VariOS Keyboard

(Click this icon to) Start up the VariOS Keyboard.

- Open/Close buttons

Close the MIDI Monitor screen or Arpeggiator screen.
- MIDI Monitor Screen

Displays the MIDI messages of the part(s) specified by the part buttons.
- Monitor Part buttons

When you click a Part button, the performance data of the selected part
will be reflected by the screen and keyboard.
- ARPEGGIO switch

Switches the Arpeggio function on/off.
- HOLD button

By clicking this button, you can have arpeggios continue even after you've
released your fingers from the keyboard. If you play a different chord
or notes while an arpeggio is being held, the arpeggio will change accordingly.
To cancel Arpeggio Hold, press [HOLD] again.
- TIMING knob

The arpeggios are synchronized to the tempo of V-Producer. This knob specifies
the note value (note timing step) for each note of the arpeggiator when
synchronized.
- OCTAVE RANGE buttons

Sets the key range in octaves over which arpeggios will be produced. If
you want the arpeggio to sound using only the notes that you actually play,
set this parameter to "0." To have the arpeggio sound using the notes you
play and notes one octave higher, set this parameter to "+1." A setting
of "-1" will cause the arpeggio to sound using the notes you play and notes
one octave lower.
- ARPEGGIO MODE buttons

Sets the order in which notes of the chord will sound.
NOTE ORDER: Notes will be sounded in the order in which you press them.
UP: Notes you press will be sounded upward, from low to high.
DW: Notes you press will be sounded downward, from high to low.
U&D: Notes you press will first be sounded upward, from low to
high, and then back downward, from high to low.
RND: Notes you press will be sounded in random order.
- GATE TIME knob

Specifies the gate time of each arpeggiated note as a percentage of its
timing value.
- LEGATO button

If this button is ON, each note of the arpeggio will be played legato;
the gate time knob setting will be ignored. You can use this to produce
a distinctive arpeggio effect that occupies the entire phrase.
- Keyboard

You can click the keyboard area to audition the sample selected in the
Sample List. At this time, the keys will light yellow according to the
note you clicked. The keys will also light yellow in response to note-on
messages from an external MIDI keyboard, or note-on data from a playing
part specified by the part buttons.
- VIEW NOTE NAME button

By pressing this button you can switch the note names of the note-on keys
between displayed and hidden.
- USE PC KEY button

After pressing this button, you will be able to turn notes on/off from
the keyboard of your computer.
The keys of your computer keyboard will correspond to notes as shown
in the diagram.
Use the left/right keys to shift the octave.
To exit this function, press this button again.
VariOS Pad

(Click this icon to) Start up VariOS Pad.

- Target Part button

When you click the Part button, VariOS Pad control data will be sent to
the selected part. Pitch, time, and formant data for the selected part
will be reflected by the Surface controller and knobs. If all part buttons
are off, the sample selected in the Sample List will be controlled. * If
you use the VariOS Pad to control the selected part while you perform,
the pitch, time, and formant data originally stored in the frame of the
part will be ignored; the control data from the VariOS Pad will take priority.
If the part button is off, the pitch, time, and formant data stored in
the frame of the part will be used. * When you specify the target part,
knob operations on the VariOS itself will also apply to the part you select
here.
- Surface controller

- ASSIGN buttons

By dragging the mouse inside this frame, you can simultaneously control
both pitch and time.
By clicking an ASSIGN button you can assign the [P] pitch, [T] time,
and [F] formant parameters to each axis.
It is possible to specify the same parameter for the X-axis and Y-axis;
e.g., PITCH-PITCH or TIME-TIME. However, in this case, the X-axis movement
will be ignored, and control will occur only on the Y-axis.
- PITCH/TIME/FORMANT knobs

You can drag these knobs to control the pitch/time/formant.
These knobs are linked with the Surface controller.
- Resetting PITCH/TIME/FORMANT
When you press the [X] key, any pitch/time/formant values that have
been modified by means of the knobs or Surface controller will be reset
to their center values.
- Inputting TIME zero
TIME zero will be input while you hold down the [Z] key. When you release
the key, the time will return to the center value. This is a convenient
way to rhythmically input a TIME zero value to create the distinctive VariPhrase
"buzz."
Editing in the Phrase Scope: Waveform display area
In the waveform display area you can use the Arrow button, Scissors button,
and Bond button.
Arrow button

- To select a region in units of events, click and drag in an area that
does not contain a waveform.

- To edit the pitch of a selected region, drag upward or downward on the
waveform. When you edit the pitch in this way, the corresponding note will
also move.

- To edit the timing of the selected region, drag left or right on the
waveform.

You can also edit the timing of an event (blue line) by dragging it left
or right.

When you edit the timing in this way, the Time parameter in the controller
display area will also change.

For example, you can make approximate timing adjustments in the waveform
display area, and directly edit the Time curve to make fine changes. You
can reset the Time curve to restore the settings to their original state.
* If you want to limit the movement of the waveform to the vertical
direction, hold down the [Shift] key and drag the waveform upward or downward.
* If the Grid button is on, the waveform will "stick to" the grid lines
as you move it.
* If the Time parameter reaches the maximum or minimum limits of its
value, you will not be able to move the waveform any further to left or
right.
Scissors button

This lets you divide the waveform into two. As with the original waveform,
you can move the divided waveform up, down, left, or right. The dividing
point is shown in light blue, and can be moved left/right in the same way
as an event (blue line). For example, you can divide the waveform at breaks
in the song lyrics, and change the melody or timing of the vocal notes.
When you divide the waveform, the note will also be divided at the corresponding
location. When you move the divided notes to left/right, the dividing points
of the waveform will also move. However, the location of the event (blue
line) is fixed in relation to the waveform; moving the note will not move
the event.

