Akai XR 20 User manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5
WELCOME TO THE XR20 DRUM MACHINE! 5
GROUND RULES 5
CONNECTION DIAGRAM 8
TOP PANEL PHYSICAL LAYOUT 9
GENERAL CONTROLS 9
NAVIGATION BUTTONS 10
MODE BUTTONS 10
SETUP BUTTONS 11
TRANSPORT CONTROL BUTTONS 11
REAR PANEL PHYSICAL LAYOUT 12
DISPLAY LAYOUT 13
BASICS 14
HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE XR20 14
10 STEPS TO INSTANT GRATIFICATION (SETUP
AND CHECKOUT) 15
THE INSTRUMENT LAYERS 16
PLAYBACK / RECORD BASICS 16
RECORDING PATTERNS 21
STEPS TO RECORDING A PATTERN 21
PRACTICE MODE 21
RECORDING OTHER PARTS (1-SHOT AND
SYNTH) 21
PATTERN PLAY MODE 22
PLAYING PATTERN SEQUENCES WITH THE PADS 22
RECORDING PATTERN SEQUENCES INTO A
SONG 22
ASSIGNING PATTERNS TO THE PADS 22
SELECTING, EDITING AND CREATING DRUM SETS 23
SELECTING A DRUM SET 23
CREATING AND EDITING DRUM SETS 23
EFFECTS 29
SAVING YOUR DRUM SETS 29
RECORD SETUP 30
PAGE 1: SELECT THE QUANTIZATION VALUE
(QUANTIZE SELECT) 30
PAGE 2: GATE 31
PAGE 3: SELECT THE SWING VALUE (SWING
SELECT) 31
PAGE 4: ENABLE CLICK AND SET RHYTHM
(CLICK SELECT) 31
PAGE 5: SET CLICK VOLUME (CLICK VOL) 31
PAGE 6: VELOCITY SENSITIVITY 32
PAGE 7: BEAT VALUE 32
PAGE 8: NOTE VALUE 32
PAGE 9: PATTERN LENGTH 33
PAGE 10: OFFSET A PATTERN OR DRUM PART 33
PAGE 11: NAME THE PATTERN (NAME) 33
EDITING PATTERNS – ERASE FUNCTIONS 34
ERASING DRUM EVENTS WHILE RECORDING 34
ERASING AN ENTIRE PATTERN 34
ERASE ALL EVENTS PLAYED BY A PARTICULAR
DRUM PAD 34
ERASE ALL INSTRUMENT EVENTS IN SUB-
PATTERN 34
EDITING PATTERNS – COPY/SAVE FUNCTIONS 35
SAVING A PATTERN 35
COPYING A PATTERN 35
APPENDING A PATTERN 35
EDITING PATTERNS – TRANSPOSITION 36
PATTERN STEP EDITING (STEP EDIT MODE) 36
ADDING A NEW DRUM TO A STEP 37
ERASE A DRUM SOUND FROM A STEP 37
CHANGE A DRUM SOUND'S VOLUME IN A GIVEN
STEP 37
EXIT STEP EDIT MODE 37
SONG MODE 38
PLAYING SONGS 38
RECORDING A SONG IN REAL-TIME 39
MANUAL SONG CREATION (SONG STEP EDIT
MODE) 40
SETTING SONG TEMPO 42
INSERTING A TEMPO CHANGE IN A SONG 42
CONTROLLING PLAYBACK POSITION 43
LOOP A PATTERN INDEFINITELY 43
START FROM THE MIDDLE OF A SONG 43
ERASING AN ENTIRE SONG 44
SAVING YOUR SONG 44
APPEND A SONG 44
NAME A SONG (NAME) 44
SYSTEM SETUP 45
Page 1 / MIDI CHANNEL 45
Page 2 / RECEIVE MIDI NOTES 45
Page 3 / TRANSMIT MIDI NOTES 46
Page 4 / ASSIGN MIDI NOTE NUMBERS TO DRUM
PADS 46
Page 5 / ACCEPT EXTERNAL CLOCK VALUE 47
Page 6 / SEND CLOCK VALUE TO OTHER
DEVICES 47
Page 7 / MERGE MIDI IN WITH MIDI OUT 48
Page 8 / SELECT DRUM SETS VIA MIDI PROGRAM
CHANGES 48
Page 9 / TEMPO SELECTION 49
Page 10 / MAP DRUM NOTES 49
PAGE 11 / MANUAL DRUMSET OVERRIDE 51
Page 12 / LEDs 51
Page 13 / BACKLIGHT BRIGHTNESS 51
Page 14 / BATTERY LEVEL 51
Page 15 / LOW BATTERY WARNING 52
Page 16 / CHECK AVAILABLE MEMORY 52
Page 17 / SEND SONG AND PATTERN DATA TO
MIDI SYS EX STORAGE DEVICE 52
SENDING MIDI SYSEX SONG AND PATTERN
DATA TO THE XR20 53
APPLICATIONS 54
MIDI SYNC APPLICATIONS 54
STRATEGIES FOR ASSEMBLING PATTERNS AND
SONGS 55
UNDERSTANDING RHYTHMIC NOTATION 56
MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART 57
KEY FEATURES 58
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 58

5
Tip: To hear a demo song, hold
[PATTERN / SONG] and press
[PLAY].
