Creating User Voices on the Yamaha

DTXPRO Module
The DTXPRO module allows you to load in many, many samples of a single
instruments (snare, tom, etc) to create what is technically called a 'multilayer
sample with round robins'. This is a highly realistic sound which changes for
every hit and for every dynamic you play, just like an acoustic instrument.

A 'multilayer sample' has different dynamic sounds in it, so that when you play the
pad quietly, you hear a sample of the instrument playing quietly, and when you play
hard, you hear a sample of the instrument being hit hard, and everything in
between.

'Round-robins' are different, alternating samples of the same volume, so even if you
play the pad 4 times at exactly the same velocity, each hit plays a slightly different
sample, so it sounds more authentic.

We use round-robin samples because the human ear is very good at spotting
repeating sounds. It's why we don't hear house or car alarms after a while, but as
soon as the sound changes in some slight way, we hear it again. Round robin
samples stop the human ear turning off from hearing exactly the same sound being
played over and over.

Although the following looks long-winded and complicated, once you get used to it, this
can take just 10 minutes from hearing a sound you want to use as a User Voice to be
playing it as a multi layer sample off a pad plugged into the DTXPRO module.

The more involved part is the loading and assigning of the samples. Once the samples are
in the module and sorted, then saving them as complete, single kits with the User Voices
as part of them is simple. See later for how to do this.

Part 1 - Creating the User Voice

This is not the only way, but this is probably the simplest.

All samples need to be 16 bit 44.1kHz WAV files, mono or stereo

The module has 100 User Voices. You can load up to 10 samples in each. You can use up
to 4 User Voices (ABCD) to create one multilayer sound with 10 layers and 4 round -robin
(repeating) samples.

Each User Voice should end up with (up to) 10 samples, from quietest to loudest, all
correctly named (so the module knows where to put them).
1.1 Collect your samples

Group the samples together for each User Voice and order them so you have the quietest
sample first going up to the loudest one.

For example User Voice 1 might be 10 snare head hits from quiet to loud.
User Voice 2 might be another 10 alternative snare head hits from quiet to
loud. User Voice 3 might be 10 snare rim shot sounds from quiet to loud, and
User Voice 4 might be 10 cross stick sounds from quiet to loud. The choice
is yours – you can have up to 40 sounds on each zone – head, or rim.

1.2 Name the samples

You meed to rename each sample so it has a unique name. This is because the module
uses the file name to group samples together to create each User Voice, like this;

00101PEH1
The first 3 digits are the User Voice you want to use (001 – 100) – 001 in this case
The second 2 digits are the voice number within in that particular User Voice (01 – 10) –
01 in this case.
Then you can add 4 numbers or digits so you know which sample is which, which drum it
is, whether it is a head, rim, or xstick etc – PEH1 in this case.

Most computers allow you to rename files in particular ways, very quickly. This should not
take long.

The module is limited to importing up to 40 samples at a time. Put all the samples for one
particular articulation (head, rim, cross-stick etc) on a USB pen drive. As long as you have
named them correctly, it is perfectly possible to load them in one go.
1.3 Insert the USB drive into the module

1. On the module, go to Menu, Job, User Voice, Import All.

You can now choose how to import them. As you have named them all correctly already,
you can use the names to import them to the correct location.

2. Press F1 'Import Type' (bottom left button under the screen) until 'By Name' is
highlighted.

3. Press F3 'Import' and all the samples will be imported into the correct locations in the
next available.

4. Repeat this stage with the next 40 samples until you have imported all your samples.

1.4 Arrange the Dynamic Range for Each User Voice

Press Exit and go to Voice Edit.

1. Go to your first User Voice (probably 001).

2. Press F1 (Bank) once so you can see the dynamic range of each sample.

3. Press F2 (Function) until Split is highlighted.

4.

4. Press F3 'Split' and F1 to confirm.

All the voices in this User Voice are now equally spaced over the dynamic range. You can
check this by pressing the Bank button and scrolling through them.
Don't forget you can go back and adjust the dynamic range of any single sample
later if you feel it is not quite correct for your playing style.

Repeat the Split function with all the other User Voices you have just imported.

At the end, Press Menu and the samples will be saved.

1.5 Create your Custom User Voice

Go to the kit you want to add your User Voice onto.

1. Go to Menu, Kit Edit, Voice.

2. Hit the zone of the pad you want to add the User Voice to.

3. Change Category to User

4. Find the first User Voice you want to add to that zone.

5. Press F3 (TRG) so you can see the layers

6. Press F1 (Layer) so the zone changes to Layer B

From here on you need to avoid hitting the pad otherwise the module will revert to
Layer A. You can lock the module onto the layer you are working on by pressing F2
(Pad Lock) if required, but remember to turn it off after)
7. Press Exit

8. Change Category to User

9. Find the second User Voice you want to add to that zone.

10. Repeat adding more layers (steps 5-9)

1.6 Turn on the Round Robin Samples

Next you need to change the Layers so the Alternate, rather than all play at the same time.

Press Exit so you can see the voice selection screen.

Press F2 (v) until you see VoiceLayerSw

Using the '+' button, change it to 'alt' (alternate).

1.7 Save the kit

Press Store, choose which User Kit (those which start with U) you want to store it as.

Press F3 (Store) and it is saved inside the module.

Part 2 - Once you have made your User Voice Kit

You can save any kit as a One Kit file onto a USB pen drive. This means that you can
save all the settings of that one kit, complete with all the User Voice samples, effects
settings and everything else, so you can save it, store it, use it on another module, or
build up a library of great sounding kits on your computer so you done take up precious
space on your module.

Then you can just load in the One Kit files you want, when you need them, and off load
them when you don't need them.

2.1 Saving the whole kit as a One Kit file

Go to Menu > File > Save and change Type to OneKit.

Move the cursor down to where it says 'Kit' and choose the kit you want to save using the
+ and – buttons or the rotary knob.

Then press F2 'NAME' and create a name for the kit. This can be different from how it is
stored on the module.

Use F1 and F3 to move the cursor, and + or - or the rotary knob to change the letter,
number or symbol.

When you are happy with the name, press F2 'OK'.

Press F3 to Save, F1 to confirm and the kit is saved to the USB drive.
2.2 Loading a One Kit File

Go to Menu > File > Load and change Type to OneKit.

Move the cursor down one line to File and find the One Kit file you want to load.

Move the cursor down to the next line down and choose the location of where you want to
save the kit.

Press F3 to load , and F1 to confirm.

So you can now, create a User Voice as part of a kit, save that kit
as a One Kit file, and reload that One Kit file back into the module.

As you go along, you'll see different ways of doing things, some of

which may make more sense to you. Find the way which works
best for you and creating and saving User Voice kits will take no
time at all.

Simon Edgoose
June 2021

Courtesy of