Ensoniq MR-61 User Manual

6 4 V o i c e E x p a n d a b l e S y n t h

M u s i c i a n ’ s M a n u a l

V e r s i o n 1 . 5 0

M R - R a c k M u s i c i a n ’ s M a n u a l :

Documentation Team: Robby Berman, Jonathan Coulton, Tom Tracy, Bill Whipple

Please record the following information: Your Authorized ENSONIQ Dealer:___________________________ Phone:_______________ Your Dealer Sales Representative:_________________________________________________ Serial Number of Unit:___________________________ Date of Purchase:_________________

Your Authorized ENSONIQ Dealer is your primary source for service and support. The above information will be helpful in communicating with your Authorized ENSONIQ Dealer, and provide necessary information should you need to contact ENSONIQ Customer Service. If you have any questions concerning the use of this unit, please contact your Authorized ENSONIQ Dealer first. For additional technical support, or to find the name of the nearest Authorized ENSONIQ Repair Station, call ENSONIQ Customer Service at (610) 647-3930 Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 12:15 PM and 1:15 PM to 6:30 PM Eastern Time. Between 1:15 PM and 5:00 PM we experience our heaviest call load. During these times, there may be delays in answering your call.

You can utilize ENSONIQ’s Automatic Fax Retrieval System to obtain further information about your MRRack and other ENSONIQ products. The Fax Retrieval System is available 24 hours a day at (800) 257-1439. If you’re connected to the Internet, visit ENSONIQ’s World Wide Web site at www.ensoniq.com for more information on the MR-Rack and other ENSONIQ products. CompuServe subscribers can also find ENSONIQ at GO ENSONIQ.

This manual is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by ENSONIQ Corp. This document may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form without prior written consent from ENSONIQ Corp. The MR-Rack software/firmware is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by ENSONIQ Corp. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the text and illustrations in this manual, no guarantee is made or implied in this regard.

IMPORTANT:

Note: This equipment has been designed and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the

interference by one or more of the following measures: * Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. * Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. * Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. * Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Changes or modifications to the product not expressly approved by ENSONIQ could void the user’s FCC

authority to operate the equipment.

CAUTION! Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or

equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to

manufacturer's instructions.

In order to fulfill warranty requirements, the MR-Rack should be serviced only by an Authorized ENSONIQ

Repair Station. The ENSONIQ serial number label must appear on the outside of the unit, or the ENSONIQ

warranty is void.

• ENSONIQ, MR-Rack are trademarks of ENSONIQ Corp.

Part # 9310 0191 01 - E Model # MM-130

I n s t a n t M R - R a c k !

The following is not a description of the only way to use the MR-Rack—it simply gets you down to the business of making music immediately. It doesn’t explain any of the whys and wherefores or discuss the many creative possibilities of the MR-Rack. The rest of this manual, however, does.

To Get Started

1. Turn the MR-Rack’s front-panel Volume knob down all the way.

2. Connect the MR-Rack’s Main Outs (the two jacks on the right when viewing the MR-Rack from the rear) to a mixer or stereo keyboard amplifier set to conservative levels, or connect a pair of stereo headphones to the MR-Rack’s front-panel Phones jack.

3. Connect the MIDI Out of your sequencer/interface/controller, etc. to the MRRack’s MIDI In.

4. Power up your sequencer/interface/controller, etc.

5. Connect the MR-Rack to a grounded AC outlet, using its supplied AC cord.

6. Power up the MR-Rack.

7. Bring up the MR-Rack’s Volume knob about halfway—you can adjust it later, after you start playing some music. Your display looks something like this:

pt01:§01 ROM:004:030 DEMO-SND: Dense Mist

You’re seeing the Sound selected for Part 01. The MR-Rack contains 16 Parts, which are currently set to MIDI channels 1-16. Try the Sound out, if you like, by setting your MIDI controller to transmit on MIDI channel 1.

To Change the Sound on This Part

1. Turn the Sound Type knob clockwise or counter-clockwise to select the type of Sound you want.

2. Turn the Sound Name knob in either direction to choose a particular Sound.

To Get to the Other 15 Parts (MIDI Channels 2-16)

• Press one of the Select Parts buttons to select another Part. The number of the Part you’re working on will be shown in the upper left-

hand part of the display.

To Mute a Part

• Select the Part you want to silence and press the Mute button. The button’s red LED will light, and the word “mute” will be displayed.

T e m p e r a t u r e G u i d e l i n e s

The MR-Rack contains a substantial amount of computerized and electronic circuitry that can be susceptible to damage when exposed to extreme temperature changes. When the MR-Rack is brought inside after sitting in a cold climate (i.e., the back seat of your car), condensation builds up on the internal circuitry in much the same way a pair of glasses fogs up when you come inside on a cold day. If the unit is powered up as this condensation occurs, components can short out or be damaged. Excessively high temperatures also pose a threat to the unit, stressing both the internal circuits as well as the case. With this in mind, it is highly advisable to follow these precautions when storing, mounting and setting up your MR-Rack:

• Avoid leaving the MR-Rack in temperatures of less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit or more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

• When bringing the MR-Rack indoors after travel, allow the unit at least 20 minutes to reach room temperature before powering up. In the case of excessive outdoor temperatures (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit), allow an hour or more before power up.

• Avoid leaving the MR-Rack inside a vehicle exposed to direct sunlight.

C l e a n U p a n d M a i n t e n a n c e

Clean the exterior of your MR-Rack with a soft, lint-free, dry (or slightly damp) cloth. You can use a slightly dampened cloth (with a mild neutral detergent) to remove stubborn dirt, but make sure that the MR-Rack is thoroughly dry before turning on the power. Never use alcohol, benzene, volatile cleaners, solvents, abrasives, polish or rubbing compounds.

R a c k M o u n t I n s t r u c t i o n s

The MR-Rack can be rack mounted in a standard 19” audio rack:

• The MR-Rack occupies one standard rack space (1 3/4”). We recommend the use of nylon washers when rack mounting any unit. This will protect the faceplate from any damage.

• If you’re using only two screws to mount your unit into a rack space (we don’t recommend this), we suggest that you support the bottom of the unit.

• You may want to install the MRRack into a rack using quickrelease screws. Quick release screws don’t require a screwdriver, so it’s easy to move things in and out of a rack. Four posts are screwed into the rack holes, the unit goes over the posts, and then knurled nuts are screwed on by hand.

P o l a r i z a t i o n a n d G r o u n d i n g

Like many modern electrical devices, your ENSONIQ product has a threeprong power cord with earth ground to ensure safe operation. Some products have power cords with only two prongs and no earth ground. To ensure safe operation, modern products with two-prong power cords have polarized plugs which can only be inserted into an outlet the proper way.

Three-prong

PolarizedNon-polarized

Some products, such as older guitar amplifiers, do not have polarized plugs and can be connected to an outlet incorrectly. This may result in dangerous high voltages on the audio connections, which could cause you physical harm or damage any properly grounded equipment to which they are connected, such as your ENSONIQ product.

To avoid shock hazards or equipment damage, we recommend the following precautions:

• If you own equipment with twopronged power cords, check to see if they are polarized or nonpolarized. You might consider having an authorized repair station change any nonpolarized plugs on your equipment to polarized plugs to avoid future problems.

• Exercise caution when using extension cords or plug adapters. Proper polarization should always be maintained from the outlet to the plug. The use of polarized extension cords and adapters is the easiest way to maintain proper polarity.

• Whenever possible, connect all products with grounded power cords to the same outlet ground. This will ensure a common ground level to prevent

with earth ground

equipment damage and minimize hum in the audio output.

AC outlet testers are available from many electronic supply and hardware stores. These can be used to check for proper polarity of outlets and cords.

A C L i n e C o n d i t i o n i n g

As with any computer device, the MR-Rack is sensitive to sharp peaks and drops in the AC line voltage. Lightning strikes, power drops, or sudden and erratic surges in the AC line voltage can scramble the internal memory, and in some cases, damage the unit’s hardware. Here are a few suggestions to help guard against such occurrences:

• A Surge/Spike Suppressor. The cheaper of the options, a surge/spike suppressor absorbs surges and protects your gear from all but the most severe over-voltage conditions. You can get multi-outlet power strips with built-in surge/spike suppressors for little more than the cost of unprotected power strips, so using one is a good investment for all your electronic equipment.

