User manual ALESIS SR-16

[. . . ] Turn to section 1. 4, 10 Steps to Instant Gratification, and start making sounds. Some of the terms in that section may not make sense, but just follow the instructions, and get ready to hear some great grooves and have a good time. When you're ready to learn more, return to the beginning to learn SR-16 basics. The goal of the SR-16's design team has been to create a musical instrument, not a computer that happens to make sounds. [. . . ] The classic use of this is with hi-hats; a closed highhat will cut off an open hi-hat, and hitting an open hi-hat sound will cut off a closed hi-hat. The SR-16 can play up to 16 voices at a time, so it's possible to run out of voices if you play a flurry of notes and have lots of pads in the Multi assign mode. If 16 sounds are playing and you ask the SR-16 to play another one, the sound that's closest to finishing its decay cycle will be "stolen" so that the most recent sound can be played. In practice, it's difficult (and usually not artistically desirable!) to create drum parts so complex that voice-stealing becomes a problem. However, if this is a problem, try assigning all the toms to a group so that they only require one voice at a time. 4. 7 PAGE 7: CHOOSE OUTPUT JACKS (OUTPUT) The display shows OUTPUT, the currently selected pad number, and the pad's output assignment. OUTPUT MAIN DRUM SET DRUM SET PAGE To change the output assignment: 1. Press the pad (the display will show the pad number). Use the INC/DEC buttons or number buttons (1 chooses the Main output pair, 2-0 the Aux output pair). When the display confirms your choice, either store the changes you've made (see section 4. 8) or do more assignments by tapping another pad then entering its new output assignment. Background The SR-16 includes two independent stereo output pairs (Main and Aux). You can direct any pad to either output pair, and pan the sound within the selected output's stereo field (section 4. 4). This allows several output assignment options: Mono: Plug into one of the output pair jacks; the SR-16 is smart enough to know that plugging in one plug means you must want mono. Do not plug into both outputs, or stereo will be activated. 33 Stereo with Fixed Placement: Plug the left Main output into the left channel of your amp (or mixer), and the right Main output into the right channel. The default voice mix for the preset Drum Sets pans the drums between the Main output jacks in a way that works well for most applications. Stereo with Variable Placement: Plug the left Main output into the left channel of your amp (or mixer), and the right Main output into the right channel. With the User Drum Sets, you can pan the drums between the Main output jacks as desired. Stereo with Individual Outputs: This requires a stereo mixer with at least four channels, and provides individual outputs for any two drum voices. Plug the left Main out into a mixer channel panned fully to the left. Plug the right Main out into a mixer channel panned fully to the right. Plug the left Aux output into a third channel (panned to center for now) and the right Aux output into a fourth channel (also panned to center for now). Decide which two voices should be individual voices, such as kick and snare; assign these to the Aux outputs, and all other drums (panned as desired) to the Main outputs. Pan the kick full left and the snare full right. Thus, the kick will appear in the left aux output, and the snare will appear in the right aux output. [. . . ] Won't display certain drum beats in step edit mode. Other sequencers won't "slave" to the SR-16. " Pad dynamics set to fixed volume. SR-16 "Clock Out" turned off. " Check pad velocity parameters in RECORD SETUP. Turn the SR-16's "Clock Out" on. Other sequencers won't slave. . . [. . . ]