Alesis Fusion Reference Manual
Fusion
Reference Manual
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Table Of Contents
Introduction ........................................................5
Welcome! .......................................................................... 5
Unpacking and Inspection .......................................... 6
How to Use This Manual .............................................. 6
Main Features................................................................. 7
The Fusion’s Synthesis Engine.............................................................8
Eight Channel Hard Disk Recorder ....................................................10
Sampling Capability................................................................................10
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware ...........................11
Center Section.........................................................................................11
Performance Panel Description ...........................................................12
Audio Hookup Diagram: ......................................................................14
MIDI Hookup: .......................................................................................17
Computer/USB Hookup: .....................................................................18
Powering the Fusion ..............................................................................19
Factory Reset...........................................................................................20
Chapter 2: Fusion Basics ..................................21
Fusion 101: The Basics.................................................. 21
What is a Program? ................................................................................21
What is a Mix?.........................................................................................21
What is a Song?.......................................................................................21
What is a Sampler? .................................................................................21
Fusion Architecture................................................................................22
Getting Around on the Fusion .................................... 23
The Mode Buttons .................................................................................23
Navigating The Fusion’s Menus...........................................................25
Useful Navigation Shortcuts.................................................................28
Storing Your Work ......................................................... 31
Storing Programs, Mixes, Songs, and Multisamples..........................31
The Clipboard .........................................................................................34
Connecting to a Computer via USB....................................................36
Chapter 3: Fusion Modes ..................................37
Program Mode ................................................................ 37
Setting Overall Program Parameters ...................................................37
Synthesis Type: Sample Playback.........................................................45
Synthesis Type: Drum............................................................................52
Synthesis Type: Analog..........................................................................63
Synthesis Type: FM ................................................................................70
Synthesis Type: Reed Model .................................................................77
Synthesis Type: Wind Model ................................................................81
Program Utility Page..............................................................................85
Filters........................................................................................................87
Envelopes ................................................................................................89
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs).....................................................95
Mix Mode.......................................................................... 99
Setting Overall Mix Parameters............................................................100
Setting Individual Part Parameters.......................................................103
Mix Utility Page ......................................................................................113
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Table Of Contents
Song Mode ....................................................................... 115
Setting Overall Song Parameters..........................................................116
Setting Track Parameters.......................................................................123
Editing Song Tracks...............................................................................135
Track Editing Filters ..............................................................................145
Processing Synth and Audio Tracks ....................................................147
Song Utility Page ....................................................................................167
Sampler Mode ................................................................. 171
Setting Overall Sample Settings............................................................172
Setting Individual Zone Settings..........................................................173
Capturing Samples..................................................................................179
Editing and Processing Samples ..........................................................186
Sampler Utility Page...............................................................................189
Mixer Mode...................................................................... 190
Mixer Mode .............................................................................................190
Using the Mixer ......................................................................................190
Global Mode .................................................................... 193
Global Workstation Settings .................................................................193
Global MIDI Settings ............................................................................196
Global Controller Settings: ...................................................................198
Metronome Settings...............................................................................200
Multitrack Audio Input Settings...........................................................202
Other Global Settings (USB & User Interface).................................203
The Item Explorer .................................................................................204
The Media Explorer:..............................................................................208
Operating System Information ............................................................209
Upgrading your Operating System ......................................................210
System CPU Usage.................................................................................211
Setting the Date and Time ....................................................................212
Chapter 4: Common Features..........................213
The Arpeggiator ............................................................. 213
Configuring Your Arpeggiation Patterns............................................215
Recording Arpeggiation Patterns .........................................................227
Processing Your Recorded Arpeggiations..........................................230
Editing your Arpeggiation Patterns.....................................................232
The Modulation Matrix ................................................ 236
Creating and Deleting Modulation Routes.........................................237
Editing Your Modulation Routes.........................................................239
Effects............................................................................... 249
Master EQ ...............................................................................................249
Insert Effects...........................................................................................252
Bus Effects ..............................................................................................255
Creating and Deleting Effects Modulation Routes...........................259
Editing Your Effects Modulation Routes...........................................260
Output Block Diagram..........................................................................262
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Table Of Contents
Appendix A: Effects and Implementation ....263
Master EQ Effects Parameters.............................................................263
Insert Effects Parameters......................................................................264
Bus Effects Parameters..........................................................................273
MIDI Implementation Chart (Synthesizer)........................................283
MIDI Implementation Chart (Sequencer)..........................................284
Appendix B: Frequently Asked Questions....285
Appendix C: Troubleshooting..........................287
Index......................................................................289
Specifications ......................................................291
Sound Engine..........................................................................................291
Sampling Inputs......................................................................................291
Multitrack Inputs ....................................................................................291
Audio Output..........................................................................................292
Physical.....................................................................................................292
Legal Information: .................................................................................293
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Table Of Contents
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4
Introduction
Welcome!
