Introduction:

THIS TUTORIAL EXPLAINS HOW TO:
1. Install the Non-Volatile SYEMB06 modules into the Yamaha TG500
2. Send the Samples to the TG500 using MIDI Sample Dump
3. Setup the Samples in a Waveform for use in a Voice.

Thoughtful Clips has made a YouTube video based on this tutorial.
You can view that video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiC1H3egu7o


TG500 64 NOTE POLYPHONY EXPLAINED:
The TG500 was marketed as the first “64 Note Polyphony” synth unit. Although this is technically true, the TG500 is actually two 32 Note Engines in one unit sharing the same effects engine.

The two 32 Note Engines are labelled as A and B in the TG500 menus.
Engine A can only access the first 4MB block of WaveROM, and Engine B can only access the second 4MB block of WaveROM.

The image below shows the TG500 in Quick Edit Mode for the Preset 1:00 AP Grand Voice
The little inverse A character at the right of the screen indicates that the internal Waveform 001 Piano is used by Engine A


If you are using the TG500 in Voice Mode then the maximum polyphony you can have is 32 notes as only one engine is in use.

The 64 note polyphony only comes into play when the TG500 is in Performance Mode or Multi Mode. In these modes several voices can be used simultaneously and the extra polyphony can be exploited – provided the voices are using Engine A and Engine B. If all the voices are using Engine A or all are using Engine B then the polyphony is restricted to 32 notes.



WAVEFORM CARDS, SAMPLE MEMORY, AND ENGINES:
The TG500 was two Waveform Card slots on the front panel labelled Waveform 1 and Waveform 2.
Each Waveform Slot is connected to a different 32 Note Engine:

Waveform Slot 1 connects to Engine A
Waveform Slot 2 connects to Engine B
SYEMB06 Sample Memory Expansions connect to Engine B

If you wish to copy a Yamaha Waveform Card or WaveBlade Bank into the Sample Memory you must insert it into Waveform Slot 2 as these both use Engine B
If you try to copy from a Waveform Card in the Waveform 1 slot to the Sample Memory it will fail.

Installing SYEMB06 Modules:

MODULE INSTALLATION:

The TG500 MUST be switched off before installing SYEMB06 module(s).

You can install 1 or 2 modules for 512KB or 1MB of total sample memory.
If you are installing only 1 Module then it MUST be installed into Slot (1)

Remove the two screws that hold the metal expansion cover.
Position the module as shown in the photo below.
Notice that Slot (1) is nearest the edge of the unit.



Carefully align the module’s connector to the TG500 connector and firmly push the expansion downward.
The module should push all the way down as shown below.
Replace the metal cover and the two screws.

Initialize the Sample Memory

After installing SYEMB06 memory module(s) the TG500 will display this message when switched on.
Press the [EXIT] button to continue.


Press the [UTILITY / SELECT] button to show the screen below:


Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “5: Wave”


Press [ENTER] to show the screen below:


Press [EDIT / COMPARE] to show the screen below:


Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “3: Initialize”


Press [ENTER] to show “UTL WAVE Init.”


Press [ENTER] again to show the screen below:


Press [+1/YES] to continue:


Press the [PLAY MODE] button to return to the Play Mode:

Configuring the MIDI Settings

Before the TG500 can receive sample data the MIDI settings must be configured correctly.

Press [UTILITY / SELECT]

Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “3: MIDI“
Then press [ENTER]


Press [PAGE]
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “3-1: Parameter“


Press [ENTER]
Use the [LEFT ARROW], [RIGHT ARROW] and [-1/NO], [+1/YES] buttons to set the Rch, PgmCh, DevNo parameters as:


Press [PAGE]
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “3-2: Filter”


Press [ENTER]
Use the [LEFT ARROW], [RIGHT ARROW] and [-1/NO], [+1/YES] buttons to set the BulkPr, CtrlCh, PolyAt parameters as:


Press the [PLAY MODE] button to return to the Play Mode

Samples and Waveforms Explained

Before trying to use samples you need to know how the TG500 uses Samples and Waveforms.

TG500 SAMPLES:
A Sample is a single sound held in one of the TG500‘s 64 sample memory slots.
The TG500 can perform basic edits to the sample. These are Keyboard Range, Volume, Pitch, and Looping.

The Keyboard Range has 3 parameters:
OrgKey – 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.
LoKey– The bottom keyboard split point
HiKey – The top keyboard split point

The volume range is from 0 to 127.

The pitch adjustment range is around -4500 to +4500 depending on the sample’s original sample rate.
For reference a pitch adjustment of +/- 1024 is an octave.

The looping options are:
FOn – The sample plays once in the normal forward direction.
BOn – 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.


TG500 WAVEFORMS:
The TG500 has 294 preset waveforms that are used for all the preset voices – these waveforms cannot be edited or erased as they are stored in the TG500 WaveROM.
The TG500 numbers these waveforms as P1:001 to P1: 244, and P2:001 to P2:050
These waveforms are split between Engine A and Engine B in no particular order.

There are a further 64 User Waveforms in the TG500 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.
These 64 User Waveforms all belong to Engine B.

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 G8.
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.

Note: It is possible to allocate samples to a different key in the one user waveform so 64 different samples can be triggered straight from your MIDI keyboard – sample memory permitting of course!

User Waveform Limitations:
You cannot assign the same sample to two or more waveforms.
You can only assign consecutively numbered samples to the same waveform.

Sending Samples to the TG500 using MIDI

For the purpose of this tutorial you can download the samples needed in a ZIP file HERE.
The TG500 Tutorial ZIP file contains three sample files in SysEx MIDI sample dump SYX format.

