Akai Z4 User manual

/
SAMPLER
User Guide
To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose this appliance to
rain or moisture.
WARNING
User Guide
To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose this appliance to
rain or moisture.
WARNING
取扱説明書
ご使用になる前に、必ずこの
使用説明書をよくお読み下さい。

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is
intendedtoalerttheusertothepresenceofuninsulated“dangerousvoltage”
within the product’s enclosure; that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
Theexclamationpointwithinanequilateraltriangleisintentedtoalerttheuser
to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instruc-
tions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
THE SYMBOLS ARE RULED BY UL STANDARDS (U.S.A.)
5B-En
WARNING!!
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
1-En
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
Lithium battery
This product uses a lithium battery for memory backup.
The lithium battery should only be replaced by qualified service personnel.
Improper handling may cause risk of explosion. 24A-En
Important Notice
The material in this document is copyright to AKAI professional M.I. Corp., and may not be
quoted or reproduced in any form without written permission from the company.
LIMITED SOFTWARE WARRANTY POLICY
All the software provided with, or purchased especially for, AKAI professional products has
been tested for functionality. AKAI professional M.I. Corp. will make its best efforts to correct
reported software defects for future releases subject to technical practicabilities.
AKAI professional M.I. Corp. makes no warranty or representation either expressed or
implied with respect to the system's performance or fitness for a particular purpose.
In no event will AKAI professional M.I. Corp. be liable for direct or indirect damages arising
from any defect in the software or its documentation. Further, AKAI professional M.I. Corp.
will not accept any liability for any programs, sounds, audio recording or sequences stored in
or used with AKAI professional products, including the cost of recovery of such data.
The warranties, remedies and disclaimers above are exclusive and take precedence over all
others, oral or written, express or implied, to the extent permitted by law in the geographical
area of the product's use. No employee of AKAI professional M.I. Corp., agent, distributor or
employee of an agent or distributor is authorised to offer any variation from this policy.
02/15/2002

Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
WARNING ii
WARNING: WHEN USING ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, BASIC PRECAUTIONS SHOULD ALWAYS
BE FOLLOWED, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:
WARNING
The Z4/Z8 is designed to be used in a standard household environment.
Power requirements for electrical equipment vary from area to area. Please ensure that your Z4/Z8
meets the power requirements in your area. If in doubt, consult a qualified electrician orAKAI profes-
sional dealer.
120 VAC @ 60 Hz for USA and Canada
220~240 VAC @ 50 Hz for Europe
240 VAC @ 50 Hz forAustralia
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND THE Z4/Z8
• Never touch the AC plug with wet hands.
• Always disconnect the Z4/Z8 from the power supply by pulling on the plug, not the cord.
• Allow only an AKAI professional dealer or qualified professional engineer to repair or reas-
semble the Z4/Z8. Apart from voiding the warranty, unauthorized engineers might touch live
internal parts and receive a serious electrical shock. There are no user serviceable parts in-
side.
• Do not put, or allow anyone to put any object, especially metal objects, into the Z4/Z8.
• Use only a household AC power supply. Never use a DC power supply.
• If water or any other liquid is spilled into or onto the Z4/Z8, disconnect the power, and call your
dealer.
• Make sure that the unit is well-ventilated, and away from direct sunlight.
• To avoid damage to internal circuitry, as well as the external finish, keep the Z4/Z8 away from
sources of direct heat (stoves, radiators, etc.).
• Avoid using aerosol insecticides, etc. near the Z4/Z8.They may damage the surface, and may
ignite.
• Do not use denatured alcohol, thinner or similar chemicals to clean the Z4/Z8. They will dam-
age the finish.
• Modification of this equipment is dangerous, and can result in the functions of the Z4/Z8 being
impaired. Never attempt to modify the equipment in any way.
• Make sure that the Z4/Z8 is always well-supported when in use (either in a specially-designed
equipment rack, or on a firm level surface).
• When installing the Z4/Z8 in a 19” rack system, always allow 1U of ventilated free space above
it to allow for cooling. Make sure that the back of the rack is unobstructed to allow a clear
airflow.
• In order to assure optimum performance of your Z4/Z8, select the setup location carefully, and
make sure the equipment is used properly.Avoid setting up the Z4/Z8 in the following locations:
1. In a humid or dusty environment
2. In a room with poor ventilation
3. On a surface which is not horizontal
4. Inside a vehicle such as a car, where it will be subject to vibration
5. In an extremely hot or cold environment

