YAMAHA RM1X User Guide

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Yamaha RM1X Remix Sequencer - Power Users Guide

View the RM1X in the Yamaha Product Catalog

"Man, I love this box. This thing is hella-cool!" - D.J. Grant, one of

Seattle's top DJ's after his first experience with the RM1X.

The RM1x is a creative tool and therefore no single guide or manual will be able to fully explore all the
possibilities. How you finally wind up using the RM1x will depend greatly on your own imagination and
music.

Contents:

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What is a Sequence Remixer?

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Basic Skills: Pattern Mode

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Basic Skills: Section Mode

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Basic Skills: Mute Mode

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The Voice Knobs Defined

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Creating your own Patterns

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Pump Up the Bass

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Record Modes

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Basic Skills: Track Selection

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The Control Knobs

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The Play Effects Defined

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Pattern Edit Jobs

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Pattern Mode Jobs

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musical sections, and each Section is itself a Pattern. Each user track is called a "Phrase". Up to 16 Phrases

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What is a Sequence Remixer?

Within this one device you have a MIDI synthesizer tone generator, a professional sequencing program, and
a real-time MIDI control surface. As a tone generator, the RM1x features a 16-part multi-timbral synthesizer.
The tone generator section features a powerful sound set (designed specifically for today ’s dance-oriented
music genres)with 654 sounds, 46 drum kits, 3 fully editable on -board effect processors, a real-time
controllable fully resonant LPF (Low Pass Filter) per part, editable voicing parameters, all with real-time
access via the knobs. The sequencer section features a high resolution (480 ppqn), 20 Song, 20 Pattern
Chain, and 110 on -board Patterns.

Patterns are divided into 60 Preset Pattern Styles and 50 User Pattern Styles. Each Pattern Style has 16
can be combined to make up a Pattern Section. The sequencer offers you a complete array of editing jobs,

many featuring real -time, non-destructive access to the results via the front panel knobs.

The RM1x also is a sophisticated MIDI controller. It can send its magic out via the MIDI out jack, and each
function is MIDI transmittable so you are not limited by the sound set of the built-in synthesizer. In addition,
the RM1x reads both type 0 and type 1 Standard Midi Files via the built-in floppy disk drive, so you can
perform your remix of a sequence regardless of what sequencer program originally created the data. You
can then use the RM1x ’s many features to remake the tracks. Data can be freely moved back and forth
from Song mode (linear tracks) to the looped-based Pattern tracks (maximum loop length = 256 measures
per pattern section!). This allows you to "import" data from any SMF songs. Perhaps you really like a drum
pattern you created 4 years ago that you found on an old diskette. Even if you created it using a computer
sequencer it doesn’t matter --you can save the data as a SMF then load it into the RM1x. You can then
define and grab data from linear tracks and use it in constructing your original beats.

Basic Skills: Pattern Mode

The first RM1x skills you need to learn concern the Pattern mode functions: Section mode (real-time
rearrange), the Mute mode (change the active instruments), and track selection (real-time and/or stand-by
editing).

Make all appropriate connections to a great sound system. A system with a sub-woofer is highly
recommended for full effect (lighting, fog and additional atmosphere enhancement, optional!). Set the PA’s
EQ to flat - you will control the EQ from the RM1x. Remove any effect processing from the external sound
system - you will control all effects from the RM1x as well.

Figure 1: The Main Pattern mode screen

Basic Skills: Section Mode

1. Select [PATTERN] mode if not already selected and choose a Preset Style (P01 -P60) via display
knob #1 or the cursor arrows and [YES/+1], [NO/-1] buttons. Holding [SHIFT] while changing values

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hand corner of the screen for

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moves rapidly through the numbers.

2. Press and illuminate the LED for the [SECTION] mode (flashes).

3. Press the [PLAY] button

4. Try changing sections by pressing a white key [A]-[P].

You can also set how quickly the RM1x responds to Section changes. Press [STOP] and press the
[UTILITY] button. Use display knob #3 to select either 1/16 or 1 measure resolution for Pattern Quantize.
(See diagram below).

Figure 2: Utility System. Use the [<] [>] Display arrows to see additional Utility screens

A Pattern Quantize setting of 1/16 resolution requires fairly good timing and can be used to great effect on
certain types of music. Try triggering sections with a rapid-fire, stutter-step action. This is great on fast Drum
& Bass or aggressive Jungle patterns.

The 1 measure resolution setting will change sections at the start of the next measure and is appropriate
setting for certain styles of music and it requires less rhythmic precision.

In general, the selected Pattern Style contains up to 16 tracks per lettered section [A] thru [P]. (16 lettered
sections). You can view track activity via the bar graphs in the main Pattern screen display. Later you can
construct your own original Patterns and Phrases. Take note of the upper right­the measure count. This will show the current measure and the total length of the current Section, (i.e., 001
of 008, 002 of 008 and so on). You will find some sections as short as 1 measure. These are intended as fill ­ins, but there are no strict rules. Pattern Section changes allows you to rearrange the performance in real
time. Sections can be user defined as Verse, Chorus, Interlude, Intro, Fill in, Ending or any such designation
that fits your kind of composition.

Remember: You can, at anytime, press the [SECTION] button to return and change sections

Basic Skills: Mute Mode

Now let ’s explore the [MUTE] mode.

1. Press [MUTE] so that its LED is flashing. Tracks with activity will have a red LED above them. You
can mute (silence) an active track by pressing its associated white key. When you do this Its
corresponding LED will flash.

2. The white keys are laid out so that you can quickly mute several parts. The preset patterns have a
recommended track convention with kick drum tracks usually set on tracks 1 and 2, snare/clap type
parts on 3 and 4, hi -hat/shaker type parts on tracks 5 and 6, other percussion on 7 and 8. Instrument
parts are typically found on tracks 9-16, with the bass line normally on track 9. It is important to
remember that you can skip this convention if you'd like and place any type of instrument on any
track, but generally you'll want to stick with the recommended track assignments.

3. While in MUTE mode 9 of the 10 black keys recall stored mute configurations: the lowest black key
(F#)/(ALL) mutes all tracks; lowest G# mutes tracks 1~8; lowest A# mutes 9~16; C# brings all the
tracks back. The 5 upper black keys are user Mute Memory locations described below.

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