E-Mu Emulator IV User Manual

EMULATOR IV

OPERATION MANUAL

PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL SAMPLING SYSTEM

FI460 REV. D

Copyright E-mu Systems Inc.

1994

Emulator IV
Professional Digital Sampling System

Operation Manual

© 1994 E-mu Systems, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

• FI460 Rev. D

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

IN ORDER TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE ON
YOUR EMULATOR IV UNIT, THE SERIAL
NUMBER STICKER MUST BE INTACT AND YOU
MUST HAVE A SALES RECEIPT OR OTHER
PROOF OF PURCHASE. IF THERE IS NO SERIAL
NUMBER STICKER ON THE E-IV, PLEASE
CONTACT E-MU SYSTEMS AT ONCE.

THIS PRODUCT IS COVERED UNDER ONE OR
MORE OF THE FOLLOWING U. S. PATENTS:
3,969,682; 3,986,423; 4,404,529; 4,506,579;
4,699,038; 4,987,600; 5,013,105; 5,072,645;
5,111,727 AND FOREIGN PATENTS AND/OR
PENDING PATENTS. E-IV IS A REGISTERED
TRADEMARK OF E-MU SYSTEMS, INC.

E-MU WORLD HEADQUARTERS
E-MU SYSTEMS, INC. U.S.A.

P.O. BOX 660015
SCOTTS VALLEY, CA USA
95067–0015

TELEPHONE: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

EUROPE, AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST
E-MU SYSTEMS, LTD.

SUITE 6, ADAM FERGUSON HOUSE
ESKMILLS INDUSTRIAL PARK
MUSSELBURGH, EAST LOTHIAN
SCOTLAND, EH21 7PQ

TELEPHONE: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

C-iContents

WARNING:
READ THIS
FIRST

This symbol is intended
to alert the user to the
presence of important
operating and mainte­nance (servicing)
instructions in the
literature accompanying
the appliance.

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 6300, E-IV is rack mounted, a standard 19 inch open
frame rack must be used.

USER-MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

1. The E-IV 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 un-insulated
dangerous voltage
within the product's
enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.

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 E-IV.

2. To reduce the risk of injury, close supervision is necessary
when the E-IV is used near children.

3. Do not use the E-IV 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.

C-ii E-mu Systems Emulator IV

4. The E-IV should be situated so that its location or position
does not interfere with its proper ventilation.

5. The E-IV should be located away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, fireplaces, stoves, or ovens.

6. The E-IV 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 E-IV through openings.

8. This E-IV 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 E-IV 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 E-IV does not operate normally or exhibits a marked

change in performance.

12. All servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

C-iiiContents

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 B 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 E-IV 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 E-IV to one side or the other of the television or radio.

• Move the E-IV farther away from the television or radio.

• Plug the E-IV 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.

6

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

C-iv E-mu Systems Emulator IV

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

DO NOT REMOVE COVER.

