EMU PX-7 User manual

PX-7 Owners Manual i
Owners Manual
© 2001 E-MU Systems
All Rights Reserved
FI12700 Rev. A
E-MU World Headquarters Europe, Africa, Middle East
E-MU Systems E-MU Systems
1600 Green Hills Road Suite 6, Adam Ferguson House
Scotts Valley, CA USA Eskmills Industrial Park
95067-0015 Musselburgh, East Lothian
Te l ephone: 831-438-1921 Scotland, EH21 7PQ
Fax: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Internet: www.emu.com Fax: [phone]
Important Notice:
In order to obtain warranty service on your PX-7 unit, the serial number sticker
must be intact and you must have a sales receipt or other proof of purchase. If
there is no serial number sticker on the PX-7, please contact E-MU Systems at
once.
This product is covered under one or more of the following U.S. patents:
4,404,529; 4,506,579; 4,699,038; 4,987,600; 5,013,105; 5,072,645;
5,111,727; 5,144,676; 5,170,367; 5,248,845; 5,303,309; 5,317,104;
5,342,990; 5,430,244 and foreign patents and/or pending patents. All other
trademarks belong to their respective companies. Specifications and features are
subject to change without notice.

ii E-MU Systems
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................. 1
Product Description .......................................................................................1
Important Safety Instructions .................................................. 3
Setup ...................................................................................... 13
Unpacking....................................................................................................13
Connection Instructions..............................................................................14
Basic Setup ..............................................................................................14
Studio Setup ............................................................................................15
Performance Setup ..................................................................................16
Power Down Sequence ............................................................................17
Rack Mounting PX-7 ...............................................................................17
Instant Gratification ............................................................... 19
Playing Patterns & Songs ........................................................................19
Playing Songs ..........................................................................................21
Playing Demo Sequences ........................................................................22
Auditioning Presets .................................................................................22
Selecting and Quick Editing Presets .......................................................23
Exploring the Master Arpeggiator ...........................................................25
Multi-Channel Arpeggiator ....................................................................26
Time to Save? .......................................................................................27
Basic Operations .................................................................... 29
Power Switch ...........................................................................................29
Volume Control ......................................................................................29
12VDC Lamp ..........................................................................................29
Mode/View Buttons .....................................................................................30
Track/Channel +/- Buttons .....................................................................31
Data Entry Control .................................................................................31
Left/Right Cursor Buttons .......................................................................31
LED View Select Section...............................................................................31

PX-7 Owners Manual iii
Sequencer Controls...................................................................................... 32
Stop Button ............................................................................................. 32
Play Button ............................................................................................. 32
Record Button ......................................................................................... 32
Song Record modes (from Song mode) .............................................. 32
Pattern Record modes (from Pattern mode) ....................................... 32
Tap Tempo ............................................................................................. 32
Edit Section .................................................................................................. 33
Song Edit Button .................................................................................... 33
Pattern Edit Button ................................................................................. 33
Preset Edit Button ................................................................................... 33
Global Button ......................................................................................... 33
Controllers Button .................................................................................. 33
Arpeggiator Button ................................................................................. 34
Real-time Controller Knobs ......................................................................... 35
Knob Functions ...................................................................................... 36
Quick Edit mode ................................................................................. 36
Programmable Knobs mode ................................................................ 37
Multichannel Volume Knobs ..............................................................37
Multichannel Pan Knobs .................................................................... 38
Trigger/Mute Buttons................................................................................... 39
Trigger Mode ........................................................................................... 39
Preset Menu Jump Keys .......................................................................... 39
Touchstrip, Transpose, Keypads & Glide..................................................... 40
Touchstrip Hold ...................................................................................... 40
Transpose Buttons .................................................................................. 40
Rubber Keypads ...................................................................................... 40
Glide Button ........................................................................................... 40
Erase Button ............................................................................................ 41
Repeat Button ......................................................................................... 41
Preset Screen ................................................................................................ 42
MIDI Channel Selection .........................................................................42
Preset Selection ....................................................................................... 42
Channel Volume .................................................................................... 43
Channel Pan ........................................................................................... 44
Channel Arpeggiator .............................................................................. 44
Sound Navigator .......................................................................................... 45
Preset Category ....................................................................................... 45
Instrument Category .............................................................................. 45
Sequencer ...............................................................................47
Overview ...................................................................................................... 48
Definitions ................................................................................................... 49
Events ..................................................................................................... 49
Tracks ...................................................................................................... 49
Patterns ................................................................................................... 49
Pattern Recording & Editing ............................................................... 50
The Asterisk ......................................................................................... 50

