Introduction:
THIS TUTORIAL EXPLAINS HOW TO:
1. Install the Non-Volatile SYEMB06 modules into the Yamaha SY85.
2. Load samples into the SY85 from the Floppy Disk, or using MIDI Sample Dump
3. Setup the Samples in a Waveform for use in a Voice.
Before starting the Tutorial please have a blank formatted 720KB floppy disk ready for use later on.
Installing SYEMB06 Modules
Static Electricity Precautions
Before handling any type of electronic PCB you must be aware of the dangers of static electricity.
Static electricity builds up in your body when you walk around on carpet and other flooring materials. Your clothing generates static when you move about. When you remove certain types of clothing you hear ‘clicking’ or even see sparks in a darkened room – that’s static electricity!
Although static is harmless to humans it is VERY BAD for electronic components – if it jumps from you to any electronic PCB you will surely cause damage to the electronic components mounted on it.
To eliminate static electricity problems we recommend you use an anti-static wrist strap.
This will look something like the photo below:
The cloth loop goes around your wrist and the crocodile clip connects to the nearest earthing point. Earthing points you can use are the outside of your PC’s metal case, water pipes, or any other electrical appliance casing that you know is earthed.
If you don’t have an anti-static strap you can discharge static from your body by touching any earthed case or water pipe before handing anything electronic. Try not to move around too much and keep touching the earthing point from time to time.
INSTALLING THESYEMB06
The module will come supplied in a static shield bag. This bag keeps the module safe from static harm but is vunerable once it leaves the bag. Do not touch any of the components on the board and try to hold the board by the edges only.
Before installing a module in your Yamaha unit please backup the internal memory. After a module is installed you will need to initialize the sample memory and this may initialize the patches. It is highly recommended to backup all your settings and patches before proceeding!
To backup your unit’s settings and patches over MIDI please use the Elektron C6 Sysex Utility (ZIP File).
STEP 1: Remove the expansion cover.
Using a Philips or ‘starhead’ screwdriver remove all 6 screws from the cover. 
This will reveal the memory expansion connectors. In the photo below the Non-Volatile connectors are arrowed on the left, and the Volatile SIMM connectors are on the right. In this SY85 there are two 4MB SIMMS already installed thanks to Saul from Yamaha-Musicians 🙂
STEP 2: Note orientation of the connectors.
The Non-Volatile connectors on the motherboard are a ‘D’ shape and this ensures the memory modules will only fit in the correct way around.
Note the two arrows pointing to the PCB markings (1) and (2)
If you are installing a single module you must locate it in Connector 1 – it will not work in Connector 2. 
STEP 3: Inserting a module (or two) 
Place the module’s connector over motherboard Connector (1) and with a finger either side of the module’s edge gently push the module fully into the motherboard connector.
If you are installing two modules place the second module over Connector (2) and push it gently into the connector.
When viewed from the other side of the connector panel the SYEMB06 modules and SIMMS will look like this:
Now replace the panel cover and the 6 screws – the installation procedure is finished!
Initialize the Sample Memory
Initialize the Sample Memory
After installing memory modules the SY85 will display this message when switched on:
Press the EXIT/NO button to clear the message.
Now go into the sample waveform menu by holding the SHIFT button and pressing the UTILITY button.
The display will show:
Press the second SUB MODE button from the top to enter the Wave Initialize menu.
The display will show:
Press the F2 Button then press the +1 button a few times until Volatile Mem. changes to all Mem
The screen will now display:
Press the ENTER / YES button to initialize the memory.
The top right of the display will show “Are you sure ? “
Press the ENTER / YES button again. The display will briefly say “Completed! “
All the sample memory has now been initialized and is ready to be configured.
To check how much of each type of sample memory is available press and hold the SHIFT button.
During the writing of this tutorial the my SY85 had 8704KB of volatile and 512KB of non-volatile memory.
Whilst SHIFT is pressed the display shows these values.. 
Configuring the Sample Memory
The SY85 has 64 memory slots where samples can be stored. You need to tell the SY85 how many slots are to be allocated to Non Volatile memory in order to load and store samples in the Non Volatile memory module(s).
