Using Pcmcia Expansion Cards | Alesis QS8.1, QS7.1 guide

Part 9: Extras

USING PCMCIA EXPANSION CARDS

The QS provides two PCMCIA EXPANSION CARD slots, [A] and [B ], which are found on the rear panel. These accommodate Alesis QCards and RAM cards. The RAM Card is a type of PCMCIA SRAM or FlashRAM card. We currently offer one which has 512K of memory and will store 8 complete banks. Larger Flash RAM cards can store up to 8MB of sample data using Alesis Sound Bridge software. Each PCMCIA Expansion Card slot can house a card with up to 8 Mb of RAM, for a total of 16 additional megabytes of sound storage.

The QCards are ROM cards, which stands for Read-Only Memory. This means that you can’t store (“Write”) to them. So the kind of card you need to use for that sort of operation is an SRAM or Flash RAM card.

Note: The cards must be Type 1 PC cards (PCMCIA), and must be either AMD-C series or -D series FLASH cards (or fully compatible). Any SRAM card should work. Many different card sizes from 256K to 8 Megabytes are supported; just make sure they are 5-volt read/write only, and have an access time of 150 nanoseconds or faster.

SAVING THE USER BANK TO A PCMCIA CARD

The entire contents of the QS’s User memory (100 Mixes and 128 Programs) can be stored to an Alesis PCMCIA RAM card inserted into card slot [A] on the QS. Depending on the amount of RAM a particular card has, up to 8 complete banks can be stored onto it.

❿Insert a card into Sound Card slot A on the back of the QS. Alesis recommends that you use card slot A for all RAM card storage operations.

❡Press [STORE].

①Press [PAGE] three times.

This selects the “SAVE TO CARD” option. The display will look like this:

➃Use the [CONTROLLER D] slider or the [VALUE] buttons to select a bank location on the card to store to (A1–4, etc.).

If the card contains a ROM bank, it will show as Bank 1 and you will be unable to store to it.

➄Press [STORE] to transfer the user bank data from the QS onto the card.

If the display reads “CARD A IS WRITE PROTECTED.”, switch the write- protect switch on the card to off and repeat the procedure.

160	QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual

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Alesis QS8.1, QS7.1 manual Using Pcmcia Expansion Cards, Saving the User Bank to a Pcmcia Card

