E-Mu Emulator IIIX User Manual
Emulator IIIX
Reference Manual
© 1992 by E-mu Systems, Inc.
■ FI 401 Rev. D
E-mu Systems, Inc.
1600 Green Hills Road
P.O. Box 660015
Scotts Valley, California 95067-0015
(408) 438-1921
Important Notice: In order to obtain
warranty service on your Emulator
III, the serial number sticker on the
back panel must be intact, and you
must have a sales receipt or other
proof of purchase. If there is no serial
number sticker on your Emulator III,
please contact E-mu Systems at once.
WARNING: READ THIS FIRST!
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Use in countries other than the U.S.A. may require the use of a different line cord or
attachment plug, or both. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, refer servicing
to qualified service personnel. To reduce risk of fire or electric shock do not expose
this product to rain or moisture.
GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS
This product must be grounded. If it should malfunction or break down, grounding
provides a path of least resistance for electric current, reducing the risk of electric
shock. This product is equipped with a cord having an equipment-grounding
conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an appropriate
outlet properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and
ordinances.
DANGER
Improper connection of equipment grounding conductor can result in the risk of
electric shock. Check with a qualified electrician or service personnel if you are in
doubt as to whether the product is properly grounded. Do not modify the plug
provided with this product. If it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet installed
by a qualified technician.
CAUTION
If the 6100, EIIIxp is rack mounted, a standard 19 inch open frame rack must be used.
USER-MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
1. The EIIIxp should be kept clean and dust free. Periodically wipe the unit with a
clean, lint free cloth. Do not use solvents or cleaners.
2. There are no user lubrication or adjustment requirements.
3. Refer all other servicing to qualified service personnel.
■ This symbol is intended
to alert the user to the presence of important operating
and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the
appliance.
INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC
SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS
WARNING; When using electric products, basic precautions should always be
followed, including the following:
1. Read all instructions before using the EIIIxp.
2. To reduce the risk of injury, close supervision is necessary when the EIIIxp is used
near children.
3. Do not use the EIIIxp near water — for example near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen
sink, in a wet basement, on a wet bar, or near or in a swimming pool.
4. The EIIIxp should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with
its proper ventilation.
5. The EIIIxp should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, fireplaces, stoves, or ovens.
6. The EIIIxp should only be connected to a power supply of the type described in
the operating instructions and as marked on the product.
7. Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the
enclosure of the EIIIxp through openings.
■ This symbol is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the
product's enclosure that
may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.
8. This EIIIxp may be equipped with a polarized line plug (one blade wider that the
other). This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert this plug into the outlet, do
not defeat the safety purpose of the plug. Contact an electrician to replace your
obsolete outlet.
9. The power supply cord of the EIIIxp should be unplugged from the outlet when
left unused for a long period of time.
10. This product, in combination with an amplifier and headphones and 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, consult an
audiologist.
11. 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 into the product; or
C. The product has been exposed to rain; or
D. The product has been dropped or the enclosure damaged; or
E. The EIIIxp does not operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
12. All servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
RADIO and TELEVISION INTERFERENCE
The equipment described in this manual generates and uses radio-frequency energy.
If it is not installed and used properly-- that is, in strict accordance with our
instructions - it may cause interference with radio and television reception.
This equipment has been tested and complies with the limits for a Class A computing
device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of the FCC rules.
These rules are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference
in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that the interference will
not occur in a particular installation, especially if a “rabbit ear” TV antenna is used.
If the EIIIxp does cause interference to radio or television reception, you can try to
correct the interference by using one or more of the following measures:
■ Turn the television or radio antenna until the interference stops.
■ Move the EIIIxp to one side or the other of the television or radio.
■ Move the EIIIxp farther away from the television or radio.
■ Plug the EIIIxp into an outlet on a different circuit than the television or radio.
■ Consider installing a rooftop antenna with a coaxial lead-in between the antenna
and television set.
