Yamaha PLG150-AN User manual

AN Expert Editor
Manual
Important Notices
The AN Expert Editor provides an easy, intuitive way to edit and create your own original
AN voices for the PLG150-AN Plug-in Board.
Do not use any of the panel controls on an external synthesizer while editing the AN
voices with the AN Expert Editor, since this may inadvertently change the settings of the
PLG150-AN.
Copyright Notices
• The software and this owner’s manual are the exclusive copyrights of Yamaha Corpora-
tion.
• Copying of the software or reproduction of this manual in whole or in part by any
means is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the manufacturer.
• Copying of the commercially available music sequence data and/or digital audio files is
strictly prohibited except for your personal use.
Trade Marks and Registered Trade Marks
• The company names and product names in this Owner’s Manual are the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Notices
• Yamaha makes no representations or warranties with regard to the use of the software
and documentation and cannot be held responsible for the results of the use of this
manual and the software.
• The windows and illustrations in this manual are for instructional purposes only, and
may slightly different from the ones shown on your software.
About this manual
• The screens shown in this manual are almost all on Windows systems. Although some
screens may differ for Macintosh systems, the basic operations are the same.
• Keyboard shortcuts referred in this manual are effective for only Windows system.
For Windows users
When you use the AN Expert Editor, set “Font Size” to “Small Fonts” at the “Control Panel | Display | (Settings |)
Advanced” page. If “Large Fonts” is selected, messages in some dialog boxes may not be displayed properly.
Copyright © 2001-2002 Yamaha Corporation. All rights reserved.
Version 1.1, 2002
YAMAHA CORPORATION

2
About the AN Expert Editor
The AN Expert Editor is providing an exceptionally simple, convenient and intuitive way
to edit and control all of the AN parameters on the PLG150-AN Plug-in Board. Virtual
“knobs,” “buttons” and a special “LCD display” let you change parameters just as if you
were operating an actual synthesizer control panel!
The AN Expert Editor lets you save your edits as an original User voice and store up to
128 User voices and User Step Sequencer patterns. Naturally, you can save the data
to floppy disks or your hard disk drive as AN Expert Files. The AN Expert Editor also
features a convenient, easy-to-use AN Librarian that lets you organize your User voices.
Editing on the AN Expert Editor is done from the Main Window.
For general instructions and explanations on how to use the AN Expert Editor, see Set-
ting and Changing Parameter Values and Toolbar. For information on specific, com-
monly used operations, see Operations.

3
Operations
• The following information pertains only to the Plug-in Editor.
In order to play and edit the PLG150-AN, the AN voice must be assigned to a Part on
the tone generator/sound card. This can be done from two separate menus on the AN
Expert Editor: the initial Select AN Part Pop-up Menu (which appears automatically
whenever you start the AN Expert Editor) and AN Expert Editor Setup.
■ Select AN Part Pop-up Menu.......................................
• [Cancel] button may not be available depending on the editor you use.
z Select the desired Part.
The Select AN Part pop-up menu appears when you first call up the AN Expert Edi-
tor. Select the desired Part from the Part combo box.
• When using a Modular Synthesis Plug-in System “mother” device, the Part assignment
depends on which mode is used — Voice or Performance — and also on whether the PLG150-
AN board is installed/assigned to PLG1 or PLG2, as described below.
When using the Voice mode:
Set the Part to “1” (no matter what the PLG1 or PLG2 assignment is).
When using the Performance (Multi) mode:
If the PLG150-AN board is assigned to PLG1, set the Part to “16.”
If the PLG150-AN board is assigned to PLG2, set the Part to “15.”
x Click “OK.”
• Click “Details” to call up the AN Expert Editor Setup menu for making more detailed settings.
Assigning the PLG150-AN to a Part

4
Operations /
Assigning the PLG150-AN to a Part
■ Using the AN Expert Editor Setup..............................
Even after you’ve set the AN Part from the pop-up menu, you can change the setting
during an editing session from the AN Expert Editor Setup dialog box.
z Select “AN Expert Editor Setup.”
While the AN Expert Editor is active and selected, click “Setup” on the menu bar,
then select “AN Expert Editor Setup.” (Keyboard shortcut: [Alt], [U], [U], then
[ENTER].)
• “AN Expert Editor Setup” can also be selected from the toolbar.
x Select the desired Part.
Do this from the Part No. combo box in the MIDI tab. Make other settings if neces-
sary. (See AN Expert Editor Setup.)
c Click “OK.”

