Basic Instructions - Yamaha S90 ES Owner's Manual

Basic instructions

Voices—the basic building blocks of the S90 ES
Voices—created in the Voice mode—are the basic sonic building blocks for the other modes of the S90
ES. The Performance and Multi programs are made up of different Voices, used together for specific
performance or song recording applications. The S90 ES features an exceptionally wide variety of preset
Voices for playing in virtually any musical style. Try searching through the Voices to find your favorites.
Once you've explored them and feel comfortable with them, try branching out creatively and use the
editing features to make your own original Voices.
Selecting a preset Voice
Creating a new Voice
Combine several Voices to create a Performance or Multi
To play several different Voices together simultaneously, select a Performance. To use the S90 ES as a
multi-timbral tone generator with your sequencer, select a Multi. The S90 ES contains a full set of specially
programmed 128 Performances and 64 Multis. With the help of the Multis, the S90 ES can be used to play
back MIDI song files from a connected USB device.
Selecting a preset Performance
Creating a new Performance
Creating music using a Multi and your computer
Playing back a MIDI file
Master mode—Create a master keyboard setup or instantly call up
your desired programs
The Master mode lets you register your favorite Voices, Performances, and Multis together into easy-to-
select Master programs. No matter what mode is used—Voice, Performance or Multi—you can have it
instantly and automatically selected when you call up the appropriate Master.
The Master mode can also be used to divide the keyboard into four sections—each with its own Voice—
just as if you were playing four different MIDI keyboards.
Making Master mode settings
Convenient remote control of your computer software
The panel of the S90 ES also serves as a convenient control surface for your computer music system. Use
the buttons and sliders to control the audio mixer and sequencer transport functions in your MIDI/audio
software. This highly intuitive approach gives you hands-on control over your virtual studio—a level of
control that a keyboard and mouse can't match. These features are available for any computer sequence
software and Multi Part Editor software (Page 77) compatible with the Remote Control function.
Remote-controlling the software
Global settings and data backup
While the Voice, Performance, and Multi modes provide controls for using and editing the programs of the
S90 ES, the Utility mode is the place where you make overall settings for the instrument—for example,
adjusting the transpose and fine tuning controls, or switching between MIDI and USB operation. You can
also archive your important S90 ES data to a USB storage device for safe-keeping.
Making global system settings
Backing up important data
This concludes our short guide to the basic operations and functions of the S90 ES. Enjoy the dynamic,
authentic sounds of the instrument as you continue to play it and create music on it. Make sure to follow the
references above and go on to explore some of the other exciting and powerful features of the S90 ES.
Basic instructions
Page 30
Page 44
Page 34
Page 36, 53
Page 70
Page 96
Page 90
Page 77
Page 163
Page 126
Owner's Manual
13