, to a "medium" amount, and pressing it again will increase the depth further. The LED will remain on. Finally, pressing the button a third time will set the effect back to off and switch off the LED. 8 Part 1: ProKeys 88sx as a Digital Piano ProKeys 88sx User Guide 1.12 Transpose Buttons The Transpose buttons can be used to change the pitch of the instrument. Some players like to play in a particular key like C or F, for example. Transpose lets you change the pitch of your instrument and continue to play in the key that is most comfortable for you. It is possible to transpose up or down by as much as 12 semitones. This means if you press the transpose + or ­ button 12 times, the tone will sound exactly one octave higher or lower. The Transpose buttons each have an associated LED. When the ProKeys 88sx is not transposed, both LED's will be off. If you set the transpose to a negative value, the LED above the Transpose - button will light up, but the LED above the Transpose + button will remain off. If you set the transpose to a positive value, the + LED will light up. Pressing both Transpose buttons at the same time will set the transpose back to zero, and both LEDs will switch off. English 1.12.1 Octave It is also possible to set the Transpose buttons so as to shift a whole octave "on the fly". This is achieved as follows: < < Press Advanced Functions. Press key C#1. It is possible to change the keyboard's pitch by a maximum of one octave down or two octaves up. Pressing both Transpose buttons together will set the octave shift ...