Yamaha VL7 User manual

FCC INFORMATION (U.S.A.)
1. IMPORTANT NOTICE: DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT!
This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modifications not expressly approved
by Yamaha may void your authority, granted by the FCC, to use the product.
2. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables. Cable/s supplied with this
product MUST be used. Follow all installation instructions. Failure to follow instructions could void your FCC authorization to use this product in the
USA.
3. NOTE: This product has been tested and found to comply with the requirements listed in FCC Regulations, Part 15 for Class ”B” digital devices.
Compliance with these requirements provides a reasonable level of assurance that your use of this product in a residential environment will not
result in harmful interference with other electronic devices. This equipment generates/uses radio frequencies and, if not installed and used according
to the instructions found in the users manual, may cause interference harmful to the operation of other electronic devices. Compliance with FCC
regulations does not guarantee that interference will not occur in all installations. If this product is found to be the source of interference, which can
be determined by turning the unit ”OFF” and ”ON”, please try to eliminate the problem by using one of the following measures:
Relocate either this product or the device that is being affected by the interference.
Utilize power outlets that are on different branch (circuit breaker or fuse) circuits or install AC line filter/s.
In the case of radio or TV interference, relocate/reorient the antenna. If the antenna lead-in is 300 ohm ribbon lead, change the lead-in to co-axial type
cable.
If these corrective measures do not produce satisfactory results, please contact the local retailer authorized to distribute this type of product. If you
can not locate the appropriate retailer, please contact Yamaha Corporation of America, Electronic Service Division, 6600 Orangethorpe Ave, Buena
Park, CA 90620
The above statements apply ONLY to those products distributed by Yamaha Corporation of America or its subsidiaries.
* This applies only to products distributed by YAMAHA CORPORATION OF AMERICA.
Dette apparat overholder det gaeldende EF-direktiv
vedrørende radiostøj.
Cet appareil est conforme aux prescriptions de la
directive communautaire 87/308/CEE.
Diese Geräte entsprechen der EG-Richtlinie 82/
499/EWG und/oder 87/308/EWG.
This product complies with the radio frequency
interference requirements of the Council Direc-
tive 82/499/EEC and/or 87/308/EEC.
Questo apparecchio è conforme al D.M.13 aprile
1989 (Direttiva CEE/87/308) sulla soppressione
dei radiodisturbi.
Este producto está de acuerdo con los requisitos
sobre interferencias de radio frequencia fijados
por el Consejo Directivo 87/308/CEE.
YAMAHA CORPORATION
Litiumbatteri!
Bör endast bytas av servicepersonal.
Explosionsfara vid felaktig hantering.
VAROITUS!
Lithiumparisto, Räjähdysvaara.
Pariston saa vaihtaa ainoastaan alan
ammattimies.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri!
Eksplosionsfare. Udskiftning må kun foretages
af en sagkyndig, – og som beskrevet i
servicemanualen.
Connecting the Plug and Cord
IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:
GREEN-AND-YELLOW : EARTH
BLUE : NEUTRAL
BROWN : LIVE
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may not correspond with the coloured
markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured GREEN and YELLOW must be connected to the terminal in the plug
which is marked by the letter E or by the safety earth symbol or coloured GREEN and YELLOW.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter
N or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter L or coloured RED.
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM
* This applies only to products distributed by YAMAHA - KEMBLE MUSIC (U.K.) LTD.
Bescheinigung des Importeurs
Hiermit wird bescheinigt, daß der/die/das
Virtual Acoustic Synthesizer Typ : VL7
(Gerät, Typ, Bezeichnung)
in Übereinstimmung mit den Bestimmungen der
VERFÜGUNG 1046/84
(Amtsblattverfügung)
funk-entstört ist.
Der Deutschen Bundespost wurde das Inverkehrbringen dieses
Gerätes angezeigt und die Berechtigung zur Überprüfung der Serie
auf Einhaltung der Bestimmungen eingeräumt.
Yamaha Europa GmbH
Name des Importeurs
* Dies bezieht sich nur auf die von der Yamaha Europa GmbH vertriebenen Produkte.