• A Line Conditioner. This is the best, but by far the more expensive way to protect your gear. In addition to protecting against surges and spikes, a line conditioner guards the equipment against excessively high or low line voltages. If you use the MR-Rack in lots of different locations with varying or unknown AC line conditions, you might consider investing in a line conditioner.

Table of Contents

Instant MR-Rack! Chapter 1—Welcome

Welcome!....................................................................................................................1

Getting Ready to Listen.............................................................................................1

Powering Up...............................................................................................................1

Choosing Sounds......................................................................................................2

Understanding the MR-Rack......................................................................................3

Sounds....................................................................................................................3

Parts........................................................................................................................3

Performances...........................................................................................................4

Choosing Performances on the MR-Rack............................................................4

Effects......................................................................................................................4

Drum Kits................................................................................................................5

Staks.......................................................................................................................5

SoundFinder™........................................................................................................5

How the MR-Rack’s Memory Works........................................................................5

ROM and RAM........................................................................................................6

ROM Cards..............................................................................................................6

SRAM Cards............................................................................................................6

EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards.......................................................................6

The MR-Rack Display.............................................................................................6

Playing the MR-Rack Demo.......................................................................................7

To Play the MR-Rack Main Demo........................................................................7

Playing Other Demos.................................................................................................7

To Play Other MR-Rack Demos...........................................................................7

Other Points of Interest.............................................................................................8

All Notes Off............................................................................................................8

The MR-Rack’s Battery...........................................................................................8

Battery Low Warning...........................................................................................8

If You Experience Odd Behavior.............................................................................9

To Perform A Soft Reset.......................................................................................9

To Perform a Standard Reinitialization..............................................................9

To Perform a Hard Reinitialization......................................................................9

Available Options for Your MR-Rack........................................................................10

Need More Help?.........................................................................................................10

Table of Contents

Chapter 2—Connections

Introduction...............................................................................................................13

To Get Ready..........................................................................................................13

What Connections Need to be Made?.....................................................................13

Making MIDI Connections.........................................................................................13

Using the MR-Rack with a Controller.....................................................................14

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................14

To Connect the MR-Rack.....................................................................................14

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................14

Using the MR-Rack with a Workstation.................................................................14

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................14

To Connect the MR-Rack.....................................................................................15

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................15

Using the MR-Rack with a Stand-Alone Sequencer...............................................15

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................15

To Connect the MR-Rack.....................................................................................16

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................16

Editing Sounds with the MR-Rack and a Computer..............................................16

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 1

Table of Contents

Sequencing with the MR-Rack, a Computer and a Controller..............................17

Using the MR-Rack with a Computer, Controller and MIDI Merger.......................18

Using the MR-Rack with a Computer, Controller and MIDI Patchbay..................19

Making Audio Connections.......................................................................................21

Making the Power Connection..................................................................................22

Powering Up............................................................................................................22

Confirming Your MIDI Connection...........................................................................23

To Verify that the MR-Rack is Receiving MIDI.......................................................23

Setting Volume Levels...............................................................................................24

Using the MR-Rack for General MIDI Music..............................................................25

Moving On.................................................................................................................25

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................16

To Connect the MR-Rack....................................................................................16

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................17

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................17

To Connect the MR-Rack....................................................................................17

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................18

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................18

To Connect the MR-Rack....................................................................................18

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................19

What You’ll Need.................................................................................................20

To Make Your MIDI Patchbay Connections........................................................20

Connecting the Rest of Your System..................................................................20

To Connect the MR-Rack’s AC Power..................................................................22

To Confirm that the MR-Rack is Responding to MIDI........................................24

Chapter 3—Personalizing Your System

Using the Global Pitch Bend Settings.......................................................................26

Global Pitch Bend Up and Down...........................................................................27

To Determine the Global Pitch Bend Up Range..................................................27

To Determine the Global Pitch Bend Down Range.............................................27

Setting the Global Pitch Bend Mode......................................................................27

To Determine the Global Pitch Bend’s Behavior................................................28

Retuning the MR-Rack..............................................................................................28

Fine Tuning the MR-Rack......................................................................................28

To Fine Tune the MR-Rack.................................................................................28

Using Pitch Tables..................................................................................................28

To Assign a Global Pitch Table...........................................................................29

To Assign a Part to a Special Pitch Table...........................................................29

Synchronizing the MR-Rack to MIDI........................................................................29

To Set the Global Tempo Clock as the Timing Reference...................................29

To Sync the MR-Rack’s Clock to an External MIDI Device.................................29

To Set the Global Clock Tempo...........................................................................30

Protecting Part Settings.............................................................................................30

To Protect Part Parameter Settings When New Sounds are Selected.................30

To Protect Part Parameters from Reset All Controllers MIDI Messages...............31

To Allow the Selection of New Sounds to Reset Part Parameter Settings..........31

To Allow Reset All Controllers Messages to Reset Part Parameter Settings.......31

Letting the MR-Rack Pick Your Chorus or Reverb....................................................31

To Let the MR-Rack Automatically Pick a Sound’s Chorus or Reverb...............32

To Protect Part Effect Bus Settings When a New Sound is Selected..................32

Using the MR-Rack’s Four Outputs..........................................................................32

Routing Sounds to Specific Outputs.....................................................................33

To Send a Part, Its Sound and Effect to the Desired Outputs...........................33

To Send a Part and Its Dry Sound to the Desired Outputs...............................33

Determining the Behavior of the Aux Outs...........................................................34

To Enable Automatic Aux Out Routing Based on Cabling................................34

To Use the Aux Outs with Permanently Connected Outputs...........................34

Auditioning Sounds on the MR-Rack.......................................................................35

To Set What’s Heard When the Audition Button is Pressed..............................35

Table of Contents — 2 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

Table of Contents

Waking up..................................................................................................................35

To Set How the MR-Rack Will Wake Up .............................................................36

Protecting the MR-Rack’s Memory.............................................................................36

To Enable the Write Protect Prompt....................................................................36

To Disable the Write Protect Prompt...................................................................36

Setting the Stak MIDI Channel.................................................................................37

To Set the Stak MIDI Channel............................................................................37

Adjusting Stak Coherence.........................................................................................37

To Perfectly Synchronize the Start of All Notes in a Stak..................................37

To Allow All Notes in a Stak to Start Normally...................................................38

Using MIDI Program Changes....................................................................................38

Changing Performances Via MIDI...........................................................................38

To Select New Performances With MIDI Program Changes.................................38

To Disable the Selection of Performances By Program Changes........................39

Setting the Global Reception of MIDI Bank Selects and Program Changes...........39

To Enable Reception of Bank Selects and Program Changes..............................39

To Disable Reception of Bank Selects and Program Changes.............................39

Responding to MIDI “Panic” Messages.......................................................................40

Setting the MR-Rack’s Response to Reset All Controllers MIDI Messages................40

To Set the Response to Reset All Controllers Messages......................................40

Setting the MR-Rack’s Response to All Notes Off MIDI Messages.............................40

To Set the MR-Rack’s Response to All Notes Off Messages.................................40

Using MIDI SysEx.......................................................................................................41

Enabling and Disabling System Exclusive Communication..................................41

To Enable or Disable SysEx Communication.....................................................41

Using SysEx Device IDs.............................................................................................41

To Set the MR-Rack’s SysEx Device ID Number..................................................41

Setting Up New Real-Time Controllers......................................................................42

To Set Up the Four System Controllers..............................................................42

Learning How Much RAM is Available for New Sounds...........................................43

To Find Out How Much Free Memory (RAM) is Available in the MR-Rack........43

Learning the Number of Banks on a Data Card........................................................43

To Learn How Many Banks are on the Currently Installed Card.......................44

Identifying Installed Wave Expansion Boards..........................................................44

To Identify an Installed Expansion Board..........................................................44

Using the MR-Rack to Play General MIDI Music.......................................................45

To Use the MR-Rack as a General MIDI Sound Module......................................45

To Set the MR-Rack to Power Up Ready for General MIDI Music.......................45

To Reset the MR-Rack for Use with Non-General MIDI Music............................46

MR-Rack General MIDI Details for the Curious......................................................46

Chapter 4—Parts

To Select a Performance.........................................................................................47

To Select a Part.......................................................................................................47

Choosing a Sound for a Part..................................................................................48

To Change Sounds on a Part..............................................................................48

A Note About Sounds and Effects..........................................................................49

To Designate a Part as the Insert Control Part...................................................49

Auditioning Sounds...............................................................................................49

To Audition a Sound...........................................................................................49

