Glossary - Yamaha RM1x Owner's Manual

4. Glossary

4. Glossary

A
Aftertouch: MIDI messages which are transmitted when additional
pressure is applied to the keyboard after notes are played.
Attack time: The time over which the volume rises from 0 when a
note is played until the maximum volume is reached.
AWM2 tone generation: A method of generating sound developed
by Yamaha which is based on digitally recorded waveforms.
Since it generates the complex waveform of actual acoustic
instruments, it provides extremely realistic sounds. Digital
filtering is also built-in, allowing precise control over the
tone. AWM2 is an acronym for Advanced Wave Memory 2.
B
Bank number: A number which selects a variation voice from an
XG extension bank, relative to the voice selected by the
Program Number from the 128 voices of the XG basic bank
(GM system level 1)
Beat: When playing back or recording a song, one "beat" (a rhythmic
subdivision of a measure).
BPM (Beat Per Minute): The track containing data that determines
the playback tempo of the song.
Brilliance: A control or parameter that regulates the brightness of
the tone. The cutoff frequency of the RM1x's filters can be
controlled to adjust the brilliance.
Bulk data: A type of System Exclusive message which contains a
collection of data for the internal settings of a device.
Bus line: A route (line) that carries audio signals from each part or
block. The bus lines of the RM1x include "SendVar
"SendVar Rev" and "SendCho Rev," and the stereo bus
line that collects the stereo output of each block.
C
Channel: The means by which the receiver receives only those MIDI
messages that are sent from the specified transmitter.
Chorus: A type of effect that adds richness and depth to the sound,
similar to what happens when multiple sound sources are
heard simultaneously.
Click: A metronome that is sounded when playing back or recording
on a sequencer.
Clock: A unit of timing resolution. On the RM1x, one clock is a
length of 1/480th of a quarter note.
Control change: A group of MIDI messages that are output when a
controller (modulation wheel, foot controller etc.) is operated.
Each controller has its own control number.
Cutoff frequency: Filters work by allowing the portion of the signal
lower than a given frequency to pass, and cutting the portion
of the signal above that frequency. This frequency is referred
to as the cutoff frequency.
146
RM1x SEQUENCE REMIXER
D
Decay time: The time from when the maximum volume of a note is
reached until it falls to the sustain level.
Delay: An effect (or device) that delays an audio signal. The RM1x's
Variation effect allows a delay to be applied.
Depth: The amount or degree of a setting or effect.
Dry sound: The audio signal that is not processed by an effect.
Normally when using an effect, not all of the audio signal is
passed through the effect. Rather, the degree of the effect is
adjusted by mixing the sound that passes through the effect
(the wet sound) with the sound that bypasses the effect (the
dry sound).
Dump out: The process of transmitting bulk data as MIDI System
Exclusive messages.
E
Echo back: The action or process in which data received at the MIDI
IN connector is re-transmitted from the MIDI OUT connector.
Edit: The action of modifying or editing data.
Effect: A block (device) that processes the sound to add various
effects. The RM1x provides two system effects (reverb and
chorus), and one effect (variation) which can be used either
as a system effect or as insertion effect.
Element: A block within the AWM2 tone generator that generates a
sound. The voices of the RM1x consist of 1 to 2 elements.
Envelope Generator (EG): A block that modifies the level of the
tone generator from the moment that a note is played until
Cho,"
the sound decays to silence. The AEG controls the volume,
the PEG controls the pitch, and the FEG controls the filter.
Event: A single piece (such as Note On/Off or Program Change
messages) of the data which makes up a sequence.
Exclusive: See the entry for System Exclusive.
Expression: A MIDI control change message used to control the
volume of a part.
F
Filter: A block which modifies the tone by cutting the output of a
specific frequency portion of the sound. The RM1x has low
pass filters for each element of a voice, allowing the tone to
be made more mellow by cutting the higher overtones, or
brighter by allowing them to pass.
Floppy disk: A type of data storage media, available in varieties
such as 2DD and 2HD. In order for a device to be able to
write and read data to/from a floppy disk, the disk must be
formatted appropriately for that device.
Foot controller: A control device that can be used to control tone,
volume or effects etc. during a performance.
Formatting: The action of initializing a floppy disk so that it can be
used by a specific device.