CONTENTS
1-GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Introduction 1-3
Initial SCSI Setup 1-5
Connection Instructions 1-8
Sampling Basics 1-12
Definitions 1-14
Additional Definitions 1-18
2-CONTROLS
3-GUIDED TOURS
EIIIX Modules 3-2
1 - Meet the EIIIxp 3-4
2 - Specifying the Current 3-7
Sample and Current Zone
3 - Dynamic Processing 3-9
of a Zone
4 - Realtime Control 3-17
Programming
5 - Basic Sampling 3-20
6 - Digital Processing 3-24
7 - Managing the Bank 3-31
8 - On Your Own 3-32
■ MODULES
4-MASTER/GLOBALS
1. Master Tune 4-2
2. Rename Bank 4-3
3. Erase Bank 4-4
4. Dynamic Allocation 4-5
5. Save as EIII Bank 4-6
6. Memory Available 4-7
7. Disk Utilities 4-8
8. Special 4-21
9. MIDI 4-30
0. Import Options 4-37
5-SAMPLE MANAGEMENT
0. Select Sample 5-2
1. Load Sample 5-3
2. Rename Sample 5-5
3. Erase Sample 5-6
4. Copy Sample 5-7
5. Setup 5-8
6. Place Sample 5-10
7. Arm Sampling 5-12
8. Force Sampling 5-13
9. MIDI Sample Dump 5-14
6-PRESET MANAGEMENT
1. Load Preset 6-2
2. Rename Preset 6-4
3. Erase Preset 6-5
4. Copy Preset 6-6
5. Create Preset 6-7
6. Preset Size 6-8
7. Stack Mode 6-9
8. Velocity Switch Level 6-10
9. Merge Presets 6-11
7-DIGITAL PROCESSING
About Looping 7-2
0. Select Sample 7-7
1. Setup 7-8
2. Loop 7-10
3. Truncation 7-13
4. Copy Section 7-14
5. Cut Section 7-16
6. Paste Section 7-18
7. Taper 7-22
8. Digital Tools 7-24
9. Undo 7-39
8-PRESET DEFINITION
1. Load Zone 8-2
2. Edit Assignment 8-6
3. Erase Zone 8-9
4. Copy Zone 8-11
5. Crossfade/Switch 8-14
6. MIDI 8-18
7. Arpeggiator 8-23
8. Pitch Bend Range 8-26
9. Portamento/Attack 8-27
0. Realtime Controls 8-28
9-DYNAMIC PROCESSING
Background 9-2
0. Select Zone 9-4
1. Setup 9-6
2. VCA 9-8
3. VCF 9-10
4. LFO 9-13
5. Auxiliary Envelope 9-15
6. Velocity To 9-17
7. Keyboard Mode 9-20
8. Realtime Control Enable 9-22
9. Output Channels 9-23
■ SUPPLEMENT
10-USING SCSI
SCSI Basics 10-3
Termination 10-5
Multiple Hosts 10-8
Connection Examples 10-10
11-APPENDIX
Keyboard Character Chart 11-2
EIIIX Menu Map 11-3
MIDI Key Chart 11-4
MIDI Implementation Chart 11-5
Specifications 11-6
Error Codes 11-7
Troubleshooting 11-9
1-GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION 1-3
INITIAL SCSI SETUP 1-5
CONNECTION 1-8
INSTRUCTIONS
SAMPLING BASICS 1-12
DEFINITIONS 1-14
ADDITIONAL 1-18
DEFINITIONS
This is the reference manual for the Emulator Three X Digital Sound
Production System. It contains detailed information on all aspects
of the EIIIX'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 IIIX. This will help
you to get the most out of this extremely powerful instrument.
The functions of the Emulator IIIX are detailed in this manual by
their module. Screen displays and step-by-step instructions are
described for all aspects of use and operation. ■ Sidebars are used
to highlight important points or to give useful operational tips
which might not be readily apparent.
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.
INTRODUCTION
What's an EIIIX?
