Cat. No. 42-4041
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
Electronic Keyboard
MD-1200
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2
We recommend you write your MD-
1200’s serial number here. The number
is on the bottom of the MD-1200.
Serial Number _________________
THE FCC WANTS YOU TO
KNOW
This keyboard complies with the limits
for a Class B digital device as specified
in Part 15 of
FCC Rules
. These limits
provide reasonable protection against
radio and TV interference in a residential
area. However, your keyboard might
cause TV or radio interference even
when it is operating properly. To elimi-
nate interference, you can try one or
both of these corrective measures:
• increase the distance between the
keyboard and the radio or TV
• use outlets on different electrical cir-
cuits for the keyboard and the radio
or TV
Consult your local RadioShack store if
the problem still exists.
WARNING:
To reduce the risk of fire or
shock hazard, do not expose this product to rain
or moisture.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
DO NOT OPEN.
CAUTION:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE-
ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING
TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
This symbol is intended to alert
you to the presence of uninsu-
lated dangerous voltage within
the product’s enclosure that might
be of sufficient magnitude to con-
stitute a risk of electric shock. Do
not open the product’s case.
This symbol is intended to inform
you that important operating and
maintenance instructions are
included in the literature accom-
panying this product.
!
!
©
1999 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Optimus and RadioShack are registered trademarks used by Tandy Corporation.
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3
FEATURES
Your Optimus MD-1200 Electronic Key-
board is a state-of-the-art musical instru-
ment that offers you a vast array of
sounds. You can choose from 200 differ-
ent musical instruments or sound effects
and 100 rhythms, as well as automatic
accompaniments and percussion
sounds.
The MD-1200 also includes a MIDI fea-
ture (Musical Instrument Digital Inter-
face), which lets you connect it to other
MIDI-equipped musical instruments or
devices — even your personal comput-
er! This versatile keyboard can provide
hours of fun and is ideal for anyone who
wants to make music, from the beginner
to the experienced musician.
Note:
The MD-1200 conforms to most,
but not all, General MIDI specifications.
Therefore, you might experience some
incompatibility when using the MD-1200
with another General MIDI device. For
more information, see “Using MIDI” on
Page 41.
Your MD-1200’s features include:
61 Full-Size Keys with Touch Re-
sponse
— the keyboard’s volume var-
ies in response to the force of your
touch, just like an acoustic piano or or-
gan, so you can add emotion to your
music.
Backlit Liquid Crystal Display
—
shows the notes and chords as you play
them, along with the current tone,
rhythm, and tempo. The built-in back-
light makes it easy to read the display
even in darkness.
24-Note Polyphonic Sound
— lets you
play and hear up to 24 notes at the
same time, so you can play or create al-
most any type of music.
Memory
— lets you set the MD-1200 to
record up to 2 songs, 6 tracks, and
5,200 notes. The recording remains
stored even while the keyboard is off.
Pitch Bender Wheel
— lets you bend a
note by altering its pitch to create realis-
tic effects for reed instrument or guitar
tones.
200 Tones
— let you set your MD-1200
to sound like anything from a harpsi-
chord to a honky-tonk piano. You can
even create your own tones with the
custom tone synthesizer feature.
100 Auto-Rhythms
— provide a steady
beat for many styles of music, from
rhumba to rock.
Headphones/Output Jack
— lets you
connect headphones so you can play
without disturbing others, or an external
amplifier so you can play for a crowd
(neither supplied).
Assignable Jack
— lets you connect a
sustain pedal (not supplied) to the MD-
1200 so you can sustain or soften your
keyboard’s sound, or start/stop an auto-
rhythm.
100 Free Sessions
— let you set the
MD-1200 to automatically play an ac-
companiment consisting of a prerecord-
ed chord progression with a matching
rhythm.
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4
Synthesizer Function
— lets you cre-
ate up to 32 of your own original tones.
Tune Function
— lets you adjust the
pitch of your keyboard so you can play
in tune with other instruments.
Transpose Function
— lets you in-
stantly change the key of music, even
when you are playing.
Tempo Control
— lets you speed up or
slow down the tempo of any selected
music pattern.
