Frequently Asked Questions

General | Programming, Sequencing and SYSEX
NanoSynth | Flash RAM | SoundBridge
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General (mostly old) Stuff

1. How can I change banks via MIDI on my original QuadraSynth/S4?
2. Can I play General MIDI sequences on my original QuadraSynth/S4?
3. How to set up my QuadraSynth as a master controller? I want to control external sound modules on certain channels, and play internal sounds on others.
4. How do I mute sounds in edit 1 mode? I can edit one at a time but I still dont know how to mute the other three...
5. How can I get my QuadraSynth upgraded, how much will it cost, when and where can I do it?
6. What is a QuadraCard? When and what types of cards will be available and what will they cost?
7. How can I get RAM cards to store my own samples, and what will they cost?
8. What type and size RAM cards can I use to store my samples?
9. Once I have a card for importing samples, what else will I have to do?
10. What's new in SoundBridge 2.0 ?
11. Will the Alesis serial driver work under Windows 95?
12. Where can I buy the serial cable needed to hook up with my computer?

1. Q:How can I change banks via MIDI on my original QuadraSynth/S4?
   A: The original QuadraSynth doesn't respond to bank change messages sent via MIDI. In order to have access to both banks, you can set up and store a multitimbral mix as follows:
   Enable all 16 channels. Set the first 8 channels to User and the rest to Preset. Store the mix. Now you have a mix that will play User sounds on channels 1 to 8, and Preset sounds on channels 9 to 16. (You can customize it with more User or Preset as you like it) You can add as many patch changes to your sequence as necessary, just remember, the banks will not change, only the patches.
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2. Q: Can I play General MIDI sequences on my original QuadrSynth/S4?
   A: Yes, it can be done. Download from the QS Sound Library the file: qs_gm.syx, it's a full GM bank. Save your current user bank (via sysex dump) and load qs_gm.syx to your synth. In user mix 00 change channel 10 to Preset patch#78 (drums), and you are ready to play GM files. (You may have to reset channel 10 later, since the GM drums use different patch numbers. You can change that in your sequence, so it will call for patch #78 instead of something else. Remember: channel 10 must be set to the Preset bank)
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3. Q: How to set up my QuadraSynth as a master controller? I want to control external sound modules on certain channels, and play internal sounds on others.
   A: It's easy, just follow these steps :
   1. Select a mix you want to work with.
   2. Press the SELECT BUTTON and go to RANGE
   3. There you'll find 3 PAGES :

      Page 1. Adjust the low and high limits
      (if you don't want to split the keyboard, set the low limit to C2 and the high to G8)

      Page 2. Here you can set MIDI IN, MIDI OUT and KEYBOARD :

      On channels that control external sound modules, set :
      MIDI OUT - ON,
      MIDI IN - OFF,
      KEYBOARD - OFF.

      On channels reserved for internal sounds :
      MIDI OUT - OFF
      MIDI IN - OFF
      KEYBOARD - ON.

      Page 3. You can turn controllers on or off, as needed.

   4. Using the MIDI BUTTONS, select the channels 1 to 16, adjust the settings as described above till you set all 16 of them.

   5. Now you hit the MIX BUTTON, to get out of Edit Mode, then using the STORE button save the mix to a User Bank location.

   The mix will send MIDI signals on selected channels, and play internal sounds on others. You also have to enable the sounds you want to play on the QS, and you can disable the rest if you want, ( it will make no difference, they can not play, since the input from the keyboard and MIDI is OFF.)

   You may want to select a MODE (from the GLOBAL MENU PAGE 2) for the keyboard :

   
   NORMAL,
   (plays on all enabled channels)

   CHANNEL SOLO
   (you select the channel with the MIDI BUTTON any time)

   OUT (1-16)
   you pick one channel , can't change it with the MIDI BUTTON.

   
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4. Q: How do I mute sounds in edit 1 mode? I can edit one at a time but i still dont know how to mute the other three...
   A: Just tab with the Edit 1 button to the sound you want muted, then press Quadra button 1 and 4 simultaneously. This will set/unset the Enable parameter (of course you can also use the Function button to go to Enable, then use the Value up or down, but the first method is faster)
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5. How can I get my QuadraSynth upgraded, how much will it cost, when and where can I do it?
   A: See Upgrade Options for details.
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6. Q:What is a QuadraCard? When and what types of cards will be available and what will they cost?
   A: See ROM and RAM Cards for details.
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7. Q: How can I get RAM cards to store my own samples, and what will they cost?
   A: Alesis is selling 4 MB and 8 MB Flash Memory cards directly to customers through Product Support at (310) 836-7924. Payment will be accepted in check or credit card; sorry, no C.O.D.s will be taken for this product.
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8. Q: What type and size RAM cards can I use to store my samples?
   A: If you need a card right away, there are two options: PCMCIA Type I SRAM (Static RAM)
   All AMD 'C' series and 'D' series Type I FLASHCards ( the AMP FLASH-5C is also AMD compatible).
   IMPORTANT NOTE: All cards must have an access time or 150 ns or faster. ONLY the above mentioned FLASH RAM Cards are compatible. PCMCIA S-RAM cards are available at well-stocked computer stores and through mail order. These cards have the added virtue of being able to store Program/Mix banks or samples instead of just samples as with the FLASH RAM Cards . If you would like to experiment with Sound Bridge software (and wipe out any data you have on your QuadraCard), the current Alesis RAM QuadraCard can store either 4 banks of data, or 2.7 seconds of samples at the 48 kHz sampling rate.
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9. Q: Once I have a card for importing samples, what else will I have to do?
   A: You'll have to write new programs in your User bank that use the samples on the card. Samples, the keys they're assigned to (root note and range), the levels, sample rates, velocity splits, and tunings are imported via Sound Bridge.
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10. Q: What's new inSoundBridge 2.0 ?
    A: SoundBridge 2.0, besides sporting an improved user interface, also has the ability to partition flash RAM cards directly from your computer. This means that in addition to being able to download samples to the cards, the end user will be able to dowload corresponding program information as well (as it stands now, corresponding programs must reside in the user bank, and must be loaded separately). In addition, SoundBridge 2.0 will allow the user to partition a section of the card to be utilized for the storage and instant playback of Standard MIDI Files (SMFs) directly off the card (up to 50 sequences per card). The MIDI file option will be available for the QS7 and QS8 only ! The QuadraSynth Plus Piano and S4 Plus module use different processors, so this feature can not be implemented on these models. The QS6 will support SMF playback, although not for a few more months. There will be a hardware update (one EEPROM to change), and *possibly* a nominal fee for the chip.
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11. Q: Will the Alesis serial work under Windows 95?
    A: Beta versions of Win 95 were having problems with the driver. Since then, we have found the driver to work with the RELEASE versions of Win 95.
    Here are the setup instructions in Win 95:
    Open Control Panel
    Select "Add New Hardware"
    Select "NO" to NOT have windows auto-detect hardware.
    Select "Sound, Video, Game contollers" as hardware type.
    When prompted for device, select "Have Disk"
    Navigate to the OEM setup in the ASDWIN directory of the CDROM
    Follow the instructions from there.
    
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12. Q: Where can I buy the serial needed to hook up with my computer?
    A: The serial cable is available directly from Alesis, through Product Support at (310) 836-7924.
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