Tascam Digital Production Environment SX-1 Quick Start Guide

							Chapter 4 –MIDI Basics
 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide 21
Loading the MIDI Song Demo
In the same way that the SX-1 makes a copy of the 
audio demonstration piece, the MIDI demonstration 
is also copied automatically and the copy is then 
loaded (preserving the demonstration song). If you 
change the demonstration, and want to keep it, you 
must save the project under a different name other-
wise it will be overwritten next time you load the 
demonstration piece.
1From the 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section on 
the SX-1s front panel, press 
PROJECT. The 
Project page will appear (“Loading the 
Audio Demo Song” on page 18).
2In the 
Manage Projects tab, on the currently dis-
played screen, select the project titled, 
SX-1 
MIDI Demo
.3Press the 
LOAD button in that same window 
and the SX-1 will load the currently selected 
project, and then display the songs 
Track 
window.
4If your MIDI sound modules are already set 
to receive General MIDI performance data, 
then just press 
PLAY to hear the MIDI song. 
If not, read the directions below on how to 
change a MIDI tracks channel to match 
your sound modules MIDI channel.
TIP
To hear sound from your MIDI modules, don’t forget to 
connect their audio outputs to the line inputs of the 
SX-1 (“Basic Wiring Diagram” on page 16).
MIDI Instrument Track Assignment
The MIDI channel assignments for the individual 
tracks of the 
SX-1 MIDI Demo song follow General 
MIDI (GM) guidelines (for example, the piano is on 
MIDI channel 1, the drums are on channel 10 and the 
rest of the instruments are on the other 14 channels). 
However, if your sound module does not have a GM 
preset, then you may need to change a tracks MIDI channel assignment to match specific patches on 
your sound module. To change a tracks MIDI chan-
nel, follow the steps below.
TIP
To learn how to change the sounds your module assigns 
to incoming MIDI channels, you should consult the 
modules owners manual.
MIDI Instrument Track Assignment
1From the MAIN DISPLAY MODES section on 
the SX-1s front panel, press 
TRACK. The 
Track screen will appear. 
						

							Chapter 4 –MIDI Basics
22 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide
2Find the MIDI track whose output channel 
you want to change.
3Go to the 
MIDI Port select screen (the text in 
this window should read something like, 
A: MOut M1). Choose the Port (SX-1 MIDI out-
put Port A, B, C, or D) where your sound 
module is connected.
4Next, go to the MIDI channel select menu 
and choose the channel that corresponds to 
the MIDI channel your sound module is set to receive. In the VGA window, this is done 
through a second pull-down menu which 
extends from the Ports pull down menu. 
And in the LCD window, this is done through 
a separate menu at the bottom of the screen 
(see the LCD display illustration above). 
5If you have followed these steps correctly, 
your sound module should be receiving the 
tracks newly assigned MIDI channel. 
						

							 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide 23
Chapter 5 – Essential Moves
Back Up and Shutdown
Proper shutdown and regular backup of your SX-1 is 
extremely important. Failure to shut down your SX-1 
correctly before powering off can increase the possi-
bility of corrupted data in your saved files. Without 
regular backup, the possibility that an unforeseen problem could wipe out some, or all, of your data 
increases drastically. When it comes to your hard 
work, dont take any chances; always perform a 
proper shut down and backup of your projects after 
each session.
Backing Up
There are many different ways of backing up, using 
different types of media (for more on this subject, see 
the Owners Manual ). However, one of the simplest 
and most convenient ways to back up is to use the SX-1s onboard CD-R burner. Follow the steps below 
to find out just how easy it is.
TIP   HOT TIP! — 
We recommend using TEAC brand CD recordable media 
for all your CD-R needs.
From the VGA screen
1From the MAIN DISPLAY MODES section on 
the SX-1s front panel, press 
PROJECT, and then select the 
Backup Projects tab. The follow-
ing page will appear.
2Press the   icon to the right of the 
Backup 
Volume
 display to eject the CD-RW drive 
drawer. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW and 
press the drawer’s close button.
3From the list on the left side of the screen, 
select a project. The name of the project 
should appear in the 
Name text box between 
the two lists.4Press the 
BACKUP-> button. The SX-1 will 
begin preparing the data for backup, and 
then burn the disc when it is ready.
5Wait until the SX-1 has finished burning the 
disc, at which time it will be ejected.
6Thats it! You have successfully created a 
backup of your current project. 
						

