Yamaha DX7 II FD User manual

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I

lru·FC>/D

DIGITAL PROGRAMMABLE ALGORITHM SYNTHESIZER

SUPPLEMENTAL

BOOKLET

Welcome-----------.,

This

is

the

first

in

a

series

of

booklets

designed

to

provide

a

practical

guide

to

creating

your

own

sounds

on

the

DX7

II.

It

describes

all

of

the

voice

and

performance

parameters,

the

range

of

their

values,

and

the

general

effect

each

one

has

on

the

final

sound.

The

parameters

are

not

presented

in

the

order

of

their

physical

layout

on

the

front

panel.

Instead,

they

are

presented

in

the

order

most

conducive

to

understanding

FM

synthesis.

Section

1

provides

a

brief

introduction

to

FM

synthesis

on

the

DX7

II.

Section

2

describes

the

basic

voice

parameters,

which

determine

the

actual

timbre

of

each

voice.

Section

3

describes

the

voice

effect

parameters,

which

determine

the

keyboard

and

controller

configuration

of

each

voice.

Section

4

describes

the

performance

parameters,

which

determine

such

things

as

the

combination

of

different

voices

and

the

microtuning

they

will

reflect

For

continuing

information

concerning

the

DX7

II

FD!D,

consult

AfterTouch,

the

official

publication

of

the

Yamaha

Users

Group.

Many

advanced

functions

will

be

discussed

in

its

pages

in

the

coming

months.

There

will

also

be

information

regarding

the

availability

of

other

materials

concerning

more

advanced

applications.

To

receive

a

free

copy

of

AfterTouch

every

month,

send

your

request

to

AfterTouch,

P.O.

Box

7938,

Northridge,

CA

91327-7938.

On

your

letter

or

postcard,

be

sure

to

indicate

that

you

are

the

owner

of

a

DX7

II

FD/D.

Contents

1

Section

1:

Introduction

3

Section

2:

Basic

Voice

Parameters

4

Algorithm

Button

(#7)

6

Output

Level

Button

(#10)

Part

1

6

Oscillator

Button

(#8)

8

EG

Button

(#9)

11

Pitch

EG

Button

(#13)

13

LFO

Button

(#12)

16

Sensitivity

Button

(#11)

17

Output

Level

Button

(#10)

Part

2

20

Using

the

EG

COPY

Button

21

Section

3:

Voice

Effect

Parameters

22

About

Voice

Effect

Parameters

22

Key

Mode

Button

(#23)

23

Pitch

Bend

I

Portamento

Button

(#24)

26

BC!MW/AT

Button

(#25)

29

FC1/FC2

Button

(#26)

31

Section

4:

Performance

Parameters

32

About

Performance

Parameters

32

Voice

Mode

Button

(#28)

35

Pan

Button

(#30)

38

FS/CS

Button

(#27)

40

Micro

Tune

Button

(#29)

Introduction

The

DX7

II

is

a

digital

synthesizer

capable

of

producing

an

almost

infinite

variety

of

sounds

using

a

technique

of

synthesis

known

as

FM

(Frequency

Modulation).

- 1-

Introduction

The

process

ofFM

synthesis

involves

the

modulation

of

one

oscillator's

frequency

with

the

signal

from

another

oscillator.

In

the

DX7

II,

oscillators

are

known

as

operators.

Those

operators

which

actually

produce

an

audio

output

are

called

carriers.

Operators

which

modulate

the

frequency

of

other

operators

are

called

modulators.

The

overall

sound

which

results

from

combining

carriers

and

modulators

depends

on

many

factors,

including

the

specific

combination

of

operators.

Another

important

factor

is

the

output

level

of

each

carrier

(which

affects

the

volume

ofthe

sound)

and

each

modulator

(which

affects

the

timbre

of

the

sound).

The

DX7

II

incorporates

two

sound

modules,

each

consisting

of

six

operators.

The

operators

in

each

sound

module

can

be

combined

into

32

different

configurations

of

carriers

and

modulators.

These

configurations,

known

as

algorithms,

are

depicted

on

the

front

panel

of

the

DX7

II.

They

determine

which

operators

will

act

as

carriers

or

modulators,

as

well

as

their

specific

combination.

In

the

diagrams

shown

on

the

front

panel,

the

operators

in

the

lowest

row

are

carriers.

Those

appearing

above

the

carriers

are

modulators.

The

lines

connecting

the

operators

indicate

the

signal

paths.

The

parameters

described

in

the

following

pages

are

accessed

by

pressing

the

appropriate

button

on

the

front

panel.

Some

buttons

display

their

parameters

in

several

LCD

"screens"

which

are

selected

by

pressing

the

button

repeatedly

until

the

desired

screen

is

displayed.

The

parameter

to

be

edited

is

selected

by

positioning

the

cursor

with

the

cursor

keys.

