Yamaha PLG150-DX, PLG150DXE User Manual
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Precautions
Do not expose the plug-in board to direct sunlight,
excessive humidity, high temperatures, excessive dust
or strong vibrations.
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Before handling the plug-in board, be sure to touch a
metal surface to discharge any static electricity which
may be in your body.
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When holding the plug-in board, do not touch the inside
area of the circuit board or apply excessive pressure to
the board, and be sure to protect the board from contact
with water or other liquids.
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Before installing the plug-in board onto a tone generator/sound card, unplug the power connector of your
computer.
* The company names and product names in this Owner’s Manual are the trademarks or re gistered
trademarks of their respective companies.
* The screens as illustrated in this owner’s manual are for instructional purposes only, and may
appear somewhat different from the ones of your instrument.
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Before connecting the computer to other devices, turn
off the power switches of all devices.
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Yamaha is not responsible for loss of data through computer malfunctions or operator actions.
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The plug-in board contains no user-serviceable parts, so
never touch the inside area of the circuit board or
tamper with the electronic circuitry in any way. Doing
so may result in electrical shock or damage to the plugin board.
YAMAHA CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY IMPROPER
CARE AND USE OF THE PLUG-IN BOARD.
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:
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:
”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 users 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 local retailer authorized to distribute this
type of product. If you can not locate the appropriate, please contact Yamaha Corporation of America, Electronic Service Division, 6600 Orangethorpe Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620
* This applies only to products distributed by YAMAHA CORPORATION OF AMERICA.
When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables.
This product has been tested and found to comply with the requirements listed in FCC Regulations, Part 15 for Class
CANADA
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
• This applies only to products distributed by Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.
• Ceci ne s’applique qu’aux produits distribués par Yamaha Canada Musique Ltée.
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Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Yamaha PLG150-DX Advanced DX/TX Plugin Board!
The PLG150-DX features the same 6-operator FM tone generation system that powered the
famous DX-series synthesizers. The PLG150-DX can be installed to and integr ated with instruments of the Modular Synthesis Plug-in System (such as the CS6x, CS6R, S80, etc.) It can
also be used seamlessly with the MU128 Tone Generator (as well as other MU-series instruments and the SW1000XG PCI Audio/MIDI Board). Once it’s installed, the PLG150-DX puts
the dynamic and flexible sound of FM synthesis right at your fingertips, with a total 912 DXseries voices.
The settings and parameters of the PLG150-DX can also be conveniently edited via MIDI with a
Windows PC computer by using the DX Easy Editor and DX Simulator software modules
(included in the XGworks Music Sequencer software).
To install your PLG150-DX correctly and to ensure full enjoyment of its sophisticated functions,
be sure to read this manual very carefully. When finished, keep the manual in a secure and
convenient place for future reference.
Table of Contents
Overview of the PLG150-DX
FM Tone Generation
Operators..............................................................6
Combinations of Two Operators...........................7
Carrier and Modulator...........................................8
Harmonics ............................................................9
Algorithms...........................................................10
Feedback............................................................11
Voice Editing Essentials.....................................12
...................................................6
Memory Buffer Structure
Specifications
............................................................15
About the Included CD-ROM and Floppy Disk
Installing the PLG150-DX
Included Items
...........................................................18
Required and Recommended Items
Synthesizer/Tone Generator/
Sound Card Compatible with the Modular
Synthesis or XG Plug-in Systems..................18
XGworks or XGworks lite
Music Sequencing Software..........................19
DX Easy Editor...................................................19
DX Simulator ......................................................19
Installing and Starting the Plug-in
Editor Software (Windows 95/98)
Installing the Software........................................20
Starting the DX Easy Editor................................20
Starting the DX Simulator...................................21
.....................................4
......................................14
.........................................18
.......................18
...................20
.......16
Selecting DX Voices
(Modular Synthesis Plug-in System)
Enabling and Selecting DX Voices .................... 22
................ 22
Editing the DX Native Part Parameters
(Modular Synthesis Plug-in System)
................ 23
Selecting/Editing the DX System Parameters
(Modular Synthesis Plug-in System)
Selecting DX Voices (XG Plug-in System)
Enabling and Selecting DX Voices .................... 25
................ 24
............ 25
Editing the DX Native Part Parameters
(XG Plug-in System)
............................................. 27
Selecting/Editing the DX System Parameters
(XG Plug-in System)
Parameters
DX Native Part Parameters................................ 29
DX System Parameters ..................................... 32
Appendix
Chart of Algorithms
Voice List
DX Parameter List
(XG / Modular Synthesis Plug-in System)
MIDI Data Format
When Your PLG150-DX
Seems to Have a Problem
MIDI Implementation Chart
.............................................................. 29
.................................................................... 34
............................................................... 36
............................................. 28
............................................. 34
.................................................. 47
............................... 57
................................. 60
.... 46
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Overview of the PLG150-DX
FM Synthesis
The PLG150-DX employs the same FM tone generation system — with 6 operators and 32 algorithms — as made famous by the popular DX-series synthesizers.
