Yamaha MU50E1 User Manual

OWNER'S MANUAL

FCC INFORMATION (U.S.A)

1. IMPORTANT NOTICE : DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT!

This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modifications not expressly
approved by Yamaha may void your authority, granted by the FCC, to use the product.

2. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables. Cable/s
supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all installation instructions. Failure to follow instructions could void your FCC
authorization to use this product in the USA.

3. NOTE: This product has been tested and found to comply with the requirements listed in FCC Regulations, Part 15 for Class “B” digital
devices. Compliance with these requirements provides a reasonable level of assurance that your use of this product in a residential
environment will not result in harmful interference with other electronic devices. This equipment generates/uses radio frequencies and, if
not installed and used according to the instructions found in the user’s manual, may cause interference harmful to the operation of other
electronic devices. Compliance with FCC regulations does not guarantee that interference will not occur in all installations. If this product
is found to be the source of interference, which can be determined by turning the unit “OFF” and “ON”, please try to eliminate the problem
by using one of the following measures:

Relocate either this product or the device that is being affected by the interference.
Utilize power outlets that are on different branch (circuit breaker or fuse) circuits or install AC line filter/s.
In the case of radio or TV interference, relocate/reorient the antenna. If the antenna lead-in is 300 ohm ribbon lead, change the lead-in to

co-axial type cable.
If these corrective measures do not produce satisfactory results, please contact the your local retailer authorized to distribute this type of

product. If you can not locate the appropriate retailer, please contact Yamaha Corporation of America, Electronic Service Division, 6600
Orangethorpe Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620

The above statements apply ONLY to those products distributed by Yamaha Corporation of America or its subsidiaries.

*

CANADA

THIS DIGITAL APPARATUS DOES NOT EXCEED THE
“CLASS B” LIMITS FOR RADIO NOISE EMISSIONS FROM
DIGITAL APPARATUS SET OUT IN THE RADIO INTERFER­ENCE REGULATION OF THE CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS.

LE PRESENT APPAREIL NUMERIQUE N’EMET PAS DE
BRUITS RADIOELECTRIQUES DEPASSANT LES LIMITES
APPLICABLES AUX APPAREILS NUMERIQUES DE LA
“CLASSE B” PRESCRITES DANS LE REGLEMENT SUR LE
BROUILLAGE RADIOELECTRIQUE EDICTE PAR LE
MINISTERE DES COMMUNICATIONS DU CANADA.

This applies only to products distributed by Yamaha

*

Canada Music LTD.

ADVARSEL!

Lithiumbatteri—Eksplosionsfare ved fejlagtig håndtering.
Udskiftning må kun ske med batteri af samme fabrikat og type.
Levér det brugte batteri tilbage til leverandoren.

VARNING

Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte. Använd samma
batterityp eller en ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av
apparattillverkaren. Kassera använt batteri enligt fabrikantens
instruktion.

VAROITUS

Paristo voi räjähtää, jos se on virheellisesti asennettu. Vaihda
paristo ainoastaan laitevalmistajan suosittelemaan tyyppiin.
Hävitä käytetty paristo valmistajan ohjeiden mukaisesti.

WELCOME TO THE MU50

Welcome to the MU50

Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Yamaha MU50 Tone
Generator!

The MU50 is an advanced tone generator providing 737 high-quality

Voices, full General MIDI compatibility — including Yamaha’s new XG-
MIDI — plus flexible computer interfacing in a highly compact and
portable package.

With the convenient built-in host computer interface and MIDI ter-

minals, the MU50 is ideal for any computer music system — from connec-

tion to a simple laptop to integration in a complete MIDI studio. With its
large LCD and the intuitive graphic controls on the display, the MU50 is
remarkably easy to use.

The MU50 also features 16 Part multi-timbral capacity and full 32-
note polyphony for playback of even the most sophisticated song data. A
special Performance mode gives you flexible four-Voice operation, for
live performance applications. Built-in digital multi-effects give you enor­mous versatility in “sweetening” the sound. Plus, the convenient INPUT
jack allows you to connect an external audio source, and mix that source’s
signals with the MU50’s Voices. What’s more, the MU50 provides a host
of comprehensive, yet easy-to-use editing tools for getting just the sound
you need.

ii

Unpacking

Your MU50 package should include the items listed below. Make sure that
you have them all. Also, write down the serial number of your MU50 in the
box below , for future reference.

MU50 Serial No.:

PA-1207 AC Power Adaptor*

Owner’s Manual

* Power supply recommendation may vary from country to country.

Please check with your nearest Yamaha dealer for further details.

UNPACKING

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Welcome to the MU50............................................................................................................ ii

Unpacking .............................................................................................................................. iii

Table of Contents................................................................................................................... iv

How to Use This Manual ...................................................................................................... vi

Precautions............................................................................................................................ vii

The Controls of the MU50 ..................................................................................................... 1

The MU50 — What It Is and What It Can Do .................................................................... 4

What It Is…....................................................................................................................... 4

About General MIDI..................................................................................................... 4

What It Can Do…............................................................................................................. 5

Using With a MIDI Keyboard....................................................................................... 5

Using With a Computer or Sequencer .......................................................................... 5

About the Modes of the MU50 ........................................................................................ 6

Play Modes and the Part Controls................................................................................. 7

Utility Mode................................................................................................................ 10

Part Edit Mode ............................................................................................................ 10

GUIDED TOUR

Setting Up Your MU50 ................................................................................................... 12

What Y ou’ll Need .................................................................................................. 12

Making the Connections ....................................................................................... 12

Powering Up and Playing the Demo Song.................................................................... 14

Playing the Demo Song .............................................................................................. 15

Selecting V oices ............................................................................................................... 17

Changing the Voice Bank............................................................................................ 18

Selecting Voices From Your MIDI Keyboard ............................................................. 19

Changing Some of the Settings — Part Controls......................................................... 20

Selecting another Part and changing its MIDI channel .............................................. 20

Changing the Volume and Pan settings of a Part ........................................................ 22

Using Mute/Solo.............................................................................................................. 23

Using the INPUT Jack.................................................................................................... 24

Setting Up the MU50 in Your Music System................................................................ 25

Connecting With a Computer ..................................................................................... 25

Macintosh .............................................................................................................. 25

IBM PC and Clones .............................................................................................. 26

Connecting to Other MIDI Devices ............................................................................ 27

Using the MU50 with a MIDI Data Storage Device .................................................... 29

Data Flow Block Diagram.............................................................................................. 30

MIDI/Computer Connecting Cables............................................................................. 31

REFERENCE

Multi Mode...................................................................................................................... 34

Multi Play Mode ......................................................................................................... 35

Part Controls ............................................................................................................... 35

Single Part Control...................................................................................................... 36

iv

T ABLE OF CONTENTS

Selecting Single Part Control ................................................................................ 36

Editing in Single Part ............................................................................................ 36

All Part Control........................................................................................................... 40

Editing in All Part.................................................................................................. 40

Multi Edit Mode.......................................................................................................... 43

Filter ...................................................................................................................... 43

EG (Envelope Generator) ...................................................................................... 45

Vibrato................................................................................................................... 50

Others .................................................................................................................... 52

Drum Setup Controls............................................................................................. 61

Calling Up the Drum Setup Menu................................................................... 61

Drum Setup Parameters ................................................................................... 62

Performance Mode ......................................................................................................... 66

Performance Play Mode.............................................................................................. 66

Selecting a Performance and its Individual Parts .................................................. 67

Performance Part Control ........................................................................................... 69

Single Part ............................................................................................................. 69

All Part .................................................................................................................. 72

Performance Edit Mode .............................................................................................. 75

Common ................................................................................................................ 75

Part ........................................................................................................................ 78

Filter ...................................................................................................................... 79

EG ......................................................................................................................... 79

Vibrato................................................................................................................... 80

Others .................................................................................................................... 80

Copy and Store Operations ......................................................................................... 83

Copy ...................................................................................................................... 83

Store ...................................................................................................................... 84

Effect Edit Mode............................................................................................................. 86

Reverb (REV) ............................................................................................................. 86

Chorus (CHO)............................................................................................................. 88

Variation (VAR) .......................................................................................................... 89

About the Effect Connections — System and Insertion ............................................. 92

Utility Mode .................................................................................................................... 95

System Functions ........................................................................................................ 95

Dump Out Functions................................................................................................... 98

Saving and Restoring Data via MIDI .................................................................... 98

Saving and Restoring Data via TO HOST ............................................................ 98

Initialize Functions ................................................................................................... 101

Demo Song Play (DEMO) ........................................................................................ 104

Sound Module Mode (MODE) ................................................................................. 105

GUIDED TOUR

REFERENCE

APPENDIX

XG .................................................................................................................................. 108

Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................ 123

Error Messages ............................................................................................................. 124

Specifications................................................................................................................. 125

Glossary ......................................................................................................................... 127

Index .............................................................................................................................. 129

APPENDIX

v

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

How to Use This Manual

You are probably eager to try out your new MU50 Tone Generator right
away and hear what it can do, rather than have to read through a lot of in­structions before you can even get a sound out of it.

