VH Effect Editor Manual Important Notices The VH Effect Editor provides an easy, intuitive way to edit the Harmony effect settings of the PLG100-VH Vocal Harmony Plug-in Board. • Do not use any of the panel controls on an external tone generator while editing the Harmony effect with the VH Effect Editor, since this may inadvertently change the settings of the PLG100-VH. Copyright Notices • The software and this owner’s manual are the exclusive copyrights of Yamaha Corporation.
About the VH Effect Editor The VH Effect Editor is providing an exceptionally simple and convenient way to edit and control the PLG100-VH Vocal Harmony Plug-in Board. It also features comprehensive, detailed control of the Harmony effect by giving you access to all of the “hidden” parameters of the PLG100-VH.
Setting Up Setting up with XG Plug-in System “mother” device (MU series, etc.) ■ Microphone Setup........................................................ z Connect a microphone to the A/D INPUT jack. x Select Part “A1,” then select the “Mic” preset (bank #000, program #002). ■ MIDI Setup..................................................................... If you wish to control the Harmony effect from a MIDI keyboard or with song data played on a MIDI sequencer, make the following MIDI-related settings.
Harmony Types About the Harmony Types The Harmony effect features four separate types: Vocoder, Chordal, Detune, and Chromatic. The Vocoder type produces up to three harmony notes, corresponding to the notes you play on a connected MIDI keyboard. In other words, you can sing the melody and “play” the harmony or harmonies from the keyboard (or from a sequencer).
Harmony Types / Applying Vocoder Harmony Applying Vocoder Harmony The Vocoder type allows you to “play” up to three harmony notes from a connected MIDI keyboard or sequencer. z Click on the Effect tab. x Set the Harmony Type to Vocoder. c Set Part to “Ad1.” • If you are using a Modular Synthesis Plug-in-compatible tone generator or synthesizer, you’ll need to set the Part Number from the device itself. v Click on the System tab.
Harmony Types / Applying Chordal Harmony Applying Chordal Harmony The Chordal type produces up to three harmony notes according to the chords you play on a connected MIDI keyboard (or chords recorded to a sequencer). z Click on the Effect tab. x Set the Harmony Type to Chordal. c Set Part to “Ad1.” • If you are using a Modular Synthesis Plug-in-compatible tone generator or synthesizer, you’ll need to set the Part Number from the device itself. v Click on the System tab.
Harmony Types / Applying Detune Harmony / Applying Chromatic Harmony Applying Detune Harmony The Detune produces a slightly “detuned” pitch and mixes it with the input signal for a chorus-like effect. z Click on the Effect tab. x Set the Harmony Type to Detune. c Set Part to “Ad1.” • If you are using a Modular Synthesis Plug-in-compatible tone generator or synthesizer, you'll need to set the Part Number from the device itself. v Click on the System tab.
Parameters The VH Effect Editor parameters are contained in the three tabs: Effect, System, and Chord. Toolbar The toolbar gives you quick access to some important functions and controls. These buttons let you easily execute the desired function without having to select a menu or leave the VH Effect Editor window. • This function pertains only to Windows system. Open VH Effect Editor File This is the same as the corresponding command in the File menu.
Parameters / Setting and Changing Parameter Values Setting and Changing Parameter Values Click on the desired tab: Effect, System, or Chord. For combo boxes, click the down arrow to expand the box, then highlight the desired setting. For parameter sliders, click and hold the slider, then drag as desired. Alternately, click and hold any position along the slider path; the slider automatically snaps to the new position. Most parameters can also be set by typing the value directly in the box.
Parameters / Effect Parameters Effect Parameters ■ Thru ............................................................................... When the Type is set to Thru, no Harmony effect is applied, and the only other available parameter is Insert Part. ■ Vocoder Harmony Parameters .................................... The Vocoder type produces up to three harmony notes whose pitches correspond to the notes you play on a connected MIDI keyboard.
Parameters / Effect Parameters 2. Harmony Gender Type Settings: Off, Auto Default: Off This automatically determines the gender of the harmony notes (relative to the actual gender of the singer). Off This turns off the gender change effect for the harmony notes. Auto For this setting, the PLG100-VH “listens” to the pitch of your voice to determine your gender, and automatically selects the opposite gender for the harmony notes.
Parameters / Effect Parameters Using the Lead Voice To properly use the lead voice, make sure to set the following parameters: Lead Gender Type ............“Unison,” “Male,” or “Female” Lead Gender Depth..........Set to desired/appropriate value. Lead/Harmony Balance....Set to appropriate value. (For values at or near the maximum of “L
Parameters / Effect Parameters 6. Auto Upper Gender Threshold Range: 0 ... 12 (semitones) Default: 0 This determines which harmony notes above the melody will be gender-transformed when Harmony Gender Type is set to “Auto.” More specifically, it sets the range or interval of unchanged harmonies. When set to “0,” the gender of all harmony notes above the melody will be changed. When set to another value, any harmonies within the interval specified will not be changed.
Parameters / Effect Parameters 8. Upper Gender Depth Range: -64 ... +63 Default: 20 This determines the quality or character of the harmony notes above the melody that are set to automatically change gender — according to the Harmony Gender Type and Auto Upper Gender Threshold settings. Extreme negative or positive values result in pronounced distortion of the voice quality. Also, the effect may vary according to the quality, character and pitch of the actual voice.
Parameters / Effect Parameters 12. Vibrato Rate Range: 0 ... 127 Default: 47 This determines the speed of the Vibrato effect on the harmony notes and the lead note. (The lead note is not affected when Lead Gender Type is set to “Off.”) Higher values result in a faster vibrato sound. 13. Vibrato Delay Range: 0 ... 127 Default: 0 This determines the amount of delay in the onset of the Vibrato effect on the harmony notes and the lead note. (The lead note is not affected when Lead Gender Type is set to “Off.