iii WARNING
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
WARNING
THIS APPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED
IMPORTANT
This equipment is fitted with an approved non-rewireable UK mains plug.
To change the fuse in this type of plug proceed as follows:
1) Remove the fuse cover and old fuse.
2) Fit a new fuse which should be a BS1362 5 Amp A.S.T.A or BSI approved type.
3) Refit the fuse cover.
If the AC mains plug fitted to the lead supplied with this equipment is not suitable for your type of
AC outlet sockets, it should be changed to an AC mains lead, complete with moulded plug, to the
appropriate type. If this is not possible, the plug should be cut off and a correct one fitted to suit the
AC outlet. This should be fused at 5Amps.
If a plug without a fuse is used, the fuse at the distribution board should NOT BE GREATER than
5 Amp.
PLEASE NOTE: THE SEVERED PLUG MUST BE DESTROYED TO AVOID A POSSIBLE
SHOCK HAZARD SHOULD IT BE INSERTED INTOA 13 AMP SOCKET
ELSEWHERE.
The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:
GREEN and YELLOW —Earth
BLUE —Neutral
BROWN —Live
Asthe colours ofthe wires in themains lead of thisapparatus may notcorrespondwith the coloured
markings identifying the terminals in your plug, please proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured GREEN and YELLOW must be connected to the terminal which is
marked with the letter E or with the safety earth symbol or coloured GREEN or coloured
GREEN and YELLOW.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter N or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked
with the letter L or coloured RED.
THIS APPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED
Ensure that all the terminals are securely tightened and no loose strands of wire exist.
Before replacing the plug cover, make certain the cord grip is clamped over the outer sheath of the
lead and not simply over the wires.
6D-En
For U.K. customers only

Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
WARNING iv
FCC WARNING
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device
pursuantto Part15 of theFCC rules.Theselimits aredesigned to providereasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
causeharmful interference to radio or televisionreception,which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
21B-En
AVIS POUR LES ACHETEURS CANADIENS DU Z4/Z8
Le présent appareil numérique n’ément pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de la Class B prescrites dans le Règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique édictépar le ministère des Communications du Canada. 27-F
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital
apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of
Communications. 27-En
VENTILATION
Do not prevent the unit’s ventilation, especially by placing the unit on soft carpet, in a narrow
space, or by placing objects on the unit’s chassis—top, side, or rear panels. Always keep the
unit’s chassis at least 10 centimeters from any other objects. 31C-En
CHANGESOR MODIFICATIONSNOTEXPRESSLYAPPROVEDBYTHEMANUFACTURER
FOR COMPLIANCE COULD VOID THE USER’S AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE
EQUIPMENT. 32-En
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
TheAKAI professional Z4/Z8 is a computer-based device, and as such contains and uses soft-
ware in ROMs. This software, and all related documentation, including this Operator’s Manual,
contain proprietary information which is protected by copyright laws.All rights are reserved. No
part of the software or its documentation may be copied, transferred or modified. You may not
modify, adapt, translate, lease, distribute, resell for profit or create derivative works based on the
software and its related documentation or any part thereof without prior written consent from
AKAI professional M.I. Corp., Yokohama, Japan.

v
Contents
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Front & Rear Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Hookup Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting USB Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting SCSI Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Detaching the Removable Panel (Z8 only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting the Power Cord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Switching On & Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Navigating the User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using the PLAY Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using the Clipboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Entering Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4 Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sound Library CD-ROM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5 Recording Samples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Adding New Samples to Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Auto Sampling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Sampling with Q-FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6 Editing Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
About Sample Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Selecting Samples for Editing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Tagging Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Selecting a Monitoring Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Trimming Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Viewing the Waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Zooming Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Special Sample Playback for Auditioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Setting the Start Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Setting the End Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Sample Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Resampling with Q-FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Setting Loops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Setting and Fine-tuning the Loop Start & End Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Auto Loop Find Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Contents
vi
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
Crossfading Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Setting Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Adjusting Region Start & End Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Slicing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
BPM Tempo Matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Renaming Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Copying Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Deleting Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Adding Samples to Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
7 Using Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
About Program Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Selecting Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Configuring Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Creating Keygroup Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Configuring Keygroup Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Creating Drum Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Configuring Drum Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Configuring Program Modulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Renaming, Deleting, Copying, Merging, Purging & Converting Programs . 60
Configuring Program MIDI Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Configuring Pitch Bend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Configuring the LFOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Configuring the Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Configuring the Amp, Filter & Aux Envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
8 Using Multis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
About Multi Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Selecting Multis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Creating Multis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Assigning Programs to Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Filtering MIDI Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Applying FX to Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Copying Multis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Deleting Multis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Playing Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
9 Using Q-Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
About Q-Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Configuring Q-Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
10 Using FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
About the FX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Configuring FX Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Configuring FX Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Selecting FX Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Linking FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Setting the FX Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Editing FX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
FX Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