Contents

Alesis HOW to USE this Manual Introduction Manual Conventions Unpacking and Inspection Contents Part 7 Editing Mixes Part 9 Extras…………………………………………………………………………………………………159 Table of Contents QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual Hookup Line Conditioners and ProtectorsPart Udio ConnectionsLevels Audio Cables SELECTION, ROUTING, and Care Midi Basic Midi Hookup Setup & Connections Part QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual Page Direct Computer Link IBM PCS and Compatibles Running Windows Macintosh Pedal and Footswitch Hookup Digital a UDIO/OPTICAL HookupEcording Digital Audio KHZ Setup & Connections Part QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual Quick Tour of the Front Panel WheelsSliders Edit Mode Buttons Display Play Mode Buttons Selection Buttons Word about the Silkscreening Sequence & Transpose Buttons PROGRAMS, MIXES, and Banks WHAT’S a PROGRAM?WHAT’S a MIX? Page Whats a BANK? Performance Controls About Sound GroupsPage Pcmcia Expansion Cards Powering UP Playing the Demo Sequences Part 3 First Session Playing Programs Changing the Midi Channel Playing Mixes Picking a MIX BankSelecting Mixes Finding OUT What Programs are in the MIX YOU are Playing Performance CONTROLS, PT Transposing the Keyboard Performance Transposition Chart Down Recap DOUBLE-BUTTON Press TrickPage Copying Existing Programs Mixes to a NEW Location User Bank …OR to a NEW Location on a Card Bank Changing the Programs in a MIX Storing Altered Mixes to the User Bank or to a CardStoring Altered Programs to the User Bank or to a Card Compare Mode Changing the Name of a Program Or MIX Playing Sequences from a Card Global Settings HOW to Change Them Global Edit Global Setting Editing Global Parameters 1 Master Pitch 2 Master Tune 3 Keyboard Velocity Curve4 Keyboard Velocity Scaling 6 Keyboard Mode 5 Transpose 7 General Midi 8 Controller a #9 Controller B # Page 12 Pedal 1 Control # 10 Controller C #11 Controller D # 13 Pedal 2 Control # 14 Midi Program Select Mode 15 INPUT/OUTPUT Mode 16 Midi OUT Mode 17 Reset Controllers A-D18 Controller A-D Mode 19 Clock SOURCE/CLOCK Rate Page Power of MIX Mode What WE’LL Cover Here Using AN External Sequencer Serial Port Selecting the Keyboard Mode Midi PrgSl OFF Program Assign for Each Midi ChannelSending and Receiving Bank Select Messages Midi PrgSl on Midi MixSl CH Using the QS AS a Master Keyboard Making IT Happen Transmitting Midi Volume and Panning Mix Pan value CC#10 value 127 107 Transposing Midi Note Numbers PER Zone Sending Card Sequence Data to External Devices Saving Programs VIA Midi SYS EX To send the entire User bank via Midi Editing Programs VIA Midi SYS EX Part 5 Midi QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual Editing Effects Basic Info Part 6 Editing Effects QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual Entering Effects Edit Mode from Program Mode Entering Effects Edit Mode from MIX Mode Navigating in Effects Edit Mode Selecting from Among Available Effects Patches in a MIX FX Program Change VIA Midi Function HOW the Display Changes When YOU Alter AN Effect Storing Effect Patches in Program ModeStoring Effect Patches in MIX Mode Copying Effects from ONE Program To Another Page Picking AN Effect Configuration Keeping Track the Interaction EFFECTS, PROGRAMS, and Mixes Configuration #1 1 Reverb HOW 1 Reverb is Arranged Configuration #2 2 Reverbs HOW 2 Reverbs is Arranged Configuration #3 LEZLIE+REVERB HOW LEZLIE+REVERB is Arranged Configuration #4 1 REVERB+EQ HOW REVERB+EQ is Arranged Configuration #5 OVERDRIVE+LEZLIE HOW OVERDRIVE+LEZLIE is Arranged Routing Sounds or Programs Through the Effects only Setting Effect Send Levels If the Send Inputs CLIP…Page LO EQ Gain EQ Configurations 4 and 5 onlyLO EQ Frequency HI EQ Frequency Range of Settings see list below MOD1 Source MOD1 Destination MOD2 Destination MOD1 LevelMOD2 Source MOD2 Level Range of Settings Slow/Fast Config Lezlie Configurations 3 and 5 onlyRange of Settings On/Off Config MotorPage Horn Level InputInput Balance Pitch Pitch Type Mono Chorus Mono Flange Pitch Detune Depth Delay Input LevelWaveform Shape Feedback Resonator Tuning Resonator Decay Range of Settings 99 to 0 to Delay TypeRange of Settings see below TimePage Range of Settings 00 to 5 and Page 8 in Stereo Delay Reverb Range of Settings Delay Out/Chorus Out Range of Settings Pitch Out/Delay In/Send…and one regarding the Reverb function and Sends 2 through Range of Settings 00 to Sends 2 Reverb Input Level SendReverb Input Level Sends 2 Through Chorus Input Level Range of Settings 00 to 1 Config 2 only, Sends 1Reverb Parameters Reverb Type Range of Settings 0 to 299ms PRE-DELAY TimePRE-DELAY MIX Range of Settings IN99DEL to IN99DEL Density DecayLOW DECAY/ High Decay Diffusion Part 6 Editing Effects QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual 101 Overdrive Threshold Overdrive Configuration 5 onlyOverdrive Type Overdrive Brightness Delay Level Range of Settings 00 to ConfigPitch Level Reverb Level Lezlie LevelOverdrive Level Polyphony in MIX Play Mode HAT is a MIX? MIX Edit Mode Understanding the Edit Buffers Level Setting for Each Program Pitch Effect Midi Output On or Off KEYBOARD/MIDIMidi Input On or Off Keyboard On or Off Aftertouch On or Off ControllersPitch-bend and Modulation Wheels On or Off Sustain Pedal On or Off Lower Limit Midi note 000 to 127/ C-2 to G8 Setting the RangeNaming a MIX High Limit Midi note 000 to 127/ C-2 to G8 Overview Normalized Synth Voice HOW the QS Generates Sound Program Sound Layers QS Signal Flow Four Sounds of a Program Voice Lowpass Filter About Modulation AMP About Signal Processing LFO LOW Frequency Oscillator Drum Mode Page Storing Your Edited Programs Program Edit Functions Sound Enable Sound TypeSound Group 17 options Sound Group Voice Ethnic Output Main, Aux, or Off LevelPan 3 to Effect Level 00 to Pitch Pitch Envelope Depth -99 to +99 Portamento Exponential, Linear, 1 SpeedPortamento Rate 0 to Keyboard Mode Mono, Poly, 1-Pitch or 1-PMono Filter Filter Frequency 00 toKeyboard Track On or Off Velocity -99 to +99 Modulation Wheel Depth -99 to +99Filter LFO Depth -99 to +99 Filter Envelope Depth -99 to +99 AMP/RANGE Velocity Curve 13 choices Amp LFO Depth -99 to +99 QS8.1 Keyboard Range Sound Overlap 00 to Decay & Sustain 00 to Pages 2 Pitch EnvelopeAttack 00 to Release 00 to 99, Hold Sustain Decay 00 to Delay 00 to 99, HoldTrigger Normal, Freerun, Reset, Reset-Freerun Time Tracking On or Off Level 00 to Velocity Modulation 00 to Filter Envelope Release 00 to Delay 00 to Time Tracking On or Off AMP Envelope Sustain Decay 00 to Name MOD 1 MOD About General Purpose Modulation Selecting the Modulator 1 to Modulation SourcePage Gate Mode Off or On Modulation DestinationModulation Level -99 to +99 Quantize Mode Off or On Pitch LFO Wave 8 choicesSpeed 00 to Trigger Mono, Poly, Key Mono, or Key Poly Mod Wheel Depth -99 to Aftertouch Depth -99 toFilter LFO AMP LFO Trigger Mono, Poly, Key Mono, Key Poly Tracking Generator Tracking Input Tracking Points 0 10 Pages Programming Drum Sounds in Drum Mode Kick Snd FX Tune -12.00 to +12.00 VelocityPitch 0 to VelocityFilter 0 to Decay 0 to 99, Gate00 to Gate99 Mute Group Off, 1, 2, or Special Programming Functions Copying SoundsPage To Audition Programs Before Storing This selects Mix Play Mode Extras Sound Bridge Using Pcmcia Expansion Cards Saving the User Bank to a Pcmcia Card Loading a Bank from AN External Card Storing AN Individual Program or MIX Loading AN Individual Program or MIX Card Storage Ramifications Sram Cards and MIX Mode More about Sram Cards Troubleshooting Part 10 Appendices Appendix a Recovering from a Crash RE-INITIALIZINGPage Preventative Maintenance MAINTENANCE/SERVICECleaning Your QS7.1 / QS8.1 Checking the Software Version Obtaining Repair Service Customers Index 102, 119 MIX Sram Index QS7.1/QS8.1 Reference Manual 183