Generalmusic Equinox User Manual

IMPOR TANT

Read Befor e U sing Keyboard!

Congratulations on your purchase of the new Equinox Synthesizer Workstation from
Generalmusic. This instrument is equipped with cutting edge Flash ROM memory, so that your
new keyboard can be permanently updated by disk with the latest operational advantages and
new features. It is important that you f ollow the procedur e below before using your instrument
for the first time to ensure that the instrument functions properly. Check with your au thorised
Generalmusic dealer for exciting new features to load in your Flash ROM in the future.

STEP 1

STEP 2

FINAL STEP

With the instrument turned OFF, insert the Generalmusic Equinox
Operating System Disk included in your materials packet into the disk

drive. After you have inserted the disk, turn the instrument ON.
You will see a message in the instrument display screen that says:

Loading OS-DISK clears ALL MEMORY!! <Enter to Load/Escape to
abort>

Press ENTER and wait about 3 minutes for the new Operating System

to load. When the new system has finished loading, you will see the
following message in the instrument display screen:

Loading Successful!! <Enter to continue>

At this time, Press ENTER again and the instrument will proceed
through the normal operating display screens. You can now Turn

OFF the instrument in preparation for the final step listed below.
IMPORTANT: REMOVE THE OPERATING SYSTEM DISK BE­FORE PROCEEDING TO THE FINAL STEP!

As you turn the instrument ON, KEEP ROTATING THE DIAL until
the following message appears in your display screen:

!!WARNING!! Dial on Power-Up Requests Memory Clear!!
<Enter to clear/Escape to abort>

Press ENTER. You have now completed the

update process, and your Generalmusic Equinox
has been permanently upgraded.

Note: There may be a Battery Warning message when you initially turn on the instrument.
This message will not appear after the instrument has been plugged in and turned ON for a
few hours. During this time, the internal battery that holds new information in memory
will recharge. For now, just press ENTER or ESCAPE to continue on if the message appears
when you power-up the instrument.

271221

Owner’s manual

Cod. 271221 English

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO
USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude
to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation mark within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the product.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING T O A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK OR INJUR Y T O PERSONS

1. Read all the instructions (Safety, Installation and FCC if applicable) before using the product.

2. Do not use this product near water (example, near a swimming pool, spa, tub, sink or wet basement) and do not expose to

rain.

3. This product should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer, or should be used with the

components supplied. If this product requires assembly before being played, take special care to follow the assembly
instructions found at the back of the manual.

4. This product, whether alone or in combination with an amplifier and headphones or speakers, may be capable of producing

sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. Do not operate for long periods of time at a high volume level or at a
level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.

5. WARNING: Do not place this product or any other objects on the power cord, or place it in a position where one could walk

on, trip over or roll anything over power or connecting cords of any kind.

6. This product should be located so that its location does not interfere with its proper ventilation.

7. This product should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, or other products that produce heat.

8. This product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on

the product.

9. This product may be equipped with a polarised line plug (one blade wider than the other). This is a safety feature. If you are

unable to insert the plug into the wall outlet, contact an electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety
purpose of the plug.

10. The power supply cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for long periods of time.

11. Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.

12. This product should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:

a) the power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
b) objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the product; or
c) the product has been exposed to rain; or
d) the product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits marked changes in performance; or
e) the product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.

13. Do not attempt to service the product beyond that described in the user-maintenance instructions. All servicing should be

referred to qualified service personnel.

14. Some products may have benches and/or accessory mounting fixtures that are either supplied as part of the product or as

optional accessories. Please ensure that benches are correctly assembled and stable and any optional fixtures (where
applicable) are well secured before use.

15. Electromagnetic Interference (RFI) This electronic product utilises digital sample wave processing technology (S.W.P.) that

may adversely affect radio/TV reception. Read the FCC note on the inside back cover of the owner’s manual for additional
information.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

The information in this publication has been carefully prepared and checked. The manufacturers however decline all liability for
eventual errors. All rights are reserved. This publication may not be copied, photocopied or reproduced in part or in whole without prior
written consent from Generalmusic S.p.A. Generalmusic reserves the right to apply any aesthetic, design or function modifications
it considers necessary to any of its products without prior notice. Generalmusic declines all liability for damage to property or persons
resulting from improper use of the instrument.
Make sure that all internal electronic options are installed by an authorized Generalmusic service technician. Check with an authorized
Generalmusic dealer for information on the closest service center.