Contents

1 General Instructions

Introduction 1-3

Main Controls 1-6

Connections 1-9

Connecting to an Unformatted Hard Disk 1-13

Connecting to a Formatted SCSI Device 1-14

Sampling Basics 1-15

Definitions 1-17

Instant Gratification 1-28

2 Disk Menu

Disk Browser 2-2

Disk Utilities 2-6

Mount Drives 2-7

Copy System 2-7

Format Disk 2-8

Install File System 2-9

Backup 2-9

Load Bank 2-11

Save Bank 2-12

View 2-12

Info… 2-13

Folder 2-14

Bank 2-18

Preset 2-23

Sample 2-26

C-vContents

The Modules

3 Master

Memory Statistics 3-3

Utilities Menu 3-4

Assignable Keys 3-4

Channel Volume 3-5

Tones 3-6

Volume Recalibration 3-6

Test Access 3-7

About the E-IV 3-8

Bank Menu 3-9

Erase Bank 3-9

Name Bank 3-10

Auto Load Bank 3-10

Tune Menu 3-11

Output Menu 3-13

Headroom 3-13

Output Format 3-15

Output Clock Rate 3-16

AES Boost 3-17

Miscellaneous Menu 3-18

MIDI Globals 3-25

Basic Channel 3-26

Mode 3-27

MIDI Mix 3-29

Controllers 3-30

Preferences 3-32

C-vi E-mu Systems Emulator IV

4 Sample Manage

Overview 4-3

Utilities 4-4

Erase Sample 4-4

Copy Sample 4-5

Sample Dump 4-5

Defragment Memory 4-7

Name Sample 4-8

Create Sample 4-9

Left/Right Channels 4-9

Source & Rate 4-10

ADC Gain 4-11

Threshold 4-12

Sample Length 4-12

Arm Sample 4-13

Force Sample 4-13

Monitor On/Off 4-13

Automatic Parameters 4-14

Place Sample 4-18

Export Sample 4-19

Get Info 4-20

5 Sample Edit

Background 5-3

Utilities 5-12

Cut Section 5-13

Copy Section 5-15

Paste Section 5-16

DC Filter 5-20

Sample Calculator 5-21

Sample Integrity 5-22

Loop Type 5-23

C-viiContents

Tools 1 5-25

Loop 5-25

Truncation 5-28

Taper 5-29

Gain Change 5-31

Stereo <-> Mono 5-33

Swap Left <-> Right 5-33

Tools 2 5-34

Sample Rate Convert 5-34

Digital Tuning 5-35

Compressor 5-36

Parametric EQ 5-41

Reverse Section 5-43

Tools 3 5-44

Time Compression 5-45

Pitch Change 5-46

Transform Multiplication 5-47

Doppler 5-48

Exciter 5-51

Undo 5-52

6 Preset Manage

Name Preset 6-4

Erase Preset 6-5

Copy Preset 6-6

New Preset 6-7

Export Preset 6-8

Get Info… 6-9

C-viii E-mu Systems Emulator IV

7 Preset Edit

Background 7-2

Programming Basics 7-14

Dynamic Filter 7-14

Preset Editor 7-21

Preset Edit - Global 7-24

Preset Edit - Links 7-25

Utilities 7-26

Links - Key Window 7-29

Links - Velocity Window 7-31

Preset Edit - Voices 7-33

Utilities 7-34

Sample Zone 7-37

Sample Velocity Ranges 7-39

Voices - Key Window 7-41

Voices - Velocity Window 7-46

Voices - Realtime Window 7-49

Preset Edit - Dynamic Processing 7-51

Utilities 7-54

Voice Tuning, Modifiers & Setup 7-62

Amplifier/Filter 7-70

LFO/Auxiliary Envelope 7-76

Cords 7-79

8 Appendix

SCSI 8-3

Emulator IV Menu Maps 8-7

Memory Upgrade 8-10

Specifications 8-14

Warranty 8-15

Index 8-17

C-ixContents

C-x E-mu Systems Emulator IV

General

Instructions

1

Introduction 1-3

Main Controls 1-6

Connections 1-9

Connecting an Unformatted Hard Disk 1-13

Connecting a Formatted SCSI Device 1-14

Sampling Basics 1-15

Definitions 1-17

Instant Gratification 1-28

Instructions

General

General Instructions 1-1

General

Instructions

1-2 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the E-IV Digital
Sampling System! The various functions of the E-IV are
organized 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.

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. This will help you to get the most out of this extremely
powerful instrument.

Important Upgrade information

The Emulator IV is a software-based device. The features
and functions of the E-IV will be periodically enhanced and
upgraded and the new software will be mailed to you on
floppy disk. Please take a moment now to read the E-mu
Systems warranty and to fill out and send in your warranty
registration card. We NEED your mailing address in order to
send you upgrades and manual revisions.

Instructions

General

The Emulator IV

The E-IV was designed to be the ultimate in professional
sampling instruments. Every feature of the E-IV expands the
state-of-the-art in sampling instrument design, from ease of
use to the impeccable audio specifications. For starters, the
E-IV contains an incredible 128 channels of polyphony (64
stereo). The basic E-IV comes with 8 Megabytes of sample
memory, but this is user-expandable up to 128 megabytes
with standard SIMM modules. With fully expanded memory,
the E-IV provides over 24 minutes of sampling time!

