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ALESIS
QSR
Reference Manual
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Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Alesis QSR 64 Voice Expandable Synthesizer Module. To take full advantage of the QSR’s functions, and to enjoy long and trouble-free use, please read this user’s manual carefully. How To Use This Manual This manual is divided into the following sections describing the various modes of the QSR. To get the most out of your QSR, read the entire manual once, then use the table of contents and index to reference specific functions while using the instrument.
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Table of Contents CONTENTS 1: Setting Up.....................................................................................7 Unpacking and Inspection ............................................................................................................ 7 AC Power ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Line Conditioners and Protectors .......................................................
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Table of Contents MIDI CH Buttons............................................................................................................. 32 Editing Values ..................................................................................................................32 Parameter Editing Overview ......................................................................................... 32 Comparing Edited and Stored Versions..................................................................
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Table of Contents Programming Drum Sounds ........................................................................................................ 82 Voice ................................................................................................................................... 82 Level ................................................................................................................................... 83 Pitch...............................................................
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Table of Contents 9: MIDI Transfer And Storage Operations....................................119 Using PCMCIA Expansion Cards................................................................................................ 119 Saving the User Bank to a PCMCIA Card.................................................................................. 119 Loading a Bank from an External Card ...................................................................................... 120 Storing an Individual
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 SETTING UP NPACKING AND NSPECTION U I Your QSR synthesizer module was packed carefully at the factory. The shipping carton was designed to protect the unit during shipping. Please retain this container in the highly unlikely event that you need to return the QSR for servicing. The shipping carton should contain the following items: • QSR with the same serial number as shown on shipping carton • AC Power Supply • Computer CD-ROM containing software • This instructi
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 ASIC UDIO OOKUP B A H When connecting audio cables and/or turning power on and off, make sure that all devices in ✪ your system are turned off and the volume controls are turned down. Because the QSR includes extensive signal processing as well as a full complement of sounds, you can make great sounds with nothing more than an amplifier or a set of headphones. The QSR has two Main outputs, two Aux outputs, plus a stereo headphones output. These can provide an amplification
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 BOUT UDIO ABLES A A C The connections between the QSR and your studio are your music’s lifeline, so use only high quality cables. These should be low-capacitance shielded cables with a stranded (not solid) internal conductor and a low-resistance shield. Although quality cables cost more, they do make a difference. Route cables to the QSR correctly by observing the following precautions: • Do not bundle audio cables with AC power cords. • Avoid running audio cables near sour
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 YOUR FIRST SESSION POWERING UP After making your connections, turn on the system’s power using this procedure: ➀ Before turning on the QSR’s power, check the following items: • Have all connections been made correctly? • Are the volume controls of the amplifier or mixer turned down? • Is the volume of the QSR turned down? ➁ Turn on the [POWER] switch on the QSR front panel. Upon power-up, the QSR will display the last selected Program or Mix. If this Progr
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 get back to it instantly at the touch of a button. When you select a Program, all of its parameter settings are recalled to recreate the original sound. The QSR provides 640 internal Programs, divided into 5 Banks of 128 Programs each. More Programs can be added by inserting a Sound Card into the Sound Card slot on the front panel of the QSR. Each Bank is broken down into 12 Sound Groups of 10 Programs each, plus a 13th Sound Group with 8 Programs. These group toget
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 PLAYING THE QSR The QSR is shipped from the factory with 5 Banks of 128 Preset Programs (sounds) each. Additionally, there are 100 Mixes in each of the 5 Banks. PROGRAM MODE AND MIX MODE The QSR is always in one of two modes: Program Mode or Mix Mode. When you are auditioning Programs, you will be in Program Play Mode. When you are auditioning Mixes, you will be in Mix Play Mode. If you ever get lost, press either [PROG] or [MIX] to get back to their respective Play
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 ➀ Press the [PROG] button to select Program Play Mode. The [PROG] button and the PROG indicator in the display will light. You can now play the QSR from an external MIDI keyboard; the Program will be whatever was selected when last in Program mode (Program number 00 –127). ➁ Select a Program using the [VALUE] knob. The large number in the upper-left section of the display will indicate the currently selected Program number. When you scroll past 127, the counter will
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 REALTIME PERFORMANCE FUNCTIONS The QSR provides various ways to control the sound as you are playing. Try out some of these functions while playing your MIDI keyboard. The sound of the effects can also change by using these controllers. The effect of these realtime controllers varies from Program to Program; in some they may not be active, and in others they may have a dramatic effect. • Velocity. The volume and tonal quality of the sound will change according to ho
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 AUDITIONING MIX PLAY MODE Mix Play Mode allows you to assign a Program to each of the 16 MIDI channels. This makes it easy to create multitimbral setups for use with an external MIDI sequencer. Additionally, a MIX can be used to “layer” sounds together, or “split” your keyboard in a number of ways, or any combination of these. There are many different ways to program a Mix. For more about Mix Play Mode, refer to Chapter 5. For more about connecting the QSR to a MIDI
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 CHOOSING PROGRAMS IN A MIX In this section, we will choose Programs for the 16 channels in a Mix, for playing back tracks from a MIDI sequencer. There are many other aspects of a Mix we may wish to edit, however. Refer to Chapter 5 for more information about Mix editing. You do not have to access Mix Edit Mode to select Programs for a Mix (i.e. you don’t have to press the [EDIT SELECT] button). Instead, you simply use a two step process: A) Use the [ MIDI ] buttons
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 STORING AN EDITED MIX Once you have made changes to a Mix, you will need to store the Mix into the User Bank; that is, if you want to keep the changes you have made. The User Bank is designed to hold up to 100 (00 – 99) of your custom-made Mixes. Whenever you store an edited Mix, the User Bank is automatically selected. All you have to do is select a Program location (00 – 127) within the User Bank to store the edited Mix into. However, if an SRAM Sound Card is inse
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 USING THE PCMCIA EXPANSION CARD SLOTS Your QSR is an expandable system using the two PCMCIA EXPANSION CARD slots on the front panel. There are three different kinds of Sound Cards available through your Alesis dealer or directly from Alesis: • SRAM cards: The Alesis Virtual Composer card provides an additional four banks of Program/Mix memory. All banks can be stored to by the user, and it comes with additional Programs and Mixes pre-stored. • QCards: These read-
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Your First Session: Chapter 2 If an internal Program uses one or more Sounds that reside on a sound card, the sound card ✪ must be inserted into the same PCMCIA EXPANSION CARD slot, [A] or [B], as when the Program was stored. In other words, if a Program uses a Sound found on the card currently inserted in slot [A], then the same card must be inserted into slot [A] for that sound to be used when this Program is recalled. Although the card can physically be used in either slot, once a Program is