vii
Contents
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
11 Saving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Saving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
12 Disk & File Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Deleting Files & Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Formatting Disks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
13 General Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Setting the Master Level, Tuning, SCSI ID & MIDI OUT/THRU . . . . . . . . 89
Setting the Display Contrast, Note Display, Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Setting the System Clock & Digital Out Sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Monitoring MIDI Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Initializing the Z8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Erasing Entire Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Testing Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Defragmenting the Memory Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Introduction
1
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
1 Introduction
Thank you for choosing an AKAI Professional sampler.
This User Guide uses the model name “Z8” to cover both theAKAI Professional Z8 and
Z4. Unless otherwise stated, information applies to both models.
Features
• Removable front panel allows remote operation (Z8 only)
• WAV support provides compatibility with numerous sound libraries
• Assignable Q-Link controls for real-time Program and FX control
• Versatile sample editing includes Loop, Time Stretch, Pitch Shift, Normalize, Join, Fade,
Delete Section, Reverse, and Tempo Match, etc.
• 64-voice polyphonic, 128-part multitimbral (32-voice polyphonic with the system clock
set to 96kHz)
• Drum-type Programs specifically for use with drum and phrase Samples
• Playback SMF (Standard MIDI File) songs in Multi mode
• 192 two-pole resonant filters, up to three simultaneous filters per voice, 35 filter types by
combination of three filters
• Two independent LFOs
• 4 multi-effects processors (Z4 requires EB4JS option)
• Sample and resample with FX (QuickFX)
• Supports 16/24-bit, 44.1/48/96 kHz sampling (32-voice polyphonic with the system
clock set to 96kHz)
• 24-bit/96 kHz ADC/DAC, with Enhanced Dual Bit 64-times oversampling ADC and
Advanced Multi-bit 128-times oversampling DAC
• Balanced analog I/O
• S/PDIF format digital I/O (Z4 requires IB-4D option)
• Built-in sample rate converters enable you to input and output digital signals easily with-
out considering the difference in sampling rates between the devices. (Q-Link Digital
Connection)
• Wordclock input for synchronizing the digital output signals to external devices
• Memory expandable up to 512 MB
• 32-channel multi-port MIDI interface (MIDI IN x2, OUT/THRU x2)
• SCSI port for connecting hard disks and removable media drives
• USB slave port for connecting a Mac/PC running theAKAI Professional ak.Sys software
• USB master port for connecting USB floppy disk drives, hard disks, removable media
drives, or a USB keyboard for quick name entry
• Internal 3.5-inch drive bay forATA hard disk or removable media drive
• Supports DOS FAT16/FAT32 disk formats for PC compatibility
• Hierarchical filing system uses folders to organize files
• Flash ROM programmable operating system
• Optional 2-in/8-out ADAT board (IB-4ADT)
• Optional 8 individual analog output board (IB-48P)
Note: AnoptionalADATcard(IB-4ADT)andanIndividualAnalogOutputcard(IB-4P)
cannot be installed at the same time.

2
Chapter 1—Introduction
Z4/Z8 User Guide—Version 1.0
Architecture
This chapter explains how sounds are constructed in the Z8 and the hierarchic relation-
ship between Samples, Programs, and Multis, in which Samples, the sound building
blocks, are assigned to Programs, and Programs are assigned to Multis. It also introduces
many of the terms used throughout this
User Guide.
Samples
Samples are the sound building blocks used to create Programs and Multis. Samples can
be recorded in Record mode, or loaded from disk. See “Recording Samples” on page 22
for more information on recording samples. Also, see “Loading” on page 18 for more
information on loading samples from disk.
Samples can be edited in Sample mode. See “Editing Samples” on page 29 for more
information.
Programs
A Program is, by analogy, a musical instrument, and consists of one or multiple samples
that have been processed via filter, envelope, LFO, and other parameters. It could be a
piano sound made of few samples that cover different ranges from high to low. Or, it
could be a drum kit containing a snare, bass drum, and cymbal samples. There are two
types of Programs: Keygroup and Drum.You can use these types to create different
sounds.
Keygroup Programs consist of one or multiple Keygroups, which is somewhat like con-
tainers of Samples. In Keygroups, a Sample can be assigned to a group of adjacent notes,
called a Keyspan.You can also specify the range of a Keyspan. Keygroup Programs are
often used for sounds that are played in scales on a keyboard, such as a piano.You can
assign up to four Samples to a Keygroup, and play multiple Samples simultaneously, or
play different Samples by changing the velocity (how hard you play the keys) (Zone
function).
Each Keygroup features various editing parameters, such as a filter and an envelope,
which enable you to make detailed adjustments to the sounds.
The following example illustrates the most basic Program configuration, with one Sam-
ple assigned to one Keygroup and a Keyspan that covers the entire keyboard.
The following Program consists of four Keygroups, each with its own Keyspan, and one
Sample assigned to each Keygroup.
Note: The Z8 Samplers contain no user serviceable parts. Please consult your AKAI
Professional dealer regarding the installation of options and upgrades.
Keygroup 1/Zone 1:Samp 1
KG1/ZN1: Samp1 KG2/ZN1: Samp2 KG3/ZN1: Samp3 KG4/ZN1: Samp4