Note that in the SY85 the 64 memory slots are actually numbered from 00 to 63.
Currently the SY85 display shows:
For the purpose of this tutorial I am going to allocate slots 5 to 63 to Non Volatile memory.
This will automatically allocate the 5 remaining slots 0 to 4 to Volatile Memory.
Move the F8 slider to adjust the Non Volatile memory allocation to “5~” .
The display now shows..
Press the ENTER/YES button.
The top right of the display will show ” Are you sure ? “
Press the ENTER / YES button again. The display will briefly say “ Completed! “
The memory slots have now been allocated as follows:
Slots 0 to 4 are Volatile Memory Slots
Slots 5 to 63 are Non Volatile Memory Slots .
PLEASE NOTE:
If you DO NOT allocate any memory slots to NON VOLATILE MEMORY you WILL NOT be able to load samples into the SYEMB06 module(s) from floppy disk or MIDI.
Samples and Waveforms Explained
Before loading in samples you need to know how the SY85 uses Samples and Waveforms.
SY85 SAMPLES:
A Sample is a single sound held in one of the SY85’s 64 sample memory slots.
The SY85 can perform basic edits to the sample. These are Keyboard Range, Volume, Pitch, and Looping.
The Keyboard Range has 3 parameters:
Org – The key the sample was originally sampled at. Adjusting this allows the sample to play at the original pitch at one particular place on the keyboard.
Low – The bottom keyboard split point
High – The top keyboard split point
The volume range is from 0 to 127.
The pitch adjustment range is -5293 to +5376. An adjustment of +/- 1024 is an octave.
The looping options are:
FOne – The sample plays once in the normal forward direction.
BOne – The sample plays once in the reverse direction.
Flp using Nrm option – The sample plays normally in a continous loop.
Flp using Alt option – The sample plays normally and then reverses back to the start. This repeats continously.
Blp using Nrm option -The sample plays in reverse in a constant loop.
Blp using Alt option – The sample plays in reverse until the start, then it plays normally to the end. This repeats continously.
SY85 WAVEFORMS:
The SY85 has 244 preset waveforms that are used for all the preset voices – these waveforms cannot be edited or erased as they are stored in the SY85 ROM. The SY85 numbers these waveforms as P001 to P244.
There are a further 64 user waveforms in the SY85 that you use to build a new sound using your samples. These waveforms are numbered as I000 to I063. By default they are all named as InitWave but you can rename them to something more useful. More on that later.
Each user waveform can be configured to use one single sample, or use multiple samples split over parts of the keyboard range from C-2 to G-8. How complex you wish to make the waveform is up to yourself.
In this tutorial we will be using three samples – each using one octave of the keyboard and all held in one user waveform.
It is possible to allocate each of your samples to a different key in the one user waveform so 61 different samples can be triggered straight from the SY85’s keyboard – sample memory permitting of course!
Please Note:
Whenever you initialize all the sample memory and allocate the 64 sample slots between volatile and non volatile memory the 64 user waveforms also get divided up the same way. After the memory initialization procedure detailed earlier, user waveforms I000 to I004 can only use samples in volatile memory, and user waveforms I005 to I063 can only use samples in non volatile memory.
User Waveform Limitations:
You cannot assign the same sample to two or more waveforms.
You cannot assign samples stored in both memory types to the same user waveform.
You can only assign consecutively numbered samples to the same waveform.
Loading Samples into the SY85 from Disk or MIDI
For the purpose of this tutorial you can download the samples I used in a ZIP file HERE.
The Tutorial ZIP file contains the sample files in SY85 W.xx format, and as SysEx MIDI sample data in .SYX format for sending over MIDI.
Whenever samples are loaded into the SY85 each new sample is stored in the next available free memory slot.
The three samples we are loading into Non Volatile memory will automatically go into slots 5 to 7. If we were to load them into Volatile Memory they would go into slots 0 to 2. 
LOADING SAMPLES FROM THE FLOPPY DISK DRIVE:
Extract the three SY85 sample files from the Tutorial ZIP file and copy these to the blank 720KB Floppy Disk.
