Roland VariOS User manual

1
New functionality added to the V-Producer
VariOS Keyboard
Owner’s Manual p.95
The design of the VariOS Keyboard has been revised, and a new
arpeggiator function has been added.
fig
(Click this icon to) Start up the VariOS Keyboard.
fig
Open/Close buttons
fig
Close the MIDI Monitor screen or Arpeggiator screen.
MIDI Monitor Screen
fig
Displays the MIDI messages of the part(s) specified by the part buttons.
Monitor Part buttons
fig
When you click a Part button, the performance data of the selected
part will be reflected by the screen and keyboard.
ARPEGGIO switch
fig
Switches the Arpeggio function on/off.
HOLD button
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By clicking this button, you can have arpeggios continue even after
you've released your fingers from the keyboard. If you play a different
chord or notes while an arpeggio is being held, the arpeggio will
change accordingly. To cancel Arpeggio Hold, press [HOLD] again.
TIMING knob
fig
The arpeggios are synchronized to the tempo of V-Producer. This
knob specifies the note value (note timing step) for each note of the
arpeggiator when synchronized.
OCTAVE RANGE buttons
fig
Sets the key range in octaves over which arpeggios will be produced.
If you want the arpeggio to sound using only the notes that you
actually play, set this parameter to "0." To have the arpeggio sound
using the notes you play and notes one octave higher, set this
parameter to "+1." A setting of "-1" will cause the arpeggio to sound
using the notes you play and notes one octave lower.
ARPEGGIO MODE buttons
fig
Sets the order in which notes of the chord will sound.
NOTE ORDER: Notes will be sounded in the order in which you press them.
UP: Notes you press will be sounded upward, from low to high.
DW: Notes you press will be sounded downward, from high to low.
U&D: Notes you press will first be sounded upward, from low to
high, and then back downward, from high to low.
RND: Notes you press will be sounded in random order.
GATE TIME knob
fig
Specifies the gate time of each arpeggiated note as a percentage of its
timing value.

2
LEGATO button
fig
If this button is ON, each note of the arpeggio will be played legato;
the gate time knob setting will be ignored. You can use this to
produce a distinctive arpeggio effect that occupies the entire phrase.
Keyboard
fig
You can click the keyboard area to audition the sample selected in the
Sample List. At this time, the keys will light yellow according to the
note you clicked. The keys will also light yellow in response to note-
on messages from an external MIDI keyboard, or note-on data from a
playing part specified by the part buttons.
VIEW NOTE NAME button
fig
By pressing this button you can switch the note names of the note-on
keys between displayed and hidden.
USE PC KEY button
fig
After pressing this button, you will be able to turn notes on/off from
the keyboard of your computer.
fig
The keys of your computer keyboard
will correspond to notes as shown in
the diagram.
Use the left/right keys to shift the
octave. To exit this function, press this
button again.
VariOS Pad
Owner’s Manual p.96
The VariOS Keyboard's Surface controller is now independent, and a
new VariOS Pad screen has been added.
fig
(Click this icon to) Start up VariOS Pad.
fig
Target Part button
fig
When you click the Part button, VariOS Pad control data will be sent
to the selected part. Pitch, time, and formant data for the selected part
will be reflected by the Surface controller and knobs. If all part
buttons are off, the sample selected in the Sample List will be
controlled.
* If you use the VariOS Pad to control the selected part while you
perform, the pitch, time, and formant data originally stored in the frame
of the part will be ignored; the control data from the VariOS Pad will
take priority. If the part button is off, the pitch, time, and formant data
stored in the frame of the part will be used.
* When you specify the target part, knob operations on the VariOS itself
will also apply to the part you select here.
Surface controller
fig
ASSIGN buttons
fig
PITCH/TIME/FORMANT knobs
fig
You can drag these knobs to control the pitch/time/formant.
These knobs are linked with the Surface controller.