General Instructions 1-3

Sound Libraries

The E-IV has full access to the huge library of sounds
available from E-mu and other sources. It is fully compatible
with the legendary EIII and EIIIX libraries, and can transpar­ently read Emax II and Akai S1000/S1100 banks as if they
were its own.

General

Instructions

Sound Storage

The E-IV can access up to 1000 samples per bank arranged
in up to 1000 presets. The dual connector 50-pin SCSI
interface provides access to high density media such as hard
disks, magneto-optical disks or CD-ROM. The integral 3.5"
floppy disk drive provides a convenient means of updating
the E-IV software which is periodically being enhanced and
improved. Most software upgrades will be mailed free to
registered owners. The E-IV also has 3 rear panel option slots
to accommodate hardware expansion cards.

Other professional features include selectable sample rates
of 22.05 kHz, 24 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 48 kHz. D/A converters
are 18-bit linear. The Sigma-Delta A/D converters are 16-bit
linear. Sampling can be performed in either mono or true
stereo.

Advanced DSP

The E-IV’s advanced features make sampling a breeze.
Samples can be automatically truncated, normalized and
placed on the keyboard as the sample is taken and advanced
tools such as Auto Correlation, Loop Compression and
Crossfade Looping allow even the most difficult sounds to
be easily looped.

Samples can be digitally spliced and mixed with other
samples, and dynamically controlled from the keyboard
using velocity and positional crossfading and switching
functions. Advanced digital processing features such as
Sample Rate Conversion, Compression, Parametric Equalizer
and Digital Tuning allow you to shape raw samples more
quickly and with greater precision than computer based
systems. Samples can easilybe transferred between the E-IV
and an external computer via SCSI if so desired.

Additional digital processing functions include: Time
Compression and Expansion, which shorten or lengthen the
time of samples without changing the pitch; Transform
Multiplication, which can be used to create weird and
wonderful new timbres; and Doppler which allows you to

1-4 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

move samples forward and backwards in space as well as
from side to side.

Digital Hardware Features

The E-IV’s digital hardware implements 128 Z-Plane
filters. These digital filters are very “analog-sounding” and
currently implement the following types of filters:

• 12, 24, or 36 dB/octave Lowpass filters with resonance

• 2nd & 4th order Highpass filters with resonance

• 2nd & 4th order Bandpass filters with resonance

• Three types of swept EQ filters

• Three phasers and one flanger with resonance

• Two morphing vocal formant filters

Modulation sources include three multi-stage envelope
generators and two multi-wave LFOs per channel, as well as
a full MIDI modulation control over virtually every param­eter.

The E-IV is 16 part multi-timbral (32 MIDI channels with
option card), allowing complex sequencing and sound
effects creation, and can be controlled by remote control
using an external computer.

• Eight balanced polyphonic audio outputs allow you to
mix and process specific sounds. The main stereo outputs
are simultaneously available at 1/4" phone jacks and XLR
connectors.

• Resampling - The E-IV can resample its own output in the
digital domain for layering and the creation of new and
exciting effects.

• IBM compatible ASCII keyboard interface controls all E-IV
operations including naming and browsing.

• A digital interface (AES/EBU & S/PDIF) is another
standard option which facilitates the transfer of stereo
digital audio between digital recorders, mixers, etc.

The E-IV is based on the latest G-chip and H-chip digital

hardware. The G-chip allows smooth sample transposition
over a 10-octave range while the H-chips retain the warm,
musical character of traditional analog filters.

The E-IV is an extremely powerful and reliable seventh

generation instrument. We at E-mu Systems sincerely hope
it will help you realize and further your musical potential.

Instructions

General

General Instructions 1-5

Main Controls

General

Power

Instructions

Switch

I

O

VOLUME

PHONES

MASTER

PRESET

MANAGE EDIT

SAMPLE

DISK

MANAGE EDIT

Audition

AUDITION

MIDI

SCSI

Function Keys

B
A

B00 Horns

B01 Proteus 1 B02 Synth Box

N
K

B05 Set 1 B06 World B07 Pianos

Utils Browse

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

ASSIGNABLE KEYS

123

Decrement

B03 Indian B04 All Drums

Save…View Info…

Load

F6

PAGE

EXIT

PREV NEXT

ENTER

Control

DEC INC

ABC DEF

1

23

456

789

QZ

+/- 0 .