However, to get the most out of your MU50, we strongly suggest that
you read the following sections in the order given:

1) Precautions

This gives you important information on how to care for your new

MU50, how to avoid damaging, and how to ensure long-term, reliable

operation.

2) The Controls of the MU50

This section introduces you to the panel controls and connectors.

3) The MU50 — What It Is and What It Can Do

This briefly provides an overview of the functions and features of the

MU50 and offers some important hints on how you can use it effectively.

4) Guided Tour

This very important section gets you started using your new MU50. It

helps you set up the instrument, play it, and use some of the more im-

portant functions and features. The hands-on experience you gain in

this section will help you navigate through the other sections of the

manual.

5) Setting Up the MU50 in Your Music System;

Using the MU50 with a Computer

These sections (within the Guided Tour) provide all you need to know

to effectively integrate the MU50 into your present computer music

system.

6) Reference

Once you’re familiar with everything above, lightly go over this com-

prehensive guide to all editing functions. You won’t need (or want) to

read everything at once, but it is there for you to refer to when you need

information about a certain feature or function.

7) Appendix

Finally, use the sections in the Appendix as necessary. For example, the

Index will come in handy when you need to quickly find information

on a specific topic. Other sections, such as the Glossary, Trouble-

shooting and Error Messages provide additional useful information.

vi

Precautions

Your MU50 will give you years of reliable service if you follow the simple
precautions below:

䡵 LOCATION

Keep the instrument away from locations where it is likely to be exposed to
high temperatures (such as direct sunlight) or humidity. Also avoid loca­tions which are subject to excessive dust accumulation or vibration which
could cause mechanical damage.

䡵 USE THE CORRECT POWER ADAPTOR

Use only the recommended PA-1207 Power Adaptor for supplying power
to the instrument. Use of another adaptor may cause serious damage to the
instrument or the adaptor itself.

PRECAUTIONS

䡵

MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF WHEN MAKING OR REMOVING
CONNECTIONS

To prevent damage to the instrument and other connected equipment, al­ways turn off the power prior to connecting or disconnecting cables. Also,
turn the power off when the instrument is not in use, and disconnect the
power adaptor during electric storms.

䡵 HANDLE THE INSTRUMENT WITH CARE

Although the instrument has been constructed to withstand the rigors of
normal use for optimum sturdiness and reliability, avoid subjecting it to
strong physical shocks (such as dropping or hitting it). Since the MU50 is a
precision-made electronic device, also avoid applying excessive force to the
various controls. When moving the instrument, first unplug the power adap­tor and all other cables to prevent damage to cords and jacks. Always un­plug cables by gripping the plug firmly, not by pulling on the cable.

䡵 CLEAN WITH A SOFT, DRY CLOTH

Never use solvents such as benzine or thinner to clean the instrument, since
these will damage the cabinet finish or dull the keys. Wipe clean with a
soft, dry cloth. If necessary, use a soft, clean, slightly moistened cloth —
making sure to wipe the case off again with a dry cloth.

vii

PRECAUTIONS

䡵 ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE

Avoid using the unit near televisions, radios or other equipment generating
electromagnetic fields. Proximity to such equipment may cause the unit to
malfunction, and may generate interference noise in the other appliance as
well.

䡵 DO NOT OPEN THE CASE OR TRY REPAIRING THE INSTRUMENT

YOURSELF

The instrument contains no user-serviceable parts. Never open the case or
tamper with the internal circuitry in any way, since doing so may result in
damage to the instrument. Refer all servicing to qualified Yamaha service
personnel.

䡵 MIDI CABLES

When connecting the instrument to other MIDI equipment, be sure to use
only high-quality cables made especially for MIDI data transmission. Also,
avoid using cables longer than 15 meters, since long cables can result in
data errors.

Yamaha is not responsible for damage caused by improper han­dling or operation.

viii

The Controls of the MU50

Front Panel

1

2

THE CONTROLS OF THE MU50

10

58

11

13
14
15

3

4

1 INPUT jack

For connection of an external audio source. (Accepts either stereo or mono 1/4"
plugs.)

2 INPUT level control

For control of the INPUT audio level.

3 PHONES jack

For connection to a set of stereo headphones (mini-pin).

4 POWER/VOL control

Pressing this turns the power on and off. Turning it adjusts the overall volume
of the MU50.

5 PLA Y button

For entering the Play mode. (See page 34.)

6 UTIL (UTILITY) button

For entering the Utility mode. (See page 95.)

9

7

6

^

12

7 MODE button

For entering the Sound Module mode. (See page 34.)

8 EDIT button

For entering the Edit mode. (See pages 43, 75.)

1

THE CONTROLS OF THE MU50

1

2

8

5

10

11

13
14
15

3

4

9 EFFECT button

For entering the Effect Edit mode. (See page 86.)

10 MUTE/SOLO button

Pressing this alternately mutes or solos the selected Part. (See page 23.)

11 ENTER button

For calling up menu items in the display and for executing certain functions
and operations. Double-clicking this (pressing it twice quickly) calls up the
System Exclusive or Control Change hexadecimal message for the current
function and parameter value.

12 EXIT button

For leaving various display pages and returning to previous displays. Also for
canceling certain functions and operations.

13 PART q buttons

For selecting different Parts. In the Effect Edit mode, these can be used to
switch among the different effects. Pressing these together enters and exits
from All Part control. (See page 40.)

7

6

9

12

14 SELECT w buttons

For selecting the various menu items, parameters and controls on the display.

15 VALUE q buttons

For changing the value of a selected parameter or control.

2

Rear Panel

THE CONTROLS OF THE MU50

1

1 MIDI THRU, MIDI OUT and MIDI IN terminals

For connection to other MIDI devices, such as a MIDI keyboard, tone genera­tor, sequencer, or to a computer that has a MIDI interface. MIDI IN is for in­put of MIDI data. MIDI OUT is for data dumps to another MIDI device, while
MIDI THRU is for “daisy-chain” connection of additional MU50s or other
MIDI instruments. (See page 12 for more information on MIDI connections.)

2 HOST SELECT switch

For selecting the type of host computer. (See page 12.)

3 TO HOST terminal

For connection to a host computer that does not have a MIDI interface. (See
page 26.)

4 DC IN jack

For connection to the PA-1207 AC power adaptor.

5 OUTPUT R, L/MONO jacks (Right, Left/Mono)

For connection to a stereo amplifier/speaker system. When using a mono sys­tem, connect it to the L/MONO jack.

2

34 5

3

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

The MU50 — What It Is and What It Can Do

What It Is…

The MU50 is a compact, highly portable and easy-to-use tone generator. It
features full General MIDI Level 1 compatibility with 128 General MIDI
Voices and 1 drum kit. It also provides new XG-MIDI compatibility, with a
total of 480 Voices and 11 drum kits. The MU50 has 32-note polyphony
and is 16-Part multi-timbral. In other words, the MU50 features 16 differ­ent Parts, each with its own Voice, so that up to 16 different Voices can be
sounded simultaneously.

The MU50 also has a TO HOST terminal for easy interfacing with a
computer, allowing you to play the Voices using your favorite music soft­ware. This is where the advanced multi-timbral capabilities come in, letting
you playing sophisticated arrangements using up to 16 different Voices at
the same time.

The MU50 also features a special Performance mode, in which four Parts
are played simultaneously over a single MIDI channel. Connected to a MIDI
keyboard, this effectively gives you four tone generators in one. The MU50
gives you four sets of 32 factory-programmed Preset Performances plus 128
Internal Performance locations for your own original Performances.

About General MIDI

General MIDI is a new addition to the worldwide MIDI standard. MIDI, as
you know, stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and makes it
possible for various electronic musical instruments and other devices to
“communicate” with each other. For example, by connecting a sequencer
to the MU50’s MIDI IN terminal, you could play back a song on the
sequencer using the Voices of the MU50.