SPECIAL MESSAGE SECTION
PRODUCT SAFETY MARKINGS: Yamaha electronic prod-
ucts may have either labels similar to the graphics shown
below or molded/stamped facsimiles of these graphics on the
enclosure. The explanation of these graphics appears on this
page. Please observe all cautions indicated on this page and
those indicated in the safety instruction section.
methods used to produce them, meet these goals. In keeping
with both the letter and the spirit of the law, we want you to
be aware of the following:
Battery Notice: This product MAY contain a small non-
rechargeable battery which (if applicable) is soldered in place.
The average life span of this type of battery is approximately
five years. When replacement becomes neccessary, contact a
qualified service representative to perform the replacement.
Warning: Do not attempt to recharge, disassemble, or incin-
erate this type of battery. Keep all batteries away from
children. Dispose of used batteries promptly and as regulated
by applicable laws. Note: In some areas, the servicer is
required by law to return the defective parts. However, you
do have the option of having the servicer dispose of these
parts for you.
Disposal Notice: Should this product become damaged be-
yond repair, or for some reason its useful life is considered
to be at an end, please observe all local, state, and federal
regulations that relate to the disposal of products that contain
lead, batteries, plastics, etc.
NOTICE: Service charges incurred due to lack of knowledge
relating to how a function or effect works (when the unit is
operating as designed) are not covered by the manufacturer’s
warranty, and are therefore the owners responsibility. Please
study this manual carefully and consult your dealer before
requesting service.
NAME PLATE LOCATION: The graphic below indicates
the location of the name plate. The model number, serial
number, power requirements, etc., are located on this plate.
You should record the model number, serial nunber, and the
date of purchase in the spaces provided below and retain this
manual as a permanent record of your purchase.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
The exclamation point within the equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and mainte-
nance (servicing) instructions in the litera-
ture accompanying the product.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol
within the equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magni-
tude to constitute a risk of electrical shock.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: All Yamaha electronic products are
tested and approvend by an independent safety testing labo-
ratory in order that you may be sure that when it is properly
installed and used in its normal and customary manner, all
foreseeable risks have been eliminated. DO NOT modify this
unit or commission others to do so unless specifically author-
ized by Yamaha. Product performance and/or safety standards
may be diminished. Claims filed under the expressed warranty
may be denied if the unit is/has been modified. Implied
warranties may also be affected.
SPECFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE: The informa-
tion contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the
time of printing. However, Yamaha reserves the right to
change or modify any of the specifications without notice or
obligation to update existing units.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: Yamaha strives to produce
products that are both user safe and environmentally friendly.
We sincerely believe that our products and the production
●Explanation of Graphical Symbols
92-469 q
Model
Serial No.
Purchase Date
POWER
ON/ OFF
YAMAHA MODELVL7
ACINLET
RL
OUTPUT
21
FOOT CONTROLLER
21
FOOT SWITCH
CAUTION
ATTENTION
WARNING
THRU OUT
MIDI
IN

