5.1. WINDOWS PROGRAM

OPTIONS

This window (Fig3) shows the available options for vA2. It allows the user to configure Midi Ports, Controllers, Song Chords, Master, Effects and Arabic Scale. The Effects are only available in the Yamaha mode.

MIDI PORTS

This window allows you to choose which MIDI interfaces will be active in IN and OUT from those connected to the computer.

vA2 can be controlled by one, two or up to three MIDI inputs with the following features:

MIDI Input	vA2 Feature	Notes and Observations
MIDI IN 1	MIDI Instrument MIDI Controller	This is the default input and is particularly suitable for everyday use from a master keyboard. It can receive: MIDI notes to be played by the LEFT part. MIDI Notes to be played by the RIGHT part. MIDI notes to control the arranger. MIDI notes to assign messages in the menu CONTROLLERS
Optional ∗ MIDI IN 2	MIDI Instrument MIDI Controller	This input allows you to connect a second MIDI Instrument. If Play Notes is checked, then the notes received here will also be played by vA2. If Play Notes is not checked, then the notes received here can be used, for example, to adjust volume or panning, etc..
Optional ∗ MIDI IN 3	MIDI Controller	This input is reserved for the use only of a MIDI controller.
Optional JOYSTICK	Commands	This option allows vA2 to receive external commands from a USB connected device with a joystick-type operation, for example, analogue pedals with a USB interface.

∗ Provided that the MIDI interface is equipped with several MIDI IN input ports.

KEYBOARD MODE: By default vA2 KEYBOARD MODE is configured on the MIDI CHANNEL 1 (Fig. 4)

ACCORDION MODE: This mode is activated by selecting MIDI ACCORDION, it is then possible to set the MIDI channel for the right hand (Right), the MIDI channel for the left hand (Left) and the MIDI channel for Bass (Bass).

Now, only the MIDI ports used are displayed. This window also enables a second and a third MIDI input (MIDI pedal for example)

MIDI LED FEEDBACK Some MIDI controllers, such as the KORG nanoKONTROL2 have buttons that can illuminate - these lights can be controlled via MIDI.

VIDEO: http://youtu.be/otV1oLeaLRE This option gives you a visual acknowledgement, without having to look at the computer screen. For example, you can assign 4 buttons to variations ABCD of the arranger. The physical buttons will illuminate when they are pressed, corresponding to the buttons on the computer screen. This option is active in OPTIONS / MIDI PORTS. In the figure below, the 2nd MIDI IN is selected. By checking the LED feedback box of this MIDI (Fig. 6) entry, you can choose the MIDI port to accept control LED (fig. 7)

Note: To accept the control of LEDs, MIDI controller may require adjustments. For example, for the KORG nanoKONTROL2 the KORG Kontrol Editor program (available on the KORG website) and select is used:
- CONTROL MODE = CC
- LED MODE = EXTERNAL

Similarly, for each button, choose: - ASSIGN TYPE = BUTTON CONTROL CHANGE BEHAVIOR = MOMENTARY-OFF VALUE = 0 - ON VALUE = 127

To save the settings, go to the menu Communication, Write Scene Data.
Caution: Before version 1.17, vArranger worked in TOGGLE mode, now you will probably re-set your midi controller MOMENTARY mode. Most MIDI controllers are factory configured in this way

MIDI OUT:
For best sound results, you must choose the mode that best suits your tone generator module. The MIDI OUT framework offers a choice between GM modes, GM2, GS, XG, Ketron SD2 and SD4 depending on the device connected to MIDI OUT.

Note : The choice Ketron SD2 and SD4 leads to the appearance of the check MY SD2/SD4 Freezes box in the OPTIONS window - MASTER

The GS mode is recommended for Roland synthesizers. XG mode is recommended for Yamaha synthesizers. GM2 mode is recommended in all other cases, such as the Hypersonic 2 VST or other GM compatible VST.

SYNCRO OUT:
The ability to synchronize vArranger with other software or MIDI synthesizers. To do this, check the box next to Send Clock MIDI output concerned.
For proper operation, it is necessary to set other software or MIDI synthesizer, so they accept to synchronize to an external MIDI clock. Refer to the manual of your 3'rd party MIDI synthesizer or software synthesizer.
With this option vA2 can play in synchronicity with another arranger, arpeggiator, sequencer or drum machine, etc..

If you do not use this function, it is advisable to leave this box unchecked, because it sends continuous MIDI messages.

It is also possible to use up to three sound modules simultaneously with vA2 by selecting the midi ports in MIDI and MIDI OUT 2 OUT 3. This option allows you for example to double the polyphony of Ketron sound modules, by adding additional modules. Press the START button to confirm the settings during initial installation, or after changes made afterwards.

