Easy Guitar
Owner’s Manual
Thank you for choosing a Yamaha Easy Guitar (EZ-EG)! For maximum performance and enjoyment, please read this owner’s manual carefully before using your EZ-EG. When you’re done reading the manual, please store it in a safe place – along with the warranty card – for future reference.
●Supplied Accessories — Please check to make sure that you have the following accessories:
•Tremolo Arm • Strap • C-Clip x 2 • Pick • AC Power Adaptor • USB-MIDI Interface UX16 • Safety Precautions Document • EZ-EG Song Chord Chart, Warranty Card
Power Supply
You can use either the supplied AC power adaptor or batteries to power your EZ-EG, but we recommend that you use the AC adaptor whenever possible.
Using the AC Power Adaptor
q Make sure that the EZ-EG power switch is set to the STANDBY position. w Plug the DC plug of the AC Adaptor into the DC IN 9V jack on the EZ-EG. e Plug the AC Adaptor into a convenient AC wall outlet.
• When powering the EZ-EG from the AC mains use only the supplied PA-D09 AC Power Adaptor! The use of other adaptors can result in overheating and damage, and can pose a fire hazard. Damage caused by using an AC adaptor other than the one supplied with the EZ-EG is not covered by the warranty.
• When you’re not using the EZ-EG, or when there is danger of a lightning strike, be sure to unplug the AC adaptor from the AC mains.
AC Adaptor
PA-D09
(DC IN 9V )
Using Batteries
qPlace the EZ-EG face-down (string-side down) on a soft surface, and remove the battery compartment cover.
wInstall six 1.5-volt “AA” size, R6P or equivalent batteries in the battery compartment, making sure the polarities (i.e. the “+” and “-” ends of the batteries) are arranged as shown in the diagram.
e Close the battery compartment cover.
• If batteries are installed and the AC power adapter is connected to the EZ-EG, the AC power adaptor supplies power to the EZ-EG rather than the batteries.
• Alkali type batteries are recommended for maximum battery life and performance.
It is a good idea to change the batteries before they run too low to maintain proper operation. When the batteries run low the output volume of the EZ-EG will be reduced, the sound may become distorted, and the displays may not light properly.
Please keep the following points in mind when changing batteries:
•Be sure to observe the +/- polarity markings, and install the batteries with the proper orientation. Improper battery orientation can result in overheating, fluid leakage, and possibly fire.
•Always replace all six batteries at the same time. Don’t mix old batteries with new. All batteries must also be of the same type – never mix alkaline and manganese batteries, batteries from different manufacturers, or different types of batteries even if they are from the same manufacturer. Doing so can result in overheating, fluid leakage, and possibly fire.
•Remove the batteries from the instrument if you won’t be using it for an extended period of time. If the batteries are left installed they will gradually run down, and may possibly leak fluid that can damage the instrument.
Connections
• Make sure that power to all external
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devices is OFF when connecting the |
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EZ-EG to avoid possible electric |
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shock and damage to the equip- |
Headphones |
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EZ-EG |
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ment. Also, start with all volume con- |
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trols turned down to minimum to |
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prevent possible damage to speak- |
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PHONES/OUTPUT |
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ers and other playback equipment. |
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Connector |
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Phone Plug |
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Computer |
Powered Speaker |
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Refer to “Connecting To a |
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USB-MIDI Interface |
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Computer” on the other |
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MIDI OUT Connector |
USB |
side for connection |
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Connector |
details. |
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Stereo |
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Audio System, |
RCA Pin Plugs |
Mini Plug |
MIDI IN Connector |
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DC IN 9V |
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Television, etc. |
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To AC wall socket |
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Connector |
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AC Power |
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Adaptor |
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Names Of the Parts, Controls, and Connectors
Body
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qFrets
The EZ-EG frets glow red when pressed. When the PLAY MODE is set to CHORD or BOTH, the appropriate frets will glow to indicate the frets you should press.
•When the CAPO function is used an entire column of frets will glow at the capo position.
wControl Section
This section includes the controls for the EZ-EG’s many features and functions (details in “Control Section”, below).
eStrings
The strings can be played either with a pick or finger style. Strings that are sounding can be muted by lightly touching the strings with the right hand while touching the metal section on the back of the neck with the left hand.
rTremolo Arm
The tremolo arm can be used to raise or lower the pitch of strings that are sounding. Lift the arm away from the body to raise the pitch, or lower it toward the body to lower the pitch.
Attaching the Tremolo Arm
Screw the threaded end of the tremolo arm clockwise into the arm hole on the EZ-EG bridge. Screw the arm in until it stops, then rotate it back (counterclockwise) to a comfortable playing position.
t[VOLUME] Control
Adjusts the overall volume level. Rotate clockwise to increase the volume, or counterclockwise to decrease the volume.
y[STANDBY/ON] Control
This is the EZ-EG power switch. Rotate to the ON position to turn the power on, or to the STANDBY position to turn the power off.