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO THE XR20 DRUM MACHINE!
The XR20 includes high-fidelity drum, 1-shot and synth sounds, and is easy to operate. You can
easily switch among the different instrument layers in real-time. As you strike the 12 pads (each
of which can be assigned to any of the available sounds), the XR20's on-board sequencer
records exactly when you triggered the sounds and the dynamics of your playing. You can play
back your sequences and edit them in various ways.
Data can be saved so that it is retained in memory even if the power is turned off. If the memory
fills up with drum Patterns and Songs, this data can be saved permanently to MIDI System
Exclusive storage devices.
The XR20 also includes a library of Preset Patterns prepared by professional drummers and
musicians for those who want to start creating Songs in the fastest and easiest way possible.
GROUND RULES
The XR20 consists of two main elements:
The drum sounds themselves, recorded in high-resolution multi-sample stereo format. For
additional realism, many sounds use advanced "dynamic articulation" techniques so that
these sounds, when hit loudly, have a different timbre than when they're hit softly.
An internal sequencer to control and trigger the sounds.
The Pattern/Song Recording Method
When recording with a drum machine, it's often easier to divide a song into shorter
individual Patterns and work on these rather than record an entire song. A typical
Pattern might be 8,16, or 32 beats long, and correspond to a verse, chorus, bridge,
instrumental, intro, etc. While recording these Patterns, the XR20 will be in Pattern
Mode. The XR20 holds 100 Preset (i.e., can't be edited) Patterns and 100 user-
programmable Patterns, each of which can be from 1 to 128 beats long.
After perfecting these Patterns, Song Mode offers two ways to create a song:
Program a list of Patterns, in the order in which they are to be played.
Select Patterns in real time, and the XR20 will remember your performance.
The XR20 stores up to 100 User-programmable Songs.
Breaking a song into Patterns saves time since elements of a song often repeat.
Example: The second verse might have the same drum pattern as the first verse.
Rather than record the same Pattern twice, simply record one Pattern, then list it twice
when assembling a Song. This also saves memory (thus leaving room for more
Patterns and Songs) since listing a Song step takes up much less memory than
recording a Pattern.

6
The Two Types of Patterns
The XR20 introduces exciting new Song construction techniques. The XR20 excels at
live performance—something usually not associated with drum machines. The key to
using these advanced features is to understand the different types of available
Patterns.
Preset Patterns provide a variety of hip-hop rhythms programmed by
professional producers.
User Patterns are Patterns you can program, edit, and save. The
PRESET/USER button selects between these two master banks of Presets. It is
important to note that the only way to modify a Preset Pattern is to copy it to a
User Pattern, where it can be edited.
The Four Types of Sub-Patterns
There are 100 of each type of Pattern, numbered 00-99. However, each numbered
Pattern actually contains four different "Sub-Patterns":
A pair of independent Main Patterns (A and B, selected by their respective
buttons).
