Page 1
Getting Started
Owner's Manual 1
Page 2
Getting Started
Owner’s Manual 1
Page 3
Getting Started
Contents
Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
About the Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
■ The Getting Started Manual (this manual) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
■ The Feature Reference Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
■ Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
VL1 Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Essential Concepts for the VL1 User
■ What Are the Advantages? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
■ The VL1 Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
■ There’s More … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
The Controls & Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A Brief Introduction To the VL1 Interface
■ Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
■ Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
System Connections & Preparation
■ Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
■ Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Breath Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Foot Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Foot Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
■ Audio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Stereo Sound System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
■ MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
■ Power-on Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
■ Play the Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
■ Breath Controller Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
■ Load the Pre-programmed Voice Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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Getting Started
Voice Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Selecting & Playing the VL1’s 128 Voices
■ Using the Voice Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
■ The Pre-programmed VL1 Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Natural Musical Nuance and Expressive Control
■ Physical Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
■ VL1 Controller Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
■ Controller Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
■ Some Exercises With the AltoSax Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
■ Controller Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
■ Other Controller Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Mixing & The Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Creating New Timbres and Original Voices
Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
■ An Exercise: Remix the Pan Pipes Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
■ Harmonic Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
■ Dynamic Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
■ Frequency Equalizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
■ Impulse Expander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
■ Resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Creating the Right Ambience
■ Modulation Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
■ Feedback Delay Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
■ Reverb Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
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Page 5
Getting Started
Precautions
!! PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE PROCEEDING !!
■ Location
Do not expose the instrument to the following
conditions to avoid deformation, discoloration, or more
serious damage.
• Direct sunlight (e.g. near a window).
• High temperatures (e.g. near a heat source,
outside, or in a car during the daytime).
• Excessive humidity.
• Excessive dust.
• Strong vibration.
■ Power Supply
• Turn the power switch OFF when the instrument
is not in use.
• The power supply cord should be unplugged from
the AC outlet if the instrument is not to be used
for an extended period of time.
• Unplug the instrument during electric storms.
• Avoid plugging the instrument 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.
■ MIDI Connections
• When connecting the VL1 to MIDI equipment, be
sure to use high-quality cables made especially for
MIDI data transmission.
• Avoid MIDI cables longer than about 15 meters.
Longer cables can pick up electrical noise that can
causes data errors.
■ 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.
• 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 VL1 contains a special long-life battery that
retains the contents of its internal memory even
when the power is turned OFF. The backup
battery should last for several years. When the
backup battery needs to be replaced “Change
battery!” 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!
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Page 6
Getting Started
• Internal memory data can be corrupted due to
incorrect operation. Be sure to save important data
to floppy disk frequently so you have a backup to
revert to if something happens to damage the data
in memory. Also note that magnetic fields can
damage data on the disk, so it is advisable to
make a second back-up copy of disks that contain
very important data, and keep backup disks in a
safe place away from stray magnetic fields (i.e.
away from speakers, appliances containing motors, etc.).
■ Handle Floppy Disks and the Disk Drive With
Care
• Use only 3.5” 2HD or 2DD type floppy disks.
• Do not bend or apply pressure to the floppy disk.
Do not open the shutter and touch the surface of
the floppy disk inside.
• Do not expose the disk to high temperatures. (e.g.
direct sunlight)
• Do not expose the disk to magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can partially or totally erase data on
the disk, rendering the disk unreadable.
• To eject a floppy disk, press the eject button
slowly as far as it will go then, when the disk is
fully ejected, remove it by hand.
The disk may not be ejected properly if the eject
button is pressed too quickly, or it is not pressed
in as far as it will go (the eject button may become stuck in a half-pressed position and the disk
extends from the drive slot by only a few
millimeters). If this happens, do not attempt to
pull out the partially ejected disk. Using force in
this situation can damage the disk-drive mechanism or the floppy disk. To remove a partially
ejected disk, try pressing the eject button once
again, or push the disk back into the slot and then
repeat the eject procedure carefully.
• Do not insert anything but floppy disks into the
disk drive. Other objects may cause damage to the
disk drive or the floppy disk.
■ Service and Modification
• The VL1 contains no user serviceable parts.
Opening it or tampering with it in any way can
lead to irreparable damage and possibly electric
shock. Refer all servicing to qualified YAMAHA
personnel.
■ Third-party Software
• Yamaha can not take any responsibility for
software produced for this product by third-party
manufacturers. Please direct any questions or
comments about such software to the manufacturer or their agents.
YAMAHA is not responsible for damage caused by improper handling or operation.
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Page 7
Getting Started
About the Manuals
The VL1 comes with two manuals — Getting Started and Feature
Reference.
The Getting Started Manual (this manual)
The Getting Started manual contains seven chapters that take you through
essential information and procedures you will need to know to become familiar
with your VL1:
1. VL1 Basics [≥ Page 8]
Basic concepts you’ll need to understand in order to get the
most out of the VL1.
2. The Controls & Connectors [≥ Page 16]
Brief descriptions of the VL1 controls and connectors, and their
functions.
3. Setting Up [≥ Page 22]
System connections, powering up, playing the demo, calibrating
the Breath Controller, and loading the pre-programmed voices.
4. Voice Selection [≥ Page 34]
Several ways to select and play the VL1’s 128 voices.
5. The Controllers [≥ Page 38]
The VL1 controllers and how they can be assigned and edited
for optimum control.
6. Mixing & The Modifiers [≥ Page 48]
Customizing the sound to suit your own personal needs.
7. Effects [≥ Page 58]
An overview of the built-in digital effects that you can use to
add depth and ambience to the VL1 sound.
We recommend that you go through the chapters in sequence and actually
try out the various operations described. Once you’ve gone through the entire
Getting Started manual in this way, you should be familiar enough with the VL1
to need only the VL1 Feature Reference manual in future.
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Page 8
Getting Started
The Feature Reference Manual
The Feature Reference manual is the “nuts and bolts” reference for
the VL1, individually describing its many functions in detail. The Feature
Reference manual is divided into five main sections, each describing the
various functions within a particular VL1 edit or utility mode.
1. General Operation [
2. Play Mode [
3. Edit Mode [≥ Page 21]
4. Utility Mode [≥ Page 151]
5. Appendix [≥ Page 177]
Once you have become familiar with the way the VL1 works by
going through the Getting Started manual, you should only need to refer to
the Feature Reference manual from time to time to get details on functions
you’ve never used before, or refresh your memory about functions that
you don’t use very often.
Each section of the Feature Reference manual has its own table of
contents, so you should be able to locate any particular function quickly
and easily. Functions and references can also be located by referring to the
index at the back of the manual.
≥ Page 13]
≥ Page 7]
Conventions
The following conventions are used through the VL1 manuals to
avoid confusion and make the text easier to read.
Buttons & Controls
Button and control names used on the VL1 panel appear in the text
in capital letters within a border: “the [ button”, for example.
Parameter Names
Parameter names and other labels which appear on the VL1 display
are printed in the courier typeface for easier identification: for
example, “adjust the “Balance” parameter as required”.
Parameter Ranges
An ellipsis is used to indicate a range of parameter values: e.g. “0 …
127”. This minimizes the confusion sometimes caused by the use of
a hyphen or dash for this purpose.
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Page 9
Getting Started
VL1 Basics
Essential Concepts for the VL1 User
he Yamaha VL1 Virtual Acoustic Synthesizer produces sound in an
entirely new way. It has no oscillators or function generators, no
T
generation concepts employed in conventional synthesizers. The VL1
represents the world’s first practical application of computer-based “physical modeling” in musical sound synthesis.
systems or the flight characteristics of aircraft in the design stage, the VL1
simulates the very complex vibrations, resonances, reflections and other
acoustic phenomena that occur in a real wind or string instrument. This
requires a tremendous amount of computer processing power (weather and
aerodynamic modeling require room-filling super computers), and radical
advances in microprocessor speed and capability plus some very sophisticated Yamaha technology were necessary to achieve the real-time sound
generation capabilities exhibited by the ground-breaking VL1 Virtual
Acoustic Synthesizer.
preset waveforms or samples. In fact, it uses none of the sound
In the same way that computer models are used to simulate weather
8
Page 10
Getting Started
What Are the Advantages?
he VL1 offers many advantages in terms of musical performance.
Not just in terms of sound, but also in terms of the “behavior” that
T
because someone has programmed a certain sound or pattern of behavior
into it. The physical model can be programmed to have certain attributes
— the length of a pipe or the stiffness of a reed, for example — but the
actual sound produced by any configuration can only be accurately determined by playing it. Of course, the same applies to the design of acoustic
instruments. Because of its natural acoustic behavior the VL1 is undoubtedly a little harder to play than conventional synthesizers, but when mastered this is the very characteristic that is its greatest strength. The Yamaha
VL1 is the most musical synthesizer ever made. A soloist’s dream!
makes acoustic instruments so … well, musical! But this is not
• The VL1 sounds better, has more depth, and is more realistic in
the musical sense than any other synthesizer system.
• Simply pressing a key in the same way does not always produce
precisely the same sound. The instrument is responsive and
“alive”.
• Note-to-note transitions have the same continuity exhibited by
acoustic instruments. What goes on in between the notes is just as
important musically as the notes themselves.
• It has extraordinary expressive capability. Rather than simply
controlling parameters like volume or pitch, you can control
characteristics such as breath and reed pressure with appropriate
complex effects on the timbre of the sound.
9
Page 11
T
Getting Started
The VL1 Model
he overall VL1 model or “algorithm” consists of three main blocks:
the instrument, controllers, and modifiers. In schematic form these
blocks are arranged as follows:
One VL "Element"
Controllers (also envelopes)
Instrument
●
The Instrument
The key block in this algorithm is the instrument, since it is here that the
fundamental tone or “timbre” of the sound is defined. The extreme complexity
of this portion of the model makes it unsuitable for user programming, so various instruments for the VL1 are provided in the form of pre-programmed voices.
These are primarily woodwind, brass, and string voices, since the VL1’s physical model is capable of most accurately simulating the sound-generating mechanism of all three instrument categories.
The instrument model consists primarily of a driver — the reed/
mouthpiece, lip/mouthpiece, or bow/string system — and a resonant system corresponding to the tube and air column or string.
(the VL has 2 of these)
Modifiers
Sound
out.
10
Page 12
Getting Started
In all these
instruments
pressure
applied here
(the driving
point) causes
vibration which
results in
sound.
The sound thus
produced is amplified
and sustained
by the body of
the instrument.
Reed vibration.
Lip vibration.
Air vibration.
String vibration.
