Alesis DG8 manuel d'utilisation

R EFERENCE M ANUAL Spring 1999[...]

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4 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL Your shipping carton should contain the following items: 1. DG8 piano 2. Sustain pedal 3. Music stand 4. AC power cable 5. Warranty Registration card 6. Reference Manual 7. QuickStart Guide If anything is missing, please contact your dealer or Alesis immediately. Optional accessories available from your Alesis reseller: Ale[...]

Contents DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 5 C ONTENTS Alesis Contact Information ..........................................................................4 Important Safety Instructions ......................................................................7 Instructions de Sécurité Importantes (French) .....................................................[...]

Contents 6 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL MIDI Functions ............................................................................................53 MIDI Basics .................................................................................................................... ...................53 MIDI Hardware..........................................[...]

Important Safety Instructions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 7 I MPORTANT S AFETY I NSTRUCTIONS SAFETY SYMBOLS USED IN THIS PRODUCT This symbol alerts the user that there are important operating and maintenance instructions in the literature accompanying this unit. This symbol warns the user of uninsulated voltage within the unit that can cause dangerous e[...]

Important Safety Instructions 8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 12. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The product may fall, causing serious personal injury and serious damage to the product. Use only with cart, stand, or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the product. The combination of the product and stand sho[...]

Important Safety Instructions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 9 I NSTRUCTIONS DE S ÉCURITÉ I MPORTANTES (F RENCH ) S YMBOLES UTILISÉS DANS CE PRODUIT Ce symbole alèrte l’utilisateur qu’il existe des instructions de fonctionnement et de maintenance dans la documentation jointe avec ce produit. Ce symbole avertit l’utilisateur de la présence d’un[...]

Important Safety Instructions 10 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 14. Faites réparer par un personnel qualifié. Une réparation est nécessaire lorsque l’appareil a été endommagé de quelque sorte que ce soit, par exemple losrque le cordon secteur ou la prise sont endommagés, si du liquide a coulé ou des objets se sont introduits dans l’appareil, s[...]

Important Safety Instructions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 11 B EIM B ENUTZEN DIESES P RODUKTES BEACHTEN S IE BITTE DIE FOLGENDEN S ICHERHEITSHINWEISE : (G ERMAN ) 1. Lesen Sie die Hinweise. 2. Halten Sie sich an die Anleitung. 3. Beachten Sie alle Warnungen. 4. Beachten Sie alle Hinweise. 5. Bringen Sie das Gerät nie mit Wasser in Berührung. 6. Verwen[...]

Important Safety Instructions 12 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL I NSTRUCTIONS TO THE U SER This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipmen[...]

Important Safety Instructions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 13 CE D ECLARATION OF C ONFORMITY Manufacturer’s Name : Alesis Corporation Manufacturer’s Address : 1633 26 th Street Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA declares, that the product: Product Name : DG8 Model Type : Digital Grand Piano conforms to the following Standards: EMC: EN55103: 1997 Class B Safe[...]

Important Safety Instructions 14 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL[...]

Introduction DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 15 I NTRODUCTION In the years since electronic musical instruments made their debut in the early 1970s, the quest for a transportable piano that had the sound and feel of a true acoustic instrument seemed to elude every manufacturer. They tried everything, including a rather ingenious re-design of the grand piano[...]