A pair of associated Fill Patterns (A Fill and B Fill, selected by pressing the FILL
button when either A or B is selected). The Fills primarily provide transitional
Patterns between Main Patterns, which makes for more realistic drum parts. The
associated Fill Patterns share the same length, Drum Set, and name as their
Main Patterns (e.g., if A is 16 beats, A Fill is 16 beats). Otherwise, they are
independent.
The reason for pairing the two different A and B Patterns together is simply so that you
can switch back and forth between them rapidly in live performance or while
improvising. Note that a Pattern’s A, B and FILL Sub-Patterns have equal lengths and
use the same Drum Set (collection of drum, 1-shot and synth sounds, as well as
effects parameters).
Note that even though there are "only" 100 Patterns, the A and B variations double
that to 200 Patterns, and the Fills double that again to 400 Patterns. Added to the
Preset Patterns, 800 total Patterns are available.
How "Looping" Simplifies Recording
To simplify recording, a Pattern will "loop" over and over again.
Example: Suppose you want to record an 8-beat pattern. While recording, the pattern
will record through all 8 beats, then immediately jump back to the beginning and
continue recording through all 8 beats again. The XR20 will remain in record mode,
and continue to loop, until you press STOP or switch over to Pattern Play mode. You
will hear any previously-played parts as you record new parts. You can also erase
drum hits while the pattern is looping to correct for errors.

7
What's a Voice?
Each of the 12 large pads triggers a voice. A voice is a sound-generating element with
several variable parameters: sound assignment, tuning, volume, output assignment
(the voice's audio output can go to either one of two sets of stereo outputs, and
furthermore, to anywhere within the stereo field of the chosen set of outputs), MIDI
note number, etc.
Each pad is velocity-sensitive: the harder you hit the pad, the louder the sound
assigned to the pad will play. Thanks to the dynamic articulation techniques mentioned
earlier, the timbre will often change as well, just like the way that "real" instruments
produce sound when played with different amounts of force.
There are eight levels of pad volume resolution, from soft to loud. However, when
using the XR20 as a drum sound expander and triggering sounds via MIDI, they
respond to all 127 MIDI volume levels.

8
CONNECTION DIAGRAM
1. Plug ¼” TS cables from the MAIN OUTPUTS to an amplifier, mixer, or speaker system. For
mono sound, you can connect only one output.
2. Alternatively, you can connect a pair of ¼” TRS headphones to the PHONES OUTPUT to
practice quietly.
3. Connect your microphone to the MICROPHONE input.
4. Connect a MIDI device, such as a sampler or sound module, to the MIDI OUT of the XR20.
5. Connect a MIDI device, such as a percussion controller, to the MIDI IN of the XR20.
6. If you have ¼” TS footswitches, connect them to the START / STOP and COUNT / A / B /
FILL jacks.
7. Plug the included power adapter (12V DC 500mA) into the adapter jack and the adapter into
a power source. Alternatively, you may choose to power the unit by inserting 6 AA batteries
into the bottom compartment.
8. Press the POWER switch to turn on the unit.
9. Tap the pads to hear sounds. You can switch among the three different sound categories
for the pads by pressing the corresponding button (DRUMS, 1-SHOT, SYNTH).
10. Adjust the volume control on the rear panel to a suitable listening level.
Note that you may also connect the stereo Aux output to a speaker system or amplifier,
using a ¼” TRS cable. The XR-20 can be setup to output sounds through the Main or Aux
connections (Main by default). See “Creating and Editing Drum Sets / Page 12: Output” for
more information.
As you hook up
the XR20, the
volume control on
your power amp
and the XR20
should be all the
way down, and
power to both
units should be
off.

9
TOP PANEL PHYSICAL LAYOUT
GENERAL CONTROLS
1. LCD – The display helps you keep track of system parameters and settings as you use the XR20.
2. PADS – The 12 pads are used to trigger sounds on the XR20. The pads can address 3 different
types of sounds: drums, 1-shot and synth. To select which sounds are controlled by the pads,
press one of the three Pad Play buttons (DRUM, 1-SHOT, SYNTH). In addition, the pads can be
used to trigger entire Patterns while in Pattern Play Mode.