To Stop the Auditioning of a Sound...................................................................49

Editing Parts............................................................................................................49

Understanding Part Parameters.................................................................................51

The Two Kinds of Part Parameters.........................................................................51

Parts Parameters and Sounds.............................................................................51

When a Part Has Been Edited.................................................................................51

Working With an Edited Performance That Hasn’t Yet Been Saved......................51

To Recall an Edited Performance.........................................................................52

Saving a Performance.............................................................................................52

To Save a Performance........................................................................................52

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 3

Table of Contents

Saving a Part’s Sound............................................................................................53

The Structure of MR-Rack Sounds........................................................................55

How Sound-Related Part Parameters Work...........................................................55

Getting Back to Square One In a Flash....................................................................56

To Instantly Reset the MR-Rack’s Parts, Sounds, and Effects..............................56

Protecting Your Part Edits......................................................................................56

Muting and Soloing Parts.........................................................................................57

Mute........................................................................................................................58

Solo.........................................................................................................................58

Group Solo.............................................................................................................59

Setting a Part’s MIDI Channel...................................................................................60

Using Staks................................................................................................................61

Controlling a Part’s Loudness...................................................................................63

Adjusting a Part’s Stereo Positioning........................................................................64

Adding Effects to Part Sounds...................................................................................65

Routing a Non-Insert Control Part to an FX Bus via MIDI....................................65

Controlling a Part’s Pitch Bend Response.................................................................66

Retuning a Part.........................................................................................................67

Using Special Pitch Tables........................................................................................68

Determining Whether a Part’s Sound Will Glide......................................................69

Setting a Part’s Glide Time.....................................................................................70

Delaying Part Sounds...............................................................................................71

Customizing Part LFOs.............................................................................................71

Controlling the Shape of Part Sounds......................................................................74

To Save a Part’s Sound.......................................................................................53

To Set What Happens to Edits When New Sounds Are Selected.......................56

To Set the MR’s Response to Reset All Controllers Messages.............................57

About the Mute LED............................................................................................57

To Mute a Part.....................................................................................................58

To Un-Mute a Part...............................................................................................58

To Solo a Part......................................................................................................59

To Un-Solo a Part................................................................................................59

To Learn Whether Other Parts Were Already Muted..........................................59

To Group-Solo Parts...........................................................................................60

To Un-Solo a Part from a Group Solo.................................................................60

To Learn Whether Other Parts Were Already Muted..........................................60

To Set a Part’s MIDI Channel..............................................................................60

To Create a Stak..................................................................................................61

To Set a Part’s Maximum Volume.......................................................................63

To Adjust the Relative Loudness of a Part.........................................................63

To Invert a Part’s Response to Volume and Expression Values.........................64

To Set a Part’s Panning.......................................................................................65

To Route a Part to an Effect................................................................................65

To Set the Part’s Response To a Pitch Bend Wheel Pushed Forward................66

To Set the Part’s Response To a Pitch Bend Wheel Pulled Back........................67

To Re-Tune a Part by Octaves............................................................................67

To Re-Tune a Part by Semitones........................................................................67

To Fine-Tune a Part............................................................................................68

To Assign a Part to a Special Pitch Table...........................................................68

To Enable a Part’s Glide Mode From the MR-Rack’s Front Panel.......................69

To Disable a Part’s Glide Mode From the MR-Rack’s Front Panel.....................69

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Glide Mode via MIDI.............................................70

To Set a Part’s Glide Time...................................................................................71

To Set a Part’s Delay Time..................................................................................71

To Convert Sync’d LFOs and Noise to Normal LFOs and Noise........................72

To Set the Relationship of Sync’d LFOs and Noise to the System Clock..........72

To Change a Part Sound’s Normal (Unsynchronized) LFO Rates......................73

To Set a Part Sound’s LFO Depth......................................................................73

To Set a Part’s LFO Delay...................................................................................73

To Adjust the Attack Time of Notes in a Part.....................................................74

Table of Contents — 4 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

Table of Contents

To Adjust the Decay of Notes in a Part...............................................................74

To Adjust the Release of Notes in a Part.............................................................75

To Adjust the Filter Cutoff of a Part....................................................................75

To Adjust the Filter Attack of a Part....................................................................75

To Adjust the Filter Decay of a Part....................................................................76

To Adjust the Filter Release of a Part..................................................................76

To Adjust Amp and Filter Envelopes’ Velocity Sensitivity..................................77

Changing a Part’s Key Range.....................................................................................77

To Set a Part’s Keyboard Range..........................................................................77

To Create a Keyboard Split..................................................................................78

To Create a Split with Layered Regions..............................................................78

Setting Part Velocity Ranges.....................................................................................79

To Set a Part’s Velocity Window.........................................................................79

Isolating Velocity-Dependent Components of Sounds.............................................79

To Extract Favorite Velocity-Dependent Components of Sounds......................80

Setting a Part's Response To MIDI Pressure Messages..............................................80

To Set a Part’s Pressure Response.......................................................................80

Working with Program Changes and Bank Selects...................................................81

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Program Change Messages..............81

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Bank Select Messages......................81

Finding Out What Bank Select and Program Change Values to Send..................82

How to Select the Current Sound Via MIDI........................................................82

Enabling and Disabling Part Response to MIDI Controllers.....................................82

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Data Entry Messages.......................82

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Pitch Bend Messages.......................83

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Mod Wheel Messages.......................83

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Foot Pedal Messages........................83

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Volume Messages............................83

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Pan Messages..................................84

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Expression Messages.......................84

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Sustain/Sostenuto Messages.........84

Working With System MIDI Controllers....................................................................84

To Enable or Disable a Part’s Reception of Assigned System Controllers..........84

Editing Drum Kits......................................................................................................85

To Edit a Drum Kit You’ve Chosen for a Part.....................................................85

To Edit the Current Performance’s PerfEditKit....................................................86

Selecting a DrumKey for Editing.............................................................................87

To Select a DrumKey for Editing.........................................................................87

Changing the Source of a DrumKey’s Sound........................................................87

To Change the Sound Type Used by the Selected DrumKey..............................88

Changing a DrumKey’s Sound by its Sound Name...............................................88

To Change a DrumKey’s Sound By its Name......................................................88

Changing a DrumKey’s Sound by its Program Change Number............................89

To Change a DrumKey’s Sound By Program Change Number...........................89

Changing a DrumKey’s Volume..............................................................................89

To Change a DrumKey’s Volume.........................................................................90

Changing a DrumKey’s Panning............................................................................90

To Change a DrumKey’s Panning.......................................................................90

Changing a DrumKey’s Effect.................................................................................91

To Change a DrumKey’s Effect............................................................................91

Changing a DrumKey’s Tuning..............................................................................92

To Change a DrumKey’s Tuning.........................................................................92

Saving Your Edited Drum Kit Sound.....................................................................92

To Save Your Drum Kit as a New Sound............................................................92

Using RPNs and NRPNs to Edit Part Parameters........................................................94

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 5

Table of Contents

Chapter 5—Effects

Understanding the MR-Rack Effects..........................................................................95

Insert Effects...........................................................................................................96

Global Chorus........................................................................................................96

Global Reverb.........................................................................................................96

Dry..........................................................................................................................97

Understanding Effect Busses.....................................................................................97

The Insert Bus........................................................................................................97

The Chorus Bus.....................................................................................................97

The Three Reverb Busses.......................................................................................98

The Dry Bus...........................................................................................................98

Understanding the Special Alt. FX Bus..................................................................98

A Diagram of the MR-Rack Effects.............................................................................99

Working with the Insert Effect...................................................................................99

Using the Insert Control Part.................................................................................100

Editing the Insert Effect..........................................................................................101

Selecting an Insert Effect Preset.............................................................................102

Using the Insert FX Bus Input Mix.........................................................................103

Adding Global Reverb to the Insert Effect..............................................................104

Adding Global Chorus to the Insert Effect.............................................................105

Modulating the Insert Effect in Real Time..............................................................105

Choosing a Real-Time Insert Effect Modulator......................................................106

Verifying That Your Real-Time Controller Is Enabled...........................................107

Setting the Real-Time Insert Effect Modulation Reception Window.....................107

Setting the Insert Effect Parameter to be Modulated in Real-Time........................108

Setting the Allowable Amount of Real-Time Insert Effect Modulation..................109

Determining Which MR-Rack Outputs the Insert Effect Will Use..........................110