So, where does General MIDI fit in all of this? One of the most impor­tant features of General MIDI is in the standardization of Voices. This
means that a song recorded in the General MIDI format can be played back
on any General MIDI compatible tone generator and sound just as the com­poser intended. For example, if there is an alto sax solo in the song, it will
be played by an alto sax Voice on the General MIDI tone generator (and
not by a tuba or harpsichord!). Since the MU50 is fully compatible with
General MIDI, you can take advantage of the vast wealth of musical mate­rial recorded in that format.

4

What It Can Do…

Here are a few ideas on how you can use the MU50. The list below is not
comprehensive, but is meant to be a general guide to the possibilities and
provide a starting point or springboard for your own creative ideas and ex­plorations.

Using With a MIDI Keyboard

Use the MU50 as supplementary tone generator with your MIDI keyboard
and play the Voices of both instruments in a layer together. Or, use the con­venient Performance mode, and play four Voices on the MU50 at once. You
can split the four Voices across the keyboard, playing each from a different
register. Or you can create sophisticated velocity splits, in which a different
Voice is heard depending on how strongly you play the keyboard. Or use
keyboard and velocity splits together for even greater flexibility.

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

Using With a Computer or Sequencer

Home Studio Setup

The MU50 integrates instantly and easily into any existing setup. If you
have a MIDI keyboard, computer and sequencing software, the MU50 with
its high-quality Voices and multi-timbral capabilities can expand your home
studio system.

Carry It With You

If you have a laptop computer (and sequencing software), simply connect
the MU50, plug in some headphones and you’ve got a complete, high-pow­ered music making system that’s ready to go wherever you go. Use it for
composing, arranging, practicing or making/playing demos for your band.

Multimedia

Since it’s portable and compatible with General MIDI, the MU50 is a natu­ral for multimedia applications. Bring it with you to a presentation — since
the computer interface is built-in to the MU50, it hooks up instantly and
easily to the computer’s serial port or printer port, without the need for any
other equipment.

5

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

About the Modes of the MU50

The MU50 has two main operating modes: Multi and Performance. In
Multi mode, the MU50 is a 16-Part multi-timbral tone generator; in Per­formance mode, the MU50 effectively functions as four tone generators
controlled over a single MIDI channel.

Which mode the MU50 is in depends on the selected Sound Module
mode. If XG, TG300B, C/M or DOC are selected, the MU50 automatically
sets itself to the Multi mode. When PERFORM is selected, the MU50 is in
the Performance mode.

The various modes and the software compatibility each provides are de­scribed below:

XG: Provides compatibility with the XG format.
TG300B: Provides semi-compatibility with the GM Level 1 standard.
C/M: Provides semi-compatibility with computer music software.
DOC: Provides compatibility with DOC music software for the Yamaha

Clavinova.

PERFORMANCE: Allows playing of four separate Parts simultaneously

over a single MIDI channel.

Sound Module Mode

XG

TG300B

C/M

DOC

Performance

The bottom right of the display indicates the currently selected Sound Mod­ule mode.

When Performance is selected, both C/M

and DOC are indicated as shown below:

C/M

Selected Sound Module mode.

DOC

6

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

Play Modes and the Part Controls

Once the operating mode of the MU50 is set (Multi or Performance), there
are two main ways you can use the MU50: playing and editing. In the Play
modes, you play the Voices; in the various Edit modes, you change their
settings.

Within the Play modes are the Part controls. These let you make basic
settings for the Parts. The Single Part controls allow you to make independ­ent settings for each Part, while the All Part controls allow you to change
the overall settings of all Parts. (See page 35 for more information.)

Play Mode

Part 1 — 16Part 1 — 16

Part 1 — 16

Part 1 — 16Part 1 — 16

Receive Channel Device Number

Bank Number

Program Number

Volume Master Volume

Expression

Pan

Reverb Send Reverb Return

Chorus Send Chorus Return

Variation Send Variation Return

Note Shift Transpose

AllAll

All

AllAll

The MU50 has several different Edit modes, each with various menus and
operations:

Part Edit Mode

䊲

FilterFilter

Filter

FilterFilter

Cutoff Frequency

Resonance

7

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

䊲

EGEG

EG

EGEG

VibratoVibrato

Vibrato

VibratoVibrato

OthersOthers

Others

OthersOthers

EG Attack Time

EG Decay Time

EG Release Time

Pitch EG Initial Level

Pitch EG Attack Time

Pitch EG Release Level

Pitch EG Release Time

Vibrato Rate

Vibrato Depth

Vibrato Delay

Detune

Part Mode

Mono/Poly Mode

Element Reserve

Velocity Sensitivity Depth

Velocity Sensitivity Offset

Note Limit Low

Note Limit High

Portamento Switch

Portamento Time

Velocity Limit Low

Velocity Limit High

Dry Level (VarConnect=SYS)

Pitch Bend Control

MW LFO Pitch Modulation Depth

8

Performance Mode

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

AllAll

All

AllAll

System MIDI Channel

Performance Bank Bank Number

Performance Number

Performance Volume Volume

Performance Pan Pan

Reverb Return Reverb Send

Chorus Return Chorus Send

Variation Return Variation Send

System Transpose Note Shift

Performance Edit Mode

PartPart

Part

PartPart

FilterFilter

Filter

FilterFilter

Part 1 — 4Part 1 — 4

Part 1 — 4

Part 1 — 4Part 1 — 4

Program(Voice) Number

䊲

EGEG

EG

EGEG

VibratoVibrato

Vibrato

VibratoVibrato

Cutoff Frequency

Resonance

EG Attack Time

EG Decay Time

EG Release Time

Pitch EG Initial Level

Pitch EG Attack Time

Pitch EG Release Level

Pitch EG Release Time

Vibrato Rate

Vibrato Depth

Vibrato Delay

9

THE MU50 — WHA T IT IS AND WHA T IT CAN DO

䊲

OthersOthers

Others

OthersOthers

Detune

Mono/Poly Mode

Velocity Sensitivity Depth

Velocity Sensitivity Offset

Note Limit Low

Note Limit High

Portamento Switch

Portamento Time

Velocity Limit Low

Velocity Limit High

Dry Level (VarConnect=SYS)

For more information on each of these modes and their menus, see the re­spective sections in the Reference section.

Utility Mode

The Utility mode lets you set functions related to the overall operation of
the MU50, such as Master Tune, display Contrast and reception of certain
MIDI messages that affect the entire instrument. Included also are miscel­laneous operations, such as sending bulk data to a data storage device, ini­tializing of the MU50 settings, and playing the special Demo song.

Part Edit Mode

MW LFO Pitch Modulation Depth

MW LFO Filter Modulation Depth

Pitch Bend Control

Assignable Control 1 Filter Control

Assignable Control 1 Amplitude Control

10

The Part Edit mode allows you to change certain settings for each indi­vidual Part, such as those of the Filter, EG (Envelope Generator), and many
other settings. The internal Voices can be sounded during editing, allowing
you to hear the effects of your edits.

G

When using your MU50 for the first time, read through this
short section of the manual. It guides you step-by-step in us­ing many of the basic operations: setting the instrument up,
connecting it properly to other equipment, and — most im­portantly — playing it.

UIDED

T

OUR

GUIDED TOUR

Setting Up Your MU50

In this introductory section, you’ll learn how to set up the MU50 for use
with a MIDI keyboard. (Setting up for use with a computer is covered on
page 25.)

What You’ll Need

☛ The MU50 and the included power adaptor.
☛ A MIDI keyboard, electronic piano, or any instrument that can output

MIDI data.

☛ An amplifier/speaker system, preferably stereo. Alternately, you can use

a set of stereo headphones.

☛ Audio connecting cables.
☛ A MIDI cable.

Making the Connections

CAUTION!

Before making any connections, make sure that all equipment to be connected is turned off,
and that the MU50 power adaptor is not connected to an electrical outlet.

Operation

1 Connect one end of the MIDI cable to the MIDI OUT terminal of

the MIDI keyboard and the other to the MIDI IN terminal of the

MU50 (as shown in the illustration below).

2 Connect the audio cables from the R and L/MONO OUTPUT

jacks of the MU50 to the appropriate inputs on the amplifier

speaker system (as shown in the illustration below).

If the amplifier has only one input, use the L/MONO jack on
the MU50. If you are using stereo headphones, connect them to
the front panel PHONES jack.

