Radio Shack 975 User Manual

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Concertmate® 975

Portable Stereo Musical Instrument

with 61 Full-Size Keys and 100-Songs

Cat. No. 42-4036

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

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FEATURES

Your Optimus Concertmate 975 P or­table Stereo Musical Instrument is a
state-of-the-art keyboard with many
exciting features. You can set the
keyboard to sound like 100 different
musical instruments or sound ef fects.
To accompany your music, the key­board has 100 rhythms, as well as
auto accompaniments and percus­sion sounds.

Your keyboard’s features include:

100 Prerecorded Tunes

— let you
hear a sample of what you and the
keyboard can do. You can play the
tunes either one at a time or consecu­tively, and you can turn off the melody
or accompaniment portion so you can
play along with the tunes.

100 Tones

— you can set your key­board to sound like anything from a
harpsichord to a honky-tonk piano.

12-Note Pol

phonic Sound

— lets
you play and hear up to 12 notes at
the same time so you can play or cre­ate almost any type of music.

Tempo Co nt ro l

— lets you speed up
or slow down the tempo of any select­ed music pattern.

Auto Accompaniment

— lets you
automatically play a preset harmonic
pattern to match the selected auto­rhythm.

Tune Cont rol

— lets you adjust the
pitch of your keyboard so you can
play in tune with other instruments.

Transpose Function

— lets you in­stantly change the key of the music,
even while you are playing.

Two Built-In Speakers

— provide
excellent sound to help make your
music come alive.

Headphones/Output Jack

— lets
you connect headp hones so you can
play without disturbing others, or an
external amplifier so you can pl ay for
a crowd.

Three Power Options

— let you
power the keyboard from internal bat­teries (not supplied), standard AC
power (with an optional adapter), or
your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket
(with an optional adapter) so you can
make music almost anywhere.

100 Auto-Rh

thms

— give you a
steady beat for many styles of music
from rhumba to slow rock.

Fill-In Rh

— lets you insert a

thm

short variation into any auto-rhythm.

©

1998 Tandy Corporation.

Concertmate, Optimus, and RadioShack are registered trademarks used by Ta ndy Corporation.

2

All Rights Reserved.

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To fully enjoy the features and func­tions of this electronic keyboard,
please read this m anual carefully and
complet e ly.

This owner’s manual explains

Note:

how to use this electronic keyboard. It
does not teach music.

We recommend you record your key­board’s serial number here. The num­ber is on the bottom of the keyboard.

Serial Number _________________

THE FCC WANTS YOU
TO KNOW

This keyboard complies with the limits
for a Class B digital device as s peci­fied in Part 15 of
limits provide reasonable protection
against radio and TV interference in a
residential area. However, your key­board might cause TV or radi o inter­ference even when it is operating
properly. To eliminate interference,
you can try one or m ore of the f oll ow­ing corrective measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiv­ing antenna

• Increase the distance between
the keyboard and the radio or TV

• Use outlets on different electrical
circuits for the keyboard and the
radio or TV

Consult your local RadioShack store
if the problem still exists.

FCC Rules

. These

You must use shielded interface ca­bles with this equipment.

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CONTENTS

Preparation ...... ................. ................ .......... ................ ................. ................. .. 5

Connecting Power ..................................................................................... 5

Using Batteries .................................................................................... 5

Using AC Power .................................................................................. 6

Using Vehicle Battery Power ............................................................... 6

Connecting Headphones ........................................................................... 7

Listening Safely ................................................................................... 7

Connecting an External Amplifier .............................................................. 8

Using the Sheet Music Stand .................................................................... 8

Control Locations ................... ................ ................. ................. ......... ............ 9

Operation ...................................................................................................... 10

Basic Operation ....................................................................................... 10

Cancelling Auto Power Off ................................................................ 10

Playing the Prerecorded Tunes ................................................................ 11

Playing Back a Prerecorded Tune ..................................................... 11

Playing Along with a Prerecorded Tune ............................................ 12

Turning Applause Off/On .................................................................. 12

Consecutively Playing Back the Tunes ............................................. 13

Using the Preset Tones ........................................................................... 13

Selecting/Playing a Preset Tone ....................................................... 13

Keyboard Split Tones ........................................................................ 14

Layered Tones .................................................................................. 14

Percussion Sounds ........................................................................... 14

Using the Preset Auto-Rhythms .............................................................. 15

Selecting/Playing an Auto-Rhythm ................................................... 15

Using SYNCHRO .............................................................................. 16

Using FILL-IN .................................................................................... 16

Using Auto Accompaniment .................................................................... 16

Concert Chord ................................................................................... 17

Standard Fingering ........................................................................... 18

Special Features .......................................................................................... 20

Changing Keys ........................................................................................ 20

Tuning the Keyboard ............................................................................... 21

Troubleshootin

Care and Maintenance ................................................................................. 23

Standard Fi n

thm List .................................................................................................. 26

Rh

Specifications ............................................................................................... 27

4

........................................................................................... 22

ering Chord Chart ................................................................ 24

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PREPARATION

CONNECTING POWER

You can power your keyboard in any
of these ways:

• internal batteries (see “Using Bat-

teries”)

• standard AC power using an

optional AC adapter (see “Using
AC Power” on Page 6)

• a vehicle’s cigarette-lighter

socket using an optional DC
adapter (see “Using Vehicle Bat­tery Power” on Page 6)

:

Notes

• Connecting an AC o r DC adapter

automatically disconnects any
internal batteries.

