• Avoid plugging an AC power adaptor used with
the QY22 into the same AC outlet as appliances with high power consumption, such as
electric heaters or ovens. Also avoid using
multi-plug adaptors since these can result in
reduced sound quality and possibly damage.
■ Turn Power OFF When Making Connections
• To avoid damage to the instrument and other
devices to which it is connected (a sound system, for example), turn the power switches of all
related devices OFF prior to connecting or disconnecting audio and MIDI cables.
■ Handling and Transport
• Never apply excessive force to the controls,
connectors or other parts of the instrument.
• Always unplug cables by gripping the plug
firmly, not by pulling on the cable.
• Disconnect all cables before moving the instrument.
Precautions
• Physical shocks caused by dropping, bumping,
or placing heavy objects on the instrument can
result in scratches and more serious damage.
■ Cleaning
• Clean the cabinet and panel with a dry soft
cloth.
• A slightly damp cloth may be used to remove
stubborn grime and dirt.
• Never use cleaners such as alcohol or thinner.
• Avoid placing vinyl objects on top of the instrument (vinyl can stick to and discolor the surface).
■ Electrical Interference
• This instrument contains digital circuitry and
may cause interference if placed too close to
radio or television receivers. If this occurs,
move the instrument further away from the affected equipment.
■ Data Backup
• The QY22 contains a special long-life battery
that retains the contents of its internal RAM
memory even when the power is turned OFF.
The backup battery should last for several
years. When the backup battery needs to be
replaced “Backup Batt. Low!” will appear on the
display when the power is turned on. When this
happens, have the backup battery replaced by
qualified Yamaha service personnel. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE BACKUP BATTERY YOURSELF!
• Internal memory data can be corrupted due to
incorrect operation. We recommend that you
use the QY22 MIDI bulk dump utility (see page
163 for details) to transfer important data to a
MIDI data recorder such as the Yamaha MDF2
for safe long-term storage. Yamaha cannot be
held responsible for data loss caused by battery
failure or improper operation of the QY22!
■ Service and Modification
• The QY22 contains no user serviceable parts.
Opening it or tampering with it in anyway can
lead to irreparable damage and possibly electric
shock. Refer all servicing to qualified YAMAHA
personnel.
YAMAHA is not responsible for damage caused by
improper handling or operation.
The following simple icons are used throughout this manual to draw attention to important
points and information where necessary. The icons also make it easier to differentiate between information that you should read immediately and information that can be skipped
until later, hopefully helping you to become familiar with the QY22 in the quickest, most efficient manner possible.
6
CAUTION
This icon warns of possible hardware
damage, software malfunction, or any other
serious problem that may occur due to im-
MUSICAL
NOTE
Suggestions as to how a feature or function can be applied musically are identified
by this icon.
proper operation or set up.
IMPORTANT
This icon marks information that you
must read — i.e. important steps or procedures that are essential for proper, efficient,
or easy operation.
HINT
Hints or ideas that are not specifically
musical but may make operation easier or
more interesting are marked by the lightbulb icon.
The magnifying-glass icon indicates in-
formation that may not be essential for gen-
DETAIL
eral operation, but is a more detailed explanation of a feature, a description of the
principle involved, etc. You can skip this
information if full details are not required
immediately.
The QY22 is a complete music production system with tone generator, sequencer, and autoaccompaniment capability all integrated with a sophisticated control interface. It has 3
modes that provide access to its 3 main functional blocks: the VOICE mode, the SONG
mode, and the PATTERN mode.
The QY22’s internal AWM tone generator provides full General
MIDI Level 1 compatibility with 128 top-quality General MIDI
voices plus 8 complete drum kits with different drum and percussion
instruments assigned to different notes. You can assign any of these
voices to the internal sequencer tracks (➪ page 38), or play them directly from an external keyboard or other MIDI controller via the
MIDI interface (➪ page 168).
See the Appendix (page 172) for a complete list of the QY22 voices.
DETAIL
SONG Mode ————————————————————————————
Think of the QY22 SONG mode as an 8-track tape recorder or 8part score that lets you record different parts of a musical composition
one at a time, and then play them back all together. You can even edit
certain parts after they’ve been recorded to correct mistakes and finetune the overall sound. The QY22 has an internal memory that will
hold up to 20 complete songs. For extra storage capacity you can use
the MIDI bulk dump utility to transmit the song data to a MIDI data
recorder such as the Yamaha MDF2 (➪ page 163).
The SONG mode’s 8 tracks are actually divided into 2 4-track
groups: tracks 1 through 4 are the sequencer tracks, while the remaining 4 tracks are the accompaniment tracks. The difference is
described below.
The QY22 sequencer has 4 “normal” sequencer tracks to
which you can individually assign any of the 128 internal
voices (or 8 drum kits if desired), and record just about anything you like either via the QY22’s own micro keyboard or
an external keyboard connected to the QY22 MIDI IN connector. You can use the real-time record mode (➪ page 109) so
that the QY22 records exactly what you play as you play it, or
the step record mode (➪ page 115) in which notes can be entered one at a time. The step record mode lets you record extremely fast or complex passages that would be impossible to
play in real time.