							Chapter 5 –Essential Moves
24 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide
NOTE
Check the Verify checkbox to ensure that the data 
backed up is the same as is stored on the SX-1’s hard 
disk. Since the verify operation performs a bit-by-bit comparison after the backup has been made, any 
backup with the verify checkbox set will take twice as 
long as a backup without the verify operation.
From the LCD screen
1Press the SHIFT key on the numeric keypad, 
and then press the 
PROJECT/BACKUP key in 
the 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section. The fol-
lowing screen appears:2Select a project from the list at the bottom 
left of the screen using the soft knob labeled SELECT PROJECT.
3Use the 
EJECT MEDIA soft key to open the CD-
RW drive drawer, and insert media into the 
drive. Close the drive.
4Press the 
BACKUP soft key. The SX-1 will pre-
pare all the data to be backed up, and burn 
the CD, after which the disc will be ejected.
5You’re finished. You have successfully 
backed up a project.
Shutdown Procedure
Proper shutdown of the SX-1 means more than just 
switching off the units power. Follow the steps 
below to perform the shutdown procedure that will 
insure your projects are correctly saved.
1Press and hold the 
SHUTDOWN key (located 
on the SX-1s front panel, just above the LCD 
Access section) for 3 seconds.
2The SX-1 will begin its shutdown procedure. 
Both displays (LCD and VGA) will show text 
about the shutdown in progress.3When it is safe to turn off the SX-1, the mes-
sage, 
It is now safe to turn the SX-1 off will appear on 
both the LCD and VGA screens. Do not turn 
the unit off until it tells you that it is safe to 
do so.
TIP
The shutdown procedure can also be accessed via the 
VGA display. The 
Shut Down command is found under 
the 
SX-1 main menu bar. 
						

							 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide 25
Chapter 6 – Taking Control
The SX-1s surface is conveniently organized into 
several different sections. Each section has a number 
of controls dedicated to a specific set of related tasks. 
The following pages contain descriptions of these 
sections in order to help you navigate the SX-1s 
many powerful features.After reading these descriptions, you should have a 
good idea of where to look for a particular function. 
For easy reference, here is a diagram of the SX-1s 
control sections:
The face of the SX-1 is separated into a number of 
different control sections. Most sections have a clear 
label printed directly on the SX-1 itself, while those 
that do not are assigned an appropriate title.
Audio Monitoring
1MONITORING 
2SOLO 
Information Display
3LCD ACCESS 
4MAIN DISPLAY MODES 
5INFORMATION DISPLAY 
Mix Control
6FADER BANKS 7MIXER CHANNELS 
8AUTOMATION 
Settings Management
9LIBRARY 
MIDI
AMIDI REC MODE 
Editing
BEDITING 
Transport and Data Entry
CTRANSPORT 
DDATA ENTRY 
1
23
45
6
7
8 9
AB
CD 
						

