FCC INFORMATION (U.S.A) 1. IMPORTANT NOTICE : DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT! This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modifications not expressly approved by Yamaha may void your authority, granted by the FCC, to use the product. 2. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables. Cable/s supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all installation instructions.
SPECIAL MESSAGE SECTION This product utilizes batteries or an external power supply (adapter). DO NOT connect this product to any power supply or adapter other than one described in the manual, on the name plate, or specifically recommended by Yamaha. WARNING: Do not place this product in a position where anyone could walk on, trip over, or roll anything over power or connecting cords of any kind.
Precautions .................................................. iv About This Manual ...................................... vi The QY300: An Overview .......................... vii Sequencer Functions ................................................ vii Accompaniment Sequencing ................................... vii Voice & Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Power & Connections ...................................
Patterns — Part 1 : Accompaniment Basics ................ 55 Editing Songs & Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Defining “Patterns”, “Styles”, & “Sections” . . . .. . . . . . . . . 55 Loading the Pre-programmed Patterns From Disk ...... 5 5 Selecting & Playing Patterns ........................................... 57 Changing Chords ...................................................... 59 Track Muting & Effect Bypass ................................
Location Do not expose the QY300 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.
Data Backup • The QY300 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 “Battery Low” will appear on the display when the power is turned on. When this happens, have the backup battery replaced by qualified Yamaha service personnel.
The following simple icons are used throughout this manual to draw attention to important points and information where necessary. The icons also make it easier to differentiate between information that ‘you should read immediately’ and information that can be skipped until later, hopefully helping you to become familiar with the QY300 in the quickest, most efficient manner possible.
The QY300 is more than just a sequencer. It is a complete music production system with a 16-track sequencer, 128-voice tone generator, and advanced auto-accompaniment capability all integrated with a sophisticated control interface. It also features a floppy disk drive for convenient data storage and retrieval, and a built-in micro-keyboard for easy programming without an external MIDI keyboard.
Voices & Effects See “VOICE LISTS AND MIDI DATA” booklet page 2) for a complete list of the QY300 voices. viii The QY300’s internal AWM tone generator provides 128 top-quality voices plus 8 complete drum kits with different drum and percussion instruments assigned to different notes. You can assign any of these voices to the sequencer tracks and phrases, or play them directly from an external keyboard or other MIDI controller via the MIDI interface.
Power Supply Your QY300 comes supplied with a Yamaha PA-1207 optional AC adaptor. Plug the DC output cable from the AC adaptor into the DC IN jack on the rear panel, then plug the adaptor into a convenient wall AC power socket. It is also a good idea to clip the adaptor’s DC cable into the cable clip on the QY300 rear panel to minimize the possibility of accidentally unplugging the cable during operation.
Setting Up Your System What you will connect the QY300 to, and what you will connect to the QY300, will depend entirely on your individual requirements. A few examples are provided below to help you get started. The Connectors MIDI IN & OUT Connectors If you plan to use a MIDI keyboard or other instrument to play and program the QY300, it should be connected to QY300 MIDI IN connector (see “MIDI Connections,” below).
Audio Connections Make sure that both the QY300 and your sound system are turned OFF when making connections. The simplest way to monitor the QY300 sound is via a pair of stereo headphones (1/4” stereo phone plug type) plugged into the PHONES jack. If want to use an external stereo sound system, however, use the L/MONO and R OUTPUT jacks. Since the QY300 output jacks are 1/4” phone types, you might have to use adaptors to connect to a sound system with different input connectors — e.g. RCA type pin jacks.
Always use high-quality MIDI cables when connecting MIDI devices, and avoid cables longer than about 15 meters — longer cables can pick up electrical noise that can cause data errors. 4 Although it has a built-in tone generator, the QY300 can drive external tone generators and synthesizers just like any other MIDI sequencer or music computer. You can even combine the internal voices with those produced by external equipment.
The QY300 has fairly simple, consistent control interface that, once understood, makes operation fast and easy, no matter what operation you are performing. If you read through this section carefully, and try out the procedures in the Try this: sections, you should have no problem accessing and operating the QY300’s many advanced features.
Mode Keys These six keys select the QY300’s main operating modes: SONG The main “sequencer” mode in which the QY300’s 16 sequencer tracks can be recorded, edited, and played back. Pattern, chord, and tempo changes are also recorded in this mode to create accompaniments. PATTERN The PATTERN mode is used to create patterns by combining or “patching” phrases from the PHRASE mode. PHRASE The individual phrases that are used to create accompaniment patterns can be selected, played, and created in this mode.
Numeric Keypad & Enter Key These keys allow direct entry of numeric values where applicable. Enter the required value via the numeric keys — the entered number will flash on the display — then press the [ENTER] key to actually enter the specified value. The [ENTER] key is also used ‘to enter notes and other events when editing sequence data; and to execute a specified job or disk function. The numeric keys are also used to specify note lengths and dynamics when step recording.
Playback in the QY300 SONG mode involves much more than simply starting and stopping playback. You have extensive control over a number of important parameters that dramatically affect the final sound. Use the demo song provided on the QY300 data disk to try out the various features and functions described in this section. Before you begin, be sure to select the SONG mode by pressing the [SONG] mode button.
Play the Demo Song Press the key to start playback. The demo will automatically stop when it finishes, or you can press the key to stop playback at any time. Loop Playback For continuous “loop” playback — i.e. playback of the song will repeat until stopped by pressing the key — hold the [SHIFT] key while pressing the key. The loop playback symbol will appear to the right of the song name.
Location The QY300 lets you locate any measure within a song quickly and easily in three ways: The Measure/Beat Parameter The large number to the left of the colon in this parameter is the measure number and the small number to the right of the shows the number of the current quarter-note beat within the current measure during playback and recording.
The Mark/Jump Function The mark/jump function lets you “mark” (memorize) up to 10 locations within the current song and “jump” to any one of the marked locations in one easy step. Marking a Location To mark the current location, press the [F4] function key (“Mark”). This calls the Mark/Jump display. When the Mark/Jump display appears, make sure the cursor is located at a clear number (“2” in the example display above) and press [ENTER].