The EIIIX is the latest in the long line of E-mu sampling products,
beginning with the Emulator I and evolving into the EII and EIII. In
developing the EIIIX, we have retained the logical and easy-to-use
user interface of the EIII and enhanced it with our all-digital, stateof-the-art G-chip and H-chip hardware. The G-chip allows noisefree sample transposition over a ±5 octave range. The H-chips retain
the warm character of analog filters while keeping the signal
entirely in the digital domain.
The EIIIX can be used as an EIII expander unit or as a stand-alone
sample playback system. In addition, the EIIIX is fully compatible
with the original EIII and has full access to the huge library of
sounds available from E-mu and other sources.
Some of the major enhancements from the original EIII are as
follows:
■ 32 megabytes of sample RAM (non-proprietary, user installable)
■ 32 audio channels (16 stereo)
■ 8 polyphonic, balanced audio outputs
■ Up to 999 samples per bank
■ Up to 256 presets per bank
■ All digital signal path for lower noise and improved reliability
■ Digital I/O (S/PDIF, AES/EBU)
■ Improved user interface simplifies multi-timbral operation
One difference from the original EIII is in the deliberate omission of
analog sample inputs. We have discovered that most people do not
sample their own sounds and we feel that you should not have to
pay for a expensive feature that you may not use. Furthermore, the
widespread use of portable DAT recorders incorporating digital I/
O makes built-in A/D converters redundant. Any audio gear
incorporating an A/D converter and digital I/O can function as a
sampling “front end” for the EIIIX.
You should plan on purchasing a mass storage device for use with
the EIIIX, if you don't already own one. When dealing with large
banks of up to 32 MB, a floppy disk drive simply doesn't cut it even
for back-up. An optical or hard disk is an absolute must!
The EIIIX is an extremely powerful and reliable, fourth generation
instrument. We at E-mu Systems sincerely hope it will help you
realize and further your musical dreams.
INITIAL SCSI SETUP
In order to move sounds in and out of the EIIIX you need a mass
storage device such as a hard disk or optical disk. The EIIIX can load
and save sounds using the floppy disk drive, but this is really a
terrible waste of your time. Plan on getting a mass storage device as
soon as possible. If your EIIIX has a built-in hard disk drive, you can
skip this section and go directly to the connection instructions. This
initial setup section contains step-by-step instructions on how to
connect the EIIIX to the following SCSI setups:
■ Connecting the EIIIX to a pre-formatted and loaded hard disk.
■ Connecting the EIIIX to an un-formatted hard (or optical) disk.
Connecting EIIIX to a Pre-formatted Hard Disk
(Your EIIIX dealer has pre-formatted a hard disk drive for you and loaded
it with sounds.)
1. Position the SCSI device and the EIIIX in a stable location.
Hard disk drives are particularly susceptible to shock and vibration. Make sure that you position your hard disk where it won't be
bumped or moved while in use.
2. Connect the SCSI device to your EIIIX. Connect the EIIIX to
your SCSI system using a quality SCSI cable. There are two type of
SCSI cables in regular use: 50-pin Centronics type and the 25-pin DB
connector type. The EIIIX uses the Centronics type connector. If
your external SCSI device uses the DB connector you can use an
adaptor cable to eliminate the mismatch.
3. Turn on the external SCSI device.
4. Wait about five seconds, then apply power to the EIIIX. The
EIIIX should power up normally.
5. Check the SCSI connection. Press LOAD BANK. Use the data
slider to scroll through the available presets and press ENTER to
load the desired preset.
6. Connect the EIIIX to your audio mixer and MIDI setup.
■ If you are unfamiliar with
connecting a SCSI systems or
need additional information,
please refer to the section
“USING SCSI”.
▼ Turn all devices OFF whenever you change the SCSI
cable. Devices left on when
the cable is unplugged, may
not respond properly until
powered off and on.
Connecting EIIIX to an Unformatted Hard Disk
1. Position the SCSI device and the EIIIX in a stable location.
Hard disk drives are particularly susceptible to shock and vibration. Make sure that you position your hard disk where it won't be
bumped or moved while in use.
