ARPEGGIOS EXPLORED

ARPEGGIOS EXPLORED

If you think you don’t like arpeggios, this article is for you.
If you have no idea what you can do with all those arpeggios, this article is for you.
If you think you know what arpeggios are, this article is for you.
If you think they are only flourishes of notes up and down the keyboard, you are really in for a surprise.
We’ll take a close look at some of the musical magic you can do with these flexible MIDI phrases

This function lets you automatically trigger musical and rhythmic phrases using the current Voice by simply pressing a key or keys on the keyboard. The Arpeggio sequence changes in response to the actual notes or chords you play, giving you a wide variety of inspiring musical phrases and ideas, both in composing and performing.

Arpeggios Explained
It is important to understand what an arpeggio is capable of doing and not doing. As implemented on th Yamaha synthesizers, the arpeggio is a tool that has purposefully been left “open” as to how you can utilize it. Instead of making a long list of rules, the arpeggio creation process is open for interpretation and experimentation. The actual restrictions are really very few – but very important to grasp – particular when it comes to data you input or select to use as an arpeggio. Arpeggios are often flourishes of notes or they can be controller gestures (movements), but whatever they are, first and foremost, they’re MIDI events that can be controlled in a unique/interactive way. That said, they are all created using the MIDI Sequencer. So you have to be able to play, perform or enter it in to the sequencer, at least once, in order to be able to convert it into an arp. Any MIDI data from a song file, that meets the requirements, can be converted into an arpeggio, as well. We will take a look at how the rules were designed to work, then we will look at how we can bend those rules. If you do not know the rules, they quickly become limitations rather than assets.

Arpeggios can be interactive, where they respond with some degree of artificial intelligence (chord recognition), or then can be used to playback exactly a particular musical phrase or gesture. They can include note data and/or controller data. They can loop, they can play once and stop, or you can toggle them on and off. They can play while you hold keys or they can be held with the ARP HOLD parameter or the sustain pedal. There are even “hybrid” arpeggios that themselves are rebels within the system.

There are 7,881 Preset arpeggios in memory – and yet most musicians have a desire to create their own. Before we delved too deeply into arpeggio creation, we will give you some idea of the potential by studying the Presets. Converting MIDI data with the built-in sequencer’s JOB function creates arpeggios.

PUT TRACK TO ARPEGGIO: This Job copies data in the specified measures of a track for creating Arpeggio data. Up to 16 unique note numbers can be recorded to the Arpeggio track. If more than 16 different note numbers have been recorded to the MIDI sequence data, the Convert operation reduces the notes in excess of the limit. Because of this, be careful to record only up to 16 different notes when you create an Arpeggio, especially when using all four tracks.

The difference between recording a musical phrase to the sequencer and triggering that same musical phrase with the arpeggiator is what we are discussing here. While the result may (and can) sound the same to the listener, how they occur (are triggered and controlled) is very different. 

The MIDI events recorded to the sequencer are stored on a track and played back (in sequence) after the [PLAY] button is pressed. Pressing the [PLAY] button is not really a musical gesture; anybody can press the button. However, interacting with an arpeggio, that is, controlling it by touching keys, can be a musical act. It can, and most often does, require some musical skill, and those skills would not be available necessarily to just any civilian …if you get my meaning.

They both are automated playback of a musical phrase or gesture, but the ARP may need to be controlled by a “certified” musician… knowing when to trigger it, where on the keyboard to trigger it, how hard to trigger it, and what to play to effectively control it, can be involved.

The simplest arpeggio Convert Type is the “Fixed Note” arpeggio. A drum phrase is a typical example of a “fixed note” arpeggio. Literally, the notes contained in the arpeggio type are fixed – they do not transpose or change chord tense, because the drum and percussion sounds that they trigger are in fixed locations on the keyboard. In real life, the drummer does not care if the chord played is a Major chord or a Minor chord. In the Drum Kit Voice, the kick drum and snare drum remain assigned to the same keys no matter what. When the “Put Track To Arpeggio” explanation above talks about “16 unique note numbers”, you have to understand this as a drum kit with access to 16 different drum sounds. It does not mean that an arp can only be 16 notes in length. It means that the kick drum on note C1 is counted as 1 unique note number, the snare on D1 is counted as second unique note number. How many times you hit “C1” or “D1” is of no consequence here. That is the first thing to understand. Even when creating musical phrases that are chord intelligent, you must limit yourself to 16 unique note numbers. And as we’ll learn, there are arpeggios that are musically correct in that they adjust to the chord quality of the control notes. And then there are arpeggios that simply play whatever you want.