3 Set the HOST SELECT switch on the MU50 to MIDI.

4 Connect the power adaptor to the DC IN terminal on the MU50

and plug the adaptor into an appropriate electrical outlet.

12

GUIDED TOUR

CAUTION!

● Do not attempt to use an AC adaptor other than the PA-1207. The use of an incompatible

adaptor may result in irreparable damage to the MU50, and even pose a serious shock
hazard.

● Be sure to disconnect the power adaptor from the outlet when the MU50 is not in use.

Power

Adaptor

Amplifier

Speaker System



PHONES

R

DC INL/MONO

MIDI IN

MIDI CABLE

MIDI OUT

MIDI Keyboard

13

GUIDED TOUR

Powering Up and Playing the Demo Song

Once you’ve connected everything properly, you’re ready to turn the MU50
on and start playing it. However, a small word of caution before you begin:
Follow the instructions given below to avoid possible damage to your
equipment and speakers.

Powering Up

Operation

1 If you haven’t done so already, press the

on the MU50.

After the greeting display, the following display will appear:

2 Turn on the power of your MIDI keyboard.

3 Make sure that all volume controls (on the MU50 and the con-

nected amplifier) are turned down. Then, turn on the power of
your amplifier speaker system.

4 Finally, set the volume control on the MU50 to about the mid-

way position and set the volume on the amplifier to a suitable
level.

POWER/VOLPOWER/VOL

POWER/VOL control

POWER/VOLPOWER/VOL

14

Playing the Demo Song

Now that you’ve set everything up properly, try playing the built-in Demo
Song. This showcases the high-quality Voices and the AWM2 tone genera­tion system of the MU50.

Operation

GUIDED TOUR

1 Press the

2 Select “DEMO” with the

ENTERENTER

ENTER button.

ENTERENTER

3 Press the

UTIL UTIL

UTIL button.

UTIL UTIL

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w buttons and press the

SELECTSELECT

ENTER ENTER

ENTER button to start the Demo Song.

ENTER ENTER

The Demo Song starts playing immediately and repeats indefinitely
until stopped (in step 4 below). As the song plays back, the display
also shows in succession the bank number, program number and
voice name for each of the 16 Parts.

NOTE

During Demo Song playback, all panel controls (except the
control) cannot be used.

EXITEXIT

EXIT button and the

EXITEXIT

VOLUMEVOLUME

VOLUME

VOLUMEVOLUME

4 To stop playback of the song, press the

EXITEXIT

EXIT button.

EXITEXIT

5 To exit from the Demo Song function, press the

again.

EXITEXIT

EXIT button

EXITEXIT

15

GUIDED TOUR

Playing Your MU50 With a MIDI Keyboard

Operation

Play some notes on your MIDI keyboard.

If you’ve carefully followed all instructions up to now, one of
the “level meter” bars in the display should move — and you
should be able to hear the sound of the MU50 as you play.

The “level meter” bar indicates the “level” (velocity) of the
incoming MIDI data.

The number under the moving “level meter” indicates the Part number.

NOTE

If your MIDI keyboard is transmitting on channel 1, the Voice of Part 1 should sound. If it is
transmitting on another channel, another Part’s Voice will sound. For the sake of these intro­ductory instructions, set your keyboard so that it transmits on channel 1. (Refer to the own­er’s manual of that instrument if necessary.)

16

Selecting Voices

In this brief section, you’ll learn how to select other Voices. You can do this
directly from the panel of the MU50 or remotely, from your MIDI key­board.

Operation

GUIDED TOUR

1 First, select a Part. Use the

PARTPART

PART q buttons to select Part 1.

PARTPART
Press the appropriate button until “01” appears in the PART sec­tion of the display.

2 Use the

SELECT SELECT

SELECT w buttons to move the arrow cursor to the

SELECT SELECT

right side of the instrument icon, as shown below.

Solid arrow at Voice number (currently selected).

Arrow cursor (indicates currently selected control).
The arrow is directly above “PGM#” on the panel,
indicating that Program Number is currently selected.

Voice name.

Voice number (program number).

Instrument icon of current Voice.

MIDI receive channel for current Part.

Part number. (This is selectable only with the

3 Use the

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons to change the Voice number. In

VALUEVALUE

the display below, Voice number 26 has been selected.

Use these to move arrow cursor.

PARTPART

PART q buttons.)

PARTPART

17

GUIDED TOUR

Play this new Voice from the keyboard. Try selecting other Voices and play
them as well. (For a list of all the available Voices, refer to the SOUND
LIST & MIDI DATA booklet.

HINT

You can rapidly move through the values by holding down one of the
You can move even more rapidly by holding down one button and then pressing and hold­ing down the other. For example, to rapidly advance (increase) the value, hold down the
VALUEVALUE

VALUE + button and simultaneously press and hold down the

VALUEVALUE

VALUEVALUE

VALUE – button.

VALUEVALUE

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons.

VALUEVALUE

Changing the Voice Bank

In the current Sound Module mode (XG), several banks of Voices are available.
Each bank can contain up to 128 different Voices.

Operation

1 Use the

the instrument icon, as shown below.

SELECT SELECT

SELECT w buttons to move the arrow cursor to the left side of

SELECT SELECT

Solid arrow at Bank number (currently selected).

Bank number.

18

Use these to move arrow cursor.

Arrow cursor (indicates currently selected control).
The arrow is directly above “BANK” on the panel,
indicating that Bank number is currently selected.

GUIDED TOUR

2 Use the

3 Finally, use the

to the right side of the instrument icon — for Voice selection.

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons to change the Bank number.

VALUEVALUE

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w buttons again to move the arrow cursor back

SELECTSELECT

Selecting Voices From Your MIDI Keyboard

You can also select Voices remotely from the connected MIDI key­board. Though the actual operation may differ depending on the
keyboard used, the general procedure is the same. (Refer to the
owner’s manual of your instrument for specific instructions.)

Operation

1 Make sure that your keyboard is set up to send Program Change

messages.

2 Use the panel controls to select a program on your keyboard.

Generally, if everything has been set up properly, the Voice number
and name on the MU50 will change, and will be the same number
as the program number you selected on your keyboard.

19

GUIDED TOUR

Changing Some of the Settings — Part Controls

You can make changes to each individual Part by using the Part controls.
These are always displayed in the Play mode, giving you at-a-glance con­firmation of the various basic settings of the MU50. Let’s take a look at the
Play display again:

Voice name, bank number and program number
for the selected Part.

Note Shift setting
for the selected Part.

Variation Send setting
for the selected Part.

Chorus Send setting for the
selected Part.

Reverb Send setting for the
selected Part.

Pan setting for the selected Part.

Expression setting for the selected Part.

Volume setting for the selected Part.

MIDI receive channel for the selected Part.

Part number.

Each of these settings can be made independently for each of the Parts. For
example, each Part could have a different Volume setting, or a different Pan
setting. Try going through the brief sections below and making some
changes in the Part controls yourself.

Selecting another Part and changing its MIDI channel

Here we’ll select Part 2 and change its MIDI channel to 1, so that it
matches the MIDI channel of Part 1. This allows you to play the Voices of
both Part 1 and Part 2 over MIDI channel 1.

20

Operation

GUIDED TOUR

1 Use the

2 Use the

below.

PARTPART

PART q buttons to select Part 2.

PARTPART

Part 2.

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w buttons to call up the “Rcv CH” display

SELECTSELECT

Current MIDI Receive Channel.

3 Use the

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons to change the MIDI Receive Chan-

VALUEVALUE

nel to “01.”

4 Finally, use the

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w buttons to move the arrow cursor

SELECTSELECT
back to the instrument icon (so that the Voice name is displayed),
and play the MIDI keyboard again.

Both “level meter” move together.

If both Parts 1 and 2 have been set to MIDI channel 1, both of their “level
meters” should move together as you play. And, if the two Parts are set to
different Voices, you should hear two different Voices sound at the same
time. (To change the Voice for a Part, refer back to Selecting Voices above.)

21

GUIDED TOUR

Changing the Volume and Pan settings of a Part

Now that you’re playing two Voices at the same time, you may want to ad­just their settings. Here, we’ll change the Volume and Pan settings of one
Part’s Voice.

Operation

Use the

1

2 Use the

PARTPART

PART q buttons to select the desired Part (Part 1 or 2).

