3.The Performance Parameters

“Performance parameters” are programmable parameters which pertain mainly to real-time performance effects such as how the pitch bend and modulation wheels affect the sound. All performance parameters can be memorized for each voice. If you wish that the edited data will remain in the memory, you have to store it using STORE function (see CHAPTER V: VOICE PROGRAMMING, “4. Storing Voice Data”).

B1: POLY/MONO

This function selects either the POLY or MONO note output mode.

There are two possible settings: POLY and MONO. In the POLY mode the note output configuration depends on the currently selected play mode. When the play mode is set to SINGLE up to 8 notes can be played simultaneously. When set to SPLIT up to 4 notes may be simultaneously played on each side of the split point (4 + 4). When set to DUAL up to 4 notes may be played simultaneously. In the MONO mode, which can only be selected when the DX21 is in the SINGLE play mode, the DX21 acts as a last-note-priority monophonic keyboard. In the SPLIT mode it is possible to select one POLY voice and one MONO voice. In this case up to seven notes can be played simultaneously on the POLY voice and one on the MONO voice.

Once the POLY/MONO function is selected, subsequent presses on the B1 button alternate between the POLY and MONO modes. The DATA ENTRY switches can also be used: the -1 switch selects POLY and the +1 switch selects MONO.

B2: PITCH BEND RANGE

This function sets the pitch range of the pitch bend wheel located to the left of the DX21 panel. The pitch bend wheel automatically centers at normal pitch. It then may be moved upward (away from the player to raise the pitch, or moved downward (toward the player) to lower the pitch by the specified amount.

The data range is from 0 to 12. At 0 the pitch bend wheel is off. Each increment between 1 and 12 represents a semitone. Thus if this function is set to 12, maximum travel of the pitch bend wheel produces a one-octave pitch variation, both above and below center position–i.e. plus or minus one octave.

The DATA ENTRY control and -1/+1 switches can be used to enter data. Once the PITCH BEND RANGE function is called, subsequent presses on the B2 button increment the data value.

PB MODE: MODE SET

This function selector, located immediately above the DATA ENTRY -1 button, offers a choice of three pitch bend wheel modes: Low, High and K-on. In the Low mode, the pitch bend wheel affects only the lowest note played on the keyboard. In other words, if a chord is played, the pitch bend wheel affects only the pitch of the lowest note in the chord—this makes it possible to produce some interesting effects. The High mode is just the opposite—only the highest note played will be affected by the pitch bend wheel. In the K-on (Key on) mode, all notes played are affected simultaneously by the pitch bend wheel, while notes sustained using the sustain footswitch will not be affected.

The DATA ENTRY control and -1/+1 switches can be used to select the desired mode.

B3: PORTAMENTO MODE

Two different portamento modes are available: Full Time Portamento and Fingered Portamento. When the POLY/MONO function is set to POLY (button B1), only the Full Time Portamento mode is accessible. In the MONO mode, you have a choice between the Full Time and Fingered portamento modes.

(1)“Full Time Porta” (MONO and POLY modes): Aconventional portamento effect in which portamento occurs whenever a new note is played.

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