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
INFORMATION RELATING TO PERSONAL INJURY, ELECTRICAL SHOCK,
AND FIER HAZARD POSSIBILITIES HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS LIST.
PLEASE KEEP THIS MANUAL
8. This product was NOT designed for use in wet/damp
locations and should not be used near water or exposed to
rain. Examples of wet/damp locations are; near a swim-
ming pool, spa, tub, sink, or wet basement.
9. This product should be used only with the components
supplied or; a cart, rack, or stand that is recommended by
the manufacturer. If a cart, rack, or stand is used, please
observe all safety markings and instructions that accom-
pany the accessory product.
10.The power supply cord (plug) should be disconnected
from the outlet when electronic products are to be left
unused for extended periods of time. Cords should also be
disconnected when there is a high probability of lightening
and/or electrical storm activity.
11.Care should be taken that objects do not fall and liquids
are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings
that may exist.
12.Electrical/electronic products should be serviced by a
qualified service person when:
a. The power supply cord has been damaged; or
b. Objects have fallen, been inserted, or liquids have been
spilled into the enclosure through openings; or
c. The product has been exposed to rain; or
d. The product does not operate, exhibits a marked change
in performance; or
e. The product has been dropped, or the enclosure of the
product has been damaged.
13.Do not attempt to service this product beyond that de-
scribed in the user-maintenance instructions. All other
servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
14.This product, either alone or in combination with an
amplifier and headphones or speaker/s, may be capable of
producing sound levels that could cause permanent hear-
ing loss. DO NOT operate for a long period of time at a
high volume level or at a level that is uncomfortable. If
you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the cars, you
should cousult an audiologist. IMPORTANT: The louder
the sound, the shorter the time period before damage
occurs.
15.Some Yamaha products may have benches and/or acces-
sory mounting fixtures that are either supplied as a part of
the product or as optional accessories. Some of these items
are designed to be dealer assembled or installed. Please
make sure that benches are stable and any optional fixtures
(where applicable) are well secured BEFORE using. Benches
supplied by Yamaha are designed for seating only. No
other uses are recommended.
WARNING — When using any electrical or electronic prod-
uct, basic precautions should always be followed. These
precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Read all Safety Instructions, Installation Instructions, Spe-
cial Message Section items, and any Assembly Instruc-
tions found in this manual BEFORE making any connec-
tions, including connection to the main supply.
2. Main Power Suplly Verifications: Yamaha products are
manufactured specifically for the supply voltage in the
area where they are to be sold. If you should move, or if
any doubt exists about the supply voltage in your area,
please contact your dealer for supply voltage verification
and (if applicable) instructions. The required supply volt-
age is printed on the name plate. For name plate location,
please refer to the graphic found in the Special Message
Section of this manual.
3. This product may be equipped with a polarized plug (one
blade wider than the other). If you are unable to insert the
plug into the outlet, turn the plug over and try again. If the
problem persists, contact electrician to have the obsolete
outlet replaced. Do NOT defeat the safety purpose of the
plug.
4. Some electronic products utilize external power supplies
or adapters. DO NOT connect this type of product to any
power supply or adapter other than one described in the
owners manual, on the name plate, or specifically recom-
mended by Yamaha.
5. WARNING: Do not place this product or any other objects
on the power cord or place it in a position where anyone
could walk on, trip over, or roll anything over power or
connecting cords of any kind. The use of an extension cord
is not recommended! If you must use an extension cord,
the minimume wire size for a 25' cord (or less) is 18 AWG.
NOTE: The smaller the AWG number, the larger the
current handling capacity. For longer extension cords,
consult a local electrician.
6. Ventilation: Electronic products, unless specifically de-
signed for enclosed installations, should be placed in
locations that do not interfere with proper ventilation. If
instructions for enclosed installations are not provided, it
must be assumed that unobstructed ventilation is required.
7. Temperature considerations: Electronic products should be
installed in locations that do not significantly contribute to
their operating temperature. Placement of this product
close to heat sources such as; radiators, heat registers and
other devices that produce heat should be avoided.
92-469-3

