Yamaha PLG100 - VH User Manual

y

POWER USER

Motif and the Modular Synthesis Plug-in System

PLG100-VH

Vocal Harmony Effect Processor

Plug-in Board

A Getting Started Guide

Tony Escueta & Phil Clendeninn

Digital Product Suppor t Group

©Yamaha Corporation of America

• The PLG100-VH board is part of the Modular Synthesis Plug-in System. It is an effect processor that can be
used in Performance mode or ‘live’ in a Song or Pattern to effect a microphone plugged into the A/D input
(analog-to-digital). Please follow all the instructions in the Owner’s Manual concerning installation. You can
verify proper installation by power ing up and viewing the UTILITY/ F6 PLUG s creen. This Guide will take yo u
through setting up the A/D input and editing the PLG100 -VH from the front panel of the Motif. (There is also
available a free stand alone VH Editor that brings the front panel parameters to your computer screen).

This Guide assumes you are at the Motif with the PLG100-VH p roperly installed in s lot 1 and have a quality microp hone
plugged into the LEFT (L) A/D input on the back panel of the unit. Follow this guide step-by-step at least the first time
through. When you are comfortable with the se tup pro c edures feel free to experiment creating your ow n setups .
Some terminology that you will find in the VH area:

Lead (Melody) – Refers to your natural voice or the synthesized lead Voice w/pitch correction. Can be assigned an
independent MIDI channel from the Harmony
Harmony (H) – MIDI controlled backing voc a ls (3 max.) follow chord/MIDI input. Can be triggered on it’s own channe l.
Gender (G) – male or female voice. Change gender withou t expe ns iv e, painful medical procedures.
Depth (Dpt) – how much a parameter will effect the sound
Threshold (Thresh) - the level at which a particular effe c t kicks in. Signals below the threshold are not effected.
Pitch Correction (PchCorrect) - when activated and a Gender type is selected you can create a ‘vocode’ effect that will
follow your played notes. You can balance this with yo ur normal voice or mix it completely to the vocoder effect.

ABOUT THE PLG BOARDS
The PLG-Modular Synthesis Plug-in
System: This innovative feature allows

you to add hardware plug-in boards that
can be either complete synthesizers or
specialized effect processing, as in the case
of the PLG100-VH.

The PLG 100-VH Vocal Harmony

The PLG100-VH provides a sophisticated
vocal effect that takes a microphone i nput
and reproduces up to 3 harmony parts.
These parts can be voiced under MIDI
control to make for intricate 4 part
choruses; (3 + your voice). This MIDI
control can be real time (as you play) or
controlled from a prerecorded MIDI track
(you can have prerecorded track the
controls the harmonies). It can also create
effects where you control the pitch of a
lead "synth voice" from your keyboard, and
where you can transpose the pitch you are
singing and can change the gender of the
voice, as well. Th is is great, allowing you to
talk, grunt or otherwise make noises into
musical pitches or into wild robot-like
sound effects.

Once it is connected, the PLG 100-VH
becomes another effect block in the Motif
and can be applied to one of the Parts
within a PERFORMANCE. Although
Harmony can be applied to normal
instrument Parts, it is designed specifically
to work with the A/D Input.

You can pre-program the pitch interval of
the harmony, o r you ca n pla y the harmo ny
from the Motif keyboard and even have the
harmony interval change, depending on
the chord you pl ay. As long as your ow n
voice is in pitch and you play the
appropriate chords, the PLG 100VH
ensures that the harmony “voices” will be
enharmonically correct and stay in pitch
with the chord changes of the song.
It also includes a gender changer effect
that turns a male voice into a female voice
(or vice versa), and a vibrato effect that
can add vibrato to your voice.

The VH EFFECT EDITOR

There is free stand-alone PLG100-VH
Effect Editor software available
gives you

PLG 100-VH settings and parameters. It
also provides exceptionally easy and
intuitive editing, with graphic controls .

comprehensive control o ver all

.

It

BOARD INSTALLATION

To install the PLG100-VH, follow the
instructions in the MOTIF Owner’s Manual.
The PLG100-VH must occupy slot 1 of the
Motif (All Blue wires, 1 Orange wire) in
order to use t he mic rop hone inp ut. Be sure
to place the board in the slotted grooves
and that boards do not touch each other or
the chassis of the Motif.
__________________________________

Using a Microphone & the A/D I nput

Before we get started with the PLG 100­VH, it is necessary to understand how to
use the A/D Input of the MOTIF.

This next section of the guide will instruct
you how to use the A/D input of the MOTIF
with a microphone , in conjuncti on with the
PLG 100-VH. You can sing into a
microphone t hat is pl ugged into the MOTIF
and apply effects to the vocals.

Plug a micropho ne into one t he A/D Inputs
of the MOTIF. Check the MIC/LINE
parameter found in [UTILITY]/ [F2] I/O
/SF1 Input. Select MIC.

__________________________________

Three Easy Steps To Using The A/D Input and the PLG 100-VH.

Each PERFORMANCE stores A/D input
settings and these can be unique per
Performance.

To start from the beginning you will need
to “initiali ze” a PERFORM ANCE. If you have
a PERFORMANCE that you want to use,
skip step 1.

1>Initialize A PERFORMANCE:

• Select the PERFORMANCE yo u wish
to “Initialize”.

• Push [JOB]. Select the Initialize job
[F1].

• Push [ENTER] and then push
[INC/YES]

2>Select the Source Input Level:

• Press the [PERFORM] button to
select the main Performance
screen.

• Press [F2] AD to make and verify
microphone settings. Adjust the
signal “gain” level by turning the
small (GAIN) knob (located to the
left of the A/D input jack).

• Set the VOLUME = 127

• Set the MONO/STEREO input to “L

mono” or “R mono” as is