5
Operations /
Selecting an AN Voice
Selecting an AN voice is the important first step in editing. You can select a voice from
Preset 1, Preset 2, or User banks (each of which contains 128 voices). Once you’ve
edited a voice you can store it to the User bank as your original voice and save it to a
floppy disk/hard disk drive with other voices as an AN Expert File.
AN voices can be selected from either the Edit Panel window or the main control panel
window.
• Make sure to store your edits to a voice before selecting another voice. If you’ve edited the
AN Expert Editor parameters and then select a different voice, all your edited parameters will
be initialized to the default values of the newly selected voice.
z Select “AN Voice List.”
Click the VOICE button at the bottom right of the main control panel.
You can also quickly call up this dialog box by right-clicking any inactive part of the
window (on the Macintosh, click while holding the CONTROL key) and clicking “AN
Voice List” in the pop-up menu. Or, you can click “Edit” on the menu bar, then
select “AN Voice List.” (Keyboard shortcut: [Alt], [E], [V].)
x Select the desired voice.
Click on the desired voice, then close the dialog box (click the close button) to
return to the main control panel window. (You can also do this by clicking anywhere
on the main control panel.)
Selecting an AN Voice

6
Operations /
Editing an AN Voice
z Select the desired voice.
Refer to Selecting an AN Voice.
x Edit the voice parameters as desired from the main control
panel.
The main window of the AN Expert Editor provides a “virtual” control panel with
knobs and buttons, and lets you edit the voices much as you would if you were
operating an actual hardware synthesizer.
c Store the edited settings as a User voice, then save it with other
edited voices as an AN Expert File.
Use the Store operation to store your newly edited voice. Then use the Save oper-
ation to save that edited voice with other User voices to an AN Expert File.
Both the Store and Save operations are necessary to ensure that your voice is
saved properly. Failing to do so would be roughly similar to writing a letter but not
putting it in an envelope and sending it. Make sure to execute both operations
when you wish to keep a voice you’ve edited.
Editing an AN Voice

7
Operations /
Initializing an AN Voice to the Default Settings
This function allows you to reset all the parameters of the selected voice to the factory
“initial voice” default values. This gives you a “blank slate” from which you can create
your own voice.
Keep in mind that this operation automatically erases all the settings of the selected
voice. If you wish to save the voice for future recall, use the Store and Save functions.
z Select “AN Voice List.”
Click the VOICE button at the bottom right of the main control panel.
You can also quickly call up this dialog box by right-clicking any inactive part of the
window (on the Macintosh, click while holding the CONTROL key) and clicking “AN
Voice List” in the pop-up menu. Or, you can click “Edit” on the menu bar, then
select “AN Voice List.” (Keyboard shortcut: [Alt], [E], [V].)
x Select the User bank and the desired voice to be initialized.
Click on the User bank button, then click on the desired voice.
c Initialize the voice.
Click the “Voice Init” button in the dialog box. The specified voice is initialized and
automatically selected for editing.
To return to the main control panel window, close the dialog box (click the close but-
ton). (You can also do this by clicking anywhere on the main control panel.)
• If you want to initialize all User voices, then click on the “INIT ALL” button in the AN Librarian
window.
Initializing an AN Voice to the Default Settings

