Radio Shack MD501 User Manual
Page 5
 
5
5. To change the tempo, repeatedly press
TEMPO UP
or
TEMPO DOWN
. The current
tempo setting appears.
±
6. Play the keyboard along with the auto-
rhythm.
7. To select a different rhythm, repeat
Steps 1 and 2.
8. To stop the auto-rhythm, press
START/
STOP
again.
7UKPI"5;0%
This feature lets you synchronize the start of 
an auto-rhythm with the beginning of your 
music.
After you select and enter an auto-rhythm, 
press 
SYNC/FILL-IN
. The black dots above
the metronome flash to show the keyboard is 
in a standby mode.
Begin playing the keyboard. The keyboard 
automatically begins to play the rhythm when 
you press any key.
7UKPI"(+../+0
This feature lets you insert a short (1- to 2-
measure) variation in the beat pattern of a 
selected auto-rhythm.
Simply press
SYNC/FILL-IN
while the auto-
rhythm is playing. The keyboard inserts a 
variation, then the original rhythm 
automatically resumes at the end of the 
current measure. Or, to insert a longer 
variation, hold down 
SYNC/FILL-IN
. The
keyboard plays the variation until you release
SYNC/FILL-IN
.
7
5+0)
"#
761
"
#
%%1/2#0+/'06
The 19 keys on the left side of the keyboard 
with note labels above them are called 
accompaniment keys. The accompaniment 
keys you press determine the type of chord 
that plays. 
±
You can set the keyboard to play with no 
accompaniment or two different types of auto 
accompaniment using the accompaniment 
keys. 
• NORMAL — Normal mode. Chords are
turned off in this mode (but you can 
select tone and rhythm).
• S.FINGER
— Single Fingering mode.
This mode lets you play chords on the 
accompaniment keys using standard 
chord formations (see “Single 
Fingering”).
• FINGERED — Standard Fingering
mode. This mode lets you play chords 
on the accompaniment keys using chord 
formations of from three or more notes. 
The chord name appears on the display. 
The number of keys you press 
determines the type of chord that plays 
(see “Standard Fingering” on Page 6). 
Your keyboard defaults to the Normal mode. 
Follow the steps under “Single Fingering” or 
“Standard Fingering” to set it to an 
accompaniment mode.
5KPING"(KPIGTKPI
1. Set
POWER
to
ON
.
2. Repeatedly press
CHORD
until a black
dot appears next to S.FINGER on the 
left side of the display.
3. Press
RHYTHM
.
4. Enter a two-digit auto-rhythm number.
5. To start the auto-rhythm before the auto
accompaniment, press
START/STOP
.
Or, to synchronize the start of the 
selected auto-rhythm with your 
accompaniment, press 
SYNC/FILL-IN
.
6. Begin the accompaniment at the desired
interval by pressing the desired 
accompaniment key(s).
To play a melody along with the 
accompaniment, press any key(s) to the 
right of the accompaniment keys.
7. Adjust
TEMPO
and
VOLUME
to the
desired levels.
8. To change chords without interrupting
the rhythm, simply press the auto 
accompaniment key(s) required to form 
the new chord. The name of the chord 
appears.
9. To stop auto accompaniment but not the
auto-rhythm, repeatedly press
CHORD
until the black dot appears next to 
NORMAL on the display. Or, to stop auto 
accompaniment and the auto-rhythm, 
press 
START/STOP
.
±
"016'"
±
"
Selecting/Playing an Auto-Rhythm
•
You can adjust the tempo to play an auto-
rhythm from 40 to 240 beats per minute.
•
To reset the tempo to its default (original) 
speed, press TEMPO UP and TEMPO 
DOWN at the same time.
Using Auto Accompaniment
See “Chord Charts” on Page 10 for a list of all 
the chords you can play on your keyboard.