EMU MP-7 command station User manual

MP-7 Owners Manual i
Owners Manual
© 2001 E-MU Systems
All Rights Reserved
FI11542 Rev. G
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 MP-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 MP-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 .................................................. 4
Foreign Language Warnings - German ................................... 7
Foreign Language Warnings - French .................................. 10
Setup ...................................................................................... 15
Unpacking....................................................................................................15
Connection Instructions..............................................................................16
Basic Setup ..............................................................................................16
Studio Setup ............................................................................................17
Performance Setup ..................................................................................18
Power Down Sequence ................................................................................19
Rack Mounting MP-7 ..................................................................................19
Instant Gratification ............................................................... 21
Playing Patterns & Songs ........................................................................21
Playing Songs ..........................................................................................23
Playing Demo Sequences ........................................................................24
Auditioning Presets .................................................................................24
Selecting and Quick Editing Presets .......................................................25
Exploring the Master Arpeggiator ...........................................................27
Multi-Channel Arpeggiator ....................................................................28
Time to Save? .......................................................................................29

MP-7 Owners Manual iii
Basic Operations .....................................................................31
Power Switch .......................................................................................... 31
Volume Control ...................................................................................... 31
12VDC Lamp .......................................................................................... 31
Mode/View Buttons ..................................................................................... 32
Track/Channel +/- Buttons .....................................................................33
Data Entry Control ................................................................................. 33
Left/Right Cursor Buttons ...................................................................... 33
LED View Select Section ..............................................................................33
Sequencer Controls...................................................................................... 34
Stop Button ............................................................................................. 34
Play Button ............................................................................................. 34
Record Button ......................................................................................... 34
Song Record modes (from Song mode) .............................................. 34
Pattern Record modes (from Pattern mode) ....................................... 34
Tap Tempo ............................................................................................. 34
Edit Section .................................................................................................. 35
Song Edit Button .................................................................................... 35
Pattern Edit Button ................................................................................. 35
Preset Edit Button ................................................................................... 35
Global Button ......................................................................................... 35
Controllers Button .................................................................................. 35
Arpeggiator Button ................................................................................. 36
Real-time Controller Knobs ......................................................................... 37
Knob Functions ...................................................................................... 38
Quick Edit mode ................................................................................. 38
Programmable Knobs mode ................................................................ 39
Multichannel Volume Knobs ..............................................................39
Multichannel Pan Knobs .................................................................... 40
Trigger/Mute Buttons................................................................................... 41
Trigger Mode ........................................................................................... 41
Preset Menu Jump Keys .......................................................................... 41
Touchstrip, Transpose, Keypads & Glide..................................................... 42
Touchstrip Hold ...................................................................................... 42
Transpose Buttons .................................................................................. 42
Rubber Keypads ...................................................................................... 42
Glide Button ........................................................................................... 42
Erase Button ............................................................................................ 43
Repeat Button ......................................................................................... 43
Preset Screen ................................................................................................ 44
MIDI Channel Selection .........................................................................44
Preset Selection ....................................................................................... 44
Channel Volume .................................................................................... 45
Channel Pan ........................................................................................... 46
Channel Arpeggiator .............................................................................. 46
Sound Navigator .......................................................................................... 47
Preset Category ....................................................................................... 47
Instrument Category .............................................................................. 47

iv E-MU Systems
Sequencer .............................................................................. 49
Overview ......................................................................................................50
Definitions ...................................................................................................51
Events ......................................................................................................51
Tracks ......................................................................................................51
Patterns ...................................................................................................51
Pattern Recording & Editing ...............................................................52
The Asterisk .........................................................................................52
Standard MIDI Files .............................................................................52
Songs .......................................................................................................53
Song Record Modes .............................................................................53
Pattern Mode................................................................................................54
Pattern Play .............................................................................................54
Restart Pattern Fire Key ...........................................................................55
Realtime Recording .................................................................................55
Preparing to Record a Pattern .................................................................55
Input Quantize ........................................................................................56
Count In ..................................................................................................57
First Note Record .....................................................................................58
Pattern Length ........................................................................................58
Metronome .............................................................................................59
Recording a Pattern .................................................................................59
Automatic Channel Assignment .........................................................63
Replace Record ........................................................................................64
Grid Recording ........................................................................................65
What is Grid Recording? .....................................................................65
Step Time Recording ...............................................................................69
Note Value/Number of Ticks ............................................................70
Pattern Edit Menu........................................................................................72
Track Enable/Mute Buttons ....................................................................72
Name Pattern ..........................................................................................72
Pattern Length ........................................................................................72
Setting Meter (Time Signature) ...............................................................73
Metronome .............................................................................................74
Loop Section ...........................................................................................75
In Pattern Mode ..................................................................................75
In Song Mode ......................................................................................76
Quantize ..................................................................................................77
Quantize Parameters ...........................................................................77
More about Swing ...............................................................................78
Scale/Shift Start Times ............................................................................79
Tips & Tricks ........................................................................................79
Scale/Shift Duration ................................................................................80
Thin Events .............................................................................................81
Erase Events ............................................................................................83
Transpose ................................................................................................84
Scale/Shift Velocity .................................................................................85
Extend Sequence Data To .......................................................................86
Erase Track ..............................................................................................87