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Standard MIDI Files .............................................................................50
Songs .......................................................................................................51
Song Record Modes .............................................................................51
Pattern Mode................................................................................................52
Pattern Play .............................................................................................52
Restart/Pattern Fire Key ..........................................................................53
Realtime Recording .................................................................................53
Preparing to Record a Pattern .................................................................53
Input Quantize ........................................................................................54
Count In ..................................................................................................55
First Note Record .....................................................................................56
Pattern Length ........................................................................................56
Metronome .............................................................................................57
Recording a Pattern .................................................................................57
Automatic Channel Assignment .........................................................61
Replace Record ........................................................................................62
Grid Recording ........................................................................................63
What is Grid Recording? .....................................................................63
Step Time Recording ...............................................................................67
Note Value/Number of Ticks ............................................................68
Pattern Edit Menu........................................................................................70
Track Enable/Mute Buttons ....................................................................70
Name Pattern ..........................................................................................70
Pattern Length ........................................................................................70
Setting Meter (Time Signature) ...............................................................71
Metronome .............................................................................................72
Loop Section ...........................................................................................73
In Pattern Mode ..................................................................................73
In Song Mode ......................................................................................74
Quantize ..................................................................................................75
Quantize Parameters ...........................................................................75
More about Swing ...............................................................................76
Scale/Shift Start Times ............................................................................77
Tips & Tricks ........................................................................................77
Scale/Shift Duration ................................................................................78
Thin Events .............................................................................................79
Erase Events ............................................................................................81
Transpose ................................................................................................82
Scale/Shift Velocity .................................................................................83
Extend Sequence Data To .......................................................................84
Erase Track ..............................................................................................85
Cut Track to Clipboard ...........................................................................86
Copy Track to Clipboard ........................................................................87
Paste Clipboard to Track .........................................................................88
Apply Clipboard Settings ........................................................................89
Explode/Combine Tracks ........................................................................90
Combine Tracks ...................................................................................90
Explode Tracks .....................................................................................90
Channel Assign .......................................................................................92

PX-7 Owners Manual v
Multichannel Track Recording ............................................................... 93
Note List Editor .......................................................................................95
Event List Editor ..................................................................................... 96
Continuous Controller Edit ................................................................ 96
Continuous Controller Screen ............................................................ 96
Pitch Strip Edit ....................................................................................96
Pitch Strip Screen ................................................................................ 96
Poly Pressure Edit ................................................................................ 97
Poly Pressure Screen ............................................................................ 97
Program Change Edit .......................................................................... 97
Program Change Screen ...................................................................... 97
The Conductor Track ..............................................................................99
Conductor Track Screens .................................................................... 99
Revert to Saved Pattern ......................................................................... 101
Song Mode ................................................................................................. 102
Song Play .............................................................................................. 102
Song Step Recording ............................................................................. 102
Realtime Song Recording ...................................................................... 106
Song Edit Menu ......................................................................................... 109
Song Name ............................................................................................ 109
Event Source ......................................................................................... 109
Setting Meter (Time Signature) ............................................................ 110
Metronome ........................................................................................... 111
Quantize ............................................................................................... 111
Scale/Shift Start Times .......................................................................... 112
Scale/Shift Duration ............................................................................. 112
Thin Events ........................................................................................... 112
Erase Events .......................................................................................... 113
Transpose .............................................................................................. 114
Scale/Shift Velocity ............................................................................... 115
Cut Track to Clipboard .........................................................................116
Copy Track to Clipboard ...................................................................... 117
Paste Clipboard to Track ....................................................................... 118
Song Channel Assign ............................................................................ 119
Note List Editor .....................................................................................120
Event List Editor ................................................................................... 121
Continuous Controller Edit .............................................................. 121
Continuous Controller Screen .......................................................... 121
Pitch Strip Edit ..................................................................................121
Pitch Strip Screen .............................................................................. 121
Poly Pressure Edit .............................................................................. 122
Poly Pressure Screen .......................................................................... 122
Program Change Edit ........................................................................ 122
Program Change Screen .................................................................... 122
Revert to Saved Song ............................................................................ 123
Live Performance Features......................................................................... 124
XMix ..................................................................................................... 124
Using the Repeat Button for Live Performance ....................................126
Mute Hold ............................................................................................. 126
Loop Section ...................................................................................... 127