Fill-In Rhythm
— lets you insert a short
variation into any auto-rhythm.
Auto Accompaniment
— lets you auto-
matically play a preset harmonic pattern
to match the selected auto-rhythm.
Reverb
— lets you add depth and space
to the sound.
Layer Function
— lets you set the key-
board to play two different tones at the
same time, giving your music a “layered”
effect.
Split Function
— lets you use different
sounds for the low-end and high-end
keys.
Mixer Function
— lets you make the
MD-1200 sound multiple tones for auto
accompaniment, memory playback, or
to play MIDI data received from another
MIDI device.
Automatic Intro/Ending Rhythm
—
lets you set the MD-1200 to automatical-
ly add a 3- to 8-measure introduction or
3- to 8-measure ending to the selected
auto-rhythm.
Drum Pads
— play drum sounds re-
gardless of the keyboard’s tone setting.
Two Built-In Speakers
— let you hear
the sound you create.
Two Power Options
— let you power
the keyboard from internal batteries (not
supplied) or standard AC power (with an
optional adapter), so you can make mu-
sic almost anywhere.
Notes:
• If the keyboard is left in one place
for a very long time, its feet could
mar your furniture’s finish. We rec-
ommend you place the feet on felt
cloth pads to protect your furniture
or use a keyboard stand, available
at your local RadioShack store.
• This Owner’s Manual explains how
to use this electronic keyboard. It
does not teach music.
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5
CONTENTS
Preparation .............................................................................................................. 7
Connecting Power .............................................................................................. 7
Using Batteries ............................................................................................ 7
Using AC Power .......................................................................................... 8
Connecting Headphones .................................................................................... 8
Listening Safely ........................................................................................... 8
Connecting an External Amplifier ....................................................................... 9
Using the Music Stand ....................................................................................... 9
Operation ............................................................................................................... 10
Basic Operation ................................................................................................ 10
Playing the Demonstration Tunes .................................................................... 10
Using the Preset Tones .................................................................................... 11
Using the Drum Pads ....................................................................................... 13
Using Reverb .................................................................................................... 13
Using Split ........................................................................................................ 13
Using Layer ...................................................................................................... 14
Using Split and Layer Together ........................................................................ 14
Using the Preset Auto-Rhythms ....................................................................... 15
Selecting/Playing an Auto-Rhythm ............................................................ 15
Using SYNCHRO ....................................................................................... 16
Using INTRO ............................................................................................. 17
Using FILL-IN ............................................................................................. 17
Using VARIATION ...................................................................................... 17
Using ENDING ........................................................................................... 17
Using Auto-Accompaniment ............................................................................. 17
Adjusting the Accompaniment Volume ...................................................... 18
Concert Chord ........................................................................................... 19
Standard Fingering .................................................................................... 20
Full-Range Chords ..................................................................................... 21
Using FREE SESSION .............................................................................. 21
Using the Mixer ................................................................................................ 22
Editing the Status of a Channel ................................................................. 23
Editing the Parameter ................................................................................ 24
Using the Custom Tone Synthesizer ................................................................ 24
Understanding 1DCO and 2DCO Tones .................................................... 25
Creating and Storing a User Tone ............................................................. 25
Hints on Creating a User Tone ................................................................... 28
Deleting a User Tone ................................................................................. 28
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6
Special Features ................................................................................................... 29
Changing Keys ................................................................................................. 29
Tuning the Keyboard ........................................................................................ 29
Using Touch Response ..................................................................................... 30
Changing Auto Power Off ................................................................................. 30
Using Pitch Bend .............................................................................................. 30
Setting the Pitch Bend Range .................................................................... 31
Using a Sustain Pedal ...................................................................................... 31
Using the Memory ................................................................................................. 32