• Always disconnect the AC or DC

adapter when you finish using the
keyboard.

Using Batteries

Your keyboard can u se s ix AA batter­ies (not supplied) for power. For the
best performance, w e rec om m end al­kaline batteries, such as RadioShack
Cat. No. 23-557.

Cautions:

• Use only fresh batteries of the

required size and recommended
type.

• Do not mix old and new batteries,

different types of batteries (stan­dard, alkaline, or rechargeable),
or rechargeable batteries of dif­ferent capacities.

1. Set

2. While pressing the tab on the bat-

3. Put six AA batteries into the com -

4. Replace the cover.

When the keyboard stops operating
properly, replace all six batteries.

Cautions

POWER/MODE

tery compartment cover, pull the
cover up to remove it.

partment as indicated by the
polarity symbols (+ and –)
marked below the compartment.

:

• If you do not pl an to use the key­board for a week or more, or if
you plan to use only an AC or DC
adapter, remove the batteries.
Batteries can leak chemicals t hat
can destroy electronic parts.

• Dispose of old batteries promptly
and properly. Do not burn or bury
them.

to

OFF

.

5

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Using AC Power

You can power your keyboard from
standard AC power using an optional
9-volt AC adapter (such as Ra­dioShack Cat. No. 273-1656).

Cautions

• You must use an AC adapter that

• Always p lug the AC adapter i nto

•Be sure

Follow these steps to connect an AC
adapter to the keyboard.

:

supplies 9 volts and delivers at
least 800 mA. Its center tip must
be set to negative and its plug
must fit the keyboard’s

DC 9V

jack. The recommended adapter
meets these specifications. Using
an adapter that does not meet
these specifications could dam­age the keyboard or the adapter .

the keyboard before you plug it
into the AC outlet. Always unplug
the AC adapter from the AC out­let before you unplug it from the
keyboard.

POWER/MODE

before you connect or dis-

OFF

is set to

connect the adapter.

2. Plug the AC adapter’s other end
into a standard AC outlet.

Using Vehicl e Battery Power

You can power your keyboard from
your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket
with an optional 9-volt DC adapter
(such as RadioShack Cat. No. 273-

1815).

Cautions:

• You must use a DC a dapter that
supplies 9 volts and delivers at
least 800 mA. Its center tip must
be set to negative and its plug
must fit the keyboard’s
jack. Using an adapter that does
not meet these specifications
could damage the keyboard or
the adapter.

• Always plug the DC adapter into
the keyboard before you plug it
into the cigarette-lighter socket.
Always unplug the DC adapter
from the cigarette-lighter socket
before you unplug it from the key­board.

•Be sure

OFF

POWER/MODE

before you connect or dis-

connect the adapter.

DC 9V

is set to

1. Connect the AC adapter’s 5.5
mm outer diameter/2.1 mm inner
diameter barrel plug to the

DC 9V

jack on the back of the keyboard.

6

Follow these steps to connect a DC
adapter to the keyboard.

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1. Plug the DC adapter’s 5.5 mm
outer diameter/2.1 mm inner
diameter barrel plug into the
cable so it reads – TIP.

2. Set the DC adapter’s voltage
switch to 9 volts.

3. Connect the DC adapter’s barrel
plug to the

jack on the back

DC 9V

of the keyboard.

4. Plug the DC adapter ’s other end
into your vehicle’s cigarette­lighter socket.

If the keyboard does not oper-

Note:

ate when you use the DC adapter,
unplug the cord from the cigarette­lighter socket and clean any ashes or
debris from the socket. If your key­board still does not work, check the
fuse in the DC adapter and replace it
if necessary.

CONNECTING
HEADPHONES

To listen to your keyboard without
disturbing others, you can connect an
optional pair of stereo headphones
with a
dioShack store sells a wide selection
of headphones.

Insert the headphones’
into the
back of the keyboard.

Note

connects the keyboard’s built-in
speakers.

1

/4-inch plug. Your local Ra-

1

/4-inch plug

PHONES/OUTPUT

jack on the

: Connecting headphones dis-

Listening Safely

To protect your he aring, follow these
guidelines when you use head­phones.

• Set the volume to the lowest s et­ting before you begin listening.
After you begin listening, adjust
the volume to a comfortable level.

• Do not listen at extremely high
volume levels. Extended high­volume listening can lea d to per­manent hearing loss.

• Once you set the volume, do not
increase it. Over time, your ea rs
adapt to the volume level, so a
volume level that does not cause
discomfort might still damage
your hearing.