Copyright Generalmusic © 1998. All rights reserved.

Products and brand names that are referred to in this publication (Akai, Apple, Ensoniq,Emu, IBM,Jaz, Kurzweil, Macintosh, Microsoft,
MS-DOS, Roland, Sample Vision, Windows, Zip) may either be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
The Publisher/s and Author/s make no claim to these trademarks.

Contents

QUICK GUIDE

USER GUIDE

Introduction i
The Owner’s Manual ii

Front Panel layout 2
Rear Panel (Connections) 5
Setting up and getting to know the instrument 6
Connecting a set of headphones 6
Connecting to an amplification system 6
Turn on the power 7
Adjust the volume 7
Connect the pedals 7
Using the wheels 8
Using Aftertouch 8
Playing with or without the effects 9
Transposing the instrument up or down 9
Using the Solo button 10
The basics of Equinox 11

1 • SOUND MODE 1. 2

Sound Families 1. 2
Drum Kits and Drum Sounds 1. 3
Selecting Sounds 1. 4
Moving Between Families 1. 6
Editing and changing Sounds 1. 6
Quick Edit - (using the Sliders) 1. 8
Storing Sounds 1. 11
User sound locations 1. 11
Mirror locations 1. 12
Advanced Edit - (using the Menus) 1. 13
Wave Menu 1. 14
Layers 1. 14
Layer 1. 15
Waveform 1. 16
Volume 1. 16
Amp. Envelope 1. 16
Filter 1. 17
Pitch Envelope 1. 18
L.F.O 1. 19
Pan 1. 20
Control Menu 1. 22

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Contents a

Effects Menu 1. 24
Effects functions 1. 25
Other Menu 1. 27

2 • PERFORMANCE MODE

Parts List 2. 2
Parts Menu 2. 2
The Parts List functions 2. 4
Part selection 2. 6
Mixer Menu 2. 7
Effects Menu 2. 8
Other Menu 2. 9

3 • DRUM MODE

Editing a Drum Kit 3. 2
Bank / Prog 3. 2
Volume 3. 2
Pan 3. 2
Transpose / Tuning 3. 3
Filter 3. 3
Exclude 3. 3
Reverb / Profx Send 3. 3
Audio Out 3. 3
Dynamic Switch 3. 4
Copy button 3. 5
Expand button 3. 5
Compare button 3. 5
Restore button 3. 6
Control, Effect and Other 3. 6
Storing your new Drumkit 3. 6

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b Contents

4 • SAMPLE MODE

Sample Mode -Playback/Edit 4. 2
Sample Translator 4. 3
Assigning Samples 4. 5
Other assign functions 4. 7
Editing Samples 4. 8

5 • DRAWBAR MODE

Function buttons 5. 2
Type Menu 5. 2
Setup Menu 5. 3
Effects Menu 5. 4
Split Menu 5. 5
Storing Drawbar settings 5. 6
Copying Drawbars to Performances 5. 6

6 • ARPEGGIATOR

Edit Menu 6. 2

7 • GROOVES

Groove Library 7. 1
Groove Patches 7. 3
Creating a Groove Patch 7. 4
Storing your Groove Patch 7. 7
Transposing a Groove in real time 7. 8
Shuffle 7. 9
Editing single Grooves 7. 11
Groove Lab 7. 13

8 • DISK

Understanding the RAMFILE 8. 2
Save 8. 2
Load 8. 6
Utilities 8. 8

9 • SYSTEM 1

Controls 9. 2
Tune 9. 4
Master 9. 6
Other 9. 8

10 • MIDI

Stnth Menu 10. 2
Seq. Menu 10. 3
Master Menu 10. 4
Dump Menu 10. 7

11 • SEQUENCER

Recording a sequence - the basics 11. 2
Changing sounds and volume levels 11. 4
Navigating around your song 11. 5
Exiting and re-entering RECORD MODE 11. 5
Recording another song 11. 6
Record Mode functions 11. 7
Playback/Edit Mode functions 11. 10
The “UNDO” button 11. 11
Edit Menu 11. 12
Creating a groove from a song 11. 23
Events 11. 24
Using the Event list 11. 30
Editing Events in the list 11. 32
Master Menu 11. 41
Option Menu 11. 41

