Yamaha QS300 Owner's Manual - Page 101

Song Mode: Recording Operations REFERENCE Song Mode: Recording Operations The sequencer of the QS300 features two record modes: Realtime and Step Recording. Realtime Recording is similar to using a multitrack tape recorder; whatever you play on the keyboard is recorded in real time as you play it. Also, when you record subsequent parts to other tracks, you can hear the previously recorded parts as you record new ones. Keep in mind that Realtime recording is "replace" recording, meaning that any previous data in the track will be erased and replaced when new data is recorded to that track. Step Recording allows you to enter notes individually. As such, it is very similar to writing down the notes on a sheet of music paper; each note is entered one at a time, and although you can hear each individual note entered, you cannot hear the entire part as you create it. Each method has its own advantages and uses. Step Recording is good for precision and for entering notes whose placement, rhythmic value, and velocity are fixed or consistent - for example, rhythm patterns, such as a bass drum that plays every beat in a measure. It also lets you record extremely fast or com- plex passages that would be difficult or impossible to play in real time. Realtime Recording, on the other hand, is best for capturing the natural "feel" of a performance, since it allows you to record as you are playing and simultaneously hear what you are recording. Which method you use depends partly on the type of music you wish to create and partly on your own personal preference. You can even use both methods in tandem. For example, you could first record a basic track with Realtime, then use Step to edit the track and add finishing touches. Or you could program basic rhythms and riffs with Step first, then use Realtime to add melodies and embellishments. The sequencer also has a "All Track" real-time record mode in which all sixteen tracks can be recorded simultaneously, and a Punch-in real-time record mode in which you can re-record any specified section of an already-recorded track. In addition to the sixteen conventional tracks, the sequencer features special Pattern, Chord and Tempo tracks that let you record those corresponding data types to a Song. (See page 119 for details.) Song Mode: Recording Operations Realtime Recording 98 Punch-in Recording 99 All-track Recording (Realtime and Punch-in) .... 100 Step Recording 101 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 97