The pitch of the sound is determined
by the length of the air column or
string, and the timbre is a complex
product of the driving source (reed,
lip, air, string), the shape of the
resonant cavity, the materials from
which the instrument is made, etc.
One of the remarkable features of the VL1’s Virtual Acoustic Synthesis
system is that just about any driver can be used with any type of pipe or string.
Drivers Pipes/String
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Page 13
Getting Started
●
The Controllers
The input to an acoustic instrument comes from the player’s lungs, trachea, oral
cavity, and lips. In a string instrument it comes from the players arm movement, transmitted to the string via a bow. These elements actually form an important part of the
sound generating system and, in the VL1 model, are included in the controllers block.
The player also influences the sound of the instrument by playing the keys, tone holes, or
frets, and this aspect of control constitutes another part of the controllers block. These
and other control parameters provided by the VL1 are listed in the illustration below.
In essence, the controller parameters determine how the instrument “plays”. All of
these parameters can be assigned to any of the external controllers that can be used with
the VL1: breath controller, foot controller, modulation wheels, etc. The pressure parameter, for example, will normally be assigned to a breath controller so the player can
control the dynamics of the instrument by varying the breath pressure applied to the
controller — a natural, instinctive way to play wind-instrument voices. At the same time
the growl and throat parameters might also be assigned to the breath controller in order
to achieve life-like response and effects.
Controls the characteristics
of the "player's" throat or bowing arm.
Pressure
The amount of breath pressure
applied to the reed or mouthpiece,
or bow velocity applied to the string".
Embouchure
The tightness of the lips against
the reed or against each other, or
the force of the bow against the
string.
Pitch
Changes the length of the
air column or string, and thereby
the pitch of the sound.
Throat
Growl
A periodic pressure (bow
velocity) modulation which
produces the "growl" effect
often heard in wind instruments.
Tonguing
Simulates the half-tonguing
technique used by saxophone
players by changing the "slit"
of the reed.
Scream
Drives the entire system into
chaotic oscillation, creating
effects that can only be
achieved with physical
modelling technology.
Damping & Absorption
Simulate the effects of air friction
in the pipe or on the string,
and of high-frequency losses
at the end of the pipe or string.
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Page 14
Getting Started
●
The Modifiers
Although you don’t have direct programming access to the VL1 instrument block, the modifiers allow a significant degree of control over the final
timbre of the voice. The modifiers block consists of 5 sections as shown in the
diagram. Although these may appear to be simple effects, they are actually
intimately related to the VL1’s sound-producing model and have a significant
effect on the sound (the VL1 has a separate effects stage with reverb, delay, and
modulations effects — see page 58).
Harmonic Enhancer
The Harmonic Enhancer allows you to
manipulate the harmonic structure of the
In
sound to the extent that you can create
radical timbral variations within the current
instrument “family” (e.g. saxes). [Page 51]
Harmonic
Enhancer
Dynamic Filter
This section is similar to the dynamic filters
found in many conventional synthesizers. It
has selectable high-pass, bandpass, band
elimination, and low-pass modes, and a
“wet/dry” balance parameter which allows
delicate variations in the degree of filtration
applied. Another important feature is key-
board cutoff tracking which varies the
cutoff frequency according to the key
played. [Page 54]
Frequency Equalizer
This is a 5-band parametric equalizer with
frequency, Q (bandwidth), and level con-
trol. The equalizer also has pre-EQ high-
and low-pass filters as well as key scaling
capability for precise response control
throughout the instrument’s range. [Page
55]
Dynamic
Filter
Frequency
Equalizer
Impulse
Expander
Resonator
Out
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Page 15
Getting Started
Impulse Expander
The Impulse Expander works in conjunction with the Resonator, described
below, to simulate the effect of an instrument’s resonant cavity or sound
box. It can also be used to simulate the acoustic environment in which the
instrument is played. In contrast to the Resonator, the Impulse Expander is
more suited to the simulation of metallic resonances and is thus invaluable
for refining the sound of brass and metal-bodied woodwinds. Other impor-
tant effects are the ability to diffuse sharp attack sounds and to give depth
and realism to vibrato. [Page 56]
Resonator
While the Impulse Expander and even the Harmonic Enhancer tend to give
the sound a metallic quality, the Resonator produces a more woody reso-
nance effect. Careful adjustment of the resonator’s parameters can often
bring a not-quite-right voice to life. [Page 57]
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Page 16
Getting Started
There’s More …
n this brief introduction to VL1 basics we’ve only looked at the
central physical model which is the key the VL1’s unprecedented
I
sound and musical performance. There’s actually much more to it. To
begin with the VL1 actually has two elements which function as independent physical models. Although it is basically a monophonic solo instrument, this means that the VL1 can produce two notes at once. More commonly the two elements are used as layers of a single voice.
Element 1
Controllers
Instrument Modifiers
Element 2
Controllers
Instrument Modifiers
There’s also an extensive range of other functions and features that
are similar to those you may be familiar with from conventional synthesizers. There are, for example, a range of programmable envelopes that can
be applied to most of the controllers in addition to real-time player control. And, of course, there’s a comprehensive selection of MIDI, disk, and
other utility functions that give the VL1 maximum versatility and convenience.
Now that you understand the basics, dive in and find out what the
VL1 can really do.
Effects
Sound
out.
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Page 17
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
The Controls & Connectors
A Brief Introduction To the VL1 Interface
The following brief descriptions of the VL1 controls and connectors
should help you to understand the overall logic of the interface.
q MODE Buttons
w
C Button
!8
PHONES Jack
@0
Floppy Disk Drive
!5
OCTAVE _
and + Buttons
!9
Breath Controller Jack
r
DOWN UP
OCTAVE
VOLUME Control
LR
12
OUTPUT
FOOT CONTROLLER
MODE
PLAY
EDIT UTILITY COPY STORE
COMPARE
VOLUME CS1 CS2
1
FOOT SWITCH
e
S Button
t
Control Sliders
2
IN THRU
– and ≠
OUT
MIDI
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 CONT
PHONES
BREATH
PITCH MODULATION 1 MODULATION 2
!6
π Wheel
16
!7
“ and
‘ Wheels
u
¡ through •
Function Buttons
Page 18
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
Front Panel
y LCD Display & ÷ Control
i Data Dial
!0
= and - Buttons
The Controls & Connectors
q MODE Buttons
The P, E, and U buttons select the corresponding VL1 modes. The
PLAY mode lets you select and play voices, the EDIT mode gives you programming
access to the VL1’s voice and controller parameters, and the UTILITY mode includes
MIDI, disk, system and other functions that are essential for general operation.
w C Button
This button is used to copy voice parameters for fast, efficient editing.
☛ Feature Reference page 25.
e S Button
Used to store edited data to an internal memory location.
☛ Feature Reference page 28.
POWER
ON / OFF
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
INCDEC
ENTEREXIT
E1
9
ALL
E2
10
HE
E1
ELEMENT ON / OFFELEMENT SELECT
11
DF
MODIFIER ON / OFF
E2
ALL
MOD
EFFECT ON / OFF
12
13
14
EQ
IE
RSN
8
FBD
REV
15
16
!2
Bank a through
h Buttons
!3
Voice Number 1
through ^ Buttons
o
Cursor Buttons
!1
] and [ Buttons
!4
Keyboard
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Page 19
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
r VOLUME Control
Adjusts the volume of the sound delivered via the rear-panel OUTPUT L and R
jacks as well as the PHONES jack.
☛ Getting Started page 25.
t – and ≠ Control Sliders
These controls can be assigned to a range of controller parameters for real-time
expressive control.
☛ Getting Started page 47. Feature Reference page 19.
y LCD Display & ÷ Control
This large multi-function liquid crystal display panel shows all parameters and
prompts you need to operate the VL1 with optimum ease and efficiency.
Use the ÷ (contrast) control located near the lower right-hand corner of the
display to achieve the best display visibility (LCD visibility varies greatly with viewing
angle and lighting).
☛ Getting Started page 34. Feature Reference page 14.
u ¡ through • Function Buttons
The functions of these buttons depend on the selected mode. They are used to
engage a function indicated on the display immediately above the button, select a page of
parameters, scroll through a list of parameters, and more.
☛ Getting Started page 26. Feature Reference page 9.
i Data Dial
The data entry dial provides a fast, efficient way to cover a broad range of voice
numbers when, for example, you’re looking for a voice but don’t know the voice number.
It’s also handy for making large value changes in any of the edit modes.
The data dial is “speed sensitive”, allowing accurate single step selection when
rotated slowly as well as large value “jumps” when rotated quickly.
☛ Getting Started page 35. Feature Reference page 16.
o Cursor Buttons
These 4 buttons move the “cursor” around the display screen, highlighting the
various items that are available for selection or parameters that are available for editing
(the VL1 cursor appears as a dark block with inverse characters).
☛ Getting Started page 32. Feature Reference page 10.
!0 = and - Buttons
Used to select voices and edit parameter values in any of the VL1 edit modes.
Either button can be pressed briefly for single stepping in the specified direction, or held
for continuous scrolling. These buttons are also used to respond “Yes” or “No” to the
“Are you sure?” confirmation prompt when saving, loading data.
☛ Getting Started page 35. Feature Reference page 16.
!1 ] and [ Buttons
The ] button can generally be used to exit from any sub-mode or function,
while the [ button is used to engage a variety of modes and functions.
☛ Getting Started page 27. Feature Reference page 10.
18
Page 20
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
!2 Bank a through h Buttons
The VL1 has 128 internal voice memory locations arranged in 8 banks of 16 voices
each. These buttons select the voice bank from which an individual voice will be selected.
☛ Getting Started page 35. Feature Reference page 15.
!3 Voice Number 1 through ^ Buttons
The voice number buttons are used in conjunction with the bank buttons to select
any of the VL1’s 128 internal voice memory locations. When editing voice parameters
they are also used to select and mute elements, an to turn effects and modifiers on or off.
☛ Getting Started page 35. Feature Reference page 15.
!4 Keyboard
The VL1 has a 49-key keyboard that is both velocity and after-touch sensitive for
broad, intimate expressive control.
!5 OCTAVE _ and + Buttons
Shift the pitch of the keyboard up or down one octave. A utility “Octave Hold”
function (page 153 of the Feature Reference manual) provides two modes: shift only
while the button is held, or press once to shift and again to release. MIDI note output
data is also shifted.
!6 π Wheel
This self-centering pitch wheel allows realistic upward and downward pitch bends.
The Controls & Connectors
!7 “ and ‘ Wheels
Can be assigned to any of the VL1’s extensive range of controller parameters for
extraordinary expressive control.
☛ Getting Started page 41.