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Contents c

APPENDIX

Clear Menu 11. 41
Undo Menu 11. 42
Effect Menu 11. 43
Track Menu 11. 44
Mixer Menu 11. 44

12 • USER PANEL

Creating a new Panel configuration 12. 2
Slider settings 12. 4
Button settings 12. 5

13 • NOTEPAD
14 • Credits

ROM-Sounds A. 2
Grooves list A. 13
Performances list A. 16
Drawbars list A. 16
Arpeggio list A. 16
Effects list - 3 Effect Configuration A. 17
Effects list - 2 + 2 Effect Configuration A. 17
PROFX Block diagrams A. 18
MIDI Implementation chart A. 28/29
Index A. 31

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d Contents

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the new Equinox Synthesizer Work­station from Generalmusic.

The Equinox, available in 61 key and 76 key versions, contains
enormous technological potential to give professional musicians
the essential tools for just about any situation - whether it’s for
composition, live or studio work.

• An immense database (16 Mb samples) with over 1000 pre­set Sounds and user memory locations to store more than
2000 new sounds. 1 12 Performance memories and a Groove
machine featuring over 1000 user-programmable Grooves.

• Unique Drawbar mode for instant access to vintage electron­ic organ sounds using the 8 panel sliders as drawbars with
key-click, percussion, overdrive, etc..

• 250.000 event, 16 track sequencer with advanced song edit­ing facilities.

• Advanced Sound editing facilities with 64 note polyphony,
128 digital filters with resonance, up to 6 oscillators per voice,
3 Lfos and up to 21 independent Envelopes with 10 segment
resolution.

• Sample Translator to create user-samples and load new sam­ples of the most popular formats (Wav (PC), Aiff (Mac), Akai™,
Kurzwail™, Smp, Snd. Future os versions will allow loading
of Roland™, Ensoniq™ and Emu™ samples.

• Full MIDI implementation - The Equinox is the perfect Mas­ter Controller for advanced MIDI set-ups (32 MIDI Channel
control, 16 programmable Midi Zones, 8 programmable Slid­ers, 2 programmable Wheels, 3 assignable Pedals).

• Flash-ROM memory which allows the instrument’s memory
to be instantly upgraded by simply inserting a special floppy
disk in the drive.

• The Equinox can be fitted with optional memory (8 Mb backed
Sample RAM and up to 32 Mb SIMMs), an internal Hard Disk
(2 Gigabytes) and a SCSI port (compatible with CD-ROM,
Zip™, Jaz™ external hard drives).

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Introduction i

The Owner’ s Manual

To ensure long, trouble-free operation, please read this manual
carefully. The Owner’s Manual is supplied in a 3-ring binder which
can easily be updated as new features are added. The Quick
Guide introduces you to the functions of each button on the con­trol panel and shows how to move around the display . Graphical
illustrations are included for better understanding of these exam­ples. Once you are acquainted with the instrument’s basic func­tions, use the User Guide to discover the full potential of your
Equinox.

At the end of the manual is the Appendix containing various
tables, MIDI information and an index.

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ii Introduction

Quick Guide

This Quick Guide explains briefly what each button and control
does on the Front panel and explains more about the jacks and
connectors of the Rear panel.

Following this you’ll find information about setting the instrument
up and some basic operating instructions.

I/O

CAPS

DELETE A

SPACE

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345

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.

'

Front panel

Rear panel

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Front & Rear Panel 1

Front Panel layout

3

2

5

6

4

10

7

1. T wo programmable Wheels: The left wheel is spring load-

ed and normally used for Pitch Bend. The right wheel is free­moving and normally used for Modulation.

2. Disk Drive: Handles 3.5” double density (2DD) or high den­sity (2HD) floppy disks.

8

9

3. Master and Input sliders: The Master slider controls the

overall volume of the instrument. The Input slider controls

1

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the level of the Line/Mic signals fed into the Input jacks.

4. Controllers section: Totally programmable slider and but­ton panel. In Sound mode, the sliders are used for real time
sound editing (Envelope, Filter and LFO). In Drawbar mode,
the sliders operate as drawbars and the buttons 5-8 activate
typ-ical electronic organ functions (Click, Perc, Slow/Fast
Rotary). In Performance and Song modes, the sliders con­trol the volumes of the 16 parts and the buttons select the
parts (Tracks).

