YAMAHA MEGAEnhancer Converts XG-GM Song Data Software Program Owner’s Manual

YAMAHA MEGA Enhancer Converts XG-GM Song Data Software Program

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• The software and this owner’s manual are exclusive copyrights of Yamaha Corporation.
• Copying of the software or reproduction of this manual in whole or in part by any means is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the manufacturer.
•  Yamaha makes no representations or warranties with regard to the use of the software and documentation and cannot be held responsible for the results of the use of this manual and the software.
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NOTE
This owner’s manual assumes that you are already familiar with basic Windows operations. If you are not, please refer to the owner’s manual that came with your Windows OS software before using MEGAEnhancer.

• Note that the example screens shown in this manual are in English.

What is the MEGA Enhancer?
MEGA Enhancer is a software program that converts XG/GM song data (Standard MIDI File) to song data specially enhanced to be played back using an instrument or tone generator containing Mega Voices. With the use of the sophisticated Mega Voices, MEGA Enhancer automatically makes conventional song files — with guitar and bass parts — sound much more realistic and authentic. The converted song data can be used only on the model which you selected before converting.

Terminology

What is XG?
XG is a new Yamaha MIDI specification which significantly expands and improves on the GM System Level 1 standard with greater Voice handling capacity, expressive control, and effect capability while retaining full compatibility with GM.
What is a Standard MIDI File?
The SMF (Standard MIDI File) format for sequence files allows you to play/edit song data on different sequencers.
What is Mega Voice?
What makes Mega Voices special is their use of velocity switching. Normal Voices use velocity switching to change loudness or brightness of a Voice according to how strongly or softly you play it. On the other hand, Mega Voices use velocity to sound different performance techniques. For example, a guitar Mega Voice includes the sounds of various performance techniques (as shown below). In conventional instruments, several Voices having those sounds are required to be called up via MIDI and played in com-bination to achieve the desired effect. However, only one Mega Voice can achieve the same result by simply using the relevant specific velocity values. Because of the intricate structures of Mega Voices, they are not suitable for keyboard performance. Instead they work well for MIDI programming, especially in avoiding use of several different Voices just for a single instrument part. NOTE
The illustration above is only an example. Actual sound maps for the Mega Voices are given in the Owner’s Manual or the separate Data List booklet that comes with your instrument.
What events are changed by MEGA Enhancer?
MEGA Enhancer converts MIDI events of Program Change and Bank Select in XG/GM songs to load MegaVoices. It also changes velocity values of note events to sound appropriate performance techniques. Furthermore, suitable MIDI events are automatically added to make the resulting sound more realistic based on MIDI programming conditions.

Starting/exiting the MEGA Enhancer

1. Double-click the shortcut icon on the desktop.
   The main MEGA Enhancer window appears.

2. On the Menu bar (page 6) of the main window, click [File] → [Open] to select a song file to be converted. NOTE
   You can also start the program and call up a song file for conversion by:

   •  Dragging the desired MIDI file to the MEGA Enhancer icon.
   •  Double-clicking on the desired MIDI file. To use this operation, MIDI files (with the .mid extension) must be associated with MEGA-Enhancer.
     For instructions on changing the association of files (a Windows operation), refer to the online help in Windows.

3. Quit the application by selecting “Exit” from the “File” menu, clicking the “Exit” button in the right corner of the main window, or by clicking the close button at the top right of the main window.
   

Main window

1. Menu Bar
   See page 6 for details.

2. Voice Conversion List by Channel
   The Before columns indicate the name/number of the current Voices for each channel, while the After column indicates the corresponding Mega Voice to which the Voice is to be converted. The Mega Voice can be set for each channel on After columns as desired. It is also possible to disable conversion to Mega Voices as desired. In that case, After columns are displayed in gray. When a song file (SMF) is opened, recommended Mega Voices by MEGA Enhancer are displayed as default on After columns.

3. Convert
   Click this button to start the data conversion according to the settings in the Voice Conversion List and the specified Beat Resolution.

4. Exit
   Quits this application.

5. Beat Resolution
   Sets a standard note value used for the conversion. When a song file (SMF) is opened, a recommended note value by MEGA Enhancer is displayed automatically. If a conversion result with the recommended value is not as expected or desired, change the note value and try converting again.