Increment

MNOJKLGHI

WXYTUVPRS

Data Entry

Phones

Master

Volume

Module

Select

Assignable

Keys

Page

Select

EnterExit

Cursor

Numeric

Keypad

Keys

Disk

Drive

Volume Control

This is the master volume control for all outputs including
digital I/O and the headphone output. The master volume is
a digital control. For maximum dynamic range, set this
control near or at maximum.

Module Select Keys

The functions of the Emulator IV are grouped according to
their function in six modules. The Sample Manage and
Sample Edit modules deal with operations at the sample
level. The Preset Manage and Preset Edit modules deal with
operations at the preset level. The Master module contains
functions that affect the entire machine. Any function that
has to do with the disk, such as loading, saving and the like
is accessed through the Disk module.

MIDI & SCSI Indicator LEDs

The LEDs illuminate to show activity on the SCSI bus or
incoming MIDI data.

1-6 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

Exit Button

The exit button allows you to back out of a module one
menu at a time, each time the button is pressed. It can also
be used anytime you do not want to execute a particular
function. In the Sample Manage module, it can also be used
to terminate the sampling process.

Function Keys

The lower line of the display will usually contain a row of up
to six “soft key” buttons. These soft-key buttons indicate the
function of the function keys directly below them.

Assignable Keys

These are user-assigned keys which can cause a jump to any
screen.

Audition Button

The audition button allows you to play notes on the E-IV
directly from the front panel without having a MIDI key­board connected. The note that will be played is selected
under “Tune” in the Master module. The Audition button
also allows you to play samples directly from the hard disk
before loading them when in the sample browser.

Page Select Keys

The previous and next page keys are primarily used to move
back and forth between pages when multiple pages of
options exist. Each button has an associated LED arrow
which illuminates if there is more information on the
previous or next page. Arrows in the top corners of the
display also indicate if there are more available pages. In the
preset selection screen, the page select keys can be used to
select the previous or next preset.

Instructions

General

Enter Button

The enter button is used to confirm a particular operation.
Enter can be used in place of an affirmative function key
response such as “OK” or “Go”. In the Disk Browser, pressing
the Enter key will advance the selection from: Drives ->
Folders -> Banks -> Presets -> Samples. (The Exit key reverses
the progression.)

General Instructions 1-7

General

Instructions

- Tip: Holding down

the Enter key while
turning the data entry
control allows “fine
tuning” of the value by
one number per click.

Cursor Keys

The left, right, up, and down cursor keys are primarily used
to move the cursor around in the display. The cursor is a
reversed-out section in the display which indicates the
currently selected parameter. In the preset selection screen
the left and right cursor keys can be used to select the
previous or next preset.

Data Entry Control

The data entry control is a stepped, variable control which is
used to change parameter values. The control increments or
decrements the current value one unit each click. This
control incorporates acceleration (values advance faster if
the control is quickly turned).

Inc/Dec Keys

The increment and decrement keys are used primarily to
duplicate the function of the data entry control when a finer
degree of control is required. In the preset selection screen
the inc/dec keys can be used to select the previous or next
preset.

Numeric Key Pad

The numeric keypad is used to enter data in precise
amounts. For example, if you wanted to select preset 10,
enter 010 on the keypad and the preset will be instantly
selected. The numeric keypad can be used anytime the data
to be entered is a number. The numeric keypad can be used
to select samples and presets when you know the exact
number. You could simply enter the number without the
leading zero as in “10”, In this case, after entering the
number, you will be asked to confirm the value by pressing
“Go”. The +/- key can be used to indicate if the value is
positive or negative. The keypad can also be used for naming
as each key is labeled “telephone-style” with 3 characters
above the key.