PARTPART

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w buttons to call up the “Volume” display

SELECTSELECT

below.

Current Volume setting.

3 Use the

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons to change the setting, and play the

VALUEVALUE

keyboard as you make changes.

4 Now that you’ve adjusted the Volume balance of the two Voices,

change one of the Part’s Pan setting. Use the

SELECTSELECT

SELECT w but-

SELECTSELECT

tons to call up the “Pan” display below.

Current Pan setting.

22

5 Use the

VALUEVALUE

VALUE q buttons to change the setting, and play the

VALUEVALUE

keyboard again as you make changes.

If you want, try making changes to some of the other Part controls. The
procedure is the same: 1) Use the PART q buttons to select a Part, 2)
use the SELECT w buttons to choose the desired control, and 3) use
the VALUE q buttons to change the setting. For more information on
the Part controls, see page 36.

Using Mute/Solo

The MU50 has convenient Mute and Solo functions for selectively muting
or soloing any of the 16 Parts. This is especially useful when playing back
several Parts from a connected computer or sequencer. Mute lets you si­lence one Part to hear how all of the other Parts sound without it. Solo lets
you isolate a single Part, to hear how that Part sounds by itself.

Mute and Solo are effective tools that help you as you edit the Parts,

since they allow you to better hear how the changes you make affect spe­cific Voices as well as the overall sound.

Operation

While playing the keyboard (or during playback of a song from a
sequencer), press the MUTE button. Each press cycles through the
three functions: Mute, Solo and Normal operation.

GUIDED TOUR

The selected Part is muted, while all other Parts sound normally.

The selected Part is soloed, while all other Parts are muted.

All Parts sound normally.

23

GUIDED TOUR

Using the INPUT Jack

The MU50 also features an INPUT function that allows you to connect an
external audio source (such as an electric guitar, keyboard or CD player)
and mix in those signals with the MU50’s Voices — without the need for
an external mixer. For example, this allows you to play a guitar or keyboard
over backing tracks played with the MU50’s Voices from a MIDI
sequencer. The INPUT jack is a stereo input, and the left and right chan­nels are indicated on the display as A1 and A2, with corresponding level
meter bars for indicating the signal levels.

Operation

1 Turn down the INPUT control on the front panel.

2 Connect the cable from the external sound source to the INPUT

jack.

NOTE

The INPUT jack accepts stereo signals. The left channel corresponds to the tip of the 1/4"
plug and the right corresponds to the ring.

3

Slowly bring up the INPUT control on the front panel and play the
external instrument or sound source until the level is appropriate.

24

NOTE

When the MU50 receives a mono signal, only the A1 (left) level meter bar is indicated.

GUIDED TOUR

Setting Up the MU50 in Your Music System

As you learned in the section The MU50 — What It Is and What It Can
Do on page 4, the MU50 can be integrated into a variety of setups. It would

be impossible to cover all connection possibilities in a short manual as this;
however, the section below will help in quickly setting up the MU50 and
using it in your system.

Connecting With a Computer

The MU50 features a built-in host computer interface, allowing you to di­rectly connect it to your computer — eliminating the need of installing a
special MIDI interface to your computer. The MU50 can be used with the
following computers: Apple Macintosh, IBM PC and the NEC PC-9800
Series.

If your computer has a MIDI interface you may want to connect the

MU50 to it, rather than using the host computer interface on the MU50.
(See the section “Connecting to Other MIDI Devices” on page 27.)

Depending on the computer or interface used, set the HOST SELECT

switch to the appropriate setting: MIDI, PC-1 (NEC PC-9800 Series), PC-
2 (IBM and clones), or Mac (Macintosh). For information on the types of
cables that can be used for connection, see the section “MIDI/Computer
Connecting Cables” on page 31.

Macintosh

Follow these instructions if you have an Apple Macintosh not equipped
with an external MIDI interface. Connect the TO HOST terminal on the
MU50 to the Modem or Printer port on the Macintosh.

Modem or
Printer Port

Macintosh

25

GUIDED TOUR

Operation

1 Set the

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

HOST SELECT switch to

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

MacMac

Mac.

MacMac

2 Connect the MU50 to the host computer, as shown in the illus-

tration above. Use a standard Macintosh cable (8-pin Mini DIN
on both ends; see page 31).

3 Turn on the the host computer, then the MU50.

4 Start up your music software, and set up the appropriate options

on the software for operation with the MU50.

The options you may have to set include:

佡

MIDI Interface Type
Clock

Standard MIDI Interface

佡

1 MHz

Other options and settings may have to be made as well. Refer to the own­er’s manual of your particular music software for more information.

IBM PC and Clones

Follow these instructions if you have an IBM PC/AT or compatible computer
not equipped with an external MIDI interface. Connect the TO HOST termi­nal on the MU50 to one of the computer’s serial ports, COM 1 or COM 2.

26

Serial Port

IBM PC/AT or Compatible Computer

NOTE

Your music software must be able to recognize the
Yamaha dealer for more details. If your software is not compatible, you can still use the
MU50 by installing a MIDI interface (internal card or external) to the computer.

TO HOSTTO HOST

TO HOST connection. Consult your

TO HOSTTO HOST

Operation

GUIDED TOUR

1 Set the

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

HOST SELECT switch to

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

PC-2PC-2

PC-2.

PC-2PC-2

2 Connect the MU50 to the host computer, as shown in the illus-

tration above. Use a standard computer cable (8-pin Mini DIN
to 9-pin D-SUB; see page 31).

3 Turn on the the host computer, then the MU50.

4 Start up your music software, and set up the appropriate options

on the software for operation with the MU50.

Refer to the owner’s manual of your particular music software for more in­formation.

Connecting to Other MIDI Devices

The MU50 is equipped with MIDI IN and OUT terminals, allowing you to use
it in any MIDI system. Example uses for the built-in MIDI interface include:

☛ Connecting to a MIDI keyboard (for playing the sounds of the MU50

from that keyboard).

☛ Connecting to a computer equipped with a MIDI interface (either in-

ternal or external).

☛ Connecting to a hardware sequencer (such as the Yamaha QY300).
☛ Connecting to a MIDI data storage device (such as the Yamaha MDF2

MIDI Data Filer).

Sequencer

MIDI CABLE

MIDI OUT MIDI IN

27

GUIDED TOUR

MIDI CABLE

MIDI IN MIDI INMIDI OUT MIDI OUT

MDF2

MIDI CABLE

MIDI IN MIDI INMIDI OUT MIDI OUT

MIDI Keyboard

Operation

1 Set the

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

HOST SELECT switch to MIDI.

HOST SELECTHOST SELECT

2 Connect the MU50 to the appropriate MIDI device, as shown in

the illustrations above. Use a standard MIDI cable (see page 31).

3 Turn on the the connected device, then the MU50.

4 If you are using a computer, start up your music software, and

set up the appropriate options on the software for operation with
the MU50.

28

GUIDED TOUR

Using the MU50 with a MIDI Data Storage Device

You can also use the MU50 with a MIDI data storage device, such as the
Yamaha MDF2 MIDI Data Filer. This lets you save or back up whatever
changes you’ve made in the settings of the Utility and Part Edit modes, as
well as changes to the built-in effects and Performances. Then, when you
want to recall those settings, you can transfer the appropriate data from the
storage device.

The MDF2 also allows you to play compatible song data on the MU50

directly from the MDF2 itself, without the need of a sequencer.

Make sure that the MU50 is properly connected to the data storage de-

vice (via MIDI). (Refer to page 28 for the connection example.) Use the
Dump Out function (page 98) to send data to the device. Also refer to the
owner’s manual of your data storage device for specific operating instruc­tions in receiving or sending data.

29

GUIDED TOUR

TO HOST

IN

OUT THRU

Sound Module

1~16CH

HOST SELECT = PC-1 (31,250bps)

PC-2 (38,400bps)
Mac (31,250bps)

Data Flow Block Diagram

When HOST SELECT switch is set to MIDI (31,250 bps):

TO HOST

IN

Sound Module

1~16CH

OUT

THRU

When HOST SELECT switch is set to PC-1/

PC-2/

Mac:

30

MIDI/Computer Connecting Cables

MIDI

Standard MIDI cable. Maximum length 15 meters.

GUIDED TOUR

DIN 5-PIN DIN 5-PIN

4
2
5

4
2 (GND)
5

Mac

Apple Macintosh Peripheral cable (M0197). Maximum length 2 meters.