Thanks for purchasing the Fusion digital audio workstation! The Fusion
one of the most powerful and full-featured products we’ve ever built,
and we’re sure you’ll love using it!
You could say Alesis knows a few things about synthesis. We have a 15year long track record of creating some of the most powerful and wellregarded keyboards in the world. We’ve used everything we learned in
the past while keeping our eyes open to future possibilities in order to
make the Fusion the best workstation you’ve ever used. We hope the
Fusion will be remembered as the next great Alesis keyboard.
Be sure to register your Fusion at our website (www.alesis.com) so we can
give you the best possible service. And since the Fusion’s operating
system is upgradeable, check the site once in a while for late breaking
news. Future versions of the operating system will include things like
new features requested by our users as well as improvements to existing
features. Also, you might want to check for new program banks and
sounds every once in a while.
We hope your investment will bring you many years of creative
enjoyment and help you achieve your musical goals.
Sincerely,
The People of Alesis
5
s
Introduction
Unpacking and Inspection
The shipping carton for your Fusion should contain the following items:
• A Fusion 6HD or 8HD workstation
• AC power cable
• This Reference manual
• A Quickstart guide
• Important Safety and Warranty Information
• A registration reminder card
Please log on to the Alesis website at www.alesis.com to register your new
Fusion synthesizer. This will help us give you the best support we
possibly can.
How to Use This Manual
We’re sure you’d like to jump in and start using your Fusion quickly. To
help you do this, check out the Fusion’s Quickstart guide. The
Quickstart guide is a separate manual that should have everything you
need to start playing quickly.
Once you’re ready for more in-depth information, this reference manual
is for you. This manual will describe the workings of every single feature
and parameter on the Fusion and you should be able to find answers to
all of your Fusion questions here.
We’ve also compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions at the end of
this manual that should address many of your troubleshooting questions.
Please check the FAQ before contacting our technical support staff as
that will save time and energy for both you and our friendly support staff.
Helpful tips and advice are highlighted in a
haded box like this.
When something important appears in the
manual, an exclamation mark (like the one
shown at left) will appear with some
explanatory text.
6
Introduction
Main Features
Your Fusion workstation is packed with features to help you make better
music. Let’s take a quick look at these features and get a sense of why
each feature is important.
Total Integration
The Fusion has one of the biggest feature lists of any
workstation on the market today. That said, the beautiful thing
about this workstation is not its sheer number of features, but
rather the perfect integration of these features with each other.
All the different parts (synthesizers, hard disk recorder, sampler,
arranger, mixer, etc.) talk to each other intelligently so that you
can focus on writing songs rather than troubleshooting why one
part won’t work well with another.
For example, you can use Song mode to arrange and record
digital audio and MIDI seamlessly on the same screen. You
don’t need to worry about getting a separate MIDI arranger and
hard disk recorder to work together since we’ve taken care of
that for you. Once you’re done arranging, each of your synth
and audio tracks automatically appear on your mixer for quick
and intuitive mixing just like on a hardware mixer. Again,
everything is automatically and intuitively laid out in a way that
makes sense to musicians. Even loading, saving, and organizing
your songs and programs (which can often turn into a
troubleshooting headache) has been made completely
seamless—you can load programs from either the hard disk or
compact flash memory without ever having to worry about
what’s going on “under the hood” of the workstation (if you
don’t want to, that is).
Intuitive Interface
We’ve analyzed how musicians commonly work and figured out
ways of streamlining the songwriting process. For example,
we’ve minimized keypresses and placed shortcuts and quick
access buttons right where most musicians will want them.
The user interface was carefully designed for both novice
keyboard players and hardcore synth enthusiasts alike. We did
this through a two level interface design: On the top level,
novice users can find what they need quickly without ever
having to see (or deal with) the more complex inner workings
of the keyboard. On the other hand, knob twiddlers can go
digging inside the Fusion’s deeper menus and program to their
hearts’ content. Regardless of the type of user you are, you’ll
find the interface to be clean and intuitive.
7
Introduction
The Fusion’s Synthesis Engine
Your Fusion is capable of four completely different types of synthesis:
Sample Playback, Virtual Analog, FM, and Physical Modeling. Our brand
new “Dynamic DSP Synthesis” engine lets you load up any combination
of synthesis types you’d like to use. There are no artificial limits placed
on synthesis or polyphony—you’re free to configure and push your
Fusion as far as the synth engine can handle (which is pretty far
considering there are eight processors inside).