Real-Time Recording ........................................................................................ 32
Playing Back from Memory ............................................................................... 34
Step Recording ................................................................................................. 35
Specifying Chords in the Normal Mode ..................................................... 36
Specifying the Length of a Note ................................................................. 36
Correcting Mistakes ................................................................................... 37
Recording Multiple Tracks ................................................................................ 37
Real-Time Recording ................................................................................. 37
Step Recording .......................................................................................... 38
Changing the Navigation Track .................................................................. 39
Editing Memory Contents ................................................................................. 39
Editing Techniques and Display Contents .................................................. 40
Deleting Individual Data ............................................................................. 40
Deleting All Data in a Specific Track .......................................................... 40
Using MIDI ............................................................................................................. 41
About MIDI ........................................................................................................ 41
Making the MIDI Connections .......................................................................... 41
MIDI Data ......................................................................................................... 42
Changing MIDI Settings .................................................................................... 44
Dumping/Importing Data ................................................................................... 45
Dumping Data ............................................................................................ 45
Importing Data ........................................................................................... 46
Notes About the MIDI Implementation Chart .................................................... 46
Troubleshooting .................................................................................................... 48
Care and Maintenance .......................................................................................... 49
Specifications ........................................................................................................ 50
Appendix ................................................................................................................ 52
Note Table ........................................................................................................ 52
Free Session Chord Progression Chart ............................................................ 54
Drum Assignment List ...................................................................................... 56
Fingered Chord Chart ....................................................................................... 57
MIDI Implementation Chart .................................................................................. 58
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7
PREPARATION
Note:
To connect a MIDI device, see
“Making the MIDI Connections” on
Page 41. To connect a sustain pedal,
see “Using a Sustain Pedal” on
Page 31.
CONNECTING POWER
You can power your MD-1200 from ei-
ther:
• internal batteries (see “Using Batter-
ies”)
• standard AC power using an
optional AC adapter (see “Using AC
Power” on Page 8)
Notes:
• Connecting an AC adapter automat-
ically disconnects internal batteries.
• Always disconnect the adapter
when you finish using the MD-1200.
• Disconnecting the keyboard’s power
clears the control settings, memory
contents, and user tones (see
“Using the Custom Tone Synthe-
sizer” on Page 24 and “Using the
Memory” on Page 32).
Using Batteries
Your MD-1200 can use six D batteries
(not supplied) for power. For the best
performance and longest life, we recom-
mend RadioShack alkaline batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the
required size and recommended
type.
• If you do not plan to use the MD-
1200 with batteries for a week or
more, or if you will be using only AC
power, remove the batteries.
• Do not mix old and new batteries,
different types of batteries (stan-
dard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or
rechargeable batteries of different
capacities.
1. Press the tabs on the battery com-
partment cover, then pull up to
remove the cover.
2. Put the batteries in the compartment
as indicated by the polarity symbols
(+ and –) marked beside the com-
partment.
3. Replace the cover.
If the MD-1200 sounds weak or does not
work properly, replace all six batteries.
Warning:
Dispose of old batteries
promptly and properly. Do not burn or
bury them.
Caution:
Always remove old or weak
batteries; batteries can leak chemicals
that can destroy electronic parts.
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8
Using AC Power
You can power your MD-1200 from
standard AC power using a 9-volt AC
adapter (not supplied) and a Size M
Adaptaplug.
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2
power source that supplies
9 volts DC and delivers at
least 800 mA. Its center tip must be
set to negative and its plug must fit
the MD-1200's
DC 9V
jack. Using an
adapter that does not meet these
specifications could damage the
MD-1200 or the adapter.
• Always press
POWER
to turn off the
keyboard before you connect or dis-
connect the adapter.
• Always plug the AC adapter into the
MD-1200 before you plug it into the
AC outlet. Always unplug the AC
adapter from the AC outlet before
you unplug it from the MD-1200.
Follow these steps to power your MD-
1200 from AC power.
1. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into
the
DC 9V
jack on the back of the
MD-1200.
2. Plug the adapter into a standard AC
outlet.
CONNECTING
HEADPHONES
To listen to your MD-1200 without dis-
turbing others, you can connect a pair of
1
/
4
-inch (6.35-mm) plug stereo head-
phones (not supplied). Your local Ra-
dioShack store sells a wide selection of
headphones.
To connect a pair of headphones, insert
the headphones’
1
/
4
-inch (6.35-mm) plug
into the
PHONES/OUTPUT
jack on the
back of the keyboard.
