Radio Shack MD501 User Manual

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42-4059

Music Information Display — shows you the notes and chords as

you play them, along with the current tone, rhythm, and tempo.

Recording/Playback — lets you record your own
tunes and play them back at any time.

Sustain Function — lets you extend the length of a played
note, providing added flexibility as you make music.

Tempo Controls — let you speed up or slow down
the tempo of any selected music pattern.

Metronome — the keyboard sounds the beat,
making it easy to keep time with the music.

Introduction ......................................................... 2

Connecting Power .............................................. 2

Using Batteries ................................................ 2

Using AC or DC Power .................................... 2

Connecting Headphones ................................. 2

Listening Safely ............................................... 2

Connecting an External Amplifier .................... 2

A Quick Look at Your Keyboard .......................... 3

Operation ............................................................ 4

Basic Operation ....................... ........................ 4

Playing the Prerecorded Tunes ....................... 4

Playing Back a Prerecorded Tune ............... 4

Using DEMO ............................................... 4

Using the Preset Tones ................................... 4

Selecting/Playing a Preset Tone ................. 4

If an icon appears at the end of a paragraph, go to the box on that page with the corresponding icon for pertinent information.

— Warning # — Important .

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Using the Preset Auto-Rhythms ....................... 4

Selecting/Playing an Auto-Rhythm .............. 4

Using SYNC ................................................. 5

Using FILL-IN ............................................... 5

Using Auto Accompaniment ............................. 5

Single Fingering ........................................... 5

Standard Fingering ............................. .... .. .. . 6

Learning to Play ............................................... 6

Using the Metronome ....................................... 6

Using BEAT ...................................................... 7

Special Features ................................................. 7

Recording ......................................................... 7

Using One-Touch Setting ................................. 7

Using Sustain ................................................... 7

Percussion Pads ................................................. 7

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. — Caution

..

RadioShack and RadioShack.com are trademarks

#

°°°°

2002 RadioShack Corporation.

©

All Rights Reserved.

used by RadioShack Corporation.

Using a Percussion Pad ...................... ............ 7

Recording/Playing a Percussion Pad Sound ..
7

Transposin g ................................... ............ ...... 7

Using MIDI .......................................................... 8

About MIDI ..................................................... .. 8

Making the MIDI Connections .......................... 8

Troubleshooting .................................................. 9

Care ............ ............ ............. ............. ............ ...... 9

Service and Repair ............................................. 9

The FCC Wants You to Know ............................. 9

Chord Charts ..................................................... 10

Specifications .................................................... 11

— Hint

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— Note

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Thank you for purchasin g a RadioShack MID I
Keyboard. Your keyboard is state-of-the-art
with many exciting features. You can set the
keyboard to sound like 50 different musical
instruments. To accompany your music, the
keyboard has 30 rhythms, as well as auto
accompaniments and perc us si on sounds.

4. Connect the AC

or DC adapter’s
barrel plug to the

DC 9V

jack on
the back of the
keyboard.

5. Plug the other end of the ad apter into the
power source.

DC 9V

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Introduction

This Owner’s Manual explains how to use this
electronic keyboard. It does not teach music.

Connecting Power

• Connecting an AC or DC adapter
automatically disconnects internal batteries.

• Always disconnect the AC or DC adapter
when you finish using the keyboard.

Connecting Headphones

Connecting headphones disconnects the
keyboard’s built-in speakers.

.

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Using Batteries

• 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.

• If you do not plan to use the keyboard with
batteries for a week or more, remove the
batteries. Batteries can leak chemicals that
can destroy electronic parts.

Using AC or DC Power

• You must use a (Class 2 for AC)
power source that supplies 9V DC
and delivers at least 300 mA. Its
center tip must be set to positive
and its plug must fit the keyboard's DC 9V
jack. Using an adapter that does not meet
these specifications could damage the
keyboard or the adapter.

• Always connect the adapter to the keyboard
before you plug it into the power source and
unplug the adapter from the power source
before you unplug it from the keyboard.

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

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Your keyboard also inclu des a MIDI (Mus ic al
Instrument Digital Interface) OUT feature,
which lets you connect it to other MIDI­equipped musical instruments or devices —
even your personal computer. ±

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You can power your keyboard with:

• internal batteries

• standard AC power using an op tional AC
adapter

• a vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket using
an optional DC adapter

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Your keyboard can use six C batteries (not
supplied) for power. For the best
performance and longe st life, we recomme nd
RadioShack alkaline batteries.

1. Slide

2. Press the tabs on the battery

3. Place the batteries in the compartment

4. Replace the cover.

When the keyboard stops operating properly,
replace the batteries.

POWER

compartment cover on the bottom of the
keyboard and pull up the cover to
remove it.

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

to

OFF

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To power the keyboard from an AC outlet or
your vehicle’s battery power, you nee d an AC
or DC adapter and a size M Adaptaplug
(neither supplied, available at your local
RadioShack store or online at
www.RadioShack.com).

....

.

....

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

Insert the headphones’ plug into the
jack on the back of the keyboard. ±

1

/8-inch (3.5-mm)

PHONE

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

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

• Do not listen at extremely high volume
levels. Extended high-volume listening
can lead to permanent hearing loss.

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

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To amplify your keyboard’s sound, you can
connect it to an optional external amplifier
using an audio cable with a
plug (not supplied).