Sample Playback
Sample playback synthesis lets you use recorded sounds of
actual instruments (or any recorded sound, for that matter) to
create a program. For example, the Fusion’s “Grand Piano”
program is actually a carefully recorded concert grand. In
general, sample playback synthesis is a great way of reproducing
lifelike versions of real, acoustic instruments.
Virtual Analog (VA) Synthesis
Analog synthesis lets you create wonderfully complex sounds
using a small number of simple waveforms, envelopes, and low
frequency oscillators.
What does all this mean in musical terms? It means you can
create the deep basses, lush pads, and many other sounds analog
synthesizers are known for without the difficulty and expense
of real-analog synthesis.
FM Synthesis
FM synthesis was created in the 1970s and became an overnight
sensation because of its ability to produce electronic piano, bell,
and melodic percussion sounds such as vibes and marimba.
These sounds are created by taking sound sources and
modulating their frequencies.
Programming FM synthesizers used to be a challenge because it
can be hard to conceptualize and visualize how your waveforms
are interacting with each other. We carefully designed the
Fusion’s graphical FM signal router to let you know what’s
going on without overwhelming you with too much
information, making it easy to sculpt the perfect sound you
want. All of the detailed information can be found on separate
sub-pages within the FM Synthesis section.
8
Introduction
Physical Modeling
Physical modeling is a state-of-the-art process that
mathematically describes how a sound wave would behave if it
were Inside a real instrument. This results in incredibly lifelike
virtual instruments that you can play on the Fusion. The cool
thing is that you can actually create virtual instruments that do
not (or cannot) exist in real life by simply setting your
parameters accordingly. For example, you can create a 30-foot
long flute played with a hurricane-strength breath if you’d
like—the sky is the limit!
Physical models involve a lot of math and model parameters are
often very complex and difficult to understand. We took a
great deal of care in designing an interface that musicians can
relate to—enabling you to tweak your sounds in real-time
without complex math or confusing parameters. Currently, the
Fusion has two physical models letting you create the most
realistic (or unreal, if that’s what you’re into) wind and reed
instruments ever to come out of a synthesizer.
9
Introduction
Eight Channel Hard Disk Recorder
Most keyboard players that record songs end up taking their synthesizer
parts and recording them on to a separate multitrack recorder along with
other live instruments (drums, guitar, etc.) Having built some legendary
multitrack recorders in the past including the ADAT and the HD24, we
integrated an 8-channel, 24-bit hard disk recorder in the Fusion.
There are several advantages to having an integrated multitrack recorder
over a separate keyboard and multitrack. First, you have much less gear
to buy, carry around, and maintain—with the Fusion, you can do all your
recording and mixing in one box making it much easier to record on the
road. Second, since the synthesizers, sequencer, and multitrack recorder
are built to work together from the ground up, you won’t spend any time
troubleshooting why things aren’t working correctly. Finally, since you’re
arranging and editing all of your MIDI and audio on one screen, you’ll
find it much easier and faster to compose and record songs.
The inputs record at 24 bit, 44.1 kHz and can be active at the same time,
letting you record up to eight channels simultaneously. All inputs are
balanced and the recorder has standard transport controls with locate
points.
Sampling Capability
If you want to create a custom program using your own sounds, you can
do it with the Fusion’s sampler. The sampler has stereo inputs with a
Trim knob for adjusting levels. Your recorded samples can be either
mono or stereo, and are recorded and stored files on either the Fusion’s
internal hard disk or Compact Flash cards.
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Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Center Section
1. Mode Selection Buttons (Mix, Program, Song, Sampler, Mixer and
Global): These buttons select the main modes of the Fusion.
2. Soft Buttons (No Labels on the front panel): These buttons match up
with the LCD screen labels and let you navigate the user interface.
3. Contrast Control: This knob adjusts the contrast of the LCD screen.
4. Category and Bank Buttons (Category, Bank forward and reverse):
The category button brings up the category function on the LCD screen.
The Bank forward and reverse buttons allow you to quickly move
through sound banks.
5. Quick Access Buttons (A-P , 1-8): These buttons allow you to
directly select a Bank and a specific Program in a Bank.
6. Transport Controls (Locate, Set Locate, Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop,
Play and Record): These buttons are used to play songs, set and select
Locate points in a song, as well as other control functions in other
Modes.
7. Control Wheel and Edit Buttons (Edit, Prev, Next, Inc, Dec, Store
and Undo): The Control Wheel is used for quickly moving through
values on the screen when the cursor is highlighting a parameter. The
Edit button allows you to look “under the hood” of the mode that is
currently selected. The undo button allows you to revert to previous
settings of parameters in case you change your mind about an edit you’ve
made. The Store button allows you to name and save your work. The
Prev and Next buttons let you to navigate the parameters on the pages.
Finally, the Inc and Dec buttons let you step through the values of a
highlighted parameter.
8. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): This screen is used to view
parameters and information in relationship to the mode you have
selected.
11
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6
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Performance Panel Description
1
2
3
8
7
The Fusion’s Performance Panel has several real-time controllers (wheels,
knobs, buttons, and switches) that you can assign to perform a variety of
tasks. These controllers let you tweak sounds in real-time as you play for
maximum expression and sonic control.
The Performance Panel’s components consist of the following:
1. PITCH BEND WHEEL: This wheel lets you raise or lower the
pitch of your program during a performance. Push this wheel forward
to raise the pitch and pull it back toward you to lower the pitch. The
wheel is spring loaded and will snap back to normal once you let go.
You can change the pitch bend range on a per-program basis in the
Program/Pitch page under the Program menu. See “Pitch Bend Range”
parameter on page 41 for more about this.
2. MODULATION WHEEL: The mod wheel can be assigned to
control a variety of parameters including vibrato, tremolo, FM amount,
etc. This wheel is usually mapped to vibrato as a default, but it is
possible to map it to almost anything on the Fusion.
Use the modulation matrix to map the mod wheel. See page 236 for
more about the modulation matrix.
3. PERFORMANCE GRID: The Performance Grid lets you assign
what your four Control Knobs do (see section 6 for more on the Control
Knobs). By having four “rows,” of functions, the knobs can actually
control up to 16 different parameters. You can easily tell what row is
selected because the active row is brightly lit whereas the other rows
remain dimmed. The ARP, FILTER, EQ, and ASSIGN buttons (see
below) are used to select your active row.
4
5
12
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
4. ARP, FILTER, EQ, ASSIGN: These buttons select the active row
on the performance panel. ARP, FILTER, and EQ are hard-wired to
arpeggiator, filter, and EQ functions whereas the assign row lets you map
the Control Knobs to any parameters of your choosing. You’ll notice
the names of the knobs on the bottom of the LCD screen change to
reflect what row you’ve selected. For example, if you select “EQ,” the
bottom of the screen will change to Low, Low-Mid, High-Mid, and High.
The Assign row knobs can be assigned through the Modulation Matrix.
See page 236 for more about the modulation matrix.
5. CONTROL KNOBS: These knobs can be used to manipulate all
kinds of parameters within the Fusion like filter frequencies, resonance,
modulation, or even tempo. The Performance Grid (see section #3
above) tells you what your knobs are currently assigned to control.
When you then turn a knob, you’ll notice the on-screen knob (at the top
level of Program, Mix, and Song Modes) will change accordingly.
These knobs work in real-time so you can hear the effects of your knob
twiddling as you play.
6. ARP On/Off, S1, S2: The ARP On/Off (Arpeggiator) button
engages and disengages the Fusion’s arpeggiator. The S1 and S2 buttons
are assignable ON/OFF switches that can be set to affect all kinds of
functions within the Fusion such as filters or effects sends. Switch
assignments can be made through the modulation matrix. See page 236
for more about the matrix. See page 213 for more about the
Arpeggiator.
7. TRIGGER 1 – 4: These four assignable buttons can trigger envelopes,
LFOs, and many other functions. Unlike the S1 and S2 switches
described above, these trigger buttons are only active when you are
holding them down—once you release the triggers they become inactive.
Use the Modulation Matrix to assign these buttons (see page 236 for
more).
8. MASTER VOLUME: This is the Fusion’s master volume control.
1
13
1
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Audio Hookup Diagram:
This diagram will show you how you can hook up your Fusion to the rest
of your studio. Let’s go through and discuss the inputs and outputs.
We’ll start from the left side of the diagram above and work our way to
the right:
Sampling inputs: These inputs—labeled “Left/Mono” and “Right”—
feed the Fusion’s internal sampler. You can use these inputs to capture
sounds to convert into a custom program. The workstation lets you
sample in stereo or mono, and the Gain trim knob lets you to set input
level.
Note that you can use these inputs to route a microphone (or other
external device) through the Fusion’s synthesis or effects engines. This
effectively turns the Fusion into an extremely powerful effects processor.
Headphone outputs: Connect your headphones to this output. This
output mirrors whatever is coming out of the Main Outputs of the
Fusion. In other words, if you’ve routed any sounds out of the Aux
Outputs, you will not hear them in the headphones.
About the Inputs and Outputs:
All audio inputs and outputs use balanced
¼” TRS connectors. You can use
unbalanced ¼” TS cables for these
connections, but you should consider using
balanced cabling for maximum clarity and
lowest noise. This is especially important if
you have long cables in your studio since
audio quality quickly degrades as
unbalanced cabling increases in length.