CONTROLLERS

This window allows you to manage the behavior of vA2 against external controls, they are: an external MIDI controller (MIDI CONTROLLED BY INPUT) (Master keyboard or MIDI Foot ...)

the keyboard of the computer (PC CONTROLLED BY KEYBOARD)

an external device connected via USB (CONTROLLED BYJOYSTICK)

To assign a function to an external controller, we choose first the desired among those presented in the table (see Fig. 9) by clicking on the corresponding line function then press the MIDI controller or the key on the PC keyboard key or joystick of the desired use. All settings are done, you can close the window with the OK button. All these settings are saved and reloaded automatically at each session.

Example: Here, various functions vA2 controlled by a pedal Ketron ® type FS13.

Note: If a key on the PC keyboard, a MIDI button, etc ... is already assigned to a function of vA2 It is no longer possible to assign a different function. A message will be displayed. Here, for example, it is reported that the key on the PC keyboard (code 157) is already assigned to the CHANGE DOWN function.

At the bottom of the window CONTROLLERS (OPTIONS /, scroll MIDI events entering vArranger (outside of active sensing messages and midi clock). This can be useful to know what instruments and MIDI controllers send.

SONG CHORDS

SONG CHORDS is a 2 in 1 function that allows you to:

Create A Chordsheet

Quickly create accompanying music from A to Z. To do this, select a style, and click OPTIONS, SONG CHORDS. vA2 then opens the chord grid of the song on the screen.

• By clicking on a measure, we enter the chord for the selected beat.
• By clicking on the upper part of the measure, one can select a variation from those of the current style (A, B, C, D, Main, Fill, Intro, Ending.). For each style and for each of its sections are show its style name, and in brackets, its duration in measures.

Once you click on measure, the data my be set the mouse, or by playing a MIDI instrument, or by typing the letters on the ASCII keyboard provided they are not already assigned in the MENU CONTROLLERS.

When you have chords in the grid, you can listen the full accompaniment by using the button PLAY SONG. You can also transpose the SONG CHORDS by semitone, without re-entering data, simply by clicking TRANSPOSE + or -. With the CLEAR ALL button, it erases everything.
A right-click in a measure opens the following pop-up window:

From this window you can:

• INSERT one or more measures (four measures in the example above).
• SELECT FROM -> this measure to another measure <-TO SELECT.
• SELECT ALL measures in the grid.
• DESELECT ALL measures in the grid.
• COPY your selection to the clipboard.
• PASTE your selection from the clipboard.
• PASTE '?' TIMES your selection several times.

• DELETE the selection or measure.
• CLEAR the selection or measure.
• TRANSPOSE - or TRANSPOSE + the selection or measure.
• PLAY FROM HERE plays the accompaniment from this measure

Note :Double click an extent plays SONG CHORDS for this measure, each beat during play is highlighted in a salmon pink colour as below in an example in 3/4 time:

Some actions require a confirmation like this:

The insertion of 24 measures will extends the window by those 24 measures.
Save your song by using the SAVE SONG button, setting appropriate song name an location. The SONG CHORDS' option is already checked, so press the SAVE button to finish.

You can quickly and easily create MIDI accompaniment files for sharing, by clicking on EXPORT TO MIDIFILE. The file should open in any professional MIDI sequencer. From this base, to simplify work, add VST audio tracks of your choice ... and burn your CD.

Set Up the vRIFF Function:

SONG CHORDS can be used in another manner. Enter some chords into the SONG CHORD window, for example: C Am F G. Then close the window. Launch vA2 (START) and play some chords.
Above the four variations of the style (Main A, B,C, D) there is a button vRIFF. Clicking it changes its colour what you hear is now controlled by the series of chords previously returned accompaniment.

The table below summarizes the different configurations vRIFF button:

Note : Right click on the button shows the vRIFF SONG CHORDS editing window. Pianists now have both hands free to play other things, and the left hand does not control agreements. It is also possible to assign two different sounds Right and Left at the same time as the vRIFF cheek.
Can regain control of the fix to ANY TIME by clicking on the button vRIFF, or until the agreement is terminated sequence itself (vRIFF then resumes its gray).
It is even possible to apply a fill, a INTRO, ENDING during an execution of a SONG CHORD. It should be noted that the instructions SONG CHORD have priority in case of simultaneous orders.
You can assign the knob vRIFF CONTROLLERS menu. Do not forget to SAVE / SONG and SONG CHORDS box toremember your power vRIFF the next time you play that style.

Features : It should be noted that SAVE / SONG stores the state of vRIFF button. It is possible to play the chord grid directly loading the style, enabling thevRIFF button and saving the SONG.
Once the chord grid entry, you can try other styles on the same grid by pressing the button vRIFF.

MIDI EVENTS

This screen displays all the events contained in the MIDIFILE or STYLE YAMAHA year.

