ALESIS QSR 64 - Manual (Page 28)

Overview: Chapter 4
QSR Reference Manual 2
M
ODES
The QSR is always in one of two main modes: Program Play Mode or Mix Play Mode.
Pressing [PROG] selects Program Play Mode, while pressing [MIX] selects Mix Play
Mode. While in Program Play Mode, you can press [EDIT] to access Program Edit
Mode and Effects Edit Mode. While in Mix Play Mode, pressing [EDIT] alternates
between Mix Edit Mode, Program Edit Mode and Effects Edit Mode. Once [EDIT] has
been pressed (the lower-left corner of the display reads “
EDIT ”), pressing BANK
SELECT [DOWN] accesses Compare Mode (if the Program/Mix has been edited, and
pressing BANK SELECT [UP] accesses Global Edit Mode. Pressing [STORE] accesses
Store Mode. Here are descriptions of these modes:
P ROGRAM P LAY M ODE
Program Play Mode lets you play the QSR’s various Programs one at a time. The
QSR contains 512 Preset and 128 User Programs (i.e., the sounds of various
instruments, effects, ensembles, etc.) that show off just how cool this instrument
really is. Initially, the 4 Preset Banks and the User Bank contain data loaded in at the
factory. The User Programs can be edited or replaced with your own Programs.
However, you cannot replace the Preset Programs, because these are stored in ROM
(permanent memory). In Program Play Mode, the QSR responds to or generates
messages on a single MIDI channel.
M
IX
P
LAY
M
ODE
Mix Play Mode lets you audition the QSR’s various Mixes. The QSR contains 400
Preset Mixes and 100 User Mixes. A Mix can combine up to 16 different Programs,
controlled by 16 channels of MIDI data at once. Therefore, much thicker and richly
textured sounds can be created. In Mix Play Mode, the QSR can be used in a wide
range of applications. It can be used for live performance, where sounds are layered
or assigned to sections of the controller keyboard. It can also be used as a
multitimbral sound source for desktop music and home studio applications. A Mix
uses the Effects Patch associated with one of its Programs. Although there may be 16
Programs in a Mix, there can only be one Effects Patch per Mix. In Mix Mode, the
QSR can respond to messages on up to 16 MIDI channels simultaneously; different
channels are available depending on which Mix is selected.
P ROGRAM E DIT M ODE
In Program Edit Mode, you can change the various settings which determine the
sound of an individual Program, or create an entirely new Program from scratch.
Each Program is made up of four Sound layers, which you can edit individually, or
simultaneously. In Program Edit mode you can:
• select which sample waveform from the 16 megabytes of onboard sample ROM
will be used, in each of the 4 sounds;
• change the tone, level, attack and decay characteristics, modulation inputs, and
pitch of each layer;
• set modulation routings whereby any parameter can be controlled via MIDI;
• set the effect level for each Sound layer, and set which of the four effect sends
each Sound layer will use for signal processing (such as reverb, delay, and
chorus—or any combination of these).