Working with the Global Chorus..............................................................................111

Selecting a Global Chorus Preset...........................................................................112

Using the Chorus Bus Wet/Dry Mix......................................................................112

Adding Reverb to the Global Chorus.....................................................................113

Adjusting the Global Chorus LFO Rate.................................................................114

Adjusting the Global Chorus Depth......................................................................115

Adjusting the Global Chorus Center......................................................................115

Adjusting the Global Chorus Spread.....................................................................116

The LightReverb Bus...........................................................................................98

The MediumReverb Bus......................................................................................98

The WetReverb Bus.............................................................................................98

To Designate a Performance’s Insert Control Part..............................................100

Using the Insert Control Part to Determine the Insert Effect..............................100

Using the Insert Control Part to Pick Insert Effects Via MIDI..............................100

To Edit the Insert Effect.......................................................................................101

To Manually Select an Insert Effect....................................................................101

To Select an Insert Effect Preset..........................................................................102

To Set the Insert FX Bus Wet/Dry Input Mix.....................................................103

To Add Global Reverb to the Insert Effect...........................................................104

To Add Global Chorus to the Insert Effect..........................................................105

To Assign a Real-Time Insert Effect Modulator...................................................107

To Confirm That Real-Time Controller Reception Is Enabled............................107

To Set the Insert Effect’s Modulation Reception Window..................................108

To Select an Insert Effect Parameter for Real-Time Modulation.........................109

To Set the Insert Effect Modulation Amount......................................................109

To Set the Insert Effect’s Output Routing..........................................................110

To Access the Global Chorus Parameters...........................................................111

To Select a Global Chorus Preset........................................................................112

To Set the Chorus FX Bus Wet/Dry Input Mix..................................................113

To Add Global Reverb to the Global Chorus......................................................113

To Adjust the Global Chorus LFO Rate..............................................................114

To Adjust the Global Chorus Depth...................................................................115

To Adjust the Global Chorus Center..................................................................116

Table of Contents — 6 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

Table of Contents

To Adjust the Global Chorus Spread..................................................................116

Adjusting the Global Chorus Phase.......................................................................117

To Adjust the Global Chorus Phase....................................................................117

Determining Which MR-Rack Outputs the Global Chorus Will Use.....................118

To Set the Global Chorus’s Output Routing......................................................118

Working with the Global Reverb................................................................................118

To Access the Global Reverb Parameters............................................................119

Selecting a Global Reverb Preset............................................................................119

To Select a Global Reverb Preset.........................................................................119

Setting Reverb Amounts for the Light, Medium and Wet Reverb Busses..............120

To Set the LightReverb Amount..........................................................................120

To Set the MediumReverb Amount.....................................................................121

To Set the WetReverb Amount............................................................................121

Setting the Global Reverb’s Volume.......................................................................122

To Set the Global Reverb Overall Volume..........................................................122

Setting the Global Reverb’s Decay Time................................................................122

To Set the Global Reverb’s Decay Time..............................................................123

Setting the Global Reverb’s High-Frequency Damping..........................................123

To Set the Global Reverb’s HF Damping.............................................................123

Setting the Global Reverb’s Brightness..................................................................124

To Set the Global Reverb’s HF Bandwidth..........................................................124

Setting the Global Reverb’s Diffusion....................................................................125

To Set the Global Reverb’s High-Frequency Diffusion.......................................125

To Set the Global Reverb’s Low-Frequency Diffusion........................................125

Setting the Global Reverb’s Definition...................................................................126

To Set the Global Reverb’s Definition.................................................................126

Determining Which MR-Rack Outputs the Global Reverb Will Use......................127

To Set the Global Reverb’s Output Routing.......................................................127

Working with Dry Sounds.........................................................................................128

To Set the Dry Bus’s Output Routing................................................................128

Bypassing Effects.......................................................................................................128

Bypassing and Un-Bypassing With the Effects Button.........................................129

To Bypass an Individual Effect Using the Effects Button...................................129

To Un-Bypass an Individual Effect Using the Effects Button.............................130

To Use the Effects Button Alone to Bypass All Effects at Once..........................130

To Use the Effects Button to Un-Bypass All Effects at Once..............................130

Bypassing and Un-Bypassing with the Bypass Parameter....................................131

To Bypass and Un-Bypass Effects With the Bypass Parameter..........................131

Quick Bypass of All Effects with the Bypass Parameter......................................132

Learning Which Effects are Bypassed When the Red Effects LED Is Lit.................132

To Easily Find Out Which Effects are Bypassed.................................................132

Chapter 6—Special Commands

The Four Special Commands....................................................................................133

To Abort a Command..........................................................................................133

Saving Commands.....................................................................................................134

Saving the Current Performance............................................................................134

To Save the Current Performance.......................................................................134

Saving the Current Effects Setup...........................................................................135

To Save the Current Effects Setup......................................................................135

Saving the Current PerfEditKit...............................................................................136

To Save the Current PerfEditKit..........................................................................136

Saving the Current Part’s Sound...........................................................................137

To Save the Current Part’s Sound......................................................................137

Dump Functions........................................................................................................139

Dumping the Current Performance........................................................................139

To Dump the Current Performance.....................................................................139

Dumping the Current PerfEditKit...........................................................................139

To Dump the Current PerfEditKit........................................................................140

Dumping the Current Part’s Sound.......................................................................140

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 7

Table of Contents

Dumping All RAM Performances............................................................................141

Dumping All RAM Sounds.....................................................................................141

Performing a System Parameters Dump.................................................................142

Sending SysEx Data Back to the MR-Rack............................................................143

Copy Functions.........................................................................................................143

Copying RAM Performances to a PCMCIA Card.....................................................143

Copying PCMCIA Card Performances to RAM........................................................144

Copying RAM Sounds to a PCMCIA Card..............................................................146

Copying PCMCIA Card Sounds to RAM.................................................................147

Initialize Functions...................................................................................................148

Initializing a Performance.......................................................................................148

Initializing an Effects Setup...................................................................................149

Initializing a PerfEditKit..........................................................................................150

Initializing a Part’s Sound......................................................................................151

Initializing RAM Performances...............................................................................152

Initializing RAM Sounds........................................................................................152

Initializing the System Setup.................................................................................153

Formatting a PCMCIA Card....................................................................................154

To Dump the Current Part’s Sound....................................................................140

To Dump All RAM Performances.........................................................................141

To Dump All RAM Sounds..................................................................................141

To Perform a System Parameters Dump.............................................................142

To Receive a SysEx Dump...................................................................................143

To Copy RAM Performances to a PCMCIA Card..................................................143

To Copy PCMCIA Card Performances to RAM.....................................................144

To Copy RAM Sounds to a PCMCIA Card...........................................................146

To Copy PCMCIA Card Sounds to RAM..............................................................147

To Initialize a Performance..................................................................................148

To Initialize an Effects Setup..............................................................................149

To Initialize a PerfEditKit.....................................................................................150

To Initialize a Part’s Sound.................................................................................151

To Initialize RAM Performances..........................................................................152

To Initialize RAM Sounds...................................................................................152

To Initialize the System Setup............................................................................153

To Initialize and Format a PCMCIA Card............................................................154

Chapter 7—Expanding the MR-Rack

Using PCMCIA Data Cards.........................................................................................156

Working With ROM PCMCIA Data Cards...............................................................156

To Install a ROM Data Card...............................................................................156

To Remove a ROM Data Card.............................................................................158

Accessing a ROM Card’s Sounds, Performances and Demos.............................158

Working With SRAM PCMCIA Data Cards.............................................................158

SRAM PCMCIA Cards and Batteries.......................................................................158

To Install the Battery in an SRAM PCMCIA Card...............................................158

To Install a New SRAM Data Card......................................................................159

To Initialize and Format a PCMCIA Card............................................................161

To Install an Already-Formatted SRAM Data Card............................................161

To Remove an SRAM Data Card.........................................................................162

Accessing an SRAM Card’s Sounds, Performances and Demos.........................162

Using ENSONIQ EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards..............................................162

An Important Note About Electro Static Discharge...............................................162

Installing and Removing Expansion Boards.............................................................163

How To Install an Expansion Board...................................................................163

How To Remove an Expansion Board................................................................164

To Identify an Installed Expansion Board..........................................................165

Updating the MR-Rack Operating System................................................................166

Learning the Version Number of Your MR-Rack Operating System......................166

To Find the Operating System............................................................................166