Introduction 16 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL T YPOGRAPHIC C ONVENTIONS In this manual, we attempt to make the reading as easy as possible by using fonts and symbols that are easy to identify. The following list describes the conventions we use in the manual for special or important information. Slider, button and back panel labels are in SMALL BOLD CAPIT[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 17 C HAPTER 1 G ETTING S TARTED W HAT Y OU ’ LL N EED The DG8 is a completely self-contained instrument that needs nothing more than a standard AC electrical outlet and a stand to put it on. Before placing the DG8 on a stand, see the topic Set It Up at the bottom of this page for specifics. U SING[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 18 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL A TTACHING THE M USIC S TAND The DG8 is shipped with a music stand that attaches easily to the top of the instrument: 1. Remove the music stand from its plastic wrapping and extend the braces away from the front of the stand approximately 5 - 6 inches. The braces swing out from the front of the s[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 19 S ETTING UP THE DG8 IN A H OME Placement of your DG8 in the room can have a great effect on its overall tonal balance. Placing the DG8 is like placing loudspeakers in a room – placing the unit right up against a wall will accentuate the bass and if the wall has thick draperies, they will also c[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 20 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL T HE DG8 IN A M USIC S YSTEM If you plan to use the DG8 with other MIDI instruments and devices in a music system, you’ll need to integrate it into your system. Here’s a list of items you’re likely to need: 1. standard MIDI cables: refer to the following examples for possible connection sch[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 21 As a Slave : If you plan to control the DG8 from another MIDI device, you’ll need a MIDI cable connected to its MIDI IN port. You will also need a MIDI cable connected to the DG8’s MIDI THRU if you plan to pass MIDI data from the master through the DG8 to other MIDI devices in your rig. Conne[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 22 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL With a MIDI Patchbay: If you’re using a MIDI patchbay or “patcher” to connect all of your MIDI devices centrally, it’s likely that the patcher’s back panel will have a series of paired MIDI OUT and MIDI IN ports for each device in your rig (the DG8 being one of them). Connect the DG8’[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 23 T URN I T O N AND P LAY I T Flip the power switch on the DG8’s rear panel. The front panel display will illuminate and, if this is the first time you’ve used the DG8, it will recall Keyboard Program Pno1A:True Grand and display it under the PRIMARY SOUND heading. 1. AutoDemos Press and hold t[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 24 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL The Bass Bank buttons are used in conjunction with the ▲ and ▼ arrows to access the Bass Programs in each Bank: • Press a Bass Bank button to select a Bass category. Bass Programs are always played as the Split sounds on the lower range of the keyboard, and the selected Bass Program’s lab[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 25 H OW THE S OUNDS ARE S ELECTED 5. Single Mode The DG8 is in Single mode when a Keyboard or Card Program is played alone – the DG8 is not in a Layer or Split. The Program’s name and label appears in the top line of the display under the PRIMARY SOUND heading. The Keyboard or Card Program that [...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 26 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 7. Splits A Split is simply a Bass or Card Program played on the lower range of keys with a Primary sound played from the upper range. (Remember that the Primary can be selected from the Keyboard Banks or the Card Bank.) • To set up a Split, press any Bass Bank button. To select a Card Program [...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 27 9. Using the Cursor and the ▲ and ▼ Arrows When interacting with the display, the sound that is underlined by the cursor is the one that will be affected by the ▲ and ▼ arrows. You can always keep track of where the cursor is because during normal operation, the last sound that you select[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 28 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 11. Transpose You can transpose the DG8 ± 1 octave. Using Middle C (key “C3”) as your reference, press and hold the TRANSPOSE button and press a key on the keyboard. Pressing a key above Middle C will transpose the DG8 up by the interval and pressing a key below Middle C will transpose the D[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 29 13. Graphic EQ The 5-band analog graphic equalizer on the left side of the control panel allows you to make tonal adjustments to the sound. Press the EQ ON/OFF button (its LED will light) to activate the equalizer and raise or lower the frequency sliders to adjust the tone. Every time you power o[...]