The remaining four tracks are dedicated to producing accompani-
ment: the chord 1 and chord 2 tracks, a bass track, and a drumtrack. The accompaniment tracks differ from the sequencer tracks in
2 ways:
1. Accompaniments are produced by specifying a sequence of pat-
terns to be played rather than by recording individual notes or
chords (➪ page 52). The QY22 has 100 preset patterns that you
can simply select and use, and can store up to 100 original patterns you create in the PATTERN mode (➪ page 78).
2. The accompaniment tracks feature Yamaha’s advanced ABC
(Auto Bass Chord) auto-accompaniment system (➪ page 47).
Of course, you can create accompaniments without using ABC
if you like.
PATTERN Mode——————————————————————————
The QY22 PATTERN mode produces the accompaniment patterns
that are used by the SONG mode accompaniment tracks. The best of
the QY20’s preset patterns have been incorporated into the QY22’s
preset patterns as well as some powerfully new patterns created especially for the QY22. 100 preset patterns are provided (each with 6
variations: Intro, Normal, Variation, Fill-in 1, Fill-in 2, and Ending)
that you can simply select and use to create accompaniments in a
wide variety of styles (➪ page 42). In the PATTERN mode you can
also record entirely original patterns that you’ll later string together in
the SONG mode to create a complete accompaniment track (➪ page
52). The ABC auto-accompaniment feature can be applied to your
own patterns. The QY22 can store up to 100 original patterns, and
you can use the MIDI bulk dump utility to transmit pattern data to a
MIDI data recorder such as the Yamaha MDF2 if you want extra storage capacity (➪ page 163).
See the Appendix (page 180) for a complete list of the preset patterns.
Here are a few ideas on how you can use the QY22. There’s no way we can cover all possibilities, but the ideas presented might help to spark some new and interesting applications.
Create accompaniments that you can practice with on your guitar,
keyboard, or any other instrument (vocals too, of course). That way
you have the advantage of practicing with a bass line and chords instead of just a metronome or drum machine (➪ page 52).
Use the drum kit voices to record on the sequencer tracks, or record
drum-only patterns in the PATTERN mode that you can later string
together in the SONG mode. You can also use the drum tracks from
the preset patterns (➪ page 75).
1
The QY22: What It Is & What It Can Do
● Compose & Arrange
● Serious Music Production
● Use It As a Tone Generator
● Add ABC Capability to Your
MIDI Keyboard
The QY22’s outstanding voices, versatile sequencing capability,
and in-depth editing features make it a perfect tool for trying out musical ideas and arrangements. It’s also a great way to present your
ideas to others (➪ page 108).
Use the QY22 as an adjunct to serious music recording and pro-
duction. It can, for example, be MIDI-clock synchronized to other
MIDI equipment in order to add extra tracks to an arrangement (➪
page 160).
The QY22’s AWM tone generator is in no way a compromise. You
get outstanding AWM sound quality that’s on a par with some of the
finest full-size synthesizers. You can select and play the QY22 voices
remotely from just about any MIDI keyboard, computer, or other controller (➪ page 168).
Use the QY22 as an “ABC expander” for your MIDI keyboard.
Auto-accompaniment can make playing at home more fun, and it can
be a tremendous sound-booster at 1-performer live gigs (➪ page 170).
The QY22 is fully compatible with the General MIDI System Level 1 Standard.
As you probably know, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) makes it possible for various electronic musical instruments and other devices to “communicate” with
each other. For example, by connecting a sequencer to a synthesizer, you can play back
a songs data on the sequencer using the voices of the synthesizer.
But until General MIDI came along, the problem has been that voice assignments
had never been standardized. So, if you were to create a song using tone generator A’s
piano voice and then play it back on tone generator B, it might be played back as an
organ voice. This is because each company has used it’s own voice assignments in it’s
products.
The General MIDI Level 1 Standard was developed to solve this problem. The most
important feature of General MIDI is 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 had intended.
Open the battery compartment cover — located on the instrument’s
bottom panel — by pressing down on the grooved section of the cover
and sliding in the direction of the arrow, as shown in the illustration.
2
Setting Up: Power & Connections
Insert Batteries
X
Insert the six batteries, being careful to follow the polar-
ity markings on the bottom panel.
Replace Cover
C
Replace the compartment cover, making sure that it locks firmly in
place.
When to Replace the Batteries————————————————————
When the batteries run down and are no longer able to operate the
QY22, the sound may become distorted and the display shown to the
left will appear.
When this display appears, replace the batteries with a complete set
of six new batteries. NEVER mix old and new, or different types of
batteries (e.g. alkaline and manganese)!
To prevent possible damage due to battery leakage, remove the batteries
from the instrument if it is not to be used for an extended period of time.
