Introduction, Overview of the k2661, Chapter 1 – ALESIS K2661 User Manual
Page 9: Overview of the k2661 -1, Chapter 1 introduction
Introduction
Overview of the K2661
1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a Kurzweil/Young Chang K2661 instrument.
The K2661 is packed with great acoustic, electric, and synth sounds—combined with some of
the most advanced synthesis features available, which you can use to create almost any sound
imaginable. The K2661 incorporates most of the features of the K2600, and provides several new
features as well.
This manual, along with the
Musician’s Guide
and
Musician’s Reference
(provided on the CD-
ROM) will get you started with your new instrument. As you become an advanced user, you
will want to spend more time with the
Musician’s Guide
and
Musician’s Reference
to make the
most of your K2661’s many capabilities.
Overview of the K2661
The K2661 is a versatile performance instrument and an invaluable tool for multi-timbral
sequencing and recording. Its Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology (V.A.S.T.) lets you
build sounds from realistic instrumental samples and sampled synth waveforms—then modify
the nature of those sounds through a wide variety of digital signal-processing (DSP) functions.
The K2661 also generates its own synth waveforms, which can be combined with the samples or
used on their own. Onboard sound ROM includes the Orchestral and Contemporary sound
blocks, as well as a fine set of General MIDI (GM) sounds. You can add one or both of the two
available option ROMs (Stereo Dynamic Piano and Vintage Electric Pianos), and you can load
samples from disk into sample RAM.
Before we get into explaining VAST, here are a few of the features that by themselves make the
K2661 an impressive stage and studio machine. It’s fully multi-timbral—different programs can
be played on each MIDI channel. It’s 48-note polyphonic, for a full sound no matter how many
chords you play. There’s an on-board digital effects processor, providing up to five simultaneous
effects, including real-time effects control, internally or via MIDI.
In addition to the standard stereo audio output pair, there are four balanced analog outputs and
eight channel digital output.