If you record a musical phrase and use the convert type “Fixed Note”, that phrase will play exactly as recorded every time it is triggered. This means that there will be no adjustment to chord quality – no change from Major to Minor, no adjustment at all… “fixed note” can be taken literally. We mention this because historically arpeggios are thought of for their ability to adjust to the controlling trigger notes. The “Fixed Note” Convert Type was developed to accommodate DRUMS specifically, but this does not mean you can’t use it for musical phrases, only expect that musical phrase to be “fixed”.

Original Note converted arpeggio types will play exactly what you input when you create the phrase, but will adjust the notes in the phrase according to the musical Key and Chord tense (major, minor, dominant, augmented, diminished) of the controlling trigger notes. This is wonderful for bass lines, chord comping, etc.

CONCEPT: In the most common Arpeggio Types, the notes used to trigger/control the arps are themselves not heard. This is a very important thing to grasp. While the key you press normally makes a sound, when the ARP is ON, the notes that you touch may or may not cause a direct sound to occur. For example, an arp Type that is a guitar picking part will “pick” the note (play staccato) even though you are holding down the key that would make that note sound. You could be holding a whole note chord. That whole note chord (we’ll refer to as the ‘trigger notes’) is not heard, typically, what you hear is the arp phrase picking away. This is due to a parameter called the “KEY MODE“.

There are 5 Key Modes:
Sort: Notes play a pre-arranged arp pattern
Thru: Notes play in the order they are pressed
Direct: The trigger notes sound (used for Controller Arps)
Sort+Direct: Both the pre-arranged arp pattern and the trigger notes are heard
Thru+Direct: Both the arp notes played in the order pressed and the trigger notes are heard

We’ll start our discussion with the first two most common Key Mode types: SORT and THRU

Recall: “Classical AF1&2” PRE2:050(D02)
Play an F Major 7 chord: F-A-C-E – the Voice responds directly as you depress the keys.

• Press [ARPEGGIO ON/OFF] to activate the arpeggio
• Select [SF1] ARP 1
• Hold down an “F Major 7” chord: F-A-C-E

You never hear these notes directly; you simply hear the picked notes played by a predetermined pattern.

Basically, the Key Mode determines if the arp is going to pay attention to your key presses and sound directly or if it is going to sort the notes according to the selected (stored) arpeggio Type.
• Press [EDIT]
• Press [COMMON] EDIT
• Press [F2] ARP MAIN

Fig1

Thinking, as you always should, in terms of SIGNAL FLOW, you can surmise that the arpeggiator is located between the keyboard controller and the tone generator and that the LOCAL CONTROL SWITCH must be connected (ON) in order for the keyboard to communicate with the Arpeggiator. We will come back to some of these concepts later in the article when they will make more sense to discuss them. But before we do let’s take a look at how the arpeggiator has evolved to get to where it is now. Data from either the KEYBOARD or coming in via USB-MIDI or FW-MIDI can trigger the  ARPEGGIATOR – which in turn can trigger the internal TONE GENERATOR.

Arpeggios are also designed to be recorded to the internal Sequencer or routed OUT via MIDI.

Historical view: Early Arps went UP/DOWN, DOWN/UP…
Let’s recall a very basic arpeggio. When synthesizers were still in their infancy creating a sequence of notes that repeated over and over is what people understood as an arpeggiator. It did your basic up and down, down and up gestures, and the random thing, but not much more than that. And they were very cool – basic and cool. And this function remains very useful still.

Recall the following VOICE: PRE7:004(A04) Bright Dance

Fig2
Press [EDIT]
Press [COMMON EDIT]
Press [F2] ARP Main
 
In the arpeggio library you will find these by searching in BANK = “PRE”
MAIN Category = “SEQ”
SUB Category = “GENRL”

Recall [SF5] ARP 5

Which is the following arp TYPE:
On the Motif XF: Seq > General: 7386 MA_Up Oct1

This is your basic bottom-to-top arpeggio in one octave. If you need to repeat a single note over and over, using the “Up Oct1” arpeggio type while holding a single note gets this done. Try it.
Take your time and recognize this is the origin of the “classic” arpeggiator. Try several different Arps in this Main/Sub Category and explore what they can do.

