Yamaha PSR-550 Owner's Manual - Page 8

Important Features Since the PSR-550 has such a wealth of advanced features and functions, you may be at a loss as to how to explore its capabilities and how to best use them for your music. You needn't worry. The PSR-550 is very easy to play and use, and each function - no matter how advanced - can be mastered easily. That's what this section is designed for. It will help you master the PSR-550. It introduces you to the important features of the PSR-550 with short explanations and page references. Read through the features you're interested in, then turn to the relevant pages in the manual for instructions and other details. Basic operations • The PSR-550 is packed with sophisticated feature and functions, yet it's also exceptionally easy to use. Using the panel controls is quick, easy and intuitive - thanks to the Easy navigator feature, which indicates the buttons you should press, and the special backlit LCD, which changes color according to the selected mode. (→ Pages 16, 18) • A convenient Direct Access function lets you instantly call up the specific menu or display you need. (→ Page 21) Listening to the PSR-550 • The PSR-550 features a wide variety of songs in various musical genres. (→ Page 15) • In addition, 10 songs are provided in the included disk. (→ Page 59) • The powerful auto accompaniment function gives you a total of 112 styles (rhythm and accompaniment patterns), providing professional sounding backing parts for your performance. (→ Page 112) • Special Multi Pads let you instantly and easily play short rhythmic and melodic sequences for adding impact and variety to your performance. (→ Page 43) Playing the PSR-550 • The PSR-550 keyboard has 61 keys with full touch-response capability that lets you play with extraordinary expressiveness and dynamic control. (→ Page 26) • The PSR-550 lets you perform with a huge variety of musical instrument voices. (→ Page 26) There are two different types of voices: panel voices (the original PSR-550voices) and XG voices. * The PSR-550 features 219 panel voices, 14 drum kits and 480 XG voices • With the R1, R2 and L voices, you can play two different voices in a layer, and even play two different voices with your right and left hands. (→ Pages 27, 28) 8 Auto accompaniment (styles) • The auto accompaniment feature puts a full backing band at your fingertips, with a total of 112 styles (rhythm and accompaniment patterns). (→ Page 32) • The One Touch Setting feature lets you instantly call up the appropriate voice, effect and other settings for the selected accompaniment style - with the touch of a single button. (→ Page 42) • You can also create your original accompaniment styles by recording them directly from the keyboard. (→ Page 96) Music Database • The PSR-550's built-in Music Database gives you a convenient way to automatically select the style, voice, and effect settings that best suit a particular type of music. If you don't know which style or voice would be appropriate, the Music Database can help you out. (→ Page 14) Multi Pads • By simply pressing one of the Multi Pads, you can play short rhythmic or melodic phrases. (→ Page 43) • You can also create your original Multi Pad phrases by recording them directly from the keyboard. (→ Page 92) Registration Memory • The convenient Registration Memory feature lets you save virtually all panel settings to one of 128 Registration Memory settings, and then instantly recall all your custom panel settings by pressing a single button. (→ Page 54) Song Recording • Use the powerful song recording features create your own complete, fully orchestrated compositions and save them floppy disk as a User song. Each User song lets you record up to sixteen independent tracks. (→ Page 78) * To quickly and easily mold your musical ideas into complete songs, use the Quick Recording method. (→ Page 80) * To build up a song part-by-part and track-by-track, use the Multi Track Recording method. (→ Page 82) * You can also "fine tune" the recorded song data with the PSR-550's comprehensive song editing functions. (→ Pages 84-91) 6