Plug the DC output cable from a Yamaha PA-3, PA-4, or PA-40
AC Adaptor (available from your Yamaha dealer) into the DC IN jack
on the rear panel, then plug the adaptor into a convenient wall AC
Do not attempt to use an AC adaptor other than the specified unit or an
appropriate replacement provided by your Yamaha dealer to power the
QY22. The use of an incompatible adaptor may cause irreparable damage to the QY22, and might pose a serious shock hazard!
Be sure to unplug the AC adaptor from the AC mains socket when the
QY22 is not in use.
VOLUMEMINMAX PHONES
2
Setting Up: Power & Connections
Setting Up Your System
What you will connect the QY22 to, and what you will connect to the QY22, will depend entirely on your individual requirements, and it would be impossible to cover all possibilities
here. A few examples are provided below to help you get started.
This jack is only used when you are powering the QY22 from an
optional AC adaptor instead of batteries. The DC output cable from
an optional Yamaha PA-3, PA-4, or PA-40 AC Power Adaptor is
plugged in here.
The batteries are automatically disconnected when a plug is inserted into
the DC IN jack.
DETAIL
If you plan to use a MIDI keyboard or other instrument to play and
program the QY22, it should be connected to QY22 MIDI IN connector (see “MIDI Connections,” below). The MIDI OUT connector can
be connected to an external tone generator if you want to drive external voices from the QY22 sequencer, or a MIDI data recorder such as
the Yamaha MDF2 if you want to store your songs and patterns to
floppy disk (➪ page 163).
This miniature stereo phone plug delivers a line-level stereo output
signal from the QY22 for connection to a stereo sound system (see
“Audio Connections,” below). The output level is adjusted via the
VOLUME control on the right side panel.
Any pair of stereo headphones with the miniature stereo phone plug
can be plugged in here for convenient monitoring. The PHONES output level is adjusted via the VOLUME control on the right side panel.
The simplest way to monitor the QY22 sound is via a pair of stereo
headphones (miniature stereo phone plug type) plugged into the
PHONES jack. If you want to use an external stereo sound system,
however, use the LINE OUT jack and the supplied “Y” cable (miniature stereo phone plug to dual RCA pin plugs). The white RCA pin
plug goes to the left-channel input of your stereo sound system and
the red plug goes to the right-channel input.
Make sure that both the QY22 and your sound system are turned OFF
when making connections.
Although the QY22 can be played and programmed from the built-in micro
keyboard, it can also be connected to an external keyboard or computer for added
benefits. An external MIDI keyboard connected to the MIDI IN connector provides the added advantages of standard keyboard size and key velocity sensitivity
(if your keyboard has a velocity-sensitive keyboard). Connected to a computer
with sequencing software, the QY22’s high quality Voices and Multi-timbral
capabilities can easily expand your home studio setup. Connect the MIDI OUT
connector of the keyboard, or other control device, to the MIDI IN connector of
the QY22, and make sure that your keyboard is set to transmit on the appropriate
MIDI channel. The QY22 MIDI assignments are as follows:
7 ........................ Accompaniment track Ba (Bass)
10 ...................... Accompaniment track Dr (Drums)
This simply means that if your keyboard transmits on MIDI channel 1, it will control the QY22 voice that is currently assigned to sequencer track 1, and so on. See
page 38 for instructions on how to assign different voices to the SONG mode tracks.
Data received on MIDI channels other than those listed above also produce sound,
according to the received MIDI program change messages (see the “MIDI Data
DETAIL
Format” booklet). Also, if the QY22 is to be used as a General MIDI tone generator,
the MIDI Ctl (MIDI Control) parameter should be set to “Off” (See page 160)
Getting to Know the QY22:
How the Controls W ork
The Controls ............................................................... 24
Play the Demo ............................................................ 34
The QY22 has fairly simple, consistent control interface that, once understood, makes operation fast and easy, no matter what operation you are perfor ming. If you read through this
section carefully, and try out the procedures in the
Try This:
sections, you should have no
problem accessing and operating the QY22’s many advanced features.
Slide to the “ON” position to turn the QY22 on, and to the “OFF”
position to turn it off.
Always turn the power switch off when not using your QY22.
IMPORTANT
This large multi-function liquid crystal display panel shows all parameters and prompts you need to operate the QY22 with optimum
ease and efficiency.
Use the CONTRAST control on the rear panel to achieve the best
display visibility (LCD visibility varies greatly with viewing angle
and lighting).
Use this key to switch between the QY22’s SONG, VOICE, and
PATTERN modes.
Try This:
Turn your QY22 on (the power switch is on the left
side), then press the [MODE] key a few times and
watch how the display changes. The [MODE] key calls
the SONG, VOICE, and PATTERN mode displays in
sequence.
These 4 keys move the “cursor” around the display screen, highlighting the various parameters that are available for editing (the
QY22 cursor appears as a dark block with inverse characters).
Try This:
Select the SONG mode display (use the [MODE] key,
as described above), then try using the cursor keys to
move the cursor around the screen.