The CS2x is a wonderful machine. I love mine. In order to create a keyboard that packed this much power into an entry-level synth., Yamaha had to make some compromises. One of the most disappointing things I discovered about the CS2x after my purchase was the fact that only one performance could be used at a time. Surely this couldn’t be correct , I thought. But after reading and researching, the best I could come up with for trying to squeeze more than one performance at a time from the keyboard was to assign the material voices (the samples that are the sound source for the Layers (up to four of which make up a Performance)) to a group of the 12 remaining XG channels.( XG is a Yamaha standard that is an extension of General Midi. XG voices use a different set of parameters than performances and can be much less complex in timbre than a Performance or a Layer .) This was, to say the least, unsatisfying (not to mention difficult). No one likes using arcane system-exclusive commands to make music. The CS2x Silverbook offered some examples for using the material voices and even included midifiles for importing into various sequencers, but this too seemed to me like much more work than should be required. I found myself tweeking voices much more than actually creating music. So instead of cursing the darkness I decided to light a candle. Thus, the CS2x Layer Manager was born.

The CS2x Layer Manager was designed to provide an easy method for creating and storing multi-timbral configurations in performance mode for use with a sequencing program. The ideas represented by this program were developed as a result of listening to complaints about the difficulty involved in using the material voices to emulate performances when doing song production. If you own a CS2x (or are considering purchasing one) you should check out the CS2x forum at: egroups.com/cs2x. There are a lot of knowledgeable people there and we would be pleased for you to join us.

This program allows simple drag and drop manipulation of CS2x Performance Layers in order to allow the construction of Multi-Parts that closely match the timbre of Performances.

This program is not a plug-in application for any sequencer. This program can not be used at the same time as a sequencer. This program is designed to be used as a stand-alone application to create a useful multi-timbral setup of voices that can be easily loaded into a sequencer after the Layer Manager is exited.

This program is not a performance editor. Yamaha already makes a terrific performance editor for the CS2x called ‘Tune Em Up’. You can down-load it for free at:

http://www.yamaha.co.uk/synth/html/current/keyboard/cs2x/s_pcedit.htm

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