Alesis DG8 Electronic Keyboard User Manual


 
Chapter 2: Playing the DG8
44 DG8 REFERENCE MANUAL
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
TUNE
Page 1: Master Tune
The DG8 can be globally tuned to another instrument or tuning device, and this
operation can be performed in any Play Mode. Press the
TUNE button and use the
button to raise the pitch of the DG8 and the button to lower it. The range is ± 1 half
step: each press of an arrow key changes the tuning by 1 cent (100 cents = 1 half step).
Tip: Remember that if you want to do a quick reset, press the and arrows
together. The display will reset the tuning to 00.
Also, holding either arrow down will accelerate the scrolling of the tuning
values.
To exit this mode, press the PLAY button.
Page 2: Stretch Tuning
Pressing the
TUNE button a second time enters Stretch Tuning mode which employs
the tuning method that is actually used to tune real acoustic pianos. With Stretch
Tuning, the low strings are tuned increasingly flat, and the high strings are tuned
increasingly sharp compared to the equally-tempered scale.
This function defaults to
ON, and is only active on the three piano groups PIANO 1,
PIANO 2 and PIANO 3. This feature of the DG8 was not just designed as an esoteric
function, but provides an unusual level of realism to the piano Programs.
While this mode is desirable when playing a piano program alone, it can cause
problems when used with Layers or other MIDI instruments. To partially avert this,
the DG8 automatically turns off this function when you enter Layer mode so as to
avoid tuning conflicts with other internal DG8 Programs. However, when playing
the DG8 with other instruments via MIDI, you may need to defeat Stretch Tuning
because the high and low ends of the DG8 may sound out of tune with other MIDI
instruments. Use the
arrow to turn this function OFF. When Stretch Tuning is off,
the piano programs will always be tuned to the equally-tempered scale whether used
as a Primary sound or as a Layer sound.
Note that, like other settings in the DG8, if turning Stretch Tuning is set to
OFF it will
remain off until you change it or re-initialize the instrument.
To exit this mode, press the
PLAY button.
TRANSPOSE
You can transpose the DG8 ± 1 octave. Using Middle C (key “C3”) as your reference,
press and hold the
TRANSPOSE button and press a key on the keyboard. Pressing a
key above Middle C will transpose the DG8 up by the interval and pressing a key
below Middle C will transpose the DG8 down by that interval.
Tip: You can also use the or arrows to transpose. To reset the transpose to
Middle C, press the and arrows together while this display is being shown.
The selected key will be the new key for the DG8 in any Play mode until it is
changed. The Transpose function actually changes the MIDI Note Number sent by