MASTER

The following master window is used to set some parameters of the ketron SD2 soundmodule:
BASS BOOST : Adjusts the equalizer by selecting the correct frequency and gain. Asterisks indicate default values.
MIDI INPUT GAIN: MIDI MIDI IN1 and IN2 potentiometers are used to adjust the overall level of MIDI inputs 1 and 2 respectively.
If when you play the melody notes, the sound of your MIDI instrument is too low, or you need to play hard to reach high velocities, you can add a bit of gain with these controls. It is advisable to leave these two knobs to 0, and adjust the velocitycurve in the options of your MIDI instrument, if the permits.

MY SD2/SD4 Freezes
The old Ketron SD2 have a bug and sometimes crash. This option, MY SD2/SD4 freezes, once selected, prevents the SD2 plant, filtering some MIDI messages.
Note : This option is checked by default, appears if a SD2 and SD4 is a selected MIDI OUT (OPTION, MIDI PORTS).
If your SD2 does not crash when reading midi test-it is better to shoot and all the midi messages are sent.
Midi test: http://www.varranger.fr/vforum/index.php/topic, 112.msg2123.html

CHORD RECOGNITION VELOCITY THRESHOLD

This slider allows you to filter and NOT consider the played notes with a velocity bellow a certain threshold into the CHORD recognition engine.
This is especially useful for MIDI guitarists, as unwanted low volumes notes are easily sent when open strings are lightly touched.
The default value is 0 = NO FILTER
When you raise the threshold slider to value 64, all notes played with a velocity below 64 will not change the chord.
Try to find the maximum value when the chord is correctly changing, without having to play too hard.

EFFECTS

This window allows you to set the CHORUS DELAY DISTORTION effects. Of which device?

Ketron SD1000 Effects

If in the Midi ports menu the SD1000 option is selected, in the option/effect menu will be shown the SD1000 EFFECTS window, where the parameters of the ketron SD1000 soundmodule can be set.The SD1000 owns two DSP's and allows to send two different effects to each of the sixteen tracks of the vA2. As a special options one effect can be sent as stereo output. But the SD1000 allows also to set global reverb-, chorus-parameters and has a global parameterizable equalizer

The SD1000 EFFECTS window has different sections with parameters.
The global section (red) allows to set the Master levels for reverb and chorus and set the type and parameters for the two effects. It allows the parametrization of a two band equalizer with the GAIN and FREQ parameters.
The DSP section (yellow) allows to set different effects like compressor, filter, distortion etc.... For each of this effects can be selected the built in SD1000 presets in the list boxes. It is recommended to use this presets.
The track link section (blue) allows to send two different effects to each of the sixteen tracks of the vA2. You have to program each dsp one by one with the paraemters in the yellow section. As a special options one effect can be sent as stereo output. In this case you have to programm only one DSP for both channels.

Workarround for change parameters: Due to technical issues into the SD1000 it is not possible to read back the parameters of the SD1000 and allows therfore not to show the parameters that are actually set into the SD1000 EFFECTS window. For changes and documentation one should make a snapshot figure of the SD1000 EFFECTS window with the defined parameters. For changing a parameter on should reconstruct the parameters with the snapshot figure and then make the change(s) and make a new snapshot figure for further changes. This mentioned issue obove allows also not to save the parameters for each song.

Warning: The SD1000 has a polyphony of only 128. It can happen that this amount of polyphony will be reached in some songs. Unfortunatly the SD1000 has no intelligent polyphony management and will cut the last instruments. That means the instrument is suddenly disrupted. You have then to set tracks off to avoid the border of 128 polyphony.

ARABIC SCALE

This function allows you to create valid ranges in countries that use the Arabic scales. Selected notes (in red) are lowered by a quarter tone, the OFF button restores each note their original intonation.

NB: To delete this window it is necessary to return to OPTIONS then ARABIC SCALE

MIDI ACTIVITY ICONS

On the top bar of the main window, there are four icons, each representing one of the four MIDI inputs and showing its MIDI activity.

the vARRANGER ² icon

By clicking on this title, an information window will appear:

PANIC

With low quality MIDI interface, some MIDI messages can be lost, and this result in some never ending notes, or wrong chord recognition. This red button sends the command "ALL NOTES OFF" on all MIDI channels, with the intention to stop all sound, and tries to reset most of the actual settings of vArranger.
Note that if the problem involves, for example, a disconnected MIDI cable, then the message can't arrive and any previously played notes will remain audible.

TIME

Displays the current time. By clicking on the display, a display is tilted 12 to 24h

MINIMIZE AND CLOSE ICONS

These are located at the right-hand end of the top-bar and work like the usual Windows minimize and close icons.

A click on the minimize button of the window also momentarily frees keys assigned to PC keyboard for vA2.
For example, in CONTROLLERS, you can assign the "MINIMIZE / RESTORE APP" function to the PC Escape (Esc) key.
Then, a first press of the "Esc" key will minimize the vA2 window, the second press restores the vA2 window to the screen.

Double-clicking somewhere in the black background will brings the vA2 window from normal to full screen and vice versa.
When in the normal mode, you can also move and resize the window in the usual way.

See Also

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5.2. TRANSPOSE