912 Preset Voices
Built right into the PLG150-DX is a huge total of 912 DX voices. From conventional instrument
sounds such as electric piano and bass to wild and unusual sound effects, the PLG150-DX gives you
the full range of voices that made the DX-series instruments famous.
16-note Polyphony
The PLG150-DX features a maximum polyphony of 16 notes, the same as on the DX7 and DX7II.
However, unlike with those instruments, you can install multiple PLG150-DX boards (up to a maximum of eight) for a total polyphony of 128 notes. For example, when three PLG150-DX boards are
installed to a MU128 tone generator, the maximum polyphony becomes 48 voices.
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Voice Data Transfer
Since the PLG150-DX is compatible with the DX-series instruments, voice data can be transferred
between the plug-in board and the DX7 or DX7II. This allows you to use those instruments (or compatible editing software) to edit and create voices, which can then be transferred to the PLG150-DX.
The PLG150-DX is also compatible with voice parameters for the DX1, DX7S, TF1 modules (such as
for the TX816), TX7, and the TX802.
Some voices on the compatible devices mentioned above may sound slightly different when played on
the PLG150-DX.
Built-in Filters and Equalizer
The PLG150-DX gives you additional sound-shaping power with built-in low pass and high pass filters, plus a two-band equalizer. You can use these together with other FM voice parameters to create
your own original voices.
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Overview of the PLG150-DX
About the Modular Synthesis Plug-in System
The Yamaha Modular Synthesis Plug-in System offers powerful expansion and upgrade capabilities for Modular Synthesis-Plug-in-compatible synthesizers, tone generators and sound cards.
This enables you to easily and effectively take advantage of the latest and most sophisticated
synthesizer and effects technology, allowing you to keep pace with the rapid and multi-faceted
advances in modern music production.
About the XG Plug-in System
The Yamaha XG Plug-in System offers powerful expansion and upgrade capabilities for XGPlug-in-compatible tone generators and sound cards. This enables you to easily and effectively
take advantage of the latest and most sophisticated synthesizer and effects technology, allowing
you to keep pace with the rapid and multi-faceted advances in modern music production.
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FM Tone Generation
Before actually editing the PLG150-DX voices , let’ s get an idea of ho w the FM tone generator works.
Operators
In the PLG150-DX, there are six special devices called “operators” that generate sine waves. A sine
wave is the fundamental wave of a note, with absolutely no overtones or harmonics added. These six
operators are combined in various ways to make up the dif ferent v oices produced by the PLG150-DX.
The operators can be used to freely change two different aspects of the sound:
(1) The frequency (pitch) of the generated sine wave.
(2) The amplitude (volume or output level) of the generated sine wave.
Operator Operator
The frequency of the
sine wave is changed.
This results in the pitch
becoming higher or
lower.
The amplitude of the
sine wave is changed.
This results in the volume
becoming higher or lower.
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Combinations of Two Operators
Although the six operators can be combined in a wide variety of ways for many dif ferent sounds, here
we’ll look at the fundamental combinations of just two operators, to help you understand the basics of
FM synthesis.
Two sine wave operators (labelled “A” and “B” here) can be combined in one of two ways: horizontally or vertically.
(1) Horizontal Combination
When the two operators are combined horizontally, the sounds of the two are simply mixed together.
This combining of two or more different sounds is called additive synthesis.
FM Tone Generation
A B
Mixed sound of A and B
(2) Vertical Combination
When the two operators are combined vertically, the sound of the top operator (B) “modulates” that of
the lower operator (A). In this situation, operator B produces no sound, but alters the sound of operator A, producing a sound of greater harmonic complexity. This “stacking” of operators is called Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis.
Operator B changes or modulates the sound
B
of A (but produces no sound itself).
Operator A produces the actual sound, as
A
modulated by B.
T o sum it up, when tw o operators are combined horizontally, both operators generate the sound; when
combined vertically, one operator changes the sound, the other produces it.
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FM Tone Generation
Carrier and Modulator
In FM tone generation, each of the six operators functions as either a carrier or a modulator. The
operator doing the modulation is called the modulator; the one being modulated and delivering the
actual sound is called the carrier. Referring back to “Vertical Combination” on the previous page,
operator A is the carrier and operator B is the modulator.