!8 PHONES Jack
Accepts a standard pair of stereo headphones (1/4" stereo phone plug) for
headphone monitoring of the VL1 sound without the need for external amplification
equipment.
☛ Getting Started page 23.
!9 Breath Controller Jack
Plug the Yamaha BC2 Breath Controller supplied with the VL1 in here (an optional
BC1 Breath Controller may also be used).
☛ Getting Started page 23.
@0 Floppy Disk Drive
The VL1’s built-in floppy disk drive allows easy, economical, high-volume storage
of voice data. The disk-in-use indicator below the drive slot lights while any disk operation is in progress (
NEVER attempt to remove a disk or turn the power off while a disk
operation is in progress). The eject button, also below the disk slot, is used to remove
disks from the drive.
☛ Feature Reference page 162.
19
Page 21
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
YAMAHA
MODEL VL1
AC INLET
POWER
ON / OFF
THRU OUT
MIDI
IN
FOOT SWITCH
21
FOOT CONTROLLER
21
OUTPUT
L
R
@1
AC Power Cord
Socket
Rear Panel
@2 POWER Switch
@6
MIDI IN, OUT and
@3
OUTPUT L and R Jacks
THRU Connectors
@4
FOOT CONTROLLER 1 and 2 Jacks
@5
FOOT SWITCH 1 and 2 Jacks
@1 AC Power Cord Socket
Be sure to plug the VL1’s AC power cord into this socket
before plugging the
power cord into an AC outlet.
☛ Getting Started page 22.
@2 POWER Switch
Press to turn power ON or OFF.
@3 OUTPUT L and R Jacks
These are the main stereo outputs from the VL1. Be sure to connect both outputs to
the appropriate channels of a stereo sound system in order to appreciate the full quality of
the VL1 sound and effects.
☛ Getting Started page 24.
@4 FOOT CONTROLLER 1 and 2 Jacks
These jacks accept Yamaha FC7 Foot Controllers which can be used to control any
of the VL1’s controller parameters. One FC7 Foot Controller is supplied with the VL1,
and this should normally be plugged into the FOOT CONTROLLER 2 jack. The second
FC7 foot controller is optional.
☛ Getting Started page 23.
@5 FOOT SWITCH 1 and 2 Jacks
An optional Yamaha FC4 or FC5 footswitch can be connected to one or both of
these jacks for sustain, portamento, and other control functions.
☛ Getting Started page 23.
@6 MIDI IN, OUT and THRU Connectors
The MIDI IN connector receives the data from an external sequencer or other MIDI
device which is to control or transmit data to the VL1. The MIDI THRU connector
simply re-transmits the data received at the MIDI IN connector, allowing convenient
chaining of MIDI devices. The MIDI OUT connector transmits data corresponding to all
VL1 performance operations, or bulk data when one of the MIDI data transmission
functions are activated.
☛ Getting Started page 24.
20
Page 22
Getting Started●The Controls & Connectors
The Controls & Connectors
21
Page 23
Getting Started●Setting Up
Setting Up
System Connections & Preparation
Audio
Foot
Controller
DOWN UP
OCTAVE
MAX
MIN
PITCH
MODULATION 1 MODULATION 2
LR
OUTPUT12FOOT CONTROLLER
MODE
PLAY
EDIT UTILITY COPY STORE
COMPARE
VOLUME CS1 CS2
2
1
FOOT SWITCH
OUT
IN THRU
MIDI
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 CONT
Foot
Switch
A
1
INCDEC
E1
9
ENTEREXIT
ALL
MIDI
POWER
ON / OFF
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
E1
E2
E2
ALL
MOD
FBD
REV
EFFECT ON / OFF
ELEMENT ON / OFFELEMENT SELECT
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
H.E.
D.F.
E.Q.
I.E.
RES
MODIFIER ON / OFF
Power Supply
Breath ControllerHeadphones
Power Supply
Before making any other connections the “female” end of the AC power cord
supplied with the VL1 should be firmly plugged into the rear-panel AC cord socket.
Ideally the power cord should then be plugged into a convenient AC outlet after you’ve
made all other necessary connections and placed the VL1 in the position in which it will
be used. Always make sure that the POWER switch is in the OFF (extended) position
before plugging the power cord in an AC outlet.
CAUTION! ■ Make sure your VL1 is rated for the AC voltage supplied in the
area in which it is to be used (as listed on the rear panel). Connecting the VL1 to
the wrong AC supply can cause serious damage to the internal circuitry and may
CAUTION!
even pose a shock hazard!
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Page 24
Controllers
●
Breath Controller
The Breath Controller is an essential expressive tool — both for realistic expression
with wind-instrument voices and unprecedented expressive control with string voices.
Plug the BC2 Breath Controller supplied with the VL1 (or an optional BC1 breath controller) into the front-panel breath controller jack. The Breath Controller is ideal for
controlling parameters that would normally be affected by a wind player’s breath: dynamics, timbre, pitch, and others.
Once you’ve set up your system and begin playing, refer to “Breath Controller
Calibration” on page 29 for instructions on calibrating your Breath Controller for optimum control precision and ease.
NOTES ■ For more information on Breath Controller setup and operation, see
the instructions packed with the supplied BC2 Breath Controller.
Getting Started●Setting Up
Setting Up
●
Foot Controllers
Although the VL1 has jacks for two foot controllers, it is not necessary to use both.
To begin with plug the supplied FC7 Foot Controller into the rear-panel FOOT CONTROLLER 2 jack.
If you purchase a second FC7 Foot Controller for extra control capability, plug it
into the FOOT CONTROLLER 1 jack.
NOTES ■ For more information on Foot Controller setup and operation, see the
instructions packed with the supplied FC7 Foot Controller.
●
Foot Switches
The use of one or two footswitches allows sustain, portamento, and mono/poly
mode switching. We recommend that you purchase at least one Yamaha FC4 or FC5
Footswitch for this purpose. A single footswitch can be plugged into either the rear-panel
FOOTSWITCH 1 or 2 jack.
Audio Connections
●
Headphones
For private listening and practice headphones are ideal. You don’t have to hook up
and complete sound system, and you won’t disturb the neighbors no matter how loud or
late you play. Recommended Yamaha headphones for VL1 monitoring are the HPE-170,
HPE-160, or HPE-150 Stereo Headphones. Any standard pair of stereo headphones with a
1/4" stereo phone plug and an impedance of between about 8 and 150 ohms can be used.
23
Page 25
Getting Started●Setting Up
●
Stereo Sound System
The VL1 voices and effects are designed to sound their best in stereo, so you should
always use a stereo sound system to appreciate the full impact of the VL1 voices and
expressive features. The VL1 OUTPUT L and R jacks can be connected directly to
musical instrument amplifiers designed for keyboard use, or to the line inputs of a mixing
console. It is also possible to connect the VL1 outputs directly to the inputs of a
multitrack or stereo tape recorder.
NOTES ■ If you need to drive a mono amp or other device the VL1 output can
be switched to mono — the same signal appears at the L and R outputs — by
using the Output parameter described on page 154 of the Feature Reference
manual.
■ Make sure that both the VL1 and your sound system are turned OFF when
making connections.
MIDI Connections
Like any other MIDI instrument the VL1 can be used with MIDI tone generators,
sequencers, computer software, and controllers for virtually unlimited system expansion
and control capability. You might, for example, like to control it from a Yamaha wind
controller such as the WX11 rather than the keyboard for even more realistic windinstrument feel and expression.
To ensure reliable error-free transmission of MIDI data always use high-quality
MIDI cables obtained from your Yamaha dealer or music equipment store. Also avoid
MIDI cables that are longer than about 15 meters, since cables longer than this can pick
up noise which can cause data errors.
The VL1 MIDI transmit channel, receive channel, local on/off, and device number
parameters are available in the utility mode “MIDI Setting” page described on page 155
of the Feature Reference manual. Make sure these parameters are set to match the corresponding settings of the external MIDI device(s) used with the VL1.
● The VL1 transmits and receives the following MIDI data:
Note
Control Change
Program Change
Aftertouch
Pitch Bend
Bulk
The played key(s) and velocity value.
Modulation wheel, foot controller, breath controller, and other controller
data.
Voice numbers from 1 to 128.
Keyboard aftertouch pressure.
Pitch bend wheel position.
Voice and system parameters transmitted in the form of “bulk dumps”.
24
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Getting Started●Setting Up
NOTES ■ For detailed MIDI specifications refer to the “MIDI Data Format” .
■ When using the VL1 with other MIDI equipment, it is a good idea to refer to
the MIDI specifications (implementation chart, MIDI data format) of the equipment used to ensure compatibility.
Power-on Procedure
Always follow proper procedure when powering-up a sound system to minimize the
possibility of damage to the equipment (and your ears!).
1. Make sure your sound system’s main level/volume control(s) and the VL1 volume
control are turned all the way down prior to turning power on.
2. Turn on the VL1.
3. Turn on the sound system.
4. Raise the sound system volume to a reasonable level.
Setting Up
5. Gradually raise the VL1 VOLUME control while playing the keyboard to set the
desired listening level.
NOTES ■ The VL1 automatically transmits MIDI control change data correspond-
ing to its control status when its power switch is turned ON or OFF. This can
interfere with operation of other MIDI equipment connected to the VL1 MIDI
OUT connector. If the VL1 is connected to other MIDI equipment, the VL1 power
switch should be turned ON
first, and turned OFF last.
25
Page 27
Play the Demo
demo sequence to hear how some of the voices sound. This process will also help to
familiarize you with some of the VL1’s selection and editing procedures.
IMPORTANT!
1. Select the Utility Mode System Page
lected when the utility mode display appears, press the ¡ button to select the “System” function page.
Getting Started●Setting Up
Once you’ve set up your VL1 system, you might like to play the pre-programmed
IMPORTANT! ■ When you run the demo the VL1 automatically loads the
required voices and system data into the 16 bank-H voices, thus erasing any
previous data in these memory locations. This is the same as the data initially
contained in these memory locations when the VL1 is first shipped, so if you
haven’t made any changes there is no problem. If, however, you have edited the
bank-H data or saved data from another bank or disk to this bank, you may want
to save your data to floppy disk before running the demo.
Press the U button to select the utility mode. Then, if it is not already se-
2. Select the Demo Page
Press the ∞ button to select the “Demo” page.
26
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Getting Started●Setting Up
3. Press [ and Confirm
Press the [ button if it’s OK to go ahead with the demo — and rewrite all
bank-H data. The VL1 will ask you to confirm again: press - to continue or = to
abort.