14
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Main Outputs: These are the Fusion’s primary outputs. By default, all
multitrack and synthesizer audio is routed to these outputs and you’ll
generally connect these outputs to your amplifier (or mixer).
Aux Outputs: These are a second pair of outputs to which you can
route multitrack and synthesizer audio if you’d like to process these
tracks differently.
S/PDIF Output: This output is designed to transfer sounds digitally to
other gear in your studio that supports S/PDIF. This output mirrors
whatever is being sent out of the main outs on the synth.
Optical Output: This optical digital output is supports 8-channel
ADAT format. The output will be as follows:
ADAT
Channel
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Foot Pedals: These three inputs allow you to control a variety of
functions. EXPRESSION is the Fusion’s continuous controller
expression pedal input and can be assigned to control things like volume.
The FOOTSWITCH input is configurable and lets you trigger envelopes,
LFOs, and other events with your foot. It is similar to the trigger
buttons found on the Performance Panel. Unlike the EXPRESSION
input, the FOOTSWITCH is binary and is either “on” or “off ” with no
range of control in between.
The SUSTAIN input is for a sustain pedal and is commonly used by
keyboard instruments to hold notes. Like the FOOTSWITCH, the
SUSTAIN pedal input is either “on” or “off” and there is no middle
ground.
Output
Main Out Left
Main Out Right
Aux Out Left
Aux Out Right
Insert 1 Send Left
Insert 2 Send Left
Insert 3 Send Left
Insert 4 Send Left
1
Why have two sets of outputs?
Let’s say you’ve set up a bass/lead split but
you want to EQ and process each part
differently using outboard gear. No
problem—just route the bass to one output
(either Main or Aux Out) and the lead to the
other. Now you have two totally separate
instruments coming out of each output.
If your programs are mono, you actually
have four discrete channels to work with
(Main Left, Main Right, Aux Left, and Aux
Right), giving you even more flexibility for
outboard processing/mixing.
A note on S/PDIF cabling
The S/PDIF jack on the back of the Fusion
looks like a standard RCA connector, but
you cannot use ordinary audio cables for
this connection. S/PDIF requires special
75-ohm “digital audio” cables to work
properly and will most likely result in very
loud white noise if you use the wrong type of
cables. If you’re hearing clicks, pops, or
white noise when using S/PDIF, your cable
is the likely culprit.
15
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Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Multitrack Inputs: These eight inputs link directly to the Fusion’s hard
disk recorder. You can use these inputs to record things like live
instruments (guitars, bass, drums, etc.) as well as mixers, CD players,
turntables, and more. Note that you need to plug in a line level signal
into these inputs and many instruments (condenser microphones, guitars,
turntables, etc.) will require a preamplifier to bring the signal up to line
level before you can record into the Fusion.
The inputs can be switched between -10 and +4 dB to accommodate all
kinds of gear ranging from “consumer” to “professional” grade (see
page 202 for more on this). The internal recorder captures audio at a
sampling rate of 44.1k with 24-bit audio fidelity letting you make
extremely high quality recordings without any additional gear.
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Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
MIDI Hookup:
This diagram shows common ways of hooking up your Fusion to other
gear in your studio through MIDI.
MIDI IN: Hook up the MIDI output of your external gear to the
“MIDI In” of the Fusion when you want the Fusion to receive MIDI
data from the outside world. There are two common scenarios in which
you’ll want this:
1. You may want to use another keyboard to control the Fusion. This is
commonly done by synth players on stage if they want to use one
“master” keyboard to control all other keyboards.
2. You may want to arrange a song on a computer MIDI sequencer, and
then use the sequencer to play back sounds from the Fusion.
MIDI OUT: If you want to use your Fusion to control other
synthesizers or to send MIDI data to a MIDI sequencing program on a
computer, you should connect this output to the input of your MIDI
destination device (sound modules, other keyboards, external sequencer,
etc).
MIDI THRU: All MIDI data that comes in on the “MIDI IN”
connection is passed through the Fusion and sent out of the “MIDI
THRU” jack completely unaffected. This is a useful feature for people
using multiple keyboards (or MIDI modules) along with a “Master”
MIDI controller because it lets you pass MIDI data to all of your synths.
1
17
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Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Computer/USB Hookup:
USB: Connect your Fusion to a Mac or PC for easy file transfers. The
Fusion supports USB 2.0 and is fully backwards-compatible with USB
1.1/1.0, but we highly recommend using 2.0 since audio files tend to be
quite large and transfers will be slower on USB 1.1/1.0 connections.
The Fusion is designed to work with any computer that supports “USB
Mass Storage” devices using the FAT32 formatting standard. Current
versions of virtually all common operating systems support these
features.
For more about memory, storage, and file
management, see the section titled “Storing
Your Work” starting on page 37.
