Akai S6000 / Akai S5000

MIDI COMMUNICATION

OPERATING SYSTEM UPGRADES

The Akai S6000 has been designed as an open system, and can be progressively upgraded providing improvements and new features.

The last O/S version is freely downloadable from Akai's web site (www.akaipro.com) along with the relative manual addendum. Once downloaded, the O/S file can be saved to a floppy disk and stored into S6000 FLASH memory from the built-in FD drive.

What is following includes the list of the improvements and new features introduced from version 1.20 to the current version 2.11a. Obviously, the last version includes all the previous features, often revised and improved.



ADDED FEATURES
MULTI	v. 1.20 - 64/128 PARTS MULTI CREATION. - RENUMBER MULTI FUNCTION. Whatever Program Change number can be assigned to a Multi, independently from the loading order. Multis may also be assigned to a Program Change number automatically and sequentially from 1 to 128. Useful for Multi remote selection via MIDI, this function requires that MULTI SELECT parameter (in the MIDI page of UTILITY mode) is switched on. The required Multi Program Change MIDI channel must also be selected (Multi Slct Ch = default 1A). - CONVERT OLD MULTI FUNCTION. Multis created with S1000, S1100 and S3000 can be converted in S6000 format. On the 1000/3000 samplers series, in fact, Multi was achieved by setting several Programs to the same Program Change number and to different MIDI channels (or to the same MIDI channel in case of layering). Convert function automatically upgrade "old" Multis to the new S6000 format, maintaining all the original settings (MIDI channels, levels, pan position, output assignments, tuning, etc.). On the other hand, the S2000 and S3000XL series Multi format is fully compatible with the S5000/6000 format. Anyway, these samplers were also able to create old format style Multis. The CONVERT function will be necessary in this case. - DELETE NEW FUNCTIONS. Deleting a Multi, a new option allows the user to decide if delete or not all the related Programs and Samples. Anyway, if Programs and/or Samples in the selected Multi are used in other Multis, they will not be deleted. It is also possible to delete all Multis in memory. v. 1.21 - MULTI EXPAND FUNCTION. Available in MULTI LIST page, this function allows to change the number of parts in a Multi. For instance, a 32 parts Multi can be expanded at 64 or 128-parts, avoiding the creation of a new Multi. v. 2.00 - NEW MULTI PAGE LAYOUT. The MULTI page has been changed to a tabular style of layout, showing all the parameters (split into 2 pages) of 10 parts simultaneously. A 'crotchet' icon is shown to indicate which parts are currently sounding, while muted parts are marked with a 'crossed' speaker icon. The names of the Programs assigned to the various Parts are now shown full-lenght (previously the display was limited to the first 14 characters). - VOICE STEALING. Voice stealing algorithm has been improved: priority is now given to those voices which are already in their release phase.
PROGRAM	v. 1.20 - DELETE NEW FUNCTIONS. When deleting a Program, it is possible to decide if the related samples should be deleted or not. If a sample is used in other Programs currently in memory, it will not be deleted. It is also possible to delete all Programs in memory. - LFO2 SYNC. LFO2 can run synchronized to an external MIDI clock signal. It is possible to set how many beats will be associated to a complete LFO cycle (i.e.: a complete cycle of the LFO control signal can be hooked to a 3/4, 4/4, ecc. measure). Filter, panning or other effects under LFO 2 control can be consequentely managed. - FILTERS RESPONSE DISPLAY. Located in the FILTER page, this function provides graphics, displaying the response slope of the selected filter. - FILTER ATTENUATION PARAMETER. Available in the FILTER page, this parameter reduces the input level signal to prevent the possibility of distortion when high resonance is used (resonance range has been increased). - KEYGROUP LEVEL PARAMETER. Located in the KEYGROUP PITCH/AMP page, this parameter allows an adjustment of a keygroup level by +/- 30 dB. This is useful to compensate and balance samples levels assigned to different keyboard groups. v. 2.00 - PORTAMENTO. A Portamento function has been added in the PITCH BEND page in EDIT PROGRAM/PART. In TIME mode the speed of the effect is adjustable and constant, regardless of the interval played, while in RATE mode it depends on the interval itself. - MONO LEGATO. The effect of this function is that if you hold one note and play another, the pitch changes to the new note without re-triggering the attack portion of the Sample, thus emulating a solo intrument legato phrasing. - NEW KEYGROUP/KEYSPAN PAGES LAYOUT. The graphic design of the EDIT SAMPLE section has been changed to a more tabular approach, providing simultaneous display for the parameters of all four zones of each Keygroup. Furthermore, the names of the Samples assigned to the various zones are now shown full-lenght (previously the display was limited to the first 14 characters). - COPY/PASTE KEYGROUP. It is now possible to copy and paste Keygroups between different Programs; this feature is specially useful in the creation of custom Drum Kits.