HINT
Generally, you should set the Beat Resolution to the denominator value of the song meter: i.e., q (quarter note when the song meter is 4/4) or e (eighth note when the song meter is 6/8). However, the most appropriate setting is variable by the particular MIDI data of each song file. For example, setting the Beat Resolution to e3 (eighth note triplet) may produce good results if the song data has notes programmed with a triplet feel over a meter of 4/4.

File

1. Open
   Opens a song file to be converted.

2. Convert Folder
   MEGA Enhancer can batch convert all song files in a specified folder. This menu lets you select the folder for batch conversion.

3. Exit
   Quits the application.

Preference

Select the model name of your particular instrument. The converted song file may not sound accurately on models not selected here. Make sure to select the correct model name.
Help

1. About MEGA Enhancer
   Displays the version number and other information about MEGA Enhancer.

Converting Song Data

Two methods are provided for converting song data: single song file conversion and batch conversion of all song files in a specified folder.
NOTE
Note the following conditions to convert song files:

•  Channels without note events cannot be set for conversion.
•  Channels with multiple program change events cannot be set for conversion.
• Channels already containing a MegaVoice program change event cannot be set for conversion.
• GS song files may not be properly converted in some cases.

Converting a certain song file

1. Start the MEGA Enhancer and open the main window by following the instructions on page 3.
2. Set the Voice conversion parameters for each channel as necessary.

When a song file (SMF) is opened, the After column of the Voice Conversion List shows the recommended settings for each channel as default: e.g., the recommended Mega Voice for conversion, or no conversion. Gray (or “ghosted”) sections in the After column indicate that the corresponding channels will not be converted. You can generally execute the conversion with the default settings. However, you can manually change the settings as described below.
When you click any channel’s checkbox in the After column, the item becomes active and you can select a Mega-Voice for the corresponding channel. If you click the checkbox again, the item will appear in gray. That means the corresponding channel will not be converted.
When clicking an active Mega Voice item, select the desired Mega Voice from the Mega Voice list displayed. The Mega Voice List includes some Voice names and the “Other” menu. The Voice names show the recommended Mega Voice. The “Other” menu contains all Mega Voices. When you select the “Other” menu, all Voices are dis-played and you can select one of them. Some Mega Voices have several conversion types. The type of conversion is shown in parentheses with the relevant Mega Voice name. Click the “Recommend” checkbox to reset the settings of a channel to the defaults.
Set the Beat Resolution (for all channels) as necessary.
When clicking the Beat Resolution item (the note type list appears), select the desired type. See page 5 for details about Beat Resolution. Click [Convert] to start the song data conversion.
“NOW CONVERTING…” appears in the lower right corner of the main window during conversion. When the conversion is finished, a “COMPLETE” message appears followed by a dialog prompting you to specify the location (path) to save the converted song data. IMPORTANT
Note that the conversion may take a few minutes. Larger files and more channels take longer to convert.
Save the converted song file.
Specify the location (path) to save the converted song file, and type the file name. And then, click [Save]. Try playing back the converted song file on an instrument compatible with the Mega Voices.
Copy the converted song file to a storage device compatible with your instrument, such as USB Flash memory, and then play it back on the instrument.

Batch converting song files in a specified folder

MEGA Enhancer lets you batch convert all song files in a specified folder.
NOTE
With this method, you cannot select the Mega Voice for each channel or set Beat Resolution. Data conversion is executed using the default settings.

1.  Collect song files in a single folder.
2.  Run the MEGAEnhancer and open the main window following the instructions on page 3.
3. Select “Convert Folder” from the “File” menu.

The folder selection dialog will appear.
Select the folder in which you collected the song files, and then click [OK].
A message appears prompting you to confirm the data conversion operation.
Click [Convert] to start the song data conversion.
“NOW CONVERTING…” appears in the lower right corner of the main window during conversion. The name of the song file currently being converted is displayed in the upper left corner of the main window. When the conversion is finished, a “COMPLETE” message appears.
IMPORTANT
Note that the conversion may take a few minutes. Larger files and more channels take longer to convert.
Try playing back the converted song file on an instrument compatible with the Mega Voices.
Copy the converted song file to a storage device compatible with your instrument, such as USB Flash memory, and then play it back on the instrument.

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