MINI DIN
8-PIN

1
2
3
4 4 (GND)
5 3 (TxD –)
6 8 (RxD +)
7 7 (GP i)
8 6 (TxD +)

2 (HSK i)
1 (HSK o)
5 (RxD –)

MINI DIN
8-PIN

PC-1

8-pin MINI DIN to D-SUB 25-pin cable. If your PC-1 type computer has a
9-pin serial port, use the PC-2 type cable. Maximum length 1.8 meters.

MINI DIN
8-PIN

1
2
3
4 7 (GND)
8
5 2 (TxD)

5 (CTS)
4 (RTS)
3 (RxD)

D-SUB
25-PIN

PC-2

8-pin MINI DIN to D-SUB 9-pin cable. Maximum length 1.8 meters.

MINI DIN
8-PIN

1
2
3
4 5 (GND)
8
5 3 (TxD)

This concludes your basic tour of the important functions of the MU50. To find out
more about how to best use your MU50, look through the Reference section that fol­lows and try out some of the functions and operations that interest you.

8 (CTS)
7 (RTS)
2 (RxD)

D-SUB
9-PIN

31

GUIDED TOUR

32

R

The Reference section of this manual covers in detail all of
the functions of the MU50. Refer to it when you need infor­mation about a specific function, feature or operation.

EFERENCE

MUL TI MODE

Multi Mode

In the Multi mode, the MU50 performs as a multi-timbral tone generator capable
of playing up to 16 Parts simultaneously, over 16 MIDI channels. Normally, the
MU50 should be set to Multi mode when using it with a sequencer and General
MIDI song data. There are four Multi modes: XG, TG300B, C/M and DOC. Each
mode provides compatibility with different music software and hardware as de­scribed below:

XG: Provides compatibility with the XG format.
TG300B: Provides semi-compatibility with the GM Level 1 standard.
C/M: Provides semi-compatibility with computer music software.
DOC: Provides compatibility with DOC music software for the Yamaha

Clavinova.

NOTE

When set to the
accuracy. However, MIDI data designed for other computer music tone generators is compatible with the MU50.

TG300BTG300B

TG300B mode, the MU50 may not be able to play TG300-specific song data with complete

TG300BTG300B

T o set the Multi mode:

1 Press the

2 Use theg

XG, TG300B, C/M or DOC.

Press the

3

MODEMODE

MODE button.

MODEMODE

VALUEVALUE

VALUE w buttons to select the desired Multi mode:

VALUEVALUE

EXITEXIT

EXIT button or the

EXITEXIT

PLAYPLAY

PLAY button to return to the Play display.

PLAYPLAY

34

Indicates currently selected mode.

The currently selected mode setting is shown by the arrow at the bottom
right of the display.

Multi Play Mode

The Play mode (with the main Play display shown below) is the normal op­erating mode of the MU50. To select the Play mode from any other mode,
press the PLAY button. (The Play mode is also automatically selected
when you turn on the MU50.)

MUL TI MODE

Level meters for

INPUT jack signals.

(A1: left, A2: right)

Current Part number.

Part Controls

The Part controls in the Play mode give you tools for adjusting the basic
sound and settings for each Part. The MU50 lets you adjust the various set­tings for each Part individually (Single Part control) or together (All Part
control). Each of these types is explained in greater detail below.

Velocity “level meters” for each Part.

MIDI channel number for currently selected Part.

Voice number and name for
currently selected Part.

NOTE

In the Multi mode, no settings can be permanently saved to the internal memory of the
MU50. However, you can use the Dump Out function to save Multi settings to a MIDI data
storage device. (See page 98.)

35

MUL TI MODE

Single Part Control

The Single Part controls include: MIDI Receive Channel, Bank Number,
Program Number, Volume, Expression, Pan, Reverb Send, Chorus Send,
Variation Send and Note Shift.

Selecting Single Part Control

Single Part control is automatically called up when the MU50 is turned on.
If All Part is selected, simply press both PART q buttons simultane­ously (or press the EXIT button) to return to Single Part.

Editing in Single Part

Operation

1 Select the Part to be edited by using the

2 Select the desired control for the selected Part by using the

SELECT SELECT

SELECT w

SELECT SELECT

3 Change the value of the selected control by using the

q

buttons.

MIDI Receive Channel

Settings: 1 — 16

This determines the MIDI receive channel (1 — 16) for the selected
Part.

buttons.

PART PART

PART q

PART PART

buttons.

VALUE VALUE

VALUE

VALUE VALUE

36

Bank Number

Settings:

XG: 000, 001, 003, 006, 008, 012, 014, 016 — 020, 024, 025,

TG300B:000 — 011, 016 — 019, 024 — 026, 032, 033, 040, 126,

C/M: Fixed (only one bank)
DOC: Fixed (only one bank)

This determines the bank number of the selected Part’s Voice. Each
bank contains 128 Voices. (Refer to the SOUND LIST & MIDI
DATA booklet.

MUL TI MODE

027, 028, 032 — 043, 045, 064 — 072, 096 — 101, SFX

127

Program (V oice) Number

Range: 1 — 128

This determines the Voice for the selected Part. (Refer to the
SOUND LIST & MIDI DATA booklet.

V olume

Graphically indicates current Volume setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the Volume setting for the selected Part’ s Voice.

37

MUL TI MODE

Expression (Expresn)

Graphically indicates current Expression setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the Expression setting for the selected Part’s Voice.

Pan

Graphically indicates current Pan setting.

Settings: Rnd (Random), L63 — C — R63

This determines the stereo position of the selected Part’s Voice. A
setting of “Rnd” (Random) randomly assigns the Voice to a pan po­sition. This is useful when you want to have different Voices sound
from different random parts of the stereo image.

Reverb Send (RevSend)

Graphically indicates current Reverb Send setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the level of the selected Part’s Voice that is sent to the
Reverb effect. A value of 0 results in a completely “dry” Voice sound.

NOTE

Keep in mind that the Reverb effect must be properly enabled and set for this parameter to
work as intended. (See page 86.)

38

MUL TI MODE

Chorus Send (ChoSend)

Graphically indicates current Chorus Send setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the level of the selected Part’s Voice that is sent to
the Chorus effect. A value of 0 results in a completely “dry” Voice
sound (no Chorus effect).

NOTE

Keep in mind that the Chorus effect must be properly enabled and set for this parameter to
work as intended. (See page 88.)

V ariation Send (VarSend)

Graphically indicates current Variation Send setting.

Settings: off, on (when V ariation Connection is set to INS);

0 — 127 (when Variation Connection is set to SYS)

This determines whether the selected Part’s Voice is sent to the Vari­ation effect or not. A setting of “off” results in no Variation effect
being applied to the Voice.

Note Shift (NoteSft)

Graphically indicates current Note Shift setting.

Range: –24 — +24 semitones

This determines the key transposition setting for the Part’s Voice.

39

MUL TI MODE

All Part Control

The All Part controls include: Device Number, Master Volume, Reverb Re­turn, Chorus Return, Variation Return and Transpose.

Keep in mind that these controls affect all Parts equally, and either add

to or subtract from their individual values. For example, if Note Shift on
one Part is set to –12, and Transpose (in All Part) is set to +12, that Part’s
pitch value will actually be 0 or normal.

Selecting All Part Control

To select All Part control, press both PART q buttons simultaneously. (or
press the EXIT button). (“All” appears in the P ART section of the display.)

Editing in All Part

Operation

1 Select the desired control for all Parts by using the

w

buttons.

2 Change the value of the selected control by using the

q

buttons.

Device Number (DevNo.)

Graphically indicates current Device Number setting.

Settings: 1 — 16, all

This determines the Device Number for the MU50, a kind of MIDI
“identification” number to distinguish between multiple units. For

SELECTSELECT

SELECT

SELECTSELECT

VALUEVALUE

VALUE

VALUEVALUE

40

example, if you are using more than one MU50, set a different De­vice Number for each. This is especially important when using the
data dump features. (See page 98.) If you have only one MU50, set
this to “all.”

Master V olume (M.Volum)

Graphically indicates current Master Volume setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the overall Volume of the Parts.

Reverb Return (RevRtn)

Graphically indicates current Reverb Return setting.

MUL TI MODE

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the amount of Reverb return in the overall mix.

Chorus Return (ChoRtn)

Graphically indicates current Chorus Return setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the amount of Chorus return in the overall mix.

41

MUL TI MODE

Variation Return (V arRtn)

Graphically indicates current Variation Return setting.