SAMPLE	v. 1.20 - PLAY LOOP ON/OFF. The PLAY LOOP "latching" key, added in the LOOP page, allows to play only the looped portion of the sample. This is a convenient way to set the loop start and end points in real-time playing while the loop is cycling around. - LOGARHITMIC OR LINEAR WAVEFORM DISPLAY. Available in the SAMPLE TOOLS page, this function allows to select the type of waveform displayed in EDIT SAMPLE menu. The logarhitmic waveform display provides a more useful graphic to set loop start and end points. - ORIGINAL NOTE. A sample's original note (the note it was recorded on) is always displayed in every EDIT SAMPLE page. - SAMPLES ASSIGNMENT DISPLAY. In EDIT SAMPLE, if the user plays notes on the keyboard holding down F1 key on the control panel, the samples assigned to the notes of a Program (selected in the MONITOR parameter) are displayed on the left top of the screen. v. 1.30 - RAMP FUNCTION. In the FADE UP/DOWN page of the EDIT SAMPLE menu, RAMP START and RAMP END functions have been included. Switching on these functions, short rise and fade times are respectively added at the start and at the end of the sample. This feature is useful to eliminate the possibility of clicks and pops. - LOOP IN RELEASE UNTIL RE-TRIGGERED FUNCTION. This option has been implemented in EDIT SAMPLE LOOP page. Once a sample has been triggered, it will loop endlessly until the same note on the same MIDI channel is received. This function, allowing a more flexible "sampled phrases" playing, can be very useful in PLAYSHEET function (this one implemented by 1.30 version). - PLAY UNTIL RE-TRIGGERED FUNCTION. Available in EDIT SAMPLE LOOP page too, this function allows a triggering of a one-shot sample, stopping it at any time by sending the same MIDI note again. This function can be very useful in PLAYSHEET function. v. 2.00 - SWAP L/R FUNCTION. This function, located in the MASTER page in EDIT SAMPLE, allows swapping the sides of a stereo Sample.
RECORD	v. 1.20 - DISK FREE INDICATION. Selecting RECORD TO DISK to create "virtual" samples in sampling mode, the display provides the amount of memory available on disk, shown as time recording lenght. The memory free indication changes switching between mono and stereo modes. v. 2.00 - OFF THRESHOLD. When sampling with any of the 'AUTO Record Trigger' options a second 'Off Threshold' parameter is provided, allowing the level at which the 'auto-record' ends to be set indipendently from the usual 'On Threshold'. This is very useful in order to capture the whole decay of a sound.
UTILITY	v. 1.20 - DISK FREE INDICATION. The DISK UTILITIES page shows the amount of space available (in Mb) on the saving data unit (FD, ZIP, JAZ, MO, etc.). - SET PLAY KEY FUNCTION. This function has now its own page. It allows to set the notes played by the sampler or sent via MIDI when [ENT/PLAY] key is pressed. - SEMITONE TUNE FUNCTION. Available in the SYSTEM SETUP page, it tunes the whole sampler up or down in semitone increments. - SAMPLE RATE. Sample rate is displayed in SYSTEM SETUP page to facilitate the SYNC SOURCE parameter set up. v. 1.30 - PLAYSHEET FUNCTION. Conceived for theatre and post-production works, it allows to create Playsheets (each one being a special Multi including 10 Programs with new features). Playsheets can be organized in Scenes that can be quickly selected from the sampler front panel. The Programs included in each Playsheet provide sample based cues, that can be directly triggered from the front panel keys. Each Scene can include up to 128 Playsheets. - AUTOSCAN FUNCTION. This function starts the automatic scanning of the sampler bus when swapping removable media and disks (CD-ROM, ZIP, JAZ, MO, etc.). The system is immediately updated with the new disk directory. In the previous software version, it was necessary to press UPDATE in the DISK LIST page when swapping disks. Obviously, the AUTOSCAN function can be enabled or disabled in the SYSTEM SETUP page. - SCSI COPY FUNCTION. Available in the UTILITY menu main page, it allows to make a data copy from a SCSI conneted drive unit to another one (i..e. from CD-ROM to Hard Disk). It should be underlined that currently this function allows only an all data files copy operation. Consequently, the main limit is the destination disk capacity. Future releases will improve the SCSI COPY function, allowing also partial data copy (i.e.: folders, Programs, Samples, etc.). - MEMORY COMPACT FUNCTION. This function optimizes the memory capacity, reorganizing the samples contiguously