Tempo Control The QY300 allows precise tempo settings from 25 to 300 beats per minute in fine one-tenth of a quarter-note increments. The number to the left of the period in the tempo parameter is the number of quarter-note beats per minute, an the number to the right of the period represents tenths of a quarter note. The cursor can be independently placed at the ones or tenths section of the tempo parameter to set as required.
Track Muting, Effect Bypass, & Keyboard Track Settings The “Chd” (chord) and “Tmp” (tempo) tracks cannot be muted or effect-bypassed. The mute “buttons” below each track number on the SONG mode display can be used to mute (turn off) the corresponding track, or bypass the internal effects for that track.
Keyboard Track Track 1 becomes the keyboard track when the cursor is located at the “Pat”, “Chd”, or “Tmp” track. When the cursor is located at a specific track number/mute button (the track number is inverted), that track becomes the QY300 “keyboard track” — i.e. the track played by the micro-keyboard. The keyboard track setting is maintained even if the cursor is moved to other parameters on the display.
The Pan Pots The pan pots actually cover a ±7 range relative to their default positions, so they may not always go from full left to full right. Like the pan pots on a mixing console, the voice display pan pots can be used to position the sound of the corresponding track anywhere from left to right in the stereo sound field. Position the cursor at the pan pot, then use any data entry method to set the pan position. The graphic pan pot will rotate to the corresponding position.
The effect type parameter on the left side of the display selects the type of effect to be applied to the QY300 sound. 8 effect types are available, as listed in the chart below. Hall 1 Hall 2 Plate 2 This setting is ideal when you want a warm reverb effect but not as “expansive” as the Hall 1 and Hall 2 effects. Simulates the type of reverb you might experience in a medium-size room or club. A slightly tighter reverb than the Room 1 effect, giving the impression of a smaller room.
• The voice parameters in these displays can be used to change voice assignments in the same way as in the Mixer display. • Since track 10 is only used for drums and drums are not pitched voices, no tuning fader is provided for the drum track in either the coarse or fine tuning displays. The tuning settings apply only to the QY300’s internal voices — i.e. they will not affect the sound of an external tone generator or synthesizer being driven by the QY300.
The pitch bend range settings apply only to the QY300's internal voices — i.e. they will not affect the sound of an external tone generator or synthesizer being driven by the QY300. The faders set the maximum pitch bend range for the corresponding tracks over a 2-octave range in semitone increments. Position the cursor at a fader, then use any data entry method to set the pitch bend range. The graphic fader will move to the corresponding position (higher for greater pitch bend range).
The "Val" (value) parameters for each track (the rotary controls) determine to what beats the note data in the corresponding track will be aligned. If you select “d”, for example, all notes in the track will be aligned to the nearest 16th-note beat, to a degree determined by the “strength” parameter. Hold the [SHIFT] key while setting a value parameter to change all value parameters by the same amount. Value Off Effect No quantization. Swing settings also ignored. Aligns to the nearest 32nd note.
Swing The Swing effect can only be used when playback quantization (above) is active. This effect produces a “swing” feel by shifting the timing of “back beats”, as specified by the quantize effect. For example, if the specified quantization value is 8th notes, then the swing effect will shift the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th beats of each measure forward to create a swing feel. If the quantize value is set to a triplet note length, the last note in each triplet group will be shifted.
Transpose & Clock Shift The “Trans” controls in this display transpose all notes in the corresponding tracks up or down in semitone increments. The “Shift” faders move all notes and events in the corresponding tracks forward or backward by the specified number of clocks (96 clocks per 1/4 note). Since the Clock Shift parameters shift the timing of all notes and other events in the specified track forward or backward, they can significantly alter the “feel” of the song.
Gate Time & Velocity Modify The parameters in this screen make it easy to increases or decreases the gate times (length) and velocity of all notes in the specified track. • The gate time can be modified to give the entire track a more staccato or legato feel, as required. • Modifying the velocity is a great way to “soften” the sound of a track that has too great a variation between the softest and loudest notes, or, conversely, to add extra punch to a dull-sounding track.
The QY300 SONG mode provides two main record modes for the 16 sequencer tracks: realtime and step record. When you use the realtime record mode the QY300 records exactly what you play as you play it. In the step record mode notes can be entered one at a time. There’s also a “multi” real-time record mode in which all 16 sequencer tracks can be recorded simultaneously, and a punch-in real-time record mode in which you can re-record any specified section of an already-recorded track.
Select the Track to Record Move the cursor to the track area of the display, and then shift the cursor sideways to select the track you want to record (01 ... 16). Move the cursor vertically to move to other areas of the screen — the selected track will remain highlighted. Engage the Record Ready Mode Press the key to engage the record ready mode. The red LED above the key will light. Select the Realtime Record Mode Press the [F4] function key (“REAL”) to select the realtime record mode.
Record key to begin recording. The metronome will sound and you’ll be Press the given a two-measure count-in prior to the first measure actually recorded. The count-in is also indicated by negative numbers in the “Meas” parameter. If a 4/4 time signature is selected, for example, the count-in will run from measure “-08” to “-01”, then recording will begin from measure “001”.
Click (Metronome) Settings The click mode parameter in the SONG display determines whether the metronome sounds only during recording, during both recording and playback, at all times, or not at all. Move the cursor to this parameter and set as required using the data dial or [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys. Off Metronome off. Rec Metronome sounds during realtime recording only. Ply All Metronome sounds during realtime recording and playback. Metronome sounds at all times.
Select the Punch-in Record Mode For punch-in recording you must first select the punch-in mode after engaging the record ready mode (step 4 of the realtime record process, described above). Press the [F6] function key (“PUNCH”) to select the punch-in record mode. Specify the Punch-in & Punch-out Points Specify the “punch-in” and “punch-out” points, the punch-in point being the measure and beat at which recording will begin, and the punch-out point being the measure and beat at which recording will end.