7

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CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER

To amplify your keyboard’s sound,
you can connect it t o an optional ex­ternal amplifier using an audio cable

1

with a
To connect an external amplifier to

your keyboard, insert the cable’s
inch plug into the
jack on the back of the keyboard, and
connect the cable’s other end to the
amplifier’s input jack(s) (such as AUX
IN or TAPE IN).

/4-inch plug (not supplied).

PHONES/OUTPUT

1

/4-

USING THE SHEET
MUSIC STAND

To easily view sheet music while
playing your keyboard, insert the sup­plied sheet music stand into the holes
on the top back panel.

Your local RadioShack store sells a
full line of amplifiers, speakers, and
connection cables.

8

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CONTROL LOCATIONS

Speaker

100 RHYTHMS
List

100 SONGS List

100 TONES List

SYNCHRO/FILL-IN

VOLUME

POWER/MODE

TEMPO

START/STOP

SONG

TONE

Number
Keys

+/_

LEFT
ON/OFF

TRANSPOSE/
TUNE

RHYTHM

Speaker

RIGHT
ON/OFF

STOP

PLAY/
PAUSE

9

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OPERATION

BASIC OPERATION

1. To turn on the keyboard, set

POWER/MODE

POWER/MODE indicator lights.

To save power when oper-

Note:

ating on batteries, the keyboard
automatically turns off after about
6 minutes if you do not press a
key. To turn on the keyboard
again, set
then back to
the auto power off feature, see
“Cancelling Auto Power Off”).

2. To hear a sample of t he Concert ­mate 975’s many sounds, play a
prerecorded tune (see “Playing
the Prerecorded Tunes” on
Page 11). To make your own
music, simply begin playing the
keyboard.

to

NORMAL.

POWER/MODE

NORMAL

. (To cancel

to

The

OFF

3. Repeatedly press

VOLU ME

s or t to
increase or decrease the volume.
The current setting appears.

Notes:

• The keyboard’s volume ranges

from 0 (no sound) to 9 (maxi­mum). Each time you turn on
the keyboard, the vo lum e is set
to 7.

• To quickly change the volume

setting, hold down

VOLUME

or t.

• To quickly return to the default

volume setting of 7, press both

VOLUME

buttons at the same

time.

• The volume level differs

depending on the tone, accom­paniment, or song you
selected.

4. To turn off the keyboard, set

POWER/MODE

to

. The POW-

OFF

ER/MODE indicator turns off.

Cancelling Auto Power Off

s

Notes:

• The keyboard automatically
selects the tone PIANO 1 (No.

00) when you turn the power
on. To select a different tone,
see “Selecting/Playing a Pre­set Tone” on Pag e 13 .

• To select an auto-rhythm, see
“Using the Preset Auto­Rhythms” on Page 15.

• To play auto accompaniment,
see “Using Auto Accompani­ment” on Page 16.

10

To have the keyboard not automati­cally turn off during a session, turn on
the keyboard while holding down

.

TONE

The next time you turn the key board
off then back on again, it will automat­ically turn off after about 6 minutes.

42-403 6.fm Page 11 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

PLAYING THE
PRERECORDED TUNES

You can sit back and listen to the 100
tunes that come prerecorded in the
keyboard, or you c an t urn off a tu ne’s
melody or accompaniment and play
along on the keyboard.

Playing Back a Prerecorded
Tune

1. Press
the number of the current tune
appear.

Note:

selects the song “How Deep is
Your Love” (No. 00) the first time
you press
power on.

SONG

.

SONG BANK

The keyboard always

SONG

after turning the

and

• If you enter an incorrect first
digit, press
entry, then enter the correct
digit.

3. Press
ing t he tune.

You can change the tune by
repeating Step 2 even while a
tune is playing. The new tune
immediately begins to play.

As a tune plays, a metronome
appears on the display. The bar
of the metronome swings along
with the tempo you selected, and
the black dots above the metro­nome show the b eat count in t he
measure.

PLAY/PAUSE

SONG

to clear your

to start play-

2. Choose a tune from the 100
SONGS list and enter its 2-digit
number on the keypad.

+

Or, you can press
to the next higher or lower num­bered tune.

Notes:

• Precede a single-digit number

with a 0. For example, to select
07 (“Killing Me Softly with His
Song”) press

or – to mov e

0 7

.

Note:

Each tune pl ays a different
preset tone for the melody, but
you can change to another tone
even while the tune is playing.
Follow the steps under “Select­ing/Playing a Preset Tone” on
Page 13 to select a different tone.

4. Adjust the volume as desired.

11

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5. To change the tempo, press
t or s. The current tempo set-

PO

TEM-

ting appears.

Note:

Tunes 85 to 99 are
arranged so the tempo changes
during play. However, if you
select a different tempo, those
tunes play in the tempo you
selected.

6. To temporarily stop playing the
tune, press

PLAY/PAUSE

again.
To stop the tune completely,
press

STOP

.

Playing Along with a
Prerecorded Tune

Follow these steps to have the key­board not play the melody of a pre­recorded tune, so you can!