8
Operations /
Storing an AN Voice
This operation lets you store your voice edits as a User voice.
• To ensure that your new voice is available for future recall, make sure to also save the voice
(with other voices) to an AN Expert File.
z Select “AN Store.”
Click the red STORE button at the bottom right of the main control panel.
You can also quickly call up this dialog box by right-clicking any inactive part of the
window (on the Macintosh, click while holding the CONTROL key) and clicking “AN
Store” in the pop-up menu. Or, click “Edit” on the menu bar, then select “AN Store.”
(Keyboard shortcut: [Alt], [E], [S].)
x Select the destination voice.
Click on the desired voice in the dialog box. Keep in mind that this voice will be
erased and replaced with the newly edited voice.
c Store the voice.
Click the “Store” button in the dialog box. The newly edited voice is stored to the
selected location.
• This operation deletes the original voice data at the destination.
• Keep in mind that this operation stores your voice data only into the User voice memory of
the AN Expert Editor and sends the current voice’s bulk data to the PLG150-AN. The current
voice bulk data will be lost if you select another voice on the panel of the plug-in “mother”
device. If you want to select a voice on the panel of the “mother” device, you should first
transmit the User Voice. (Refer to Transmit AN Bulk Dump Data in the AN Expert Editor Setup,
Insert & Transmit tab.) There is no need to transmit AN Bulk Dump Data if you select a voice
in the Voice List of the AN Expert Editor, since the current voice bulk data is sent with that
operation.
• The User voice data of the PLG150-AN is lost when the “mother” device is turned off. In order
to store User voices on a Modular Synthesis Plug-in System compatible instrument that have
been edited/created with the computer-based AN Expert Editor (or with the compatible instru-
ment itself), you’ll need to use an external memory device, such as a memory card. For
details on storing voices, refer to the owner’s manual of your Modular Synthesis Plug-in Sys-
tem compatible instrument.
Storing an AN Voice

9
Operations / Saving data to an AN Expert File / Calling Up data from an AN Expert File (Open)
Once you’ve edited an AN voice and pattern to your satisfaction you can save it to an
AN Expert File. Each AN Expert File can contain up to 128 voices and 128 Step
Sequencer patterns, and these can be called up at any time with the Open function.
(Also see Calling Up data from an AN Expert File.)
Additional AN Expert files (each with 128 User voices and 128 User Step Sequencer
patterns) can be saved to floppy disks or your hard disk drive --- giving you unlimited
storage for your original voices. For organizing the voices in the AN Expert Files, use
the convenient AN Librarian function.
z Select “Save AN Expert File.”
Click “File” on the menu bar, then select “Save AN Expert File.” (Keyboard shortcut:
[Alt], [F], [W].)
• “Save AN Expert File” can also be selected from the toolbar.
x Select the desired folder, type in the file name, and click “Save.”
Once you’ve saved a set of User voices and User Step Sequencer patterns to one or
more AN Expert Files (see Saving Voices), you can instantly call up the desired voices
with this command.
To create a new AN Expert File, use the New AN Expert File command.
z Select “Open AN Expert File.”
Click “File” on the menu bar, then select “Open AN Expert File.” (Keyboard short-
cut: [Alt], [F], [R].) Open AN Expert File is also available on the toolbar.
x Select the desired folder and file name, then click “Open.”
• Keep in mind that this operation loads the User voice and Step Sequencer pattern data only
into the User voice memory of the AN Expert Editor. After opening a file, if you want to play
with these Voices or Step Sequencer patterns separate from the AN Expert Editor, you should
transmit the User voice or Step Sequencer pattern data. (Refer to Transmit AN Bulk Dump
Data in the AN Expert Editor Setup, Insert & Transmit tab.) There is no need to transmit AN
Bulk Dump Data if you select a voice in the Voice List of the AN Expert Editor, since the cur-
rent voice bulk data is sent with that operation.
Saving data to an AN Expert File
Calling Up data from an AN Expert File (Open)

10
Operations /
Inserting Edited Voice Data to a Track
• The following information pertains only to the Plug-in Editor.
User voice (or User Step Sequencer pattern) data can be inserted to a host applica-
tion's track (using Insert AN Bulk Dump Data). By inserting appropriate data at appro-
priate points in the song, you can have the AN voices change automatically as needed.
z Select “AN Expert Editor Setup.”
Click “Setup” on the menu bar, then select “AN Expert Editor Setup.” (Keyboard
shortcut: [Alt], [U], [U], [ENTER].)
• “AN Expert Editor Setup” can also be selected from the toolbar.
x Select the “Insert & Transmit” tab.
c Click on the desired settings.
v Click “OK.”
b Select “Insert AN Bulk Dump Data” from the Setup menu (key-
board shortcut: [Alt], [U], [I]), or from the toolbar.
n Set the location (Track, Measure, Beat, and Clock).
m Click “OK.”
By using the Insert and Extract functions together, you can record and recall your edits as
needed — giving you an unlimited amount of “undos.” For each major edit, use Insert to save
the edited condition to a section of a track (inserting each edit to subsequent sections of the
same track). Then, to recall any given edit, use the Extract function and select the appropriate
range of measures.
Inserting Edited Voice Data to a Track