Table of Contents — 8 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

Table of Contents

Chapter 8—Insert Effect Parameters

List of MR-Rack Insert Effects....................................................................................168

List of Effect Modulators............................................................................................168

LFO Wave Shapes.....................................................................................................169

Distortion Curves......................................................................................................169

Insert Effect Parameters.............................................................................................170

Common Insert Effect Parameters...........................................................................170

Common Modulation Parameters...........................................................................170

Insert Effect Descriptions...........................................................................................170

01 Parametric EQ...................................................................................................170

02 Hall Reverb........................................................................................................171

03 Large Room.......................................................................................................171

04 Small Room.......................................................................................................171

05 Large Plate.........................................................................................................172

06 Small Plate........................................................................................................172

07 NonLinReverb1.................................................................................................173

08 NonLinReverb2.................................................................................................173

09 Gated Reverb.....................................................................................................174

10 Stereo Chorus...................................................................................................175

11 8-VoiceChorus..................................................................................................175

12 Rev→Chorus.....................................................................................................176

13 Rev→Flanger.....................................................................................................177

14 Rev→Phaser......................................................................................................178

15 Chorus→Rev.....................................................................................................179

16 Flanger→Rev.....................................................................................................180

17 Phaser→Rev......................................................................................................181

18 EQ→Reverb.......................................................................................................182

19 Spinner→Rev....................................................................................................183

20 DDL→Chorus....................................................................................................184

21 DDL→Flanger....................................................................................................185

22 DDL→Phaser.....................................................................................................186

23 DDL→EQ...........................................................................................................187

24 Multi-Tap DDL..................................................................................................188

25 Dist→Chorus.....................................................................................................189

26 Dist→Flanger.....................................................................................................190

27 Dist→Phaser......................................................................................................192

28 Dist→AutoWah.................................................................................................193

29 ResVCF→DDL....................................................................................................194

30 Dist→VCF→DDL................................................................................................195

31 Pitch Detuner....................................................................................................197

32 Chatter Box.......................................................................................................198

33 Formant Morph.................................................................................................199

34 RotarySpeaker...................................................................................................200

35 Tunable Spkr....................................................................................................202

36 Guitar Amp.......................................................................................................203

37 Dist→DDL→Trem..............................................................................................205

38 Comp→Dist→DDL.............................................................................................206

39 EQ→Comp→Gate..............................................................................................208

40 EQ→Chorus→DDL............................................................................................209

Chapter 9—Supplemental Information

List of SoundFinder Types........................................................................................211

Performance Types..................................................................................................211

Sound Types...........................................................................................................211

List of Wave Names and Classes...............................................................................213

What Is MIDI..............................................................................................................214

Life In The MIDI World............................................................................................214

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 9

Table of Contents

Understanding MIDI..................................................................................................214

MIDI Hardware........................................................................................................214

How MIDI Channels Work......................................................................................215

How MIDI Messages Work.......................................................................................216

The Art of MIDI.......................................................................................................217

What Is General MIDI................................................................................................217

General MIDI Sounds.............................................................................................217

General MIDI Drum Kits.........................................................................................217

Earning the Logo....................................................................................................217

General MIDI Sound Map..........................................................................................218

GM and GS Percussion Key Maps (Channel 10).......................................................219

MR-Rack MIDI Implementation.................................................................................221

MIDI Implementation Chart......................................................................................222

MIDI Controllers Reception Behavior........................................................................223

List of MIDI Controller Names...................................................................................224

Reset All Controllers (MIDI controller 121) Reception Behavior...............................225

Registered Parameters................................................................................................225

Non-Registered Parameters........................................................................................226

Registered and Non-Registered Parameters (RPN/NRPN)..........................................226

Universal Non-Real-Time SysEx General MIDI On/Off............................................227

Pitch Tables and the MIDI Tuning Standard Format...............................................228

List of ROM System Pitch Tables..............................................................................228

Using the MR-Rack Outputs.....................................................................................230

A Note About the Main and Aux Output Jacks....................................................230

Ground Compensated Outputs.............................................................................231

Using XLR Outs with the MR-Rack........................................................................231

Using Headphones with the MR-Rack....................................................................231

Troubleshooting the MR-Rack..................................................................................232

If the MR-Rack Doesn’t Play...................................................................................232

If You’re Hearing Sounds You Don’t Expect to Hear.............................................232

If You’re Seeing One Sound on the Display but Hearing Another.......................233

If You’re Selecting New Sounds But What You Hear Remains the Same.............234

If Sounds Are Behaving Unexpectedly...................................................................234

If the Sounds You’re Hearing Sound Unexpectedly Strange.................................235

If You’re Hearing Music You Don’t Expect to Hear................................................236

Sounds That You Expect to Hear Are Unexpectedly Silent..................................236

The MR-Rack is Not Responding to Program Changes or Bank Selects................237

You’re Trying to Modulate a Sound Via MIDI, But Nothing’s Happening............237

You’re Trying to Modulate an Effect Via MIDI, But Nothing’s Happening............238

Error/Informational Messages...................................................................................239

Storage Prompts and Messages.................................................................................239

The Unisyn MR-Rack Software.................................................................................241

Using the Unisyn Sound Editor................................................................................241

Getting Pre-Existing Standard Sounds From the MR-Rack Into Unisyn..............241

Creating New Standard Sounds or Editing Pre-Existing Sounds..........................242

Copying Layer Parameters......................................................................................242

Sending Standard Sounds From Unisyn to the MR-Rack.....................................243

Sound Editor Overview..........................................................................................244

Sound Settings.......................................................................................................245

Edit Context Parameters.........................................................................................246

Select Parameters...................................................................................................247

Pitch Parameters.....................................................................................................249

Wave Parameters....................................................................................................250

Sending the Aux Signals to the Headphones.....................................................231

To Route the Aux Signals to the Main Outputs

To Move a Standard Sound From the MR-Rack Into Unisyn............................241

To Prepare Unisyn for Sound Editing.................................................................242

To Copy Layer Parameters Within the Same Standard Sound.........................243

To Copy Layer Parameters Between Standard Sounds......................................243

To Send Sounds From Unisyn to the MR-Rack..................................................243

Table of Contents — 10 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

Table of Contents

Envelope 1 Parameters............................................................................................252

Filter Parameters.....................................................................................................254

Filter 1 Parameters..................................................................................................254

Filter 2 Parameters..................................................................................................255

Envelope 2 Parameters............................................................................................255

Amp Parameters......................................................................................................257

Envelope 3 Parameters............................................................................................258

LFO Parameters......................................................................................................260

Effect Parameters.....................................................................................................262

Using the Unisyn DrumKit Editor..............................................................................263

Getting Pre-Existing Drum Kit Sounds From the MR-Rack Into Unisyn...............263

To Move a Drum Kit Sound From the MR-Rack Into Unisyn.............................263

Creating New Drum Kit Sounds, Editing Pre-Existing Sounds with Unisyn.........263

To Prepare Unisyn for Drum Kit Sound Editing..................................................264

Sending Drum Kit Sounds From Unisyn to the MR-Rack.....................................264

To Send Drum Kit Sounds From Unisyn to the MR-Rack..................................264

DrumKit Editor Overview.......................................................................................265

DrumKey Parameters..............................................................................................265

Drum Kit Parameters..............................................................................................266

Using the Unisyn Perform (Performance) Editor........................................................267

Getting the Current Performance From the MR-Rack to Unisyn...........................267

To Move the Current MR-Rack Performance Into Unisyn...................................267

Creating New Sounds and Editing Pre-Existing Performances with Unisyn.........268

To Prepare Unisyn for Sound Editing..................................................................268

Sending a Performance From Unisyn to the MR-Rack...........................................268

To Send a Performance From Unisyn to the MR-Rack........................................268

Perform (Performance) Editor Overview..................................................................269

Part Assign Parameters...........................................................................................269

Part Pan Parameters...............................................................................................269

Part Volume Parameters.........................................................................................269

Part Edit (1/3) Parameters......................................................................................269

Part Edit (2/3) Parameters......................................................................................271

Part Edit (3/3) Parameters......................................................................................273

Reverb.....................................................................................................................274

Reverb Routing.......................................................................................................274

Reverb Params........................................................................................................275

Chorus....................................................................................................................275

Chorus Routing......................................................................................................275

Insert.......................................................................................................................276

Insert Routing......................................................................................................276

Output Assigns.......................................................................................................277

Glossary.....................................................................................................................278

How did we do?..........................................................................................................282

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual Table of Contents — 11

Table of Contents

Table of Contents — 12 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician’s Manual

We lc om e !