5. User: Allows you to specify your own functions for the 8
sliders and buttons.

6. Drawbar: Activates Drawbar mode.

7. Transpose

+/– 24 semitones).

b

/#: Master transposer in semitone steps (range

2 Quick Guide

12

11

12

14 15 16

13

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

8. Octave –/+: Master and section octave transposer (range +/

– 5 octaves).

9. Solo: Isolates a single sound from the rest in multi-track
situations.

10. FX OFF: when on (LED on), the effects processors are by­passed and the sounds are emitted dry.

11. Display and selection buttons (F1 … F4): A 128 x 64
pixel, backlit graphic LCD display . The four buttons below F1
… F4 select functions shown in the display which change
according to the current mode.

12. Contrast: A small knob to control the display contrast.

13. Notepad: Utility to view text files, (song lists, lyrics etc.).

14. Undo: Cancels the last performed task in edit situations.

15. Help: Shows the on-line help menu in several different lan-

guages.

16. Store: Saves your modifications to memory (Performances,
Sounds, etc.).

17. Keypad: A numeric keypad used for entering specific values
(data selection, parameter editing, etc.).

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Front & Rear Panel 3

18. Data Entry Dial, Navigational cursors and Enter/Escape

buttons: A data entry Dial for the continuous selection of

data. 4 directional buttons (cursors) which move the display’s
negative highlight cursor in the direction of the arrow (up/
down/left/right). The Enter button is used in different situa­tions either to delve deeper into a function or to confirm a
decision. The Escape button cancels operations and can
also be used to exit from certain edit menus.

19. Libraries: 4 buttons, used to recall the different types of
internal sounds (Sound, Performance, Drum, Sample).

20. System: Contains a number of different functions which af­fect the instrument as a whole (pedals, tuning, keyboard ve­locity, etc.).

21. Midi: Allows you to modify the functions which affect the
instrument’s Midi and Computer ports.

22. Disk: Contains all the necessary functions to load, save and
organize data on Floppy disks, the internal Hard Disk or any
external SCSI devices.

23. Sequencer: 5 buttons which control the sequencer func­tions (Play, Stop, Rew [<<], FF [>>], Record) and 2 buttons
for Song Selection and Song Edit.

24. Grooves: Allows you to listen to the on-board groove librar­ies as well as edit and create your own groove patches.

25. Arpeggiator: Activates the on-board Arpeggiator and allows
you to create your own custom arpeggio patterns.

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4 Quick Guide

Rear Panel (Connections)

1

2

5

1. SCSI port (optional). Allows external storage media to be

connected to the unit (CD-ROM, Jaz™, Zip™ etc.).

2. Pedals: Damper, 1, 2, Volume. Three programmable pedal
jacks (Damper, 1, 2) for continuous control pedals and switch
action pedals (with reversible polarity) and a Volume jack for
a volume pedal.

3. Computer port: Serial connector for direct computer con­nection (Apple Macintosh or IBM PC and compatibles).

4. MIDI: Twin set of independent ports for MIDI connections.
MIDI IN 1/2, MIDI THRU 1/2, MIDI OUT 1/2).

5. Outputs: (Left, Right, 1, 2). Stereo Left/Right jacks and aux­iliary 1, 2 jacks to monitor the Equinox through an external
amplification system. For Mono reproduction, use either the
Left or Right jack. Outputs 1 & 2 emit “dry” sounds (no ef­fects).

6. Mic/Line Inputs: (1, 2, Gain 1, Gain 2). Audio inputs for
Microphone or Line signals (musical instrument, cassette re­corder, CD player or microphone). For Mono connections,
use the In 1 jack. The volume of the Mic/Line signal fed into
the In 1 & 2 jacks is controlled by the Input panel slider. The
two Gain controls 1 & 2 control the impedance of the signal
fed into the respective In jacks. Fully anti-clockwise = Line
level. Fully clockwise = Mic level.

7. Power On/Off Switch and mains socket: The switch turns
the instrument on and off. Insert the supplied power cord
into the mains socket and the other end into a suitable wall
outlet.

3

6

4

7

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Front & Rear Panel 5

Setting up and getting to know the instrument

The Equinox does not have it ‘s own built in amplification so
either headphones or an external amplifier/speaker system are
required.

For external amplification, a high quality stereo keyboard ampli­fier system is recommended.

