User manual ALESIS QCARDS EURODANCE

[. . . ] Data can be saved so that it is retained in memory even if the power is turned off. If the memory fills up with drum Patterns and Songs, this data can be saved permanently to MIDI System Exclusive storage devices. The QCARDS EURODANCE also includes a library of Preset Patterns prepared by professional drummers and musicians for those who want to start creating Songs in the fastest and easiest way possible. GROUND RULES The QCARDS EURODANCE consists of two main elements: The drum sounds themselves, recorded in high-resolution multi-sample stereo format. For additional realism, many sounds use advanced "dynamic articulation" techniques so that these sounds, when hit loudly, have a different timbre than when they're hit softly. [. . . ] This is useful with cymbals, since early strikes will continue to decay as you play later strikes. Single: When hitting a pad repeatedly, a new hit will automatically terminate any sound that is still decaying. This is useful with many percussion sounds (such as tambourine, agogo, etc. ). Group 1 through 8: Pads assigned to a particular group (1 through 8) will cut each other off if a group pad is struck while another pad assigned to the same group continues to sound. The classic use of this is with hi-hats; a closed hi-hat will cut off an open hi-hat, and hitting an open hi-hat sound will cut off a closed hi-hat. The QCARDS EURODANCE can play up to 32 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 QCARDS EURODANCE 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. The display shows ASN MODE (short for Assignment Mode), the currently selected pad number, and the mode assigned to that pad. Select the sound set which you would like to edit by pressing DRUM, PERC or BASS. To change Effects settings, press the EFFECTS button while you are in Pattern Mode. In order for the Effects settings to be remembered you must save the Drum Set after you make your settings. If you have a sound that is selected to go out the Aux output, no effects will be applied to that sound. The Effects selection and settings are similar to the Record Setup and Drum Set modes. After you press the EFFECTS button, you will be taken to the first page. To move between the different pages and parameters, use the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons. The current parameter value can be changed with INC / DEC buttons, the number keypad, or the VALUE dial. Note that you can turn Effects on and off on a per pad basis. Page 1 / Reverb Type There are several Reverb types you can choose on this page. You can select the Reverb type for the selected Drum Set by pressing the INC/DEC buttons or using the VALUE dial. Page 2 / Reverb Send Amount You can determine the send amount by pressing the INC/DEC buttons or use the Value Dial. This affects how much "wet" signal is mixed with the original "dry" signal. [. . . ] The QCARDS EURODANCE should start at the same time, and progress at the same tempo. The diagram on the right shows a QCARDS EURODANCE serving as a MIDI system slave, with a synth workstation device set as the master clock source. To slave the QCARDS EURODANCE, use a 5-pin MIDI cable to connect the MIDI OUT of the master clock device to the MIDI IN of the QCARDS EURODANCE. 54 STRATEGIES FOR ASSEMBLING PATTERNS AND SONGS Ideally, you should be able to translate your inspirations into tangible form with a minimum amount of effort. The following tips and techniques help speed up the process of creating Patterns and Songs. Create Fills Quickly with the Copy Function Many times a Fill will simply be a variation on another Pattern, but with a few minor differences to add variety or serve different musical purposes. To save time, use the Copy function to copy the main Pattern to the Fill, and then add variations to the Fill in real time or with Step Edit mode. Assemble Short Patterns into Longer Patterns with the Copy Function It's less time-consuming to work with short Patterns, since you don't have to wait for the entire Pattern to cycle through before overdubbing or "spot erasing" events. [. . . ]