MP-7 Owners Manual v
Cut Track to Clipboard ...........................................................................88
Copy Track to Clipboard ........................................................................ 89
Paste Clipboard to Track ......................................................................... 90
Apply Clipboard Settings ........................................................................91
Explode/Combine Tracks ....................................................................... 92
Combine Tracks .................................................................................. 92
Explode Tracks .................................................................................... 92
Channel Assign ....................................................................................... 94
Multichannel Track Recording ............................................................... 95
Note List Editor .......................................................................................97
Event List Editor .....................................................................................98
Continuous Controller Edit ................................................................ 98
Continuous Controller Screen ............................................................ 98
Pitch Strip Edit ....................................................................................98
Pitch Strip Screen ................................................................................98
Poly Pressure Edit ................................................................................ 99
Poly Pressure Screen ............................................................................ 99
Program Change Edit .......................................................................... 99
Program Change Screen ...................................................................... 99
The Conductor Track (track 0) .......................................................... 101
Conductor Track Screens .................................................................. 101
Revert to Saved Pattern ......................................................................... 103
Song Mode ................................................................................................. 104
Song Play .............................................................................................. 104
Song Step Recording ............................................................................. 104
Realtime Song Recording ...................................................................... 108
Song Edit Menu ......................................................................................... 111
Song Name ............................................................................................ 111
Event Source ......................................................................................... 111
Setting Meter (Time Signature) ............................................................ 112
Metronome ........................................................................................... 113
Quantize ............................................................................................... 113
Scale/Shift Start Times .......................................................................... 114
Scale/Shift Duration ............................................................................. 114
Thin Events ........................................................................................... 114
Erase Events .......................................................................................... 115
Transpose .............................................................................................. 116
Scale/Shift Velocity ............................................................................... 117
Cut Track to Clipboard .........................................................................118
Copy Track to Clipboard ...................................................................... 119
Paste Clipboard to Track ....................................................................... 120
Song Channel Assign ............................................................................ 121
Note List Editor .....................................................................................122
Event List Editor ...................................................................................123
Continuous Controller Edit .............................................................. 123
Continuous Controller Screen .......................................................... 123
Pitch Strip Edit ..................................................................................123
Pitch Strip Screen ..............................................................................123
Poly Pressure Edit .............................................................................. 124
Poly Pressure Screen .......................................................................... 124

vi E-MU Systems
Program Change Edit ........................................................................124
Program Change Screen ....................................................................124
Revert to Saved Song .............................................................................125
Live Performance Features .........................................................................126
XMix .....................................................................................................126
Using the Repeat Button for Live Performance ....................................128
Mute Hold .............................................................................................128
Loop Section ......................................................................................129
Restart Pattern Fire Key .....................................................................129
Pattern Change Tempo Hold ............................................................129
Event Timing..............................................................................................130
Track Priority .....................................................................................130
Applications ...............................................................................................131
Using the Internal Sequencer with an External MIDI Keyboard .........131
How to Record the Audition Riffs ........................................................132
Controllers Menu ................................................................. 133
Realtime Control Functions.......................................................................134
Keyboard Transpose ..............................................................................134
Keyboard Channel ................................................................................134
Aftertouch Curves .................................................................................134
Local Control On/Off ...........................................................................135
Footswitch Jack Function .....................................................................136
Trigger Buttons Function ......................................................................137
Trigger Buttons .....................................................................................138
Trigger Button Select .........................................................................138
Latch on/off .......................................................................................138
MIDI Key ...........................................................................................138
MIDI Channel ...................................................................................138
Destination ........................................................................................138
Key Velocity .......................................................................................138
Triggers Pattern Select ...........................................................................139
Trigger Mode Quick Select ....................................................................140
Programmable Knobs ............................................................................140
Knob Preset Quick-Edit .........................................................................141
Real-time Controller Assignment .........................................................141
MIDI Footswitch Assign ........................................................................143
Tempo Controller .................................................................................143

