for VL Ver.2 series (VL1/1-m/7 Ver.2) Virtual Acoustic Synthesizer
This Software is distributed as a Beta version (pre-release) for trial purposes only and is not a completed product. Yamaha will not support this Software.
About VL Visual Editor
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A main attraction of VL virtual acoustic tone generation (S/VA synthesis) is its ability to produce extremely realistic simulation sound of acoustic instruments such as saxophones and trumpets. Another important S/VA feature, however, is the freedom it gives to design "hybrid" instruments (like a "Bowed pipe instrument" or a "Blowed string instrument") that do not exist in reality.
The S/VA internal software creates an instrument by combining a driver block and a pipe/string block. The driver block is a software model of an energy-input component such as mouthpiece, reed, or bow, while the pipe/string block is a model of the energy-carrying component. A typical combination will produce a conventional instrument such as sax or violin. But you are also free to use original combinations to create what we call new acoustic instruments -- instruments that exist only in your imagination.
To date, synthesizer voices have been provided from the manufacturer. Some voices are preset into the synth, others are available as options, while others may be supplied as sales promotions. The VL Visual Editor now changes this picture. The Visual Editor is an easy-to-operate software application that allows users to freely design their own new acoustic instruments.
The program begins by displaying available driver and P/S selections. You use the mouse to select one of the drivers and one of the pipe/strings; the screen then returns a number of variations based on your selection. Click the mouse on the variation you want to use; the program then advances to an Edit screen. The Virtual Editor comes packaged with a variety of driver and P/S models and allows users design and redesign voices almost instantaneously.
The Edit screen is used to add resonance, set up dynamic filtering and effects, and adjust the brightness, thickness, and other sound qualities. The screen is graphical and offers selections in the form of easy-to-understand palettes and click buttons. No specialized knowledge of tone-generation principles is required.
Yamaha also plans to distribute the VL Expert Editor. Voices that you create on the VL Visual Editor can be brought into the VL Expert Editor, allowing you to tweak your own virtual instrument sounds using all of the physical modelling parameters of the VL synthesizer.
Extensions in the Beta 1.1 Release
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The following functionality has been added to the previously distributed Beta 1.0.
* Analog synth sounds can now be generated as a bowed string (violin family). Physically this has the characteristics of a bowed string, but analog synth sounds are created by tweaking some of the parameters in the modifier section.
* In Beta 1.0, the previous editing result was remembered when synthesis was performed. However in Beta 1.1, a Recall button has been added, and this can be clicked to bring back the previous edit.
* The Patch Palette can now be switched via a pull-down menu. Click the downward-pointing triangle in the title area of the palette (the area initially displayed as "Pickup") to access the menu.
* The ability to save voices in Standard MIDI data format has been added (File menu command "Export"). In the voice list window, click a voice to select it, and then choose "Export." If no voice was selected, the last voice registered in the voice list will be saved.
The number which appears at the left side of the Save window is the number of the voice in the Voice List window.
* A User Patch function has been added at the end of the Patch Palette. This remembers combinations of two or more patches, and changes made to Envelope or Tweak. Select the File menu command "Store Patch."
Please be aware that these added functions are not explained in the accompanying manual.
Contents of distributed software
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In addition to this "Read Me" file, the following files are included in the distribution.
*License Agreement
*VL Visual Editor-Manual
*VL v2 Visual Editor/Beta 1.1 (Application)
Copyright (c) 1996 Yamaha corporation. All right reserved.