Multi-channel Recording The “‘Multi” recording mode allows simultaneous realtime (or punch-in) recording of all 16 sequencer tracks. This can be useful when you want to record complete sequences from another sequencer or music computer which is not data-compatible with the QY300. Select the multi mode by pressing the [F1] function key (“MULTI”) after selecting either the realtime or punch-in record mode (step 5 of the realtime record process, descrilbed above).
Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the SONG mode when done. Select the Track to Record Move the cursor to the track area of the display, and then shift the cursor sideways to select the track you want to record: 1 ... 16. Move the cursor vertically to move to other areas of the screen. The selected track will remain highlighted. Engage the Record Ready Mode Press the key to engage the record ready mode. The red LED above the key will light.
Set the Time Signature (new songs only) Move the cursor to the time signature parameter and set as required. The time signature cannot be changed if the song already contains data. Record Press the key to begin recording. The step record display shown below will appear. Set the Note Parameters as Required Move the cursor to the note length, velocity, and gate time parameters and set as required.
Enter a Note Once the note parameters have been specified, the note can be entered simply by playing the appropriate key on the micro-keyboard (or on your external MIDI keyboard). A note symbol appears on the note display an the note pointer advances to the next note position. The note symbol always appears as a 1/4-note, regardless of the actual note entered (chords are also indicated by the 1/4-note symbol). Here’s how the display will look after two 8th notes have been entered.
Moving Around In the Note Display You can move the cursor down to the note display (the note pointer will appear filled) and move the note pointer to any position at which you want to enter a note, or to any note that you want to delete. You will actually hear the appropriate note or chord when the note pointer is moved to an existing note symbol. When you move the note pointer past the end of the note display, the next measure will appear.
See the “Editing Songs & Phrases” section, page 104, for information on how to edit recorded song data. Complete the Track Repeat steps 8 and 9 until the current track is complete, then press recording. to stop Drum Assignment & Used Memory Displays The QY300 provides “Drum Assignment” and “Used Memory” displays which can provide valuable information when recording.
The song mode includes 24 song “jobs” that perform a variety of important functions. To access and use the song jobs, press the [JOB] key while in the SONG play mode. This calls the song job list. You can select any job on the list simply by moving the cursor to the required job (use the cursor keys or the data dial) and pressing [ENTER]. You can also move up or down the list in 1-page steps by using the cursor and keys while holding one of the [SHIFT] keys.
01: Quantize Aligns notes in the specified track to or close to the nearest specified beat. The “TR” parameter selects the track to be affected by the Quantize job: “01” ... “16” for individual tracks, or “All” to quantize all 16 tracks simultaneously. The “M” parameters above the graphic bar are used to specify the first measure:beat and last measure:beat of the range to be quantized. The “Quantize” parameter determines to what beats the note data in the specified track will be aligned.
The “Strength” parameter determines how “strongly” the notes are attracted to the specified quantize value. The strength range is from 0% to 100%. At a setting of “0%” no quantization will occur, while a setting of “100%” will cause all notes to be aligned precisely to the nearest specified beat value. Inbetween settings produce a corresponding shift in the position of all off-beat notes to the nearest specified beat value.
The “Gate Time” and “Velocity” parameters increase or decrease the gate times (length) and velocity of all notes affected by the swing parameter. The range of both parameters is from 0% to 200%. The “Gate Time” parameter sets the ratio between the shorter and longer gate time values. A setting of “100%” maintains the original relationship between the notes, lower values produce a narrower gate time range, and higher values produce a broader gate time range.
The Modify Velocity job is a great way to “soften” the sound of material that has too great a variation between the softest and loudest notes, or, conversely, to add extra punch to dull-sounding material. Experiment with the parameters to get a feel for what they do. New Velocity = Original Velocity x rate/100 + offset (If the right side of the equation is less than 0, the New Velocity becomes 1.) After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Modify Velocity job.
New Gate Time = Original Gate Time x rate/100 + offset (If the right side of the equation is less than 0, the New Gate Time becomes 1.) The Modify Gate Time job can be used to produce a more staccato or legato feel, as required. Experiment with the parameters to get a feel for what they do. After setting the parameters, as required press [ENTER] to execute the Modify Gate Time job.
Negative values cause a corresponding decrease in velocity, therby producing a decrescendo rather than a crescendo. The range of this parameter is from “-99” through “0” to “+99”. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Crescendo job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done. Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the job list, or a mode key to go directly to the selected mode.
06: Shift Note Changes the pitch of all specified notes within the specified range of measures in the specified track. The “TR” parameter selects the track to. be affected by the Shift Note job: “01” ... “16”. The “M” parameters above the graphic bar are used to specify the first measure:beat and last measure:beat of the range to be modified.
07: Shift Clock Moves all notes and events in the specified track and range of measures forward or backward by the specified number of clocks (96 clocks per 1/4 note). The “TR” parameter selects the track to be affected by the Shift Clock job: “01” ... “16” for the sequencer tracks, or “Tmp” for the tempo track. The “M” parameters above the graphic bar are used to specify the first measure:beat and last measure:beat of the range to be modified.
08: Chord Sort Sorts all notes in the specified measure range which fall on the same beat (i.e. chords) so that the notes are arranged in order from lowest to highest or from highest to lowest. The “TR” parameter selects the track to be affected by the Chord Sort job: “01” ... “16”. The “M” parameters above the graphic bar are used to specify the first measure:beat and last measure:beat of the range to be modified.
09: Copy Event Copies all data from a specified range of measures from one track of a specified song to the specified measure in the specified track of the specified song. This operation overwrites the data from the beginning of the specified destination measure with the data from the source measures. Previous data in the overwritten measures is therefore lost. The upper “Song” parameter selects the source song — i.e. the song from which the data is to be copied: “01” ... “10”.
The Copy Event job makes it easy to use phrases or even complete sections (an entire chorus, for example) in more that one place in a song. You can copy a phrase played by one voice, and have it repeated by a different voice later in the song. You can always edit the copied sections to create variations. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Copy Event job.