vi E-MU Systems
Restart/Pattern Fire Key .....................................................................127
Pattern Change Tempo Hold ............................................................127
Event Timing..............................................................................................128
Track Priority .....................................................................................128
Applications ...............................................................................................129
Using the Internal Sequencer with an External MIDI Keyboard .........129
How to Record the Audition Riffs ........................................................130
Controllers Menu ................................................................. 131
Realtime Control Functions.......................................................................132
Keyboard Transpose ..............................................................................132
Keyboard Channel ................................................................................132
Aftertouch Curves .................................................................................132
Local Control On/Off ...........................................................................133
Footswitch Jack Function .....................................................................134
Trigger Buttons Function ......................................................................135
Trigger Buttons .....................................................................................136
Trigger Button Select .........................................................................136
Latch on/off .......................................................................................136
MIDI Key ...........................................................................................136
MIDI Channel ...................................................................................136
Destination ........................................................................................136
Key Velocity .......................................................................................136
Triggers Pattern Select ...........................................................................137
Trigger Mode Quick Select ....................................................................138
Programmable Knobs ............................................................................138
Knob Preset Quick-Edit .........................................................................139
Real-time Controller Assignment .........................................................139
MIDI Footswitch Assign ........................................................................141
Tempo Controller .................................................................................141
Global Menu ........................................................................ 143
Multisetups.................................................................................................144
Restoring Multisetups ...........................................................................144
Multisetup Name ..................................................................................145
Saving Multisetups ................................................................................145
Defining Global Parameters.......................................................................146
Transpose/Tune .....................................................................................146
Bend Range ...........................................................................................146
Velocity Curve ......................................................................................147
Mix Output ...........................................................................................148
Master Effects .............................................................................................150
Effects Mode ..........................................................................................150
Effects Multi Mode Control ..................................................................150
Master FXA Algorithm ..........................................................................151
A Effect Types ....................................................................................151
FXA Parameters: Decay/HF Damping FxB -> FxA .................................152
FXA Send Amounts ...............................................................................152

PX-7 Owners Manual vii
Master FXB Algorithm .......................................................................... 152
B Effect Types .................................................................................... 153
FXB Parameters: Feedback/LFO Rate Delay Time ................................. 153
FXB Send Amounts ............................................................................... 153
Miscellaneous Parameters.......................................................................... 154
Edit All Layers Enable ........................................................................... 154
User Key Tuning ................................................................................... 154
Output Format ...................................................................................... 154
Screen Viewing Angle ........................................................................... 155
MIDI Menu ............................................................................157
Base Tempo ........................................................................................... 158
Pattern Change Tempo Hold ................................................................ 158
Rechannelize Input ............................................................................... 159
Knobs Output MIDI .............................................................................. 160
Transmit MIDI Clock ............................................................................ 160
External Song Start/Stop ....................................................................... 161
Merge MIDI In to MIDI Out ................................................................. 161
MIDI In Channels ................................................................................. 161
MIDI Enable .......................................................................................... 162
Receive Program Change ...................................................................... 162
MIDI Program Change -> Preset ........................................................... 163
MIDI SysEx ID ....................................................................................... 164
MIDI SysEx Packet Delay ...................................................................... 164
Send MIDI System Exclusive Data ........................................................ 164
MIDI Mode ........................................................................................... 166
Programming Basics .............................................................167
Modulation ................................................................................................ 168
Modulation Sources ................................................................................... 169
Random Sources ................................................................................... 170
Modulation PatchCords............................................................................. 170
Envelope Generators.................................................................................. 171
Tempo-based Envelopes .................................................................... 172
Envelope Repeat ................................................................................ 172
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) ............................................................. 173
Clock Modulation...................................................................................... 174
Modulation Destinations........................................................................... 176
Modulation Processors............................................................................... 177
Preset Modulation Processors .................................................................... 179
Using the Modulation Processors .........................................................181
More Examples ..................................................................................... 183
Dynamic Filters.......................................................................................... 185
What is a Filter? ....................................................................................186
Parametric Filters .................................................................................. 189
The Z-Plane Filter .................................................................................. 190
Signal Flow................................................................................................. 191

viii E-MU Systems
MIDI Channels & Real-time Controls .......................................................192
Bank Select Commands ........................................................................194
Stereo Mix Outputs ....................................................................................194
Preset Edit Menu .................................................................. 197
Preset Name ..........................................................................................198
Four Layer Architecture..............................................................................198
Selecting Layers .....................................................................................199
Defining Layer Parameters.........................................................................200
Selecting an Instrument ........................................................................200
Sound Navigator ................................................................................200
Defining Key Range ..............................................................................201
Defining the Velocity Crossfade Range ................................................203
Defining the Real-time Crossfade Range ..............................................205
Transposing the Instrument .................................................................208
Tuning ...................................................................................................209
Background: Transpose vs. Coarse Tuning .......................................209
Amplifier ...............................................................................................209
Volume Envelope ..................................................................................210
Selecting the Mode ............................................................................210
Defining the Volume Envelope .........................................................211
Chorusing the Layer .............................................................................212
Sound Start Offset, Delay & Key-up Layer ............................................212
Non-Transpose Mode ............................................................................214
Solo Mode .............................................................................................214
Assign Group .........................................................................................215
Glide ......................................................................................................216
Z-Plane Filters ........................................................................................217
PX-7 Filter Types ...................................................................................217
Filter Types ........................................................................................217
Filter Parameters ................................................................................219
Filter Envelope ......................................................................................220
Defining the Filter Envelope .............................................................221
Auxiliary Envelope ................................................................................221
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) ........................................................222
Shape .................................................................................................222
Sync ...................................................................................................223
Rate ....................................................................................................223
Delay ..................................................................................................225
Variation ............................................................................................225
PatchCords ............................................................................................226
Modulator Polarity ............................................................................227
Pitch Bend Range ..................................................................................229
Mix Output ...........................................................................................229
Common Preset Parameters.......................................................................230
Preset Effects .........................................................................................230
FXA Algorithm ......................................................................................232
A Effect Types ....................................................................................232
FXA Parameters .....................................................................................233