18
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Powering the Fusion
Before connecting the power cable, make sure the Fusion’s power
switch is turned off. There is no need to worry about whether you are
using 110V or 220V since the Fusion has an internal switching power
supply that automatically adjusts itself to the correct power setting
anywhere in the world.
1. Plug the female end of the power cable into the Fusion’s power
socket.
2. Plug the male (plug) end into a properly grounded power outlet.
1
Do not power-cycle the Fusion repeatedly!
Doing so may damage to the workstation.
Repeated power-cycling puts the sensitive
internal electronics (particularly the hard
drive, memory, and processors) under undue
stress and may shorten the lifespan of these
components. Under normal use, these
components will provide many years of
trouble-free performance.
Treat the Fusion just like a computer: If you
need to reboot, wait about 10 seconds before
restarting the machine. This will give the
capacitors inside the unit time to discharge
and for memory to clear.
19
1
Chapter 1: Fusion Hardware
Factory Reset
The Fusion has a “factory reset” option that will reset your global
parameters to their initial factory settings. This has been included as a
last resort option in case you have accidentally changed a global setting
and need to return the workstation back to normal quickly.
Resetting your Fusion is easy: Hold down both the Play and Record
buttons as you turn on your Fusion and wait for the unit to finish
loading. Once the Program screen is displayed, factory defaults have
been loaded, and your Fusion is ready to go.
Note that doing this does not change any of your programmed sounds,
songs, samples, or arpeggiations. Factory Reset only affects parameters
found in Global mode.
20
Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Fusion 101: The Basics
If you’re new to workstations and aren’t sure about what everything does
(or why it is important), this section is for you. Let’s take a moment to
explain all the basics that you’ll need to know:
What is a Program?
The sounds in your Fusion are called “Programs.” Programs contain all
the samples, routings, settings, and other programming required to create
the sound. For example, our “Grand Piano” sound contains all the
individual samples, loop points, filter parameters, and other settings that
make up the piano.
What is a Mix?
A “Mix” is simply a collection of programs. Each mix can contain up to
16 programs and those programs can be layered, split, or set up in a
number of ways to help you get the sound you’re looking for. Being able
to load up and arrange multiple programs in different ways opens up a
world of musical possibilities—The following “Fusion Architecture” will
explain your options in detail.
What is a Song?
A “Song” is a complete arrangement (including both synthesizer and
digital audio parts) that is created using the Fusion’s MIDI sequencer and
multitrack digital audio recorder. A song can have up to 32 synthesizer
tracks as well as 8 tracks of digital audio. This means you can compose,
record, edit, and mix an entire song all within the Fusion.
What is a Sampler?
A “Sampler” is a recording device that lets you capture a sound (called a
“sample”) that you can then playback and manipulate in a number of
different ways. The Fusion’s built-in sampler allows you to record your
own instruments, loops, and other sounds that you can turn into your
own custom programs. This means you are not limited to the world-class
set of programs that ship with the Fusion and that you are free to create
your very own programs.
Why not just call them “Instruments?”
You may be wondering why we don’t just
call them “instruments.” We do this to
avoid confusion. The word “instrument” is
ambiguous and could potentially be
confused with other things (such as the
Fusion’s actual hardware, or the source of a
sample rather than the result of putting
together a set of samples to form a
program). On the other hand, “Program”
has a specific definition that can’t be
confused.
21
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Fusion Architecture
The Fusion is packed with a ton of features and it can be easy to be
overwhelmed by it all. Let’s take a moment to explain how all the
different parts interact with one another.
Take a look at the diagram above. The arrows show you how audio,
MIDI, and control data flows from one section of the Fusion to another.
If you ever find yourself being confused by how signals are routed, refer
back to this diagram to help sort things out.
On the left column, you’ll notice the different modes of the Fusion.
These modes are listed in the same order as they appear on the left of
the Fusion’s LCD screen.
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Getting Around on the Fusion
The Mode Buttons
The Fusion has six modes: Mix, Program, Song, Sampler, Mixer, and
Global. Each mode is specialized to handle specific tasks, which are
covered below.
Note that Mix, Program, Song, and Sampler modes have parameters that
you can edit. To go “under the hood” of these modes, press the EDIT
button located on the upper left of the data wheel. To return to the
“top” just press that mode button again.
Program Mode
This mode is where you’ll probably spend most of your time. In
Program Mode, you can load and play one instrument at a time
and explore the thousands of sounds that can be found on the
Fusion. Say you just want to play a Grand Piano—just enter
Program mode, call up the type of piano you want, and go!
The Category button to the right of the display will take you to
a special “Librarian” mode that will help you track down
specific programs quickly.
Finally, when you’re ready to create your own programs, you can
do that in Program mode as well.