Floppy Disk Drive

The floppy disk drive is used primarily to update the soft­ware of the E-IV, but can also be used to store and transfer
sound banks in a pinch. Due to the low capacity of floppy
disks, they are not practical for backing up sound data.

1-8 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

Connections

Instructions

General

Expansion

Ports

SCSI SCSI

Sample

Inputs

Submix
Outputs

Jacks

MIDI

Interface

SCSI

SCSI is a high-speed parallel interface which is normally used
to interface the E-IV with external mass storage devices such
as hard disks or magneto-optical discs. The dual 50-pin SCSI
ports can also be used to link the E-IV with an external
computer for extremely fast file transfers. The E-IV contains
advanced SCSI links to facilitate multiple “master” devices
on the SCSI bus, such as multiple E-IVs or a computer and
an E-IV.

For more information on SCSI installation, see page 1-13.

Also refer to the manual that accompanies your external
SCSI device.

Main

Outputs

Digital

AC

Power

ASCII

Keyboard

Interface

General Instructions 1-9

General

Instructions

Sample Inputs

The two sample input jacks accept any level input from

microphone to line level. Input impedance is 4KΩ. The gain

of the sample input preamplifiers is controlled from the New
screen in the Sample Manage module. When in the Sample
Manage module the sample inputs can be monitored from
the main outputs.

Main Outputs

The E-IV has provisions for a variety of output connection
schemes. The most common hookup will probably be using
the main stereo outputs. The main outputs are available at
both XLR and 1/4" phone jacks. Both outputs are balanced
outputs. Insert a stereo plug into the 1/4" output for a
balanced signal or a standard mono plug for unbalanced
signal. Output level is +4 dBm (approximately 1.23 volts
RMS). Output impedance is 50 ohms.

Tip

Submix

+

Balanced

Tip

-

Ring

Main

Balanced

Ring

+

12

3

-

Submix Outputs

In addition to the main stereo outputs, the E-IV has three
additional pairs of balanced submix outputs which can be
used when individual processing on specific instruments is
desired. Any combination of channels can be programmed
to appear at a submix output pair. Any voice can also be
assigned to a submix pair (In the Amplifier screen of the
Preset Edit module). MIDI channels can be assigned to the
submix pair using the Multimode Mix function in the
Master module. The Submix Outputs are balanced stereo
jacks with +4 dBm outputs on the tip and ring of the jack.
Output impedance is 50 ohms.

1-10 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

MIDI Connection

E-IV provides a MIDI IN, a MIDI OUT and a MIDI THRU
port.

• The MIDI IN port 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 E-IV
can only respond to information that your controller
transmits. (i.e. If your MIDI keyboard does not have
velocity and pressure sensitivity, the E-IV 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, or for MIDI sample dump
information (transfers sample data).

• MIDI THRU simply re-transmits any information received
at the MIDI IN port.

Digital I/O

The digital interface allows the E-IV to transfer digital audio
back and forth with other digital devices equipped with AES/
EBU or S/PDIF digital I/O. Keeping the signal in the digital
domain is desirable to keep the signal to noise level as high
as possible.

The digital input allows you to sample directly from a

DAT recorder or other digital device. The digital output
reflects the data at the stereo outputs of the E-IV. See the
Sample Manage module and Output Format (located under
Output in the Master menu) for more information.

Instructions

General

AC Power Connection

The E-IV 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 E-IV automatically switches itself for
110 or 220 volt operation.

Expansion Ports

Three expansion ports allow for additional hardware up­grades such as an additional MIDI port (which adds another
16 MIDI channels) and other options to be announced.

General Instructions 1-11

General

Instructions

ASCII Keyboard Interface

A standard IBM PC style ASCII keyboard can be connected
to the rear panel ASCII Keyboard connector. The keyboard
must be connected before power is applied in order for the
E-IV to recognize it. All the front panel controls of the E-IV
can be accessed via the keyboard. Having an ASCII keyboard
is also a real time saver when naming samples, presets and
banks. The keyboard functions are charted below.