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Control Section |
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!0 |
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0.0.0. |
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qVALUE [+]/[-] Buttons
These buttons are used to select sounds and songs as well as adjust tempo, balance, and other parameters. Press the [+] button once to increment the value by one, or press the [-] button once to decrement the value by one. Holding either button causes continuous incrementing or decrementing in the corresponding direction. Press both the [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously to reset the initial default value for the
selected parameter.
wDisplay
Displays the value of the parameter being edited, as well as the currently selected tempo.
e[BALANCE] Button
Allows adjustment of the volume balance between the played sound and the accompaniment song sound.
r[TUNING] Button
Allows overall tuning of the EZ-EG in semitone increments, as well as selection of one of the EZ-EG’s alternative tunings: in addition to standard guitar tuning the EZ-EG provides drop-D, open-D, open-G, and open-E tunings.
t[TEMPO] Button
Allows the song tempo to be set from q=32 through q=280.
y[CAPO] Button
Allows the position of the EZ-EG’s “virtual capo” to be specified.
u[SONG] Button
Allows any of the 18 internal songs to be selected for playback. In addition to the songs initially provided, songs downloaded from the internet to a computer can be read into and stored in the EZ-EG.
i[SOUND] Button
Allows selection of any of the EZ-EG’s 20 instrument sounds.
o[DEMO] Button
Starts and stops song playback.
!0[STRUM], [CHORD], [BOTH] Buttons
Starts playback of the selected song using the corresponding playback method.
Connectors
q w e
qMIDI IN/MIDI OUT Connectors
These connectors can be used to connect the EZ-EG to other MIDI gear or a computer using standard MIDI cables.
wPHONES/OUTPUT Jack
This jack can be used to connect a pair of stereo headphones for private practice or listening, or to connect the EZ-EG to an audio system, television, or instrument amplifier.
eDC IN 9V Jack
The supplied AC Power Adaptor (PA-D09) can be connected here.
• Make sure that power to all external devices is OFF when connecting the EZ-EG to avoid possible electric shock and damage to the equipment. Also, start with all volume controls turned down to minimum to prevent possible damage to speakers and other playback equipment.
Attaching the Strap and C-Clip
After slipping the ends of the supplied strap over the strap pins on the EZ-EG body, secure the strap by sliding a C-clip under the head of each strap pin – between the strap and the head of the strap pin – as shown in the illustration.
Attach securely |
C-clip |
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attached. |
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to ensure that |
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the strap does |
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not slip off. |
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Strap Pin |
C-clip |
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Playing the EZ-EG
When you’re set up and ready, turn on the power and play!
Power On & Play
1 Turn on the power & adjust the volume.
Rotate the [STANDBY/ON] switch to the ON position.
While playing the EZ-EG strings rotate the [VOLUME] control to set an appropriate volume.
[VOLUME] Control [STANDBY/ON] Switch
• Make sure that the [VOLUME] control is set to the MIN (minimum) position when turning on the power. Also make sure that external amplification gear is off when turning the EZ-EG power on.
• Avoid touching the tremolo arm while turning the power on. If the tremolo arm is not in its neutral position while the power is turned on the EZ-EG may not play at the correct pitch.
• A very small amount of power is used by the EZ-EG when the [STANDBY/ON] switch is in the STANDBY position. Be sure to remove the batteries or unplug the AC Power Adaptor if you will not be using the EZ-EG for an extended period of time.
• Don’t force the STANDBY switch or VOLUME control past their maximum “stop” positions.
•The “YAMAHA” name will scroll across the EZ-EG frets when the power is turned on. You can stop this by simply pressing any fret.
2 Play chords.
Form a chord with your left hand (the frets you press will glow red), then play the strings with your right hand.
•Strings that are sounding can be muted by lightly touching the strings with the right hand while touching the metal section on the back of the neck with the left hand.
Selecting Different Sounds
The EZ-EG includes 20 different guitar, bass, and other instrument sounds. Choose the sound that best suits the song you’re playing and your playing style.
1 Press the [SOUND] button.
The number of the cur-
1rently selected sound will appear on the dis-
play.
2 Select a sound number.
Use the [+] and [-] buttons to select the sound you want to play.
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•Press the [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously to instantly recall sound number 1.
Sound List
No. |
Sound |
No. |
Sound |
No. |
Sound |
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GUITAR |
8 |
Overdrive Guitar |
15 |
Synth Bass |
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1 |
Folk Guitar |
9 |
Distortion Guitar |
16 |
Hi-Q Bass |
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2 |
Classic Guitar |
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BASS |
17 |
Dance Bass |
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3 |
12-string Guitar |
10 |
Acoustic Bass |
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OTHERS |
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4 |
Jazz Guitar |
11 |
Finger Bass |
18 |
Banjo |
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5 |
Octave Guitar |
12 |
Pick Bass |
19 |
Shamisen |
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6 |
Clean Guitar |
13 |
Fretless Bass |
20 |
Piano |
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Mute Guitar |
14 |
Slap Bass |
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● Using the Tremolo Arm
By raising and lowering the tremolo arm you can raise and lower the pitch of notes played. Pressing the arm toward the body lowers the pitch, while lifting the arm away from the body raises the pitch. Use the tremolo arm to add expressive bends to your playing.