Owner’s Manual 2
Feature Reference

2
Feature Reference
Contents
■3: Feedback Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
• Mono Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
• L,R Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
• L,C,R Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
■4:Reverberation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
• Hall1, Hall2, Room1, Room2, Studio,
Plate, Space, Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Element Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
■1: Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
■2: Embouchure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
■3: Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
■4: Vibrato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
■5: Tonguing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
■6: Amplitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
■7: Scream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
■8: Breath Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
■9: Growl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
■10: Throat Formant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
■11: Dynamic Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
■12; Harmonic Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
■13: Damping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
■14: Absorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
■Controller Search & Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Element Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
■1: Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
■2: Breath Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
• 2-1: Breath Noise Level Key Scaling . . 86
• 2-2: Breath Noise HPF Key Scaling . . . 87
• 2-3: Breath Noise LPF Key Scaling . . . . 88
■3: Throat Formant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
• 3-1: Throat Formant Pitch Key Scaling . 91
• 3-2: Throat Formant Amount Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
• 3-3: Throat Formant Intensity Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
• 3-4: Throat Formant HPF Key Scaling . 94
• 3-5: Throat Formant LPF Key Scaling . 95
About the Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
■The Getting Started Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
■The Feature Reference Manual (this manual) . 5
■Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
General Operation
■The Three Main Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
■Finding Functions & Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . 9
■Other Navigation Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
■Selecting & Editing Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Play Mode
■The Main Play Mode Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
■Voice Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
■Controller Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
■Quick Editing In the Play Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Edit Mode
■The Voice Number Buttons In the Edit Mode 22
■The Edit Compare Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
■The Copy Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
■Storing Edited Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Initial Edit Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Common Miscellanous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
■1: Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
■2: Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
■3: Element Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
■4: Element Level & Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
■5: Portamento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
■6: Micro Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
■7: Continuous Slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Common Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
■1: Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
■2: Modulation Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
• Flanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
• Pitch Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
• Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

3
Feature Reference
■4: Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
• 4-1: Mixing Driver Output Key Scaling 98
• 4-2: Mixing Pipe/String Output Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
• 4-3: Mixing Tap Output Key Scaling . 100
• 4-4: Mixing Tap Location Key Scaling 101
■5: Amplitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
• 5-1: Amplitude Level Key Scaling . . . . 102
Element Modifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
■1: Harmonic Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
•1-1: Harmonic Enhancer HPF Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
•1-2: Harmonic Enhancer Overdrive Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
• 1-3: Harmonic Enhancer Carrier Level
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
• 1-4: Harmonic Enhancer Modulator
Index Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
• 1-5: Harmonic Enhancer Balance Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
■2: Dynamic Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
• 2-1: Dynamic Filter Cutoff Key Scaling 115
• 2-2: Dynamic Filter Resonance Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
■3: Equalizer Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
• 3-1: Equalizer Auxiliary HPF Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
• 3-2: Equalizer Auxiliary LPF Key
Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
■4: Equlizer Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
■5: Impulse Expander & Resonator Setting . . 121
■6: Impulse Expander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
■7: Resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Element Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
■1: Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
■2: Embouchure & Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
• 2-1: Embouchure & Pitch Hold Time
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
• 2-2: Embouchure & Pitch Initial Level
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
• 2-3: Embouchure & Pitch Decay Rate
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
■3: Vibrato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
• 3-1: Vibrato Delay Time Key Scaling . 135
• 3-2: Vibrato Attack Rate Key Scaling . 136
• 3-3: Vibrato Depth Key Scaling . . . . . . 137
• 3-4: Vibrato Speed Key Scaling . . . . . . 138
■4: Growl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
• 4-1: Growl Speed Key Scaling . . . . . . . 140
■5: Amplitude & Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
• 5-1: Amplitude & Filter Attack Rate
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
• 5-2: Amplitude & Filter Attack 1 Level
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
• 5-3: Amplitude & Filter Decay Rate
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
• 5-4: Amplitude & Filter Sustain Level
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
• 5-5: Amplitude & Filter Release Rate
Key Scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Utility Mode
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
■1: KBD Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
■2: TG Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
■3: MIDI Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
■4: Assignable Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
■5: Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
■6: Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
MIDI Bulk Dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
■1: Disk Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
■2: Load From Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
■3: Save To Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
■4: Rename File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
■5: Delete File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
■6: Format Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Edit Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Appendix
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

