Yamaha VL1ME1 User Manual
Virtual Acoustic T one Generator
Getting Started
Owner’s Manual 1
Getting Started
Contents
Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
About the Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
■ The Getting Started Manual (this manual) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
■ The Feature Reference Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
■ Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
VL1-m Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Essential Concepts for the VL1-m User
■ What Are the Advantages? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
■ The VL1-m 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-m Interface
■ Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
■ Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
System Connections & Preparation
■ Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
■ Breath Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
■ MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
■ Audio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Stereo Sound System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
■ Power-on Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
■ Play the Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
■ Breath Controller Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
■ Load the Pre-programmed Voice Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2
Getting Started
Voice Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Selecting & Playing the VL1-m’s 128 Voices
■ Using the Voice Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
■ The Sound Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
■ The Pre-programmed VL1-m Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Natural Musical Nuance and Expressive Control
■ Physical Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
■ VL1-m 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
3
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.
■ MIDI Connections
• When connecting the VL1-m 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.
■ 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.
● DANGER
Improper connection of the equipment-grounding
conductor can result in a risk of electric shock.
Do not modify the plug provided with the product
— if it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet
installed by a qualified electrician. Do not use an
adaptor which defeats the function of the equipment-grounding conductor. If you are in doubt as
to whether the product is properly grounded,
check with a qualified serviceman or electrician.
■ 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.
4
Getting Started
■ Data Backup
• The VL1-m 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!
• 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, a car interior, etc.)
• 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-m 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.
5
Getting Started
About the Manuals
The VL1-m comes with two manuals — Getting Started and Fea-
ture 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-m:
1. VL1-m Basics [≥ Page 8]
Basic concepts you’ll need to understand in order to get the
most out of the VL1-m.
2. The Controls & Connectors [≥ Page 16]
Brief descriptions of the VL1-m 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-m’s 128 voices.
5. The Controllers [≥ Page 38]
The VL1-m 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 ambiance to the VL1-m 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-m to need only the VL1-m Feature Reference manual in future.
6
Getting Started
The Feature Reference Manual
The Feature Reference manual is the “nuts and bolts” reference for
the VL1-m, individually describing its many functions in detail. The Feature Reference manual is divided into 5 main sections, each describing the
various functions within a particular VL1-m 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-m 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-m manuals to
avoid confusion and make the text easier to read.
● Buttons & Controls
Button and control names used on the VL1-m panel appear in the
text in capital letters within square brackets: “the P button”, for
example.
● Parameter Names
Parameter names and other labels which appear on the VL1-m
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.
7
Getting Started
VL1-m Basics
Essential Concepts for the VL1-m User
he Yamaha VL1-m Virtual Acoustic Tone Generator produces sound
in an entirely new way. It has no oscillators or function generators,
T
generation concepts employed in conventional synthesizers. The VL1-m
applies sophisticated computer-based “physical modeling” technology to
musical sound synthesis.
systems or the flight characteristics of aircraft in the design stage, the
VL1-m 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 VL1-m Virtual
Acoustic Tone Generator.
no 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
Getting Started
What Are the Advantages?
he VL1-m offers many advantages in terms of musical
performance. Not just in terms of sound, but also in terms of the
T
But this is not 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-m is undoubtedly a little harder to play than conventional tone generators, but when mastered this is the very characteristic that is its greatest
strength. Yamaha Virtual Acoustic Synthesis is the most musical tone
generation system ever created. A soloist’s dream!
“behavior” that makes acoustic instruments so … well, musical!
• The VL1-m sounds better, has more depth, and is more realistic
in the musical sense than any other tone generation 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
T
Getting Started
The VL1-m Model
he overall VL1-m 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-m are provided in the form of pre-programmed
voices. These are primarily woodwind, brass, and string voices, since the VL1m’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
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