Chapter 1: Getting Started 30 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 31 C HAPTER 2 P LAYING THE DG8 O VERVIEW The DG8 contains a total of 88 sound programs in its internal memory. 60 of these are called Keyboard Programs and represent a selection of pianos and other keyboard instruments such as harpsichord, electric piano, clavinet, pipe and electric organs. In addit[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 32 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL The Keyboard Bank buttons are used in conjunction with the ▲ and ▼ arrows to access the Keyboard Programs in each Bank: • Press a Keyboard Bank button to select a Keyboard category. The name and label of a Keyboard Program from the selected Bank will appear in the PRIMARY SOUND segment of t[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 33 U SING THE D ISPLAY AND S OUND S ELECTION B UTTONS In Play mode, the display shows the name(s) of the selected sound(s) – all three if a Split-with-Layer is selected. The most recently selected sound is underlined by the cursor . In our first example, a Split-with-Layer is shown: In this next e[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 34 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL select another Program within the current Keyboard or Card Bank for the Layer sound. When the cursor is at the SPLIT sound, pressing the ▲ and ▼ arrows will select another Program within the current Bass Bank or Card Bank for the Split sound. A complete tutorial on using the ▲ and ▼ arrow[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 35 S ELECTING I NTERNAL S OUNDS The DG8’s internal sounds can be selected and arranged in any of four Play Modes or keyboard setups: Single, Layer, Split and Split-with-Layer. To make things a little more interesting – and flexible – these modes can also be used with an external set of sounds [...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 36 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL Press any one of the Keyboard Bank buttons to select a Keyboard Bank. The last Keyboard Program that was selected from this Bank will be recalled from memory and displayed under the PRIMARY SOUND heading. Press the ▲ arrow to scroll through the other three Keyboard Programs in the Bank. Use the[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 37 There are two methods you can use to create a Layer: • Press and hold the LAYER/OFF button then press a Keyboard Bank button. A Keyboard Program from this Bank will appear in the LAYER display, layered with the current Program in the PRIMARY display. Use the ▲ and ▼ arrows, if necessary, to[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 38 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL Split Mode A Split is simply a Bass Program played with a Primary Sound: the Bass Program will be played from the lower range of keys and the Primary Sound will play from the upper range. As with Primary Sounds, each Bass Bank button represents a group of four related Bass Programs that are selec[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 39 • The default split-point is key “C2”, the C that is one octave below Middle C: • To change the split point press the SET SPLIT button, then press any key on the DG8’s keyboard. This key will be the highest note of the bass range. This will also be the Split Point for all Splits until i[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 40 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL U SING THE E XTERNAL C ARD S OUNDS You can take advantage of the DG8’s expandability by acquiring an Alesis QCard™ or other compatible PCMCIA Type I sound card. The Alesis QCard is a credit-card- sized memory module that is pre-programmed with 128 additional sounds for Alesis-compatible instr[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 41 QCard as Primary: 1. Select a QCard Program to be the Primary by pressi ng the CARD button. Use the ▲ and ▼ arrows, if necessary, to select the desired QCard Program. 2. Press and hold the LAYER/OFF button , then press a Keyboard Bank button. Use the ▲ and ▼ arrows, if necessary, to selec[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 42 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL QCard Programs In a Split-with-Layer In the following examples, a Split is created first, then the Layer sound is added to complete the Split-with-Layer. Note that you don’t have to create the Split first ; you can create a Layer first if you like, then add the Split sound. We’ll use the “S[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 43 DG8 S OUND C HART GROUP NAME PRIMARY SOUND LABELS LAYER/SPLIT SOUND LABELS PIANO 1 Pno1A, Pno1B, Pno1C, Pno1D Piano1A, Piano1B, Piano1C, Piano1D PIANO 2 Pno2A, Pno2B, Pno2C, Pno2D Piano2A, Piano2B, Piano2C, Piano2D PIANO 3 Pno3A, Pno3B, Pno3C, Pno3D Piano3A, Piano3B, Piano3C, Piano3D ELECTRIC PIA[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 44 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL F RONT P ANEL C ONTROLS T UNE Page 1: Master Tune The DG8 can be globally tuned to another instrument or tuning device, and this operation can be performed in any Play Mode. Press the TUNE button and use the ▲ button to raise the pitch of the DG8 and the ▼ button to lower it. The range is ± [...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 45 the keyboard globally (affects all modes), whether to an external MIDI device or to the internal DG8 sounds or card sounds. Once the keyboard is transposed, all Primaries, Layers and Splits are transposed by the same interval until you change the transpose (even if the DG8 is turned off) or re-in[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 46 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL MIDI F UNCTIONS Pressing the MIDI button puts the DG8 into MIDI Edit mode. Pressing the MIDI button repeatedly will step through the six different pages of the DG8’s MIDI functions. Press the PLAY button to exit any of the pages in this mode. Page 1: Basic MIDI Channel This is the MIDI Channel [...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 47 Page 2: Local Control It is possible to use the DG8 as a MIDI controller in a MIDI system without playing its own internal or card sounds by turning Local Control off. In this situation, the DG8’s keyboard becomes a MIDI transmitter only and does not affect the voices. This feature is particula[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 48 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL P EDALS B ACKGROUND Understanding the keyboard mechanism of an acoustic piano will help in under- standing how the pedals operate on the DG8. Before a piano is played, a series of dampers – small blocks of a felt-like material – rest on each string to prevent them from vibrating. When a key i[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 49 S OSTENUTO This pedal on an acoustic grand piano* causes only the dampers on played keys to lift until the pedal is released. In other words, if you play a chord, step on the Sostenuto pedal, and then release the keys, the notes you were playing continue to ring. What makes this different from a [...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 50 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL A momentary foot switch with a 2-conductor 1/4” connector is used for the Soft Pedal function of the DG8. A momentary footswitch with a 3-conductor 1/4” connector is used for the Sustain/Sostenuto functions of the DG8. “Momentary” means that it is a spring-loaded switch that operates by ?[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 51 A UDIO I NPUTS AND O UTPUTS The DG8 uses standard 2-conductor 1/4” tip-sleeve unbalanced connectors for back panel audio connections and a 3-conductor 1/4” tip-ring-sleeve connector for the two headphone outputs on the front. The diagram below shows what the right kind of connector looks like[...]