Mix Mode
Mix Mode is the Fusion’s “multitimbral” mode. This means
you can have multiple programs loaded and playing at the same
time. In general you’ll use Mix mode in one of three ways:
1. Layering sounds. Sometimes you’ll want to layer two
sounds on top of each other so that you can hear both
when you play. A common example of this is to have a
piano plus strings playing at the same time.
2. Splits. Sometimes you’ll want to split the keyboard
so you can play one program with your left hand and
another program with your right. For example,
keyboard players sometimes like to play a bass part with
the left hand and a synth lead on the right. Mix mode is
the easiest way to set this up.
3. External Sequencing. If you’re using an external
sequencer and want to use the Fusion as a sound
module, you can load up to 16 programs and assign
each program to a different channel that you can then
control with an external sequencer.
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Song Mode
Song mode takes you to the audio and MIDI sequencer found
within the Fusion. You can arrange, edit, and record your
compositions using this mode. Song mode controls both your
MIDI sequencer as well as your hard disk recorder and provides
up to 32 MIDI tracks and 8 audio tracks for each song.
Sampler Mode
When you’re ready to create your very own sample-playback
programs, Sampler mode is where you’ll need to go. All
sampling and waveform editing takes place here. Press Edit
when you’re in Sampler mode and you’ll see all the editing and
mapping capabilities of the Fusion on the Multi, Zone, Sample,
Process, and Utility tabs along the left side of the display.
Once you’re done with your samples, you can create a custom
program (using Program mode) and then load and play it just
like any other program on the Fusion.
Mixer Mode
Mixer Mode has been created so you can conveniently mix your
synthesizer and audio tracks together on one screen. The mixer
lets you set levels and pan positions for each synth and audio
track as well as set send levels and enable or solo tracks just like
on a hardware mixer.
Note that the mixer is only accessible when you are in Mix and
Song modes since these are the only modes in which you can
have multiple programs or audio tracks to mix together.
Program or Sampler modes only play one instrument at a time
and don’t require a Mixer (since you have nothing to mix)
Global Mode
Global mode lets you set parameters that affect all areas of the
Fusion. For example, things like master tuning, and keyboard
velocity scaling can be found here.
The SETTINGS tab lets you modify various keyboard, MIDI,
and controller related settings, while the MEDIA tab lets you
access the hard drive, and Compact Flash card. The SYSTEM
tab lets you view and update the current system information.
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Navigating The Fusion’s Menus
All navigation on the Fusion takes place using the Center Panel. Let’s
break down navigation section-by-section:
1. MODE SELECT BUTTONS: These buttons let you switch
into the Mix, Program, Song, Sampler, Mixer, or Global
modes.
If you’ve pressed the EDIT button and you’re editing
parameters deep within the Fusion, you can return to the “Top
Level” of the mode by pressing the mode button again.
2. CONTROL WHEEL & SURROUNDING BUTTONS: The
Fusion’s control wheel lets you cycle through sounds and
parameters quickly. Turning it clockwise is the same as
pushing the “Inc” (or Increment) button in rapid succession
whereas turning it counter-clockwise is the same as pushing
the “Dec” (or Decrement) button.
Generally, you’ll use this wheel to control large parameter
changes (such as going from 0% to 100%) whereas you’ll will
use the Inc/Dec buttons for fine tuning (for example, going
from 10%-12%).
3. The EDIT, UNDO, STORE, PREV, NEXT, DEC, and INC
buttons that surround the Control Wheel have the following
functions:
• EDIT: This button takes you “under the hood” of Mix,
Program, Song, and Sampler modes—letting you adjust or
fine-tune the mode’s various parameters.
• UNDO: This button allows you to undo recent actions
in case you change your mind about something you’ve
edited. You have 100 levels of undo available for most
functions.
• STORE: This button allows you to save any edits you’ve
made to your program, mix or song.
• PREV, NEXT: The Previous and Next buttons allow you
to select the different editable parameters on each page.
• DEC, INC: The Decrement and Increment buttons
allow you to alter the values of selected parameters.
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Undoing Your Actions:
The UNDO button will light when it is
possible to undo an action.
Saving Your Work:
Remember to save your work before you
change a program, song, or mix. If you
change a program, mix, or song without first
saving, you’ll lose any modifications you’ve
made.
The “
screen indicates that something has been
edited in your program, mix, or song since
the last time you saved. If these changes are
important, you should save your work before
switching to another program, mix, or song.
Returning to Default Settings:
Pressing both INC and DEC buttons at the
same time will return whatever parameter
you are editing to its “default” state. This is
useful in cases where you are tweaking a
parameter and decide you’d like to jump
back to the default state.
