YAMAHA HD-300 Harmony Director Instrumental Keyboard User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- Yamaha
Table of Contents
YAMAHA HD-300 Harmony Director Instrumental Keyboard
Introduction
The Harmony Director HD-300 is packed with features that help a performer actively improve his or her abilities through independent and interactive learning. We hope that the act of listening back, reflecting on, and correcting one’s performance not only helps improve one’s abilities as a performer by internalizing what you have learned, but also offers new opportunities to enjoy music and helps provide a sense of enrichment.
This Use Guide describes the kinds of independent and interactive learning that can be incorporated into practice, and the kinds of band practice and instruction that is possible with the HD-300 using specific examples of each scene.
Training one’s ability for listening and matching pitch (Sound Back*
function)
Use the Sound Back function to listen and compare the performer’s tone and that of the HD-300. Use this to practice matching the pitch, training your listening and pitch recognition abilities in the process.
Practice using the Sound Back function
Scene: Individual practice, part practice
Practice goals: Develop the ability to match pitch by listening to the
(surrounding) instruments without relying on a tuner. Training
one’s ability to recognize areas needing improvement in a performance, or
capturing and sharing a performance in its entirety (Recording function)
Listening to one’s performance objectively can provide new insight. Share new facets noticed with your peers to help deepen your understanding of your own performing abilities.
Practice using the Recording function
Scene: Part practice, ensemble practice
Practice goals: Develop one’s ability to analyze one’s performance
objectively and to play towards a goal based on grounds.
Advanced: Quickly present points of concern (Time Shift Recording
function)
You can record a part of concern during performance after when you have
noticed it, starting at up to 10 seconds before. Facilitate efficient practice
and develop each performer’s ability to play by themselves, by quickly
recording and sharing parts that require additional instruction with them.
Practice using Time Shift Recording
Scene: Part practice, ensemble practice
Practice goals: Quickly present points of concern to the practice partner
to help facilitate practice.
Introducing the “HD-300 Assistant” app for iOS
This is a useful iOS app that aids your daily practice routine. You can use
this app to remotely control certain functions of the HD-300 by connecting to
the HD-300 via Bluetooth®. This app also includes dedicated features for app,
such as a chord detector, a tuner, and others.
*HD-300 Assistant is an app exclusive to the iPhone/iPad.
Example: Confirm chord while playing (chord detector)
HD-300 Feature Basics
This at-a-glance introduction shows how the HD-300 features can be used in
various practice situations, and provides basic instructions.
Tuning
Use the VOICE buttons and the dial to select the desired Voice.
Use the HOLD unction to continue playing notes even after you’ve released your
finger from the keyboard.
Use the OCTAVE slider to change the octave of the keyboard sound.
Imagining correct pitch
Turn the SOUND BACK function on, and then play in the direction of the HD-300
to have it play the correct pitch for the nearest reference note for a
specific period of time.
This lets you practice imagining and matching the pitch as you perform.
Creating harmonies
Select the pure TEMPERAMENT nd play a chord so that the root key is
automatically detected and a pure-tempered chord sound is produced.
The TRANSPOSE buttons are useful when playing the keyboard, while using a
musical score written for the transposing instrument.
Using Demonstrate on the app enables you to hear minutely out-of-tune sounds (interference beats), or to sense changes in the sound of chords when the volume balance changes.
Effectively practicing basic techniques
In the TRAINING mode, you can play back the main practice pieces in the “JBC
Band Method” library.
This can be used to automate the accompaniment, allowing the instructor to
concentrate on listening to the student’s performance when used by the
instructor. It also helps students practice independently on their own when
they use it.
Confirming complex rhythms
Using the metronome function deeper.
By using the BEAT TEMPO MEMORY unction, you can set and save an irregular
meter or a frequently used tempo.
Using the Rhythm Assistant function of the app enables you to create a set of rhythms of up to 2 measures by note input, and to play it on the HD-300.
Developing one’s sense of rhythm
By switching the rhythm playback mode to the RHYTHM STYLE mode from the
metronome, you can play back various popular rhythms.
Rhythm styles include such as march, swing and samba. Practicing while playing
back these rhythms helps develop a sense of rhythm that matches the piece.
Manual Development Group © 2020 Yamaha Corporation Published 07/2021 MWES-B0