3. PAD PLAY BUTTONS – These 3 buttons select which sounds are triggered when you hit the
pads. Press the corresponding button to control the following sounds with the pads:
SYNTH – Selects the Synth sounds associated with the current Drum Set. In addition, you can
hold down this button and use the INC / DEC buttons or the VALUE dial to transpose the synth
sounds up or down an octave.
DRUMS – Selects the Drum sounds associated with the current Drum Set.
1-SHOT – Selects the 1-Shot sounds associated with the current Drum Set.
4. NOTE REPEAT – While programming Patterns, hold down this button and press a pad to create a
roll. The roll will last for as long as the pad is being held down. This lets you play a series of drum
hits without having to repeatedly press the pads, and is typically used to create steady 16th note
hi-hat parts, quarter note kick drum parts, snare rolls, etc. The timing of the Note Repeat
sequence is specified by the Quantization and Swing settings in the Record Setup menu.
5. TAP TEMPO – You can use this button to tap in a tempo. The XR20 will average the time
between successive taps and will derive a tempo. You can also change the tempo by holding
down the TAP TEMPO button and using the VALUE dial or the INC / DEC buttons. The LED will
blink at a rate equal to the tempo displayed on the screen’s bottom right corner.

10
6. A & B – Each Pattern consists of two Main sub-patterns – A & B. You can select each of the two
sub-patterns by pressing its corresponding button. These sub-patterns allow you to program
variation in your Patterns (i.e. sub-pattern A is the verse, sub-pattern B is the chorus).
7. FILL – Each Pattern also includes two Fills associated with each of the two sub-patterns. The Fills
are used to transition from one sub-pattern to another (i.e. transition from verse to chorus).
8. ERASE – This button allows you to erase Patterns or Songs. Hold this button down and the
screen will prompt you to verify that you want to erase the selected element. To erase the part,
press the REC button while the ERASE button is being held down. In addition, ERASE allows you
to erase specific events in real-time as you record your patterns. Simply hold down the ERASE
button as the Pattern plays and press the pad corresponding to the sound you wish to erase. Any
events assigned to the pad will be erased from the moment the pad is pressed until either the pad
or the ERASE button is released.
9. SAVE / COPY – This button accesses various save / copy / append functions.
10. MUTE – This button allows you to mute a selected instrument layer. Hold down the button and
press the DRUM, 1-SHOT or SYNTH to mute the corresponding instrument layer. To un-mute the
layer, press the corresponding button again while MUTE is being held down.
NAVIGATION BUTTONS
11. INC / DEC – These buttons are used to increment and decrement through values and settings on
the XR20.
12. VALUE DIAL – This dial can also be used to increment and decrement values and settings.
13. NUMBER BUTTONS – Alternatively, you may use the number buttons to input values directly.
14. PAGE RIGHT / LEFT – These two buttons are used to go between pages of options when
browsing menus and settings.
MODE BUTTONS
15. PATTERN / SONG – This button toggles between the two different modes on the XR20. In
Pattern Mode, you can play, record and edit individual patterns. Patterns are short (i.e. 8-beat, 16-
beat, etc) rhythm sequences which are assembled together to create Songs. A Song is a
sequence of Patterns. In Song Mode, you can perform or program your Patterns to create a Song.
The currently-selected mode will be indicated on the display.
16. PRESET / USER – This button toggles between Preset and User Patterns. The selected mode
will be indicated in the upper right corner of the display.
Preset Patterns provide a variety of rock, jazz, pop and other rhythms programmed by professional
drummers and cannot be overwritten or edited (the only way a Preset Pattern can be edited is to
copy it to a User Pattern).
User Patterns are Patterns you can program, edit and save as you wish.
17. STEP EDIT – Pressing this button enters Step Edit Mode for Pattern or Song editing, depending
on which of the two modes is selected. This mode allows you to “step” through your Pattern or
Song sequence to correct any mistakes. The display will indicate STEP EDIT while in Step Edit
Mode, and the current step will be displayed on the top line. To move through the steps of the
sequence, use the PAGE RIGHT / LEFT buttons.
18. PATTERN PLAY – This button enables Pattern Play Mode. In this mode, you can play pre-
selected Patterns in a sequence, using the pads to trigger the Patterns in real-time. See “Playing
Patterns With the Pads” section.