” icon on the upper right of the
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
4. SOFT BUTTONS: The 12 unlabeled buttons along the sides
of the display and allow you to access different parts of the
user-interface. The buttons on the left of the display are
“menu” buttons that let you access different tabs within each
mode. The buttons to the right of the display bring up
different pages and overlays (i.e., prompts, sub-menus, etc.)
within each tab.
Whenever you have opened an overlay or a prompt, you’ll need
to exit that prompt by pressing the “OK,” “Cancel,” or “Exit”
button before you can edit any further parameters.
Finally, if you ever get lost navigating through the Fusion’s
menus, you can re-press the current menu button (on the left
side of the display) to take you back to the initial page of that
menu.
5. CATEGORY and BANK: The CATEGORY button accesses
the Fusion’s “sound librarian.” The sound librarian allows you
to view your programs (or mixes if you are in MIX mode)
sorted by category. For example, when you’re in PROGRAM
mode, the Category button brings up a screen that lists
programs contained within each category. This makes it easier
to find a particular program you’re looking for.
The BANK buttons allow you to cycle through the different
banks of programs and mixes that are stored on the Fusion.
6. QUICK ACCESS BUTTONS: The Fusion provides twentyfour QUICK ACCESS buttons for easy access to sounds,
editable parameters, and other things. The top sixteen of these
buttons are labeled A through P whereas the remaining eight
buttons (bottom row) are numbered. This gives you access to
the first 128 sounds that can be stored in a bank (since 16 * 8
= 128). Once you’re familiar with sounds you like on the
Fusion, you can call them up directly from Program mode
using these shortcut keys. For example, you can access the
Grand Piano (program A-1) by pressing “A” and “1.”
The 1-8 QUICK ACCESS buttons can be set up to serve
other useful functions such as quickly enabling/disabling
oscillators as you are editing and designing sounds in Program
mode. These additional functions will be covered in future
sections of this manual as they come up.
About the Soft Buttons:
You may have noticed that some soft buttons
have a small dot located in the lower left
corner while other buttons have a triangle.
The dot indicates that an action will be
performed as soon as you press the button.
These buttons are known as “action
buttons.”
The buttons with the triangle in the corner
are known as “overlay” buttons and open
up a new menu page. This page is known as
an “overlay” because it appears on top of
your current page and must be closed before
you can return to your menu. Overlay pages
are closed by pressing soft buttons entitled
“OK,” “Cancel,” or “Exit.”
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
7. TRANSPORT CONTROLS: These seven buttons control
the Fusion’s integrated MIDI sequencer/multitrack audio
recorder. The SET LOC button sets a locator point in the
song that you can jump to using the LOCATE button. The
remaining buttons control the recorder’s various Record
and transport functions just like on a regular tape machine
(or computer-based sequencer).
Like the 1-8 QUICK ACCESS BUTTONS, the LOCATE
button serves a variety of purposes depending on what
menu you are in and should help make your life easier (such
as setting key ranges, or locating key zones, etc.) These
shortcuts and additional functions will be covered in future
chapters as they come up.
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Chapter 2: Fusion Basics
Useful Navigation Shortcuts
The Fusion has a number of shortcut features that are designed to make
your life a lot easier. Take a moment to learn these shortcuts now and
you’ll save a ton of time in your future sessions with the workstation.
User-Interface (UI) Locates
[Hold SET LOC + 1—8 buttons to set a locate point]
[Hold LOCATE + 1—8 buttons to jump to locate point]
UI Locate points allow you to jump to any page on the Fusion
with one keypress combination. Many people will find this to
be an extremely useful feature since they can set UI Locate
points for up to eight of their most commonly used pages and
instantly jump to these pages without having to navigate
through any menus.
Hold the SET LOC and press any of the 1 through 8 buttons
to set a UI locate point. Then, hold LOCATE and press that
number again to return to the page you had previously marked.
Locate Points
[Hold SET LOC + A—P buttons to set a locate point]
[Hold LOCATE + A—P buttons to jump to the locate point]
Locate points are extremely useful in Song mode because they
allow you to mark different parts of a song. You can then
return to these marked points instantly with one keypress
combination. For example, by marking the beginning of each
verse and chorus in your song, you will be able to jump to these
points without having to search for these points using the fast
forward and rewind transport controls.
To set a location point, hold the SET LOC button and press
any of the A through P buttons (each button is a different
locate point and you have 16 locate points for each song).
To jump to a locate point you’ve set, hold the LOCATE button
and press the A through P button that corresponds to where
you want to go.
If you press SET LOC without specifying an A—P button, it
will set your locate point to whatever your “Current Loc”
parameter is set to on the Song/Song/General page. Similarly,
if you press the LOCATE button without pressing one of the
A—P buttons, your transport will jump to whatever the
“Current Loc” parameter has been set to.
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