2. Connect the SCSI device to your EIIIX. Connect the EIIIX to
your SCSI system using a quality SCSI cable. There are two type of
SCSI cables in regular use, 50-pin Centronics type and the 25-pin DB
connector type. The EIIIX uses the Centronics type connector. If
your external SCSI device uses the DB connector you can use an
adaptor cable to eliminate the mismatch.
3. Set the SCSI ID of your external SCSI device to any number
other then 5. (5 is the default ID of the EIIIX). Consult the operation
manual of your SCSI device for this procedure.
4. Turn on the external SCSI device.
■ Always use 50-pin
Centronics-type cables with
the EIIIX. These cables
have much better electrical
characteristics and have
fewer problems.
▼ Turn all devices OFF when-
ever you change the SCSI
cable. Devices left on when
the cable is unplugged, may
not respond properly until
powered off and on.
5. Insert the software floppy disk supplied with your EIIIX into the
floppy disk drive. Insert the disk, metal end first with the label side
up.
6. Apply power to the EIIIX. The EIIIX should power up normally.
It will wait a few seconds, then begin loading the floppy disk
software. Remove the floppy disk when the EIII has finished loading and put it aside in a safe place.
7. Make sure your hard disk really is unformatted. Formatting a
hard disk erases all the data on it. Press the Load button. If the
display reads, “No Valid Drives” the drive isn't formatted. Continue on to step eight.
8. Format the hard disk. Press the Master/Global button, then 77
on the numeric keypad. The display should read, “FORMAT
DISK”. Use the data slider to select your hard disk, then press
ENTER. The display asks, “Are You Sure?” Press the Inc/Yes
button to confirm. Formatting takes a few minutes. Time to take a
break.
9. Copy the floppy disk software onto the hard disk. Use the
Copy Software function (Master/Globals, 7, 4). The display shows:
COPY SOFTWARE from
D0 Floppy Drive
Select a Drive
Press ENTER. The display now asks you to insert the software disk.
Insert the software disk supplied with your EIIIX. Press ENTER.
The display now shows:
COPY SOFTWARE from
D0 Floppy Drive
Erases Bank! OK? Y/N
Press the Inc/Yes button. (Don't worry. Since you haven't loaded
anything into the bank yet, there is nothing to be erased.) The software
will be loaded from the floppy disk into the EIIIX's memory. The
display now shows:
COPY SOFTWARE into
D0 Floppy Drive
D1 Hard Disk Name
Select a Drive
Your hard disk should be listed on line 3 of the display. If it is not,
use the data slider to select it. Press ENTER.
10. Reboot the System. Remove the floppy disk from the drive if
you haven't already. Turn off the EIIIX and the hard disk, then turn
both units back on. The EIIIX should now boot from your hard disk.
■ If you are unfamiliar with
connecting a SCSI systems or
need additional information,
please refer to the section
“USING SCSI”.
■ The EIIIX software should
not be copied to more than one
disk drive. The EIIIX will always boot from the drive with
the lowest ID number. Use the
Erase Software function
(MASTER, Disk Utilities, 9) to
remove the software from a
disk drive.
▼ Turn all devices OFF whenever you change the SCSI
cable. Devices left on when
the cable is unplugged, may
not respond properly until
powered off and on.
Put your software floppy disk in a safe place in case anything ever
goes wrong.
(You should make another copy of the software floppy disk as a
backup. Simply use the same formatting and software copying
procedure you just performed except that you choose floppy disk
instead of the hard disk when asked.)
CONNECTION INSTRUCTIONS
■ The submix outputs use a
“plug sensing” scheme which
re-routes the signal to the
main outputs if a plug is not
inserted.