Bond button

This lets you re-join waveforms that were divided by the Scissors button.
To join two waveforms, place them on the same horizontal level, and click
the point where they join (light blue line).

* Differences between editing in the Waveform display area and the Note
display area
The difference between moving a waveform left/right and moving a note
left/right is that in the former the Time parameter is used to stretch/shrink
the waveform, while in the latter, the legato timing or trigger timing
of the note is controlled, so the waveform is not stretched or shrunk.
Another difference is that you can add or delete notes in the Note display
area, but cannot add or delete waveforms in the Waveform display area.
PhraseScope: Harmony function
Harmony is a function that generates chords with the selected note as the
root. This is an easy way to create harmonies.
1. Click the note from which you want to create a chord.
2. Click the Harmony button ( ),
and choose the desired chord from the list of chord types.

* Note
The Harmony function applies to each note that you have selected. For
example, if you select several notes that already form a chord, and apply
this function, a chord will be generated from each note, producing an unexpectedly
large number of notes. Be sure to select only the root note.

Also, if notes already exist at the same time-axis location, executing
the Harmony function will automatically delete these notes, replacing them
with the newly generated notes.
Inversion button

You can press the Inversion button to move the lowest (highest) of the
selected notes one octave upward (downward). By selecting notes in the
chord and clicking the Inversion button you can create inverted forms of
the chord.

Export Wave File
When you use the File menu command [Export Wave File] to export a wave
file, the VariOS's internal effect will now be applied to the wave file.
Also, a new [Selected Frames] option has been added in addition to
[Stereo Wave File] and [Multiple Wave Files].
Selected Frames: Export the frames selected in the Vari Track as a single
Wave file.
Dry checkbox
The dialog boxes of the Export Wave File command have a [Dry] check
box. If [Dry] is checked, the VariOS's internal effects will not be applied
to the Wave file that is exported.

* Even if the sound does not clip (distort) when played back by
the VariOS's sound generator, there may be cases in which clipping (distortion)
is present in the exported sample. If this occurs, use the mixer to lower
the overall level, or lower the Master Level of the effect.
* Note
If you use an effect of a type that varies cyclically, the sound will
be slightly different each time you play something back. In such cases,
the exported Wave file may sound different than what you hear from the
VariOS's sound generator. Also, the exported Wave file may not perfectly
match the sound you hear from the VariOS's sound generator.
Export to SampleList
An [Export to Sample List] command has been added to the File menu. Also,
an [Export to SampleList] button ( )
has been added to the Vari Track screens.
Export to SampleList exports the selected frame to a single file (.vpw),
and automatically encodes it and sends it to the VariOS. The exported file
is registered in the Sample List.
1. Select a frame, and click the Export to SampleList button.
* This is not available during playback, or if no frame is selected
in the VariTrack.
2. The Save File dialog box will appear. Specify the name and save destination
for the file (.vpw) to be exported.
3. The data will be exported as a Wave file, encoded, and sent to the
VariOS itself. When this processing is completed, the exported file will
be registered in the Sample List.
Dry checkbox
If [Dry] is checked, the VariOS's internal effects will not be applied
to the Wave file that is exported.

* Note
The Export to SampleList function automatically adjusts the gain of
the exported file so that the perceptual loudness will be the same whether
you play the corresponding frame, or export it to a file and load the exported
file back into the VariOS and play it.
This means that in cases where you are mixing multiple parts (frames)
to a single file, it is possible that the exported sample may be distorted
even if it does not distort when played back by the VariOS sound generator.
If this occurs, either use the mixer to lower the level of each part, or
use the [Load Wave Files] dialog box to load the Wave file that was exported
by the File menu [Export Wave File] command into the VariOS.
* Note
If you use an effect of a type that varies cyclically, the sound will
be slightly different each time you play something back. In such cases,
the exported Wave file may sound different than what you hear from the
VariOS's sound generator. Also, the exported Wave file may not perfectly
match the sound you hear from the VariOS's sound generator.
Wave Edit: Solo Encode Option
A [Solo Enc Option] button has been added to the Edit mode in the Wave
Edit screen.

If you have selected Solo as the Encode Type, you can make detailed encoding
settings in the Solo Encode Option dialog box.
You will find that this option comes in handy if you experience problems,
such as noisy or distorted sound, when encoding in Solo mode. In most cases,
these problems are due to incorrect pitch detection when encoding. In the
Solo Encode Option dialog box you can avoid pitch detection mistakes by
specifying a frequency that is as close as possible to the pitch of that
waveform.

Sample Type: Selects one of the following templates to specify the lower
and upper frequency limits.
- General (30--2000 Hz): This is the typical setting. If you
are not successful using this setting, try a different template.
- Bass (22--600 Hz): Setting for low-range sounds such as bass
- Tenor (60--1000 Hz): Setting for midrange sounds
- Alto (100--2000 Hz): Setting for upper-midrange sounds
- Soprano (200--3000 Hz): Setting for high-range sounds
Min Frequency: Specifies the lower frequency limit for pitch detection.
Max Frequency: Specifies the upper frequency limit for pitch detection.
* The best results will be obtained if you specify values that are
close to the waveform you are processing.
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