About This Manual - Yamaha PSS-680 PortaSound Authorized Product Manual

Congratulations on your purchase of the Yamaha PortaSound PSS-680!
You now own one of the most sophisticated portable electronic keyboards available.
Controlled by an advanced microcomputer, the PortaSound PSS-680 offers far more
musical enjoyment and versatility than any other instrument in its class. In fact, it gives
you the fun and functions of a who/e host of digital music machines, namely ...
l An electronic keyboard offering 100 high-quality preset
voices using the famous Yamaha FM sound source.
l A digital synthesizer that lets you alter any of the preset
voices to taste and save up to five of these edited versions.
l A versatile rhythm machine using 32 percussion instru-
ments, PCM recorded for breath-taking realism. With 100
basic rhythm patterns featuring three intros/fill-ins and
one ending each, you have an amazing 400 rhythm vari-
ations at your disposal. What's more, you can even play
percussion by hand like a drummer and record you own
original Custom Drummer pattern.
l A sophisticated automatic accompaniment system giving
you Single Finger Chords, automatic bass, chords and
orchestra, automatic Duet and orchestration capabilities.
One look at your new PortaSound PSS-680 tells you:
this is an advanced instrument with a great variety of func-
tions. Though this is true, don't let the large number of
buttons fool you — the PSS-680 is actually very easy to use.
As you can see from the INDEX ILLUSTRATION on p.6, the
controls are all organized in easy-to-understand functional
groups. Once you get to know them, you will have no trouble
operating your PortaSound, making it do exactly what you
want it to.
To get acquainted with your new keyboard and have fun
with it from the start, please read PART
use the INDEX ILLUSTRATION to look up information on
buttons or functional groups you are especially interested
in right away. Otherwise, continue with PART
This manual is structured into three main parts. The shortest
and simplest one, PART I — GETTING TO KNOW THE
PSS-680, gives you all the information you need to play your
new instrument, making use of its most basic features. It also
shows you how you can listen to the pre-programmed DE-
MONSTRATION song.
The functions mentioned shortly in the QUICK GUIDE illus-
tration of PART I are explained in greater detail in PART II.
Particularly if you already have some experience with digital
INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THIS MANUAL

I
first. You can then
.
II
l A simple but very useful sequencer offering unique mu-
sical possibilities: You can digitally record up to five
melodies and chord progressions each and play them back
any time at the touch of a button.
A highly advanced MIDI controller and multi-timbral
l
MIDI sound source. Used as a controller, the PortaSound
can play a number of external MIDI instruments simul-
taneously on various channels. As a sound source, it will
perform several voices as well as percussion independently
at the same time.
Read this manual carefully while playing your new Porta-
Sound, and you will be able to make full use of its many
fantastic features in no time.
keyboards, the QUICK GUIDE will enable you to use these
functions immediately. On the other hand, if you are a total
newcomer, reading the next part will make operations clearer
to you.
PART II — BASIC FEATURES contains a systematic overall
introduction of WHAT YOUR PortaSound CAN DO, followed
by detailed explanations of most PortaSound functions. It tells
you all about voice and style selection, effects, Hand Per-
cussion, the Auto Accompaniment features and the Song
Memory.
Each section starts out with a short Overview giving you a
general idea of the respective functions. You can then try
them out right away by following the steps described under
Operation. Note that in the text, bold print indicates basic
operational steps, while the regular print below it gives all
the necessary explanations. Therefore, you can simply follow
the instructions in bold print when you want to get to know
a feature, and read the details and Points to Remember later.
Finally, PART III shows you how to use those ADVANCED
FEATURES that require a bit of specialized know-how — the
Digital Synthesizer section to create your own FM sounds,
and the MIDI functions for communication with other MIDI
instruments, sequencers and computers.