Connecting to a Mixer
■ Main Outputs: The Emulator IIIX has provisions for a variety of
output connection schemes. The most common hookup will probably be using the main stereo outputs. The outputs of the EIIIX are
all balanced, but they can be used as unbalanced outputs by
grounding the negative pin. Output level is +4 dBm (approximately
12 volts p-p). Output impedance is 10Ω. The EIIIX will also drive
stereo headphones, which can be plugged directly into the headphone output on the front panel.
■ Submix Outputs: In addition to the main stereo outputs, the EIIIX
has three additional pairs of submix outputs that can be used when
individual processing on specific instruments is desired. These
outputs are all +4 dBm and are balanced. Output impedance is 10Ω.
Any combination of channels can be programmed to appear at any
of the submix output pairs (1, 2 or 3). Any keyboard zone (key range)
can be assigned to any submix pair using the Output Channel
function in the Dynamic Processing module. MIDI channels can be
assigned to submix outputs using the Multimode Mix function in
the Master/Globals module.
This diagram shows how the EIIIX output jacks are wired. The submix
outputs function as unbalanced outputs when a standard mono plug is
Stereo Headphone Output
The headphone output is located on the left side of the front panel
and is capable of driving all types of stereo headphones. The output
level is controlled by the master volume slider.
MIDI Connection
The Emulator IIIX provides a MIDI IN, a MIDI OUT and a MIDI
THRU port.
■ The MIDI IN port on the EIIIX connects 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 EIIIX can only respond to
information that your controller transmits. If your MIDI keyboard
does not have velocity and pressure sensitivity, the EIIIX will not
respond to velocity and pressure.
■ MIDI OUT can be connected to another MIDI instrument or
computer. The MIDI OUT jack is used to transmit preset change
information, MIDI sample dump information (transfers sample
data) or for MIDI Overflow mode, which allows a second EIIIX to be
connected to the MIDI OUT to double the number of channels. See
Preset Definition, 6, MIDI for more details.
■ MIDI THRU simply re-transmits any information 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.
Digital I/O
The digital input and output jacks allow you to transfer audio back
and forth with other digital devices equipped with either AES/EBU
or S/PDIF digital I/O. The digital input allows you to sample
directly from a DAT recorder or other digital device. The digital
output reflects the data at the main outputs of the EIIIX. See the
Sample Management module and Main output Format (located
under Special in the Master/Globals menu) for more information.
SCSI
The SCSI connectors are high-speed parallel interfaces which are
normally used to interface the EIIIX with external mass storage
devices such as hard disks or magneto-optical discs. A SCSI port can
also be used to link the EIIIX with an external computer for extremely fast file transfers.
For more information on SCSI installation, see the section, “Using
SCSI”. You may also want to refer to the operation manual that
accompanies your external SCSI device.
110V / 220V Operation
The Emulator IIIX may be used in either 110 volt or 220 volt
environments at either 50 Hz or 60 Hz. No change of voltage settings
is required. The EIIIX automatically switches itself for 100 or 220
Volt operation.
AC Power Connection and Fuse
The AC power connector is where the Emulator IIIX gets its power.
The fuse receptacle 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 IIIX uses two 2-amp, 250 volt fast-blo
mini-fuses. The EIIIX should not normally blow fuses. If a fuse that
has been replaced blows again, do not attempt another replacement. Have the unit serviced!
SAMPLING BASICS
DIGITAL SAMPLING. The signal level is repeatedly measured at a high rate and the measurements stored
in digital memory. On playback, the measurements are converted back into voltages to reconstruct the
original waveform.
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 IIIX is conceptually like a tape recorder. However, the
recording process is very different since the EIIIX digitally records
into its computer memory. Sounds for the EIIIX can be loaded via
removable-media hard disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM using
the SCSI interface; or through the AES/EBU Digital interface; or
through MIDI using MIDI Sample Dump.
Computers can accept information only in the form of numbers, so
first the EIIIX accepts audio signals coded into binary numbers.
Samplers work by examining (sampling) the incoming signal level
at a very high rate (44,100 times a second for compact discs), and
sequentially records these different levels in memory. Once stored,
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 44.1 kHz, it would require (2 X
44,100) or 88,200 samples to be recorded. As you might imagine,
shorter sounds require fewer samples.