11: Extract Event Allows a specified type of event — note, program change, pitch bend, control change, channel aftertouch, polyphonic aftertouch, or exclusive — to be extracted (removed) free a specified range of measures in a specified track. The extracted data can be moved to the same range of measures in any other specified track. The upper “TR” parameter selects the source track — i.e. the track from which the event data is to be extracted: “01” ... “16”.
After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Extract Event job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done. Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the job list, or a mode key to go directly to the selected mode. 12: Thin Out “Thins out” specified types of data by removing every other event of the specified type.
13: Create Measure Creates a specified number of blank measures having the specified time signature for all tracks. The created measures are inserted at a specified measure number, and all subsequent measures are moved forward to make room. • All existing measures after the point at which the new measures are created will be moved forward to make room for the new measures. • If you use the Create, Measure job with an empty song, the specified new measures will be placed in track 1 only.
Delete Measure is a great way to completely cut out unwanted data from the song. it’s important to remember, however, that a delete operation affects all tracks simultaneously, and that measures following the deleted range are moved back to take the place of the deleted measures. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Delete Measure job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done.
16: Mix Track Combines the data contained in two specified tracks and places the result in the second track. NOTE If there is no data in the second track, the data from the first track is simply copied to the second track (the time signature is not copied). In many situations you may want to “overdub,” or add new material to a single track without deleting the previous material. This is dangerous, however, since you can ruin one or more layers of good material by making a mistake during a later overdub.
The “TR” parameter selects the track(s) to be cleared: “01” ... “16” for the sequencer tracks, “Pat” for the accompaniment pattern track, “Chd” for the accompaniment chord track, “Tmp” for the tempo track, or “All” for all tracks. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Clear Track job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done.
19: Init Play Effect: Resets all playback effect settings for the specified track to their default values. The “TR” parameter selects the track(s) to be affected by the Init Play Effect job: “01” ... “16” for the sequencer tracks, or “All” for all tracks. After setting the parameter as required press [ENTER] to execute the Init Play Effect job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done.
21: Copy Song Copies all data from all tracks of the specified song to any other specified song (including song name, play effect, voice assignment, and output assignment settings). The upper “Song” parameter selects the source song — i.e. the song from which the data is to be copied: “01” ... “10”. The lower “Song” parameter selects the destination song — i.e. the song to which the data is to be copied: “01” ... “10”. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Copy Song job.
23: Song Name Allows an original name of up to 8 characters to be assigned to the current song. The song number parameter selects the song for which a name is to be assigned: “1” ... “10”. NOTE If a series of asterisks appears in the song name area, the selected song contains no data and a song name cannot be assigned.
Using the pre-programmed style data provided with the QY300 you can easily create accompaniments that can be used alone — to play or sing along with, for example — or as the basis for complete compositions. The pre-programmed styles are provided on disk, and must be loaded before they can be used. You can also create patterns by combining individual “phrases”. A phrase is a single “part” of a pattern, such as the drum or bass part.
Select the Disk Mode, Select “Load” & “All Data” The data disk supplied with the QY300 contains a single “All Data” format file which include 1 demo song and 100 styles x 8 sections (800 patterns). Press the [DISK] mode key to select the DISK mode, press the [F2] function key (“Load.”), then use the cursor keys, the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys, or the data dial to select “All Data”.
Selecting & Playing Patterns Although you’ll normally use the PATTERN mode when creating new styles (page 74), the PATTERN mode is also useful when you want to listen to individual phrases and experiment with chord changes using the QY300’s advanced ABC capability. Select the STYLE Mode In order to select and play the styles as described in this section you must be in the QY300 PATTERN mode. Press the [PATTERN] mode key to select the PATTERN mode.
The currently selected section is shown between square brackets to the right of the style number and name. You can change styles by playing the cursor at the section name and using the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys or the data dial. The newly selected section will begin playing from the top of the next measure. You can also change sections directly by pressing the appropriate key on the micro-keyboard while the cursor is located at either the style number or the section name on the display.
Changing Chords The QY300 features a sophisticated ABC (Auto Bass Chord) system that automatically re-harmonizes the pattern tracks to match chords you specify. This makes creating complete accompaniment tracks fast and easy ... just select a pattern, then specify the required chord changes (details in the next section). Here’s how you use the micro-keyboard to specify chord changes. Play a Pattern Select and play a pattern, as described in the preceding section.
Actually, you can press the chord type key and then the root key, the order doesn’t matter. The chord is actually entered only when the [ENTER] key is pressed. Until the [ENTER] key is pressed, the newly specified chord root and type will flash on the display. The Chord Types The "- - -" chord type marking is a special “THRU” or “non-ABC” type that can be used to create accompaniment patterns without the harmonic limitations of the ABC system. 60 add9 M M7(9) M7 aug major added ninth. major.
Specifying the Bass Note For a Chord You can specify the bass note to be used with any chord by using the left [OCT DOWN] key (note the “ON BASS” marking below the key). Enter the chord in the normal way, then while holding the [OCT DOWN/ON BASS] key press the key on the micro-keyboard corresponding to the desired bass note (the bass note will appear to the right of the chord). In the example display, below, the Dm7 chord will be played on a “C” bass note (in this case the 7th degree of the chord).
Track Muting & Effect Bypass The track mute “buttons” in the PATTERN mode function in exactly the same way as they do in the SONG mode. See page 14 for details. Voices, Assignment & Effects The PATTERN mode has basically the same Voice mode Mixer and Reverb displays, the same Effect (Quantize, Swing, Shift, Gate/Velocity, Per Track) displays, and the same Output displays and functions as the SONG mode. The main difference is that while the SONG mode has 16 tracks the PATTERN mode has only 8.
Effect: Quantization display for playback quantization Effect: Swing display to automatically create a “swing” feel page 18). page 20). Effect: Transpose & Clock Shift display to transpose tracks and shift note timing forward or backward page 21). Effect: Gate Time/Velocity display to modify gate time and velocity values page 22).