Connecting a set of headphones

If you prefer to play with headphones for high quality personal
monitoring, plug a standard stereo headphone set (8
of the two headphones jacks located on the left side of the instru­ment, under the Wheels panel.

Use the Master volume slider to adjust the headphone volume.

Ω

) into one

Stereo

amplification

system

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6 Quick Guide

Connecting to an amplification system

Before connecting audio cables, be sure that the power switch
on the rear panel is off and the master volume is at minimum.

Connect the power cord to the rear panel mains socket and in­sert the other end of the power cord into a suitable grounded wall
outlet.

Connect the audio cables to the stereo audio outputs (Left, Right)
and the other ends to your amplifier system. Use audio cables
with standard 1/4” jacks. To connect to domestic stereo units,
use RCA jacks. For mono reproduction, connect to either the
Left or Right output jack. The auxiliary outputs 1 and 2 emit “dry”
signals (i.e. no effects).

Note: better results are obtained
by adjusting the volume of the
mixer or amplifier controls rather
than lowering the volume of the
instrument.

Turn on the power

The power switch is located on left side of the rear panel (when
sitting in front of the keyboard).

Turn the power on only after all the connections to other equip­ment (amplifiers, Midi devices, etc.) have been made.

After a short scanning period, the display will appear showing
the last used mode (Sound, Performance, Drawbar, etc.).

The various modes available are explained afterwards.

Adjust the volume

Adjust the general volume of the instrument with the Master pan­el slider.

If you are using headphones, you should find that about three
quarter volume is a comfortable listening level.

(All Generalmusic control pedals
are optional accessories).

Connect the pedals

There are four rear panel PEDALS jacks marked Volume, 1, 2
and Damper which accept control pedals.

The Volume jack is a non-programmable port for a standard Vol­ume Pedal. The remaining three jacks (Damper, 1, 2) are fully
editable although their functions have been pre-set at the facto­ry.

The default configuration of the pedals is as follows:

Ped1 = Expression
Ped2 = Start/Stop
Damper = Damper (sustain)
Volume = Volume

Y our pedals settings can either be stored with each performance
or they can be “locked” so that their functions are global.

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Setting-up 7

The pedal jacks 1, 2 and Damper are function assignable and
can be independently enabled or disabled for each of the 16 parts
in a Performance.

All three pedals (1, 2, Damper) can be programmed to accept
Switch action (on/off) or Continuous (graduated levels) control
pedals (Volume type). It is also possible to reverse the polarity of
the Switch action pedals.

Pitch Bend wheel

Modulation wheel

Using the wheels

The on-board controlling devices include two wheels on the left
key block.

The default configuration of the wheels is as follows:
Wheel 1 (left) = Pitch Bend
Wheel 2 (right) = Modulation
Wheel 1 is spring loaded to return to the central position.
Wheel 2 is free-moving and remains at the last set position.
The programmed Wheel configuration is a general setting which

applies to the instrument as a whole.
The Wheels can be independently enabled or disabled for each

of the 16 parts in a Performance.

Using Aftertouch

This feature makes is possible to vary the degree of modulation
by varying the pressure applied to the keys. No effect is pro­duced with normal key pressure, but the effect can be introduced
by applying pressure to the keys after playing them.

Press harder after playing

the keys

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8 Quick Guide

The Aftertouch effect can be independently enabled or disabled
for each of the 16 parts in a Performance.

Playing with or without the effects

Whether you are playing single Sounds, Performances, Draw­bars, etc., you’ll find that in all cases one or more effects will be
applied to the sounds you are playing. If you prefer to play with­out effects, you can instantly bypass the internal digital effects
processors by pressing the FX OFF button.

When the LED is off, the sound(s) will play with their programmed
effects.

When the LED is ON, the sound(s) will play “dry” (without ef­fects).

The on/off status of the FX OFF button cannot be memorised.

Transposing the instrument up or down

Master Transpose

The TRANSPOSE b/# buttons allow real time pitch adjustments
(transpositions) in steps of one semitone (range
= 2 octaves).

• Press the TRANSPOSE # or TRANSPOSE b buttons to raise
(#) or lower (

b

) the pitch.

±

24 semitones

Note: Transposing with the #/
buttons affects the instrument as a
whole. If, for example, you switch
from Sounds mode to Performance
mode, the Performances will also
play at the new pitch. If you turn
the instrument off, turning on again
will restore normal pitch.

b

To clear the keyboard transpose setting

• Press both TRANSPOSE buttons at the same time.