Resetting PITCH/TIME/FORMANT
When you press the [X] key, any pitch/time/formant values that
have been modified by means of the knobs or Surface controller will
be reset to their center values.
Inputting TIME zero
TIME zero will be input while you hold down the [Z] key. When you
release the key, the time will return to the center value. This is a
convenient way to rhythmically input a TIME zero value to create the
distinctive VariPhrase "buzz."
By dragging the mouse inside this
frame, you can simultaneously
control both pitch and time.
By clicking an ASSIGN button you
can assign the [P] pitch, [T] time,
and [F] formant parameters to each
axis.
It is possible to specify the same
parameter for the X-axis and Y-axis;
e.g., PITCH-PITCH or TIME-TIME.
However, in this case, the X-axis
movement will be ignored, and
control will occur only on the Y-
axis.

3
Editing in the Phrase Scope:
Waveform display area
Owner’s Manual p.77
You can now use your mouse to directly edit the waveform area of
the PhraseScope.
In the waveform display area you can use the Arrow button, Scissors
button, and Bond button.
Arrow button
fig
•To select a region in units of events, click and drag in an area that
does not contain a waveform.
• To edit the pitch of a selected region, drag upward or downward
on the waveform. When you edit the pitch in this way, the
corresponding note will also move.
• To edit the timing of the selected region, drag left or right on the
waveform. You can also edit the timing of an event (blue line) by
dragging it left or right. When you edit the timing in this way, the
Time parameter in the controller display area will also change.
For example, you can make approximate timing adjustments in
the waveform display area, and directly edit the Time curve to
make fine changes. You can reset the Time curve to restore the
settings to their original state.
* If you want to limit the movement of the waveform to the vertical
direction, hold down the [Shift] key and drag the waveform upward or
downward.
* If the Grid button is on, the waveform will "stick to" the grid lines as
you move it.
* If the Time parameter reaches the maximum or minimum limits of its
value, you will not be able to move the waveform any further to left or
right.
Scissors button
fig
This lets you divide the waveform into two. As with the original
waveform, you can move the divided waveform up, down, left, or
right. The dividing point is shown in light blue, and can be moved
left/right in the same way as an event (blue line). For example, you
can divide the waveform at breaks in the song lyrics, and change the
melody or timing of the vocal notes. When you divide the waveform,
the note will also be divided at the corresponding location. When you
move the divided notes to left/right, the dividing points of the
waveform will also move. However, the location of the event (blue
line) is fixed in relation to the waveform; moving the note will not
move the event.
Bond button
fig
This lets you re-join waveforms that were divided by the Scissors
button. To join two waveforms, place them on the same horizontal
level, and click the point where they join (light blue line).
Differences between editing in the Waveform
display area and the Note display area
The difference between moving a waveform left/right and moving a
note left/right is that in the former the Time parameter is used to
stretch/shrink the waveform, while in the latter, the legato timing or
trigger timing of the note is controlled, so the waveform is not
stretched or shrunk. Another difference is that you can add or delete
notes in the Note display area, but cannot add or delete waveforms in
the Waveform display area.
PhraseScope: Harmony function
Owner’s Manual p.77
A Harmony function has been added to the PhraseScope.
Harmony is a function that generates chords with the selected note as
the root. This is an easy way to create harmonies.
1. Click the note from which you want to create a chord.
2. Click the Harmony button ( ), and choose the desired
chord from the list of chord types.
The Harmony function applies to each note that you have
selected. For example, if you select several notes that already
form a chord, and apply this function, a chord will be generated
from each note, producing an unexpectedly large number of
notes. Be sure to select only the root note.
Also, if notes already exist at the same time-axis location,
executing the Harmony function will automatically delete these
notes, replacing them with the newly generated notes.
Inversion button
You can press the Inversion button to move the lowest (highest) of
the selected notes one octave upward (downward). By selecting notes
in the chord and clicking the Inversion button you can create inverted
forms of the chord.