To connect an external amplifier to your
keyboard, insert the cable’s plug into the

PHONE

jack on the back of th e keyboard , and
connect the cable’s other end to the
amplifier’s input jack(s) (such as AUX IN or
TAPE IN).

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

1

/8-inch (3.5-mm)

1. Slide

2. If necessary, set the AC or DC adapter’s

3. Attach the Adaptaplug to the adapter’s

2

POWER

voltage switch to 9V.

cord with the tip set to positive (+).

to

OFF

.

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POWER

Speaker

Speaker

3

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To prevent hearing damage, always set the
keyboard’s volume to its lowest level before
you begin playing it after changing any settings.

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±

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Basic Operation

• To remind you to save power during
operation, the keyboard automatically
sounds a tone about every 5 minutes if you
do not press a key.

• The keyboard automatically selects the
tone Grand PIANO (No. 01) when you turn
the power on. To select a different tone, see
“Selecting/Playing a Preset Tone” on
Page 4.

• To select an auto-rhythm, see “Using the
Preset Auto-Rhythms” on Page 4.

• To play auto accompaniment, see “Using
Auto Accompaniment” on Page 5.

• The keyboard’s volume ranges from 0 (no
sound) to 10 (maximum), and the current
volume level appears on the display. Each
time you turn on the keyboard, the volume
is set to 6.

• To quickly return to the default volume
setting of 6, turn the keyboard off then back
on.

Playing Back a Prerecorded Tune

• The keyboard always selects the tune
“Canon” (No. 01) each time you turn it on.

• Precede a single-digit number with a 0. For
example, to select 06 (“Wiegenlied
(Schubert)”), press 0 6.

• If you enter an incorrect first digit,
repeatedly press + or – to move to the next
higher or lower numbered tune.

• Each tune plays a different preset tone for
the melody.

Using the Preset Tones

The keyboard has 8-note (maximum)
polyphonic sound. This means that you can
play up to 8 different notes at the same time
with most of the keyboard’s preset tones.

Selecting/Playing a Preset Tone

• Each time you turn the keyboard on, it
automatically selects the tone Grand
PIANO (No. 01).

• Precede a single-digit number with a 0. For
example, to select VIBRAPHONE (No. 06),

0 6

press

.

Selecting/Playing an Auto-Rhythm

• Each time you turn on the keyboard, it
automatically selects the rhythm Disco 1
(No. 01).

• Precede a single-digit number with a 0. For
example, press 0 5 to select POP WALTZ

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. The current

POWER

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or

POWER

to

±

±

to

±

1. To turn on the keyboard, set

ON.

The POWER indicator lights.

2. To hear a sample of the keyboard’s
many sounds, play a prerecorded tune
(see “Playing the Prerecorde d Tun es” on
Page 4). To make your own music,
simply begin playing the keyboard.

3. Repeatedly press

VOLUME DOWN

the volume.

VOLUME UP

to increase or decrease

±

4. To turn off the keyboard, set

OFF

. The POWER indicator turns off.

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6

You can listen to any of the 50 tunes that
come prerecorded in the keyboard, or you
can turn off a tune’s melody or
accompaniment and then play along on the
keyboard.

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SONG

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1. Press
current tune appears.

2. Choose a tune from the SONGS list and
enter its two- digit numbe r on the keypad.

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

3. Press

±

tune.
You can change the tune by repeating

Step 2 even while a tune is playing. The
new tune immediately begins to play. As
it plays, the display shows:

• a “score ” to indicate th e notes th at are

playing (right side of the display)

• a “keyboard” to indicate the fingerin g

and which keys are pressed (bottom
of the display)

• the black dots above the metronome

show the beat count in the measure

• the chord name (center left of the

display)

4. Use

VOLUME

desired.

5. To change the tempo, repeatedly press

TEMPO UP

tempo setting appears.

6. To select a different tune, repeat Step 2.
To stop the tune completely, press

START/STOP

IED=

.

and the number of the

IED=IED=

START/STOP

to start playing the

to adjust the volume as

TEMPO DOWN

or

.

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To play the prerecord ed tune s one by one (i n
order from the selected starting point), press

DEMO

. To stop the demo, press

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7

Your keyboard can sound like 50 different
musical instrumen t s. Th e nam e and tw o -dig it
number for each preset tone is listed on the
TONES list on the keyboard’s top panel.

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TONE

JED;

1. Press
number appears.

JED;

.

and the current tone ’ s

JED;JED;

±

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

Or, you can use + or – to move to the
next higher or lower numbered tone.

3. Play the keyboard to hear the selected
tone and adjust

DOWN

to the desired level.

VOLUME UP

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

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Your keyboard has 30 preset auto-rhythms
that provide a steady beat for your music.
The name and two-digit number of each
preset auto-rhythm is listed on the
RHYTHMS list on the keyboard’s top panel.

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

• select and play a rhythm (se e “Sel ect ing /
Playing an Auto-Rhythm”)

• synchronize the start of a rhythm with
your music (see “Using SYNC” on
Page 5)

• briefly vary the pattern of a rhythm (see
“Using FILL-IN” on Page5)

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1. Press

RHYTHM

2. To select a different rhythm, choose an
auto-rhythm from the RH YTHMS list an d
enter its two-digit numbe r on the keypad.
Or, repeatedly press
the next higher or lower numbered
rhythm.

3. Press

±

START/STOP

auto-rhythm.

4. Adjust

VOLUME

±

.

+

or – to move to

to start the selected

to the desired level.

DEMO

VOLUME

or

again.

±

±

4