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Transp #: Transp

b:

…

The pitch of the instrument is instantly raised (#) or lowered
(b) one step and a window will appear showing the current
Transpose value (0 = standard pitch).

Press the Transpose # or

b

button as many times as neces­sary until you reach the desired pitch. The display returns to
normal after a few seconds. The LED of the Transpose # or

b

button remians on to show that the instrument has been

transposed up or down.

Setting-up 9

Section transposer (Octaves)

If you are playing a single Sound (in Sounds mode), you can
transpose in octave steps within the range +/– 5 octaves (60
semitones) by means of the Octave +/– buttons.

If you are playing in Performance mode, the Octave +/– buttons
affect the currently selected part (shown in negative highlight in
the parts list).

• Press the OCTAVE + or OCTA VE – button as many times as
desired until you reach the correct octave..

Octave +: Octave –:

Note: Unlike the Master transpos­er, Octave transpositions only af­fect the current Sound or Perform­ance part. If, for example, you are
playing in Sounds mode and you
change Sound or switch to Perform
mode, the octave transposition will
be cancelled.

Using the Solo button

In multi-part situations (Performance, Drawbars, Song), the Solo
button isolates a sound from the rest in order that you may make
some changes and listen to the result without listening to all the
other sounds. Once you have obtained the sound you want, you
can select another part to solo or deactivate Solo to restore the
multi-part situation to normal.

• Simply press the SOLO button to activate the function (LED

…

The setting is shown in a temporary window and the LED on
the octave button turns on to show the raised or lowered sta­tus of the sound (or part). The display returns to normal after
a few seconds.

on).
In Performance and Song modes, the current Sound is shown

in the Parts list. To select another sound, simply press the
corresponding Part select button.

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10 Quick Guide

In Drawbar mode, the sound heard will correspond to the
selected Drawbar, shown in the Drawbar Setup display. To
listen to another Drawbar, simply move the corresponding
Slider.

The basics of Equinox

The more you work with the Equinox, the more you will appreci­ate the user-friendly and logical panel layout.

The panel layout allows simple and direct access to all the func­tions and the backlit 128 x 64 pixel LCD graphic display tells you
where you are at all times, using simple, concise terminology
combined with easy to understand graphics.

The graphic LCD display

The Equinox display is the principal user interface which tells
you the status of the instrument at all times.

Each time you turn the instrument on, the display will be in the
same basic mode that you left it in before you switched it off,
(Sound, Performance, Drawbars etc.)

Current
mode

Current
Sound

Bank and

Sound number

Menu of

Sound functions

The last selected playing mode is memorized when you turn the
instrument off.

The display tells you where you are at all times by showing the
name of the current mode at the top and a menu of associated
functions at the bottom.

For example (opposite), the Sound mode display shows the name
of the current Sound, the Bank and Sound number and a menu
of four associated functions.

Other displays will be explained further on in this manual.

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The basics of Equinox 11

Selection, Navigation and Data Entry

In Play modes, the Dial and the Cursor buttons operate as the
principal selection tools. In other modes (Sequencer, Function,
Edit, Store), these controls transform into navigating and data
entry devices.

Selection - the Dial and the Cursors

In Play mode, the Dial is the principal selection device (Sounds,
Performances, etc.). Clockwise rotation selects continually in in­creasing numerical order, counter-clockwise rotation selects in
reverse order.

The Cursor Up/down buttons select items (Sounds, Perfs, etc.)
sequentially in single steps; the Up button in ascending numeri­cal order, the Down button in descending order.

The Cursor Left/Right buttons activate a temporary window which
allows you to switch between banks (factory and user).

The Function buttons F1 - F4

The 4 buttons under the display select the functions that appear
at the bottom of many screens. Selecting one of these functions
will take you to a new edit environment.

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12 Quick Guide

Getting back to the main menu in a single step can be achieved
by pressing the MENU button, (F4), where applicable.

The Numeric Keypad

A secondary data entry tool is the numeric keypad (to the right of
the cursor buttons) which enters specific values.

Pressing any of these buttons activates an entry window where
you can type in the number required. Sometimes you may need
to enter two numbers separated by a dash (e.g. 55 - 2). In this
case, use the cursor right button to move to the right side of the
separator dash. When you’ve finished, confirm by pressing EN­TER.