Congratulations on your purchase of the MR-Rack, and thank you for choosing ENSONIQ. We designed the MR-Rack with a single goal in mind: to create an easy-to-use box packed with great sounds. With ENSONIQ’s exclusive SoundFinder™, picking Sounds couldn’t be easier.

This chapter will show you how to find Sounds in the MR-Rack. It will also provide an easyto-understand conceptual overview of the MR-Rack, show you how to play the built-in demonstration songs, offer a few technical notes and provide you with some additional reading resources to help deepen your understanding of sound and MIDI.

Chapter 1—Welcome

Ch apt e r 1

We lc om e

Ge t t ing R e ady to List e n

The simplest way to listen to the MR-Rack is by using stereo headphones. Turn the frontpanel Volume knob all the way down and plug your headphones into the Phones jack. Turn the Volume knob up to a comfortable listening level once the MR-Rack starts making sound. The Phones jack output is designed to work with both low- and high-impedance headphones. Make sure you set the Volume knob carefully—high output volume levels could damage your hearing.

You may also use MR-Rack’s rear-panel Main Outs. If you’re connecting the MR-Rack to a mixer, turn the MR-Rack’s Volume knob all the way up for the best possible sound. Adjust the input trims on your mixer to set the MR-Rack to an appropriate level.

If you’d like to run the MR-Rack’s Main Outs through your home stereo, bear in mind that the MR-Rack is capable of producing a far greater dynamic range than what your system may be used to, and so, a little care is required. Turn the MR-Rack’s Volume knob to about 12 o’clock, and operate your stereo at conservative levels to be on the safe side.

There’s a more detailed description of how to connect the MR-Rack and set appropriate volume levels in “Setting Volume Levels” in Chapter 2 of the MR-Rack Musician’s Manual.

P ow e r ing U p

Once you’ve got a listening method established, you can power up the MR-Rack.

1. Plug the MR-Rack’s line cord into the line receptacle on its rear panel.

2. Connect the other end of the cable to a grounded AC outlet.

3. Press the Power button on the MR-Rack’s front panel.

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 1

Chapter 1—Welcome

Once the MR-Rack completes its power-up sequence, the display will look something like this:

You’re ready to start exploring the MR-Rack Sounds.

Note: If you’ve already customized the MR-Rack’s wake-up mode—as described in Chapter 3—press the Performance and Sound buttons simultaneously.

C hoosing Sounds

The MR-Rack’s SoundFinder™ makes choosing Sounds a snap!

1. Press the Sound button—its LED lights up.

2. Turn the left-hand Sound Type knob on the MR-Rack’s front panel clockwise or counter-clockwise.

pt01:§01 ROM:004:030 DEMO-SND: Dense Mist

Sound Type

SoundFinder™

As you turn the Sound Type knob, you’ll see different Sound categories appear in the lower left part of the MR-Rack’s display.

pt01:§01 RAM:005:021 VOCALS : Aaaahhhs

Sound Type

3. Find a Sound Type category that interests you.

4. Turn the Sound Name knob clockwise or counter-clockwise to choose a Sound of the selected type.

64 Voice Expandable Synth

SoundFinder™

Sound Name

2 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual

Sound names appear on the lower right-hand portion of the display.

pt01:§01 RAM:001:015 VOCALS :Airy Voices

5. To hear what a Sound sounds like, press the Audition button. A brief demo of the Sound will play. (You can change what plays when you press the Audition button—see “Auditioning Sounds on the MR-Rack” in Chapter 3.)

If you’ve already connected your MR-Rack to your MIDI set-up, you can set your controller to MIDI channel 1 and use it to play the Sound. You can also use MIDI program changes to select other Sounds. Chapter 2 shows how the MR-Rack can be wired into your rig.

U nde r st anding the M R - R ac k

The MR-Rack is easy to use, once you understand its simple internal structure. Here’s how it works.

Chapter 1—Welcome

Sound Name

Sounds

Sounds are the basic building blocks of the MR-Rack. They’re constructed from digital sound waves resident in the MR-Rack’s permanent memory.

If you’ve got a Macintosh or IBM-compatible computer, you can also create your own Sounds using the Unisyn editor ENSONIQ will supply to you when you send in your completed MR-Rack warranty card.

You can add additional Sounds by purchasing MRC Series Sound Cards and ENSONIQ EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards, which will be explained later in this chapter.

Parts

The MR-Rack can play 16 individual Sounds at once. Each Sound fits into one of 16 slots, called Parts. You can select any MR-Rack Sound for use by any Part.

Each Part can have its own MIDI channel, and provides options—called Part parameters—for controlling the behavior of the Part. Part parameters also offer tools that allow each Part to shape the Sound it uses. See Chapter 4 for details.

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 3

Chapter 1—Welcome

Performances

A collection of up to 16 Parts—including all the Sounds they contain and any of the alterations you’ve made to them, as well as a complete Effects setup—is called a Performance.

You can save Performances to the MR-Rack’s internal memory. This is useful for keeping track of the Sounds and settings for a particular song, project or live performance.

Choosing Performances on the MR-Rack

You can select the Performances in the MR-Rack in a manner very similar to the manner in which Sounds are selected.

1. Press the Performance button so that its amber LED lights.

2. Turn the Sound Type knob clockwise or counter-clockwise to choose the type of Performance you’d like.

3. Turn the Sound Name knob clockwise or counter-clockwise to pick an individual Performance.

Performances can also be selected via MIDI. See “Using MIDI Program Changes” in Chapter 3 for details.

Effects

The MR-Rack contains a powerful 24-bit effect processor that provides a wide range of Effects that can be applied to any Sound. Each Performance contains three types of Effects:

• an Effect that can be borrowed from one of the Sounds in the Performance, known as the Insert Effect.

• a Global Chorus

• a Global Reverb

To provide maximum flexibility, the MR-Rack offers six busses to these Effects:

• the Insert FX Bus

• the Chorus FX Bus

• the LightReverb FX Bus

• the MediumReverb FX Bus

• the WetReverb FX Bus

• the Dry FX Bus

Each bus has its own settings that determine how it will use the Effect—or Effects—it can access, as well as which rear-panel outputs it will ultimately utilize. Parts may be assigned to any one of the six busses. The bus settings and the Part assignments are saved with each Performance. For more information on Effects, see Chapter 5.

4 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual

Chapter 1—Welcome

Drum Kits

The MR-Rack contains a special category of Sounds called Drum Kit Sounds. Drum Kit Sounds allow you to have up to 64 non-Drum Kit Sounds assigned to individual keys. Though these are most commonly drum and percussion Sounds, you can use any kind of Sound you’d like in a Drum Kit. Each Drum Kit key has its own Volume, Pan, Tuning and Effect settings. You can use as many Drum Kits in a Performance as there are Parts. In addition, every Performance offers an editable Drum Kit, called the PerfEditKit, which you can customize and save as a Drum Kit Sound that you can use again. Drum Kits are described fully in “Editing Drum Kits” Chapter 4.

Staks

The MR-Rack features an innovative device called a Stak, which is used for grouping Sounds together on a single MIDI channel. Staks make it easy to create layered Sounds and keyboard splits. Every Performance provides one Stak, which is created by assigning Parts to the designated Stak MIDI channel.

Staks provide a number of improvements over the traditional method of stacking or splitting Sounds assigned to a common MIDI channel. In conventional layers and splits, a program change sent over the common MIDI channel would set all of the layered or split Sounds to the same program number, ruining your carefully chosen sound selection—Staks, on the other hand, are program-change proof. The Stak MIDI channel can also be changed with a single adjustment, sparing you the work of reassigning every layered or split component individually, should you need to change the channel you want to use. And since the Stak MIDI channel is a global setting, you can easily access Staks in ROM Performances without having to copy the Performance into RAM.

For more information on Staks, see “Using Staks” in Chapter 4.

SoundFinder™

SoundFinder™ is an exclusive ENSONIQ feature that makes it simple to find the Sounds and Performances you want. Computer users may be familiar with databases, which allow you to view information in a manner of your choosing. SoundFinder™ operates in much the same way. The MR-Rack keeps a list of all the Sounds and Performances available to it at any given time, and shows them to you in logical, musically convenient categories called Sound Types and Performance Types.