You can find the scores for

Note:

most of the prerecorded tunes in the

Sheet Music and Play Guide for the
Prerecorded Tunes

your Concertmate 975.

, supplied with

Notes:

• Tunes 85 to 99 are p iano solo
tunes. You can turn off either
the right-hand or left-hand por­tion, but not both.

• If you select tunes 00 through
84 then turn off both the mel­ody and accompaniment, the
keyboard plays an obliggato
accompani m ent (a simple back­ground accompaniment).

3. Press

PLAY/PAUSE

to start play.

4. Adjust the tempo and volume as
desired.

5. Play along with the tune on the
keyboard.

You can turn the melody on

Note:

or off by repeating Step 2 even
while the current tune is playing.

6. To temporarily stop playing the
tune, press

PLAY/PAUSE

again.
To stop the tune completely,
press

STOP

.

1. Select the tune you want to play.

2. Press

RIGHT ON/OFF

the melody. Press

to turn off

LEFT ON/OFF

to turn off the accompaniment.

12

Turning Applause Off/On

When you turn off either t he melody
or accompaniment and then play a
tune, applause automatically sounds
at the end of the tune. T o turn off the
applause, press
and

RIGHT ON/OFF

Apls=Of f

plause on again, press the same but­tons again.

STOP, LEFT ON/OFF

at the same time.

appears. To turn the ap-

Apls=O n

appears.

,

42-403 6.fm Page 13 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

Consecutively Playing Back
the Tunes

Normally, the tune you selected plays
continuously until you press
play all the 100 prerecorded tunes
consecutively, press either

RHYTHM

The keyboard plays t he tunes in se­quence starting with Tune 00.

To stop consecutive pla yback, press

STOP

Note:

stops when you press any number
key,

then press

.

Consecutive playback also

or –,

+

STOP

, or

PLAY/PAUSE

START/STOP

STOP

TONE

. To

or

.

USING THE PRESET
TONES

Your keyboard can sound like 100 dif­ferent musical instruments or sound
effects. The name and two-digit num­ber for each preset tone is listed on
the 100 TONES list on the keyboard’s
top panel.

of tonal quality, samples are
taken in the low, mid, and high
ranges and are then combi ned to
sound amazingly close to the
originals. You might notice very
slight differences in volume or
sound quality for some tones

.

when you play them at different
positions on the keyboard. This is
an unavoidable result of multiple
sampling and is not a malfunc­tion.

• Some sound effect tones, such

as PERCUSSION (No. 99), do
not follow the musical scale when
played, but chan ge effect as you
play them in di fferent octaves on
the keyboard.

Selecting/Playing a Preset
Tone

1. Press
rent tone’s number appears.

TONE

.

TONE

and the cur-

Notes:

• The keyboard has 12-note (m axi­mum) polyphonic sound. This
means that you can pl ay up to 12
different notes at the same time
with most of the keyboard’s pre­set tones. Some of the key­board’s preset tones, however,
are capable of only 6-note
polyphony.

• Most tones on this keyboard have
been recorded and processed
using a technique called digital
sampling. To ensure a high level

Each time you turn the key-

Note:

board on, it automati cally selects
the tone PIANO 1 (No. 00).

2. To play a different tone, choose a
preset tone from the 100 TONES
list and enter its two-digit num ber
on the keypad. As you press the
keys, the selected digits appear.

Or, you can use
the next higher or lower num­bered tone.

or – to move to

+

13

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Notes:

• Precede a single-digit number
with a 0. For example, to select
ELEC PIANO 1, press

0 4

.

• If you enter an incorrect first
digit, press

TONE

to cle ar yo ur
entry, then enter the correct
digit.

3. Play the keyboard to hear the
selected tone, then adjust the vol­ume to the desired level.

4. To select a different tone, repeat
Steps 1 and 2.

Keyboard Split Tones

The preset tones numbered 90
through 96 on your keyboard let you
automatically play two different musi­cal instruments or sound effects inde­pendently on opposite sides of the
keyboard.

Percussion Soun ds

PERCUSSION (No. 99) lets you play
the 35 different percussion sounds
shown below. The symbol for each
sound appears above the corre­sponding key on the keyboard.

Bass Drum Cowbell

Side Stick Crash Cymbal 2

Acoustic Snare Claves

Hand Clap Ride Cymbal 2

Electric Snare High Bongo

Low Floor Tom Low Bongo

Closed Hi-Hat Mute High Conga

High Floor Tom Open High Conga

Pedal Hi-Hat Low Conga

Low Tom High Timbale

The instrument listed first in the
tone’s name plays on the left half of
the keyboard (below middle C). The
instrument listed next plays on the
right half of the keyboard (above mi d­dle C). For example, BS/PNO (No.

90) plays a bass tone on the left half
of the keyboard and a piano tone on
the right.

Layered Tones

The preset tones numbered 80
through 89 on your keyboard let you
automatically play two different lay­ered tones at the same time when
you press one key. For example, STR
PNO (No. 80) plays string and piano
tones when you press a key.