Export Wave File
Owner’s Manual p.91
When you use the File menu command [Export Wave File] to export a
wave file, the VariOS's internal effect will now be applied to the wave
file.
Also, a new [Selected Frames] option has been added in addition to
[Stereo Wave File] and [Multiple Wave Files].
Selected Frames: Export the frames selected in the Vari Track as a
single Wave file.
Dry checkbox
The dialog boxes of the Export Wave File command have a [Dry]
check box. If [Dry] is checked, the VariOS's internal effects will not be
applied to the Wave file that is exported.
fig

4
Even if the sound does not clip (distort) when played back by the
VariOS's sound generator, there may be cases in which clipping
(distortion) is present in the exported sample. If this occurs, use
the mixer to lower the overall level, or lower the Master Level of
the effect.
If you use an effect of a type that varies cyclically, the sound will
be slightly different each time you play something back. In such
cases, the exported Wave file may sound different than what you
hear from the VariOS's sound generator. Also, the exported Wave
file may not perfectly match the sound you hear from the
VariOS's sound generator.
Export to SampleList
Owner’s Manual p.68, 91
An [Export to Sample List] command has been added to the File
menu. Also, an [Export to SampleList] button ( ) has been
added to the Vari Track screens.
Export to SampleList exports the selected frame to a single file (.vpw),
and automatically encodes it and sends it to the VariOS. The exported
file is registered in the Sample List.
1. Select a frame, and click the Export to SampleList button.
* This is not available during playback, or if no frame is selected in the
VariTrack.
2. The Save File dialog box will appear. Specify the name and
save destination for the file (.vpw) to be exported.
3. The data will be exported as a Wave file, encoded, and sent to
the VariOS itself. When this processing is completed, the
exported file will be registered in the Sample List.
Dry checkbox
If [Dry] is checked, the VariOS's internal effects will not be applied to
the Wave file that is exported.
fig
The Export to SampleList function automatically adjusts the gain
of the exported file so that the perceptual loudness will be the
same whether you play the corresponding frame, or export it to a
file and load the exported file back into the VariOS and play it.
This means that in cases where you are mixing multiple parts
(frames) to a single file, it is possible that the exported sample
may be distorted even if it does not distort when played back by
the VariOS sound generator. If this occurs, either use the mixer to
lower the level of each part, or use the [Load Wave Files] dialog
box to load the Wave file that was exported by the File menu
[Export Wave File] command into the VariOS.
If you use an effect of a type that varies cyclically, the sound will
be slightly different each time you play something back. In such
cases, the exported Wave file may sound different than what you
hear from the VariOS's sound generator. Also, the exported Wave
file may not perfectly match the sound you hear from the
VariOS's sound generator.
Wave Edit: Solo Encode Option
Owner’s Manual p.66
fig
A [Solo Enc Option] button has been added to the Edit mode in the
Wave Edit screen.
If you have selected Solo as the Encode Type, you can make detailed
encoding settings in the Solo Encode Option dialog box.
You will find that this option comes in handy if you experience
problems, such as noisy or distorted sound, when encoding in Solo
mode. In most cases, these problems are due to incorrect pitch
detection when encoding. In the Solo Encode Option dialog box you
can avoid pitch detection mistakes by specifying a frequency that is
as close as possible to the pitch of that waveform.
fig
Sample Type: Selects one of the following templates to specify the
lower and upper frequency limits.
• General (30--2000 Hz): This is the typical setting. If you are not
successful using this setting, try a different template.
• Bass (22--600 Hz): Setting for low-range sounds such as bass
• Tenor (60--1000 Hz): Setting for midrange sounds
• Alto (100--2000 Hz): Setting for upper-midrange sounds
• Soprano (200--3000 Hz): Setting for high-range sounds
Min Frequency: Specifies the lower frequency limit for pitch
detection.
Max Frequency: Specifies the upper frequency limit for pitch
detection.
*The best results will be obtained if you specify values that are close to the
waveform you are processing.
40564467 03’-8-1N