If the KEY MODE = “sort” the lowest note plays first, then any note pressed and held will be sorted so they play bottom to top (lowest toward highest). The more notes you hold down, the more that are added to the playback… but always bottom (lowest) to top (highest).

If, however, you set the KEY MODE = “thru”, the notes will be sounded in the order you press them. Notice also that no matter how many notes you add, the additional note is simply added to the end of the phrase.

CONCEPT: Try the HOLD parameter function:
Recall: “Classical AF1&2” PRE2:050(D02)
Set HOLD = ON. Get used to how it works to “hold” the keys down for you – it does not cause the sound of the resulting notes to sustain (they still play in a staccato fashion as instructed by the arpeggio). See how it recognizes which keys have a finger on it pressing down. Use your sustain pedal. Immediately, you will notice that the sustain pedal does not sustain the sound, it holds the keys for you – it is, after all the same “HOLD” function. The sustain pedal holds the key down instead of you having to use your finger. So the notes are still quick and short but you do not have to physically hold each keys.

What does this mean: This means if you play a C Major 7 chord (C-E-G-B) so that you press and hold the C, then press and hold the E, then press and hold the G and finally press and hold the B – as you now hold down 4 notes observe the difference when you switch the order in which you press and hold down the keys. Compare what happens when ‘Sort’ is selected, versus what happens when ‘Thru’ is selected.

‘Sort’ will always play the notes lowest to highest.
‘Thru’ will change the order to mimic the order in which you actually engage the keys.

Fig3
In a similar scenario the VELOCITY MODE parameter will interpret how the notes respond to velocity (which may affect the amplitude/loudness). The selections here are “original” or “thru”. Back when synthesizers first had up and down, down and up arpeggio patterns, Velocity was not involved in analog synthesizers, at all.

Velocity mode = ‘original’ will play as documented (recorded) in the arpeggio data itself.
Velocity mode = ‘thru’ will allow your trigger velocity to influence the loudness of each note of the arpeggio.

A VELOCITY mode did not exist on the old analog synths, as velocity sensitivity itself was not available on early analog synthesizers. 

To appreciate what the VELOCITY MODE does, switch back to the “Classical AF1&2” guitar sound PRE2:050(D02) and try out the VELOCITY Mode parameters.

First try: “original” and then “thru”.
As you can hear the “original” Velocity Mode setting allows the pre-determined velocities to control the note-on events. The “thru” setting allows you to influence the velocity of each note-on in the phrase.

Task: Increment through the arpeggios in the SEQ > GENRL category.

Experiment with the Sort/Thru Key Mode, and Original/Thru Velocity Mode parameters. Find the various Down, Up/Down, Down/Up, various octave offsets, random, random over various octave  offsets, etc., etc. Historically speaking these SEQ/GENERAL (up/down, down/up and random) Types of arpeggios were the standard fair for arpeggiators for many of the early years of synthesizers. What you hear the Motif/MOX and S-series synthesizers doing is the result of the evolution of the arpeggiator into a more interactive and intelligent musical tool.

Also to understand these early “simple” arpeggio structures from their historical standpoint is important, so that when you begin to create your own arpeggio phrases – you understand where they fit into this evolution. Synthesizers soon started to show up that could play more than one or two notes at a time. Fancier arpeggiators would be used to create interesting Ostinato lines and rhythmic-chordal-pulses could be generated by the notes being held. But like a baby, they had to crawl before they could walk… Even later synthesizers that could respond to velocity were developed.

It would be several years into digital synthesizers before data could be configured into the velocity specific, highly interactive, chord intelligent arpeggios that you hear in the current Motif/MOX and S-series synthesizers. Since the introduction of the Motif (classic) in 2001, these arpeggiators have evolved. New Modes and new concepts have been introduced. Let’s take a look at some of these.

Some 21st Century Arpeggio Concepts: To illustrate some of the newer concepts, consider…the Hybrid VELOCITY ZONE: There is a separate article on these Velocity Zoned Arpeggios but we will mention them here as well, because they are so innovative. For example, call up the following VOICE: PRE 6:120(H08) Mr. Wah!

Fig4
This four Element Voice features a four-velocity zone arpeggio Type. Each of the four Elements is velocity limited to respond in a specific range of velocities. The data was created using the 4-arpeggio construction tracks such that each has a specific rhythmic role to play. You can hear this as follows:
• Press [EDIT]

The lighted buttons [9], [10], [11] and [12] indicate that this is a Voice with four of the eight Elements active.
Use the [MUTE] button to listen to different combinations and the [SOLO] button to hear each Element alone – so you can distinguish what rhythmic role each plays.