14

Open Hi-Hat Low Timbale

Low-Mid Tom High Agogo

High-Mid Tom Low Agogo

Crash Cymbal 1 Cabasa

High Tom Mara c as

Ride Cymbal 1 Voice Bass

Drum

Chinese Cymba l Voi c e Snare

Ride Bell Voice Close d

Hi-Hat

Tambourine Voice Open

Hi-Hat

Splash Cymbal

42-403 6.fm Page 15 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

When you select the Fin gered

Note:

or Concert Chord mode, the keys in
the lower 1
companiment keys and do not pro­duce percussion sounds . See “Using
Auto Accompaniment” on Page 16.

1

/2 octaves become the ac -

USING THE PRESET
AUTO-RHYTHMS

Your keyboard h as 100 preset auto­rhythms that provide a steady beat for
your music. The name and two-digit
number of each preset auto-rhy thm is
listed within a group in “Rhythm List”
on Page 26. These grou ps are listed
on the 100 RHYTHMS list on the key­board’s top panel.

You can play a preset auto-rhythm on
the keyboard in any of the following
ways:

Selecting/Playing
an Auto-Rhythm

1. Press

2. To select a different rhythm,

RHYTHM

number of the current auto­rhythm appear.

Each time you turn the key-

Note:

board on, it automati cally selects
the rhythm Club Pop (No. 00).

choose an auto-rhythm from the
100 RHYTHM list and enter its
two-digit number on the keypad.
Or, repeatedly press
move to the next higher or lower
numbered rhythm.

.

RHYTHM

and the

+

or – to

• select and play a rhythm (see

“Selecting/Playing an Auto­Rhythm”)

• synchronize the start of a rhythm

with your music (se e “Usi ng S YN­CHRO” on Page 16)

• briefly vary the pattern of a

rhythm (see “Using FILL-IN” on
Page 16)

:

Notes

• Precede a single-digit number
with a 0. For example, to select
POP BALLAD (No. 05), press

0 5

.

• If you incorrectly enter the first
or second digit of the rhythm,
press
entry and return to the last
selected auto-rhythm.

3. Press
selected auto-rhythm.

RHYTHM

START/STOP

to clear the

to start the

15

42-403 6.fm Page 16 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

4. Adjust the volume to the desired
level.

5. To change the auto-rhythm
speed, press

TEMPO

t or s. The

current tempo setting appears.

:

Notes

• You can adjust the tempo

to
play an auto-rhythm from 20 to
255 beats per minute.

• To quickly slow down or speed
up the tempo, hold down

TEMPO

t or s.

• To reset the tempo to its
default (original) speed, press

TEMPO

s and t at the same

time.

6. Play the keyboard to hear the
selected preset tone along with
the auto-rhythm.

7. To select a different rhythm,
repeat Steps 1 and 2.

Begin playing the keyboard. It auto­matically begins to play the rhythm
when you press any key within the

1

first 1

/2 octaves of the lower end of
the keyboard (the first 18 keys from
the left side of the keyboard).

Using FILL-IN

This feature lets you insert a short (1­to 2-measure) variation in the beat
pattern of a selected auto-rhythm.

Simply press and release

FILL-IN

while the auto-rhythm is play-

ing.
The keyboard inserts a 1- to 2-mea-

sure variation, then the original
rhythm automatically resumes at the
end of the current measure.

SYNCHRO/

8. To stop the auto-rhythm, press

START/STOP

again.

Using SYNCHRO

This feature lets you synchronize the
start of an auto-rhythm with the be­ginning of your music.

After you select and enter an auto­rhythm, press

SYNCHRO/FILL-IN

bars of the metronome flash on the
display to show the keyboard is in a
standby mode.

16

. The

USING AUTO
ACCOMPANIMENT

The 18 keys on the left side of the
keyboard with note labels above them
are called

Accompanime nt K eys

accompaniment keys

.

42-403 6.fm Page 17 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

You can set the keybo ard to play two
different types of auto accompani­ment using the accompaniment keys.

•

Concert Chord

— lets you play
chords on the accompaniment
keys using chord formations of
from one to four n otes. The num ­ber of keys you press determines
the type of chord that plays (see
“Concert Chord”).

•

Standard Fingering

— lets you
play chords on the accompani­ment keys using standard chord
formations of three or four notes
(see “Standard Fingering” on
Page 18).

:

Notes

• You can use the keyboard’s
rhythm controls (

CHRO

) with both types of auto

FILL-IN

and

SYN-

accompaniment.

• After you press the au to accom­paniment keys, the keyboard
plays the same chord until you
press other keys to play a differ­ent chord or press

START/STOP

.

Concert Chord

Number of Keys

Pressed

C DEFGABCDEF

C DEFGABCDEF

C DEFGABCDEF

C DEFGABCDEF

Chord Type

Major

Minor (m)

Dominant

Seventh (7)

Minor

Seventh

(m7)

The lowest note you play determines
the key of the chord. For example, if
the lowest note is C, the keyboard
plays a C chord.