11
Operations /
Using the Morphing Function
This exceptionally powerful function allows you to use any MIDI controller (such as a
modulation wheel, foot controller, or after touch) to “morph” or crossfade between two
distinct voices — in real time as you play! Naturally, you can record controller data to a
sequencer for automated morphing within a song as well. This lets you create dramatic
or subtle sonic changes in your performance or song.
• The AN Morphing settings apply to all voices for the AN Expert Editor, and cannot be set inde-
pendently for each voice (this includes the MORPH switch).
z Select “AN Morphing.”
Click “Setup” on the menu bar, then select “AN Morphing.” (Keyboard shortcut:
[Alt], [U], [P].)
• “AN Morphing” can also be selected from the toolbar.
x Select the desired MIDI controller.
Do this from the “Morphing Controller” combo box. After touch (AT) or any one of
the 95 control change numbers can be selected. For example, if controller #1 is
specified here, the modulation wheel on a MIDI keyboard can be used to morph
between the two voices.
• The particular MIDI controller and its actual number assignment may depend on settings
made to the connected MIDI instrument; see the relevant owner’s manual for details. Also,
refer to the list of control change numbers and their commonly used controllers.
c Select the desired voice for Morphing.
Using the Morphing Function

12
Operations /
Recording Within the AN Expert Editor
To do this:
1) Specify a bank by clicking on the desired bank button: Preset 1, Preset 2, or
User.
2) Click on the voice combo box and select the desired voice. For a complete list
of available voices, see the Voice List in the PLG150-AN Owner’s Manual.
• Each voice name is preceded by a two-letter category abbreviation that indicates the general
instrument group to which the voice belongs. For example, “Ld” indicates “lead,” “Ba” indi-
cates “bass,” “Pd” indicates “pad,” and so on. For details, see the Voice List in the PLG150-
AN Owner’s Manual.
v Turn on the MORPH switch on the AN Expert Editor’s control
panel.
b Use the appropriate controller (modulation wheel, after touch,
foot controller, etc.) while you play, to morph between the two
voices.
• The following information pertains only to the Plug-in Editor.
• Depending on your particular host application, certain operation steps may differ and/or
some functions may not be available.
This powerful and convenient function allows you to record continuous edits to the AN
voice in real time. For example, if you’ve recorded note data to one track in host appli-
cation, you can use the AN Expert Editor to create gradual, dynamic changes in the
track with any of the AN Expert Editor parameters. These changes can be saved with
the song and can be played back exactly as you recorded them.
z Select “AN Expert Editor Setup.”
Click “Setup” on the menu bar, then select “AN Expert Editor Setup.” (Keyboard
shortcut: [Alt], [U], [U], [ENTER].)
• “AN Expert Editor Setup” can also be selected from the toolbar.
x Select the desired track for recording.
Do this from the “REC Track” combo box in the MIDI tab. For most practical pur-
poses, this track should be one to which you have already recorded note data and
intended for use with an AN voice. Note that you can record the track without hav-
ing to go to the Track View window in host application and enable it.
Recording Within the AN Expert Editor

13
Operations /
Recording Within the AN Expert Editor
c Click “OK.”
v Set recording-standby.
Click “Edit” on the menu bar, then select “Record.” Alternately, click on the Record
button in the toolbar.
b Start recording on the host applications.
n Edit the AN parameters as desired.
Any edits you make within the AN Expert Editor are recorded in real time, as you
make them.You can even record voice changes in real time.
m Stop recording on the host applications.
, Exit from recording-standby.
Click “Edit” on the menu bar, then select “Record.” Alternately, click on the Record
button in the toolbar.
. Play back the song.
Use the Play Control window to return to the beginning of the track and start play-
back. Further edits can be recorded (overdubbed) to the same track by re-selecting
the AN Expert Editor window and repeating steps #4 - #8 above.
• If you’re not satisfied with the recorded result, the last recording you’ve done can be canceled
using the Undo function in the Edit menu (keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Z).