4. Select a Song
Use the data dial or = and - buttons to select the song number you want to
start with.
Setting Up
5. Run the Demo
Press the • button to run the demo. Playback will start with the selected song,
then all other songs will be played in sequence. The cycle will repeat until stopped.
27
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Getting Started●Setting Up
6. Stop the Demo
Press the ¶ button to stop demo playback.
7. Return To the Play Mode When Done
Press the MODE P button to return the PLAY mode.
28
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Getting Started●Setting Up
Breath Controller Calibration
Proper operation of the breath controller is vital to achieving the best possible sound
from the VL1. Although the controller is factory-calibrated to match most requirements,
we recommend that you carefully calibrate the breath controller for optimum performance
with your own playing style.
1. Make Sure the Breath Controller Is Connected
Make sure the breath controller is properly connected: turn the power OFF, plug in
the breath controller, then turn the power ON.
2. Select the Utility Mode System Page
Press the U button to select the utility mode. Then, if it is not already selected when the utility mode display appears, press the ¡ button to select the “Sys-
tem” function page.
3. Go To the Utility Mode Curve Page and Select “Brth”
Use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to “5:Curve”, then press [ to call
the “Curve” function page. When the curve display appears press the • function
button (“Brth”) to call the breath controller curve page.
Setting Up
4. Adjust the Breath Controller Offset
The following adjustment must be performed while not blowing into the breath
controller mouthpiece. Do not hold the breath controller in your mouth.
Rotate the breath controller OFFSET trimmer slowly clockwise, using the supplied
screwdriver, until the vertical cursors above and below the curve graph move slightly to
the right and the number below the graph is greater that “0”. Then slowly rotate the
trimmer carefully counter-clockwise until the number below the graph just reaches “0”
(the cursors will be lined up with the left end of the graph), then stop. This completes the
offset adjustment.
29
Page 31
Getting Started●Setting Up
5. Adjust the Breath Controller Gain
Place the breath controller mouthpiece in your mouth and blow — notice that the
cursors move to right and the number below the graph increases according to how hard
you blow. Rotate the breath controller GAIN trimmer counter-clockwise as far as it will
go (don’t force it!) then, while blowing into the mouthpiece using the
you intend to use while playing, rotate the trimmer slowly clockwise until the number
below the graph just reaches “127” (the cursors should just line up with the right end of
the graph) and then stop. This completes the gain adjustment.
NOTES ■ In addition to calibrating the breath controller, the UTILITY mode
Curve
“
response curves — these are discussed in more detail on page 157 of the
Feature Reference manual.
” page described here also allows you to select a range of 4 different
maximum pressure
6. Return to the Play Mode
Press the P button to return to the PLAY mode.
30
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Getting Started●Setting Up
Load the Pre-programmed Voice Data
Although the factory pre-programmed voices, performance combinations, and
patterns are stored in the VL1 internal memory when the instrument is initially shipped,
there is always a possibility that all or part of the memory has been erased or modified by
the time the instrument gets to you. Here’s how you can re-load all the pre-programmed
data from the supplied voice disk.
NOTES ■ Loading the pre-programmed voices overwrites any other data that is
in the VL1 internal memory, so if you have any important voices in memory make
sure it is safely stored to disk before loading the data — Feature Reference
manual, page 166.
1. Insert the Voice Disk
Insert the voice disk into the disk drive. The sliding disk shutter should go in first,
and the label side of the disk should face upward.
2. Select the Utility Mode System Page
Press the U button to select the utility mode. Then, if it is not already selected when the utility mode display appears, press the ¡ button to select the “Sys-
tem” function page.
Setting Up
3. Go To the Miscellaneous Page & Turn Memory Protect Off
Use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to “6:Miscellaneous”, then press
[ to call the “Miscellaneous” function page.
Use the cursor buttons to select the “Memory Protect” parameter, then press
= to turn memory protect “off”.
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Getting Started●Setting Up
4. Select the Disk Function Directory
Press the £ function button (“Disk”) to select the utility mode disk function
directory.
5. Select “Load From Disk”
Use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to “2:Load From Disk” and then
press [.
6. Select “All” and Select the “CUSTOMER:All” File
Make sure the cursor is positioned at “1:All” and press [.
When the list of files appears use the cursor > and < buttons to select the
“CUSTOMER:All” file, then press [ again.
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Getting Started●Setting Up
7. Load the File
Loading will begin when you press the - button in response to the “Are You
Sure?” prompt. A bar graph on the display will indicate the progress of the load opera-
tion, and when all the data has been loaded “Completed!” will appear.
8. Return to the Play Mode & Eject the Disk
When the “Completed!” display appears, press theP button to return to the
play mode, then press the eject button below the disk drive slot to eject the disk. Store
the disk in a safe place. You must now select a voice in order for the loaded data to be
properly activated — see the following section.
Setting Up
About the VL1 Data Disk
The floppy disk supplied with the VL1 contains the following files:
● CUSTOMER:ALL
A complete set of 128 voices and system data in which the voices are
programmed to allow maximum controller variation. The MODULATION 2
wheel should be at its center position for “normal” sound.
● FACTORY:ALL
A complete set of 128 voices and system data in which the voices are
programmed for easy playability — the controller range is not as broad as
the CUSTOMER.ALL voices.
● EXAMPLE:ALL
Some example voices in which the controller settings are emphasized.
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Page 35
Getting Started●Voice Selection
Voice Selection
Selecting & Playing the VL1’s 128 Voices
One of the first things you’ll want to do with your VL1 is select and
play some of its voices … this section will show you how to do just that.
1. Select the Play Mode
Press the P button so that its indicator lights and the word “PLAY” appears in
the upper left corner of the LCD panel.
A considerable amount of information appears on the play-mode display in addition
to the name of the currently selected voice. Many of the functions relating to this information will be covered later in the manual. For now, here are the basics:
Voice name: Alto Sax
Voice B02 (no. 18 of 128).
Play mode.
Element E1 name: Alto Sax
Mono voice,
using a single element.
The abbreviations in the section separated by a line at the bottom of the display
(“Cnt1”, “Cnt2”, etc) indicate the functions of the corresponding function buttons
below the display: ¡ through •. These will be discussed later in this section.
Reverb is ON.
Stereo output mode.
Effects in use: Pitch Change,
Feedback Delay off and
Studio type reverb.
34
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Getting Started●Voice Selection
2. Select a Voice
The VL1’s 128 voices are organized into 8 banks of 16 voices each (8 x 16 = 128).
Any voice can be selected by specifying its bank using the bank buttons (a through
h), and its number using the voice number buttons (1 through ^).
To select voice “B2”, for example, first press the bank b button and then the
voice number 2 button. The bank b button indicator will flash until the voice number
2 button is pressed and the B2 voice is actually engaged.
Note that when you select a different bank (or even press the current bank button)
the voice directory for the selected bank will appear on the display, showing the names
of all voices in that bank with the cursor located at the currently selected voice number.
The VL1 returns to the normal voice display as soon as you specify the voice number.
You can also press the [ button if you want to stay with the same voice number.
Voice Selection
To select a different voice within the same bank it is only necessary to press the
appropriate voice number button. To select a different bank, however, you’ll always have
to press both a bank button and a voice number button (or the [ button). This
prevents unwanted voices from being selected until you’ve actually specified both the
bank and number of the voice you want to use.
Alternate Voice Selection Methods
● The - and = Buttons are best used for small, step-wise changes
— e.g. selecting adjacent voice numbers, or numbers that are only a few
steps away.
Press the = or - button briefly to
decrement or increment the voice number by
DEC INC
● The Data Dial provides a fast, efficient way to cover a broad range of
voice numbers when, for example, you’re looking for a voice but don’t
one, or hold either button for continuous
decrementing or incrementing in the corresponding direction. The bank will switch
automatically if you cross a bank voicenumber boundary.
know the voice number. Simply rotate the data
dial clockwise for higher voice numbers or
counter-clockwise for lower voice numbers
while watching the display.
The banks are automatically switched
when necessary as the voice numbers are
changed.
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Getting Started●Voice Selection
3. Play
Try playing the selected voice on the keyboard. Select a number of different voices
and try them out.
the foot controller forward, or roll the ‘ wheel upward to produce sound
with many of the VL1’s voices. A complete list of the pre-programmed voices and their
controller assignments is provided in the Voice List & MIDI Data Format. A brief voice
list is provided below. The VL1 also provides “controller views”, described in the next
chapter, that let you check the current controller assignments via the VL1 display.
NOTES ■ If you don’t get any sound at this point: Make sure your sound
system is turned ON and the volume is turned up to a reasonable level, make
sure that the VL1 VOLUME control is turned up to a reasonable level, and check
all connections carefully.
You will have to apply breath pressure to the breath controller, press
Using the Voice Directory
Although the voice directory appears automatically any time you select a different
bank, you can have the directory displayed continuously if you find it more convenient
than the normal voice display. To switch to the voice directory display, press the •
button — located directly below “Dir” on the display. Voices are selected using the
same methods described in the preceding section, and the cursor buttons or data dial will
move to the selected voice.
To return to the normal voice display press the ] button.
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Getting Started●Voice Selection
The Pre-programmed VL1 Voices
Here’s an abbreviated voice list for easy reference.
Voice No. Voice Name Voice No. Voice Name Voice No. Voice Name Voice No. Voice Name
A01(001) Moby
A02(002) Tenor Sax
A03(003) Shakuhachi
A04(004) FingerBass
A05(005) Trumpet
A06(006) Ossyncro
A07(007) Tull Flute
A08(008) Bagpipes
A09(009) GuitarHero
A10(010) Mizu Horne
A11(011) Viol Inn
A12(012) Endophone
A13(013) JetLipBow
A14(014) BowBamBoo
A15(015) Bassoon
A16(016) Digeritek
C01(033) Gonzilla
C02(034) Soprano 1
C03(035) MouthKeys
C04(036) Thump Bass
C05(037) Cornet
C06(038) Igneous
C07(039) Alto Flute
C08(040) Khaen
C09(041) Cruncher
C10(042) Marsaloboe
C11(043) Eleanor
C12(044) RichReed
C13(045) Breath Bow
C14(046) SquealerAT
C15(047) Oboe
C16(048) Maysbe?