Effect: Per Track display shows all playback effect parameters for one track at a time, and allows monitoring of only the selected track page 22). Output display for pattern track to MIDI channel assignments for all styles.
The QY300 provides two ways to record an accompaniment by specifying patterns and chords: “realtime” and “step” recording. The realtime method is the fastest and easiest, letting you record pattern and chord changes “on the fly.” The step method gives you more detailed control, and is an excellent way to add the finishing touches to an accompaniment recorded in real time.
Select the Starting Style, Section, Chord, & Tempo Move the cursor to the style number, section, chord, and tempo parameters, and set as required. It’s sometimes easier to set a slow tempo for realtime recording, so you have plenty of time to enter pattern and chord changes. Engage the Record Ready Mode Press the key to engage the record ready mode. The red LED above the key will light. Select the Realtime Record Mode Press the [F4] function key (“REAL”) to select the realtime record mode.
Stop Recording Stop recording either by pressing the key or by selecting the ENDING section. The normal SONG play mode is automatically re-selected when you stop recording. Engage Record Ready Again and Select “Chd” Press the key to engage the record ready mode again (the red [REC] key indicator should light and the “REAL” mode will still be selected), then move the cursor to the track section of the display and select “Chd” in order to record chord changes.
Step Accompaniment Recording The STEP record mode provides two different accompaniment-track dataentry displays: “Pat” (pattern changes) and “Chd” (chord changes). In each of these you can individually enter or delete pattern and chord changes at precisely the required locations. Select a Song to Record Select an empty song if you want to record a new song in the step record mode, or select a song that already contains data if you want to make changes or additions. Engage the Record Ready Mode.
Enter the Required Pattern or Chord Data Refer to the following sections for details on how to use the pattern and chord step-record displays. Stop Recording Press the key to exit from the step record mode and return to the normal SONG play mode. “Pat” — Step Record Pattern Changes Here’s how the STEP record pattern display will look if you’ve selected an empty song (the appropriate pattern data will appear if the selected song contains data).
Style Number and Section Any style number from 001 through 100 can be entered for each measure. The style name appears to the right of the style number. Only one pattern (style & section) can entered per measure, and that pattern will begin playing from the beginning of the measure at which it is entered. A pattern entered once will continue to play until a different pattern is entered. If you want to change sections without changing the style number, only the pattern need be entered.
Erasing Pattern Changes The [F6] function key (“Clear”) can be used to clear the style number, section, or end-of-song marker at which the cursor is located. If you clear a time signature change, the default time signature value for the current pattern will be automatically re-selected. “Chd” — Step Record Chord Changes Here’s how the STEP record chord display will look if you’ve selected an empty- song (the appropriate chord data will appear if the selected song contains data).
Specifying the Bass. Note For a Chord You can specify the bass note to be used with any chord by using the left [OCT DOWN] key (note the “ON BASS” marking below the key). Enter the chord in the normal way, then while holding the [OCT DOWN/ON BASS] key press the key on the micro-keyboard corresponding to the desired bass note (the bass note will appear below the chord root). In the example display, below, the Dm7 chord will be played on a “C” bass note (in this case the 7th degree of the chord).
Syncopated Chords Chords can be syncopated (i.e. the chord actually begins a sixteenth-note or eighth-note before the beat on which it is entered) by using the right [OCT DOWN] and [OCT UP] keys (note the and ” markings below the keys).
QY300 patterns are created by combining “phrases” — either preset or original — from the PHRASE mode. A phrase is simply an individual “part” of a pattern — e.g. a drum phrase, a bass phrase, a keyboard phrase, etc. — using a single voice. The QY300 has 2,000 preset phrases, and 100 memory locations for original creations. The PHRASE mode lets you both listen to the preset phrases and record original phrases. The phrases are actually combined to create complete patterns in the PATTERN mode.
The category, beat, and type of the selected phrase are listed in full on the display. The difference between the “General” and “Specific” types is that while the General phrases are, as their name implies, for general use, the Specific phrases are actually parts of specific patterns. In other words, if you combine specific phrases of the same beat and number from different categories, you will end up with a specific pattern.
Set the Pattern Length & Time Signature If you’re starting with an empty pattern, move the cursor top the pattern length and time signature parameters and set as required. Although the pattern length parameter can be set from 1 to 8 measures for the Intro, Main A, Main B, and Ending sections, the Fill sections can only have a length of 1 measure. Engage the Patch Mode Press the [F4] function key (“Patch”) to engage the patch mode — i.e. the mode in which phrases are “patched” together to create patterns.
Monitoring the Pattern While Patching If you press the button while patching you can hear how the pattern sounds as the various phrases are added. Press the [F1] key (“Solo”) to hear only the phrase at which the cursor is currently located. Press [F1] a second time to disengage the solo function. Press to stop playback. Entering Rests Press the [F4] key (“Rest”) to enter a rest in the measure at which the cursor is currently located.
Recording Original Phrases The QY300 makes it easy to create original accompaniment phrases. In addition to the preset phrases, the QY300 has 100 phrase memory locations (US--001 through US---100) which can be used to store your own creations. The PHRASE mode provides two ways to create original phrases: realtime and step recording.
Select the Record Tempo, Time Signature, and Phrase Length Move the cursor to the tempo, time signature, and phrase length parameters and set as required (the time signature and phrase length can only be set if the phrase does not already contain data). It’s sometimes easier to set a slow tempo for realtime recording, so you have plenty of time to enter the data. You can change the voice assignment later in the same way. The “---” (thru) chord type can not be specified as the source chord.
Since your original ABC phrase will be automatically re-harmonized as required by the QY300 ABC system, there are a few rules you should follow to ensure the best results: 1: Stick to the harmonic environment of your source chord. 2: Use primarily the root, 3rd, 5th, and major 7th. 3: Keep it rhythmic ... avoid melodic lines. During phrase recording the active MIDI transmit channel is the same as that assigned to track 1 in the PATTERN mode. Record Press the key to begin recording.