Fig5
Press [SOLO]
Press [1] to hear Element 1’s contribution
Press [2] to hear Element 2’s contribution and so on.

Next try turning the [ARPEGGIO ON/OFF] button OFF.
Play the keyboard varying your velocity to find the four specific ranges. Do you think you can play the musical pattern as specifically and consistently as the arpeggiator? Of course you can’t. The arp can go and “get” a specific sound because it can precisely repeat the velocities necessary to do so.
With the Velocity Mode set to “original” the arp can be pre-programmed to be very specific (re:musical).

In the OSCILLATOR screen shot (above), you can see that Element 1 only responds to velocities between 1-70 (Vel Limit Low/Vel Limit High), where Element 2 takes over at 71-90, Element 3 is 91-110 and Element 4 respond only to velocities greater than 111.
(To toggle the ELEMENT view from one Element to four Elements simultaneously, just press [SF5] “1 ELM” or “4 ELM”)

• Solo Element 1
• Set the Velocity Limits as follows:
o Vel Limit Low = 1
o Vel Limit High = 127

You can hear the full rhythm that is this arpeggio played from one sound – the Voice takes its character from the interaction of the different Element components and specifically the rhythm each is playing and limited to reproduce. Let’s switch them around:

fig6
In the screenshot above, you can see that the Element Velocity Ranges have been altered to give an entirely different spin on what occurs with the same Arp Types. Use the [EDIT/COMPARE] button to A/B the results.

Definitions from the MANUAL:
Motif ES Type Arpeggios
These Arpeggio types use the same multi track Arpeggio architecture as the MOTIF ES. This ES type of arpeggio has the following benefits:
• These arpeggios can create complex notes and chords even when triggered by one note.
• The arpeggio closely follows the notes played on the keyboard (but the area where the arpeggio is assigned) allowing a good deal of harmonic freedom and the possibility to “solo” using these arpeggios.

Motif XS Type Arpeggios
These Arpeggios use a newly developed chord recognition technology to determine what notes should be played back by the Arpeggio. This XS type of arpeggio has the following benefits:
• The arpeggios respond only to any area on the keyboard where an XS type of arpeggio is assigned. Other areas of the keyboard do not effect the chord recognition. This allows very natural keyboard playing across the entire keyboard with arpeggio generated bass and backing parts.
• The arpeggio will always play harmonically correct parts. These are especially useful for bass and chordal backing parts.

Translation: Both of these Types add a form of chord intelligence – where they analyze the trigger note data and can adjust the arpeggio phrase results. The “ES Type” plays a specific riff and follows the area (region) of the keyboard of the trigger notes. So you can control what region of the keyboard the arpeggio riff is sounding. The “XS Type” plays a specific riff – always sounding in a specific range of notes. The “ES Type” could be used anywhere up and down the keyboard and the phrase would follow with high and low pitches… while the “XS Type” plays a riff ‘where it belongs’, even if the trigger notes are not specifically involved in the phrase.

Additionally, the “ES TYPE” can play a specific riff using a single note as a trigger. To get the desired phrase sometimes means simply triggering the “root” note. Take as an example, a keyboard riff.

Fig7
Call up the “Natural Wurli” Pre1:045(C13).

Assign the following ARP TYPE to this VOICE:
Bank: PRE
Category: ApKb
Sub Category: <PopRk>
Type: 0152 MA_6/8 Pop _ES

• Turn the SWITCH and HOLD parameters to ON.
To trigger the arpeggio’s stored riff you only need to enter a single note indicating the key in which you want the riff to sound. Play the “F” above middle “C”… and listen.
Now play an “F” anywhere else on the keyboard – notice the phrase adjusts to sound in that region.

• Assign the TYPE: 0145 MA_6/8 Pop _XS

Fig8
This is the “XS TYPE” version of the same riff. This will help you understand the difference. Now you need more than one note to trigger the intended phrase – the XS Type can adjust the chord quality, as well. If, for example, you finger an F triad (F-A-C) – anywhere on the keyboard, the same intended phrase plays. If you play an F Minor triad the phrase adjusts the chord tense.

The “XS Type” and its fixed play zone allows for the phrase to be triggered from anywhere on the keyboard. This can be useful, particular for chordal phrases, for example, that will always sound in the proper range. Often as a keyboard player you are unaware of what voicing a guitar would use or even what range of notes on the keyboard to use to trigger them. The fact that the phrase plays properly gives you great freedom as to how (and WHERE) you control the arpeggio.