E01(065) Dr.Bonky
E02(066) Bell Miked
E03(067) Blues Harp
E04(068) Slap Bass
E05(069) Muted Lips
E06(070) Analunar
E07(071) Andean
E08(072) Sitar
E09(073) Rock Pigs
E10(074) Synth Lite
E11(075) St. Ripper
E12(076) Scat Harp
E13(077) L7 Pluck
E14(078) Flak
E15(079) 3 AM Blow
E16(080) Yamasteel
G01(097) Lees
G02 (098) Breath Sax
G03 (099) Bowed Saw
G04(100) Birdland
G05(101) Fanfare
G06(102) Chalsaw
G07(103) Recorder
G08(104) Harmonium
G09(105) WonderBass
G10(106) NuDblReed
G11(107) Viowind
G12(108) Harmoweird
G13(109) Cyberpluck
G14(110) NuAltoPipe
G15(111) Gerhard
G16 (112) Mad Tube
Voice Selection
B01(017) Backwards
B02(018) Alto Sax
B03(019) Pan Pipes
B04(020) MelodyBass
B05(021) Horn
B06(022) 50 / 50
B07(023) C Flute
B08(024) HurdyGurdy
B09(025) JazzGuitar
B10(026) Harmophone
B11(027) Fiddler
B12(028) Floboe
B13(029) Yhokihi
B14(030) BlueBottle
B15(031) Clarinet
B16(032) Jurassic
D01(049) BlownDrone
D02(050) Loose Bari
D03(051) Toots
D04(052) Fretless
D05(053) Tuba
D06(054) Arpoon
D07(055) Piccolo
D08(056) Thai Reed
D09(057) Frange
D10(058) NuSoprPipe
D11(059) Contraire
D12(060) ClariLip
D13(061) Conchise
D14(062) Pastorale
D15(063) Barker
D16(064) FrenchBone
F01 (081) MoreGrunge
F02 (082) Soprano 2
F03 (083) Ocarina
F04 (084) Upright
F05 (085) Alto&Trump
F06 (086) OldMini
F07 (087) Fyfe
F08 (088) Squeezebox
F09 (089) Mr. Mogue
F10 (090) HyperClari
F11 (091) DoubleBow
F12 (092) RuffWreck
F13 (093) Clavisynth
F14 (094) Claricord
F15 (095) TrumpNSax
F16 (096) QuiScivit?
H01(113) AcoEkoSyn
H02(114) LooseTenor
H03(115) Kokyu
H04(116) Tube Bass
H05(117) TrumpCard
H06(118) PipeBowBow
H07(119) BaroquePad
H08(120) Outback
H09(121) FuzzyBass
H10(122) Wheed
H11(123) Monteverdi
H12(124) Sax Git
H13(125) Cyberisen
H14(126) Clar&Flute
H15(127) Saxes
H16(128) Isn’t Wah
A more detailed voice list is provided in the Voice List & MIDI Data Format.
37
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Getting Started●The Controllers
The Controllers
Natural Musical Nuance and Expressive Control
If you’ve read the “VL1 Basics” section (if you haven’t, please do so
— page 8) you should understand the concept of “controllers” as applied
to the VL1. The “controller parameters” correspond to simulated characteristics of the instrument model — e.g. breath pressure, embouchure or
tonguing. Any of these can be controlled by you via “physical controllers”
— e.g. the breath controller or modulation wheel — assigned to the required controller parameter. Even if you never go as far as editing the
actual sound of the voices, you’ll no doubt want to be able to change these
controller assignments and modify the way the controllers affect the
sound.
In this section we’ll introduce you to the basics of controller assignment and operation.
Physical Controllers
• Breath Controller
• Foot Controller
• Etc.
"Physical controllers" such as
the Breath or Foot Controller
can be assigned to "controller
parameters" such as Pressure
or Embouchure.
VL Controller Parameters
• Pressure
• Embouchure
• Etc.
The effectiveness of the VL1 as a musical instrument depends to a
great deal on how well you learn to use these controllers. Since the VL1
sound is produced by a computer-based physical model rather than a oscillator-based tone generator, there are no hard-and-fast rules as to how any
controller will actually affect the sound. There are guidelines, based on the
role of the corresponding controller parameter within the physical model,
but proficiency with the VL1 depends more on experience and practice —
just as it does in any acoustic instrument.
38
Page 40
Getting Started●The Controllers
Physical Controllers
First, here’s a list of the physical controllers available for use with the VL1:
Breath Controller
Breath Attack
Pitch Wheel
Modulation 1 Wheel
Modulation 2 Wheel
Foot Controller 1
Foot Controller 2
Foot Switches 1 & 2
Aftertouch
Velocity
MIDI
A natural candidate for controlling pressure, tonguing, throat, growl,
and other parameters.
This unique “controller” can be applied only through the Breath
Controller. When it is selected control is applied by
pressure, rather than the absolute breath pressure itself. A constant
pressure — whether zero or maximum — produces no change. The
faster the change in pressure, the higher the control value.
The self-centering VL1 pitch wheel can be assigned to a range of
parameters, but it’s “standard” function is pitch control. A controller
parameter such as Embouchure can also be assigned to the pitch
wheel for more realistic pitch variations.
This wheel produces minimum effect in its lowest position and
maximum effect in the highest position. This modulation wheel is
permanently assigned to the standard MIDI modulation wheel control
change number — 001.
The VL1’s second modulation is not self-centering, but it has a center
click-stop which makes it ideal for assignment to parameters that
have a “normal” central setting with variations above and below. It
can also be assigned to any MIDI control change number, function in
the same way as the breath controller, foot controller, etc.
Foot controller 1 has the standard MIDI foot controller control change
number — 004 — and can be assigned to any VL1 controller
parameter.
Like the modulation 2 wheel, foot controller 2 is assignable to any
MIDI control change number, and is frequently assigned to function in
the same way as the breath controller. It can also be assigned to any
VL1 controller parameter.
In addition to their obvious sustain and portamento functions, the foot
switches are independently assignable to any MIDI controller function
as well as a voice number increment function. Of course, they are
only really useful with on/off type parameters — not with parameters
that allow continuous control.
Keyboard aftertouch allows you to control any controller parameter by
the pressure you apply to a key after it is initially pressed. This is
perhaps the most “intimate” type of keyboard expression control.
Although normally assigned to pressure (particularly in plucked string
voices), keyboard velocity can also be assigned to any other controller parameter.
The MIDI protocol provides 119 control change numbers, some of
which are pre-assigned to specific controllers — “001” is “Modulation
Wheel”, for example. All of these are available for assignments to the
VL1 controller parameters, so external MIDI control devices can be
used to full advantage.
changes
in breath
The Controllers
39
Page 41
Getting Started●The Controllers
VL1 Controller Parameters
Any of the physical controllers listed above can be assigned to control any of the
VL1’s controller parameters:
Pressure
Embouchure
Pitch
Vibrato
Tonguing
Amplitude
Scream
Breath Noise
Growl
Throat Formant
Dynamic Filter
Harmonic Enhancer
Damping
Absorption
The amount of breath pressure applied to a reed or mouthpiece, or
the speed of the bow applied to a string. Pressure variations affect
both volume and timbre.
The tightness of the lips against the reed or against each other. In a
string instrument voice Embouchure corresponds to how strongly the
bow is pressed against the string. Affects both pitch and timbre.
Changes the length of the air column, and thereby the pitch of the
sound. The PITCH wheel is usually assigned to this parameter.
A standard vibrato (pitch modulation) effect. An extensive range of
parameters makes it possible to achieve extremely natural vibrato
effects. The amounts of vibrato applied via pitch and embouchure, for
example, are independently programmable.
Simulates the half-tonguing technique used by saxophone players by
changing the “slit” of the reed. The slit is the space between the tip of
the reed and the mouthpiece.
Unlike Pressure, this parameter simply controls the volume of the
sound without varying timbre.
Drives the entire system into chaotic oscillation, creating effects that
can only be achieved with physical modeling technology.
Adds breath noise. The sound of the breath noise itself can be varied
over a wide range using the EDIT mode “Breath Noise” parameters
— Feature Reference manual page 73.
A periodic pressure modulation which produces the “growl” effect
often heard in wind instruments. Like vibrato, an extensive range of
parameters allow remarkably realistic effects.
Controls the characteristics of the simulated player’s lungs, trachea,
and oral cavity. Can add a realistic “roughness” to the sound.
Similar to the dynamic filters found in many conventional synthesizers. The VL1 filter has selectable high-pass, bandpass, band elimination, and low-pass modes.
The Harmonic Enhancer can vary the harmonic structure of the sound
over a wide range. The Harmonic Enhancer also includes parameters
that affect breath noise and several reed characteristics.
Simulates the effect of damping at the end of the air column or string.
Affects both pitch and timbre.
Similar to the above, but simulating the effect of absorption at the end
of the air column or string. In the case of a wind instrument, the
Damping and Absorption parameters control the diameter and shape
of the bell.
40
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Getting Started●The Controllers
Controller Views
In the PLAY mode, function buttons ¡ through § are used to select “controller
view” displays that list all controller assignments for the currently selected voice. In
particular, ¡ through ¢ display the assignments for the controller parameters listed in
the preceding chart (you can press the ] button at any time to return to the normal
play-mode display).
¡
™
The Controllers
£
¢
The controller parameters are listed in the left column of the controller view display, and the controllers assigned to them are listed in the center column. Note that the
right column is empty. This is because the AltoSax voice used for this example only uses
one element, so the controllers are listed in the central “Element1” column. In a voice
that uses two elements the “Element2” controllers are independently assignable and are
listed in the right column.
In this example we can see that the breath controller is assigned to control “Pres-
sure” and “H.Enhancer” (the Harmonic Enhancer). The pitch wheel controls both
“Pitch” and “Embouchure”, and the modulation wheel (MODULATION 1) controls
“Vibrato”. Keyboard aftertouch controls the “Throat” parameter. The remaining
parameters are currently “off” and therefore have no effect on the sound.
NOTES ■ The ∞ (“
views that deal with different types of controllers. These will be summarized in
the “Other Controller Views section on page 47 of this manual.
Cnt5
”) and § (“CS”) function buttons access controller
41
Page 43
Getting Started●The Controllers
Some Exercises With the AltoSax Controllers
Now that you know which physical controllers are assigned to which controller
parameters in the AltoSax voice, play the voice using the assigned controllers to get a
feel for their effect before changing the assignments.
1. Engage the EDIT Mode
The controller assignments are accessed via the EDIT mode Controller page. To get
to this page first press the [ button to engage the edit mode. This is the initial
EDIT mode display:
If the initial EDIT mode display shown above does not appear when the E
button is pressed, try pressing the ] button one or more times.
NOTES ■ When the edit mode is selected, the VL1 will automatically go straight
to the last edit page that was selected for maximum programming speed and
efficiency. You may have to
display hierarchy to return to the initial display.