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 IIIX 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 IIIX. It is important to understand how the
EIIIX 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 EIIIX as resembling a collection of soundorganizing modules, all contained within an EIIIX bank. Pathways
indicate how information flows within the EIIIX. 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
Loading in any sound in mono or stereo creates a sample, the raw
material with which the EIIIX works. The total available sampling
time can be divided up any way you like—one long sample, lots of
short samples, a few medium samples, or any combination thereof.
The term sample commonly means two different things:
1) A digital recording of a complete sound, or
2) each snapshot of the sound that makes up the complete sample.
Confusing? You bet! In this manual, we’ll assume sample means the
complete recorded sound unless indicated otherwise.
■ Since wide-range transposi-
tion alters the sample’s timbre,
it is often necessary to use
multiple samples and trans-
pose each one over a small
range to give the most realistic
sound. This is particularly true
with acoustic instruments.
DEFINITIONS
You can modify a raw sample in several ways:
■ Transposition: A sample can be transposed up or down in pitch
to cover a particular range of the keyboard. By doing this, it is not
necessary to record a sample for every key.
■ Digital Processing: Digital processing consists of Looping a
sample (allowing even short samples to play indefinitely).
■ Dynamic Processing: Just as synthesizers include signal proces-
sors (filter, voltage-controlled amplifier, envelope generators, LFO,
and so on) to modify the sounds produced by the synth’s oscillators,
the Emulator IIIX includes similar modules for modifying raw
samples or combinations of samples.
The Preset
As mentioned above, a sample can be assigned to a single note on
the keyboard, or transposed polyphonically to cover a wider keyboard range. A preset is one entire keyboard setup. The process of
assigning, and optionally transposing, samples to specific ranges of
the keyboard is called making a preset. Making a preset is a threestep process:
1. Create the preset and give it a number and name. The bank can
hold up to 256 Presets (000-255).
2. Place samples to different keyboard ranges. For example,
with five samples you could assign each sample to cover one octave
of the keyboard. A sample can be assigned more than once within
a given preset, and assigned to more than one preset.
3. Choose from a number of the available options that further
define the preset. Some examples are: assigning samples to par-
tially or fully overlap other samples, thus producing doubling
effects, or assigning dynamic control to individual samples in a
preset. You can modify zone parameters, add arpeggiation, and set
up MIDI and dynamic processing parameters.
The Zone
A particular range of the keyboard is called a zone. This can
include one or more samples. The zone’s boundaries need not be the
same as the boundaries of the samples contained in the zone. Zones
free you from having to think about where the actual samples are
assigned. You just select a range of keyboard (a zone) and go!
As an example, suppose you wanted to set the velocity response for
the entire keyboard. You would first select the zone range by
playing the lowest and highest keys when prompted by the EIIIX.
Next you would set the velocity response (in the Dynamic Processing module). Done.
Now, suppose you wanted just the lower half of the keyboard to pan
from left to right as you play up the keyboard. You would simply
select a zone for the lower half of the keyboard, then change the pan
settings as desired.
When you copy a zone, the appropriate samples will be picked up
along with the Dynamic Processing parameters.
The Bank
The memory bank contains samples, zones and presets. Everything. Consider the bank as the central storehouse for all of the
Emulator IIIX’s data. Although the memory is volatile, meaning
that the data disappears when you turn off power, all bank data can
be saved permanently to the hard disk drive or other media to keep
a record of your work.
The Internal Drive
A disk drive is a mass-storage memory device that stores banks. The
Emulator IIIX has a built-in floppy disk drive which is used mainly
for operating system software. (The operating system of a computer
are the instructions that tell the computer what to do.) However,
other types of drives, as described below, can connect to the EIIIX to
provide sound storage.