Note:
Connecting headphones discon-
nects the MD-1200’s built-in speakers.
Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follow these
guidelines when you use headphones.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting
before you begin listening. After you
begin listening, adjust the volume to
a comfortable level.
• Do not listen at extremely high vol-
ume levels. Extended high-volume
listening can lead to permanent
hearing loss.
!
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9
• Once you set the volume, do not
increase it. Over time, your ears
adapt to the volume level, so a vol-
ume level that does not cause dis-
comfort might still damage your
hearing.
CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER
To amplify your MD-1200’s sound, you
can connect it to an external amplifier
(not supplied) using an audio cable (not
supplied) with a
1
/
4
-inch (6.35-mm) plug.
To connect an external amplifier to your
keyboard, insert the cable’s
1
/
4
-inch
(6.35-mm) plug into the
PHONES/OUT-
PUT
jack on the back of the keyboard,
and connect the cable’s other end to the
amplifier’s input jack(s) (such as AUX IN
or TAPE IN).
Your local RadioShack store sells a full
line of amplifiers, speakers, and connec-
tion cables.
USING THE MUSIC STAND
To easily view sheet music while playing
your keyboard, insert the supplied music
stand into the slot on the top back panel.
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10
OPERATION
BASIC OPERATION
1. Slide
VOLUME
to
MIN
(minimum).
Important:
To prevent hearing dam-
age, always set the MD-1200’s vol-
ume to
MIN
before you turn it on.
2. To turn on the MD-1200, press
POWER
. The POWER indicator
lights and the display turns on.
Note:
To save power, the keyboard
automatically turns off after about 6
minutes if you do not press a key. To
turn the keyboard on again, press
POWER
. To cancel the auto power
off feature, see “Changing Auto
Power Off” on Page 30.
3. Slide
MODE
to
NORMAL
.
4. Slide
VOLUME
toward
MAX
slightly
and begin playing the keyboard.
Notes:
• The MD-1200 automatically
selects the tone
GND PIANO
(No.
000) when you first turn the power
on. Each time you turn it on after
that, it recalls the last selected
tone. To select a different tone,
see “Using the Preset Tones” on
Page 11.
• To select an auto-rhythm, see
“Using the Preset Auto-Rhythms”
on Page 15.
• To play auto accompaniment, see
“Using Auto-Accompaniment” on
Page 17.
5. Slide
VOLUME
toward
MAX
to
increase the sound level or
MIN
to
decrease it.
6. To turn off the MD-1200, press
POWER
. The red POWER indicator
and the keyboard’s display turn off.
PLAYING THE
DEMONSTRATION TUNES
To showcase its sounds, your MD-1200
can play two pre-programmed demon-
stration tunes. To start the demonstra-
tion, press
DEMO
. The MD-1200 plays
the first demonstration tune (No. 0). To
select the other tune, press
+
or
–
on the
keypad. The selected tune’s number ap-
pears, and the tune plays.
VOLUME
MODE
POWER
VOLUME
DEMO
(Partial Control View)
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11
The
tone number and name
appear at
the top of the display. The middle row
shows the
chord symbol
, the
tempo
in
beats per minute, the
number of the
measure playing
and the
beat count
in
each measure. The
treble and bass
clefs
to the right of the display show the
notes as they play. The bar graph shows
the
sound level
on each of the 16 chan-
nels (see “Using the Mixer” on Page 22).
The
keyboard
at the bottom of the dis-
play shows the location of the keys be-
ing pressed.
USING THE PRESET
TONES
Your MD-1200 can sound like 200 differ-
ent musical instruments or sound ef-
fects. The name and three-digit number
of each preset tone is listed on the MD-
1200’s top panel.
Notes:
• The MD-1200 has 24-note (maxi-
mum) polyphonic sound. This
means that you can play up to 24
different notes at the same time with
most of the keyboard’s preset tones.
Many of the keyboard’s preset
tones, however, are capable of only
12-note polyphony.
• Most tones on this keyboard have
been recorded and processed using
a technique called
digital sampling
.