]
through one or two layers of the EDIT mode
2. Select the Element 1 Controller Parameters
Press the ™ function button (immediately below “E1” on the display) to select the
element-1 parameters (“E2” also becomes available for access via £ when editing a
voice that uses two elements).
If the display doesn’t look like this press the ¡ function button (below “Ctrl” on
the display) to call the “Controllers” page.
3. Select the Controller Parameter You Want To Edit
Use the cursor buttons to select the controller parameter you want to assign a
controller to (you can also use the = and - buttons or data dial for this), then
press the [ button.
For example, let’s try adding scream control to the MODULATION 1 wheel (it
currently controls vibrato). Move the cursor to “07:Scream” and press[.
42
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Getting Started●The Controllers
4. Edit the Scream Controller Parameter
The cursor should be located at the “Controller” parameter, as shown in the
example display. In the AltoSax voice the scream control parameter is not used so it is
currently turned “off”. Press the - button or rotate the data entry dial to the right
slightly to select “Modulation Wheel”, the first controller on the list.
Notice that as soon as you edit the parameter, an inverse letter “E”(´) appears to
the left of the voice number near the upper left corner of the display. This tells you that
the voice has been edited and, later, that you’ll need to store the voice in memory before
selecting a different voice if you want to keep the edited data.
NOTES ■ The Controller parameter has 124 settings — corresponding to the
124 controller number provided by MIDI protocol. Some of these are preassigned: Modulation Wheel is number 001, Breath Controller is number 002,
etc. When you select a pre-assigned controller the corresponding controller name
is shown on the display; non-assigned controllers are displayed as MIDI control
change numbers.
■ The “
wheel. The MODULATION 2 wheel can be assigned to
number.
Modulation Wheel
” setting refers to the VL1’s MODULATION 1
any MIDI control change
The Controllers
5. Try Out the Edited Voice & Cancel the Vibrato Effect
Try operating the “ wheel while playing the AltoSax voice. You
should hear the scream effect increase as the wheel is rolled upward. Vibrato is still
assigned to the “ wheel, so the vibrato effect will come in simultaneously.
To cancel the vibrato effect and leave only the scream effect, simply go to the
Controller “VIBRATO” page and turn the Controller parameter “off”. To get to the
vibrato page you can either ] to the controller directory introduced in step 2 and
select the vibrato page from there, or step backward through the controller pages by using
the § function button (“Bpag” stands for “Back page”). In the same way, the ¶
function button can be used to step forward through the controller pages (“Fpag”).
NOTES ■ When “
the vibrato and several other controller pages, the
another page of parameters pertaining to the controller.
Para
” appears above the • function button, as it does in
•
function button accesses
43
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Getting Started●The Controllers
6. Go to the Pressure Controller Page
From the Vibrato page use the § button to step back to the Pressure controller
page. Quite logically, the Breath Controller is assigned to control the “Pressure”
parameter, and we will leave it set that way while we experiment with the “Depth” and
“Curve” parameters.
7. Vary the Depth Parameter
Move the cursor to the “Depth” parameter and, while trying out the effect of the
changes on how the “Pressure” parameter is affected by the Breath Controller, use the
data dial to vary to depth setting.
As you decrease the setting, notice that the graph to the right of the display changes
accordingly. The horizontal axis corresponds to breath pressure (or the control value in
any other controller screen), and the vertical axis represents the depth of the parameter.
With “Depth” set to the maximum value of “127” no breath pressure produces no
sound and maximum breath pressure produces maximum output.
Maximum
output.
Minimum
output.
127
0
Minimum
breath
pressure.
0
127
Maximum
breath
pressure.
As the value of the “Depth” parameter approaches zero, however, the depth of the
output range is reduced and a corresponding amount of output is produced even at minimum breath pressure. In other words, at a setting lower than 127 simply playing a key
will produce sound even without breath pressure, and the Breath Controller will vary
output between the initial level and maximum output.
44
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Getting Started●The Controllers
Once you pass zero, you enter a range of “negative” Depth values that produce
reverse controller operation: i.e. the output level
Breath Controller. Like the normal positive range, the negative Depth range is from “0”
to “-127”.
NOTES ■ Many parameters with any relationship to MIDI control have a range
of values from -127 through 0 to 127 (255 steps). This corresponds to the range
of values that can be represented in binary form by one “byte” (8 bits) of data —
the number MIDI uses to convey control values.
decreases as you blow harder into the
8. Vary the Curve Parameter
You may have noticed in the previous step that the relationship between breath
pressure and output is linear. That is, a change in breath pressure produces a corresponding change in sound. The “Curve” parameter makes it possible to change that relationship.
As you increase the curve value (the maximum value is 16), the line on the graph
which represents breath pressure versus output will curve downward, as shown in the
display below (setting “12”). The result is that the lower end of the breath pressure range
has relatively little effect on the sound, while higher breath pressures produce more
dramatic changes.
The Controllers
Negative curve values (0 … -16) have the opposite effect: Output increases rapidly
at low breath pressures while higher pressures produce relatively little effect.
45
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Getting Started●The Controllers
9. Experiment!
Now that you’ve got the idea, flip through the all the available controller pages and
experiment with alternative assignments and settings until you feel comfortable with the
system. You should also try this with different voices later, since the controllers can have
different effects with different voices.
NOTES ■ There are several variations on the basic controller display and param-
eters. When you’re ready to study the parameters in more detail refer to the
“Element Controllers” section beginning on page 64 of the Feature Reference
manual.
10.Return to the Play Mode When Done
When you’re finished experimenting with the controllers, press the P button to
return to the play mode.
Note that the inverse letter “E”(´) still appears to the left of the voice number,
indicating that the voice has been edited.
If you want to keep the edited voice, it must be saved either to an internal memory
location or to floppy disk, as described on pages 28 and 166 of the Feature Reference
manual, respectively. This must be done
voice again) or your edits will be lost. To confirm this, try selecting a different voice and
then return to the AltoSax voice … the inverse “E”(´) will be gone and the voice will be
as it was before you edited it.
NOTES ■ The VL1 has a Memory Voice Recall function that can be used to
recall the last version of a voice if you accidentally make unwanted changes or
lose your edited data as described above — Feature Reference manual, page 172.
Controller Envelopes
Since acoustic instruments virtually never respond instantaneously to “controller”
changes, the VL1 includes a range of controller envelopes that can be used to simulate
this type of response. For example, sudden application of maximum breath pressure to a
wind instrument or bow speed to a string instrument normally doesn’t produce instantaneous sound. The instrument requires a few milliseconds to reach the full resonance demanded by the breath pressure or bowing. The VL1 provides programmable envelopes for
the “Pressure”, “Embouchure/Pitch”, “Vibrato”, “Growl”, and “Ampli-
tude/Filter” parameters, and these are described in detail on pages 128 through 150
of the Feature Reference manual.
before you select a different voice (or the same
46
Page 48
Getting Started●The Controllers
Other Controller Views
If you press the ∞ function button from the play mode you’ll see the following
controller view:
The controller parameters listed in this screen are not in the same category as those
discussed in the preceding section, and therefore need to be introduced separately. All of
the related parameters will be discussed in detail in the Feature Reference manual (pages
listed below).
This line shows which controller is currently assigned to polyphony mono/poly
Polyphony
Sustain
Pitch Bend
Portamento
Effect
control.
(≥ Feature Reference manual, page 36)
Indicates whether sustain control is on or off.
(≥ Feature Reference manual, page 35)
The VL1 has three different pitch bend modes — Normal, Bottom, and Top.
The Bottom and Top modes are only effective when the Poly or Unison
polyphony mode is selected. When Bottom is selected the lowest of two notes
played will be affected by the pitch wheel, and when Top is selected the high
note will be affected. When the Normal mode is selected both notes are
affected.
(≥ Feature Reference manual, page 35)
The VL1 offers a choice of portamento modes with or without MIDI control
capability. This line indicates the current portamento status.
(≥ Feature Reference manual, page 40)
Any physical controller can be assigned to control certain of the VL1’s effects in
certain ways: the wet/dry balance of the pitch change effect, the feedback delay
send level, or the reverb send level. This line indicates which effect parameter
is assigned for control by which controller.
(≥ Feature Reference manual, page 45)
The Controllers
The § function button calls the Continuous Slider (“CS”) controller view, which
will look something like this:
The continuous sliders can not be assigned to the instrument controller parameters
listed above, but can be independently assigned to several other parameters that you can
control in real time while playing. The parameters available for editing via the continuous
sliders are individually preset for each voice. You can select from the available range by
using the “Continuous Slider” assignment function described on page 43 of the Feature
Reference manual.
The continuous slider view shows you which parameters are assigned to which
controller as well as the current positions of the controllers and their corresponding
values.
47
Page 49
Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Mixing & The Modifiers
Creating New Timbres and Original Voices
The VL1 provides two ways to change the timbre of a voice to create original variations: 1) by mixing the output signals from various parts
of the physical model, and 2) by using the VL1’s “Modifiers” to shape the
overall harmonic structure. You should always start with the mixing parameters when attempting to create a new voice, so we’ll describe mixing
first.
Mixing
The VL1’s physical instrument model produces three output signals
that can be mixed to produce a surprising range of timbral variation.
● Driver
The “Driver” signal is the direct output from
the mouthpiece (or bow/string interface)
without the resonance of the instrument’s
body. In acoustic instruments there is always
a certain amount of driver sound — particularly when the instrument is heard at close
range. Judicious adjustment of the amount of
driver signal added to the sound can significantly enhance the simulation.
Tap
Driver Pipe/String
Mix
Out
(to modifiers)
● Pipe/String
This is the main output from the instrument’s
pipe or string.
● Tap
By “tapping” the output from a specific point
along the instrument’s pipe or string and
mixing that signal with the Driver and Pipe/
String signals, a range of variations can be
produced. The Tap signal alone sounds
almost the same as the Pipe/String signal,
but since it has a different phase the tone
can change drastically when the two signals
are mixed due to phase cancellation and
reinforcement.
48
Page 50
Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
An Exercise: Remix the Pan Pipes Voice
Before going to the EDIT mode, select and play the Pan Pipes voice for a few
minutes to get a feel for how it sounds.
1. Engage the EDIT Mode
The mixing parameters are accessed via the EDIT mode “Mixing” page. To get to
this page first press the E button to engage the edit mode. You may have to press the
] button one or more times to get the initial edit display.
2. Select the Element 1 Miscellaneous Parameters
Press the ™ function button to select the element-1 parameters, then press the ™
function button again (below “Misc” on the display) to call the “Miscellaneous”
page.