Also, for stepping through options in single steps, you can use
the Increase (>) and Decrease (<) buttons of the keypad.

Navigating and entering data

In all modes other than Play mode, the Cursors are the principal
navigating tools and the Dial the data entry device. The display
cursor is a negative highlight zone which is moved up or down
with the cursor up/down buttons. In all displays that show a menu,
two small up/down arrows representing the cursors tell you at a
glance whether or not additional features are out of view.

Two white arrows means that no other features are available,
one black arrow means that other features are available if you
scroll in the direction of the black arrow , two black arrows means
that other features are available in either direction.

The value of the selected parameter is changed with the Dial (or
keypad). Clockwise rotation of the Dial enters data in increasing
order, counter-clockwise rotation in decreasing order.

Sliders and control buttons

The 8 Sliders and the 8 buttons underneath are used for select­ing and controlling pre-defined functions or they can be re-pro­grammed to control the functions that you choose.

In SOUND, DRUM and SAMPLE mode, the sliders operate as
real time editors, modifying the characteristics of the current
Sound according to the function assigned to the slider (Enve­lope, Filter, Lfo). When you edit a sound, the first three buttons
operate as switches for the three layers in the sound.

In PERFORMANCE and SONG mode, the sliders operate as
volume controls for the 16 parts or tracks while the buttons be­neath the sliders are used as on/off switches for the correspond­ing part or track.

Enter/Escape

Generally, Enter confirms operations and, in some cases, also
executes a function, such as note copy or quantization in Song
Edit. Often you use the ENTER button to go a little deeper into a
particular edit menu. Sometimes an edit task may require step­ping through various “levels” of edit pages using the ENTER but­ton.

The ESCAPE button generally cancels operations and returns to
the previous display page. In editing situations, Escape steps
back through the various levels that you have been working on.

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The basics of Equinox 13

Text entry

When entering names (Sound name, Performance name, Song
name, etc.), the keys of the keyboard become a kind of typewrit­er where most of the keys are assigned to a particular letter,
symbol or number. The alphanumeric configuration of the key­board is shown in the following illustration::

The white keys (A2 - B6) insert letters (A-Z) and various punctu­ation marks. The black keys (C#5 - A#6) insert the numbers 1-9
and 0. The keys D2, D#2, E2, F2 and G2 provide various word
processing functions. The letters and numbers are printed on
the metal rail which runs beneath the keyboard.

You enter the new name by pressing the corresponding keys of
the keyboard. Numbers can also be inserted using the key-pad.

The lower notes of the keyboard provide the following word
processing functions:

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14 Quick Guide

D2:CAPS - Caps On / Caps Off. Caps on inserts uppercase
letters. Caps off inserts lowercase letters.

D#2: INS/OVER - toggles between Insert and Overwrite
mode. Insert mode inserts a character at the flashing cursor
position and all characters to the right of the cursor move
one space to the right. Overwrite mode replaces the select­ed character (flashing) with the new one.

E2:SPACE - inserts a space between two entries.
F2: DELETE - cancels the character to the right of the flash-

ing cursor.
G2:<— (BACKSPACE) - cancels the previous character and

moves the cursor one step backwards.

Once you have entered the name, press ENTER to confirm and
close the name window, or press ESCAPE if you realize that you
don’t want to enter a name at this time.

User Guide

The chapters of the User Guide explain all you need to know
about the Equinox.

The subjects discussed here are:

1. Sound mode, Quick Edit & Advanced Edit.

2. Performance mode.

3. Drum mode.

4. Sample mode.

5. Drawbar mode.

6. Arpeggiator.

7. Grooves.

8. Disk.

9. System.

10. Midi.

11. Sequencer.

12. User panel.

13. Notepad.

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Sound mode 1•1

1 • SOUND MODE

Note: All examples in this section require that the Equinox is in
SOUND MODE.

If you are uncertain how to return to the instrument to SOUND
MODE, simply turn the unit on from scratch and press the SOUND
button beneath the screen.

Sound Families

Because the Equinox has well over 1000 factory sounds as
standard, these sounds have been divided into 1 1 families, mak­ing it easier to find the right type of sounds quickly and easily.
Each family , (also called “Banks”), can contain up to 128 sounds.