Step Phrase Recording The step phrase record mode lets you enter phrases note-by-note, with precise control over the timing, length, and loudness of each note. You can record complete phrases using the step mode, or use it to brush-up and add data to an existing phrase.
Set Time Signature and Phrase Length (new phrases only) If you are recording a new phrase, move the cursor to the time signature and phrase length parameters and set as required. The time signature and phrase length parameters can not be changed if the selected phrase already contains data. You can change the voice assignment later in the same way. Select a Voice Move the cursor to the voice parameter and select the voice you want to record with.
Set the Note Parameters as Required Move the cursor to the note length, velocity, and gate time parameters and set as required. When the cusor is located at the note length parameter the numeric keypad can be used to enter the note lengths marked on the keys. The dot key (the [0] key) can be used to add one or more dots to the currently selected note length. In-beween values can be entered using the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys or the data dial.
The keyboard display shows the pitch(es) of the note(s) at the current note pointer position. In the example below the keyboard displays that a chord (C major) consisting of three notes exists at the current note pointer location. Moving Around In the Note Display You can move the cursor down to the note display (the note pointer will appear filled) and move the note pointer to any position at which you want to enter a note, or to any note that you want to delete.
The Measure/Beat/Clock Display The “Meas” area of the step record display shows the current position of the note pointer in measures, 1/4-note beats, and clocks (there are 96 clocks per 1/4 note). If you’re not sure what measure you’re seeing on the note display while recording, check the measure/beat/clock display. • See the “Editing Songs & Phrases” section, page 104, for information on how to edit recorded phrase data.
The pattern mode includes 7 pattern "jobs” that perform a variety of important functions. To access and use the pattern jobs, press the [JOB] key while in the PATTERN mode. This calls the pattern job list. You can select any job on the list simply by moving the cursor to the required job (use the cursor keys or the data dial) and pressing [ENTER]. You can also move and keys while holding one up or down the list in 1-page steps by using the cursor of the [SHIFT] keys.
operation The last performed is “forgotten” by the UNDO job whenever the SONG or PHRASE step reocrd mode is engaged, even if the step record mode is exited without acutally recording any data. Press [ENTER] to execute the Undo/Redo job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done. Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the job list, or a mode key to go directly to the selected mode.
02: Append Pattern Appends the specified section of one style to the end of the specified section of a second style. • If the length of the destination plus appended pattern exceeds 8 measures (the maximum pattern length), the “Illegal In-put” error message will appear and the append operation will be aborted. • This job does not copy voice or play effect data from the source style. The upper “Style” parameter selects the source style — i.e. the style from which the data is to be copied: “001” ... “100”.
• If more than 1 measure is split and a “Fill” is specified as the destination section, an “Illegal Input” error will occur since fills can only be one measure long. • This job does not copy voice or play effect data from the source style. The upper “Style” parameter selects the source style — i.e. the style which is to be split: “001” ... “100”. The upper “Section” parameter selects the source section — i.e.
05: Clear Pattern Clears all data from the specified section of the specified style. The “Style” parameter selects the style in which the specified section is to be cleared: “001” ... “100”. The “Section” parameter selects the section to be cleared: “Intro”, “MainA”, “MainB”, “FillAA”, “FillBB”, “FillAB”, “FillBA”, “Ending”, or “All” for all sections. After setting the parameter as required press [ENTER] to execute the Clear Pattern job.
NOTE If a series of asterisks appears in the style name area, the selected style contains no data and a pattern name cannot be assigned. Lower-case Characters To enter a lower-case character, use the cursor keys to move the cursor to the position at which a character is to be entered, then press the micro-keyboard key corresponding to the character to be entered.
The phrase mode includes 15 phrase “jobs” that perform a variety of important functions. To access and use the phrase jobs, press the [JOB] key while in the PHRASE mode. This calls the phrase job list. You can select any job on the list simply by moving the cursor to the required job (use the cursor keys or the data dial) and pressing [ENTER]. You can also move up or and keys while holding one of the down the list in 1-page steps by using the cursor [SHIFT] keys.
The last operation performed is “forgotten” by the UNDO job whenerver the SONG or PHRASE step reocrd mode is engaged, even if the step record mode is exited without acutally recording any data. Press [ENTER] to execute the Undo/Redo job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done. Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the job list, or a mode key to. go directly to the selected mode.
strength setting of 50%, for example, a note that does not fall precisely on an 8th-note beat will be shifted about halfway to nearest 8th-note beat. The “Sens.” parameter (sensitivity) determines the range over which notes will be quantized. This parameter can be set from “-100%” through “0%” to “+100%”. at “0%” no quantization will occur. A setting of either “-100%” or “+100%” will cause all notes to be quantized.
02: Modify Velocity Increases or decreases the velocity values of all notes in the specified user phrase. The “Phrase” parameter selects the user phrase to be affected by the Modify Velocity job: “001” ... “100”. The “rate” parameter sets the ratio between the lower and higher velocity values. A setting of “100%” maintains the original relationship between the notes, lower values produce a narrower dynamic range, and higher values produce a broader dynamic range. The range is from “0%” to “200%”.
The “Phrase” parameter selects the user phrase to be affected by the Modify Gate Time job: “001” ... “100”. The “rate” parameter sets the ratio between the shorter and longer gate time values. A setting of “100%” maintains the original relationship between the notes, lower values produce a narrower gate time range, and higher values produce a broader gate time range. The range is from “0%” to "200%". The “offset” parameter determines the amount of gate time modification.
The “Range” parameter determines the range of velocity values over which the crescendo will occur. A setting of “+24”, for example, will cause the MIDI velocity values to increase by 24 over the specified measure range (The MIDI velocity value range is from 0 to 127). Negative values cause a corresponding decrease in velocity, therby producing a decrescendo rather than a crescendo. The range of this parameter is from “99” through “0” to “+99”.