As an advanced application of this: You can control the chord-comping of a Jazz Guitar while you walk an Acoustic Bass (real time) in your left hand and outline the chord changes and melody with your right hand. “PERFORMANCE USER 2:074(E10) Let’s Comp

MOX/MOXF: Velocity Zone Arpeggios

VELOCITY ZONE ARPEGGIOS
The arpeggio functions on the MOX/MOXF are complex. They are derived from the Motif-series and a brief history of their evolution will be helpful in gaining an understanding of what they are and how they can be used as a truly creative tool for music composition. With each new version of Motif, the arpeggio function has improved. In the original Motif (classic) you had 256 arpeggio types in four categories: Sequence, Phrase, Drum Pattern, and Control.

In 2003, the Motif ES expanded on the concept. The original concept of the Motif-series was Music Production. We often talked about what could help keyboard players when they get writer’s block. Writer’s block is something that we all experience – so how can the technology provide some inspiration, without dictating everything? How can the synthesizer be more creative tool? The concept of “Phrase Factory” is, simply put: a way that the content provided in the arpeggio patterns can be manipulated into new and uniquely individual musical data. The Motif ES provided 1,787 arpeggio types, in 18 categories: Synth Sequence, Synth Chord Sequence, Synth Hybrid Sequence, Acoustic Piano & Keyboard, Organ, Guitar & Plucked, Guitar-Keyboard MegaVoice, Bass, Bass-Keyboard MegaVoice, Strings, Brass, Reed & Pipe, Synth Lead, Synth Pad & Musical FX, Chromatic Percussion, Drum & Percussion, Combination and Control.

The MO6/MO8 shared the arpeggio concept of the Motif ES.

Added to the Phrase Factory arsenal of weapons was Real Time Loop Remix – a way to really create an unlimited number of variations on the phrase data generated by the arpeggios. The MO6/MO8 expanded on the Real Time Loop Remix function – Because the MO6/MO8 did not sample, the “Pitch” and “Reverse” Remix types were superfluous to the operating system – the engineers expanded the Remix by adding 48 Fill-in Variations. And also added to the ES/MO engine was the MegaVoice technology to add unprecedented realism to the generated musical phrases.

In 2007 the Motif XS, in keeping with its theme to be over-the-top, provides 6,633 arpeggio types in 17 Categories and 15 Sub-Categories. The MOX came with 6,720 arpeggios. Finally in 2013 the MOXF provided some 7,981. And a newly re-vamped Real Time Loop Remix function. Not to mention that four separate different arpeggios can be used simultaneously.

The Motif XF (2010) and the MOX6/MOX8 (2011), MOXF6/MOXF8 (2013) also use the innovations introduced with the XS.

So what is an arpeggiator and how does it work? Basically, arpeggios started out as musical sequences of notes that automatically played up and/or down the scale – a broken chord. Fast-forward to the 21st century where arpeggios now have real musical content that can be complex musical parts with chord voicing intelligence. Guitar riffs, bass lines, drum grooves, and more, are now fair game. The arpeggios found here are not your grandfather’s arpeggiator!

Here are some fundamentals of how the Motif XS/XF and MOX/MOXF deal with your note-on events: When you press a key that information can either trigger a synthesizer sound directly in the synth tone generator or its note number value can be delivered to the arpeggiator, which then generates a pattern of note-on events related to the currently selected arpeggio type and arpeggio Key Mode. The KEY MODE is important because it determines what the arpeggiator does with the key press events it is sent. For example, does it play the arpeggio data in a predetermined fashion? Does it playback the arpeggio data in the order in which notes are sent in? Does it allow the direct key press to continue on to the tone engine? Or does it block the trigger event and only play the pre-arranged content?

Let’s start the discussion with a look at how arpeggios can deal with Velocity. Velocity is the speed with which a note-on event is pressed and translates to volume output.