4
Feature Reference
About the Manuals
The VL7 comes with two manuals — Getting Started and Feature
Reference. If you’re just starting out with the VL7 we urge you to begin
with the Getting Started manual since it describes basic concepts and
procedures that are essential to proper operation of the VL7.
The Getting Started Manual
The Getting Started manual contains seven chapters that take you through
essential information and procedures you will need to know to become familiar
with your VL7:
1. VL7 Basics [≥Page 8]
Basic concepts you’ll need to understand in order to get the
most out of the VL7.
2. The Controls & Connectors [≥Page 16]
Brief descriptions of the VL7 controls and connectors, and their
functions.
3. Setting Up [≥Page 22]
System connections, powering up, playing the demo, calibrating
the Breath Controller, and loading the pre-programmed voices.
4. Voice Selection [≥Page 34]
Several ways to select and play the VL7’s 64 voices.
5. The Controllers [≥Page 38]
The VL7 controllers and how they can be assigned and edited
for optimum control.
6. Mixing & The Modifiers [≥Page 48]
Customizing the sound to suit your own personal needs.
7. Effects [≥Page 58]
An overview of the built-in digital effects that you can use to
add depth and ambience to the VL7 sound.
We recommend that you go through the chapters in sequence and actually
try out the various operations described. Once you’ve gone through the entire
Getting Started manual in this way, you should be familiar enough with the VL7
to need only the VL7 Feature Reference manual in future.

5
Feature Reference
The Feature Reference Manual (this manual)
The Feature Reference manual is the “nuts and bolts” reference for
the VL7, individually describing its many functions in detail. The Feature
Reference manual is divided into five main sections, each describing the
various functions within a particular VL7 edit or utility mode.
1. General Operation [≥Page 7]
2. Play Mode [≥Page 13]
3. Edit Mode [≥Page 21]
4. Utility Mode [≥Page 149]
5. Appendix [≥Page 177]
Once you have become familiar with the way the VL7 works by
going through the Getting Started manual, you should only need to refer
to the Feature Reference manual from time to time to get details on func-
tions you’ve never used before, or refresh your memory about functions
that you don’t use very often.
Each section of the Feature Reference manual has its own table of
contents, so you should be able to locate any particular function quickly
and easily. Functions and references can also be located by referring to the
index at the back of the manual.
Conventions
The following conventions are used through the VL7 manuals to
avoid confusion and make the text easier to read.
Buttons & Controls
Button and control names used on the VL7 panel appear in the text
in capital letters within a border: “the [button”, for example.
Parameter Names
Parameter names and other labels which appear on the VL7 display
are printed in the courier typeface for easier identification: for
example, “adjust the “Balance” parameter as required”.
Parameter Ranges
An ellipsis is used to indicate a range of parameter values: e.g. “0
… 127”. This minimizes the confusion sometimes caused by the use
of a hyphen or dash for this purpose.

6
Feature Reference

General Operation
The VL7 makes operation as easy as possible
by providing a consistent, logical control interface via
which its many functions and parameters can be
accessed and edited. Once you become familiar with
the system, operation should be smooth, efficient, and
easy.
●The Three Main Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
●Finding Functions & Parameters . . . . . 9
●Other Navigation Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
●Selecting & Editing Parameters . . . . . 12

8
Feature Reference
●
General Operation
The Three Main Modes
The VL7 has three main modes: PLAY, EDIT, and UTILITY. Each of these modes
can be directly accessed by pressing the P, E, or Ubutton, respectively.
The PLAY mode is the one you use to select and play the VL7 voices.
The PLAY mode also includes several “Controller Views” that allow you
to check controller assignments, the status of several important
performance parameters, and the continuous slider assignments.
≥ Pages 13 through 19.
All voice editing functions are accessed via the EDIT mode: controller
assignments, mixing, modifiers, effects, and more.
≥ Pages 21 through 148.
The UTILITY mode includes a range of functions that affect overall
operation of the VL7 rather than individual voices. For example: master
tuning, MIDI settings, disk operations, etc.
≥ Pages 149 through 176.
PLAY
EDIT
UTILITY