You can press

Note:

labeled

any

note(s) to the right of the lowest note
in the chord to produce a minor, a
dominant seventh, or minor seventh
chord.

The concert chord m etho d le ts be gin­ning keyboard players easily select
and play a chord.

The number o f accompaniment keys
you press determines the type of
chord that plays. This chart shows the
type that plays when you press one,
two, three, or four accompaniment
keys at the same time.

Follow these steps to start concert
chord auto accompaniment.

1. Set

CHORD

POWER/MODE

.

to

CONCERT

2. Enter a two-digit auto-rhythm
number.

3. To start the auto-rhythm before
the auto accompaniment, press

START/STOP

.

17

42-403 6.fm Page 18 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

Or, to synchronize the start of the
selected auto-rhythm with your
accompaniment, press

CHRO/FILL-IN

.

SYN-

Dominant
Suspended
4th (7sus4)

()

Major 9th

(add9)

()

Minor 9th

(madd9)

4. Begin the accompaniment at the
desired interval by pressing the
desired accompaniment key(s).

To play a melody along with the
accompaniment, press any
key(s) to the right of the accom ­paniment keys.

5. Adjust the tempo and volume to
the desired levels.

6. To change chords without inter­rupting the rhythm, simply press
the auto accompaniment key(s)
required to form the new chord.

7. To stop auto accompaniment and
the auto-rhythm, press

.

STOP

START/

Standard Fingering

The standard fingering method uses
standard formations of three or four
notes, and lets the experienced musi­cian play a wider variety of accompa­niment chords.

This chart shows the 15 chord typ es
you can play on your keyboard by us­ing standard fingering.

()

Minor/Major

7th (mM7)

Diminished

Diminished

7th (dim7)

Notes:

• You do not have to press the key
marked with parentheses in the
preceding chart to produce a 7,
m7, M7, mM7, 9, or m9 chord.

• This chart shows only one po ssi­ble fingering position for each
chord. It is possible to play a
chord using several different
positions. For example, the fol­lowing three fingering positions
produce the same C chord.

• When you play a 7

-5

or dim7
chord, the lowest note you play
determines the root of the chord.
Be sure that your fingering cor­rectly defines the root you want.

: See “Standard Fingering Chord

Note

Chart” on Page 24 for a list of all the
chords you can play on your key­board using standard fingering ac­companiment.

18

Major (M)

Suspended

4th (SUS4)

()

Major 7th

(M7)

Minor (m)

() ()

Dominant

7th (7)

Minor Half­Diminished

(m7-5)

Augmented

(aug)

Minor 7th

(m7)

Major Half­Diminished

(7-5)

Follow these steps to start standard
fingering auto accompaniment.

1. Set

POWER/MODE

to

FINGERED

.

42-403 6.fm Page 19 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

2. Select and enter an auto-rhythm.

3. To start the auto-rhythm before
your auto accom paniment, press

START/STOP

.

Or, to synchronize the start of the
selected auto-rhythm with your
accompaniment, press

CHRO/FILL-IN

.

SYN-

4. Begin the accompanim ent at the
desired interval by pressing at
least three accompaniment keys
to play the desired chord.

To play a melody along with the
accompaniment, press any
key(s) to the right of the accom­paniment keys.

5. Adjust the tempo and volume to
the desired levels.

6. To change chords without inter­rupting the rhythm, simply press
the auto accompaniment keys
required to form the new chord.

7. To stop auto accompaniment and
the auto-rhythm, press

.

STOP

START/

19

42-403 6.fm Page 20 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

SPECIAL FEATURES

CHANGING KEYS

The keyboard automatically selects
the key of middle C each time you
turn it on.

For added flexibilit y as y ou make mu­sic, the keyboard lets you change
(transpose) the musical key in which
it plays.

1. Repeatedly press
until

TUNE

rent key setting appear

Note:

the number of “semitones” to
which the keyboard is set, com­pared to its default key. A semi­tone is a measurement that
represents the acoustical interval
between the tones of any two
keys. For example, the difference
between C and C or B and B is
one semitone. You can transpose
the key down 6 semitones (to an
F ) and up 5 semitones (to an F)
— a full octave.

Trans

The displayed number is

TRANSPOSE/

and the cur-

.

As you raise the key, 1 is C , 2 is
D, and so on. As you lower the
key, –
and so on.

Notes

• You can also use the number
keypad to quickly raise the key.
Simply press the desired semi­tone value (1 to 5).

• You cannot change the key while
a prerecorded tune is selected or
playing.

• The keyboard automatically
resets the key to the default value
of 0 (middle C) each time you
play a prerecorded tune.

• Each preset tone plays within a
specified range. If a key change
causes a note to exceed its
range, the same note sounds in
the nearest octave.

• When you select preset tones 90­96 after changing the key, the
keyboard split point changes
accordingly (see “Keyboard Split
Tones” on Page 14).