■ Floppy Disk Drive (Drive 0): The floppy disk drive accommo-
dates 3.5", double-sided, double-density (DSDD) floppy disks. The
floppy drive on the EIIIX is used mainly as a convenient way to
periodically update the operating system software although it can
be used to load and save sounds. Because of the larger bank size of
the EIIIX, the floppy disk is not practical for backing-up sound data.
When the E-mu wizards come up with exciting new enhancements,
the new software is usually distributed on floppy disk. As described
later in the manual, this software can be copied on to a hard disk and
made a permanent part of the EIIIX.
External Drives
The EIIIX includes a SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface)
connector on the rear panel. This interface is commonly used in the
computer industry, so many devices made to work with computers—particularly mass storage devices—will also work with the
EIIIX. Here are some of the types of mass storage devices that can
plug into the EIIIX’s SCSI connector.
■ Hard Disk Drive: A hard disk provides the advantages of much
higher memory capacity and far faster access time. Transferring
data to and from the EIIIX is quite straightforward. However, you
cannot remove a hard disk and replace it with another one—the disk
is a permanent part of the drive. There are three main cautions
involved with hard disks:
■ Hard disks are sensitive to extreme mechanical shocks. If
your hard disk falls off a keyboard stand, chances are the
hard disk will be damaged.
■ Make sure power is not interrupted when you write data to
the hard disk.
■ Hard disks have reached a very high level of reliability.
However, they can fail from time to time (as can any part of
a computer), so any data should be backed up periodically
and regularly on some other medium.
■ Removable-media Hard Disk Drives: These are similar to normal
hard disk drives except that the disk itself can be removed and
replaced with another disk. Disk densities can range from 44
Mbytes to well over 100 Mbytes per platter. Removable-media hard
disk drives allow you to build a sound library of unlimited size and
are quite handy for transferring sounds between machines.
■ CD-ROM Drive: A CD-ROM is a playback-only (data cannot be
written to it) mass storage memory device whose capacity is approximately 660 Megabytes. Quality CD-ROM libraries are available from several companies. (Northstar, Optical Media International, E-mu Systems, Inc.) These can be loaded into the bank as
easily as you would load from a hard disk.
■ Magneto-Optical Drive: Basically a read/writable CD, these
high speed, high density storage devices are currently the hottest
thing around for storing large amounts of sound data. Typically a
magneto-optical drive can upwards of 300 Mb per side and the
removable cartridges can be used over and over. Disk access time is
comparable to a normal hard disk, and is sometimes even faster!
Advantages: High-speed, high-density, reliable, removable.
Disadvantage: High cost (although prices are dropping fast).
ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS
The Primary and Secondary Sample
An Emulator IIIX key provides for two channels. These contain the
primary and secondary samples. For example, the primary sample
might be a guitar note and the secondary sample a detuned version
of the same guitar note. When played together, you hear chorusing.
Also, a preset contains information about how the keyboard dynamics affect the primary and secondary samples. As an example,
the primary sample could be that of a drum hit played softly, and the
secondary of a drum hit played loudly. Thus, playing the keyboard
softly would play the primary sample, and playing the keyboard
more forcefully would play the secondary sample.
The Current Preset
When you load a bank, a preset will be ready to play and the display
will show the preset number. This is the current preset. If you select
another preset, or create a preset, that will become the current
preset.
The Current Sample
When loading an individual sample, you will need to specify the
sample number and name into which the sound should be recorded.
This is called the current sample.
■ If a module is already active,
and you are finished with one
submodule, you do not need to
re-activate the module—just
key in the new submodule
number.
Modules
A module controls a particular set of functions in the Emulator IIIX.
There are six main modules : Master/Globals, Preset Management,
Preset Definition, Sample Management, Digital Processing, and
Dynamic Processing.
■ Activating a Module and the Module Identifier: To work with a
module, you must first activate it. Press the button associated with
the desired module. The display will then show the Module Identifier and invite you to select a submodule.