Range: 0 — 127

This determines the amount of Variation return in the overall mix.
Variation Return is only available when the Variation Connection
parameter is set to SYS. (See page 92.)

T ranspose (T rans)

Graphically indicates current Transpose setting.

42

Range: –24 — +24 semitones

This determines the overall Transpose setting of the Parts.

Multi Edit Mode

The Multi Edit mode features various parameters for controlling the Filter,
the EG (Envelope Generator) and Vibrato. It also features a variety of other
miscellaneous controls grouped in the Others parameters. When a Drum
Part is selected, Drum-related parameters are also available.

To enter the Multi Edit mode, press the EDIT button. When a normal

Part is selected, the following menu appears:

When a Drum Part is selected, the following menu appears:

MUL TI MODE

Filter

Part Edit Mode

FilterFilter

Filter

FilterFilter

Cutoff Frequency

Resonance

The MU50 features a digital filter that can be used to change the timbre of
the Voices. The filter is affected (together with the level) by the EG (Enve­lope Generator), which allows you to change the timbre over time as well.
(See EG, page 45.)

43

MUL TI MODE

Cutoff Frequency (Cutof fFreq)

Graphically shows Cutoff Frequency setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the cutoff frequency of the filter, or the frequency
point above which other frequencies are filtered out. Lower cutoff
values create a deeper, more rounded tone, while higher values cre­ate a thinner, brighter tone.

Level

Low (–64) High (+63)

Resonance

Graphically shows Resonance setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Cutoff
Frequency

44

MUL TI MODE

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the amount of filter resonance or emphasis of the
Cutoff Frequency parameter above. Higher values increase the em­phasis of the Cutoff Frequency, producing a higher resonant peak,
while lower values produce a relatively flat response.

Resonant Peak

Lower
Resonance

Level

Higher
Resonance

Cutoff Frequency

EG (Envelope Generator)

Part Edit Mode

EGEG

EG

EGEG

EG Attack Time

EG Decay Time

EG Release Time

Pitch EG Initial Level

Pitch EG Attack Time

Pitch EG Release Level

Pitch EG Release Time

The EG parameters allow you to shape the sound of a Part’s Voice — or, in
other words, set how the level and timbre of the Voice changes over time.
This section also includes independent Pitch Envelope Generator (PEG) pa­rameters for controlling how the pitch of a Part’s Voice changes over time.

The relationship of the main EG parameters — Attack, Decay and Re-

lease — are shown in the illustration below. These parameters not only affect
the sound level, but also the timbre (with the Filter parameters; see page 43).

45

MUL TI MODE

EG Parameters

1) Short Attack, Decay , Release times:

Level

Attack Decay Release

Max.

Min.

Key is releasedKey is pressed

2) Long Attack, Decay , Release times:

Level

Attack Decay Release

Max.

Min.

Key is releasedKey is pressed

Even though the key is held for the same length of time in both examples,
the sound of the second example slowly reaches full volume and decays
over a longer time. It also sustains longer after the key is released.

Keep in mind that the EG parameters affect each other, and are af­fected by how long a note is held. For example, if Decay is set to a
low value and the note is held for a long time, you may not be able
to hear changes made to the Release parameter.

Time

Time

46

EG Attack Time

Graphically shows EG Attack Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the Attack Time of the EG, or how long it takes for
the sound to reach full volume when a note is played. For the Filter,
this determines how long it takes for the sound to be affected by the
maximum Filter values.

EG Decay Time

Graphically shows EG Decay Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the Decay Time of the EG, or how rapidly the
sound dies out as a note is held. For the Filter, this determines how
long it takes for the Filter effect to die out.

MUL TI MODE

EG Release Time

Graphically shows EG Release Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the Release Time of the EG, or how long the sound
sustains after a note is released. For the Filter, this determines how
long the Filter effect continues after a note is released.

47

MUL TI MODE

Pitch EG Parameters

The Pitch EG parameters determine how the pitch of a Part’s Voice
changes over time. This lets you produce subtle or pronounced pitch
changes as a note is played.

In the example Pitch EG settings below, a played note is gradu­ally bent up to its normal pitch, and kept there as the note is held.
When the note is released, the pitch rapidly climbs up.

Pitch

PEGReleLvl

Normal

PEGInitLvl

PEGAtakTime

NOTE

The Pitch EG parameters may have little or no effect, depending on the particular Voice used
and the settings made to the main EG parameters.

Key is released

Time

Pitch EG Initial Level (PEGInitLvl)

Graphically shows Pitch EG Initial Level setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the initial pitch of the Part’s Voice, when the note is
first played. A setting of 0 corresponds to normal pitch.

48

Pitch EG Attack Time (PEGAtakTime)

Graphically shows Pitch EG Attack Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the Attack Time of the Pitch EG, or how long it
takes for the pitch to return to normal (from the pitch value set in
Initial Level above).

Pitch EG Release Level (PEGReleLvl)

Graphically shows Pitch EG Release Level setting for each Part.

MUL TI MODE

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the final pitch of the Part’s Voice, or the pitch that
is reached after the note is released. A setting of 0 corresponds to
normal pitch.

NOTE

The Pitch EG Release Level and Time parameters may have no effect if the Voice itself does
not sustain after the note is released. (Short percussive Voices may fall into this category.)
Also make sure that the main EG Release Time is set to an appropriate value so that the sound
sustains.

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MUL TI MODE

Vibrato

Pitch EG Release Time (PEGReleTime)

Graphically shows Pitch EG Release Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the Release Time of the Pitch EG, or how long it
takes for the pitch to change to the pitch value set in Release Level
above.

Part Edit Mode

VibratoVibrato

Vibrato

VibratoVibrato

Vibrato Rate

Vibrato Depth

Vibrato Delay

Vibrato produces a quavering, vibrating sound in the Part’s Voice, by regu­larly modulating the pitch. You can control the speed and depth of the Vi­brato, as well as the time it takes before the Vibrato effect is applied.

Vibrato Rate

Graphically shows Vibrato Rate setting for each Part.

50

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the speed of the Vibrato effect. Higher values result
in a faster Vibrato sound.

Vibrato Depth

Graphically shows Vibrato Depth setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the depth of the Vibrato effect. Higher values result
in a stronger, more pronounced Vibrato sound.

MUL TI MODE

Vibrato Delay

Graphically shows Vibrato Delay setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –64 — +63
Default: 0

This determines the delay in the onset of the Vibrato effect. Delay is
effective especially on stringed instrument Voices. For example, vio­lin players often use delayed vibrato, especially while playing long
notes. The Delay parameter is useful in recreating this effect, pro­ducing a more natural, lifelike sound. Higher values result in a
longer Delay time.

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MUL TI MODE

Others

Part Edit Mode

OthersOthers

Others

OthersOthers

Detune

Part Mode

Mono/Poly Mode

Element Reserve

Velocity Sensitivity Depth

Velocity Sensitivity Offset

Note Limit Low

Note Limit High

Portamento Switch

Portamento Time

Velocity Limit Low

Velocity Limit High

Dry Level (VarConnect=SYS)

Pitch Bend Control

MW LFO Pitch Moduration Depth

The Others section of parameters contains miscellaneous controls, includ­ing those related to tuning, Part Mode, velocity, portamento, note range, etc.

Detune

Graphically shows Detune setting for each Part.

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Selected Part and MIDI channel

MUL TI MODE

Range: –12.8 — +12.7
Default: 0.0

This determines the fine tuning of the Part’s Voice.

HINT

Detune could be used to slightly detune a Voice compared to the tuning of the rest of the
Voices for a richer sound. It could also be used to detune two different Voices being played
in unison. For example if two different Parts are set to the same MIDI channel (see page 36)
and same Voice, a naturally thick chorusing effect can be obtained by slightly detuning each
Voice in opposite directions here.

Part Mode

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Height of bars indicates selected Part Mode setting for each Part. (A
single bar indicates “normal” setting.)

Settings: normal, drum, drumS1, drumS2
Default: normal (Parts 1 — 9, 11 — 16)

drumS1 (Part 10)

(When Sound Module mode is set to C/M or DOC, Part 10 is set to
drumS1.)

This determines the mode for the Part. A setting of normal allows selec­tion of the normal instrument Voices. (See the SOUND LIST & MIDI
DATA booklet.) The drum setting allows selection of the drum kits. (See
the SOUND LIST & MIDI DATA booklet.) The drumS1, drumS2 set-
tings are locations for storing specially programmed drum setups. These
setups can be edited by using the Drum Setup controls in the Multi Edit
mode. (See page 61.) The drum and drumS1, drumS2 settings are not
available in the Performance mode.

