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ALESIS
QuadraSynth Plus
Reference Manual
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Important Safety Instructions WARNING - When using this electric product, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following: 1) Read all the instructions before using the product. 2) Do not use this product near water - for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, or the like. 3) This product, either alone or in combination with an amplifier and headphones or speakers, may be capable of producing sound levels that could cause
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Index C 7 Unpacking and Inspection 7 AC Power 7 Line Conditioners and Protectors 8 About Audio Cables 9 Basic Audio Hookup 9 A Word About Sound Bridge 10 11 Powering Up 11 Adjusting the Display Contrast 11 Playing the Demo Sequence 12 Enabling General MIDI Mode 12 Playing the QuadraSynth Plus 13 Program Mode and Mix Mode 13 Auditioning Internal Programs 14 Selecting Banks 14 Selecting the MIDI Channel 14 Realtime Performance Functions 15 The Quad Knobs 15 Auditioning Mix Play Mode 16 Selecting B
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Index Parameter Editing 29 Direct Function Selection 31 Editing Program Parameters 31 Edit 4 and Edit 1 Modes 32 Resetting a Parameter Value 32 Comparing Edited and Stored Versions 33 Preset Memory and User Memory 33 Storing 34 Store a Program34 Copying Effects Between Programs 35 Store an Effect 35 Store a Mix 35 To Audition Programs Before Storing 36 39 What is a Mix? 39 Mix Edit Mode 39 Understanding the Edit Buffers 40 Program Assign for each MIDI Channel 41 Level Setting for Each Program 41
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Index Mod 64 Pitch LFO 67 Amp LFO 70 Pitch Envelope 71 Filter Envelope 74 Amp Envelope 76 Name 80 Misc. 81 Programming Drum Sounds 82 Assign Voice 82 Level 82 Effects Level 83 Pitch 83 Filter 83 Amp 83 Range 84 Amp Envelope 84 Copying Sounds 85 Copying Effects 85 Initializing Programs 86 87 About Signal Processing87 Selecting an Effects Patch in Mix Mode 88 Setting Effects Send Levels 88 Editing Effects 89 Storing Effect Patches In Program Mode 90 Storing Effect Patches in Mix Mode 90 Copying Ef
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Index Using Pedals to Control Volume or Modulation 116 MIDI Program Select 116 Receiving and Transmitting Bank Change Message 117 Edit Mode 118 48 KHz Clock Input 118 119 Saving the User Bank to an External Card 119 Loading a Bank from an External Card 119 Storing an Individual Program or Mix to an External Card 120 Loading an Individual Program or Mix from an External Card 120 Card Storage RAMifications 121 Saving Programs via MIDI Sys Ex 121 123 Trouble-Shooting Index 123 Re-initializing 123 C
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 C HAPTER 1 S U P Unpacking and Inspection Your QuadraSynth Plus 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 QuadraSynth Plus for servicing. Upon receiving the QuadraSynth Plus, carefully examine the shipping carton and its contents for any sign of physical damage that may have occurred in transit. If you detect any damage, do n
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 tester to determine this. If the outlet is not grounded, consult with a licensed electrician. J Do not operate any electrical equipment with ungrounded outlets. Plugging the QuadraSynth Plus into an ungrounded outlet, or “lifting” the unit off ground with a three-to-two wire adapter, can create a hazardous condition. J Alesis cannot be responsible for problems caused by using the QuadraSynth Plus or any associated equipment with improper AC wiring. Line Conditioners and Pro
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 11
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 About Audio Cables The connections between the QuadraSynth Plus 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 QuadraSynth Plus correctly by observing the following precautions: • Do not bundle audio cables with AC power cords. • Avoid runnin
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 L] and [AUX–R] Outputs to a dual stereo amplification system, or four mixer inputs. • Stereo Headphones. Plug a set of high-quality stereo headphones into the rear panel [PHONES] jack. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 13
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Setting Up: Chapter 1 A Word Included with the QuadraSynth Plus is a 3-1/2" floppy disk containing a software program called Sound Bridge. This software has been provided free of charge in an effort to promote sound design for the QuadraSynth Plus. Sound Bridge is a Macintosh™ sound development utility which compiles custom samples from a variety of sources into the QuadraSynth Voice format, and downloads the compiled data to an Alesis PCMCIA Sound Card via MIDI Sysex to a QuadraSynth Plus or S
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 C HAPTER 2 Y F S ESSION W T Q S P LUS Powering Up After making your connections, turn on the system’s power using this procedure: ¿ Before turning on the QuadraSynth Plus’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 QuadraSynth Plus turned down? ¡ Turn on the [ON/OFF] (power) switch on the QuadraSynth Plus rear panel. U
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 1 PROG GLOBAL P AGE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 V ALUE QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 16
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Playing the Demo Sequence The QuadraSynth Plus has a built-in demo sequence which demonstrates the wide variety of sounds this amazing instrument is capable of generating. In order to get the full effect of the demo, we recommend that you connect both the LEFT and RIGHT outputs to your sound system, or listen on headphones. To play the demo sequence: ¿ Hold the [GLOBAL] button, and press [MIX]. The upper-right display will read “Playing Dem
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Playing the QuadraSynth Plus The QuadraSynth Plus 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 QuadraSynth Plus is always in one of two modes: Program Mode or Mix Mode. When selecting Programs, you will be in Program Play Mode. When editing a Program, you will use Program Edit Mode. When auditioning Mixes, you will be in
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 1 2 3 4 MIX PROG EFFECT EFFECT All MIDI channels that are active in the current Mix are shown at the top left, to indicate multitimbral operation. The current MIX and EFFECT numbers are displayed, along with the current Bank and Mix’s name. The PROGram number display shows the program assigned to the underlined MIDI channel. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 19
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 Auditioning Internal Programs ¿ Press the [PROGRAM] button to select Program Play Mode. You can now play the QuadraSynth Plus keyboard; the Program will be whatever was selected when last in Program mode (Program number 00 — 127). ¡ Select a Program using any of these methods: • Use the [-1] and [+1] buttons to step through the Programs one at a time. • Use the [-10] and [+10] buttons to step through the Programs ten at a time. • Hold the [
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Your First Session With The QuadraSynth Plus: Chapter 2 MIDI MIDI 1 PROG ¿ Use the MIDI [♦] and [∅] buttons to select a MIDI channel from 1 — 16. The display will change to indicate the currently selected MIDI channel. QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 21
