Guide

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GEN MIDI Arp Out ArpCh LayerCh
Common off 1 1
Fig: Each Performance can store its own Layer Channel
setting (MIDI channel on which the 4 Parts are
communicated with). Selection is 1-16, or Basic
Channel. Found in the Common parameter area.
Summary: Basically, any Performance will do
when you use the ALL OFF setting. If you have
favorite Performance Layer sounds that you want
to feature in a MIDI sequence, use the LAYER
PART setting. Simply adjust the Performance’s
Layer Channel, as necessary, and turn off the
internal parts you do not need. If you want to
creatively replace some or eventually all the
sounds of GM or XG sequence, use the ALL PART
setting. You may want to store a template
Performance that has all the internal Parts 1-16
and PartP1 (PLG1) set to receive channel = OFF
and the PC set to OFF as well. This way you can
activate them, as you need them. XG setups can
only be stored via System Exclusive and Control
Change messages – they are not stored in the
Performance.
Things you must know about using the
PLG100-XG board in the S/CS synths
• The primary purpose of the PLG100-XG
board in the S/CS system is to bring GM/XG
playback compatibility to the unit.
• The PLG100-XG sounds are accessed from
PERFORMANCE mode only. You will see it as
PARTS 17-32, while internal AWM2 sounds
occupy Parts 1-16. You must access the
board from Performance EDIT via KN A. The
[PLG2] button is not active with a PLG100-
XG board installed.
• The PLG100-XG can only occupy slot 2 in the
S80/CS6x and CS6R (the multi-timbral slot).
The S30 only has only one slot but it is
capable of using the PLG100-XG board.
• There are 16 MIDI channels in the system –
you can choose to combine (split/layer)
internal Voices with the XG sounds or you
can replace them. The [UTILITY]
INTERNAL PART parameter will
determine how the host responds when
a GM Reset or XG ON command is
received. Even though the XG board is Parts
17-32, it will use MIDI channels 1-16.
• The best way to access the XG multi-part
system, when sequencing, is via the provided
XG Editor. The software allows you to easily
navigate through the 480 XG Voices and 12
drum kits via an organized category listing.
The way that GM/XG systems work is that
program setups are stored as part of the
sequence data. Usually found at the very
beginning of all properly prepared GM/XG
files are the reset commands. A GM ON/XG
RESET command returns all settings to
default values: Grand Piano on MIDI
channels 1-9, 11-16, standard GM drum kit
on channel 10; volumes set to 100; pan to
center; Reverb to 40; chorus send to 0; etc.
In the very first bar you would put all your
setup data, i.e., bank select/program
change, volume, setting for the effects, pan
and so on. The XG Editor lets you set
everything using a graphic interface map and
when you have it sounding just as you like,
you can have the software create (insert) the
entire XG parameter setup into the sequence
for you. This includes all effect routing, voice
selections and the GM/XG reset commands –
it is all done for you (icon on the toolbar for
Insert XG Parameter). Or you can store this
setup data separately and send it prior to
playing back the file. If you are not using
XGworks as your principal sequencer you will
want to download an instrument
definition/mixer map/environment for the
PLG100-XG for the software you are using.
You should be able to find XG maps for most
of the popular sequencing programs. Look
up a program called XG-edit (for Windows
and Mac). You can find this at the Yamaha
site: www.xgfactory.com Look under
Shareware.
• If you do not have a mixer map or definition
and you are not using XGworks, good-luck
selecting sounds. No, just kidding. It can be
done. It is just that there are a lot of sounds
to wade through. Recognize that the Program
Changes in the XG protocol 1-128 call up the
basic GM sound and in parallel banks XG
offers substitutes. For example, sound #82 is
Saw Ld (sawtooth lead) but in parallel banks
you will find 12 substitutes for the sawtooth
lead. Use knob C to select individual program
changes and knob B to move through parallel
banks. Sound #34 is Fingered Bass (Electric
Bass w/Finger) but in bank 65 you will find a
fingered bass with a modulation effect, “Mod
Bass”. You may wonder why the basic sound
is repeated so much – well in other products
you may find a different substitute in those
repeated slots. The MU128 and MU2000 will
offer more selections as substitutes for that
program change number. But if someone
prepared an XG file using a ‘fingered bass’
substitute sound that you did not have, well
you would still get the basic fingered bass
sound – you just wouldn’t know you were
missing it! (This illustrates some of the
important features of XG: compatibility,
scalability and expandability.