Per Element Velocity Limits:
The Velocity Limit parameter within the Element: These determine what note-on strength will make an Element respond with sound.
Here is how you can explore this:

Call up the VOICE: “Festival of Harmony”
Located at: Pre7: 103(G07)
• Press [EDIT]
• Press Track Select button [1] to view Element parameters
• Press [F1] OSC (Oscillator)
• Press [SF3] LIMIT

Fig1

This screen is showing the NOTE LIMIT (key range across the keyboard) and the VELOCITY LIMIT (what velocities will make this Element sound). You should take note that in the extreme upper left corner of the screen the MOX/MOXF will always tell you exactly where you are within the architecture. You are in VOICE mode, and you are editing “EL1” (Element 1).
• Press [SOLO] and solo Element 1

It is set to sound only when a note-on event is triggered between a velocity of 112 and 119
• Play the keyboard and hear the contribution of this Element in response to the arpeggio. Notice that no matter how lightly or hard you strike the keyboard the result is the same.
• Now turn the main Arpeggio ON/OFF button OFF.
• Play the keyboard manually and attempt to trigger a note in the velocity range 112-119.

Now you will see/hear that only when you play a note-on event that is within the narrow velocity range of 112 through 119 will this Element make sound. (Please take note just how difficult it is to actually play a note in this narrow region of velocities consistently – this is one reason this is done with a pre-programmed arpeggio)… The note-on event that causes this Element to sound can be either you pressing a key or it can be from the data generated by the arpeggio pattern (when ARP ON/OFF = ON).

It is the data in the associated arpeggio pattern that must send a note-on value between 112 and 119 to make Element 1 sound. A note-on event between 120 and 127 will make Element 2 sound. Repeat our experiment while soloing Element 2… then with Element 3 and finally Element 4. Use buttons [2], [3] and [4] to select and view those ELEMENTS, in turn.

El2 FestHarmonyIf you play a note harder than 112, (ARP ON/OF = OFF) Elements 3 and 4 will not sound at all.

So Sherlock Holmes would conclude: Therefore, my dear Watson, the notes generated by the arpeggio pattern are in excess of velocity 112! And we can conclude that note-on velocity is a critical parameter.

The wispy sounding Element 3 and the analog pad sounding Element 4 do not invite you to play with big velocity, so as long as you do not nail notes hard, you are unaware that once you exceed 111 – those Elements to do not sound at all. Return the Voice to normal (undo the SOLO function by pressing the [MUTE] button). Turn the main ARPEGGIO ON/OFF = ON.

There is another parameter that is also a Velocity Limit that controls at what velocity from the keyboard the arpeggio will start.
Here is where that is found:

From the Voice main screen
• Press [ARP EDIT]
• Press [F4] LIMIT
Here you will also find a parameter called “Velocity Limit”.

Fig2

To see how this works: Set this to 90 – 127
Notice the screen indicates you are in VOICE mode, and you editing the ARP.

Now when you play the Voice “Festival of Harmony” with a velocity below 90 only the wispy Element (3) and analog pad (4) Elements will play… but when you want to bring in the arpeggio + the pad, simply play with a greater velocity 90 or above and the arpeggio will start.

So you have a Velocity Limit for the overall Voice’s response to the arpeggios (this is why it is found in ARP EDIT area). But you also have, at the Element level, an individual Velocity Limit for when an Element willrespond with sound. And, as mentioned, it is in response to a note-on event from you playing the keys orfrom the arpeggiator output. That is why I illustrated this by having you turn ARP ON/OFF to OFF.

To make this point clear try an example using a Drum Voice… if you set the [ARP EDIT] > [F4] LIMIT > Velocity Limit range to 126-127… and assigned the KIT VOICE a “DrPc” arpeggio, and set ARP ON/OFF = ON… the Drum Voice would play normally in response to key strikes; that is until you struck a key with a velocity of 126 or 127 at which time the arpeggio would start. So the ARP EDIT “Velocity Limit” parameter is responsible for triggering the start of the arpeggio.

The fact that the “Festival of Harmony” Voice has Elements with specific velocity ranges, and arpeggio patterns designed to send notes at specific velocities to the Elements assigned in those specific ranges, is what makes the Voice so very unique.

The Note-On velocity of the source phrase data is transferred to the arpeggio type. And when you assign an arpeggio type to a VOICE you can have that Voice respect the original source velocities or not. The parameter is called the “VELOCITY MODE” – it can be set to “original” or “thru”.

original – The Arpeggio plays back at the preset velocities included in the Arpeggio sequence data.

thru – The Arpeggio plays back according to the velocity of your playing. For example, if you play the notes strongly, the playback volume of the Arpeggio increases.