Mixing & The Modifiers
3. Select & Edit the Mixing Parameters
Move the cursor to “4:Mixing” and press [.
Here you have all the parameters you need to mix the physical model output signals: Driver Output, Pipe/String Output, and Tap Output. These three
parameters can be set from “0” (no output) to “127” (maximum output). Try changing
their values to see how the sound is affected.
Note that in the example display there are more Tap parameters. There is actually
one more: move the cursor to the “Tap Setting” parameter and press the =
button (or use the data dial) to set it to “Variable” (the previous setting, “Driving
Point”, fixes the position of the tap output at the instrument’s driving point). Now the
location of the tap can be set at any point via the “Tap Location” parameter. Try
changing the “Tap Location” setting and notice how the tone changes.
49
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Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Tap Location
0%
99%
50%
The remaining tap parameter — “Tap Sign” — inverts the phase of the tap
signal. It has two settings: “+” and “-”. Try it.
4. Return To the PLAY Mode When Done
Press the P button to return to the PLAY mode when you’ve finished experi-
menting with the mixing parameters.
After experimenting with the Mixing parameters for a while you’ll discover that
they define the basic sound of the instrument. Once you’ve created the basic sound you
want by using the Mixing parameters, then you can move on the Modifiers to refine the
sound.
50
Page 52
Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
The Modifiers
As described in the “VL1 Basics” section (page 8), the VL1 has five
“Modifier” stages that shape the overal timbre of the sound. Although the
modifiers can vary the sound over a considerable range, the fundamental
timbre of each voice is determined by its physical instrument model. If
you start with a trumpet voice, for example, the modifiers will let you
create an broad range of timbres, but the final sound will always be more
or less trumpet-like. It is therefore important to choose a voice that provides the right foundation for the sound you are trying to achieve when
attempting to create an original sound.
The five modifier stages are:
Mixing & The Modifiers
In
(from physical
model)
Harmonic
Enhancer
Dynamic
Filter
Impulse
Expander
Harmonic Enhancer
Of the five modifier stages, the Harmonic Enhancer has the most pronounced effect
on the actual harmonic structure of the sound. It allows you to create radical timbral
variations within the current instrument “family”.
Modulator
Source.
Carrier
Source.
Frequency
Equalizer
Resonator
Modulator
Carrier
Out
(to effects stage)
Driver,
pipe/string,
and tap sound.
51
Wet/Dry
Balance
Out
(to Dynamic Filter.)
Page 53
Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Referring to the block diagram of the harmonic enhancer, above, we can see that it
employs a modulation approach to building new harmonic structures. The carrier and
modulator blocks have independent display pages and some independent parameters.
■
The Modulator Parameter Page
■
The Carrier Parameter Page
NOTES ■ If you want to experiment with the Harmonic Enhancer parameters
while reading this section, they can be accessed by selecting the EDIT mode
and, from the initial EDIT mode display (try pressing
™
display doesn't appear), pressing
then pressing
the cursor to “
Harmonic Enhancer display is selected the carrier and modulator pages are
selected via ¡ (“
£
(“
Modi
”) to select the Modifier parameters, and finally moving
1:Harmonic Enhancer
Crr
”) and ™ (“
(“E1”) to select the Element 1 parameters,
” and pressing
Mod
”), respectively.
]
if the initial EDIT
[
. Once the
The “Signal Select” parameters in these pages allow independent selection of
the six different signal sources listed below.
Normal
Breath Noise
Amplitude
Flow Rate
Saturation
Beat
Slit/Friction
Reed
This is the total output of the instrument model: a mix of the driver,
pipe/string, and tap signals.
This signal represents the instantaneous amplitude of the breath noise
produced at the driver. It is basically a highly distortion version of the
Slit/Friction signal described below.
When the pressures on either side of an aperture (e.g. a mouthpiece/
reed assembly) differ, a corresponding flow of air is produced. There is,
however, a limit to the speed of the airflow which can be produced
(saturation). The relationship between the pressure difference and
resulting airflow is derived as the Flow Rate Saturation signal.
The beat signal represents contact between the vibrating reed and the
mouthpiece.
As the reed vibrates, the area of gap (slit) between it and the mouthpiece varies accordingly. The Slit/Friction signal corresponds to the
varying area of the reed/mouthpiece slit.
This signal is derived directly from the flexing of the reed.
52
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Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Although any modulator source signal can be applied to any carrier source signal,
two approaches are recommended when attempting to create an acoustic instrument
simulation.
The first is to set the carrier signal to “Normal” and the modulator signal to any
other than normal, set the dry/wet “Balance” to 63 (all wet), and set a relatively high
modulator “Index” value. In this case the total output of the instrument model (“Nor-
mal” signal) will by modulated by one of the component signals, so the dry/wet “Balance” can be set to fully wet (modulated carrier output only) since the carrier source and
dry signals are essentially the same. The “Index” parameter determines how much
modulation is applied, so a higher value is generally required to create sufficient variation.
The second approach is to set the carrier signal to any other than normal and the
modulator signal to any of the six possibilities, set the dry/wet “Balance” to a more
central value, and set a relatively low modulator “Index” value. In this situation it is
necessary to set the “Balance” more toward the “Dry” side since the carrier source
signal is
not the normal signal and at least some of the dry signal is necessary to provide
the basic sound of the instrument model. In other words, the sound produced by the
Harmonic Enhancer is simply added to the basic sound of the instrument, in contrast with
the first approach in which the basic sound of the instrument is modulated directly.
Please note that these are only guidelines, and are by no means the only way to
work with the Harmonic Enhancer. Since the Harmonic Enhancer tends to respond
differently with different instrument models, experimentation and experience are your
most valuable tools.
Mixing & The Modifiers
While the “Balance” and “Index” parameters apply to the overall harmonic
enhancer sound, the following independent parameters are provided for the modulator and
carrier blocks.
Both the modulator and carrier blocks have high-pass filters that can be
HPF Cutoff
Overdrive
Phase
used to roll off the low frequencies of the corresponding signal. The
cutoff frequency can be varied from 17.0 Hz to 11.2 kHz.
This parameter boosts the corresponding modulator or carrier signal,
forcing it into distortion and thereby drastically changing its harmonic
structure.
This parameter is provided for the modulator block only. It allows a
degree of timbral variation by varying the phase of the modulator signal
through 360 degrees in 2- or 3-degree increments.
Look at the Harmonic Enhancer display pages again. Parameters with an inverse
“K”(˚) next to them can also be controlled by key scaling — i.e. the value of the parameter changes according to the pitch of the key played. This makes it possible to achieve
both natural and unprecedented timbral variations across the range of the keyboard.
NOTES ■ Refer to page 107 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Harmonic Enhancer parameters.
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Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Dynamic Filter
The Dynamic Filter stage is similar to the dynamic filters found in many conventional synthesizers. It allows both fixed and dynamic filtering in high-pass, low-pass,
bandpass, and band elimination modes, and is effective for broad tonal control.
In
(from Harmonic
Enhancer)
■
The Dynamic Filter Parameter Page
Dynamic
Filter
Wet/Dry
Balance
Out
(to Frequency
Equalizer)
The dry/wet “Balance” parameter allows delicate variations in the degree of
filtration applied. The “Cutoff Tracking” parameter selects either the “Fixed”
mode in which the cutoff frequency of the filter is fixed at the specified cutoff frequency
in Hz (“Cutoff Freq.” parameter), or the “KeyTrack” mode in which the cutoff
frequency varies according to the key played. When “KeyTrack” is selected the cutoff
frequency is specified in octaves. Another important feature is “Resonance” — a
parameter that produces a variable resonant peak at the specified cutoff frequency in any
of the filter’s modes.
NOTES ■ Refer to page 115 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Dynamic Filter parameters.
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Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Frequency Equalizer
The Frequency Equalizer stage consists of two blocks — Auxiliary and Band —
each with its own display page.
In
(from Dynamic
Filter)
■
The Equalizer Auxiliary Parameter Page
■
The Equalizer Band Parameter Page
Equalizer
(Auxiliary)
Equalizer
(Bands)
Out
(to Impulse
Expander)
Mixing & The Modifiers
The Auxiliary block includes programmable low-pass and high-pass filters that can
be used independently or together to create a bandpass response. Both the low-pass and
high-pass filters have independent key-scaling parameters that can be used to vary the
gain of the filters across the range of the keyboard. The “Input Gain” parameter
adjusts the level of the signal applied to the input of the Equalizer Auxiliary stage.
The Equalizer Band block is a 5-band parametric equalizer with frequency, Q
(bandwidth), and level control. The Band block functions in the same way as any standard parametric equalizer, allowing flexible response control over a wide range.
NOTES ■ Refer to page 122 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Frequency Equalizer parameters.
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Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Impulse Expander
The Impulse Expander works in conjunction with the Resonator, described below, to
simulate the effect of an instrument’s resonant cavity or sound box. It can also be used to
simulate the acoustic environment in which the instrument is played.
In
(from Frequency
Equalizer)
■
The Impulse Expander Parameter Page
In contrast to the Resonator, the Impulse Expander is more suited to the simulation
of metallic resonances and is thus invaluable for refining the sound of brass and metalbodied woodwinds. Other important effects are the ability to diffuse sharp attack sounds
and to give depth and realism to vibrato. In fact, the Impulse Expander should only be
used with voices which have a degree of vibrato or other cyclic variation, since its effect
is less noticeable on uniformly sustained sounds.
Since the Impulse Expander is not essential for all voices, it can be turned completely off when not needed. It also has “Wet Level”, “Dry Level”, and stereo
“Level Balance” parameters that allow its effect to be blended into the main sound
as required.
Frequency-dependent Delay
Mix
Out
(to Resonator)
NOTES ■ Refer to page 125 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Impulse Expander parameters.
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Resonator
While the Impulse Expander tends to give the sound a metallic quality, the Resonator produces a more woody resonance effect. Careful adjustment of the resonator’s
parameters can often bring a not-quite-right voice to life.
Getting Started●Mixing & The Modifiers
Delay
Delay
In
(from Impulse
Expander)
■
The Resonator Parameter Page
Delay
Delay
Delay
Right Channel
Out (to Effects)
Left Channel
The Resonator basically consists of five parallel delay lines with independently
programmable delay times (DL1 through DL5, variable from 0.25 to 41.45 milliseconds).
Other parameters include variable “Decay Time”, “LPF Cutoff Freq.” (low-pass
filtercutoff frequency), “Diffusion”, and “Phase”.