• Changing the key does not affect
the PERCUSSION (No. 99) pre­set tone.

is B, –2 is B , –3 is A,

1

:

2. Within 5 seconds, press
raise or lower the key. Each time
you press
the display increases or de­creases by 1 (semitone).

20

or –, the number on

+

or – to

+

42-403 6.fm Page 21 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

TUNING THE
KEYBOARD

Although your keyboard never goes
out of tune, it does let you adjust its
pitch to match other instruments or
musical recordings.

Note:

You cannot tune the keyboard
while a prerecorded tune is selected
or playing.

Follow these steps to tune the key­board.

1. Repeatedly press

TUNE

until the display shows

and the current pitch setting.

TRANSPOSE/

Tun

Notes:

• You can tune the keyboard up t o
50 cents (101 levels) from its
default pitch.

• You can use the number keypad
to raise the pitch by entering the
desired cent value.

• The keyboard automatically
resets the tuning pitch to the
default value of 00 (cents) each
time you turn off the keyboard or
play the prerecorded tunes.

Note:

The number on the d isplay
is the number of “cents” to which
the keyboard is currently tuned,
compared to its default pitch. A
cent is the measurement that rep­resents the acoustical interval
between two tones. 1200 cents
equal 1 octave.

2. Within 5 seconds, repeatedly

+

press
keyboard's pitch. Each time you
press the key, the number on the
display increases or decreases
by 1 (cent).

or – to raise or lower the

21

42-403 6.fm Page 22 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

TROUBLESHOOTING

If your Concertmate 975 is not performing as it should, these suggestions might
help. If you still cannot solve th e problem, take t he keyboard to your local Ra­dioShack store for assistance.

Trouble Possible Cause Remedy

No sound, even if
keys are
pressed.

The keyboard has turned
off automatically.

Volume is turned down. Repeatedly press

Set

POWER/MODE

then

UME

again.

ON

s to increase the vol-

to

VOL-

OFF

ume.

Headphones are connect-

Disconnect headphones.

ed.
Power supply problem. Check the power supply.

• Are battery symbols
(+/–) facing correctly?

• Are the batteries
fresh?

• Is the AC or DC
adapter connected
properly?

You are pressing too few
accompaniment keys
while

POWER/MODE

to

FINGERED

.

is set

Set

POWER/MODE

or

MAL

CONCERT CHORD

Press 3 or 4 keys to form a
chord while
is set to

FINGERED

to

NOR-

POWER/MODE

.

.

No sound when
connected to an
external amplifi­er.

22

Volume

is turned down. Repeatedly press

s to increase the vol-

UME

VOL-

ume.

Defective connection cord. Replace the connection

cord.

42-403 6.fm Page 23 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Your Optimus Concertmate 975 Portable Stereo Musical Instrument is an exam­ple of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you
care for your keyboard so you can enjoy it for years.

Keep the keyboard dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liq­uids might c ontain minerals that can corrode the electronic c ir­cuits.

Use and store the keyboard only in norm al temperature environ­ments. Temperature ex tremes can shorten the life of electronic
devices, damage batteries, and distort or melt plastic parts.

Keep the keyboard away from dust and dirt, which can cause pre­mature wear of parts.

Handle the keyboard gently and carefully. Dropping it can dam­age circuit boards and cases and can cause the keyboard to work
improperly.

Use only fresh batteries of the required size and rec ommended
type. Batteries can le ak chem icals that da mage your key board’s
electronic parts.

Wipe the keyboard with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it look­ing new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong
detergents to clean the keyboard.

Modifying or tam pering with the keyboard’s internal com ponents can cause a
malfunction and might invalidate your keyboard’s warranty and void your FCC
authorization to operate it. If your keyboard is not performing as it should, take it
to your local RadioShack store for assistance.

23

42-403 6.fm Page 24 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

STANDARD FINGERING CHORD CHART

24

42-403 6.fm Page 25 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

25

42-403 6.fm Page 26 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

RHYTHM LIST

Pops —
Pops/
Ballad/
16 Beat/
8 Beat

Rock —
Slow Rock/
Soft Rock/
Soul/
Rock/
R&B

Jazz —
Big Band/
Swing/
Jazz/
Fusion

Dance —
Club/
Techno/
Disco/
Rap/
Funk

00 Club Pop 07 Funky Pop 2 14 8 Beat Soul
01 Vocal Pop 08 Epic Ballad 15 8 Beat Shfl
02 Rap Pop 09 Lite Pop 16 Dance Pop 1
03 Funky Pop 1 10 16 Beat Shuffle 17 Dance Pop 2
04 Soul Ballad 11 16 Beat Pop 18 Pop Fusion
05 Pop Ballad 12 16 Beat Funk 19 Folkie Pop
06 Love Ballad 13 8 Beat Pop

20 Rock Waltz 27 Pop Rock 2 34 Straight Rock
21 Slow Rock 1 28 50’s Rock 35 Heavy Metal
22 Slow Rock 2 29 60’s Rock 36 Twist
23 Soft Rock 1 30 4-Beat Rock 37 N’awlins R&R
24 Soft Rock 2 31 Rock 38 Chicago Blues
25 Soft Rock 3 32 Heavy Rock 39 R&B
26 Pop Rock 1 33 8-Beat Rock

40 Big Band 44 Jazz Waltz 48 Acid Jazz
41 Slow Swing 45 Modern Waltz 49 Latin Fusion
42 Swing 46 Cool
43 Foxtrot 47 Hard Bop

50 Vocal Groove 54 Trance 58 Rap
51 Rave 55 House 59 Funk
52 Club Groove 56 Groove Soul
53 Techno 57 Disco

European —
Polka/
March/
Waltz/
Tango

Latin —
Bossa
Nova/
Samba/
Mambo/
Rhumba/
Reggae

Various —
Country/
Gospel/
etc.