							Chapter 6 –Taking Control
26 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide
Audio Monitoring
1MONITORING The level and source select 
(such as master output, cue, auxiliary, or digital 
input) controls for the 
STUDIO and CONTROL 
ROOM
 outputs are in this section. There is a speaker 
select button for the 
CONTROL ROOM that allows 
quick switching between two different sets of moni-
tors (which are fed by the Large and Small 
CONTROL ROOM outs). Control for the SX-1s 
onboard talkback mic is in the 
STUDIO section.
2SOLO In this section you will find a level knob 
for the Solo feature, and a key for selecting the Solo 
Mode: 
PRE-FADER, IN-PLACE, or USER-DEFINED 
(AFL) (these modes are explained in the Owners 
Manual).
Information Display
3LCD ACCESS The keys in this section recall 
screens that are specific to the LCD display. Screens 
include: bus assignment, track waveform, MIDI 
information, and channel trim (these screens are 
explained in the Owners Manual). 
These screens are in addition to those available 
through the 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section and can 
be accessed independently of the current VGA 
screen. For example, the VGA can display the 
Track 
screen, and at the same time, the LCD can display 
Routing (for true dual monitor behavior, set the MAIN 
DISPLAY
 button to ).
4MAIN DISPLAY MODES This sections 
keys select the screen you are viewing on your exter-
nal VGA and the LCD.
Examples of these screens include: the main track 
screen, mixer overview, individual mixer channels, input/output routing, and project management (which 
are explained in detail in the Owners Manual). The 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section gives you all of the 
most frequently accessed screens in one convenient 
location.
5Information Display This section is not 
actually labeled 
Information Display on the SX-1. 
However, that title best describes this area. Here you 
will find the LCD, stereo meters, and a variety of 
LED indicators (for example, synchronization and 
clock status, and hard disk and MIDI activity indica-
tors). Surrounding the big LCD are several “soft” 
knobs and keys (see “LCD Screen Navigation” on 
page 10), whose functions change depending on the 
LCD’s current screen. The individual LED indicators 
in this section are covered in the Owners Manual.
Mix Control
6FADER BANKS Use the keys in this section 
to choose which sources the SX-1s physical faders 
will control. Preset fader banks include: input chan-
nels 1-16 and 17-32, group returns 1-8, auxiliary bus-
ses 1-8, and MIDI channels 1-16 for each MIDI Out 
port (A, B, C, and D). Up to 7 user defined fader 
banks can also be created.
7MIXER CHANNELS This section is not actu-
ally labeled 
Mixer Channels on the SX-1. However, 
that title best describes this area of the SX-1s face. Here you will find the 16 channel strips and all their 
associated controls (faders, pan pots, mute/solo 
switches, record enable keys, etc.) and the master 
fader. The Mixer Channels section is covered in 
detail in the Owners Manual.
8AUTOMATION This section contains the 
keys for utilizing automation. Here you can enable a 
variety of automation modes (such as write, touch 
and trim). For definitions of the automation modes, 
see the Owners Manual. 
Settings Management
9LIBRARY When you create a new setting (an 
effect or EQ, for example), it is possible to save this 
setting as a patch for recall at a later time. The keys 
for saving the settings for a variety of different func-tions (including all the control elements of the chan-
nel strips) reside in the 
LIBRARY section. For more 
information about the power of the Library feature, 
see the Owners Manual. 
						

							Chapter 6 –Taking Control
 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide 27
MIDI
AMIDI REC MODE This section accesses the 
SX-1s Step mode and MIDI Merge function. Just 
beneath the 
MIDI REC MODE section is a PA N I C but-
ton for resetting stuck MIDI devices. See the 
Owners Manual for more information about MIDI 
Recording.
NOTE
The PA N I C key is a latching-type key. Press once to 
enable panic mode (the indicator pulses) and again to 
disable panic mode.
Editing
BEDITING For all your audio waveform and 
MIDI note editing needs, there is the 
EDITING sec-
tion. Here you will find basic cut, copy, and paste 
commands, as well as many other advanced editing commands (such as, ripple, crop, and split). To learn 
more about the SX-1s extensive audio waveform and 
MIDI editing capabilities, see the Owners Manual.
Transport and Data Entry
CTRANSPORT Though this area is not actually 
labeled 
Transport on the SX-1, that title best 
describes this section of the SX-1s face. Here you 
will find a set of standard transport keys (play, stop, 
record, fast forward, rewind, end jump, and begin-
ning jump). Just above the transport keys are controls 
for capturing and recalling locate points. 
The SX-1 has many advanced transport functions 
(including looping, user definable post/pre roll times, 
and auto punch). As well, the Jog/Shuttle wheel is 
handy for jogging, scrubbing, and shuttling. To learn more about these advanced features, see the Owners 
Manual.
DDATA ENTRY The numeric keypad is labeled 
DATA ENTRY. Keys on the numeric keypad are used 
for entering numbers (and letters) directly into 
onscreen fields, enabling shifted functions and spe-
cial key commands (see “Multi-Function Keys” on 
page 9), up/down and left/right cursor navigation, 
and entering MIDI step record note values (see the 
Owners Manual for more on the 
DATA ENTRY 
section). 
						

