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The
Yamaha TX81Z has some features which I have not found in any other
synth. This article will deal with Delay and Chord effects. To use
the Delay function you must first set up the 81Z to taste. While
in the PLAY Mode hit the Utility key and set the memory protect
to off. Use the Parameter keys to get to Edit Effect 1?. Enter yes.
You will come to the Delay Time screen. I have mine set at 0.10s.
Try setting slower or faster to hear the difference. The effects
will only work in Performance Mode so you will have to shift modes
to test the effects. When you are back in the Delay Time screen
hit the Parameter > key. I have the Pitch Shift = 0, I do the
pitch shifting in the Performance patches themselves. If you set
the Pitch Shift at +2, each time a note sounds it will be 2 half
steps higher than the previous note. Hit the Parameter > key.
I have my Feedback set at 7. Hit the Parameter > key. I have
the Effect Level set at 99. Now go to the Performance Mode and hit
the Edit key. Set the Assign Mode to altr. I use 2 TX81Z's and have
a patch called BADVIBES. I use the Great Vibes patch with the Max
Notes set for one each on one brain, and Celeste with Max Notes
set for one on each note but the last, which is set on 0, on the
other brain. (Of course you can use one brain and still get these
effects to work). I have the 2 brains set up to be out of sync to
enhance the delay effect. For Note Shift I have the Great Vibes
patch set at -19/-20/-15/-16/-18/-4/-12/-7 and the Celeste patch
set at -20/-15/-16/-19/-7/-12/-3/*. Make sure the Effect Sel = delay.
This patch sounds like an 'out' arpegiator, sort of an evil Mr.
Rogers. For a more 'inside' sound try Pitch Shifts of octaves, fourths
and fifths.
This
next section is about the chord function. On just about every Wind
Synth player's wish list is the Oberheim XPander. Besides the XPander's
killer analog sound, one of its best features is its ability to
play chords. With the proper programming it can play 3 different
chords per trigger note. You are lucky if you can find one for $1500,
if you can find one at all. I was lucky, I got mine used for $1300.
However you can probably get a Yamaha TX81Z for under $150 and it
can do something the XPander can't, play 8 different chords per
trigger note, and different chords for each chromatic note! As with
the XPander, its best not to think of these as actual chord changes,
think of them as 'blocks of sound'. To play these chords requires
a bit of programming. Go into the Play Single mode and hit the Utility
key. Make sure the Memory protect is off. Hit the Parameter >
key until you come to Edit Effect 3? Enter yes(on the DATA ENTRY
key). The screen will read Key on note ? C3. Enter yes. Then program
in a 3 note chord, not a 4 note chord. On C3 I use D2/G2/C3/*, *
= no note. For C#3 I use F2/G2/A#2/*. To get to the next Key on
note? hit the Parameter > key, then enter yes. After going through
all 12 notes hit the Play/Performance key and get into the Performance
(PF) mode. Hit edit. Make the Assign Mode = altr. For Max Notes
enter 1 for each. Enter whatever patch you will. Enter all the other
parameters as you will. When you get to the Note Shift screen you
have reached the big one!
To
get 8 different 'chords' per trigger note you must shift the pitch
around. I often enter 0/-7/-5/-7/0/+12/-5/0. This will make all
of the chords sound similar but different. To get 'out' sounding
chords try entering in -1/+11/+1, something like that. For Out Assign
make some notes I and some notes II, try I/II/I/II etc. For Effect
Sel = enter chord. You should now be able to play any note 8 times
and hear a different chord each time. If you have 2 81Z's try programming
a bass sound using the Assign Mode = altr. and Effect Sel = off
on one brain and have the other play chords. If you use a 7 note
bass pattern you can get 56 different combinations! I use 2 81Z
brains and have them both set to Asign Notes II when I want to use
stereo patches, such as when I want to play chords. I put one 81Z
II output to the left input of my main mixer and the other 81Z II
output to the right input.This gives me great, fat, 6 voice stereo
chords! For the patches I want smoother volume control I use Assign
Note I and route them to my EWI mixer. For EWI controlled patches
the 81Z volume must be all the up so no MIDI stepping will occur.
For the stereo patches you must use breath controlled (cc#2) MIDI
Volume and make the appropriate edits on the Play/Single patches.
I only use the Performance Mode and use both TX81Z's as one 16 voice
brain. For an investment of under $300 you can get some very fat
sounding chords.
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