9
Feature Reference
●
General Operation
Finding Functions & Parameters
To facilitate access to the many functions provided, the EDIT and UTILITY mode
functions are organized into logical groups arranged in a hierarchical structure (the PLAY
mode is simple enough that it doesn’t require this type of structure). The basic structure
of the EDIT mode, for example, looks like this:
EDIT MODE
ELEMENT
EFFECT
CONTROLLER
MODIFIER
ENVELOPE
COMMON
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
Here you can see that the EDIT mode functions are divided into two main groups:
COMMON and ELEMENT, and that these are further sub-divided into related groups of
functions. The COMMON EFFECT group, for example, includes all the effect parameters
(flange, reverb, etc.) that apply to the entire voice. Here’s how you would access the
reverb parameters, starting from the PLAY mode:
● Example: Locate the Effect Reverb Parameters
1. Press E
Pressing the Ebutton from the PLAY or UTILITY mode will normally take
you to the initial EDIT display page (if the current voice has already been edited but not
stored, you will automatically return to the last EDIT mode page that was selected).
2. Press ¡(“COM”)
Since you want the effect functions, which are in the common group, press the ¡
function button (immediately below “COM” on the display).

10
Feature Reference
●
General Operation
3. If Necessary, Press ™(“Efct”)
If the miscellaneous directory is showing (in this case “Misc” above the ¡button
will be highlighted), press the ™button below “Efct” on the display to select the
effect directory.
4. Move the Cursor To “4:Reverberation” and Press [
Use the cursor buttons (or the -and =buttons, or the data dial)
to move the cursor to “4:Reverberation” and press the [button. This will
take you to the first page of reverb parameters.
NOTES ■Notice that the top line of the display shows the “path” to the current
level or function: “
EDIT/COM/EFFECT/REVERBERATION ”.
This example illustrates the two methods used to move downward through the EDIT
mode levels: 1) press the appropriate function button and 2) move the cursor to the
desired selection and press [.
From any point within the structure you can move upward toward the topmost level
(in this case the initial EDIT mode display) by pressing the ]button. You move up
one level each time the ]button is pressed, until the topmost level is reached.
To exit from the EDIT mode itself you must press either the Por U
button, depending on the mode you want to switch to. You can exit from the EDIT mode
at any level by doing this, and you will be returned automatically to the same display
page the next time you press the Ebutton as long as the voice being edited is not
stored or a new voices is not selected.

11
Feature Reference
●
General Operation
Other Navigation Aids
In addition to the standard procedures described in the previous section, the VL7
sometimes provides additional help in moving between related functions via the function
buttons.
In this example display page from the ELEMENT CONTROLLER group, “Bpag”
(back page) and “Fpag” (forward page) appear above the §and ¶function buttons.
In this case these buttons can be used to move forward and backward through the entire
list of controller functions so you don’t have to move up to the function directory and
then down to the next function every time you want to select a different element control-
ler page.
Also note the “Para” (Parameter) abbreviation above the •button. This enables
you to go directly to the parameters related to the current page: in this case the vibrato
parameters.
From here you can go back to the vibrato controller page by pressing the •
function button again (note that it is now labelled “Ctrl”), or to the vibrato key scaling
parameters by pressing ¶, below “KSC” on the display.
Another variation appears in the COMMON EFFECT parameter displays. In most
cases the number of parameters available for each effect exceeds the capacity of the
display, so the ¡and ™function buttons are used to scroll up and down the parameter
list — note the “>” and “<” arrows above the buttons in the display.

12
Feature Reference
●
General Operation
Selecting & Editing Parameters
Once you’ve locate the display page that contains the parameter(s) you want to edit,
simply use the cursor buttons to move the cursor to the parameter, and then use the data
dial or the =and -buttons to set the parameter as required. The data dial is ideal
for quickly covering a large range of settings, while the =and -buttons are best
for small stepwise changes.

Play Mode
The primary function of the PLAY mode is to
allow you to select and play voices. The VL7 play
mode additionally offers a range of controller views
that let you check controller assignments, and simple
“quick edit” capability. Select the PLAY mode from
either the EDIT or UTILITY mode by pressing the
Pbutton.
●The Main Play Mode Display . . . . . . . 14
●Voice Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
●Controller Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
●Quick Editing In the Play Mode . . . . . 19

14
Feature Reference
●
Play Mode
The Main Play Mode Display
When you select the PLAY mode by pressing the Pbutton, the main PLAY
mode display will appear. This display includes a considerable amount of information in
addition to the name of the currently selected voice.
The abbreviations in the section separated by a line at the bottom of the display
(“Cnt1”, “Cnt2”, etc) indicate the functions of the corresponding function buttons
below the display (described below).
■The Normal Voice Display
Voice number.
Element name.
Assign mode.
Voice name.
Play mode.
Reverb on or off.
Stereo output mode.
Effects in use.