To ensure a high level of tonal qual-
ity, samples are taken in the low,
mid, and high ranges and then com-
bined. You might notice very slight
differences in volume or sound qual-
ity for some tones when you play
them at different positions on the
keyboard. This is an unavoidable
result of multiple sampling and is
normal.
Follow these steps to select and play a
preset tone.
1. Press
TONE
.
TONE
and the current
tone’s number appear.
Note:
The MD-1200 automatically
selects the tone GRAND PIANO
(No. 000) the first time you turn on
power.
2. To play a different tone, choose a
preset tone from the 200 TONES list
and enter its three-digit number on
the keypad. For example, to select
ELEC PIANO 1, press
0 0 4
. As you
press the keys, the selected digits
appear.
Tone Number/Name
Chord Symbol
Tempo
Keyboard
Treble Clef
Bass Clef
Measure/
Beat Count
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12
Notes:
• You can select the next highest or
lowest numbered tone by simply
pressing
+
or
–
on the keypad.
• The names of tone numbers 000–
127 are marked to the right of the
MD-1200’s display. The names
for tone numbers 128–167
appear in the table below. Mem-
ory locations 168–199 are
reserved for custom tones that
you create (see “Using the Cus-
tom Tone Synthesizer” on
Page 24).
• When you select one of the drum
sets (tone numbers 160–167),
each key plays a different percus-
sion sound. See “Drum Assign-
ment List” on Page 56.
• The drum set sounds change
when you change the rhythm
number, play back data stored in
memory, or receive MIDI program
change data.
• Tone numbers 168–199 are the
user tone area. See “Using the
Custom Tone Synthesizer” on
Page 24.
3. Play the keyboard to hear the
selected tone.
4. Adjust the volume to the desired
level.
To select a different tone, while
TONE
appears, simply enter the desired tone
number.
No. Tone
128 SYNTH PAD 1
129 SYNTH PAD 2
130 TOUCH STRINGS
131 DO AHH
132 STRINGS HIT
133 VIBES PIANO
134 SAW SYNTH
135 TOUCH BASS
136 STRINGS PIANO
137 E. PIANO STRINGS
138 STEREO PIANO
139 12 STR GUITAR
140 BRASS FALL
141 BASS SLIDE
142 FEEDBACK GT
143 PIANO
→
STRINGS
144 ECHO ORGAN
145 ROTARY ORGAN
146 CHORUSED EP
147 STRINGS GT
148 PAD ENS 1
149 PAD ENS 2
150 SEQUENCE 1
151 SEQUENCE 2
152 SYNTH PAD 3
153 SYNTH PAD 4
154 SYNTH PAD 5
155 SYNTH PAD 6
156 SYNTH PAD 7
157 SYNTH PAD 8
158 REVERSE ECHO
159 FAST TREMOLO
160–167 DRUM SET 1–8
No. Tone
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13
USING THE DRUM PADS
The MD-1200 has six drum pads that
you can use to play percussion sounds
independent of the keyboard keys. Sim-
ply tap on a drum pad to play the per-
cussion sound currently assigned to it.
To change the drum pad sounds, use
the mixer function to change the tone
assigned to Channel 10. See “Using the
Mixer” on Page 22.
USING REVERB
The REVERB feature creates ambiance
effects by causing the sound to linger
and reverberate. Press
REVERB
so the
indicator appears next to the type of re-
verb you want.
HALL
— creates a concert hall effect.
STAGE
— creates the acoustics of a
small club.
ROOM
— adds the acoustics of a studio.
To turn off REVERB, press
REVERB
so
no indicator appears on the display.
USING SPLIT
The MD-1200’s SPLIT feature lets you
play two different tones on opposite
ends of the keyboard, so the low-end
keys play one tone, and the high-end
keys play another.
Follow these steps to use SPLIT.
1. Press
TONE
.
2. Enter the three-digit number for the
tone you want the high-end keys to
play.
3. Press
SPLIT
. The SPLIT indicator
appears.
4. Enter the three-digit number for the
tone you want the low-end keys to
play.
5. Hold down
SPLIT
, and press the key
where you want the high-end tones
to begin. The selected key’s name
appears on the display.