06: Shift Note Changes the pitch of all specified notes within the specified user phrase. The “Phrase” parameter selects the user phrase to be affected by the Shift Note job: “001” ... “100”. The source note parameter determines which notes in the specified phrase will be shifted, and the destination note parameter determines to what note they will be shifted to. The range of both parameters is from “C-2” to “G8”.
Since the Move Clock job actually shifts the timing of all notes and other events- in the specified phrase forward or backward, it can significantly alter the “feel” of the phrase. You could move the notes forward ("+" settings) to create a more “laid back” feel, or backward ("-" settings) to produce a more “driving” feel. Of course, you can also use Clock Move to correct timing that is off in the first place. The “Phrase” parameter selects the user phrase to be affected by the Shift Clock job: “001” ...
09: Append Phrase Appends the specified user phrase to the end of a second specified user phrase. The upper “Phrase” parameter selects the source phrase — i.e. the user phrase from which the data is to be copied: “001” ... “100”. The lower “Phrase” parameter selects the destination phrase — i.e. the user phrase to which the data is to be appended: “001” ... “100”. After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Append Phrase job.
After setting the parameters as required press [ENTER] to execute the Split Phrase job. The metronome icon will appear on the display while the data is being processed, then “Completed” will appear briefly when the job is done. Press the [F6] key (“Exit”) to return to the job list, or a mode key to go directly to the selected mode. 11: Get Phrase Copies the data from the specified range of measures in the specified track of a specified song to the specified phrase.
12: Put Phrase Copies the data from a specified user phrase to the specified ramnge of measures in the specified track of a specified song. The “Phrase” parameter specified the source phrase — i.e. the user phrase from which the data is to be copied: “001” ... “100”. The “Song” parameter selects the destination song — i.e. the song to which the phrase data is to be copied: “01” ... “10”. The “TR” parameter selects the destination track — i.e. the track to which the phrase data is to be copied: “01” ...
14: Phrase Name Allows an original name of up to 8 characters to be assigned to the specified user phrase. The phrase number parameter selects the user phrase for which a name is to be assigned: “001” ... “100”. NOTE If a series of asterisks appears in the phrase name area, t he selected phrase contains no data and a phrase name cannot be assigned.
The QY300’s editing capability makes it easy to correct mistakes made when recording song or phrase data, and to generally refine your sound. The song and phrase edit “change” mode lets you individually modify the timing, pitch (note), gate time (length) and velocity (loudness) of each note. There’s also an edit “insert” mode that allows insertion of note, pitch bend, program change, control change, channel aftertouch, polyphonic aftertouch, or exclusive events at any point in the pattern.
Moving Around The timing, note, gate time, and velocity values for each note are shown on a single line of the display. The notes are arranged in order from top to bottom. You can move around within the pattern by simply moving the cursor. Move below the bottom of the display and the note data will scroll up, moving towards the end of the pattern. The opposite occurs when you move up above the top of the display. The shuttle dial can also be used to move down (forward) or up (backward) through the data.
Change Mode Editing The “Change” edit mode is initially selected when the edit mode is engaged. To edit any note in the song or phrase, simply move the cursor to the appropriate line, and then to the required parameter within that line. For numeric values any data entry method can be used to select a new value for the selected parameter. When the cursor is located at the note length or volume symbol, the numeric keypad can be used to directly enter the note lengths of volume symbols marked on the keys.
Velocity This parameter controls the velocity (loudness) of the note. The range is from 001 to 127. Standard velocity values can be entered via the numeric keypad: place the cursor at the volume symbol to the right of the velocity value and use the numeric keypad to directly enter the desired volume symbol. The available volume symbols are marked on the keys. The numeric velocity value will change accordingly. n Deleting Events Notes and other events (sustain on/off, pitch bend, etc.
Select the Type of Event to be Inserted Move the cursor to the event type parameter and use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys or the data dial to select the type of event you want to enter. Set the Event Parameters All events have at least two parameters. Move the cursor to the event parameters and set as required by using the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys. Note New notes can be inserted at any specified location. The note parameters are the same as those available in the change edit mode.
Pitch Bend Pitch bend events can be used to produce pitch bend effects. The amount of pitch bend produced by each event can be set from “-8192” through “+00” to “+8191”. Each increment corresponds to a fraction of a semitone. To produce smooth pitch bends you’ll need to insert several small pitch bend events, appropriate spaced, to create smooth pitch bend effects. Remember to use more pitch bend effects to return the pitch to normal after a bend.
“CC”: Control Change Control change events can be used to apply modulation, sustain, volume, and other types of control according to the standard MIDI control change controller assignments (see list on page 6 of the separate “VOICE LISTS AND MIDI DATA” booklet). The left parameter is the control change number (the type of control), and the right parameter is the control change value (the amount of control). Both parameters can be set from “000” to “128”.
“Excl”: Exclusive This event allows 16-byte exclusive data blocks (first byte = “F0”) to be inserted in the sequence data to control external MIDI devices as required. Move the cursor to any of the data byte locations following the initial “F0” byte and use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] keys of the data dial to enter as required. Since the data is entered in hexadecimal format, the numeric keypad cannot be used.
Editing the Tempo Track (SONG mode) The QY300 tempo track makes it easy to program sudden or gradual tempo changes to control the “flow” of your music. To edit the tempo track either select the “Tmp” track in the SONG mode and then press the [EDIT] key, or use the “ChngTr” (change track) function if you are already in the edit mode. Editing procedure is essentially the same as for the normal sequencer tracks.
The QY300” CHAIN mode makes it possible to specify a sequence of up to 10 songs to be played back automatically. Each song within the chain can be repeated up to 99 times. Engage the CHAIN Mode Press the [CHAIN] mode key to go to the CHAIN mode. The CHAIN mode display shows the “chain” numbers from 1 to 10. Program the Chain To program a sequence of songs for playback, place the cursor at the appropriate chain numbers and use any data entry method to enter the required song numbers.