Parameters / Effect Parameters ■ Chordal Harmony Parameters..................................... The Chordal type produces up to three harmony notes that correspond to the chords you play on a connected MIDI keyboard (or chords recorded to a sequencer). For example, if you play a C major triad on the keyboard (with Chordal Mode set to “trio”) and sing a C note, the resulting harmonies will be C, E, and G.
Parameters / Effect Parameters 4: Trio Above Produces two harmony notes, in pitches above the lead note. 5: Trio Above&Below Produces two harmony notes — one in a pitch above the lead note, and one below. 6: Trio Below Produces two harmony notes, in pitches below the lead note. 7: Trio Above&Below + Bass Produces three harmony notes — one in a pitch above the lead note, and two below — one of them an octave below the higher harmony. (The “+ Bass” in the type name stands for “added bass note.
Parameters / Effect Parameters ■ Detune Harmony Parameters ...................................... The Detune type produces a slightly “detuned” pitch and mixes it with the input signal for a rich chorusing effect. The amount of the detuning is set in the Mode parameter. MIDI note data from a keyboard or sequencer has no effect in this type. Detune Harmony Parameter Descriptions 1. Mode 1: Low Detune (default) Detunes the pitch by ±7 cents (least amount of detuning).
Parameters / Effect Parameters ■ Chromatic Harmony Parameters ................................ The Chromatic type produces a harmony at a fixed pitch interval from the original sound (such as an octave, or a third). The amount and direction of the pitch shift is set in the Mode parameter. MIDI note data from a keyboard or sequencer has no effect in this type. Chromatic Harmony Parameter Descriptions 1. Mode 1: Octave Below (default) Produces a harmony note an octave below the input note.
Parameters / System Parameters System Parameters Harmony Channel (Harmony Ch) Settings: 1 ... 16, Off Default: Off This determines the MIDI channel over which the Harmony effect is controlled. For example, when this is set to the same value as the MIDI transmit channel of a connected MIDI keyboard or sequencer, you can use that device to “play” harmonies. Harmony Mute Settings: Off, On Default: Off This determines whether the harmony notes are muted or not.
Parameters / Chord Parameters Harmony 1 - 3 Volume Range: 0 ... 127 Default: 127 This determines the volume of the selected harmony note (1, 2, or 3). Harmony 1 - 3 Pan Settings: Random, -63 (full left) ... 0 (center) ... +63 (full right) Default: 0 This determines the stereo position of the selected harmony note (1, 2, or 3). The “Random” setting randomly assigns the selected harmony note to a pan position. Harmony 1 - 3 Detune Range: -64 ...
Sequencer-related Operations The following menus and functions are available only when the VH Effect Editor is active and selected (the Editor screen appears in the foreground). Inserting VH Parameter Changes to a Song • The following information pertains only to the Plug-in Editor. This operation lets you insert parameter changes to a song track in host application.
Sequencer-related Operations / File Menus File Menus When the VH Effect Editor is active and selected, the following functions appear in the File menu: ■ Open VH Effect Editor File........................................... Use this function to open an existing Harmony Editor File. ■ Save VH Effect Editor File............................................ Use this function to save the current VH Effect Editor settings to a Harmony Editor File.
Sequencer-related Operations / Edit Menu Edit Menu When the VH Effect Editor is active and selected, the following functions appear in the Edit menu: ■ Insert VH Effect Editor Parameter............................... • The following information pertains only to the Plug-in Editor. This is used for inserting parameter changes to a song track in host application. By inserting appropriate parameter values, you can fully automate the Harmony effect and have it change as needed during the course of a song.
Sequencer-related Operations / Edit Menu Insert Method Offset When this is selected, only the parameters whose values have been changed from the default value will be inserted. All When this is selected, all parameter values will be inserted, whether they’ve been changed or not. Interval This determines the amount of time (in clocks) that separates each insertion.
Sequencer-related Operations / Setup Menus Setup Menus When the VH Effect Editor is active and selected, the following functions appear in the Setup menu (these are used for changing various basic settings for the VH Effect Editor): ■ VH Effect Editor Setup................................................. MIDI Out Port Settings: Device, Out port number This determines which MIDI output device (interface) and port is used for sending VH Effect Editor data.
Sequencer-related Operations / Setup Menus Insert Method (Plug-in Editor only) Offset When this is selected, only the parameters whose values have been changed from the default value will be inserted. All When this is selected, all parameter values will be inserted, whether they’ve been changed or not. Interval This determines the amount of time (in clocks) that separates each insertion.
Sequencer-related Operations / Setup Menus Insert Track (Plug-in Editor only) Range: 1 ... 100 This determines the track to which the setup data and settings will be inserted. Generally, you should use the same track number for all parameter inserts, and make sure that no other data is contained in the track. Insert Location (Plug-in Editor only) This determines the precise location in the track to which the setup data and settings will be inserted. You can specify the Measure, Beat, and Clock.
Troubleshooting If the Harmony effect does not seem to work as expected, check the following points: • Is Part set to “Ad1” or “Ad2”? • Is the Lead/Harmony Balance set to an appropriate value (such as “L=H”)? • For Vocoder and Chordal types: Is the Harmony Channel set to the same channel as the transmit channel on the MIDI keyboard or sequencer? Are other keyboard/sequencer settings appropriate? (For example, check that Note On messages are being properly sent, that all transpose and other pitch related set