and compacting all the small and empty gaps between them. Normally, the sampler does this job automatically, but sometimes, deleting long samples, some hole can be left by deletion. The MEMORY COMPACT function is a manual means of de-fragmenting memory, "closing" any empty hole. v. 2.00 - MIDI FILE PLAYER. The S6000 can now import and play songs saved in SMF (Standard MIDI File) format. The sequence data can be sent both to the sounds assigned to the current Multi and to external devices through the MIDI Out ports. You can vary the song tempo and the start/end bar numbers. Furthermore, in the new SET LIST page you can store a list of songs and associate any Multi loaded into memory with them (especially useful for live gigs). - FREE CPU MEMORY DISPLAY. The amount of free 'CPU Memory' is now displayed in MULTI, PROGRAM, SAMPLE and UTILITY mode. It's an area of memory that holds the Operating System (copied form the Flash RAM at startup) and the headers for all the objects loaded into the S6000 (Multis, Programs, Keygroups, Samples, Songs, etc.). - SAVING USER SETTINGS. System settings, MIDI configuration and various preference settings can be saved to Flash RAM and/or disk without rewriting the whole O/S. This way a particular 'collection' of settings can be easily transferred from one S6000 to another. - MIDI MUTE. If an invalid Program Change is received while in MULTI or PROGRAM mode the S6000 will enter a 'global mute' condition (indicated by a 'muted speaker' icon at the top right of the display). To unmute the sampler you can send a valid Program Change or select another mode. This feature can be useful in a live situation if the S6000 is MIDI-chained with other devices. - USB CARD. Support for the new USB card (IB-S56USB) is now provided, allowing complete S6000 control from a PC or Mac with the ak.Sys software. v. 2.10 - DATA SORTING. Data loaded into the sampler can now be sorted and viewed alphabetically using the LIST SORTING function, available in the PREFERENCES page. - MIDI FILE PLAYER. The 'Tempo Mode' and 'Manual Tempo' settings are now stored for each song.
SAVE	v. 1.20 - DISK FREE INDICATION. The Save page shows the amount of space (in Mb) available in the saving data unit. - CHECK NAMES FUNCTION. Switchable on/off through the F15 control panel key, this function checks if files of the same name already exist on the saving data unit and accordingly prompts the user in order to avoid any accidental erasure. In the previous software version, the original name of the function was OVERWRITE. v. 1.30 - EJECT DISK FUNCTION. Available in the DISK LIST page, this function allows to eject a disk without any direct action on the selected SCSI unit. The disk directory is erased from the sampler memory. When another disk is inserted, the AUTOSCAN function automatically starts and updates the system with the new directory. v. 2.00 - FLOPPY DISK FORMAT. Floppy disks can now be formatted directly by the S6000 FDD. - FAT32 FORMATTING. Disks that are over 2 Gb are now automatically formatted to FAT32, thus creating only one partition.
LOAD	v. 1.20 - AUTOLOAD FUNCTION. The AUTOLOAD folder created in Save mode is automatically loaded when the sampler is switched on. At the end, S6000 will be set on Multi mode with the first Multi in memory automatically selected and ready to play. - LOAD FOLDER FUNCTION. If a folder contains sub-folders, their content (Multis, Programs and Samples ) will also be loaded. v. 1.30 - E-MU EIII COMPATIBILITY. S6000 can load E-mu EIII sound library CD-ROMs following the normal loading procedure. E-mu "banks" are represented as folders, while "presets" (that include the samples) correspond to Programs. Folders, Programs and Samples can be loaded independently. Samples may be auditioned as usual through the AUDITION SAMPLE function. Programs and samples can be saved to hard disk (or floppy) respectively as Akai .AKP and .WAV formats. - EJECT DISK FUNCTION. Added in the DISK LIST page, this function allows to eject a disk without any direct action on the selected SCSI unit . The disk directory is flushed from the sampler memory. When another disk is inserted, the AUTOSCAN function automatically starts and updates the system with the new directory. v. 2.00 - S1000 COMPATIBILITY. Crossfade applied to overlapping Keygroups can now be disabled in order to improve the compatibility with some libraries originally developed for the S1000 series. - E-MU EIV AND ROLAND S-7xx COMPATIBILITY. Sound library compatibility has been extended to E-mu EIV format (from CD-ROM or HD) and to Roland S-7xx format (from CD-ROM only). Roland 'Performances' are loaded as Multis, while 'Patches' correspond to Programs and 'Partials' correspond to Keygroups. v. 2.10 - E-MU COMPATIBILITY. E-mu 'SoundSprint' folders can now be managed. - ROLAND COMPATIBILITY. It is now possible to load individual patches from Roland CD-ROMs.