Sound Types let you view Sounds by instrument family—Vocals or Bells, for example—or by a number of other useful criteria, including the location in the MR-Rack’s memory where they reside. The ALL-SND category is especially useful, since it shows all of the MR-Rack’s Sounds arranged in alphabetical order. If you program your own sounds, you can store them in the USER-SND or *CUSTOM SoundFinder categories.

Performance Types allow you to view Performances according to where in the MR-Rack they reside.

How the MR-Rack’s Memory Works

Sounds and Performances are stored in memory locations called banks. Each bank may store up to 128 Sounds—depending on how much memory each Sound requires—and 32 Performances. The MR-Rack is designed to access up to 128 banks. Banks may reside in the MR-Rack’s internal memory or on PCMCIA data cards and ENSONIQ EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards you can purchase separately.

Banks become most important when using MIDI Program Changes to select Sounds and Performance. Each Sound or Performance is invoked with a Bank Select message—which tells the MR-Rack where the Sound or Performance resides—and a Program Change

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 5

Chapter 1—Welcome

message, which pinpoints the Sound or Performance itself.

Tip: When you’d like to know the necessary Bank Select and Program Change for a Sound you’ve currently got selected, press the Sounds button and consult the upper right-hand corner of the MR-Rack’s display: the pair of three-digit numbers tell you, first, the Bank Select and, second, the Program Change required for that Sound. To learn a Performance’s Bank Select and Program Change, press the Performance button—the Performance display shows Bank Select and Program Change information in the same manner as the Sound display.

ROM and RAM

ROM (“Read Only Memory’”) and RAM (“Random Access Memory”) are the two areas within the MR-Rack’s internal memory where Performances and Sounds are stored in banks.

Performances and Sounds saved into ROM memory are permanent and unalterable—these Performances and Sounds are always available. (You can edit them using the MR-Rack’s Part parameters, and then save the edited versions to non-ROM memory locations.)

Performances and Sounds you edit or create are saved into the MR-Rack’s RAM memory bank. RAM can be used over and over again, and, therefore, Performances and Sounds stored in RAM can be edited, re-saved or erased, as you wish.

ROM Cards

The Data Card slot on the MR-Rack’s front panel allows you to add new Sounds and Performances to the MR-Rack through the purchase of ENSONIQ’s MRC Series Sound Cards. These PCMCIA ROM cards are inserted into the Data Card slot on the MR-Rack’s front panel. The Sounds and Performances on these cards are permanent. (You can use the various Part parameters to customize them, and then save the edited versions to the MRRack’s RAM memory.)

SRAM Cards

The Data Card slot on the MR-Rack’s front panel also allows you to add additional RAM memory banks through the purchase of SRAM PCMCIA cards, such as ENSONIQ’s MC-512 card. These cards are great for storing your own MR-Rack Sounds and Performances.

EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards

The MR-Rack can be upgraded to hold more digital sound waves and more Sound and Performance banks with the installation of ENSONIQ EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards. EXP Boards are mounted inside the MR-Rack’s case—you can easily install them yourself!

For more details, see “Using ENSONIQ EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards” in Chapter 7.

The MR-Rack Display

The MR-Rack’s display has been designed to provide you with all the information you’ll need as you use the MR-Rack. The display will change as you perform different tasks, since what you’ll need to know at any given time will vary depending on what you’re doing. Each chapter in the MR-Rack Musician’s Manual contains an introductory section describing how the display will function in that chapter’s context.

P laying the M R - R ac k D e m o

The MR-Rack can play special demonstration songs to give you an idea of how terrific it sounds.

6 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual

Chapter 1—Welcome

To Play the MR-Rack Main Demo

1. Press the Audition button, and hold it down.

2. While still holding Audition, press the Save button.

3. Let go of both buttons. In an unexpanded MR-Rack, the display shows:

Hit ENTER to Play: MAINDEMO:MR Internal

If you’ve installed any Expansion boards or a ROM card containing MAINDEMO-type demonstration songs, your display will differ. Turn the Value knob counter-clockwise until the display looks as it does above.

Note: When MR-Rack demos are being viewed or playing, MIDI In is disabled.

4. Press Enter to play the demo.

5. Press Enter again to stop the demo.

6. When you’re done listening to the demo song, press Exit to return to normal MR-Rack operation.

Note: When you press Exit after selecting and/or listening to the MR-Rack’s demos, three System parameters are reset if the MR-Rack’s WakeUpMode System parameter is set to Demo: the AutoSelect FXBus and Part Param Reset parameters are set to On, and the Perf ProgChgRecv parameter is set to Off (see Chapter 3 if you’d like more information on these System parameters).

P laying Ot he r De m os

ROM data cards, wave expansion boards and future operating systems can provide additional demos for your MR-Rack.

To Play Other MR-Rack Demos

1. Press the Audition button, and hold it down.

2. While still holding Audition, press the Save button.

3. Let go of both buttons.

4. Turn the left-hand Sound Type knob to select a demo type.

Hit ENTER to Play: WORLD : Paddy&Pals

Demo Type

The demos you see may differ from the demos shown here.

Note: When MR-Rack demos are being viewed or playing, MIDI In is disabled.

5. Turn the right-hand Sound Name knob to choose a demo.

Hit ENTER to Play: AMBIENT : MR Trance

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 7

Chapter 1—Welcome

6. Press Enter to play the demo.

7. Press Enter again to stop the demo.

8. When you’re done listening to the demo songs, press Exit to return to normal MR-Rack operation.

Ot he r P oint s of In te r e st

All Notes Off

When using MIDI equipment, there are occasions when your system may get confused. This can cause a barrage of notes to sound which will continue until you do something to stop them. The MR-Rack provides an All Notes Off button, which you can double-click (press two times quickly) to silence these unwanted notes. You'll find it to the right of the MR-Rack’s display. Think of the All Notes Off button as a “panic button.”

Demo Name

All Notes Off

Audition

The MR-Rack’s Battery

The MR-Rack “remembers” Sounds, Performances and its various settings even when its power is turned off, since it contains a battery which keeps its memory intact. All batteries eventually become discharged, and though your MR-Rack battery should last for years, you may eventually need to have it replaced by an Authorized ENSONIQ Repair Station.

Battery Low Warning

The MR-Rack will tell you when its battery needs replacing. It will flash the following when you power up:

Sorry! Main battery is low. See manual.

8 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual

Chapter 1—Welcome

This display will appear only briefly, and then allow you to proceed normally. Make sure that everything in RAM that you’d like to keep—or any special System settings—has been safely stored on a Data Card or external MIDI storage device, and take the MR-Rack to an Authorized ENSONIQ Repair Station as soon as possible to have the battery replaced.

For more about saving MR-Rack data, see Chapter 6.

If You Experience Odd Behavior

If your MR-Rack is behaving peculiarly—for instance, the display is showing characters that shouldn’t be there, or you’re experiencing surprising Unexpected Event messages—a soft reset may cure the problem. There are three special procedures you can try:

• A soft reset is similar to turning the MR-Rack’s power off and then on again. This procedure doesn’t erase or adversely affect the contents of the MR-Rack’s memory.

• A reinitialization procedure clears out the MR-Rack’s internal memory, including any system data corruption. Reinitializing erases the contents of the MR-Rack’s internal memory. This means that any Performances, Sounds, Effect set-ups or PerfEditKits stored in RAM will be lost. If you decide to reinitialize, try saving any items you want to preserve to a Data Card or via MIDI SysEx (see Chapter 6 for details).

• A hard reinitialization procedure performs a very deep-level reinitialization of the MRRack. This means that any Performances, Sounds, Effect set-ups or PerfEditKits stored in RAM will be lost. If you decide to reinitialize, try saving any items you want to preserve to a Data Card or via MIDI SysEx (see Chapter 6 for details). This procedure should be used in cases when the MR-Rack’s front-panel buttons, for some reason, don’t allow you to perform a standard reinitialization.

To Perform A Soft Reset

1. Press and hold down the Save button.

2. While still holding Save, press the Exit button. If performing a soft reset doesn’t end the strange occurrences, you may need to

reinitialize the MR-Rack. Make sure that everything in RAM that you’d like to keep—or any special System settings—has been safely stored on a Data Card or external MIDI storage device before you reinitialize, since reinitialization will clear the MR-Rack’s internal memory.