The

parameter

value

is

changed

using

the

-11+

1

keys

or

the

data

entry

slider.

-2-

Basic

Voice

Parameters

The

basic

voice

parameters

are

used

to

shape

the

overall

character

ofa

voice.

They

are

adjusted

in

the

voice

edit

mode.

This

mode

is

entered

by

pressing

one

of

the

VOICE

MODE

SELECT

buttons

from

the

play

mode,

selecting

the

AorB

voice

with

the

AlB

key,

and

pressing

the

EDIT

button.

The

parameters

described

below

are

then

accessed

by

pressing

the

appropriate

button.

-3-

Algorithm

Button

(#7)

Algorithms

form

the

foundation

of

FM

synthesis.

They

determine

which

operators

will

act

as

carriers

and

modulators,

the

specific

arrangement

of

operators,

and

the

feedback

path

(described

below).

The

following

diagram

represents

Algorithm

1,

and

illustrates

the

various

parts

of

any

algorithm.

r···;~;~~~;-~-h~;-··1

[

___

~esdback

loop \

1st Stack 2nd Stack

1 modulator 3 modulators

The

Algorithm

button

(#7)

provides

access

to

the

following

parameters

in

a

single

LCD

display.

Alg

The

Alg

(algorithm)

parameter

selects

the

algorithm

to

be

used

in

a

voice.

1

Algorithm

1

32

Algorithm

32

Algorithms

determine

the

way

in

which

the

operators

are

combined

as

carriers

and

modulators.

This

has

a

fundamental

impact

on

the

types

of

sounds

each

algorithm

can

produce.

For

example,

algorithm

17

creates

good

flute

sounds,

and

algorithm

32

produces

very

good

organ

sounds.

Fbi

Each

of

the

32

algorithms

has

one

feedback

path.

The

output

of

one

operator

(usually

a

modulator)

is

directed

back

to

its

own

or

its

modulator's

input.

The

Fbi

(feedback

level)

parameter

adjusts

the

level

of

the

signal

returning

along

the

feedback

path.

0

No

feedback

7

Maximum

feedback

The

effect

of

this

self-modulation

is

not

unlike

that

of

modulation

by

another

operator.

It

is

often

applied

to

string

and

brass

sounds,

as

well

as

noise

sounds

with

high

level

settings.

-4-

Osc.sync

Transpose

Voice

name

Each

DX7

II

operator

produces

a

sine

wave.

The

Osc.sync

(oscillator

synchronization)

parameter

determines

whether

or

not

the

sine

waves

all

begin

at

phase

0.

If

they

do,

the

timbre

of

a

voice

will

evolve

in

the

same

way

each

time

a

key

is

pressed.

off

Do

not

start

operators'

sine waves

at

phase

0

for

each

keypress.

on

Start

operators'

sine

waves

at

phase

0

for

each

keypress.

The

following

diagram

illustrates

the

effect

of

this

parameter.

:::-·

......

..

etc. etc.

If

this

parameter

is

off,

the

tonal

transition

will

be

smoother

between

notes

played

legato

and

more

abrupt

between

notes

played

staccato.

This

is

often

effective

for

acoustic

instruments.

Normally,

the

pitch

of

the

DX7

II

keyboard

is

set

so

that

the

key

marked

with

the

small

triangle

corresponds

to

middle

C

(C3)

with

a

frequency

of

262

Hz.

The

transpose

parameter

allows

you

to

shift

the

pitch

of

this

key

(and

thus

the

entire

keyboard)

for

any

voice

by

half

steps

to

as

much

as

two

octaves

above

or

below

the

standard

pitch.

C1

Assign

the

pitch

Cl

to

the

marked

key.

C5

Assign

the

pitch

C5

to

the

marked

key.

This

parameter

is

useful

for

adapting

the

keyboard

range

to

suit

the

voice.

For

example,

a

flute

or

piccolo

patch

would

be

well

served

by

transposing

the

keyboard

pitch

up.

A

bass

sound

would

need

a

downward

transposition.

This

parameter

lets

you

name

the

voice

you

are

editing

with

up

to

ten

symbols.

The

available

symbols

(letters,

numbers,

etc.)

are

printed

in

brown

below

the

Data

Entry,

Voice

Mode

Select,

EG

Copy,

Performance,

and

number

buttons.

To

enter

a

name,

move

the

cursor

to

the

voice

name

parameter

and

hold

down

the

Edit

button,

which

has

the

word

"Character"

printed

below

it.

While

holding

the

Character

button,

enter

the

desired

symbols

by

pressing

the

respective

buttons.

Pressing

the

Internal

button

while

holding

the

Character

button

will

produce

lower

case

letters.

The

Cartridge

button

will

produce

upper

case

letters.

-5-

Output

Level

Button

(#10)

Part

1

The

Output

Level

button

(#10)

provides

access

to

various

level

and

scaling

parameters

in

two

LCD

displays.