15
Feature Reference
●
Play Mode
Voice Selection
The VL7’s 64 voices are organized into 4 banks of 16 voices each (4 x 16 = 64).
Any voice can be selected by specifying its bank using the bank buttons (athrough
d), and its number using the voice number buttons (1through ^).
To select voice “A7”, for example, first press the bank abutton and then the
voice number 7button. The bank abutton indicator will flash until the voice number
7button is pressed and the A7 voice is actually engaged.
A
1
9
ALL
B
2
10
HE
C
3
11
DF
D
4
12
EQ
5
ALL
13
IE
6
MOD
14
RSN
7
FBD
15
8
REV
16
EFFECT ON / OFF
MODIFIER ON / OFF
Note that when you select a different bank (or press the same bank button)
the voice directory for the selected bank will appear on the display, showing the names
of all voices in that bank with the cursor located at the currently selected voice number.
The VL7 returns to the normal voice display as soon as you specify the voice number.
You can also press the [button if you want to stay with the same voice number.
To select a different voice within the same bank it is only necessary to press the
appropriate voice number button. To select a different bank, however, you’ll always have
to press both a bank button and a voice number button (or the [button). This
prevents unwanted voices from being selected until you’ve actually specified both the
bank and number of the voice you want to use.

16
Feature Reference
●
Play Mode
DEC INC
Alternate Voice Selection Methods
●=and -Buttons These are best for small, step-wise changes —
e.g. selecting adjacent voice numbers, or
numbers that are only a few steps away. Press
the =or -button briefly to decrement
or increment the voice number by one, or hold
either button for continuous decrementing or
incrementing in the corresponding direction.
Extra-fast increment or decrement operation
can be achieved by pressing the opposite
button while holding either the -or =
button. The bank will switch automatically if
you cross a bank voice-number boundary.
●Data Dial The data dial provides a fast, efficient way to
cover a broad range of voice numbers when,
for example, you’re looking for a voice but
don’t know the voice number. Simply rotate
the data dial clockwise for higher voice
numbers or counter-clockwise for lower voice
numbers while watching the display. The
banks are automatically switched when neces-
sary as the voice numbers are changed.
● Using the Voice Directory
Although the voice directory appears automatically any time you select a bank, you
can have the directory displayed continuously if you find it more convenient than the
normal voice display. To switch to the voice directory display, press the •button —
located directly below “Dir” on the display. Voices are selected using the same methods
described above, and the cursor will move to the selected voice.
To return to the normal voice display press the ]or Pbutton.

17
Feature Reference
●
Play Mode
Controller Views
In the PLAY mode, function buttons ¡(“Cnt1”) through §(“CS”) are used to
select “controller view” displays that list all controller assignments for the currently
selected voice. You can press the ]or Pbutton from any controller view to
return to the normal play-mode display.
● ¡ (“Cnt1”) through ¢ (“Cnt4”): Main Controllers
¡through ¢display the assignments for the controller parameters.
¡
(“Cnt1”)
£
(“Cnt3”)
™
(“Cnt2”)
Pressure ≥ Page 63.
Embouchure ≥ Page 64.
Pitch ≥ Page 65.
Vibrato ≥ Page 67.
Tounguing ≥ Page 68.
Amplitude ≥ Page 69.
Scream ≥ Page 70.
Breath Noise ≥ Page 71.
Growl ≥ Page 72.
Throat Formant ≥ Page 73.
Dynamic Filter ≥ Page 75.
Harmonic Enhancer ≥ Page 76.