REVERB
Drum Pads
LAYER
SPLIT
TONE
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14
For example, if you set the split
point to be F below middle C,
F3
appears.
Note:
You can change the split point
at any time.
6. Play both the low and high-end keys
to hear the selected split tones.
To select a different low-end tone, enter
the three-digit number for the new low-
end tone while the SPLIT indicator is on
the display.
To select a different high-end tone,
press
SPLIT
to turn off its indicator, then
enter the three-digit number for the new
high-end tone. Then press
SPLIT
again
so the SPLIT indicator appears.
To cancel SPLIT play, press
SPLIT
again so its indicator turns off.
Notes:
• If SPLIT is on when you turn off the
keyboard, SPLIT will still be on the
next time you turn on the keyboard.
• When you turn on SPLIT, the last
selected settings appear.
USING LAYER
The MD-1200 lets you set the keyboard
to play two different preset tones at the
same time, creating a “layered effect”
when you press one key.
Note:
The first tone you select when us-
ing LAYER is called the
base tone
and
the second tone is called the
layer tone
.
1. Press
TONE
.
2. Enter the three-digit number for the
base tone.
3. Press
LAYER
. The
LAYER
indicator
appears.
4. Enter the three-digit number for the
layer tone.
5. Play the keyboard to hear the
selected layered tones.
To select a different layer tone, enter the
three-digit number for the new layer tone
while the LAYER indicator is on the dis-
play.
To select a different base tone, press
LAYER
to turn off its indicator, then enter
the three-digit number for the new base
tone. Then press
LAYER
again so the
LAYER indicator appears.
To cancel LAYER, press
LAYER
again
so its indicator turns off.
Notes:
• If LAYER is on when you turn off the
keyboard, LAYER will still be on the
next time you turn on the keyboard.
• When you turn on LAYER, the previ-
ous tone settings appear.
USING SPLIT AND LAYER
TOGETHER
You can combine the SPLIT and LAYER
features, so you can play one layered
combination of tones on the low-end
keys and another on the high-end keys.
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15
1. If the SPLIT or LAYER indicator is
on, press
SPLIT
or
LAYER
to turn it
off.
2. Enter the number for the high-end
base tone on the keypad.
3. Press
SPLIT
so the
SPLIT
indicator
appears.
4. Enter the number for the low-end
base tone.
5. Press
SPLIT
so the
SPLIT
indicator
disappears.
6. Press
LAYER
so the
LAYER
indica-
tor appears.
7. Enter the number of the layered
tone for the high-end keys.
8. Press
SPLIT
. The
SPLIT
indicator
appears.
9. Enter the number of the layered
tone for the low-end keys.
10. If desired, hold down
SPLIT
and
press the key where you want the
high-end tones to begin.
11. Play the keyboard to hear the
selected tones.
To cancel the SPLIT/LAYER combina-
tion, press each button so both the
SPLIT and LAYER indicators disap-
pear.
USING THE PRESET
AUTO-RHYTHMS
Your MD-1200 has 100 preset auto-
rhythms that provide a steady beat for
your music. The name and two-digit
number of each preset auto-rhythm is
marked to the left of the MD-1200’s dis-
play.
You can play a preset auto-rhythm on
the MD-1200 in any of these ways:
• Select and play a rhythm. See
“Selecting/Playing an Auto-
Rhythm.”
• Synchronize the start of a rhythm
with your music. See “Using SYN-
CHRO” on Page 16.
• Start a rhythm with a special intro-
duction. See “Using INTRO” on
Page 17.
• Stop a rhythm with a special ending.
See “Using ENDING” on Page 17.
• Briefly vary the pattern of a rhythm.
See “Using FILL-IN” on Page 17.
• Play an alternate version (variation)
of a rhythm. See “Using VARIA-
TION” on Page 17.
Selecting/Playing an
Auto-Rhythm
1. Press
RHYTHM
. RHYTHM and the
name and number of the current
auto-rhythm appear on the display.
Note:
The MD-1200 automatically
selects the rhythm CLUB POP (No.
00) the first time you turn it on. Each
time you turn it on after that, it
recalls the last selected rhythm.