14
Parameters
Most of the AN Expert Editor parameters for editing the AN voices are contained in the
virtual “main control panel” screen. From this main panel, you can also jump to other
windows for controlling additional PLG150-AN functions (such as the Control Matrix,
Free EG, and Pattern Generator).
This is the main control panel for the AN Expert Editor, and is comprised of the virtual
“panel” controls, the toolbar (at the top), and the virtual “LCD display” at the bottom.
• Main Screen
• Master Menu
The master menu (which includes AN Voice List, Store, and the Display Option) can be
selected from the main screen by right-clicking any inactive part of the front panel (on
the Macintosh, click while holding the CONTROL key).
AN Expert Editor Main Window

15
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
• Toolbar
The toolbar gives you quick access to some important functions and controls. These
buttons let you easily execute the desired function without having to select a menu or
leave the AN Expert Editor window.
Open AN Expert File
This is the same as the corresponding command in the File menu. It lets you select and
open an existing AN Expert File. (See File Menus, Open AN Expert File.)
Save AN Expert File
This is the same as the corresponding command in the File menu. It lets you save the
current AN Expert Editor settings as a parameter file for future recall. (See File Menus,
Save AN Expert File.)
AN Expert Editor Setup
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you make
various important settings for configuring the AN Expert Editor with the PLG150-AN.
(See Setup Menus, AN Expert Editor Setup.)
Setup AN Display Option
This convenient feature lets you change the display of the main control panel to indicate
the current status of certain signal routings within the PLG150-AN. (See Setup Menus,
AN Display Option.)
Setup AN Morphing
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you make the
appropriate settings for the Morphing function (selecting the MIDI controller and the Mor-
phing voice). (See Setup Menus, AN Morphing.)
Insert AN Bulk Dump Data (Plug-in Editor only)
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you insert the
current AN Expert Editor settings to a specified track/position in the host application
song. (See Setup Menus, Insert AN Bulk Dump Data.)

16
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
Transmit AN Bulk Dump Data
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you transmit
the current AN Expert Editor settings as MIDI data to the PLG150-AN board. (See Setup
Menus, Transmit AN Bulk Dump Data.)
Extract AN Bulk Dump Data (Plug-in Editor only)
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you import
the bulk data of AN voice or Step Sequencer patterns in the sequenced song data to the
AN Expert Editor. (See Setup Menus, Extract AN Bulk Dump Data.)
Receive AN1x Bulk Dump Data
This is the same as the corresponding command in the Setup menu. It lets you receive
the voice or Step Sequencer settings from a connected AN1x Control Synthesizer as
MIDI data. (See Setup Menus, Receive AN1x Bulk Dump Data.)
Record (Plug-in Editor only)
This allows you to record your edit moves to a track, creating dynamic changes in the AN
voice as the song plays. (See Recording Within the AN Expert Editor.)
• Depending on your particular host application, certain operation steps may differ and/or this
function may not be available.
• LCD Display
This virtual “LCD” functions just like the display on an actual synthesizer’s front panel.
Indicates the current voice’s bank/number
as well as its category and name.
Full name of the currently
selected parameter.
Indicates the currently selected parameter’s value or setting.
By clicking on this third line, you can also directly change the
value by typing it on the computer keyboard. (See Computer
keyboard.)