MP-7 Owners Manual vii
Global Menu .........................................................................145
Multisetups ................................................................................................ 146
Restoring Multisetups ........................................................................... 146
Multisetup Name .................................................................................. 147
Saving Multisetups ............................................................................... 147
Defining Global Parameters....................................................................... 148
Transpose/Tune .................................................................................... 148
Bend Range ........................................................................................... 148
Velocity Curve ...................................................................................... 149
Mix Output ........................................................................................... 150
Master Effects............................................................................................. 152
Effects Mode ......................................................................................... 152
Effects Multi Mode Control .................................................................. 152
Master FXA Algorithm .......................................................................... 153
A Effect Types .................................................................................... 153
FXA Parameters: Decay/HF Damping FxB -> FxA ................................ 154
FXA Send Amounts ............................................................................... 154
Master FXB Algorithm .......................................................................... 154
B Effect Types .................................................................................... 155
FXB Parameters: Feedback/LFO Rate Delay Time ................................. 155
FXB Send Amounts ............................................................................... 155
Miscellaneous Parameters.......................................................................... 156
Edit All Layers Enable ........................................................................... 156
User Key Tuning ................................................................................... 156
Output Format ...................................................................................... 156
Screen Viewing Angle ........................................................................... 157
MIDI Menu ............................................................................159
Base Tempo ........................................................................................... 160
Pattern Change Tempo Hold ................................................................ 160
Rechannelize Input ............................................................................... 161
Keyboard Outputs MIDI ....................................................................... 162
Knobs Output MIDI .............................................................................. 162
Transmit MIDI Clock ............................................................................ 162
External Song Start/Stop ....................................................................... 163
Merge MIDI In to MIDI Out ................................................................. 163
MIDI In Channels ................................................................................. 163
MIDI Enable .......................................................................................... 164
Receive Program Change ...................................................................... 164
MIDI Program Change -> Preset ........................................................... 165
MIDI SysEx ID ....................................................................................... 166
MIDI SysEx Packet Delay ...................................................................... 166
Send MIDI System Exclusive Data ........................................................ 166
MIDI Mode ........................................................................................... 168

viii E-MU Systems
Programming Basics ............................................................ 169
Modulation ................................................................................................170
Modulation Sources ...................................................................................171
Random Sources ....................................................................................172
Modulation PatchCords.............................................................................172
Envelope Generators..................................................................................173
Tempo-based Envelopes ....................................................................174
Envelope Repeat ................................................................................174
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) .............................................................175
Clock Modulation ......................................................................................176
Modulation Destinations...........................................................................178
Modulation Processors...............................................................................179
Preset Modulation Processors ....................................................................181
Using the Modulation Processors .........................................................183
More Examples ......................................................................................185
Dynamic Filters ..........................................................................................187
What is a Filter? ....................................................................................188
Parametric Filters ..................................................................................191
The Z-Plane Filter ..................................................................................192
Signal Flow .................................................................................................193
MIDI Channels & Real-time Controls .......................................................194
Bank Select Commands ........................................................................196
Stereo Mix Outputs ....................................................................................197
Preset Edit Menu .................................................................. 199
Preset Name ..........................................................................................200
Four Layer Architecture..............................................................................200
Selecting Layers .....................................................................................201
Defining Layer Parameters.........................................................................202
Selecting an Instrument ........................................................................202
Sound Navigator ................................................................................202
Defining Key Range ..............................................................................203
Defining the Velocity Crossfade Range ................................................205
Defining the Real-time Crossfade Range ..............................................207
Transposing the Instrument .................................................................210
Tuning ...................................................................................................211
Background: Transpose vs. Coarse Tuning .......................................211
Amplifier ...............................................................................................211
Volume Envelope ..................................................................................212
Selecting the Mode ............................................................................212
Defining the Volume Envelope .........................................................213
Chorusing the Layer .............................................................................214
Sound Start Offset, Delay & Key-up Layer ............................................214
Non-Transpose Mode ............................................................................216
Solo Mode .............................................................................................216
Assign Group .........................................................................................217
Glide ......................................................................................................218