42-4041.fm Page 15 Tuesday, August 3, 1999 6:56 AM
16
2. To select a different rhythm, choose
an auto-rhythm from the 100
RHYTHMS list and enter its two-
digit number on the keypad. For
example, to select 8 BEAT BALLAD
2 (No. 05), press
0
then
5
.
Note:
You can select the next high-
est or lowest numbered auto-rhythm
by simply pressing
+
or
–
on the key-
pad.
3. Set
MODE
to
NORMAL
. Then press
START/STOP
to start the selected
auto-rhythm.
4. Adjust the volume to the desired
level.
5. To change the auto-rhythm speed,
press
TEMPO
. or . The current
tempo setting appears on the dis-
play.
Notes:
• You can adjust the tempo to play an
auto-rhythm from 40 to 255 beats
per minute.
• To quickly slow down or speed up
the tempo, hold down
TEMPO
. or
.
• You can also adjust the tempo by
first pressing
TEMPO
. or .,
then entering the desired number of
beats per minute in three digits (040
to 255), or by holding down
+
or
–
on
the keypad.
• To reset the tempo to its default
(original) speed, press
TEMPO
.
or . at the same time.
To select a different rhythm, repeat
Steps 1 and 2.
To stop the auto-rhythm, press
START/
STOP
.
Using SYNCHRO
The MD-1200’s SYNCHRO feature lets
you synchronize the start of an auto-
rhythm with the beginning of your music.
After you select and enter an auto-
rhythm, press
SYNCHRO/ENDING
, then
begin playing the keyboard. The rhythm
automatically starts to play when you
press any key within the first 1
1
/
2
octaves
of the lower end of the keyboard (the
first 18 keys from the left).
TEMPO
INTRO
NORMAL/FILL-IN
SYNCHRO/ENDING
VARIATION/FILL-IN
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17
Using INTRO
The MD-1200’s INTRO feature lets you
start the selected auto-rhythm with a
light, 3- to 8-measure introduction that
blends easily into the selected rhythm.
To start a rhythm with an introduction,
select and enter the rhythm, then press
INTRO
. The introduction plays, then the
selected auto-rhythm automatically
starts.
Using FILL-IN
The FILL-IN feature lets you insert a
short (1- to 2-measure) fill-in segment of
a selected auto-rhythm.
To insert the fill-in segment, press and
release
NORMAL/FILL-IN
while the auto-
rhythm is playing. The MD-1200 inserts
a 1- to 2-measure variation in the
rhythm, then the original rhythm auto-
matically resumes.
Using VARIATION
Each of the MD-1200’s 100 preset auto-
rhythms has a built-in variation (alter-
nate) to its normal beat pattern. The
variation differs slightly from the normal
rhythm, so it is almost like having two
rhythms in one!
To play the alternate rhythm, press
VARIATION/FILL-IN
. The variation plays
continuously at the selected tempo.
To insert the fill-in segment in the alter-
nate rhythm, press
VARIATION/FILL-IN
.
The keyboard adds a 1- to 2-measure
variation in the rhythm.
To return to the normal rhythm, press
NORMAL/FILL-IN
.
To stop the auto-rhythm, press
START/
STOP
.
Using ENDING
To end the selected rhythm with a spe-
cial 3- to 8-measure flourish, press
SYN-
CHRO/ENDING
while the auto-rhythm is
playing, about 3–8 measures before you
want the rhythm to end. The MD-1200
plays a special ending, then automati-
cally stops the rhythm.
USING
AUTO-ACCOMPANIMENT
The 18 keys on the left side of the key-
board with note labels above them are
called
accompaniment keys
.
You can set the MD-1200 to play three
different types of auto accompaniment.
Concert Chord
— lets you play chords
on the accompaniment keys using chord
formations of from one to four notes.
The number of keys you press deter-
mines the type of chord that plays.
Standard Fingering
— lets you play
chords on the accompaniment keys us-
ing standard chord formations of three
or four notes (see “Standard Fingering”
on Page 20).
42-4041.fm Page 17 Tuesday, August 3, 1999 6:56 AM
18
Free Session
— lets you play the melo-
dy using the entire keyboard while the
MD-1200 plays accompaniment based
on your auto-rhythm selection (see “Us-
ing FREE SESSION” on Page 21).