Raise Pitch
Lower Pitch
Using the CAPO Function
The EZ-EG’s virtual capo functions in the same way as a normal guitar capo, “stopping” the strings at the specified fret. Some guitar songbooks include capo indications that can make setting this function easy.
1 Press the [CAPO] button.
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The current CAPO |
C 0 |
position will appear |
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on the display. |
2 Select the capo position (fret).
Use the [+] and [-] buttons to select the fret at which you want to position the capo. You can select frets 1 through 10. All fret buttons at the selected fret position will glow.
C 3
•The CAPO setting only applies to the played sound (not to the song playback sound).
•Some songs, however, do have a preset CAPO setting.
Tuning
After pressing the [TUNING] button you can use the [+] and [-] buttons to raise or lower the overall pitch of the EZ-EG in semitone steps up to one octave. For example, a setting of “-1” lowers the pitch by one semitone; a setting of “+4” raises the pitch by four semitones (an interval of a third); or a setting of “-12” lowers the pitch by a full octave. This makes it easy to play the EZ-EG in any key – to match the range of a singer, for example.
The EZ-EG also provides four alternative tunings which can be selected by pressing the [+] button beyond the “+12” setting: Drop D, Open D, Open G, and Open E.
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The number of semi- |
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of alternative tuning |
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selected will appear on |
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the display. |
Tuning |
Key Control |
Drop D |
Open D |
Open G |
Open E |
Display |
-12-0-12 |
drd |
oPd |
oPG |
oPE |
1st |
E |
E |
D |
D |
E |
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2nd |
B |
B |
A |
B |
B |
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3rd |
G |
G |
F# |
G |
G# |
4th |
D |
D |
D |
D |
E |
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5th |
A |
A |
A |
G |
B |
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6th |
E |
D |
D |
D |
E |
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Playing the Songs
The EZ-EG features a range of internal songs that you can play along with. Song numbers 1 through 18 are pre-programmed into the EZ-EG. Additional songs can be downloaded from the internet using a computer and loaded into the EZ-EG for playback. Refer to the “Connecting to MIDI Devices” section for details.
Song List
No. |
Title |
No. |
Title |
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Title |
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FULL CHORUS |
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PATTERN |
12 |
8 |
Beat Stroke-4 |
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1 |
Day Tripper |
6 |
West Coast |
13 |
16 Beat Stroke |
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2 |
Take Me Home |
7 |
Hillbilly |
14 |
3 |
Finger-1 |
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Country Roads |
8 |
Mersey Beat |
15 |
3 |
Finger-2 |
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3 |
Stand By Me |
9 |
8 Beat Stroke-1 |
16 |
Rock’n Roll Riff |
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INTRO |
10 |
8 Beat Stroke-2 |
17 |
Bossa Nova |
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4 |
A Hard Days Night |
11 |
8 Beat Stroke-3 |
18 |
Jazz |
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5 |
Michelle |
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Listen To the Songs and Play Along
1 Press the [DEMO] button.
Playback of the currently selected song will begin, then the remaining songs will play back in sequence.
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The current song |
number is shown on |
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the display. |
2 Press the [DEMO] button to stop playback.
Listen To a Specified Song and Play Along
1 Press [SONG] and select a song.
After pressing the [SONG] button, use the [+] and [-] buttons to select the number of the song you want to play.
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song will appear on |
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the display. |
2 Press the [DEMO] button to start and stop playback.
•After pressing the [DEMO] button to start playback, the [+] and [-] buttons can be used to select a specific song. All remaining songs will play back in sequence following the selected song.
•If a play mode is selected – i.e. the [STRUM], [CHORD] or [BOTH] button is pressed – the selected song will play repeatedly.
Songs loaded from a computer will be stored in memory numbers “F-1, F-2, etc.” following the pre-programmed song data (1 – 18), and can be selected using the [+] and [-] buttons in the same way as the pre-pro- grammed songs.
Change the Song Tempo
Playback tempo of the songs can be adjusted from q=32 through q=280 (quarter notes per minute). This can be handy to slow a song down for practice.
1 Press the [TEMPO] button.
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The current tempo |
will appear on the |
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display. |
2 Use the [+] and [-] buttons to set the tempo.
130
•Press the [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously to reset the default tempo of the song.
Change the Balance
By changing the volume of song playback, you can set the optimum balance between the song and played sounds.
1 Press the [BALANCE] button
The current balance value appears on the
display.
80
2 Use the [+] and [-] buttons to set the balance.
Adjust the song volume from 0 (minimum) through 127 (maximum) to achieve the ideal balance with the played sound.
The initial default song volume setting is 64.
96
•Press the [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously to reset the default song volume.