ALESIS SR-16 - Manual (Page 6)

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8. Applications: This additional information will help you get the most out of the SR-16.
9. MIDI Supplement: This brief, entry-level explanation of MIDI explains the basic theory
behind the MIDI protocol.
Feel free to cover topics in a different order. For example, if creating a whacked-out Drum Set
is important to you, read the Drum Set section before you start recording. If you come up with
a great tune, skip ahead to the Backup section so that you don't accidentally erase the tune or
otherwise lose it. If you only want to use the SR-16 as a MIDI expander module, then the MIDI
Setup section might be a priority.
Experts as well as beginners should read the following "ground rules" (definitions, concepts,
and how to communicate with the SR-16) very carefully. The SR-16 is easy to use, but only if
you read and understand these basic principles.
Certain subjects, such as quantization and output assignments, will be familiar to
experienced drum machine users but new concepts to others. As a result, some sections
contain background material tailored specifically for beginners. These sections are identified
as "background" and set in a smaller type size.
1 . 1 D Return Your Warranty Card Now!
Your warranty will be in effect and you will receive product update information only if you
send in your warranty card. See the back page of the manual for full warranty information.
1.2 GROUND RULES
The SR-16 drum machine consists of two main elements:
• The drum sounds themselves, recorded using16-bit resolution (the same resolution as
CDs). For additional realism, many sounds use advanced "dynamic articulation" techniques
so that these sounds, when hit loudly, have a different timbre than when they're hit softly.
• An internal computer to control and trigger the sounds. This computer simulates an
advanced, easily editable tape recorder.
The SR-16 offers two main modes, Perform (for playback) and Compose (for recording). You
can switch between these while the SR-16 is playing, making it easy to test out different
sounds without recording them and then drop back into record mode.
1.2A The Pattern/Song Recording Method
When recording with a drum machine, it's often easier to divide a song into shorter individual
Patterns and work on these rather than record an entire song. A typical Pattern might be 8,16,
or 32 beats long, and correspond to a verse, chorus, bridge, instrumental, intro, etc. While
recording these Patterns, the SR-16 will be in Pattern mode. The SR-16 holds 50 Preset (i.e.,
can't be edited) Patterns and 50 user-programmable Patterns, each of which can be from 1 to
128 beats long.