To Perform a Standard Reinitialization

Make sure that everything in RAM that you’d like to keep—or any special System settings—has been safely stored on a Data Card or external MIDI storage device before you reinitialize, since reinitialization will clear the MR-Rack’s internal memory.

1. Press and hold down the Save button.

2. While still holding Save, press the Enter button.

3. Let go of both buttons.

4. Press the Enter button again to perform the reinitialization

To Perform a Hard Reinitialization

1. Using its front-panel Power switch, turn the MR-Rack’s power off. The hard reinitialization process is performed by switching the MR-Rack off and on

eight times in rapid succession. Use the following technique:

2. Turn the MR-Rack’s power back on just until the display flickers on, then shut if off again, then immediately back on—do this eight times.

If reinitializing the MR-Rack fails to correct the problem, contact an Authorized ENSONIQ Repair Station.

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 9

Chapter 1—Welcome

A vailable Opt ions f or Your M R - R ac k

These optional accessories are available from your Authorized ENSONIQ Dealer:

• EXP Series Wave Expansion Boards — a user-installable board for Sound memory expansion. Each EXP Board contains 256 ROM Sounds, up to 24 MB of wave ROM, with Performances and demos. The MR-Rack can have up to three different EXP Wave Expansion Boards.

• ROM Card — a PCMCIA type ROM card containing 256 ROM Sounds, and 32 ROM Performances

• SRAM Card, including ENSONIQ’s MC-512 Card — a PCMCIA type SRAM card containing a variable number of banks of Sounds and Performances. The number of banks on a card depends on the size of the card. Each bank is equal in size to the base unit RAM, and can hold the same number of Sounds (up to 128 RAM Sounds per bank) and Performances (128 RAM Performances per bank). The number of RAM Sounds depends on the number of layers in each Sound.

N e e d M or e He lp?

Whether you’re an aspiring programmer looking for additional information about basic effect processing techniques and MIDI theory, or a professional sound engineer working with advanced applications, you may want more detailed information beyond the scope of this manual. The following books can help enhance your understanding of effect processing, MIDI, and related topics. These, in addition to the numerous monthly magazines, provide a wealth of information. While we don’t endorse any one of these publications, we offer this partial list as a resource for you to draw on.

The Mix Bookshelf

For prices and more information call: (800) 233-9604

MIDI

BECOMING A COMPUTER MUSICIAN, Jeff Bowen MAKING MUSIC WITH YOUR COMPUTER, David (Rudy) Trubitt, Ed. MIDI: A COMPREHENSIVE INTRODUCTION, Joseph Rothstein MIDI XPLAINED, Steinberg/Jones THE MIDI MANUAL, David Huber UNDERSTANDING MIDI, David Wills WHAT’S MIDI?, Jon Eiche

RECORDING

IMPROVING YOUR SIGNAL PROCESSING SKILLS, (cassette & manual) Bill Gibson MASTER HANDBOOK OF ACOUSTICS, F. Alton Everest MODERN RECORDING TECHNIQUES, Huber & Runstein SOUND REINFORCEMENT HANDBOOK, Davis & Jones

SYNTHESIS

FUNDAMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES OF THE SYNTHESIZER, Errol G. Specter SYNTHESIZER PERFORMANCE, Jeff Pressing WHAT’S A SYNTHESIZER?, Jon Eiche

VIDEOS

SHAPING YOUR SOUND, (video series) Tom Lubin

Alfred Publishing Company

For prices and more information call (818) 891-5999

10 ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual

MIDI

ADVANCED MIDI APPLICATIONS, GPI BASIC MIDI APPLICATIONS, GPI WHAT IS MIDI?, GPI

Hal Leonard Publishing

For prices and more information call (414) 774-3630

MIND OVER MIDI, GPI TUNING IN: MICROTONALITY IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC, Scott R. Wilkinson

Monthly Magazines

The following magazines offer many specific articles and columns that can provide additional information.

THE TRANSONIQ HACKER

For prices and more information about this independent news magazine for ENSONIQ Users, call (503) 227-6848

KEYBOARD

For subscription rates and more information call (800) 289-9919

Chapter 1—Welcome

ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN

For subscription rates and more information call (800) 888-5139

HOME & STUDIO RECORDING

For subscription rates and more information call (818) 407-0744

MIX

For subscription rates and more information call (800) 888-5139

For subscription rates and more information call (212) 213-3444

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 11

Int r oduc t ion

The MR-Rack is an outstanding addition to any MIDI set-up. This chapter describes how to connect the MR-Rack in some of the most popular MIDI environments.

The key to setting up any MIDI system is to approach the process in an orderly, methodical manner. As each cable or wire is added, the system grows in complexity. If you have a firm grasp of what’s connected, and where, you’ll find managing your rig to be much more pleasant. As you add more gear—or troubleshoot—the extra care you take now will pay off in the ease with which you’ll be able to adapt your system to future needs.

Chapter 2—Connections

Ch apt e r 2

Con ne ct i ons

To Get Ready

It’s always good policy to turn everything off—and all volume settings down—before you wire equipment together. This protects you and your gear from unwelcome surprises.

1. Turn the volume off for each piece of equipment you plan to include in your set-up.

2. Turn down any mixer faders or other volume controls for the sound system you’re using.

3. Turn off the power for everything being included in your set-up.

What Connections Need to be Made?

In any MIDI system, there are three types of connections to be made:

• MIDI connections

• Audio connections

• Power connections

M aking MID I C onne c t ions

The MR-Rack will communicate with the rest of your equipment via MIDI. The nature of these connections and the number of MIDI cables you’ll need varies, depending on your setup. Each system has its own needs, which we’ll explain in the individual set-ups in this chapter.

The MIDI set-ups described in “Making MIDI Connections” are:

• Using the MR-Rack with a controller

• Using the MR-Rack with a workstation

• Using the MR-Rack with a computer/stand-alone sequencer

• Editing Sounds with the MR-Rack and a computer

• Sequencing with the MR-Rack, a computer and a controller

• Using the MR-Rack with a computer, a controller and a merger

• Using the MR-Rack with a computer, a controller and a MIDI patchbay

If you’ve got questions about MIDI itself, or any of the terms above, consult the Glossary or “What Is MIDI?” sections of Chapter 9.

ENSONIQ MR-Rack Musician's Manual 1

Chapter 2—Connections

Even if your plans for the MR-Rack differ from the scenarios described in this chapter, you’re likely to find the set-ups you’ll find here useful as starting points for your own system design.

Using the MR-Rack with a Controller

The MR-Rack can be used as a sound source with any type of MIDI controller. This includes MIDI keyboards, MIDI drum pads or triggers, MIDI guitars, or anything else a musician might play which sends out MIDI data.

What You’ll Need

• A single MIDI cable.

• Stereo headphones, for verifying your connections

To Connect the MR-Rack

1. Connect one end of your MIDI cable to your controller’s MIDI Out.

2. Connect the other end to the MR-Rack’s MIDI In.

Note: If your set-up utilizes a MIDI patcher, consult your patcher’s documentation to learn how to set up the equivalent of this MIDI connection, or see “Using the MRRack With a Computer, Controller and MIDI Patchbay” later in this chapter.

Connecting the Rest of Your System

Now that you’ve made the MIDI connections between your controller and the MR-Rack, skip ahead to “Making Audio Connections” later in this chapter.

Using the MR-Rack with a Workstation

A workstation is a MIDI instrument with a keyboard, a sequencer, built-in synthesizer or sampler, effects processor and disk drive or memory card. Adding an MR-Rack vastly expands the workstation’s sonic palette and provides 64 voices of added polyphony. The MRRack can be played via MIDI from a workstation’s keyboard, or addressed by its sequencer.

Often, a workstation’s disk drive can be used to archive the memory contents of external devices—such as the MR-Rack—through the “dumping” of MIDI System Exclusive (SysEx) data. (If you’d like to know more about SysEx, see the Glossary and “What Is MIDI?” in Chapter 9.) Consult your workstation’s manual to see if yours can receive MIDI SysEx dumps—if not, you can simply skip the MIDI connection which would run from the MRRack back to your workstation. To learn how to perform a SysEx dump from the MR-Rack, see Chapter 6.

What You’ll Need

• Two MIDI cables

• Stereo headphones, for verifying your connections

To Connect the MR-Rack

1. Connect one end of a MIDI cable to your workstation’s MIDI Out.

2. Connect the cable’s other end to the MR-Rack’s MIDI In.

3. Connect one end of the other MIDI cable to the MR-Rack’s MIDI Out.

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