Getting Started Owner's Manual 1
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Getting Started Precautions !! PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE PROCEEDING !! ■ Location ■ Handling and Transport Do not expose the instrument to the following conditions to avoid deformation, discoloration, or more serious damage. • 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.
Getting Started ■ Service and Modification • 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.
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.
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. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Getting Started VL1 Basics Essential Concepts for the VL1 User T he Yamaha VL1 Virtual Acoustic Synthesizer produces sound in an entirely new way. It has no oscillators or function generators, no preset waveforms or samples. In fact, it uses none of the sound generation concepts employed in conventional synthesizers. The VL1 represents the world’s first practical application of computer-based “physical modeling” in musical sound synthesis.
Getting Started What Are the Advantages? T he VL1 offers many advantages in terms of musical performance. Not just in terms of sound, but also in terms of the “behavior” that makes acoustic instruments so … well, musical! But this is not because someone has programmed a certain sound or pattern of behavior into it.
Getting Started The VL1 Model T 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" (the VL has 2 of these) Controllers (also envelopes) Instrument Modifiers Sound out. ● 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.
Getting Started In all these instruments pressure applied here (the driving point) causes vibration which results in sound. Reed vibration. Lip vibration. Air vibration. String vibration. The sound thus produced is amplified and sustained by the body of the instrument.
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.
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.
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.
Getting Started There’s More … I n this brief introduction to VL1 basics we’ve only looked at the central physical model which is the key the VL1’s unprecedented 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.
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.
Getting Started ● 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.
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.
Getting Started ● The Controls & Connectors ☛ 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.
Getting Started YAMAHAMODELVL1 ACINLET ● The Controls & Connectors FOOT SWITCH MIDI THRU OUT IN 2 1 OUTPUT FOOT CONTROLLER 2 1 R L POWER ON / OFF @2 POWER Switch @1 AC Power Cord Socket @6 MIDI IN, OUT and THRU Connectors @3 OUTPUT L and R Jacks @4 FOOT CONTROLLER 1 and 2 Jacks @5 FOOT SWITCH 1 and 2 Jacks Rear Panel @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.
Getting Started ● The Controls & Connectors The Controls & Connectors 21
Getting Started Setting Up ● Setting Up System Connections & Preparation Foot Controller Foot Switch MIDI Audio L R 1 2 FOOT CONTROLLER OUTPUT 2 1 FOOT SWITCH OUT MIDI IN POWER ON / OFF THRU MODE PLAY EDIT UTILITY COPY A STORE B C D E F G H COMPARE DEC INC 1 9 10 11 12 13 14 EXIT ENTER ALL H.E. D.F. E.Q. I.E.
Getting Started ● Setting Up Controllers 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.
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.
Getting Started ● Setting Up NOTES ■ For detailed MIDI specifications refer to the “MIDI Data Format” . 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.
Getting Started ● Setting Up Play the Demo Once you’ve set up your VL1 system, you might like to play the pre-programmed 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! ■ 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.
Getting Started 3. ● Setting Up Press [ and Confirm 4. Select a Song Use the data dial or = and - buttons to select the song number you want to start with. 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 Setting Up Press the [ button if it’s OK to go ahead with the demo — and rewrite all bank-H data.
Getting Started 6. ● Setting Up 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.
Getting Started ● Setting Up Breath Controller Calibration 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 “System” function page. 3.
Getting Started 5. ● Setting Up 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.
Getting Started ● Setting Up Load the Pre-programmed Voice Data 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.
Getting Started 4. ● Setting Up 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.