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1•2 User Guide

Let’s take a closer look at these families;

1. SYNTH A

2. SYNTH B

3. SYNTH C

4. SYNTH D

5. ORCHESTRA

6. GMX 1

7. GMX 2

8. GMX 3

14. DRUM KITS

15. DRUM SOUNDS 1

16. DRUM SOUNDS 2

SYNTH A, B, C, D

These are the “core” sounds of the Equinox. Many of these
sounds have been specially created by some of the most prom­inent programmers and musicians in the world. The sounds in
these families will also give you some insight of the creative pos­sibilities of the Equinox as a synthesizer.

ORCHESTRA

In this family you will find authentic reproductions of traditional
orchestral instruments. Many of these sounds are further en­hanced by appropriate effects, typical of the instrument’s playing
style, being assigned to either velocity or aftertouch.

GMX 1, 2 and 3

GMX is Generalmusic’s own standard set of sounds which are
included in every Generalmusic product. The first bank, GMX1,
contains the industry standard General MIDI sound library. This
family is designed to be used when the Equinox is required to
play General MIDI song disks or when the instrument is being
controlled by a computer program or some other device which
requires a General MIDI sound library . The second and third GMX
banks contain 256 sounds taken from Generalmusic’s own ex­tensive sound library. These sounds, along with the 128 sounds
in the GMX1 bank, ensure compatibility with Generalmusic’s own
GMX song library , (not available in the U.S.A), and also with song
disks created on other Generalmusic instruments.

Drum Kits and Drum Sounds

The Drum Kits family includes just about every type of drum kit
you could imagine - from jazz to rock, orchestra to techno and
beyond. However, unlike many other keyboards, on the Equi-
nox you can not only create your own drum kits but you can edit
each and every individual drum sound. For this reason, two fam­ilies are provided in which you can find every single individual
drum sound. These sounds can be freely edited just like any
other sound. They can then be stored as new sounds, either for
individual use or for incorporating into the drum kits.

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Sound mode 1•3

Selecting Sounds

Sounds can be selected in three different ways.

1. Scrolling with the dial

Moving the dial in either direction will scroll sequentially through
all the sounds in the instrument’s memory. When you reach the
last sound of a particular family you automatically pass into the
next family until you have reached the end of all sounds in the
instrument’s memory.

2. Single steps

Using either the Cursor Up/Down buttons or the INC / DEC but­tons of the numeric keypad you can step through individual sounds
one by one.

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1•4 User Guide

3. Directly entering a number

This method is the quickest way to go directly to the sound you
need but, first, you must know the exact number and location of
this sound. Pressing any of the buttons in the numeric keypad
will open up a small window as shown below:

You need to enter two numbers separated by a dash, (which is
inserted automatically for you). The first is a number between 1
and 128. This is the location of the desired sound within it’s fam­ily. After you’ve entered this first number, use the cursor right
button to move the display cursor to the right of the separator
dash. The next number you enter will indicate which family the
sound is in, (you can use the family numbers in the list on the
previous page as a guide).

Example: How to directly select the sound SOLO VOX from the
keypad. SOLO VOX is sound number 86 in family number 6
(GMX 1).

Step 1. Press any numbered key on the numeric keypad.

Step 2. Type the number 86.

Step 3. Press the cursor right button to move the cursor to the

right side of the separator dash.

Step 4. Type the number 6.

Step 5. Press ENTER.

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Sound mode 1•5

Moving Between Families

Sometimes you might want to jump directly from one sound fam­ily to another when looking for a particular sound. Pressing ei­ther the Cursor Left button or the Cursor Right button will open
the BANK SELECT window.

The current family is highlighted and you can select any other
family by moving up or down in the families list using the cursor
controls. When the family you want is highlighted press ENTER.
You will now return to sound selection as before but you’ll be
working within the newly selected family.

Editing and changing Sounds

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1•6 User Guide

Immediately following the factory sound banks you will find the
USER sound banks, (called USER 1, 2, 3 etc.). There are 16 of
these USER banks and any new sounds which you create on the
instrument can be stored in any of these 2048, (16 x 128) loca­tions.

Any sound on the Equinox can be edited to your taste. This
editing can consist of anything from the simplest adjustment of
the sound’s tone or volume level to a complete reconstruction of
the sound, resulting in a totally original and personal sound.

Editing always begins by selecting one of the sounds currently in
the instrument’s memory as a starting point for the sound you’re
going to create. When you edit a sound, you can decide, at any