Let’s take a look at some more complex configurations, in which three or more operators are used.
Keep in mind that the modulator/carrier function is the same in all examples.
fig. 1
C C C
fig. 5
fig. 2
M
M
fig. 3 fig. 4
M
C
C
M M
C
C
M M
C C
“C” Carrier
“M” Modulator
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In fig. 1, all operators are combined horizontally and there are no modulators, only carriers. Without modulation, all carriers output simple sine waves.
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In fig. 2, three operators are stacked vertically, and only the lowest is a carrier. The top operator
modulates the middle one, which in turn modulates the carrier at the bottom. This results in a complex waveform, with many harmonics or overtones. (An explanation of harmonics follows on the
next page.)
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In fig. 3, there are two carriers and one modulator. The sole carrier on the right produces a simple
sine wave, while the modulator/carrier pair on the left produce a more complex waveform with
added harmonics. The actual sound is a mix of the two carriers.
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In fig. 4, two modulators are used change the sound of a single carrier. Using two modulators produces an even more complex sound than is possible with one, with a greater amount of harmonics.
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In fig. 5, there are two modulator/carrier pairs, each generating a complex sound with many harmonics. As with the operators in fig. 3, the actual sound is a mix of the two carriers.
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Harmonics
Most sounds are made up of multiple tones that are different than the pitch (frequency). Within these
multiple tones, the one that determines the pitch of the entire sound is called the fundamental tone
(fundamental frequency). All the tones besides the fundamental tone are called harmonics or overtones.
When all the harmonics that are related to a particular fundamental tone are arranged in order, it is
called a harmonic series. Each tone in the harmonic series is given a name in order, with the fundamental tone being one, followed by the second harmonic, third harmonic and so on.
The frequency of each harmonic in the harmonic series is a natural number multiple of the frequency
of the fundamental tone. Overtones that have frequencies that are not natural number multiples of the
fundamental are called unharmonic overtones.
FM Tone Generation
Generally, the more harmonics the tone has, the brighter the sound. On the other hand, if the amount
of harmonics is reduced, the tone will sound darker. Furthermore, the voice will change a lot according to the type and volume of the harmonics. For example, if there are a lot of high pitched harmonics
in the tone, it will have a brilliant, crisp sound. On the other hand, a tone with a large amount of lower
harmonics will have a rather “fat,” warm sound.
Harmonics
Level
Waveform
Fundamental Wave
Second Harmonic
Time
Level
Fundamental and
Harmonics (graph)
Harmonics
Fourth Harmonic
Third Harmonic
Second Harmonic
Fundamental
Frequency
Natural Harmonic Series
(when C1 is the fundamental tone)
Fifth Harmonic
Fourth Harmonic
Third Harmonic
Second Harmonic
Fundamental
Sixth Harmonic
Seventh Harmonic
Eighth Harmonic
Harmonic
Third Harmonic
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FM Tone Generation
Algorithms
Although two operators can be combined in only two different ways, six operators can be configured
in a wide variety of combinations. These combinations are called “algorithms.” Just as on the original DX7, the PLG150-DX features 32 different algorithms, giving you different levels of harmonic
complexity for various applications.
Since the function of any given operator depends on the particular algorithm, you should check a
voice’s algorithm carefully while editing the voice. For a chart showing all 32 algorithms, see page
34. Each operator in the algorithm is numbered to distinguish it from the others in editing.
Let’s take a look at algorithm 28 as an example. The various operators function as follows:
Operator 1.............Carrier; is modulated by Operator 2, and outputs the resulting sound.
Operator 2.............Modulator; modulates Operator 1.
Operator 3.............Carrier; is modulated by Operator 4, and outputs the resulting sound.
Operator 4.............Modulator; modulates Operator 3.
Operator 5.............Modulator; modulates itself with a feedback loop, and modulates
Operator 6.............Carrier; outputs a sine wave.
Operator 4.
Algorithm 28
2 4
1 3 6
5
Feedback loop
(see next section)
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Feedback
Each algorithm has a special feedback loop, programmed to a fixed location in the algorithm. With
feedback, a modulator’s output is connected to its own input, so that it modulates itself. This can be
used to increase the harmonic content of the sound, making it more rich and complex. When set to a
high level, feedback can generate noise effects — making it useful for percussive voices, metallic
sounds, and distortion effects.
Some algorithms feature a feedback loop that takes in two or three operators as a group. One such
example is algorithm 4 shown below, in which the output of operator 4 is returned to the input of
operator 6, thus modulating the entire stack. This provides even greater possibilities for tonal variation and richness.
FM Tone Generation
Algorithm 4
3
2
1
6
5
4
Feedback loop
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