Like the Impulse Expander, the Resonator is not essential for all voices and can be
turned completely off when not needed. It also has “Input Gain”, “Wet Level”,
and stereo “Level Balance” parameters that allow its effect to be blended into the
main sound as required (the cursor is moved around the block diagram in the “IE & RSN
SETTING” page, shown below, to select the parameters associated with the various
blocks).
Mixing & The Modifiers
■
The Impulse Expander & Resonator Setting Page
(IE = Impulse Expander, RSN = Resonator)
NOTES ■ Refer to page 126 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Resonator parameters.
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Getting Started●Effects
Effects
Creating the Right Ambience
Effects are the essential finishing touches for any voice. Once you’ve
created a sound you like, use one or more of the VL1’s three high-performance digital effect stages to polish and refine it as required. Each
stage includes a number of effects. The Modulation, Feedback Delay, and
Reverb stages can be used simultaneously, but only one of the effects
available in each stage can be used at a time.
L
Modulation
R
Feedback
Delay
Reverb
L
R
All effects can be accessed from the initial EDIT mode display by
press the ¡ button (“Com”) to select the common voice parameters, and
then the ™ button (“Efct”) to call the effect directory. Then move the
cursor to the name of the desire effect stage and press [ button.
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Getting Started●Effects
Modulation Effects
Although “modulation” usually implies some sort of cyclical variation, the VL1
Modulation stage allows selection of Flanger, Pitch Change, and Distortion effects (only
Flanger fits the traditional definition of a modulation effect). Since most of these effects
produce a marked change in the sound, you’ll probably only want to use them on certain
voices, and maybe not all the time.
This type of effect is created by slightly delaying the sound and
Flanger
Pitch Change
Distortion
periodically varying the delay time. The delayed signal is then added to
the direct signal causing a variable comb-filter effect which results in
the familiar “swishing” flanger sound.
A dual pitch change effect which can be used in the Mono mode, in
which both pitch-shifted notes appear on both channels, or the Stereo
mode in which one pitch-shifted note appears on the left channel and
the other on the right. The pitch of the two pitch-shifted notes can be
set over a two-octave range — from one octave below to one octave
above the input note.
An extremely versatile distortion effect which offers transistor, vintage
tube, fuzz and other distortion types, a variety of speaker types, and a
comprehensive range of other parameters that can be used to refine
the distortion sound.
Effects
NOTES ■ Refer to page 46 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Modulation effects and parameters.
Feedback Delay Effects
All three effects available in the Feedback Delay stage are basically designed to
produce distinct repeat delays or echoes. You have extensive control over the number of
repeats produced and the way they decay.
Mono
L, R
L, C, R
Since the goal in producing a delay effect is often to match the delay time to a
musical time value, the VL1 includes a “time calculation” function that makes it easy to
convert standard note values to their corresponding delay times in milliseconds.
The Mono delay effect produces a single delay sound which appears in
the center of the stereo sound field.
This variation provides independently programmable delays for the left
and right stereo channels.
Independent delays are provided for the left and right channels, plus a
center delay.
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■ The Time Calculation Pop-up Page
NOTES ■ Refer to page 53 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Feedback Delay effects and parameters.
Reverb Effects
You’ll probably want to apply the effects in this stage to some degree to all your
voices. These are the effects that will give your sound ambience and a sense of dimension, adding warmth and depth to an otherwise dry sound.
Getting Started●Effects
Hall 1
Hall 2
Room 1
Room 2
Studio
Plate
Space
Reverse
A simulation of the reverbation characteristics of a fairly standard
concert hall.
This hall simulation produces a richer low-frequency reverb sound than
the Hall 1 program.
The ambience of a small room rather than a large hall. This effect is
ideal when you just want a subtle touch of ambience.
A larger room than the Room 1 simulation, with a correspondingly
“bigger” reverb sound.
In recording studios it is generally desirable to suppress low-frequency
reverberation without entirely losing the “live” sound of the room. The
Studio program simulates this type of environment.
The plate reverb unit is a classic tool of the recording trade — it was
the first mechanical method of creating artificial reverberation that was
capable of producing satisfactory results in the studio. This is a very
realistic simulation.
A diffuse reverberation of the type you might experience in an extremely large space.
In this effect the reverb sound plays in reverse, building up to
maximum level rather than decaying as normal.
For even more versatility all of the reverb effects have a “Feel” parameter with
four settings which produce significant changes in the basic sound of the effect. In
essence you have 32 distinct reverb programs (8 effects x 4 Feel settings). Another
innovative feature of the reverb effects is a Reverb Time Boost parameter which can be
used to extend the tail end of the reverb sound in fine increments.
NOTES ■ Refer to page 60 of the Feature Reference manual for full details on
the Reverb effects and parameters.
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Getting Started●Effects
Effects
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Getting Started●Index
Index
This index covers both the VL1 Getting Started and Feature Reference manuals for
easy cross-referencing. Page numbers in the Getting Started manual are preceded by
©”, and page numbers in the Feature Reference manual are preceded by “ƒ”.
“
A
Absorption ƒ81
Aftertouch curve
Amplitude & filter envelope
Amplitude & filter key scaling
Amplitude
Assign mode
ƒ157
ƒ143
ƒ146-150
ƒ71
ƒ35
B
Backup battery ©4
Bank buttons
Breath attack gain
Breath attack time
Breath control curve
Breath controller calibration
©19, 34. ƒ15
ƒ36
ƒ36
ƒ157
©29
Breath controller ©23
Breath controller jack
Breath noise
Breath noise key scaling
Bulk dump, MIDI
©19
ƒ73, 86
ƒ88-90
ƒ161
C
Common miscellaneous ƒ34
Confirm mode ƒ158
Continuous slider assignment
Continuous sliders
©18, 47. ƒ19
Controller envelopes
Controller search & replace
Controller parameters
Controller views ©41, 47. ƒ17
Controllers
ƒ43
©46
ƒ82
©40
©12, 38
Conventions ©7
Copy button
Copy function
Crossfade speed
©17
ƒ25
ƒ85
Cursor buttons ©18
D
Damping ƒ80
Data dial
Decrement & increment buttons
Demo playback
Device number
©18, 35. ƒ16
©18, 35. ƒ16
©26. ƒ175
ƒ155
Disk format ƒ171
Disk status
Disk, delete file
Disk, load from
Disk, rename file
Disk, save to
ƒ163
ƒ170
ƒ164
ƒ168
ƒ166
Display mode ƒ158
Distortion
Dynamic filter
Dynamic filter key scaling
©54. ƒ77, 115
ƒ51
ƒ117-118
E
Edit compare function ƒ24
Edit recall
Effect control ƒ45
Effect on/off
Effects
Element detune
Element level
Element names
Element note shift ƒ37
ƒ173
ƒ23
©58
ƒ37
ƒ38
ƒ31
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Getting Started●Index
Element on/off ƒ22
Element pan
Element random pitch
Element select
Embouchure & pitch envelope
Embouchure & pitch envelope key scaling
Embouchure
Enter button
Equalizer auxiliary
Equalizer band
Equalizer
Equalizer key scaling
ƒ38
ƒ37
ƒ22
ƒ130
ƒ132-134
ƒ66
©18
ƒ119
ƒ122
©55
ƒ120-121
Error messages ƒ180
Exit button
©18
F
Feedback delay effects ©59
Feedback delay
Feedback delay/reverb mode
Flanger
ƒ53
ƒ45
ƒ47
Floppy disk drive ©19
Floppy disks & drive, handling
Foot controller 2 assign
Foot controller jacks
Foot controllers
Foot switches
©5
ƒ156
©20
©23
©23
Foot switch assign ƒ156
Foot switch jacks
Function buttons
Functions & parameters, finding
©20
©18
ƒ9
G
Greeting message ƒ158
Growl envelope
ƒ141
Growl ƒ74
Growl speed key scaling
ƒ142
H
Harmonic enhancer ©51. ƒ78, 107
Harmonic enhancer key scaling
Headphones
ƒ110-115
©23
I
Impulse expander & resonator setting ƒ123
Impulse expander
Initial edit page
©56. ƒ125
ƒ30
Interpolate speed ƒ85
K
Key mode ƒ31
Keyboard
Keyboard transpose
©19
ƒ153
L
L,C,R delay ƒ57
L,R delay
ƒ55
LCD display ©18
Local on/off
ƒ155
M
Manuals, about the ©6. ƒ4
Master tuning
Memory protect
Micro tuning
ƒ154
ƒ158
ƒ42
MIDI connections ©24
MIDI connectors
MIDI settings
Mixing
Mixing key scaling
Mode buttons
©48. ƒ98
©20
ƒ155
ƒ100-105
©17
Modes, the 3 main ƒ8
Modifier on/off
Modifiers
Modulation effect type
Modulation effects
Modulation wheel 2 assign
ƒ23
©51
ƒ46
©59
ƒ156
Modulation wheels ©19
Mono delay
ƒ53
N
Navigation aids ƒ11
Index
O
Octave buttons ©19
Octave switch hold
Output jacks
63
ƒ153
©20
Page 65
Getting Started●Effects
Getting Started●Index
P
Phones jack ©19
Pitch bend mode
Pitch change
Pitch
Pitch wheel
ƒ35
ƒ49
ƒ67
©19
Play-mode display ©34. ƒ14
Polyphony control
Portamento
Power cord socket
Power supply
Power switch
ƒ36
ƒ40
©20
©22
©20
Power-on procedure ©25
Pre-programmed voices, loading
Pressure envelope
Pressure
©31
ƒ129
ƒ65
Q
Quick editing ƒ 19
R
Receive channel ƒ155
Resonator
Reverb effects ©60
Reverb
©57. ƒ126
ƒ60
V
Velocity curve ƒ157
Vibrato envelope
Vibrato envelope key scaling
Vibrato
Voice directory
Voice list, abbreviated ©37
Voice mode
Voice name
Voice number buttons
©19, 34. ƒ15, 22
Voice selection
Volume control
ƒ135
ƒ137-140
ƒ69
©36
ƒ32
ƒ31
©34. ƒ15
©18
S
Scream ƒ72
Selecting & editing parameters
Sound system
Specifications
ƒ12
©24
ƒ184
Store button ©17
Store function
Sustain
ƒ28
ƒ35
T
Throat formant ƒ75, 91
Throat formant key scaling
Time calculation, musical
Tonguing ƒ70
Touch EG time
Transmit channel
Trigger mode
Troubleshooting
ƒ93-97
ƒ59
ƒ36
ƒ155
ƒ85
ƒ178
64
64
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M.D.G., EMI Division © Yamaha Corporation 1993
VQ65370 JADIR0PR117.2CP Printed in Japan
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