Yamaha PortaTone PSR-640 User manual

PSR640/740 STEP BY STEP PROCEDURES
I. Enabling an External MIDI Device to Control Keyboard Sections on a
PSR640/740
II. Creating a User Style
III. Loading Styles
IV. Multi Track Recording
V. Playing Songs Continuously
VI. Quick Recording
VII. Recording to PSR640/740 Sequencer from External MIDI Source
VIII. Recording Tempo Changes
IX. Registration Memory
X. Tracks 2 and 3 Won’t Record
XI. Using Vocal Harmony on a PSR740

I. Enabling an External MIDI Device to Control Keyboard
Sections on a PSR640/740
The PSR640/740 can be configured so that an external MIDI device will control it
the same way its own keyboard does (controlling whatever sections are active on
the front panel). It can also be configured so that the Auto Accompaniment
section ONLY is controlled (independent of the keyboard).
1) Press the [FUNCTION] button.
2) Turn the Data Dial until 'F5 MIDI' is displayed in the screen.
3) Press the [NEXT] button.
4) Turn the Data Dial until ‘Receive Channel' is displayed in the screen.
5) Press the [NEXT] button.
6) Use the black [1] – [16] buttons below the screen to select the desired
MIDI Channel (the Channel being transmitted by the external MIDI
device) in the screen.
7) Turn the Data Dial until ‘KEYBOARD’ is selected for the Channel in the
screen.
NOTE: To trigger ONLY the Auto Accompaniment section, dial ‘CHORD’
instead.
8) Press the [EXIT] button.
Owner's Manual, p.131

II. Creating a User Style
The following procedure describes how to create a User Style from scratch. This
is useful when the PSR640/740 does not have a built-in Style which fits the style
of music that the user wants to play. Creating a User Style from scratch is also
useful to create custom drum accompaniments.
NOTE: Yamaha Style Disks (Auto Accompaniments) are available for purchase
online at www.yamahamusicsoft.com. To order by phone, call Music Dispatch at
[phone]. Ask for the Hal Leonard Music Software Catalog.
1) Turn ON the red [RECORD] button (red LED illuminates).
2) Use the [-] and [+] buttons to select ‘Style' in the screen.
3) Press the [NEXT] button.
4) Use the Numeric Keypad to type a number from 161 – 163, which are
the User Style locations. The screen will display ‘UserStyle1’ –
‘UserStyle3'.
TIP: For example, if the screen displays '161 8 Beat 1', this is an
indication that the User Style Memory is NOT clear.
If the User Style Memory is not clear, proceed to step 5; otherwise,
proceed to step 6.
5) To Clear the User Style Memory:
a) Press the [NEXT] button.
b) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Edit'.
c) Press the [NEXT] button.
d) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Clear'.
e) Press the [NEXT] button.
f) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘ALL'.
g) Press the [NEXT] button.
h) Press the [+] button to confirm the clear operation. The screen
will display 'Completed'.

i) Press the [BACK] button 3 times and proceed to step 7.
6) Press the [NEXT] button.
7) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Record'.
8) Press the [NEXT] button. The screen will display 'Section=Main A'.
9) Press the [+] or [-] button to select one of the Accompaniment Sections,
‘MAIN A/B/C/D, FILL IN A/B/C/D, SMPL ENDING, or ENDING’.
10) Press the [NEXT] button.
11) Press the [+] or [-] button to select one of the Accompaniment Tracks,
‘RHYTHM MAIN, RHYTHM SUB, BASS, CHORD 1, CHORD 2, PAD,
PHRASE 1, or PHRASE 2.
12) Press the [NEXT] button.
NOTE: Style Tracks, ‘BASS, CHORD 1, CHORD 2, PAD, PHRASE 1, and
PHRASE 2’ must be played in the key of C, in order for the Tracks to
transpose correctly when played as a PSR640/740 Style. This means that
the pattern must use only the chordal tones of C Major 7, (C, E, G and B).
However, these tones can be used in any octave.
13) If necessary, select the Voice or Drum Kit to use for the Recording.
a) Press the silver [VOICE R1] button, above the Data Dial.
b) Use the Numeric Keypad to select a desired Voice or Drum Kit.
c) Press the blue [EXIT] button.
14) If necessary, activate the Metronome:
a) Press the silver [FUNCTION] button, above the Data Dial.
b) Press the [+] or [-] button until the screen displays 'F4 Utility'.
c) Press the [NEXT] button.
d) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Metronome'.
e) Press the [NEXT] button.

f) Press the [+] button to select ‘ON'.
g) Press the [EXIT] button. At this point the user may try out the
Voice or Drum Kit before recording.
15) Press the black [SYNC START] button (red LED illuminates). The
Metronome will start to tick (if activated in step 14). Begin playing the
Style pattern at any time. Recording will begin on the first note.
16) Press the [START/STOP] button when finished.
17) Proceed to one of the optional steps below, steps 18, 19,or 20.
18) Save the User Style:
TIP: Save often, as the Style develops to each satisfactory level.
a) Press the [BACK] button 4 times. The screen displays ‘OK to
store?’.
b) Press the [+] button.
c) If necessary, press the [+] or [-] button to select a User Style
location, 161 - 163.
d) Press the [NEXT] button.
e) Press the [+] button to confirm the Save operation.
NOTE: If any changes are made to the Style at this point, they can
be undone because the previous version of the Style has been
saved to memory.
f) Press the [EXIT] button to exit Record mode, or press the
[NEXT] button and proceed to step 6, to continue recording.
19) To Undo changes to the User Style:
NOTE: ‘Undo’ will clear all changes since the last Save was done.
a) Press the [BACK] button 4 times. The screen will display ‘OK to
store?’.
b) Press the [-] button. The screen will display the current Style.
c) Press the [NEXT] button.

