ALESIS QS8.1 - Manual (Page 2)

QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual 1
I
NTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing an Alesis QS7.1/QS8.1 64-Voice Expandable Synthesizer.
It’s a powerful instrument and we’re sure you will find it exciting to use. The more
you know about it the more you’ll be able to do, so we recommend that you make
good use of this manual.
But most importantly, don’t forget to have fun! (There’s a good reason they call
what musicians do playing.)
H
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HIS
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ANUAL
No manual can cover the needs of all musicians. There are simply too many of you,
and your needs are too different. But we’ve tried to make this a document that will
teach you what you need to know while encouraging you to explore new and
interesting territory.
It is divided into eleven parts. How many of these sections you need to read will
depend on what you want to do with your QS.
Part 1: SETUP & CONNECTIONS covers how to hook up your QS so it can be turned
on and played. This section also contains useful audio basics, some tips on wiring
and power, and directions for connecting your QS to other MIDI gear.
Part 2: OVERVIEW introduces the front panel controls and LCD, along with the
terms and internal structures that every QS owner ought to know. Here is where
you’ll learn what all the buttons do, and how the sounds are organized. This
chapter also covers the Card expansion options you have available.
Part 3: FIRST SESSION starts you playing.
Part 4: BASIC OPERATION takes everything in the First Session one step further.
After covering this material you’ll be a QS performance wizard, fully versed in
how to use the instrument’s Programs and Mixes and how to change Global settings.
It’ll also take you through the basics of using the [STORE] button to save your
edits, how to go about naming them, and the procedures for playing back sequences
from a card.
Part 5: MIDI is for players who want to use their QS for MIDI performance and
sequencing. Because it’s relevant, you’ll also find a little here about the very top
level of Mix editing. Sys-ex transfer operations are also covered in this section.
Part 6: EDITING EFFECTS will show you how to modify the the matrix of effects
processors that are built into your QS. This is useful to know even if all you want to
do is “play the presets,” because even if you love a particular sound you might find
that its current processing doesn’t quite fit in with your music. Need to lengthen or
shorten a Program’s reverb time? Extend a delay? Make an echo louder? Or maybe
even shut the effects completely off, so you can run a raw signal into your mixing
deck or external effects processor? This is where you’ll find the answers.