■ Submodule: Each module contains several numbered
submodules that set controls for additional functions. There are two
ways to select a submodule within the module. You can move the
data slider until the display shows the desired submodule, then
press ENTER. As you work with the EIIIX, though, you will start to
memorize the submodule numbers and will probably find it faster
to simply key in the appropriate submodule number using the
numeric keypad. When using the keypad, it is not necessary to press
ENTER. Pressing either the module button or the Escape button
will cancel the operation.
Saving
The bank only retains data for as long as the Emulator IIIX is
plugged in and turned on. Of course, we don’t expect you to leave
the thing on all the time, which brings us to the subject of saving
data.
Pressing the SAVE button on the Control Panel shuttles all the bank
data (samples and presets) to the drive of your choice . A hard disk
permanently stores data so that even after turning off the Emulator
IIIX, the disk will contain a record of your work.
IF YOU DO NOT SAVE A BANK, ALL BANK DATA WILL
BE LOST WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE MACHINE.
Do not wait until the end of a session to save. Save your work
periodically in case of power failure or some other unforeseen
circumstance that might erase the bank’s memory. Hard disks are
not infallible. All hard disk banks should be backed up periodically
to another hard disk or other media. Should you improve the preset,
sample, or sequence later, you can always replace the original with
the revised version. And if something goes wrong, the original will
still be available to save you the ordeal of starting from scratch.
Whenever you have done enough work that you would hate to
lose it, back it up!
Since the disk contains a record of the bank data, loading the disk
back into the bank transfers all the sample and preset data into the
bank. This will replace the existing bank data, if any.
Booting
Booting is a computer term that means “having the computer read
the software necessary for its operation from the disk.” (It’s easy to
see why this was shortened to booting.) The EIIIX automatically
boots itself from a hard disk when you turn it on. Once booted, the
instrument is ready to go. If the hard disk is damaged for some
reason, the EIIIX can be booted from a suitable floppy disk.
Default
A default setting is what we’ve judged to be a useful initial setting,
and remains in effect until you change it. For example, if you create
a new preset, the arpeggiator will default to Off. Had it defaulted to
the on position, all new presets would be arpeggiated.
■ If you want to maintain
compatability with the original
EIII, use function Master, 5
“Save as EIII Bank”. This will
allow the EIII to load your EIIIX
bank.
The Cursor
The cursor is that small flashing line on the display. It sits under the
number or letter that will be altered if you enter data. Entering a new
value will overwrite the number or letter above the cursor, whereupon the cursor will move on to the next number or letter (if
applicable). If the EIIIX is expecting a two or three-digit number, in
most cases you must enter all the required digits even if some of
these are zeroes (called leading zeroes). For example, if the EIIIX is
expecting a three-digit number and you want to enter 8, you would
enter 008. If it is expecting a single-digit number, entering 8 would
be sufficient.
Data Slider & Increment/Decrement Buttons
In virtually all instances where the data slider selects options, the
Increment (Inc/Yes) and Decrement (Dec/No) switches duplicate
the slider. Press Inc/Yes to increase a value, or Dec/No to decrease.
Selecting
When the instructions say to select an option, you can use whatever
method is most comfortable for you: the data slider, the Increment/
Decrement buttons, the numeric keypad (if applicable) and, when
naming, the keyboard keys. Some functions do not implement all
these options; you can’t go wrong by trying, though. If a function
doesn’t respond to the numeric keypad, for instance, then pressing
the keypad will have no effect. Use the data slider or the Inc/Dec
buttons instead.
The Big Re-Cap
■ A sample is a raw sound that is loaded into the bank.
■ To create a new preset, make sure you have all the samples
required for the preset in the bank, number and name a preset, then
assign combinations of samples from the bank to specific sections of
the keyboard. By specifying one or more of these samples (or
portions thereof) as a zone, the zone may then be processed by the
EIIIX’s dynamic signal processors.
■ After arranging a bank, it can be saved to one or more drives.
■ Since loading from a hard disk fills the bank with samples and
presets, you can group these samples into new presets, process the
samples contained in particular zones, or alter existing presets.
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