							28 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide
Chapter 7 – Basic Moves
Getting Around
Many of todays most popular audio production 
workstations share similar command sequences.
For example, the keystrokes to record a track or copy 
an audio waveform can be very similar on many 
computer-based recording systems. The SX-1 fol-
lows these same command sequence traditions. If 
you are familiar with how to operate digital audio 
sequencers and multi-track recorders, getting around 
on the SX-1 should feel familiar.
TIP
When using the PS/2 keyboard, the Alt key is used 
together with other number or letter keys as a shortcut 
key (as opposed to other systems, which may use the 
Control or Command keys for this purpose).
If you are unfamiliar with operating this type of 
recording gear, read the examples on the following 
pages to learn some of the basic recording moves for 
the SX-1.
TIP   HOT TIP! — 
Because we must choose a common starting point from 
which to explain a procedure, all the following exam-
ples assume that the SX-1s factory default settings have 
not been touched. If you have not changed any of the 
SX-1s default settings, you should be able to follow 
right along with all the examples, step by step.
A Quick Explanation of a Few Important Terms
The SX-1 uses a number of terms that apply to differ-
ent groups of data, making it extremely important 
that you have a working knowledge of these in order 
to manage your work effectively. Once you get the 
terminology down, the rest should be much easier to 
understand.
Slot A Slot is a container that Takes can be loaded 
into (or created on). When a project is first created, 
the 
Track screen on either the VGA or LCD will show 
empty Slots, meaning that no audio or MIDI Takes 
have yet been created. 
Slots can be created from scratch, removed, and 
deleted, and the order may be changed by moving the 
selected Slot up or down in the list. 
The important thing to remember is that Slots can be 
moved or modified with or without loaded Takes, 
and that anything done to a Slot is done to a Take 
loaded upon it (meaning that if you delete a Slot, its 
Take is automatically unloaded).
Take A Ta k e is a Track, or a container that audio 
Clips and MIDI data are loaded onto for use. Either 
term (Take or Track) is correct for use on the SX-1. 
When you give a Take a name, any audio Clip or 
Clips recorded on that Take use the same name.
Takes are loaded into Slots for use on both the 
Track 
and the CD burning screens, and can be loaded and 
unloaded at will. A Take can be loaded only once in a 
project at a time, which means that if you have data 
on a Take that you would like to copy to another location within the same project, you will have to do 
that operation manually.
The thing to remember about Takes is that they are 
basically self-contained EDLs (Edit Decision Lists—
or lists of which parts of the events play back at 
which time), and not the raw data itself. Another way 
to visualize the paradigm would be to think of a Take 
as an ice-cube tray in your freezer, and the raw audio 
files (or Clips) as the ice-cubes themselves.
Clip A Clip is a raw audio file, created by recording 
on the hard disk, using the Render command, or 
importing from an external volume. A Clip is named 
by the Take it is recorded on, or by using the Render 
command. 
Clips contain information regarding bit depth, sam-
ple rate, and time stamps—data that is viewable in 
the VGA Clip Browser by selecting a clip in the list 
at the left of the screen.
Channel A “mixer Channel” refers to a channel on 
the mixing console, which is entirely separate from 
the HDR (in fact, it is not necessary to use the HDR 
on the SX-1 at all, as all components of the machine 
work separately). As well, there are no dedicated 
return channels on the console for the onboard 
recorder, which the SX-1’s mixer regards as an exter-
nal device. Remember that to listen to the HDR, you 
will need to use 16 of the available 40 input channels 
on the console. 
This means that a designation for a “channel” is con-
text-sensitive, or rather that “a channel” might refer  
						