PX-7 Owners Manual ix
FXA Send Amounts ............................................................................... 233
FXB Algorithm ...................................................................................... 233
B Effect Types .................................................................................... 233
FXB Parameters ..................................................................................... 234
FXB Send Amounts ............................................................................... 234
Preset Patchcords .................................................................................. 234
Initial Controller Amount .................................................................... 236
Keyboard Tuning .................................................................................. 237
Preset Links ........................................................................................... 239
Preset Tempo Offset ..............................................................................239
Audition Riff Selection ......................................................................... 240
Play Solo Layers .................................................................................... 240
Arpeggiator/Beats Menu ......................................................241
Arpeggiators ............................................................................................... 242
Arp Controllers ..................................................................................... 243
Arpeggiator Resolution ...................................................................... 243
Arpeggiator Extension ....................................................................... 243
Arpeggiator Velocity .......................................................................... 243
Arpeggiator Gate ............................................................................... 243
Arpeggiator Interval .......................................................................... 243
Master Arpeggiator Parameters.................................................................. 243
Status ..................................................................................................... 244
Mode ..................................................................................................... 244
Note Value ............................................................................................ 245
Arpeggiator Pattern Speed .................................................................... 245
Pattern .................................................................................................. 245
Velocity ................................................................................................. 246
Gate Time ............................................................................................. 246
Extension Count ................................................................................... 247
Extension Interval ................................................................................ 247
Sync ...................................................................................................... 248
Pre-Delay ............................................................................................... 248
Duration ............................................................................................... 249
Post-Delay ............................................................................................. 249
Recycle .................................................................................................. 250
Keyboard Thru ...................................................................................... 250
Latch ..................................................................................................... 250
Arp/Riff MIDI Out ................................................................................ 251
MIDI Song Start .................................................................................... 251
Send MIDI System Exclusive Data............................................................. 252
Editing a User Arpeggiator Pattern .......................................................252
Pattern Step Number ............................................................................253
Key ........................................................................................................ 253
Key Offset .......................................................................................... 253
Tie ...................................................................................................... 254
Rest .................................................................................................... 254
Skip .................................................................................................... 254
End .................................................................................................... 254

x E-MU Systems
Velocity .................................................................................................254
Duration ................................................................................................255
Repeat ....................................................................................................255
User Pattern Name ................................................................................255
Multichannel Arpeggiating ...................................................................256
Beats ...........................................................................................................257
Beats Mode ............................................................................................259
Status .................................................................................................259
Beats Channel ....................................................................................259
Trigger Channel .................................................................................259
Beats Controllers ...................................................................................262
Beat Velocity Group 1-4 ....................................................................262
Beat Xpose Group 1-4 ........................................................................262
Beat Busy ............................................................................................262
Beat Variation.....................................................................................263
Beats Keys/Trigger Layout .....................................................................264
1-Bar Trigger Option .........................................................................264
Beats Keys Offset ...................................................................................265
Beats Part Velocity ................................................................................265
Beats Part Transpose .............................................................................266
Beats Part Group ...................................................................................267
Master Riff .............................................................................................267
Riff Tempo ............................................................................................268
Riff Controllers .....................................................................................268
Effects ................................................................................... 269
Effects Overview.........................................................................................269
The Effects Sends ..................................................................................269
Effect Types ................................................................................................271
Effect Parameters ...................................................................................271
Decay .................................................................................................272
High Frequency Damping .................................................................272
Feedback ............................................................................................272
LFO Rate ............................................................................................272
Delay ..................................................................................................272
Effects Programmed in the Preset ..............................................................273
Master Effects .............................................................................................274
Effects Mode ..........................................................................................276
Flexible Effects Control .........................................................................276
Using the Effects Channel Settings in Multi Mode ..........................278
Effect B Into Effect A .............................................................................278
General Effect Descriptions........................................................................280
Reverb ...................................................................................................280
Chorus ...................................................................................................281
Doubling ...............................................................................................281
Slapback ................................................................................................281
Stereo Flanger ........................................................................................281
Delay .....................................................................................................282