d) Press the [EXIT] button to exit Record mode, or proceed to step
6 to continue recording.
20) To Quantize a recorded Track of the User Style:
NOTE: Quantizing aligns the timing of the notes. It can, in many cases,
correct timing mistakes.
a) Press the [BACK] button 3 times.
b) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Edit'.
c) Press the [NEXT] button.
d) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Quantize'.
e) Press the [NEXT] button.
f) Press the [+] or [-] button to select one of the Style sections,
‘MAIN A/B/C/D, FILL IN A/B/C/D, SMPL ENDING, or ENDING’.
g) Press the [NEXT] button.
h) Press the [+] or [-] button to select one of the Accompaniment
Tracks, ‘RHYTHM MAIN, RHYTHM SUB, BASS, CHORD 1,
CHORD 2, PAD, PHRASE 1, or PHRASE 2.
i) Press the [NEXT] button.
j) Press the [+] or [-] button to select a Quantize value, '1/4', '1/6',
'1/8', '1/12', '1/16', '1/24' or '1/32'.
TIP: Select a value that is equal to the smallest increment of time in
the pattern. If the smallest increment is a 16th note, then quantize
using the value '1/16'.
k) Press the [NEXT] button. The screen will display ‘OK to
quantize?'.
l) Press the [-] button to cancel, or press the [+] button to confirm
the Quantize operation. The screen will display 'Completed'.
m) Press the [BACK] button 4 times.
n) Press the [+] or [-] button to select ‘Record'.

o) Press the [NEXT] 3 times.
p) Press the [START/STOP] button to hear the changes of the
Quantize operation.
1] If the changes are acceptable proceed to step 18.
2] If the changes are not acceptable proceed to step 19.
Reference: Owner's Manual, p. 110-121

III. Loading Styles
1) Insert the floppy disk into the disk drive.
2) Press the [LOAD] button.
3) Select the file to be loaded, using the Data Dial, or [+/YES] and [-/NO]
buttons.
4) Press the [NEXT] button to display the ‘LOAD TO’ screen.
5) Select the destination, using the Data Dial, or [+/YES] and [-/NO]
buttons.
6) Press the [NEXT] button to display the ‘EXECUTE’ screen.
7) Press the [+/YES] button to execute the Load operation, or press the [-
/NO]
button to abort the Load operation.
Once the Style has been loaded, locate the Style:
1) Press the [EXIT] button to bring up the main screen.
2) Press the Style button.
3) Using the [-/NO] button, scroll to the User Style location containing the
Style
that was previously loaded.
4) Once the Style appears in the display it can be played. Make sure that
the
[ACMP ON/OFF] button is ON (red LED illuminated).

IV. Multi Track Recording
The PSR640/740 has the ability to do Multi Track recording. The following
procedure explains how to record the Auto Accompaniment, as well as individual
Tracks.
Recording the Auto Accompaniment into a Song:
1) Insert a formatted floppy disk.
2) Turn ON the [RECORD] button (red LED illuminates).
3) Use the DATA DIAL or [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons to select 'Song'.
4) Press the [NEXT] button.
5) Use the DATA DIAL or [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons to select 'New Song'.
6) Press the [NEXT] button.
7) Use the DATA DIAL or [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons to select
‘MULTITRACK recording.
8) Press the [NEXT] button 3 times to display the ‘PART’ page.
9) Press the [9] button under the screen to display the Parts that Tracks 9 –
16 will record from. These settings already default to the 8 different Parts
used by the Auto Accompaniment (but can be changed if desired).
10) Press the [NEXT] button to display the Song Record ‘MODE’ page, where
Tracks can be selected for recording.
11) Press the [9] button under the screen to select Track 9.
12) Use the DATA DIAL or [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons to select ‘REC’ for the
Track.
13) Repeat steps 10 – 11 using the [10] – [16] Track buttons, to set the
remaining Auto Accompaniment Tracks to ‘REC’.
14) Press the [NEXT] button.
15) Press the [STYLE] button.

16) Use the DATA DIAL, [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons, or Numeric Keypad to
select an Auto Accompaniment Style.
17) Press one of the [MAIN A] – [MAIN D] buttons to select the first section
that will play (red LED illuminates).
18) If an Introduction to the Song is desired, press the [INTRO] button (red
LED illuminates).
19) Press the [EXIT] button to return to Record mode.
20) Press the [NEXT] button.
21) To start recording the Auto Accompaniment, press the [START/STOP]
button or play a chord in the Auto Accompaniment section of the
keyboard.
22) To stop recording the Auto Accompaniment, press either the
[START/STOP] button for an immediate stop, or the [ENDING] button for
an appropriate ending.
23) The screen will display ‘OK to save the data?’. Press the [+/YES] button to
save the recording to the floppy disk, or press the [-/NO] button to record
the Auto Accompaniment over again.
Recording Individual Instrument Tracks:
1) Select the ‘PART’ page to choose the Parts that Tracks 1 – 8 will record
from:
a) If the Accompaniment Parts for the Song have already been recorded
using the steps above, press the [BACK] button to display the ‘PART’
page.
b) If each Track of the Song is to be recorded ‘from scratch’ without any
Auto Accompaniment, perform steps 1 – 8 in the section above.
2) Select Track 1 (for example) by pressing the [1] button under the screen.
3) If recording from the ‘Voice R1’ section of the keyboard (normally used for
individual Parts), use the DATA DIAL or [-/NO] and [+YES] buttons to
select ‘RIGHT1’ in the screen.
4) Press the [NEXT] button to display the Song Record ‘MODE’ page, where
Tracks can be selected for recording.
5) Press the [1] button under the screen to select Track 1.