26

60 Polka 1 64 Waltz 68 Serenade
61 Polka 2 65 Vienna Waltz 69 Tango 1
62 March 1 66 French Waltz
63 March 2 67 Slow Waltz

70 Bossa Nova 75 Merengue 80 Punta
71 Samba 76 Reggae 81 Cumbia
72 Mambo 77 Bolero 82 Ska
73 Rhumba 78 Tango 2 83 Tex-Mex
74 Cha-Cha-Cha 79 Lambada 84 Salsa

85 Folklore 90 Country 95 Adani
86 Pasodoble 91 Bluegrass 96 Baladi
87 Rhumba Catalan 92 Township 97 Baroque
88 Sevillana 93 F ast Gospel 98 Enka
89 Folk 94 Slow Gospel 99 New Age

42-403 6.fm Page 27 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

SPECIFICATIONS

Number of Keys .............................................................................................. 61

Polyphonic Sound ....................................................................... 12-note (Max.)

Preset T ones ................................................................................................. 100

Auto-Rhyt hms ................... ................. ................ ................. ......... ................. 100

Tempo .............................................. Adjustable (20–255 Bea ts Per Minute)

Other ......................................................................Fill-in and Synchro Start

Accompaniments . ....................................................... Concert Chord, Fingered

Prerecorded Tunes ............................................................................ 100 Tunes

Transpose ........................................................................ (F ~C~F: Half-Notes)

Tuning ......................................................... Adjustable A4 = 440 Hz ±50 Cents

Built-in Speakers ................................................... 4 Inch × 2 (Output 2W + 2W)

Terminals:

Power Supply ............................................................................. DC 9VJack

PHONES/OUTPUT Jack ............................... Output Impedance: 70 Ohms

Output Voltage: 2.4V (RMS) MAX

Power Sources ........................................ DC: 6 AA batteries (Cat. No. 23-557)

AC: 120V, 60Hz, with AC adapter (Cat. No. 273-1656)

Vehicle Battery: 9V with DC adapter (Cat. No. 273-1815)

Power Consumption ................................................................................. 7.0 W

9

Dimensions (HWD) ................................................. 3

/16 × 357/8 × 1211/16 Inches

(90 × 91 1 × 322 mm)

Weight (Without Batteries) ......................................................... ....... .. .. 8 lb 8 oz

(4.0 kg)

Included Accessories ........................................................... Sheet Music Stand

Sheet Music and Play Guide for the Prerecorded Tunes

Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject
to change and improvement without notice.

27

42-403 6.fm Page 28 Thursday, Aug ust 12, 1999 8:20 AM

Limited One-Year Warranty

This product is warr anted by RadioSh ack agains t manufacturi ng defects in mat erial and workm an­ship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned
stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, Ra­dioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING
THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED
IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED
HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RE­SPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY
LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFOR­MANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, IN­CLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS
OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDEN­TAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF Radi oShack HAS BEEN ADV ISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion of in­cidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
In the event of a product defect during the warr anty period, take the product and the Radi oShack
sales receipt as proof of pur chas e date to an y RadioSh ack sto re. RadioS hack wi ll, at its optio n, un­less otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the defec t by product re pair witho ut charge for parts and
labor; (b) replace the product with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase
price. All replaced par ts and products, and pr oducts on which a re fund is made, becom e the prop­erty of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and pr oducts may be used in the perform ance of
warranty service. R epaired or replaced parts and pr oducts are warranted for the remain der of the
original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the
expiration of the warranty period.
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse,
accident, misuse, imp roper or abnormal us age, failure to foll ow instr uctions , impro per install ation or
maintenance, altera tion, lightning or other incidence of excess volta ge or current; (b) any repairs
other than those prov ided by a RadioShac k Authorized Service Faci lity; (c) consumables such as
fuses or batteries; (d) cosme tic damag e; (e ) transpor tation, s hip ping or insurance costs ; or (f) costs
of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation.
This warranty gives y ou specific legal rights, and y ou may also have other rights which vary from
state to state.

RadioShack Customer Relations, Dept. W, 100 Throckmorton St., Suite 600, Fort Worth, TX 76102

We Service What We Sell

3/97

RadioShack

A Division of Tandy Corporation

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

7A8N Printed in Mexico