Chapter 2: Playing the DG8 52 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL I NITIALIZING THE DG8 F ACTORY D EFAULTS When the DG8 is shipped from the factory, its user parameters are set to certain values so that the unit will perform its most basic functions right out of the box. These are called defaults – values that are set at the factory as the most useful and/or [...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 53 C HAPTER 3 MIDI F UNCTIONS MIDI B ASICS Before we delve into the specific MIDI functions of the DG8, we’d like to provide a brief background on MIDI for those who may not be familiar with this technology. MIDI (pronounced “MID-ee”) is the acronym for M usical I nstrument D igital I nterface.[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions 54 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL MIDI H ARDWARE MIDI instruments and devices are connected by a fairly simple system of cables. The MIDI OUT port transmits data from one device one-way through the cable to the receiving instrument’s MIDI IN . You can setup each device in the system to send and respond to MIDI commands in a cert[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 55 common. For example, certain instruments are designed such that you can set a Voice or group of voices to MIDI Channels other than the Basic Channel. This provides enormous flexibility in the way that the instrument can control other instruments in the system, or be controlled by another MIDI devi[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions 56 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL continuous/switch controllers (which can act like continuous controllers, but some are assumed to choose between two possible states, such as on and off). Each type of controller is stamped with its own controller identification number. Not all controller numbers have been standardized for specifi[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 57 C HANNEL M ESSAGES : M ODE M ESSAGES There are four types of messages that determine the MIDI Mode of the instrument. The “mode” of a device refers to how it will respond to incoming MIDI data . The MIDI Specification outlines four possible modes and the DG8 implements a modified version of on[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions 58 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL MIDI AND THE DG8 With the previous description of MIDI basics in mind, let’s continue with a few more details concerning the MIDI functions that are present in the DG8. A MIDI Implementation Chart is provided in Appendix C that lists the MIDI functions supported by the DG8. C HANNEL M ESSAGES As[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 59 Program Changes The way the DG8 sends and responds to MIDI Program Change commands was designed to imitate the way Programs – whether Primary, Layer or Split – are selected from the front panel buttons. This is an important concept to understand and the following examples will help to illustra[...]