MP-7 Owners Manual ix
Z-Plane Filters ....................................................................................... 219
MP-7 Filter Types .................................................................................. 219
Filter Types ........................................................................................ 219
Filter Parameters ................................................................................ 221
Filter Envelope ...................................................................................... 222
Defining the Filter Envelope ............................................................. 223
Auxiliary Envelope ............................................................................... 223
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) ........................................................ 224
Shape ................................................................................................. 224
Sync ................................................................................................... 225
Rate .................................................................................................... 225
Delay ................................................................................................. 227
Variation ........................................................................................... 227
PatchCords ............................................................................................ 228
Modulator Polarity ............................................................................ 229
Pitch Bend Range .................................................................................. 231
Mix Output ........................................................................................... 231
Common Preset Parameters....................................................................... 232
Preset Effects ......................................................................................... 232
FXA Algorithm ...................................................................................... 234
A Effect Types .................................................................................... 234
FXA Parameters ..................................................................................... 235
FXA Send Amounts ............................................................................... 235
FXB Algorithm ...................................................................................... 235
B Effect Types .................................................................................... 235
FXB Parameters ..................................................................................... 236
FXB Send Amounts ............................................................................... 236
Preset Patchcords .................................................................................. 236
Initial Controller Amount .................................................................... 238
Keyboard Tuning .................................................................................. 239
Preset Links ........................................................................................... 241
Preset Tempo Offset ..............................................................................242
Audition Riff Selection ......................................................................... 242
Play Solo Layers .................................................................................... 242
Arpeggiator/Beats Menu ......................................................243
Arpeggiators ............................................................................................... 244
Arp Controllers ..................................................................................... 245
Arpeggiator Resolution ..................................................................... 245
Arpeggiator Extension ....................................................................... 245
Arpeggiator Velocity ......................................................................... 245
Arpeggiator Gate ............................................................................... 245
Arpeggiator Interval .......................................................................... 245
Master Arpeggiator Parameters.................................................................. 245
Status ..................................................................................................... 246
Mode ..................................................................................................... 246
Note Value ............................................................................................ 247
Arpeggiator Pattern Speed .................................................................... 247
Pattern .................................................................................................. 247

x E-MU Systems
Velocity .................................................................................................248
Gate Time ..............................................................................................248
Extension Count ...................................................................................249
Extension Interval .................................................................................249
Sync .......................................................................................................250
Pre-Delay ...............................................................................................250
Duration ................................................................................................251
Post-Delay .............................................................................................251
Recycle ..................................................................................................252
Keyboard Thru ......................................................................................252
Latch .....................................................................................................252
Arp/Riff MIDI Out .................................................................................253
MIDI Song Start ....................................................................................254
Send MIDI System Exclusive Data ........................................................254
Editing a User Arpeggiator Pattern .......................................................255
Pattern Step Number .............................................................................255
Key ........................................................................................................256
Key Offset ..........................................................................................256
Tie ......................................................................................................256
Rest ....................................................................................................256
Skip ....................................................................................................256
End .....................................................................................................257
Velocity .................................................................................................257
Duration ................................................................................................257
Repeat ....................................................................................................257
User Pattern Name ................................................................................258
Multichannel Arpeggiating ...................................................................258
Beats ...........................................................................................................259
Beats Mode ............................................................................................261
Status .................................................................................................261
Beats Channel ....................................................................................261
Trigger Channel ................................................................................261
Beats Controllers ...................................................................................264
Beat Velocity Group 1-4 ....................................................................264
Beat Xpose Group 1-4 .......................................................................264
Beat Busy ..........................................................................................264
Beat Variation ....................................................................................265
Beats Keys/Trigger Layout .....................................................................266
1-Bar Trigger Option .........................................................................266
Beats Keys Offset ...................................................................................267
Beats Part Velocity ................................................................................267
Beats Part Transpose .............................................................................268
Beats Part Group ...................................................................................269
Master Riff .............................................................................................269
Riff Tempo ............................................................................................270
Riff Controllers .....................................................................................270