E-IV ASCII KEYBOARD

Exit Esc

Ten Key Pad Ten Key Pad

Cursor Keys Cursor Keys, Ten Key Pad

Page Keys Ten Key Pad 3, 9

Numeric Selection [Num Lock, Ten Key Pad]

Inc/Dec +/-

F1-F6 [F1-F6]

Preset Edit [Alt, A], [Alt, F], [Ctrl, E]

Sample Manage [Alt, S]

Sample Edit [Alt, D], [Ctrl, G]

Preset Manage [Alt, P]

Master [Alt, M]

Multimode [Alt, Z]

Disk [Ctrl, D]

Load Bank [Ctrl, L], [Alt, ] ]

Save Bank [Ctrl, S], [Alt, [ ]

Search Dialog [Ctrl, F] in Browser

Rename Dialog [Ctrl, R] in Browser

Audition Preset/Sample [Ctrl, A] Depending on module

1-12 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

þTo Connect the E-IV to an Unformatted Hard Disk

1. Position the SCSI device and the E-IV 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. Important: Make sure that all power to the E-IV and the
SCSI device is turned OFF.

3. Connect the SCSI device to your E-IV using a quality
SCSI cable. Make sure that the connectors are firmly
mated and that the wire “keepers” are locked in place.
There are two type of SCSI cables in common use: the
50-pin Centronics type and the 25-pin DB connector
type. The E-IV uses the 50-pin Centronics type connec­tor.

4. Set the SCSI ID of your external SCSI device to any
number other than 6. (6 is the default ID of the E-IV).
Consult the operation manual of your SCSI device for
this procedure.

5. Turn on the external SCSI device and the E-IV.

6. Make sure your hard disk really is unformatted. Format­ting a hard disk erases all the data on it. Press the Disk
button. If the display does not show the external hard
disk icon, the hard disk is may be unformatted. Try
mounting the drives (Utilities, in the Disk Browser). Also
check that the SCSI ID is not set to 6 (E-IV's default).

7. Format the hard disk. While in the Disk Browser, press
the soft key Utils. A new line of options will appear.

8. Select Format. The display will warn that formatting
erases everything on the hard disk. Press the soft key OK
to continue.

9. The E-IV will format the hard disk drive. Formatting
takes a few minutes. The time will vary depending of the
capacity of the disk..

10. After formatting, the hard disk will appear in the disk
browser and is now ready to accept data. Use the left/
right cursor keys or the data entry control to select the
newly formatted hard drive. Use the function key under
Info… to get information about the new drive.

Instructions

General

- Tip: If the hard disk

is already formatted
with another file system,
you can use the Install
File System function
instead of formatting
the disk . See Disk
Utilities.

General Instructions 1-13

General

Instructions

- Tip: Use the “Mount

Drives” utility whenever
an external SCSI device
does not appear in the
display.

þTo Connect the E-IV to a Formatted SCSI Device

The E-IV will recognize and load from SCSI devices format­ted for EIII, EIIIX, Emax II, ESI-32 and Akai S1000/S1100.

1. Position the SCSI device and the E-IV in a stable loca­tion.

2. Important: Make sure that all power to the E-IV and the
SCSI device is turned OFF before you connect or discon­nect the SCSI cable.

3. Connect the SCSI device to your E-IV using a quality
SCSI cable. Make sure that the connectors are firmly
mated and that the wire “keepers” are locked in place.
The E-IV uses a 50-pin Centronics type connector.

4. Set the SCSI ID of your external SCSI device to any
number other than 6. (6 is the default ID of the E-IV,
although this number is user selectable. Master, Misc).
Consult the operation manual of your SCSI device for
this procedure.

5. Turn on the external SCSI device and the E-IV.

6. The SCSI device will appear as a new icon in the disk
browser screen.

1-14 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

Sampling Basics

Percussive

Sample

Instructions

General

Each vertical line

represents a sample.

Each sample takes

a "snapshot" of the

instantaneous signal level.

1 second

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 E-IV is conceptually like a tape recorder. However, the
recording process is very different since the E-IV digitally
records into its computer memory. Sounds for the E-IV can
be loaded via removable-media hard disk, magneto-optical
disk or CD-ROM using the SCSI interface; or they can be
sampled through the analog inputs or the AES/EBU digital
interface; or even through the MIDI interface using MIDI
Sample Dump.