17
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
• VOICE Button
Pressing the VOICE button calls up the AN Voice List dialog box, allowing you to select
the desired voice bank and voice. It also allows you to reorganize the voices of a
selected bank, as well as initialize a voice --- in other words, this resets all parameters
to their normal values, giving you a “blank slate” voice to work with.
To select a bank, click on the desired bank button: Preset 1, Preset 2, or User. Each
bank contains 128 voices. To select a voice, click on the desired voice in the box. For
a complete list of available voices, see the Voice List in the PLG150-AN Owner’s Man-
ual.
• Each voice name is preceded by a two-letter category abbreviation that indicates the general
instrument group to which the voice belongs. For example, “Ld” indicates “lead,” “Ba” indi-
cates “bass,” “Pd” indicates “pad,” and so on.

18
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
• STORE Button
Pressing the STORE button calls up the AN Store dialog box, allowing you to store the
desired voice to the User bank. It also lets you enter a name and category abbrevia-
tion for the voice.
To name the voice, click on the Voice Name box, and type in the desired name. To
specify a category, click the Category combo box, and click the desired category
abbreviation. (The “0: ---” setting indicates no category.) To store the newly named
voice, click “Store.” For a complete list of available voices and descriptions of the cate-
gory abbreviations, see the Voice List in the PLG150-AN Owner’s Manual.
• Each voice name is preceded by a two-letter category abbreviation that indicates the general
instrument group to which the voice belongs. For example, “Ld” indicates “lead,” “Ba” indi-
cates “bass,” “Pd” indicates “pad,” and so on.

19
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
■ Setting and Changing Parameter Values ...................
• For panel knobs:
Left-click on the knob and drag horizontally or vertically as desired. Dragging to the left
or down decreases the value, and dragging right or up increases it. The knob “rotates” as
you drag it, and the parameter value (shown just above each knob) changes accordingly.
Any parameter changes are output as MIDI data, both to the PLG150-AN and the host
application (for recording).
Operation of the knobs can also be set so that moving the mouse in a circular direction
— as if you were actually rotating the knob — changes the parameter value. (See
Parameter Knob Operation.)
• The panel knob operation can be changed to let you “rotate” the knob, instead of moving it
horizontally or vertically. (See the Others tab in AN Expert Editor Setup.)
• For buttons:
Simply left-click on the desired button to turn on/off or to select the appropriate setting.
On/off buttons (such as MORPH) have virtual “lamps” that light when the function is on.
• Combo boxes
For combo boxes (such as Control Source in the Control Matrix Parameter tab), click the
down arrow to expand the box, then highlight the desired setting.
• DATA DEC (Decrease) and INC (Increase) buttons
Click on the desired parameter, then click either of these buttons to decrease the value/
setting (DEC) or increase it (INC). These buttons in some cases (e.g., VCO 1 WAVE) can
be used to select values/settings that are not available otherwise>

20
Parameters / AN Expert Editor Main Window
• Mouse buttons
A few parameters (such as Unison Detune and LFO 1 Delay in the Detail Parameters
tab) can be adjusted with the mouse buttons. Click on the desired parameter, then click
the left mouse button to decrease the value or click the right mouse button to increase it.
• Computer keyboard
All of the value parameters can be directly changed by typing in the appropriate numbers
from the computer keyboard. Click on the desired parameter, then click the third (bottom)
line in the virtual LCD and type in the desired value. Press [ENTER] to enter the value.
A few parameters (such as Unison Detune and LFO 1 Delay in the Detail Parameters
tab) can be directly changed by clicking on the desired parameter, then typing in the
desired value.
• Computer keyboard shortcuts:
• Moving around the panel
Pressing the arrow keys by themselves lets you select parameters by moving around
the panel in the respective direction (up, down, left, right).
• Rapidly adjusting values
You can also use the arrow keys to adjust the parameter values. Simultaneously hold
down [SHIFT] and press or hold one of the arrow keys. The up or right keys increase
the value while the down or left keys decrease it. Holding down [SHIFT] and the
appropriate arrow key rapidly increases or decreases the value.
The Page Up and Page Down keys on the computer keyboard can also be used.
Press Page Up to increase the value, and Page Down to decrease it. Hold down the
appropriate button to rapidly increase or decrease the value.
• Value charts
A few parameters (such as VCF Velocity) have pop-up “value charts,” from which you can
select the desired value. Simply left-click on the parameter’s button, highlight the desired
value, then left click on the value.