The sample files are:
GTRHYTH1.W01 – a short looped guitar riff.
INNACITI.W02 – a continous drum loop.
YEAH_DUO.W03 – a cheesy one-shot Yeah sample.
With the floppy disk in the drive press the bottom button on the SUB MODE menu to enter the Wave Disk menu.
Use the F1 button to select LOAD option, use the F5 slider to select the Disk File 01, and use the F7 slider to select Non Volatile Memory.
The display should now look like this:
Press the ENTER / YES button to load the sample. The top right of the display will show ” Are you sure ? “
Press the ENTER / YES button again. The SY85 will now load the sample and the display will show:
After the sample has loaded use the F5 slider to select Disk File 02
Press the ENTER / YES button to load the sample. The top right of the display will show ” Are you sure ? “
Press the ENTER / YES button again. The SY85 will now load the sample and the display will show:
After the sample has loaded use the F5 slider to select Disk File 03
Press the ENTER / YES button to load the sample. The top right of the display will show ” Are you sure ? “
Press the ENTER / YES button again. The SY85 will now load the sample and the display will show:
Again, wait for the sample to load.
Now all three samples are in Non Volitile Memory using sample slots 5, 6 and 7.
Press and hold SHIFT to view the Non Volatile memory status. It should have dropped by about 311kB.
LOADING SAMPLES THROUGH MIDI SAMPLE DUMP:
In the Tutorial ZIP file there are three samples in SYX format.
The sample files are:
GTRHYTH1.SYX – a short looped guitar riff.
INNACITI.SYX – a continous drum loop.
YEAH_DUO.SYX – a cheesy one-shot Yeah sample.
You can use a System Exclusive tool like C6 from Elektron for sending the samples thru MIDI.
You need need to make sure the SY85’s Bulk Dump Protect feature is OFF. Failing to do this will prevent the SY85 from accepting samples over MIDI.
How to switch off the Bulk Dump Protect:
Press the UTILITY Mode button then the SYNTH SETUP Sub Mode button.
The display will show:
Press the Page Right arrow a few times until the display shows:
If the “Bulkprot “setting is “on” then move the F6 slider up and fully down again to switch it to “off “
Now go into the sample waveform menu by holding the SHIFT button and pressing the UTILITY button.
The display will show:
Press the third SUB Mode button from the top to enter the MIDI Sample Dump menu:
If the display lands on the MIDI SAMPLE DUMP Transmit screen press the Left Page Arrow to get to the MIDI SAMPLE DUMP Receive screen.
If the To value shows Volatile Mem. then move the F7 slider all the way up to change it to Non_Vol. Mem.
Make sure the display shows ” Sample=00 ” – if not then adjust slider F3 to correct this.
Now start the C6 utility on your PC / MAC and connect your MIDI interface to the SY85.
Load the GTRHYTH1.SYX file, and then click SEND to transmit the sample.
The SY85 display should show:
Notice that the Sample Packet value will count down to 0 when the sample has been fully transmitted.
After the sample has been transmitted the display will show:
This shows that the first sample we’ve just sent is stored in Sample Slot 05 – the first slot we allocated to Non Volatile memory.
Press the EXIT / NO button.
Now load the INNACITI.SYX file into C6 and click SEND
As before, the packet numbers will count down to 0:
After the sample has been transmitted the display will show:
Press the EXIT / NO button.
Now load the YEAH_DUO.SYX file into C6 and click SEND
As before, the packet numbers will count down to 0:
After the sample has been transmitted the display will show:
Press the EXIT / NO button.
Now all three samples are in Non Volitile Memory using sample slots 5, 6 and 7.
Press and hold SHIFT to view the Non Volatile memory status. It should have dropped by about 311kB.
Assigning the Samples to a User Waveform
Now our three samples are in memory we need to assign them to a user waveform.
Press the EXIT / NO button. The display will show the waveform number with the default name InitWave:
Because our samples are in Non Volatile memory (sample slots 5 to 7) we need to select Waveform 05 as our first user waveform.