Notes:
• After you press the auto accompani-
ment keys when using concert
chord or standard fingering, the MD-
1200 plays the same chord until you
press other accompaniment keys to
play a different chord or you press
START/ STOP
.
• You can use the MD-1200’s rhythm
controls (
INTRO
,
NORMAL/FILL-IN
,
VARIATION/FILL-IN
, and
SYNCHRO/
ENDING
) with all three types of auto
accompaniment.
Adjusting the Accompaniment
Volume
The MD-1200 lets you adjust the volume
of your accompaniment separately from
the overall volume of the keyboard.
1. Press
ACCOMP VOLUME
. The three-
digit number of the last selected
accompaniment volume appears on
the display.
2. Within 5 seconds, enter a number
from
0 0 0
(softest) to
1 2 7
(loudest)
on the keypad. The numbers appear
on the display as you press the
keys.
To select the next highest or lowest
accompaniment volume number,
you can also press
+
or
–
after
pressing
ACCOMP VOLUME
. Hold
down
+
or
–
to quickly increase or
decrease the accompaniment vol-
ume.
To reset the accompaniment volume to
its default value of 87, press
ACCOMP
VOLUME
then press
+
and
–
at the same
time.
Note:
The auto-accompaniment pat-
terns consist of four parts: chord 1,
chord 2, bass, and rhythm. You can de-
lete any of the parts by using the mixer
function. See “Using the Mixer” on
Page 22.
ACCOMP
VOLUME
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19
Concert Chord
The concert chord method lets begin-
ning keyboard players easily select and
play a chord.
The number of accompaniment keys
you press determines the type of chord
that plays. This table shows the type of
chord that plays when you press one,
two, three, or four accompaniment keys
at the same time.
The lowest note you play determines the
key of the chord. For example, if the low-
est note is C, the keyboard plays a C
chord.
Note:
You can play any labeled note(s)
to the right of the lowest note in the
chord to produce a minor, a dominant
seventh, or minor seventh chord.
Follow these steps to start concert chord
auto accompaniment.
1. Set
MODE
to
CONCERT CHORD
.
2. Select and enter an auto-rhythm.
3. To start the auto-rhythm before the
auto accompaniment, press
START/
STOP
or
INTRO
.
To synchronize the start of the
selected auto-rhythm with your
accompaniment, press
SYNCHRO/
ENDING
.
4. Begin the accompaniment by press-
ing the desired accompaniment
key(s).
To play a melody along with the
accompaniment, press any key(s) to
the right of the accompaniment
keys.
5. To change chords without interrupt-
ing the rhythm, simply press the
auto accompaniment key(s)
required to form the new chord.
6. To stop accompaniment and the
auto-rhythm, press
START/STOP
.
Number of Keys
Pressed
Chord Type
Major
Minor (m)
Dominant
Seventh (7)
Minor
Seventh (m7)
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20
Standard Fingering
The standard fingering method uses standard formations of three or four notes, and
lets the experienced musician play a wider variety of accompaniment chords. You
can play these 15 chord types on your MD-1200, in any key, using the standard fin-
gering method.
Notes:
• To produce a simple variation of a 7, m7, M7, mM7, add9, or madd9 chord, you
can omit the finger positions shown in parentheses (on the keys).
• When producing an aug, 7-5, or dim7 chord, the lowest note you play determines
the root of the chord. Be sure that your fingering correctly defines the root you
want.
• The diagrams above show only one possible fingering position for each chord. It
is possible to play a chord using several different positions. For example, these
three fingering positions produce the same C chord.
Major (M) Minor (m) Augmented
(aug)
Suspended 4th
(sus4)
Dominant 7th (7)
Minor 7th (m7) Major 7th (M7) Minor Half-
Diminished
(m7
-5
)
Major Half
Diminished (7
-5
)
Dominant
Suspended 4th
(7sus4)
Major 9th (add9) Minor 9th
(madd9)
Minor/Major 7th
(mM7)
Diminished Diminished 7th
(dim7)
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