For

the

moment,

only

the

level

parameter

itself

will

be

described.

The

other

parameters

control

the

level

scaling

of

the

voice,

and

will

be

described

later

in

this

section.

The

level

parameter

is

accessed

by

selecting

the

normal

scaling

mode

and

pressing

the

Output

Level

button

once.

Level

This

parameter

determines

the

output

level

(amplitude)

of

the

selected

operator.

Oscillator

Button

(#8)

Mode

Coarse/Fine

0

Operator's

output

level

is

0

(operator

is

oft).

99

Operator's

output

level

is

at

maximum.

This

parameter

is

of

fundamental

importance

to

FM

synthesis.

The

output

level

of

a

carrier

influences

the

volume

of

the

overall

sound.

Remember

that

carriers

are

operators

which

actually

produce

an

audio

signal.

A

modulator's

output

level

influences

the

timbre

of

the

overall

sound.

As

the

output

level

of

a

modulator

increases,

so

do

the

number

and

strength

of

the

harmonics

in

the

sound.

The

Oscillator

button

(#8)

provides

access

to

the

following

parameters

in

a

single

LCD

display.

This

parameter

determines

whether

or

not

the

pitch

of

the

selected

operator

will

vary

as

different

keys

are

pressed.

Ratio

Specifies

that

the

selected

operator

will

vary

in

pitch

as

different

keys

are

pressed.

Fi xed

Specifies

that

the

pitch

of

the

selected

operator

will

remain

unchanged

regardless

of

the

keys

being

played.

The

ratio

mode

is

generally

used

by

carriers

to

produce

different

musical

notes

as

different

keys

are

played.

The

fixed

mode

is

useful

for

special

effects

sounds,

and

for

the

noise

component

found

in

many

acoustic

instrument

sounds-such

as

the

breath

of

a

flute

or

the

plucking

of

a

harpsichord

string.

The

frequency

(pitch)

produced

by

each

operator

is

controlled

primarily

by

the

coarse

and

fine

frequency

parameters.

The

coarse

parameter

adjusts

the

pitch

of

the

selected

operator

in

large

increments.

The

fine

parameter

performs

the

same

task

in

small

increments.

They

are

used

together

to

establish

a

pitch

for

the

selected

operator.

The

coarse

parameter's

maximum

value

is

less

than

the

highest

possible

total

frequency

value.

The

fine

parameter

is

used

to

increase

the

total

value

beyond

the

maximum

coarse

value.

-6-

De

tune

In

fixed

mode,

the

coarse

and

fine

parameters

specify

the

frequency

of

the

operator

in

Hertz

(Hz).

In

ratio

mode,

the

frequency

of

the

operator

depends

on

the

key

being

played.

The

coarse

and

fine

parameters

specify

the

interval

between

the

operator

and

the

standard

pitch

associated

with

each

key.

For

example,

setting

the

coarse

and

fine

parameters

to

a

value

of

2.00

in

ratio

mode

will

cause

the

operator

to

sound

one

octave

higher

than

the

standard

pitch

level

of

the

keyboard.

A

setting

of

0.50

causes

the

operator

to

sound

one

octave

lower

than

standard

pitch.

Fixed

mode

values

(in

Hz)

1.

OOOHz

Lowest

fixed

mode

value.

1000

Hz

Highest

coarse

value

9772

Hz

Highest

fixed

mode

value.

Ratio

mode

values

0.

50

Operator

sounds

one

octave

below

standard

pitch.

1.00

Operator

sounds

at

standard

pitch.

2.

00

Operator

sounds

one

octave

above

standard

pitch.

31.00

Highest

coarse

value

(nearly

5

octaves

above

standard

pitch).

61.

69

Highest

ration

mode

value

(nearly

6

octaves

above

standard

pitch}.

Remember

that

doubling

the

coarse

and

fine

parameter

values

raises

the

pitch

of

the

operator

by

one

octave.

In

ratio

mode,

octaves

below

and

above

the

standard

pitch

are

obtained

at

values

of

0.50,

1.00,

2.00,

4.00,

8.00,

and

so

on.

The

ratio

value

forming

a

fifth

with

the

standard

pitch

is

obtained

at

1.50

and

the

ratio

value

forming

a

third

with

the

standard

pitch

is

obtained

at

1.25.

The

detune

parameter

provides

a

"super

fine"

frequency

control

for

each

operator.

It

is

used

to

shift

the

frequency

of

an

operator

by

as

much

as

2

cents

up

or

down

(1

cent

=

1/lOOth

of

a

semitone).

This

parameter

is

independent

of

the

coarse

and

fine

parameters.

-7

Shift

operator

frequency

down

2

cents.

0

Do

not

shift

operator

frequency.

+7

Shift

operator

frequency

up

2

cents.

-7-