Deleting Songs From the Chain To delete a song from the chain and move all subsequent songs up to fill the gap, place the cursor at the song to be deleted and press the [F2] function key (“Delete”). Inserting New Songs In the Chain To insert a new song in the middle of a chain and move all subsequent songs down to make room, place the cursor at the poing at which the song is to be inserted and press the [F1] function key (“Insert”). You can then enter a new song number at the insert point.
The QY300 utility mode includes a number of functions that are important for general operation — e.g. MIDI data handling, interfacing with external equipment, ABC system operation, and more. Press the [UTILITY] mode key to go to the UTILITY mode, then use the [F1], [F2], and [F3] function keys to select the system, input filter, or fingered zone parameters described below.
MIDI Control This parameter simply turns MIDI control of the QY300 on or off. “On” is the normal setting, and with this setting the QY300 receives note, program change, control change, and exclusive data from an external MIDI keyboard or other controlling device. When set to “Off” me QY300 will not respond to external MIDI control. n Echo Back Determines whether MIDI data received via the MIDI IN terminal is simultaneously re-transmited (“echoed back”) via the MIDI OUT connector.
Note Note data filter. This filter should normally be turned off to allow reception of all note data. Pitch Bend Turn this filter on if you do not want to record pitch bend data received by the QY300, or you simply don’t want received pitch bend data to affect the QY300 sound. Cntrl Change This filter can be used to block reception of all control change events: modulation, breath controller, volume, sustain pedal, etc.
Use then “Fingered” parameter to turn the QY300 ABC system “On” or “Off” as required. The “Low” and “High” parameters at the top of the display set the ABC range. The maximum range is from C-2 to G8 (the “High” parameter cannot be set lower than the “Low” parameter). The specified range is indicated by dots on the graphic keyboard display.
The QY300’s built-in floppy disk drive makes high-volume data storage and retrieval easy. It also facilitates data management, allowing you to create a well-organized personal floppy-disk data library. • The QY300 uses 2DD (double density) 3.5-inch floppy disks. When formatted a single disk provides a total data capacity of about 713 kilobytes. • Any new disk you intend to use with the QY300 must be formatted first. The format operation is described on page 125.
Direct Save Press the [F5] function key (“Save”) from the SONG, PATTERN, PHRASE, or CHAIN mode to go directly to the corresponding, disk save display. The disk write-protect slide must be in the write-enable position to perform a save operation. If it is not, the “Write Protected!” error message will appear when you attempt to execute the save operation.
Direct Load Press the [F6] function key (“Load”) from the SONG, PATTERN, PHRASE, or CHAIN mode to go directly to the corresponding disk load display. You can use the [F6] function key (“Exit”) to exit from the DISK mode at any time except during the actual disk operation. After selecting the file to be loaded and the song, style, or phrase to which it is to be loaded (there’s no need to specify a destination from the CHAIN mode since all data is loaded), press the [ENTER] key to begin the save operation.
The first steps in performing any disk operation are to select the save, load, delete, rename or format operation, and the type of data you want to perform the operation on (except format, which requires no data type selection). Use the function keys to select the save, load, delete, rename, or format operation, then move the cursor to the desired data type (or enter the number of the desired data type via the numeric keypad). Phrase All song, phrase, user pattern, and chain data.
Save & Load The save and load operations via the DISK mode are the same as the direct save and load operations described above. The disk write-protect slide must be in the write-enable position to perform a save operation. If it is not, the “Write Protected!” error message will appear when you attempt to execute the save operation. • File names can be up to 8 characters in length. Lower-case characters will be converted to capitals when saved.
Delete This operation completely erases the specified file from the current disk. The disk write-protect slide must be in thewrite-enable position to perform a delete operation. If it is not, the “Write Protected!” error message will appear when you attempt to execute the delete operation. To (delete a file, move the cursor to highlight the file you want to delete (you can also use the data dial to select files, or directly enter the file number via the numeric keypad) then, press the [ENTER] key.
Format This operation formats new (blank) 2DD 3.5-inch floppy disks for use with the QY300. It can also be used to format disks previously used with other equipment for use with the QY300. The format operation is also a convenient way to clear all data from a disk that contains unwanted material. The format operation erases all data from the disk! The disk write-protect slide must be in the write-enable position to perform a format operation.
Troubleshooting This following table provides troubleshooting hints for some common problems. Because the QY300 is a complicated device with many functions, most problems are simply the result of incorrect settings. Before calling for professional service, refer to the troubleshooting advice below to see if you can find and correct the cause of your problem. Problem No power No sound Possible Cause The AC adaptor is not fully inserted. 1 The PA-1207 is not being used. 1 The volume level is too low.
Error Messages Monitor Illegal Input Preset Phrase Improper data was input. No Data There is no data. The job could not be executed. Attempted to change data defining a preset phrase. MIDI MIDI Data Error Received improper MIDI data; the cable may be bad. Checksum Error Error receiving bulk data (incorrect checksum). Buffer Full MIDI Receive Buffer was full. All buffer contents cleared. Now Running Data Exists Cannot receive bulk data while sequence is playing.
Specifications Sequencer Song mode: 19 tracks (TRl ... TR16, Pattern, Chord, Tempo) Pattern mode: 8 tracks (TR1 ...
Index [-1/NO] & [+1/YES] keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Crescendo, song job ............................................................ 39 Cursor keys ........................................................................... 6 A Accompaniment sequencing, overview ............................. vii Append pattern, pattern job ................................................ 88 Append phrase, phrase job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
G Gate time & velocity modify, playback ............................. 22 Gate time parameter, edit mode ........................................ 106 Get phrase, phrase job ...................................................... 101 I Icons .................................................................................... vi Initialize play effect, pattern job ......................................... 89 Initialize play effect, song job ........................................... 52 Input filters ..........
Q Quantization, playback ....................................................... 18 Quantize, phrase job .......................................................... 93 Quantize, song job ............................................................. 35 R Realtime recording ............................................................ 23 Realtime recording, accompaniment .................................. 65 Record ready mode ............................................................ 24 Rename disk file ....
MEMO
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