Chapter 3: MIDI Functions 60 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL The following chart summarizes the DG8’s handling of transmitting and receiving MIDI Program Change commands: MIDI Program # Primary/Layer Primary Layer Bass Split Program Channel Channel Program Channel 000 Pno1A Basic Basic + 1 ABasA Basic + 2 001 Pno1B Basic Basic + 1 ABasB Basic + 2 002 Pno1[...]

Appendix A: Glossary DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 61 G LOSSARY DG8 T ERMS Bass Program a sound Program selected from one of the Bass Banks Card Program a sound Program selected from the “Card Bank”, an external sound card inserted into the DG8’s back panel Defaults settings or display values that are set at the factory as the most useful and/or log[...]

Appendix A: Glossary 62 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL MIDI T ERMS All Notes Off a command that is transmitted to all devices in a MIDI system that prevents notes from becoming stuck on Channel one of sixteen separate “paths” that Voice and Mode data can travel on Channel Messages data that communicates Voice and Mode messages on a specific, user-selec[...]

Appendix B: Troubleshooting DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 63 T ROUBLESHOOTING If you experience problems while operating your DG8, please use the following table to check for possible causes and solutions before contacting Alesis customer service for assistance. Some of them may seem rather obvious, but you’d be amazed at how easy it can be to overlook [...]

Appendix B: Troubleshooting 64 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL SYMPTOM CAUSE SOLUTION All programs are out of tune with external MIDI devices or other instruments. Master Tune has been changed. Adjust Master Tune – see page 44. DG8 is not playing at concert pitch. Keyboard has been transposed. Press the TRANSPOSE button, then play Middle C to set transpos[...]

Appendix B: Troubleshooting DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 65 C LEANING AND M AINTENANCE While your DG8 should not need much attention, here are some tips for preventive maintenance: • Disconnect the AC power Adapter, then use a damp cloth to clean the DG8’s metal and plastic surfaces. For heavy dirt, use a non-abrasive household cleaner such as Formul[...]

Appendix B: Troubleshooting 66 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL[...]

Appendix C: Specifications DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 67 S PECIFICATIONS MIDI I MPLEMENTATION C HART Function Transmitted Recognized Remarks Basic Channel Default Changed 1 - 3 1 1 - 16 1 - 3 1 1 - 16 Any three consecutive Channels. Mode Default Messages Altered Mode 3 X * * * * * * * * Mode 3 X Note Number True Voice 9 - 120 * * * * * * * * 0 - 127 0 [...]

Appendix C: Specifications 68 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL S PECIFICATIONS Sound Generation Method: 16 Bit Linear 48kHz Sample ROM with sweepable lowpass filter per voice Polyphonic Voices: 64 Keyboard Section: 88 weighted keys, velocity sensitive Sound ROM: 24 MB, expandable to 32 MB via PCMCIA Expansion Card Slot Program Memory: 88 internal preset Prog[...]

Appendix D: Warranty DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 69 W ARRANTY This product is warranted by Alesis to the original purchaser against defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 year for parts and labor from the date of purchase. Complete terms of the Limited Warranty are stated on the Warranty Card packed with the product. Please retain a copy [...]

Appendix D: Warranty 70 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL[...]

Index DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 71 I NDEX A AC power .......................................................... 19 Alesis contact information ............................... 4 arrow buttons ................................................... 27 tutorial ..................................................... 33–34 audio outputs........................[...]

Index 72 DG8 R EFERENCE M ANUAL S Safety Instructions English ............................................................. 7 French .............................................................. 9 German .......................................................... 11 selecting sounds ............................................... 35 SET SPLIT butto[...]