							Chapter 7 –Basic Moves
 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide 29
to a mixer channel, a MIDI channel, or an HDR 
channel.
Mutes and Solos Mutes and Solos work as 
expected from the surface, but it should be noted that 
the 
Take Mute and Solo buttons ( and ) on the 
VGA’s 
Track screen do not have any interaction with 
the surface keys when operating an audio channel. As the SX-1’s mixer regards the HDR as a separate 
device, the Take Mute and Solo keys operate for 
Takes only. Pressing a Take 
Solo or Mute button will 
mute or solo that Take, and not a mixer channel. 
Think of the Take 
Mute and Solo buttons on the VGA 
or LCD 
Track screen as mutes or solos for your hard 
disk recorder, and not for the rest of your system.
Creating a New Project
The SX-1 automatically saves the last project you 
were working on when you perform the Shutdown 
procedure. It will also automatically reload that last 
project when it is turned back on.Follow the steps below to create an entirely new 
project.
On the VGA
1Press the PROJECT/BACKUP key in the 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section of the sur-
face. Use the mouse to select the 
New Project tab, if it is not already selected. You should 
see the following:
2Click in the 
Name field and enter the name Test 
Project
, using the PS/2 keyboard (all projects 
must have a name).
3Choose a sampling rate from the 
Sample Rate 
pulldown menu.4If you wish, you can enter a note, which will 
as part of the project. If no note is entered, 
the SX-1 will automatically generate a day 
and date timestamp.
5Press the 
OK button.
You have now created a new project. 
						

							Chapter 7 –Basic Moves
30 TASCAM SX-1 Quick Start Guide
On the LCD
1Press the PROJECT/BACKUP key in the 
MAIN DISPLAY MODES section of the 
surface:
2Press the 
NEW soft key (top right) if it is not 
already highlighted.3Press the 
NAME soft key (bottom 
right). You will see this menu 
appear on the right side of the 
screen.
4Name your project as 
Test Project 
by using the keys of the numeric 
keypad (the way this works is the 
same principle as the keys on a 
mobile/cellular telephone). Use 
the cursor keys to move back-
wards and forwards without 
changing anything, or user the 
Backspace key just like the 
Delete key on a PS/2 keyboard. 
This process may take a minute or two to 
master, but all the naming functions on the 
SX-1 use the keyboard functions in this way, 
so this learning time is time well spent.
5When you’ve finished, press the 
ACCEPT 
key.
6Press the 
CREATE PROJECT button and you’re 
finished. You have now created a new 
project.
To Record an Audio Track
Follow these steps to record an audio track. For both 
the VGA and LCD examples, make sure an audio source is connected to analog input 1 on the top 
panel.
On the VGA
1On the Track page, locate the slots on the left 
side of the screen, and click the   icon with 
the mouse (next to the   icon).
2From the pulldown menu that appears, select 
New Audio Take and release the mouse. A wave-
form icon ( ) should now replace the pre-
vious “dash” icon.
3Click in the field containing 
New Audio Take 1 
and rename it to 
Audio Test using the PS/2 key-
board. Press [ENTER] on the keyboard to 
finish the naming process.
4Directly to the right of the   and   but-
tons, you will see two pulldown menus:
The first field displays the input to the Take 
we are recording on, and the second displays which voice we will be using to play back the 
Take (there are 16 playback voices). Chang-
ing the voice will change where the output of 
that track appears to the console.
The first field should display 
CH1 (signifying 
Channel 1’s Direct Out) as the source. If it 
does not say this, click on the   icon (pull-
down menu, and select 
Ch1 from the menu.
5Press the 
MIXER key on the MAIN DISPLAY 
MODE
 section, and then press the 1–16 key in 
the 
FADER BANK section on the slanted front 
panel. 
6Bring up fader 1 (analog input 1) to unity (
0).
7Use the mouse to click Channel 1’s   
button (to remove Channel 1’s output from 
the L/R bus).