The Part Mode settings differ depending on the Sound Module mode

selected, as described below.

XGXG

For

XG mode:

XGXG

All settings described above are available. When normal is selected,
any of the basic or the extended set of Voices can be used for the Part.

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MUL TI MODE

TG300BTG300B

For

TG300B mode:

TG300BTG300B

The settings normal and drumS1, drumS2 are available; drum can­not be selected. When normal is selected, either the basic or the ex­tended set of Voices (for the TG300B mode) can be used for the Part.

C/MC/M

For

C/M mode:

C/MC/M

The Part Mode settings are fixed in this mode and cannot be changed:
Part 10 is set to drumS1, and all other Parts are set to normal. The
MIDI Receive Channel setting for Part 1 is set to off. The 128 Voices
of C/M Type 1 can be used for Parts 1 — 9; the 64 Voices of C/M Type
2 can be used for Parts 11 — 16.

DOCDOC

For

DOC mode:

DOCDOC

The Part Mode settings are fixed in this mode and cannot be changed:
Parts 1 through 10 are set to normal and Part 15 is set to drumS1.

PERFORMPERFORM

For

PERFORM (Performance) mode:

PERFORMPERFORM

All four Parts are set to normal; none of the drum settings are avail­able. Any of the basic or the extended set of Voices can be used for each
Part.

NOTE

When two or more different Parts are set to the same editable drum setup (
drumS2drumS2

drumS2), any edits made to that drum setup automatically affect all those Parts. For example,

drumS2drumS2
when two Parts are set to

drumS1drumS1

drumS1, any changes made to

drumS1drumS1

drumS1drumS1

drumS1 affect both Parts.

drumS1drumS1

drumS1 drumS1

drumS1 or

drumS1 drumS1

Mono/Poly Mode

Height of bars indicates selected Mono/Poly Mode setting for each
Part. (A single bar indicates “mono” setting, while full height indicates
“poly .”)

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Settings: mono, poly
Default: poly

This determines whether the Part’s Voice is played monophonically
(only one note at a time) or polyphonically (up to 32 notes at a
time). This parameter is not available when the Part Mode is set to
Drum.

54

Element Reserve (ElemReserv)

Height of bars indicates selected Element Reserve setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 0 — 32
Default: 2 (Parts 1 — 9, 11 — 16)

Default: 0 (Part 10)

This determines the amount of elements (or notes) that are reserved
for the selected Part, effectively letting you keep notes of certain
Parts from being “stolen” by other Parts.

Normally, elements are dynamically allocated to Parts. However,
you may want to use this parameter to avoid the problem of note
“stealing” and reserve a certain number of elements for particularly
important Parts in a complex composition. The total range of this
parameter is 0 — 32; however, this will be less if the Element Re­serve for other Parts has been set to 1 or more.

MUL TI MODE

V elocity Sensitivity Depth (V elSensDpt)

Graphically shows Velocity Sensitivity Depth setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 0 — 127
Default: 64

This determines the degree to which velocity affects the Part’s Voice.
Higher values make the Voice more sensitive to changes in velocity.

55

MUL TI MODE

V elocity Sensitivity Offset (V elSensOfs)

Graphically shows Velocity Sensitivity Offset setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 0 — 127
Default: 64

This determines the volume range over which velocity affects. For
lower values, the velocity affects a volume range from minimum to
medium-loud. For higher values, velocity affects a range from me­dium-soft to maximum.

127

at 127

Level

0

NOTE

Depending on the Voice used, if Velocity Sensitivity Offset is set to too low of a value, the
Voice may not sound, no matter how strong the velocity.

at 64

Velocity

at 0

127

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MUL TI MODE

Note Limit Parameters

The Note Limit Low and High parameters allow you to set the range
of notes for a Part’s Voice. Notes outside the range will not be
played.

HINT

Note Limit can be used to set up keyboard splits. Set two Parts to the same MIDI channel
(see page 36), but give them Note Limit settings so that one Part is played from the left side of
the keyboard and the other is played from the right.

Note Limit Low (NoteLimitL)

Graphically shows Note Limit Low setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: C-2 — G8
Default: C-2

This determines the lowest responding note for the Part. Notes be­low this value will not be played.

Note Limit High (NoteLimitH)

Graphically shows Note Limit High setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: C-2 — G8
Default: G8

This determines the highest responding note for the Part. Notes
above this value will not be played.

57

MUL TI MODE

Portamento Parameters

Portamento is a function that creates a smooth pitch glide from one
note to another.

Portamento Switch (PortamntSw)

Height of bars indicates selected Portamento Switch setting for each Part.
(A single bar indicates “off” setting, while full height indicates “on.”)

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Settings: off, on
Default: off

This determines whether Portamento is on or off for the Part. (This
parameter is not available for Drum Parts.)

Portamento Time (PortamntTm)

Graphically shows Portamento Time setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 0 — 127
Default: 0

This determines the time of the Portamento effect, or how long it
takes to glide the pitch from one note to the next. Higher values re­sult in a longer pitch glide time. (This parameter is not available for
Drum Parts.)

V elocity Limit Parameters

The Velocity Limit Low and High parameters allow you to set the
effective velocity range for a Part’s Voice. Velocity values outside
the range will not be played. (Velocity is generally the strength at
which notes are played from a MIDI keyboard.)

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MUL TI MODE

HINT

Velocity Limit can be used to set up velocity splits. A velocity split allows you to have one Part’s
Voice sound when you play the connected keyboard strongly, and a different Voice sound when
you play softly. Set two Parts to the same MIDI channel (see page 36), but give them different Veloc­ity Limit settings so that one or the other sounds depending on how strongly you play the keyboard.

Velocity Limit Low (VelLimitLo)

Graphically shows Velocity Limit Low setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 1 — 127
Default: 1

This determines the lowest velocity value at which the Part’s Voice
will play. The higher the value, the harder the keyboard must be
played for the Voice to sound.

Velocity Limit High (VelLimitHi)

Graphically shows Velocity Limit High setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 1 — 127
Default: 127

This determines the highest velocity value at which the Part’s Voice
will play. The lower the value, the less strength needed (in playing
the keyboard) to get maximum volume.

no

1 127

sound

VelLimitLo VelLimitHi

no

sound

59

MUL TI MODE

Dry Level

Range: 0 — 127
Default: 127

This determines the level of the unprocessed sound of the Voice
(sound with no effect processing). This parameter is only available
when the Variation Connection parameter is set to SYS. (See page

92.)

Pitch Bend Control (PitBndCtrl)

Graphically shows Pitch Bend Control setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: –24 — +24 semitones (+/– 2 octaves)
Default: +2

This determines the Pitch Bend range for the Part’s Voice. (Pitch Bend
is usually controlled by a pitch bend wheel on a MIDI keyboard.)

Modulation Wheel — LFO Pitch Modulation Depth
(MW LFOPMod)

Graphically shows LFO Pitch Modulation Depth setting for each Part.

Selected Part and MIDI channel

Range: 0 — 127
Default: 10

This determines how widely the pitch is modulated by the LFO (low
frequency oscillator). This is generally controlled from a modulation
wheel on a MIDI keyboard and produces a vibrato effect. The higher
the value, the deeper the pitch modulation, and hence, the more pro­nounced the vibrato effect.

60

Drum Setup Controls

The Drum Setup controls allow you to make a wide variety of settings for
the drum sounds in a Drum Part. These settings include Pitch controls,
Level, Pan, effect send, filter controls and EG (Envelope Generator), among
others. Moreover, these parameters can be set to completely independent
values for each of the drum sounds in a Part.

Calling Up the Drum Setup Menu

To call up the Drum Setup menu, select a Part for which a Drum Part has
been assigned. The Drum Setup controls automatically come up in the Edit
mode. For example, if Part 10 is assigned a Drum Part, the Drum Setup
menu will appear in the main Edit menu:

MUL TI MODE

Use the SELECT w buttons to select “DRUM” in the display, and
press the ENTER button.

Currently selected parameter name and value.

Currently selected note and assigned drum sound.

(Can also be selected by pressing appropriate

Use these to select the note number.

key on connected MIDI keyboard.)

Use these to select the parameter.

Use these to change the parameter value.

61