Experiment: Set the VELOCITY MODE to THRU on the “Festival of Harmony” and see that you must exceed 112 for the arpeggios to happen… this is because YOUR playing is doing the determining. Not the ORIGINAL Velocity as recorded in the original Arpeggio data.
The VOICE “Festival of Harmony” uses the arpeggios in the PadH (Pad High velocity) category…

Fig3

You can see this when you go to the following screen:
Press [ARP EDIT]
Press [F2] ARP TYPE and [F3] MAIN

Each of the [SF] buttons 1-5 will recall a different ARP, for example:
[SF1] = CATEOGRY: Hybrid; SUB-CATEGORY: Zone Pad; TYPE: #6424 “MA_PadH_Pad Seq1”

The Arpeggio Velocity Ranges will (should) cover the entire velocity range 1-127. “PadH” or Pad High range, has velocities 1-112 for the pad sounds and two regions for arpeggio response 113-120 and 121-127.
A “2Z” or Two Zone Velocity arpeggio will have just two ranges or zones to cover the full 127. It is listed as 1-90 for the first zone and 91-127 for the other zone.

If you have a Voice with two Elements and one is set to respond to note-on events from 1-90. And the second Element is set to respond to velocities of 91-127… then an arp pattern will trigger one or the other depending on the velocity of the note events contained in the arpeggio source material (and the VELOCITY MODE setting).

A “4Z” or Four Zone velocity arpeggio will have four ranges to cover the 1-127 spectrum, as follows:
1-70, 71-90, 91-110, 111-127

Take the Voice: PRE 7: 126 (H14) Mister Sinister.
MrSinister1
It has several Hybrid > Zone > 4Z arpeggio assigned to it. This is a four Element Voice.
But get this: The Element Velocity Limits are set as follows:

EL1 = 1-70
EL2 = 70-104
EL3 = 91-127
EL4 = 108-127

…Not quite matching the 4Z velocity ranges – rather Elements actually overlap in some instances and this causes the unique pattern where at times the Element sounds play simultaneously _ like in any poly-rhythmic situation – there may be simultaneous hits. So if you create an arpeggio pattern with different velocities you may trigger only one Element or there is a possibility of triggering different combinations of Elements.

• A note-on event of 66 triggers only the thick “DigiOsc4” wave of Element 1.
• A note-on event of 86, for example, only triggers the”Radio Noise” wave in EL2…
• A note-on event of 105, triggers the hihat sounding “ElectricPerc2” (EL3)
• But a note-on event of 112 triggers both the hihat-ish EL3 and the hollow synthy “Mg Bass1” (EL4)

…you get the idea… With this Voice, press [EDIT] and use the [SOLO] button (as before) to hear the rhythm that the arp is sending to each Element. Each is contributing to the whole arp pattern. And if you record the data to the sequencer you will see the velocities are what are making the rhythm pattern.
You do not have to match the discreet velocity zones – that is thinking way too “inside”… you can have the Voice Elements have different ranges and the ranges can overlap – which causes combination sounds (multiple elements at once). The arpeggio source data can be created right in the Sequencer – the arpeggio pattern can be made up from up to four tracks. Now, often these tracks are misunderstood. All four tracks will apply to the same arpeggio pattern – so they should be seen as rhythm rather than different instruments (as with a traditional track).

Okay, let’s go one more step… in creating an arpeggio like this one, you can see how the four tracks of the arpeggiator were used… each setup a different rhythm… because often arpeggios are more about the rhythm than the notes….

Element 1, which acts as the “bass” here, is decidedly on the upbeat (the “and” of the beat) “1+2+3+4+”
Element 2 plays a hide and seek role at the top and near the end of the 2 measure cycle
Element 3 plays a role like a hi-hat pattern
Element 4 is on the back beat 2 and 4, solid “1+2+3+4+”

This has been a quick peak at Velocity Zones… and how they apply to Arpeggios. Explore your favorite Voices; there is much to be learned by exploring!

Recording a Hybrid Velocity Zoned Arpeggio to the Sequencer
The sequencer is designed to record either the key presses (direct) or the output of the arpeggiator (notes as sorted by the selected arpeggio type). Voices that use the following types of arpeggio KEY MODES are going to be somewhat problematical: “sort+direct” and “thru+direct”. There is no perfect “easy” solution….

PRE 8:017(B01) “TekkNow”:
TekkNow1When you look at this VOICE it is made up of 4 Elements.