Whenever samples are sent to the TG500 each new sample is stored automatically into the next available free memory slot.
The three samples we will be sending will automatically go into Sample Slots 00, 01, and 02


SENDING SAMPLES USING MIDI SAMPLE DUMP:
In the TG500 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.

For this tutorial I used the System Exclusive tool C6 from Elektron for sending the samples over MIDI.

Start the C6 utility on your PC / MAC and connect your MIDI interface to the TG500.
Check the C6 settings to ensure it is configured for your MIDI interface.

Load the GTRHYTH1.SYX file, and then click SEND to transmit the sample.

The TG500 display should show:


Notice that the Sample Packet  value will count down to 0 during any sample transmission.

When the transmission is complete the TG500 will show:

Press the [EXIT] button.


Load the INNACITI.SYX file, and then click SEND to transmit the sample.

The TG500 display should show:


When the transmission is complete the TG500 will show:

Press the [EXIT] button.


Load the YEAH_DUO.SYX file, and then click SEND to transmit the sample.

The TG500 display should show:


When the transmission is complete the TG500 will show:

Press the [EXIT] button.


Now all three samples are in the Sample Memory using sample slots 00, 01, and 02

PLEASE NOTE:
At this point all three samples are in the TG500’s Expanded Memory but we cannot view or edit them yet.
The samples must first be allocated to a user Waveform before we can view or perform edits.

Assigning the Samples to a User Waveform

Now that our three samples are in memory we need to assign them to a User Waveform.

The User Waveform we will be using is the first one in the bank of 64. This is numbered and named as “00(InitWave)“


1. EDIT THE WAVEFORM NAME:

Press the [UTILITY / SELECT] button.
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “5: Wave“


Press [ENTER]
The TG500 should show the screen below.
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to set the Waveform number as “Waveform = 00(InitWave)” if needed.


Press [EDIT / COMPARE]
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “1:Waveform“


Press [ENTER]
Press [PAGE]

Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “1-3:Name”


Press [ENTER]
The TG500 screen will show this:


Use the [LEFT ARROW], [RIGHT ARROW] and [-1/NO], [+1/YES] buttons to set the name to “Tutorial”




2. ENABLE THE WAVEFORM:

Press [PAGE]
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “1-2:Enable”


Press [ENTER]


Press [+1/YES] to change “off” to “on“




3. ASSIGN THE THREE SAMPLES TO THE WAVEFORM:

Press [PAGE]
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “1-1:Assign”


Press [ENTER]
The TG500 will show the screen below.


Use the [LEFT ARROW], [RIGHT ARROW] and [-1/NO], [+1/YES] buttons to set the assigned samples to “From 00 to 02”


Press [EXIT]
The TG500 will show the screen below:


Now that the Samples are allocated to a User Waveform we can now Edit / View them.



4. EDIT THE SAMPLE PARAMETERS FOR KEYBOARD RANGE:

We need to set each sample to use a particular keyrange.
Sample 00 will use C2 to B2
Sample 01 will use C3 to B3
Sample 02 will use C4 to B4

Please Note: You cannot ‘layer‘ the samples by assigning two or more to the same keyboard zone.

Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “2:Sample”


Press [ENTER]
The TG500 will show the screen below:


The figures on the bottom row of the display show:
00 : Sample Number
C 3 : OrgKey
C#-2 :LoKey
G 8 : HiKey


Use the [LEFT ARROW], [RIGHT ARROW] and [-1/NO], [+1/YES] buttons to set the parameters for samples 00 thru 02 as shown on the following screens:

Sample 00:
OrgKey: F2 — LoKey: C2 — HiKey: B2


Sample 01:
OrgKey: F3 — LoKey: C3 — HiKey: B3


Sample 02:
OrgKey: F4 — LoKey: C4 — HiKey:B4


Press the [EXIT] button
The TG500 display will show:


Now play the notes on the MIDI keyboard. You should hear each sample play for each key range.

Using the Waveform in a Voice

Now we have our Tutorial waveform configured let’s use it in a voice!

We need to select a Voice from the Preset Bank that has suitable envelope settings to play our Waveform.
The Preset 1 Voice 28 BR Horn is ideal so we will use that.

Use the [PLAY MODE] button to get to the VCE PLAY screen.
Use the [MEMORY] button to select “P1” bank.
Press [+1/YES] to select P1:28 BR Horn


Press [EDIT / COMPARE] to begin the editing.
Use the [-1/NO] and [+1/YES] buttons to select “1: Quick Edit“


Press [ENTER]
The TG500 should show:


Use the [RIGHT ARROW] key to select the Pi031:Horn parameter
Press the [MEMORY] button twice to change to I031:Initwave

Note the little inverse B character at the right of the display. This tells us that the User Waveform belongs to Engine B as it is in the Expanded Memory.

Press the [-1/NO] button to decrease number to select “I000 Tutorial“


Press the [PLAY MODE] button.

The TG500 will show the screen below.
The small inverse E character indicates the voice has been edited but not stored yet.


Play the MIDI keyboard to check that samples play in correct zones.
You can now edit the Env / Filter / Effects if you wish.

Press the [STORE / COPY] button to save patch into internal memory if desired.
Remember to change the Voice Name to something you will remember.

Memory Status and Deleting Samples

MEMORY STATUS:
Unfortunately the TG500 does not have any type of sample memory indicator. At the time of writing I could not find any menu or button combination that would display how much sample memory is remaining. If anyone knows this please let me know and I can add it to the tutorial.

DELETING SAMPLES:
The TG500 uses the sledgehammer approach to deleting samples. It is not possible to delete a single sample from the Sample Memory – you have to initialize the whole memory area to delete all the samples, then start over again.

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