General Instructions 1-15

General

Instructions

Computers can accept information only in the form of
numbers, so the E-IV 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 disc rate), and sequentially recording
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 two-second
sound were 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.

Advanced onboard sample editing processors such as Time
Compression/Expansion and Doppler allow you to manipu­late the sound in both time and space. Other digital proces­sors provide standard studio functions such as parametric
equalization, compression and exciter. Far more radical
transformations are possible using our exclusive Transform
Multiplication process.

Sounds can also be manipulated in real-time by filtering
or by modulating amplitude and pitch.

1-16 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

Definitions

How the E-IV Organizes Sounds

It is important to understand how the E-IV 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 E-IV as resembling a collection of
sound-organizing modules, all contained within the E-IV
bank. Pathways indicate how information flows within the
E-IV. 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. The Disk is the largest element in the
E-IV hierarchy; the Sample is the smallest element.

• Disk Drive - Floppy Disk, Hard Disks, CD-ROM Drives,
Optical Drives, etc.

• Folder - Used to group and organize collections of Banks.

• Bank - All samples voices and presets - Everything, that
resides in the E-IV's RAM (memory).

• Preset - One complete keyboard setup containing one or
more voices.

• Voice - One complete sound which contains one or more
samples with keyboard and velocity settings and all
programmable synthesizer parameters.

• Sample - An individual digital recording with a name,
sample rate and looping information.

Instructions

General

We’ll start with individual samples, then work our way
through the system.

General Instructions 1-17

General

Instructions

The Sample

Loading in any sound in mono or stereo creates a sample,
the raw material with which the E-IV 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 com-
plete sample. Confusing? You bet! In this manual, we’ll
assume sample means the complete recorded sound
unless indicated otherwise.

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.

• Sample Edit: In the E-IV, sample editing might consist of
Looping a sample (allowing even short samples to play
indefinitely), Truncating (cutting off unneeded parts of a
sample, thus saving memory), or any of a number of
digital processes that actually change the raw sample data.

Samples can also be named. It is usually a good idea to

name your samples with the original pitch as part of the
name so that you can place it on the keyboard later at the
proper pitch.

Voices

An Emulator IV voice is a complete sound which can be

assigned to a range of the keyboard. A sample is the sound­generating portion of a voice. You can think of a voice as a
complete instrument consisting of one or more samples,
which can then be used as a building block in constructing
more complicated presets. A voice consists of one or more
samples, a low-pass filter with resonance, a dynamic ampli­fier, three, 6-stage envelope generators, two multi-wave LFOs
and 16 modulation routings called “Cords” to connect
everything together.

In a typical scenario, you might record several samples of

an instrument (such as a piano), then place them into the
same voice. Normally these samples would be placed side by
side on the keyboard as in the diagram on the following
page. You assign the sample to a range by setting the original

1-18 E-mu Systems Emulator IV

HighOrigLow HighOrigLow

Original

Low

Key

Key

High

Key

S02 Piano D3 S03 Piano D5S01 Piano A0

Sample Sample Sample

key, (which is usually the original pitch of the sample) a
high key and a low key. The number of samples needed for a
realistic emulation varies with the instrument, but in gen­eral, “More is better”.

When a sample is taken, it is automatically placed into a
voice with one sample. You can then place the voice (and its
sample) on the keyboard.

Voice

Each Sample:

Orig. Key
Tune
Volume
Pan
Key Range/Fades
Velo Range/Fades

S01

S10

S02

Velocity Crossfade

S03 S05

S04

Positional
Crossfade

Instructions

General

Sample 01

Loop, Info,
Sample Rate

Sample 02

Loop, Info,
Sample Rate

Sample 03

Loop, Info,
Sample Rate

If more than one voice is assigned to the same range, then
pressing a key in that range will play all the voices assigned
to that range. Voices assigned to the keyboard can be
crossfaded by their position on the keyboard or the key
velocity. Voices can also be switched or faded depending on
the value of a realtime controller such as a modulation
wheel, an LFO or an envelope generator.

General Instructions 1-19