One makes up the pad sound – Element 1
Three are arpeggiated – Elements 2, 3, and 4

You can hear this by pressing [EDIT] and soloing the elements, here’s how:
Buttons [9], [10], [11], [12] light which indicates that Elements 1, 2, 3, 4 are active in the VOICE>
Press [SOLO]
Press [1] To select ELEMENT 1 (light [9] flashes)
Play the keyboard.
You will hear the PAD as long as you don’t exceed its velocity range – (no arpeggio)

Press [2] to select ELEMENT 2 (light [10] flashes)

Play the keyboard.
You will hear an arpeggiated Element repeat for Elements 3 and 4

Press [MUTE] to release the SOLO function and hear them all together.

The ‘pad’ Element (EL 1) is triggered (direct) any time you play a note within the velocity range of 1-104.

The three Elements that are arpeggiated (sorted), are responding to a velocity altered arp type… notice they are mapped with velocities of 105-127, 106-127 and 96-127. The arp types is in the “HYBRID” category and the VELOCITY RATE has been increased (200%) so that only sounds set to respond to high velocities, will react.

So you can conclude that in order to respond to the arpeggio an Element would have to be greater than 105; ELEMENT 1’s Velocity Range is 1-104. This is how the PAD Element goes without being “sorted” by the arpeggio pattern… all the arpeggiator’s notes have a velocity much higher than 105… so the PAD Element is unaffected and the ARP Elements respond.

COPY the “TekkNow” Voice to two USER VOICE locations. Say USR1:001 and 002
_Press [STORE]
_Target the USER location USR 1:001
_Press [ENTER] to execute.

Make another copy:
_Press STORE target location USR 1: 002

In the first USR VOICE: USR 1: 001
Turn OFF Elements 2, 3 and 4
You do so as follows:

Press [EDIT]
Press [2] to select ELEMENT 2 for editing
Press [F1] OSCILLATOR
Press [SF1] WAVE
Turn the ELEMENT SWITCH = OFF
Press [3] to select ELEMENT 3 for editing
Turn the ELEMENT SWITCH = OFF
Press [4] to select ELEMENT 4 for editing
Turn the ELEMENT SWITCH = OFF

TekkNowPadThis will create the PAD portion of the “TekkNow” Voice. NAME it something appropriate “TekkNow PAD”
You name a VOICE by pressing [COMMON] > [F1] GENERAL > [SF1] NAME
[STORE] it…. you can tweak it more later, if you wish.

Call up the second Voice copied location: USR 1: 002
Press [EDIT]
Press [1] to select ELEMENT 1 for editing
Press [F1] OSCILLATOR
Press [SF1] WAVE
Turn OFF the ELEMENT SWITCH for EL1
TekkNowARP1
Name it something like “TekkNow ARP”
Press [STORE] to store your second Voice.

Now create a new USER PERFORMANCE with these two newly created Voices in it as PART 01 and PART 02… tweak to your liking.

(Remember to use “Param. with Voice” when selecting the second VOICE. It will be the arpeggio PART you want it with come in with all of their pertinent data). Here’s how:

Initialize a PERFORMANCE
Press [JOB] > [F1] INIT > select ALL > Press [ENTER] to execute.
Press [EDIT]
Press [1] to view PART parameters
Press [F1] VOICE
Press [SF1] VOICE
Set the BANK = USR1
Number = 001 TekkNow PAD
Press [2] to view PART 2 parameters
Set PARAMETER with VOICE = ON (this will copy the 5 arps to [SF1]-[SF5] buttons)

Fig4

then select BANK = USR1
Number = 002 TekkNow ARP
By setting PARAMETER with VOICE ON, and then selecting the VOICE the arpeggios for this second VOICE will be assigned to the PERFORMANCE PART.

Fig5

Turn the main ARPEGGIO ON/OFF Switch = ON
Press the [ARP EDIT] button
Press [F3] ARP MAIN
Make sure the SWITCH = OFF for PART 1 and is ON for PART 2
The selected PART is listed just below the “PERF” in the extreme upper left corner.
Set the TEMPO = 130 to match the VOICE.

Additionally, you may want to tweak the relative Volumes of the PAD versus the ARP’d PARTS to your taste.

NAME and STORE your PERFORMANCE

Now you can use DIRECT PERFORMANCE RECORD to record this sound to the sequencer without any problems. It is a bit of work but I find I am actually able to make some subtle improvements to the data along the way and as I mentioned these are among my favorites and I find it well worth the trouble.

You can customize this routine to your own taste… but this is what Direct Perfromance Record allows you to do with the “sort+direct” and/or “thru+direct” conundrum… you simply use the architecture to find a way around it.
Enjoy!

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