This will be the waveform we are editing in the next steps.
Change the waveform number to 05 using slider F8:
Now press the Top SUB MODE button to show the Waveform Edit screen:
Press ENTER / YES to show the Waveform Assign Menu:
Press the F1 [ON] button to activate the waveform.
The system will automatically assign the first sample in Non Volatile memory ( slot 05 ) to the waveform:
We want to assign all three of our samples to the waveform. Move slider F5 up until the TO value is 07
Since we are already editing Waveform 05 we can quickly rename the waveform from “InitWave” to “Tutorial”
Press the Right Arrow above the data wheel to access the Waveform Name screen:
Using the F7, F8 and the Data Wheel to change the name to “Tutorial“
You can use the Left Arrow above the data wheel to return to the Waveform Assign screen if you wish, but seeing we’re now finished assigning the three samples we can exit out to the Waveform Edit screen.
Press EXIT / NO to get back to the Waveform Edit screen:
Our three samples stored in memory slots 05 to 07 have now been assigned to User Waveform 05!
Splitting the Samples over the Keyboard
Press the Right Arrow above the data wheel to select the Sample Edit screen
This is where we split the keyboard up into different sections for each sample.
To allow us to play each sample slower and faster than the original speed we will set the Org parameter to roughly the middle of each keyboard range for each sample.
For this tutorial we are going to split the samples as follows:
Sample 05 – C2 thru B2
Sample 06 – C3 thru B3
Sample 07 – C4 thru B4
Please Note: You cannot ‘layer’ the samples by assigning two or more to the same keyboard zone.
Press ENTER / YES to edit the Sample Keyboard Map:
Slider F8 will select which sample to edit.
Slider F3 will select the sample’s Original Key Pitch.
Slider F4 will select the low split point.
Slider F5 will select the high split point.
TIP: Instead of using Sliders F3 to F5 to edit the keyboard zones you can simply press the function key below Org, Low and High and then press a key on the keyboard to input the split point directly!
Using the sliders adjust sample 05’s Org and Low / High split points to Org = F2, Low = C2, High=B2
After adjusting sample 05 the screen should look like this:
Now split the remaining samples 06 & 07 over the next two keyboard ranges and set the Org to the midpoint of the range.
Remember to use slider F8 to select the sample number first:
So now we have our three samples split successfully over three octave keyboard ranges!
If you press the Right Arrow above the data wheel you can go into the Sample Data menu where the volume, pitch and looping parameters are.
This is what the SMPL Data screen looks like. Don’t adjust anything in there for now! 
Use the Left Arrow to return to the SMPL Map screen:
Using the Waveform in a Voice
Now we have our Tutorial waveform configured let’s use it in a voice!
Press the VOICE button and select Internal Voice A1:SP Makro
Press the Voice Edit SUB MODE Button. You should see this screen:
Press F1 to select the OSC Wave parameter , then press SHIFT & MEMORY Internal 2 to switch from the Preset Waveforms (P numbers) to the User Waveforms (I numbers).
The OSC Wave value will switch to I063 InitWave.
Move slider F1 down to select our waveform I005 Tutorial so the screen looks like this:
Press the VOICE button to return to the voice play screen:
You can now play the new waveform as a voice!
The keyboard is split into 3 octaves – one for each sample.
Try adjusting the slider F6 for a snappier release, and using the LPF adjustment on F7 & F8.
The pitchbend, modulation and effects section can be tweaked as well!
Deleting Samples from Memory
The SY85 uses the sledgehammer approach to deleting samples. It is not possible to delete a single sample from the volatile or non volatile areas – you have to initialize either memory area to clear out all the samples in that area.
Although the SY85 manual states on Page 247 that “a single specified sample” can be erased we have found that there is no option in the menu system to do this.
Samples in the volatile memory area will clear when the SY85 is switched off or when you manually initialize the volatile memory area.
Samples and Waveform configurations stored in the non volatile memory area will remain in the unit and are immediately available again at power-on.
You need to initialize the non volatile memory area to delete them.
// Document End
